DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Democrats want to make the minimum wage $17 an hour and give nearly 28 million workers a raise
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( Juliana Kaplan | Eliza Relman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Sen. Bernie Sanders, alongside other progressives, is again trying to raise the federal minimum wage. He's introducing legislation to bring the federal minimum to $17 by 2028; currently, it's $7.25. However, past attempts to raise the minimum wage have been stymied by Republicans and moderate Democrats. Under the latest version of the Raise the Wage Act, the federal minimum would climb to $17 by 2028. "The President shares Congressional Democrats' commitment to put workers first and supports increasing the minimum wage.

Persons: Sen, Bernie Sanders, Sanders, Michael Douglas, Gordon Gekko, Hakeem Jeffries, It's, Democrats —, Biden, Michael Kikukawa, Pramila Jayapal, Jayapal, Frances Holmes, Holmes Organizations: Republicans, Service, Democratic, Senate, Democrats, Institute, Workers, National Employment Law, Congress, White, Congressional Progressive Caucus, Oxfam America, Busch Locations: Wall, Silicon, St Louis , Missouri

☆ Powerful right-wing radicals are testing democratic checks and balance in both Israel and the US
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-25 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

CNN —White House criticism of Israel after its right-wing coalition embarked on a plan to target judicial power is bringing a new kind of turbulence to one of America’s oldest friendships. It shows that Israel, like the United States, is experiencing an era of right-wing politicians seeking to aggressively flex power and test enshrined democratic constraints. The drama is likely to further worsen the long-standing but increasingly brittle relationship between President Joe Biden and Netanyahu. Yet there is deep concern in the White House about the implications of any successful attempt to subvert checks and balances in Israel. And Netanyahu appeared to align himself politically with Trump while he was in the White House.

Persons: CNN —, Israel, Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu’s, Joe Biden, Netanyahu, Donald Trump, Biden’s, ”, shockwaves, Jordan, –, Martin Indyk, “, ” Indyk, Lynda Kinkade, hasn’t, Thomas Friedman, ” Biden’s, Karine Jean, Pierre, Isaac Herzog, ” Aaron David Miller, Isa Soares, don’t, Mitch McConnell, “ Mr, Obama, Trump, Mike Pence, Hugh Hewitt, Ron DeSantis, “ Biden, Pramila Jayapal, didn’t Organizations: CNN, –, White House, Trump, Republicans, Democratic, House, West Bank, Biden, CNN International, “, New York Times, Republican, Israel, -, Republican Party, Netanyahu’s Likud Party, Florida Gov, Congressional, Democrat Locations: Iran, Israel, United States, Washington, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Florida

☆ Progressives dish on 'chilling effect' on Israel criticism after uproar over Pramila Jayapal's comments: 'We never do anything constructive on this issue'
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-22 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Rep. Pramila Jayapal's comments on Israel caused an uproar this week in Congress. Even after Jayapal clarified her remarks about Israel, House Democratic leadership issued a statement rebuking her. Separately, 43 House Democrats said in a statement that they were "deeply concerned" about Jayapal's "unacceptable comments." "There's a few issues where any nuance is really discouraged," said another progressive House Democrat who insisted on anonymity to discuss the issue frankly. But Phillips held firm in his belief that it was important to firmly denounce criticism of Israel when it crosses a certain threshold.

Persons: Pramila, Israel, Jayapal, —, Mark Pocan, Alexandria Ocasio, Cortez, Jamaal Bowman, he’s, Leigh Vogel, Bowman, Isaac Herzog, I'm, Ilhan Omar, Minnesota, Rashida, Tlaib, Rashida Tlaib, Dean Phillips, Phillips, Dean Phillips of, Bill Clark, Israel — Organizations: Service, Democratic, Israel, House Democratic, Democrats, Republicans, West Bank, Congressional Progressive Caucus, Democrat, New, New York District, Rep, The Recording Academy, Reps, Dean Phillips of, Jewish Democrat, Michigan Democrats, Palestinian, Jewish, House Democrat, Dean Phillips of Minnesota, Getty, Progressives, Israel Democrats Locations: Israel, Wall, Silicon, Washington, Chicago, Gaza, Wisconsin, Alexandria, Cortez of New York, New York, Westchester County, Congress, Palestine, Michigan, Dean Phillips of Minnesota, Palestinian, Jewish Diaspora, Cortez, Africa

CNN —Israeli President Isaac Herzog is set to deliver an address to a joint meeting of Congress on Wednesday, in what is expected to mark a bipartisan show of support for a top strategic ally in the Middle East. There is widespread support for Israel on both sides of the aisle in Congress, but some House Democrats have said they’ll skip the address, citing concerns about human rights. Jayapal, a Washington state Democrat, said “Israel is a racist state” on Saturday while addressing pro-Palestine protesters who interrupted a panel discussion at the Netroots Nation conference in Chicago. “In May, I became the second Speaker of the US House of Representatives in history to address the Israeli Knesset, and now, it is my privilege to host Israeli President Isaac Herzog for a similar honor. The only other President of Israel to share this distinction is his father – President Chaim Herzog – more than 35 years ago,” McCarthy said in a statement at the time.

Persons: Isaac Herzog, Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer, Hakeem Jeffries, Herzog “, Pramila Jayapal, ” Jeffries, Katherine Clark, Pete Aguilar, Ted Lieu, “ Israel, who’s, ” Jayapal, “, Joe Biden, Herzog, Kevin McCarthy, McCarthy, Chaim Herzog –, ” McCarthy Organizations: CNN, Israel, Democrats, West Bank, Democratic, ”, Democratic Rep, Congressional Progressive Caucus, Top, Palestine, Netroots, White Locations: California, New York, Israel, Washington, Chicago, Palestine, America

☆ These 9 House Democrats voted against a resolution declaring Israel is 'not a racist or apartheid state'
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

House Republicans teed up a vote on a resolution saying Israel is "not a racist or apartheid state." It came days after Rep. Pramila Jayapal, a top progressive, said Israel is a "racist state." Nine progressive House Democrats voted against the resolution. download the app Email address By clicking ‘Sign up’, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider as well as other partner offers and accept our Terms of Service and Privacy PolicyNine progressive House Democrats on Tuesday voted against a resolution declaring that Israel is neither a racist nor an apartheid state. In a floor speech earlier on Tuesday, Tlaib made clear she would vote against the resolution, stating that Congress was "re-affirming support for apartheid."

Persons: Republicans teed, Pramila, Jayapal, —, Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, Pfluger, Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, Tlaib, Omar, Alexandria Ocasio, Cortez, Andre Carson, Ayanna Pressley, Cori Bush, Delia Ramirez, Jamaal Bowman, Rashida, Summer Lee of, Betty McCollum, Isaac Herzog, Robert F, Kennedy Jr Organizations: Republicans, House Democrats, Service, Democrats, House Republicans, Democratic Rep, Congressional Progressive Caucus, Democratic, New York Times, Israel, Republican Rep, Congress, Cortez of New York Rep, Indiana Rep, Massachusetts, Missouri Rep, Illinois Rep, Minnesota Rep, New York Rep, Michigan Rep, Summer Lee of Pennsylvania Democratic, Minnesota Locations: Israel, Wall, Silicon, Washington, Chicago, Congress, Texas, Palestinian Territories, South Africa, Alexandria, Cortez of, Missouri, Minnesota

☆ House Votes Resoundingly to Back Israel, Rebuking Democratic Critics
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( Karoun Demirjian | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Republican members raced to put the resolution on the floor this week after Representative Pramila Jayapal, Democrat of Washington and the head of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, called Israel “a racist state,” prompting condemnations from leaders of both parties. Ms. Jayapal later walked back her comments, saying that she had not meant to condemn the idea of Israel but only the policies of its current government, but the G.O.P. pushed ahead with the vote anyway, in a move Democrats denounced as politically opportunistic even as most lined up to support it. Ten Democrats declined to back the resolution, which passed by a vote of 412 to 9, with one voting “present.” Ms. Jayapal supported it. Just one lawmaker stood up on the House floor to argue against the measure, underscoring both the broad support for Israel in Congress and a belief among many of its critics that there is no tolerance on Capitol Hill for airing their views.

Persons: Pramila Jayapal, Israel “, Jayapal, Ms Organizations: Israel, Republican, Congressional Progressive Caucus, Capitol Locations: Washington, Israel

☆ In Congress, Democrats’ Rift Over Israel Flares on Eve of Herzog Visit
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-17 | by ( Karoun Demirjian | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

An increasingly deep divide among Democrats in Congress about how strongly — or even whether — to support Israel has reared its head on the eve of a visit by the nation’s president to Washington, as progressives openly condemn the Jewish state and others toil to reconcile their backing for the country with disdain for its current government. The rift burst into public view over the weekend when Representative Pramila Jayapal, a Washington Democrat who leads the Congressional Progressive Caucus, said at a conference of the liberal Netroots Nation that Israel “is a racist state,” leading to a swift condemnation from House Democratic leaders that prompted her to walk back the comment. Now Republicans, working to exploit the discord roiling Democrats, plan to keep the infighting in the spotlight by holding a vote on Tuesday proclaiming that Israel is not a racist or apartheid state and condemning antisemitism. The resolution does not mention Ms. Jayapal by name, but it was inspired by her comment and is plainly drafted to drive a wedge among Democrats, putting critics of Israel on the left in the position of either disavowing their views about the government’s actions or refusing to condemn antisemitism. The divisions were already expected to be on vivid display this week, as a group of left-wing Democrats plans to boycott an address to a joint session of Congress by President Isaac Herzog of Israel in protest of Israel’s policies, and in the wake of President Biden’s invitation on Monday for Mr. Netanyahu to visit the United States.

Persons: Israel, Pramila Jayapal, Israel “, Isaac Herzog of Israel, Biden’s, Netanyahu Organizations: Washington Democrat, Congressional Progressive Caucus, House Democratic, Mr Locations: Washington, Nation, Israel, United States

☆ DeSantis, Attacking Biden Policies, Seeks to Burnish Pro-Israel Credentials
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-17 | by ( Jazmine Ulloa | More About Jazmine Ulloa | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Mr. DeSantis never once mentioned the progressive Democrats who have said they will boycott a speech by Mr. Herzog to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday. But he used his speech to emphasize his strong support for Israel and attack White House policies, as many conservatives have sought to portray Democrats who criticize Israel as anti-Zionist or even antisemitic. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a long-shot Democratic presidential candidate, has been invited by House Republicans to testify on Capitol Hill on censorship. And top House Democrats have been rushing to reject comments from Representative Rashida Tlaib, who described Israel as “a racist state” at a progressive conference over the weekend. And he denounced efforts that he argued used “the economy and business to impose a radical left-wing agenda” on Israeli policy.

Persons: DeSantis, Herzog, Israel, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, Rashida Tlaib, Tlaib, “, ” Organizations: Democratic, House Republicans, Democrats, Congressional Progressive Caucus, West Bank, Israel Locations: Israel, Palestinian

☆ Progressive US Democrat Jayapal apologizes for calling Israel 'racist'
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, July 16 (Reuters) - Representative Pramila Jayapal, who heads a large group of progressive Democrats in the U.S. Congress, on Sunday apologized for calling Israel a racist state as Democratic leaders in the House of Representatives pushed back against her initial declaration. "I do not believe the idea of Israel as a nation is racist," Jayapal said in a statement. On Saturday, Jayapal made her initial remarks - labeling Israel a "racist state" - at a conference held in Chicago where pro-Palestine protesters were interrupting a panel discussion, according to media reports. In a separate statement on Sunday, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and three of his top leadership aides said that "Israel is not a racist state," in an apparent rebuke to Jayapal. Some members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus have signaled that they might not attend the event.

Persons: Pramila Jayapal, Israel, Jayapal, Benjamin, Netanyahu’s, Hakeem Jeffries, Jeffries, Isaac Herzog, Joe Biden, Israel's, Richard Cowan Organizations: U.S . Congress, Democratic, U.S . House Republican, U.S . House, Congressional Progressive Caucus, Jewish Diaspora, Thomson Locations: Israel, Chicago, Palestine

CNN —Longtime California Rep. Grace Napolitano announced Saturday that she is retiring from Congress at the end of her current term. Napolitano has made mental health care a priority over her tenure in Washington and serves as a co-chair of the Congressional Mental Health Caucus. We have made it acceptable for people to talk about their mental health and get treatment,” she said Saturday. Napolitano is the ninth Democrat and 12th House member so far to announce they won’t run for reelection in 2024. And she’s not the only California Democrat leaving the chamber at the end of the term.

Persons: CNN —, Grace Napolitano, Napolitano, . New Jersey Democrat Bill Pascrell, Joe Biden, ”, –, Adam Schiff, Katie Porter, Barbara Lee –, Democratic Sen, Dianne Feinstein Organizations: CNN, CNN — Longtime California Rep, California State Assembly, . New, . New Jersey Democrat, Congressional, Republicans, Congressional Mental Health Caucus, Natural Resources Committee, House Transportation, Congressional Progressive Caucus, Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Hispanic Caucus, California Democrat, Democratic Locations: San Gabriel Valley, Southeastern Los Angeles County, Texas, Los Angeles, California, Norwalk , California, ., . New Jersey, Washington

☆ Some Democrats don't like Biden and McCarthy's debt-ceiling bill — but they'll vote for it because 'the macro alternative is absolutely indigestible'
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-02 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Many Democratic lawmakers are unhappy with the debt-ceiling bill that just passed the House. But some of them will vote for the bill anyway because they say a default would be far worse. "The macro alternative is absolutely indigestible," Rep. Jamie Raskin told Politico. On Wednesday night, the House easily passed Biden and McCarthy's Fiscal Responsibility Act with a bipartisan vote of 314-117. Other Democrats feel the same — but fear a default on the nation's debt would be worse than signing the bipartisan debt-ceiling bill into law.

Persons: Jamie Raskin, —, Joe Biden's, Kevin McCarthy's, they'll, Biden, Vermont Sen, Bernie Sanders, Politico, Sen, Elizabeth Warren of, she's, Janet Yellen, McCarthy, Alexandria Ocasio, Ro Khanna, Chuck Schumer, Nobody's Organizations: Democratic, Service, Congressional, Office, SNAP, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Politico, Republicans, Social Security, Medicare, Congressional Progressive Caucus, Caucus, Twitter Locations: Vermont, Alexandria, Cortez

☆ Several top House Democrats want to get rid of the debt ceiling and economic 'hostage taking'
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-02 | by ( Ethan Dodd | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

House Republicans refused to raise the debt ceiling unless Democrats agreed to cut spending. Many progressive and moderate Democrats want to repeal the debt ceiling to prevent more brinkmanship. "For many, many, many years, people recognized that Republicans and Democrats worked together to pass a clean debt ceiling. "We need to pass the bill to eliminate the debt ceiling limit." Raskin reiterated an argument that the 14th Amendment could be used to eliminate the debt ceiling.

Persons: —, Pramila Jayapal, Kevin McCarthy, Joe Biden, shutdowns, we've, Rep, Teresa Leger Fernández, Jamie Raskin, Raskin, Lincoln, Shri Thanedar, Jayapal, Dan Kildee, Kildee, Jeff Jackson of Organizations: Service, House Republicans, Democrats, Senate, Republicans, Congressional Progressive Caucus, Washington State, Republican, US, Democrat, New, Maryland, Democratic, Rep, Michigan, New Democrat Coalition Locations: New Mexico, United States, California, Denmark, Jeff Jackson of North Carolina

☆ Top Democrats say Biden should make this year’s ‘craziness’ the last debt limit fight ever
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-01 | by ( Edward-Isaac Dovere | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Given the current math in the chamber, every senator in the Democratic Caucus would need to support such a change. The president’s focus, Kikukawa said, remains preventing default, and “other options are a question for another day.”Originally Boyle backed eliminating the debt limit entirely. She and Jeffries both pointed out that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell had in 2011 supported a backdoor solution to that debt limit fight, which would have given then-President Barack Obama power to raise it on his own just that one time. Several swing district Democrats, though, told CNN that they were wary of supporting a change, calling the debt limit authority an important check on the presidency and on spending, despite their opposition to how it was used this time. This has been such a torturous experience for my Democratic colleagues that I hope they will not forget,” Boyle said.

Persons: Joe Biden, Chuck Schumer, couldn’t, West Virginia Sen, Joe Manchin, Arizona Sen, Kyrsten Sinema, Massachusetts Sen, Elizabeth Warren, Brendan Boyle –, Hakeem Jeffries, Pramila Jayapal, Nancy Pelosi, –, Boyle, “, ” Boyle, Biden, wasn’t, Michael Kikukawa, Kikukawa, ”, MAGA, ” Jeffries, he’s, ‘, ’ ” Warren, “ It’s, Warren, ” Warren, Steve Ricchetti, Pelosi, Schumer, Jeffries, Mitch McConnell, Barack Obama, ” Pelosi, ” Jayapal, Hawaii Sen, Brian Schatz, ’ ” Schatz, who’ve Organizations: CNN, Capitol, Democratic Caucus, West, Pennsylvania, White, Treasury Department, Senate, Congressional Progressive Caucus, SNAP, Democratic Locations: West Virginia, Arizona, Massachusetts, United States, Hawaii

The House Rules Committee voted to advance a bill dealing with the federal debt ceiling to the full House. Raising the debt limit, now $31.4 trillion, would allow Treasury to continue borrowing to pay the US's bills. Earlier, he said on "Fox and Friends" that "There's nothing in the bill for" Democrats — hardly a helpful statement for Biden. Top administration officials are heading to Capitol Hill to brief Democrats privately ahead of Wednesday's planned vote. "It is my expectation that House Republicans would keep their promise and deliver at least 150 votes as it relates to an agreement that they themselves negotiated," Jeffries said.

Persons: —, Kevin McCarthy, Joe Biden, McCarthy, Democrats —, Biden, Wednesday's, Hakeem Jeffries, Jeffries, Scott Perry, Chip Roy, Nancy Mace, Pramila Jayapal, it's, Sen, Joe Manchin, Raul Grijalva, Chuck Schumer, McConnell, Schumer, Democratic Sen, Tim Kaine, Virginia, Janet Yellen, Aamer Madhani, Seung Min Kim, Farnoush Amiri, Darlene Superville, Mary Clare Jalonick Organizations: Treasury, Service, WASHINGTON, Republicans, Democrats, Caucus, Republican, Capitol, Fox, Office, Social Security, Democratic, Freedom Caucus, Liberal, Appalachia ., Congressional Progressive Caucus, Democrat, Natural Resources Committee, Senate, Senators, House, Associated Press Locations: Washington, Texas, Appalachia, Arizona, That's

☆ Biden and McCarthy's plan to change SNAP work requirements in the debt-ceiling deal could actually expand benefits — but not employment
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-31 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | Madison Hoff | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

She led some of her Democratic colleagues in introducing an amendment to remove the new SNAP work requirements from the debt-ceiling bill. "Come see me in a year, and I'll show you how much we actually saved," McCarthy told reporters on Tuesday night. How the work requirements will impact employmentDespite McCarthy and Republicans' belief that work requirements will bolster employment, some experts aren't so sure. Work requirements in SNAP have increased employment less; in Medicaid, they appear to have had little effect on employment." "I think it goes to the principle of this bureaucratic red tape that we call work requirements," Jayapal said.

Persons: —, Joe Biden, Kevin McCarthy, Biden, McCarthy, — McCarthy, Cori Bush, Lauren Bauer, there's, Bauer, Bernard Yaros, it's, Yaros, Congressional Progressive Caucus Pramila Jayapal, Jayapal Organizations: SNAP, CBO, Service, Supplemental, Assistance, Democratic, Office, White, Economic, Brookings Institution, The, Brookings, Moody's, Congressional Progressive Caucus Locations: Missouri, TANF

☆ Biden, McCarthy work to shore up support for debt ceiling bill ahead of House vote
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-31 | by ( Christina Wilkie | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON — House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and White House officials worked to shore up support for a bill that would raise the debt ceiling and cut government spending, as the House prepared to vote Wednesday night on the legislation. Large blocs of Democrats are also expected to vote against the bill, albeit more quietly. Raising the debt ceiling will require that the bill passes both the GOP-majority House and the Democratic-controlled Senate, a reality that made a compromise deal unavoidable. Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., who chairs the Congressional Progressive Caucus, said Wednesday morning that she would vote against the bill on the House floor. Other groups, like the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus and the center-left New Democrat Coalition, have praised the bill.

Persons: Kevin McCarthy, Patrick McHenry, McCarthy, Joe Biden, Steve Ricchetti, Shalanda Young, Aviva Aron, Dine, John Podesta, Pramila Jayapal Organizations: WASHINGTON, White, Republican, GOP, CNBC, Democratic, Treasury Department, House Democrats, White House, Management, National Economic, Congressional Progressive Caucus, New Democrat Coalition

☆ A top progressive lawmaker is 'extremely concerned' about what the debt-ceiling deal means for student-loan borrowers, saying it constrains the time Biden has to get 'debt repayment plans up and runni
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-30 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Biden and McCarthy's debt-ceiling deal codifies the end of the student-loan payment pause. She said it could constrain the time Biden might need to implement new repayment plans. Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair Pramila Jayapal said during a Tuesday press call that she's "extremely concerned" with that provision. It also allows the administration to implement another payment pause in the future if another emergency warrants it, but bars Biden from doing so again this year. It also creates a major political problem for President Biden, who has tarnished his sterling legacy as a champion for working people with student debt."

Persons: Biden, Pramila Jayapal, —, isn't, Joe Biden, Kevin McCarthy's, McCarthy, — McCarthy, Jayapal, Mike Pierce, Miguel Cardona Organizations: Service, SNAP, Congressional, Protection, Twitter, Progressives

Bill Clark | CQ-Roll Call, Inc. | Getty Images"Speaker McCarthy should pull this bad bill down. Roy and Bishop weren't the only far-right conservatives who implicitly threatened to unseat McCarthy as House speaker if the debt limit bill passed. Under new rules this year, a single Republican lawmaker can bring a no-confidence vote on McCarthy to the floor. But progressive leaders in the House stopped short of urging their like-minded members to oppose the bill. The message from the White House was similarly low-key, with an emphasis on the GOP asks that were not in the bill.

WASHINGTON, May 28 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden on Sunday finalized a budget agreement with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to suspend the $31.4 trillion debt ceiling until Jan. 1, 2025, and said the deal was ready to move to Congress for a vote. The deal, if approved, will prevent the U.S. government from defaulting on its debt and comes after weeks of heated negotiations between Biden and House Republicans. "I strongly urge both chambers to pass that agreement," Biden said, adding that he expected McCarthy to have the necessary votes for the deal to pass. The deal has drawn fire from hardline Republicans and progressive Democrats, but Biden and McCarthy are banking on getting enough votes from both sides. McCarthy dismissed threats of opposition within his own party, saying "over 95%" of House Republicans were "overwhelmingly excited" about the deal.

WASHINGTON, May 28 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden said on Sunday he had finalized a budget agreement with U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to suspend the $31.4 trillion debt ceiling and that the deal was ready to move to Congress for a vote. "I strongly urge both chambers to pass that agreement," Biden said, adding that he expected McCarthy to have the necessary votes for the deal to pass. The deal has drawn fire from hardline Republicans and progressive Democrats, but Biden and McCarthy believe they have enough votes from moderates on both sides. [1/2] U.S. President Joe Biden speaks on his deal with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) to raise the United States' debt ceiling at the White House in Washington, U.S., May 28, 2023. But McCarthy dismissed threats of opposition within his own party, saying "over 95%" of House Republicans were "overwhelmingly excited" about the deal.

Hours later, the Democratic president said he was confident the legislation would pass both chambers of Congress to avoid a U.S. government default. Biden and McCarthy were due to speak later on Sunday to finalize the agreement, which has drawn fire from hardline Republicans and progressive Democrats. House Republicans expected on Sunday to unveil legislation to pass the deal. But McCarthy dismissed threats of opposition within his own party, saying "over 95%" of House Republicans were "overwhelmingly excited" about the deal. The deal would also impose a 1% across-the-board spending cut should Congress fail to enact 12 appropriations bills by Oct. 1.

WASHINGTON, May 28 (Reuters) - Republican U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Sunday dismissed vehement opposition among party hardliners to a new agreement with President Joe Biden to suspend the $31.4 trillion debt ceiling, predicting that most House Republicans would support the deal. House Republicans expected to unveil legislation to pass the deal later on Sunday. But McCarthy dismissed threats of opposition within his own party, saying "over 95%" of House Republicans were "overwhelmingly excited" about the deal. "This is a good strong bill that a majority of Republicans will vote for," the California Republican told reporters in the U.S. Capitol. Progressive Democrats in both chambers have said they would not support any deal that has additional work requirements for food and healthcare programs.

☆ With Debt Limit Deal in Hand, McCarthy and Biden Turn to Task of Selling It
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-28 | by ( Luke Broadwater | Chris Cameron | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

“Terrible policy, absolutely terrible policy,” Representative Pramila Jayapal, Democrat of Washington, said on CNN’s “State of the Union,” referring to the work requirements for food stamps and other public benefit programs. Some on the right had already ruled out doing so before seeing the details. “No one claiming to be a conservative could justify a YES vote,” Representative Bob Good, Republican of Virginia and a member of the House Freedom Caucus, wrote on Twitter. Representative Dan Bishop, Republican of North Carolina, posted his reaction to news of the deal: a vomit emoji. Some Senate Republicans, who under that chamber’s rules have more tools to slow consideration of legislation, were also up in arms.

☆ Biden, McCarthy reach final deal to prevent default, now must sell to Congress
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-28 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

"Good news," Biden declared Sunday evening at the White House. "The agreement prevents the worst possible crisis, a default, for the first time in our nation's history," he said. Biden told reporters at the White House upon his return from Delaware that he was confident the plan will make it to his desk. Top White House officials were briefing Democratic lawmakers and phoning some directly to try to shore up support. House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York said on CBS' "Face the Nation" that he expected there will be Democratic support but he declined to provide a number.

☆ Why some Democrats think Biden shouldn't worry about legal challenges that would come from getting rid of the debt ceiling forever
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-23 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

A US default could be days away, and Congress still doesn't have a debt ceiling deal. Some Democrats think Biden should use the 14th Amendment to address the crisis. On Monday evening, McCarthy and Biden met once again to attempt to reach an agreement on raising the debt ceiling and avoiding an unprecedented default. Experts and lawmakers have said that this clause makes a default, and therefore the debt ceiling, unconstitutional, getting rid of the issue forever. Anna Moneymaker/Getty ImagesWhy Biden shouldn't worry about legal challengesNo president has ever invoked the 14th Amendment to address the debt ceiling.

Search resuls for: "Congressional Progressive Caucus"

25 mentions found