Last-Minute Green Deal Hiccups Expose EU Concerns Over Political Costs
Leaders and companies in Europe’s biggest markets are increasingly balking at the ambitious pace of the continent’s green
2023-05-27 14:25
'Always competing with Teresa': Joe and Melissa Gorga slammed as 'RHONJ' couple promise pizza oven takeaway
Melissa and Joe Gorga trolled as they flaunt their 'outdoor pizza oven', 'RHONJ' fans join in the Pizza Gate drama
2023-05-27 13:49
'RHOA' alum Kim Zolciak sells wigs for $2.7K amid nasty divorce and custody battle with Kroy Biermann
Kroy Biermann claims his separated wife Kim Zolciak has an online gambling issue that has 'devastated their family financially'
2023-05-27 12:59
Gwendlyn Brown believes 'Sister Wives' fame fueled dad Kody Brown's shift towards being 'more patriarchal'
Gwendlyn Brown upset with Kody Brown's choice of words, voiced her dissatisfaction with him labeling her mother and stepmothers as 'chicks'
2023-05-27 12:46
Biden says debt deal 'very close' even as two sides far apart on work requirements
Work requirements for federal food aid recipients have emerged as a final sticking point in negotiations over the looming debt crisis, even as President Joe Biden said Friday that a deal is “very close.” Biden’s optimism came as the deadline for a potentially catastrophic default was pushed back to June 5 and seemed likely to drag negotiations between the White House and Republicans over raising the debt ceiling into another frustrating week. Both sides have suggested one of the main holdups is a GOP effort to boost work requirements for recipients of food stamps and other federal aid programs, a longtime Republican goal Democrats have strenuously opposed. Even as they came closer to a framework on spending, each side seemed dug in on the work requirements. White House spokesman Andrew Bates called the GOP proposals “cruel and senseless” and said Biden and Democrats would stand against them. Louisiana Rep. Garret Graves, one of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s negotiators, was blunt when asked if Republicans might relent on the issue: "Hell no, not a chance,” he said. The later “ X-date,” laid out in a letter from Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, set the risk of a devastating default four days beyond an earlier estimate. Still, Americans and the world uneasily watched the negotiating brinkmanship that could throw the U.S. economy into chaos and sap world confidence in the nation’s leadership. Yet Biden was upbeat as he left for the Memorial Day weekend at Camp David, declaring, “It’s very close, and I’m optimistic.” With Republicans at the Capitol talking with Biden’s team at the White House, the president said: “There’s a negotiation going on. I’m hopeful we’ll know by tonight whether we’re going to be able to have a deal.” But a deal had not come together when McCarthy left the Capitol Friday evening. In a blunt warning, Yellen said failure to act by the new date would “cause severe hardship to American families, harm our global leadership position and raise questions about our ability to defend our national security interests.” Anxious retirees and others were already making contingency plans for missed checks, with the next Social Security payments due next week. Biden and Republican McCarthy have seemed to be narrowing on a two-year budget-slashing deal that would also extend the debt limit into 2025 past the next presidential election. But talks over the proposed work requirements for recipients of Medicaid, food stamps and other aid programs seemed at a standstill Friday afternoon. Biden has said the Medicaid work requirements would be a nonstarter. But he initially seemed open to possible changes on food stamps, now known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. The Republican proposal would save $11 billion over 10 years by raising the maximum age for existing standards that require able-bodied adults who do not live with dependents to work or attend training programs. While current law applies those standards to recipients under the age of 50, the House bill would raise the age to include adults 55 and under. The GOP proposal would also decrease the number of exemptions that states can grant to some recipients subject to those requirements. Biden's position on the SNAP work requirements appeared to have hardened by Friday, when spokesman Bates said House Republicans are threatening to trigger an unprecedented recession “unless they can take food out of the mouths of hungry Americans.” Any deal would need to be a political compromise, with support from both Democrats and Republicans to pass the divided Congress. Failure to lift the borrowing limit, now $31 trillion, to pay the nation’s incurred bills, would send shockwaves through the U.S. and global economy. But many of the hard-right Trump-aligned Republicans in Congress have long been skeptical of Treasury’s projections, and they are pressing McCarthy to hold out. As talks pushed into another late night, one of the negotiators, Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., called Biden’s comments “a hopeful sign.” But he also cautioned that there’s still “sticky points” impeding a final agreement. While the contours of the deal have been taking shape to cut spending for 2024 and impose a 1% cap on spending growth for 2025, the two sides remain stuck on various provisions. House Republicans had pushed the issue to the brink, displaying risky political bravado in leaving town for the Memorial Day holiday. Lawmakers are tentatively not expected back at work until Tuesday, but now their return is uncertain. Weeks of negotiations between Republicans and the White House have failed to produce a deal — in part because the Biden administration resisted negotiating with McCarthy over the debt limit, arguing that the country’s full faith and credit should not be used as leverage to extract other partisan priorities. “We have to spend less than we spent last year. That is the starting point,” said McCarthy. One idea is to set the topline budget numbers but then add a “snap-back” provision to enforce cuts if Congress is unable during its annual appropriations process to meet the new goals. Lawmakers are all but certain to claw back some $30 billion in unspent COVID-19 funds now that the pandemic emergency has officially been lifted. McCarthy has promised lawmakers he will abide by the rule to post any bill for 72 hours before voting. The Democratic-held Senate has vowed to move quickly to send the package to Biden’s desk. ___ Associated Press writers Mary Clare Jalonick, Stephen Groves, Farnoush Amiri, Seung Min Kim and Kevin Freking and videojournalist Rick Gentilo contributed to this report. Read More Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Lauren Boebert claims Biden plan to combat antisemitism will target ‘conservatives’ Defense secretary tells Navy graduates they are ready to serve Doctor's supporters, hospital at odds with Indiana penalty for talking about 10-year-old's abortion
2023-05-27 12:28
Man who opened Asiana plane door in mid-air tells police he was "uncomfortable" - Yonhap
SEOUL A passenger on an Asiana Airlines flight told police he opened a door on the plane minutes
2023-05-27 12:15
3 former Mississippi police officers are charged in man's death after New Year's Eve confrontation
A Mississippi grand jury has indicted three former Jackson police officers in the death of Keith Murriel, a man who died shortly after a confrontation with the officers in a hotel parking lot on New Year's Eve.
2023-05-27 11:59
'Did someone steal your clothes?' Lisa Rinna trolled as she poses nude in pair of gloves, gets compared to Kanye West's exes
Since Bravo announced Lisa's departure from 'RHOBH' in 2015, 59-year-old Lisa Rinna has seemed motivated to dominate the fashion world
2023-05-27 11:18
Guatemalan court keeps presidential frontrunner Pineda off ballot
GUATEMALA CITY With just a month to go before Guatemalan voters will pick a new president, the country's
2023-05-27 09:54
‘Vanderpump Rules’ alum Brittany Cartwright denies using Ozempic for weight loss, says 'it would scare me to death'
'I remind myself that every single body is powerful and beautiful,' said Brittany Cartwright
2023-05-27 09:53
Khloe Kardashian reflects on her bond with Kourtney's ex Scott Disick on his birthday, fans say 'they make a great couple'
Khloe Kardashian calls sister Kourtney Kardashian's ex-boyfriend Scott Disick 'best father'
2023-05-27 09:26
Iowa governor signs bill rolling back child labor protections into law
Iowa Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a bill into law Friday that rolls back child labor protections by extending the hours that teens can work and the establishments where they can be employed.
2023-05-27 08:55