After a lengthy stalemate over automatic budget cuts - capped by a closed-door White House meeting with bipartisan leaders that yielded no deal - the president will head to the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue next week to meet with his political rivals in the Senate.
President Barack Obama will meet with Senate Republicans at a Thursday luncheon on the Hill on March 14, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell announced Wednesday.
Obama has also requested a meeting with House Republicans, although the date has not yet been scheduled.
"Senate Republicans welcome the president to the Capitol. And I appreciate he took my recommendation to hear from all of my members," McConnell said in a statement.
McConnell added that Republicans plan to discuss government spending and the economy at the meeting.
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The rare lunch get-together comes after Obama spoke to a handful of Republican senators by phone to address legislation on spending, immigration and gun control.
The New York Times first reported Tuesday that a group of Republicans have been invited to dinner with Obama this evening, although the heavy snow falling in Washington, D.C. could delay the effort to thaw political relationships until a night with improved weather conditions.
The Republican senators expected to attend the dinner at the Jefferson Hotel in Washington are: Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire, Richard Burr of North Carolina, Dan Coats of Indiana, Ton Coburn of Oklahoma, Bob Corker of Tennessee, Lindsay Graham of South Carolina, John Hoeven of North Dakota, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Saxby Chambliss of Georgia, John McCain of Arizona and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania.
The president last attended a Senate GOP luncheon on May 25, 2010.
NBC's Kelly O'Donnell contributed to this report.
