Courtesy of DC Tripwire
Major Actions This Week:
White House
- On Wednesday, President Obama and Vice President Biden hosted experts at the White House to focus on what can be done to encourage businesses to keep jobs and investment in the United States.
- On Friday, the President announced a plan to merge the Commerce Department, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, the Small Business Administration, and other business agencies into one single Cabinet-level agency.
- Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner traveled to Beijing and Tokyo this week to discuss sanctions on Iran. Japan supported tightening existing sanctions, but China would not agree to limit oil imports from Iran.
Political
- The New Hampshire GOP primary was held on Tuesday, where Mitt Romney won with 39.3% of the vote.
Europe
- On Monday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy met in Berlin, where they discussed the importance of boosting economic growth to mitigate the effects of the European debt crisis. They also encouraged Greece and its private creditors to come to an agreement on debt restructuring, so that Greece may receive the next round of Eurozone bailout funds.
- On Wednesday, Italian Prime Minster Mario Monti travelled to Berlin to meet with German Chancellor Merkel to discuss the debt crisis. Monti told Merkel that austerity would overwhelm Italy’s economy without more assistance from European institutions.
- On Thursday, the European Central Bank and the Bank of England both held meetings, keeping interest rates unchanged.
- Also on Thursday, auctions of Italian and Spanish bonds met with strong demand.
Major Actions Next Week:
White House
- On Tuesday, President Obama will host King Abdullah II of Jordan at the White House.
- On Thursday, the President will travel to Orlando to discuss the economy.
- Later on Thursday, the President will attend a fundraiser at the New York home of film director Spike Lee.
Senate
- Next week, the Senate will continue to hold only pro forma sessions.
House
- On Wednesday, the House will consider HJ Res 98, a resolution “Relating to the disapproval of the President’s exercise of authority to increase the debt limit, as submitted under section 3101A of title 31, United States Code, on January 12, 2012.”
- On Thursday and Friday, House Republicans will hold a retreat in Baltimore.
Political
- Tomorrow at 8:00 p.m., there will be a GOP primary debate at the College of Charleston, SC, sponsored by Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, Congressman Tim Scott (R-SC), and Fox News.
- On Monday at 9:00 p.m., there will be a GOP primary debate at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center in Myrtle Beach, SC, sponsored by Fox News and the South Carolina Republican Party.
- On Thursday at 9:00 p.m., there will be a GOP primary debate in Charleston, SC, sponsored by CNN and the Southern Republican Leadership Conference.
Europe
- On Friday, Germany Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy will travel to Rome to meet with Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti.
Congressional Committee Highlights
House
Tuesday, Jan. 17
3:00 p.m. – House Armed Services Committee
The Defense Business Panel will hold a hearing entitled, “Doing Business with DoD: Unique Challenges Faced by Small and Mid-Sized Businesses.”
Wednesday, Jan. 18
9:30 a.m. – House Financial Services Committee
The Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit Subcommittee and Capital Markets and Government Sponsored Enterprises Subcommittee will hold a joint subcommittee hearing regarding the potential impacts of the proposed Volcker Rule. Witnesses scheduled include:
- Martin J. Gruenberg, acting Chairman, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
- Gary Gensler, Chairman, Commodity Futures Trading Commission
- Mary Schapiro, Chairwoman, Securities and Exchange Commission
- Daniel K. Tarullo, Member, Board of Governors, Federal Reserve System
- John Walsh, acting Comptroller of the Currency
- Douglas Elliott, Fellow in Economic Studies, Initiative on Business and Public Policy, Brookings Institution
- Scott Evans, Executive Vice President and President of Asset Alexander Marx, Head of Global Bond Trading, Fidelity Investments
- Douglas J. Peebles, Chief Investment Officer and Head of Fixed Income, Alliance Bernstein
- Mark Standish, President and co-CEO, RBC Capital Markets
Regulators
Federal Reserve
Monday, Jan. 16
6:00 p.m. - Governor Elizabeth A. Duke will give a speech entitled “My Journey from Community Banker to Central Banker” at the Robbins Executive Speaker Series and Watts Lecture in Richmond, VA.
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
Tuesday, Jan. 17
10:00 a.m. - The FDIC will hold a board meeting regarding the following issues:
- Final Rule on Resolution Plans Required for Insured Depository Institutions with $50 Billion or More in Total Assets; and
- Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for Stress Testing Requirements for Certain Banks under the Dodd-Frank Act.
Securities and Exchange Commission
Wednesday, Jan. 18 – Thursday, Jan. 19
2:00 p.m. - Meredith Cross, Director of Corporation Finance, will make a public appearance at the 29th Annual Securities Regulation Institute in Coronado, CA.
Wednesday, Jan. 18
5:15 p.m. - Marc Fagel, Regional Director for the San Francisco Office of the Securities and Exchange Commission, will give a presentation entitled, “Views from the Top: Hot Issues & Trends in White Collar Fraud Enforcement.”