Thursday in politics: Dedication ceremonies for the George W. Bush Presidential Center, and more

The dedication ceremonies for the George W. Bush Presidential Center take place Thursday in Dallas, Texas.

The attendees include President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama, former presidents and first ladies Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton, George H.W. Bush and Barbara Bush, and Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice also will attend. Obama will be among the speakers.

[Laura Bush: New library is not "a monument" to her husband]

The center will open to the public on May 1.

Obama also will speak at a memorial service Thursday in West, Texas, for the 14 people killed and more than 200 injured in a fertilizer plant explosion April 17.

The explosion at the West Fertilizer Company plant was heard as far as 45 miles away and destroyed a four-block area, according to city councilmember Al Vanek.

Also worth noting Thursday: Vice President Joe Biden meets Jordan King Abdullah II at the Naval Observatory in the morning and then with gun safety advocates at the White House in the afternoon.

And then there is this: Expect more talk Thursday about an effort to temporarily eliminate sequestration spending cuts that are disrupting U.S. air travel. The White House said Wednesday it supports Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's proposal to replace the reductions by claiming savings from the drawdown of war spending.

Sources: Yahoo! News Politics, ABC News, Reuters and Associated Press.