Updated: 4:03 p.m.President Barack Obama has accepted an invitation to appear at the House GOP issues conference later this month, and Republican leaders made it clear Tuesday that they will use the opportunity to push their solutions to the country’s economic woes. “House Republicans are grateful that the President of the United States has accepted our invitation to meet with the Republican Conference later this month,— House Republican Conference Chairman Mike Pence (Ind.) said in a statement. “House Republicans look forward to presenting the president with our proposals to protect our nation, create jobs, control federal spending, lower the cost of health care, achieve energy independence and strengthen families.—Obama was invited to the GOP’s annual retreat that will take place Jan. 28-30 in Baltimore. The White House confirmed that he will attend but did not say which day.Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.), a vocal critic of the White House, said in a statement that he hoped Obama would come not only to speak but also to listen to their concerns. “In 2009, on the rare occasion when we were invited to the White House, the President paid Republican proposals lip service while the cameras were on, only to completely rebuff those ideas afterward,— Cantor said.