Biden, Issa to discuss stimulus oversight

Road signs like this one irk Republicans, who call them government-backed propaganda. (Post)

The lead cheerleader for the economic stimulus program is scheduled to meet today with one of its top critics.

Vice President Biden and Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), the presumptive next chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, are slated to meet at 3 p.m. at the White House to discuss oversight of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

The vice president has served as the stimulus program's "sheriff," assigned by President Obama to root out allegations of waste, fraud, abuse and misuse of federal stimulus dollars. Issa, in his role as the GOP's lead House overseer, believes the Obama administration is fudging the program's job creation numbers and is concerned by efforts to promote the spending program through the use of special road signs and government-backed Web sites.

Issa also wants to give federal inspectors general subpoena power to help root out allegations of misuse and abuse of federal dollars.

The meeting was originally scheduled shortly after Election Day, but postponed by Biden's office. It comes on the same day that Obama will hold his long-anticipated meeting with Republican congressional leaders to discuss the future of a Russian arms treaty and tax cuts.

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