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Robert Gibbs: Hi, good afternoon.
Happy Monday, and welcome to First Question.
Let's take a couple here this afternoon before we start briefing.
Jimmy writes, where in the Constitution does it say
Washington can decide what children may or may not eat?
Well, Jimmy, as you rightly point out,
it doesn't say that anywhere in the Constitution,
but obviously both state and federal governments spend money
each day through the school lunch program to feed children
that go to our public schools.
What the Children's Nutrition Bill does that the President
signed today with the First Lady is provide nutritional standards
for what our children are eating in schools each day,
and to make sure that they have healthy choices,
so that years and years from now,
we don't see that the school lunch program basically added to
the childhood obesity problem in this country and ultimately
causes taxpayers to spend hundreds of millions,
if not billions of dollars on health care related to diseases
caused -- or as a result of obesity.
Let's see.
Mike Kneff writes, assuming tax cuts -- tax cut extensions pass,
what's next on the President's agenda,
anything before next Congress is sworn in?
Well, Mike, thanks for the question.
Obviously the President's plate is still very full at the end
of this legislative session.
We've got to pass the nuclear reduction treaty known as New
Start to reduce the number of deployed nuclear weapons that
both Russia and the United States has in their -- have in
their arsenal right now.
Don't Ask, Don't Tell.
The repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell is still on Congress' plate,
and it's our hope that we can get that done by the end of the year.
In addition, the Dream Act and how we fund government for the
remainder of this year and next are also on the Congressional
agenda and need to get done before Congress goes home for Christmas.
Thanks, guys.