The White House - 1600 Daily: ‘A Nation of believers’

Vice President Mike Pence and Mrs. Karen Pence arrive at Yokota Air Base | February 6, 2018 (Official White House Photo by D. Myles Cullen)

‘A Nation of believers’
Each year for more than half a century, the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington has drawn religious leaders and members from both sides of the aisle in Congress to reflect on the importance of faith in public life.
This morning, President Donald J. Trump delivered remarks to the thousands assembled for this year’s event. He also dined last night with faith leaders and a bipartisan group of senators and congressmen ahead of today’s session. The President’s guests included Reverend Franklin Graham, Pastor Paula White, and Pastor Robert Jeffress.
“America is a Nation of believers,” President Trump said this morning. “Across our land we see the splendor of God’s creation. . . . Together as Americans, we are a tireless force for justice and for peace.”
Watch here: President Trump’s speech at the National Prayer Breakfast

Vice President: U.S. will unveil tough new North Korea sanctions

Vice President Mike Pence completed his first day in Japan yesterday, meeting with Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera, participating in a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and reaffirming the United States’ unwavering commitment to the United States-Japan alliance. Something else the Vice President did will send a powerful message to both our allies in Asia and the international community beyond: He announced that the United States will soon unveil the toughest and most aggressive round of economic sanctions on North Korea ever.
“We will continue to isolate North Korea until it abandons its nuclear and ballistic missile programs once and for all,” Vice President Pence said. “We have brought unprecedented diplomatic and economic pressure to bear on North Korea through our maximum pressure campaign.”
Read more about the Vice President’s trip to Japan ahead of the 2018 Winter Olympics.

Senate reaches budget deal
The headlines that broke yesterday afternoon as Senate leaders reached a budget compromise signal good news for Americans:

• Senate Reaches Two-Year Budget Deal in Hopes of Averting a Shutdown (The Weekly Standard)
• Senate reaches spending deal that includes opioid funding, CHIP extension (Modern Healthcare)
• Senate reaches budget deal with huge defense boost (Defense News)

“We are pleased that Congress has been able to meet our defense spending requirement and come together on a two-year spending bill,” Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said. “This deal achieves our top priority: a much-needed increase in funding for our national defense.”
Defense Secretary James Mattis echoed her statement. “I’ve spent the last day and a half on Capitol Hill briefing the members of Congress on our 2018 National Defense Strategy,” the Secretary said. “I’m heartened that Congress recognizes the sobering effect of budgetary uncertainty on America’s military and on the men and women who provide for our nation’s defense.”
Read more from yesterday’s briefing with Sarah Sanders and Secretary Mattis. 

POTUS TODAY

This morning, President Trump will meet with Secretary of Defense James Mattis.
In the afternoon, the The President will have lunch with Secretary of Veterans Affairs David Shulkin and later meet with Dr. Henry Kissinger.