Obama, Cantor join on small biz bill (Politico)

Call them the Odd Couple of capital formation: President Barack Obama and House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, declared enemies for much of the last three years, are coming together over a legislative package aimed at making it easier for small businesses to get access to money.

Flanked by other House Republican leaders, Cantor unveiled the bundle of bills ? several of which the House already has passed with overwhelming bipartisan majorities ? at a Tuesday press conference in the shadow of the Capitol. Just over an hour earlier, White House spokeswoman Amy Brundage encouraged House Republicans and Senate Democrats to negotiate quickly and send Obama a bill that can be signed into law.

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?The President outlined a number of ways to help small businesses grow and become more competitive in September of last year when he announced the American Jobs Act, and in the Startup America Legislative Agenda he sent to Congress last month,? Brundage said. ?The president is encouraged to see that there is common ground between his approach and what Congressman Cantor outlined today, and we urge members of both parties in the House and Senate to come together on these provisions and do what the President called for in the State of the Union Address: send him a bill without delay.?

Still, it wouldn?t be Washington without a little partisan sniping. Senate Democrats took a shot at Senate Republicans over recent discussion of contraception, before Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) announced that he would roll out his own competing small-business package.

?While Republicans try to revive the culture wars, Senator Reid and [Senate Banking Committee] Chairman [Tim] Johnson will announce plans today to continue moving forward with a bipartisan package of jobs bills designed to spur growth among America?s small businesses and entrepreneurs,? a Senate leadership aide told POLITICO?s Morning Money on Tuesday. ?The package will include measures focused on improving small business? access to capital and expanding their investor base, while protecting ininvestors.?

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