Congress is close to passing a bill to raise the debt limit and avoid a U.S. default, but 2024 Republican presidential hopefuls are expressing their disapproval of the deal. Former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis have called it a “horrible deal” and “will only add to our already unsustainable debt” respectively. Other hopefuls, such as Nikki Haley and Mike Pompeo, have also voiced their concerns about the country’s debt and spending.
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John Boehner, former House Speaker, praised current Speaker Kevin McCarthy for his handling of negotiations to raise the debt ceiling and trim the federal budget deficit. The bill passed the House with broad bipartisan support, and is expected to be taken up by the Senate in the coming days. If passed, it would be the first major legislative achievement of the Biden administration.
North Korea attempted to launch a military spy satellite on Tuesday, but it crashed shortly after launch. Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, condemned the international community's reaction to the launch. The failed launch has sparked alarm among North Korea's neighbors and the United Nations Security Council is expected to meet to discuss the matter.
Federal prosecutors have obtained a recording of former President Donald Trump discussing a sensitive military document during a July 2021 meeting at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey. The recording is a crucial piece of evidence in the ongoing investigation of Trump's handling of classified documents, and could be seen as obstruction of the investigation. It has been presented in grand-jury proceedings by special counsel Jack Smith's office, and the outcome of the investigation is yet to be determined.
House Oversight Chair James Comer and Sen. Chuck Grassley have subpoenaed the FBI for a FD-1023 form that they claim contains information about an alleged criminal scheme involving then-Vice President Biden. FBI Director Christopher Wray has offered to allow them to view the document at FBI headquarters, but Comer and Grassley are pushing for the document to be in their office. The FBI has declined to provide the document, prompting Comer to move forward with a vote to hold Wray in criminal contempt of Congress.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has appointed John Scott as the interim Attorney General following the impeachment of Ken Paxton by the Republican-controlled House of Representatives. Scott is a former Texas Secretary of State and Deputy Attorney General, and Abbott praised his decades of experience and expertise in litigation. The Senate will have the final say on whether or not Paxton is removed from office, but it is unclear when they will take up the issue.
Mike Pence is set to launch his 2024 presidential campaign next week in Des Moines, Iowa, with a speech and campaign video. He had previously told CBS News that anyone serious about seeking the Republican nomination would need to enter the contest by June, and believes there is room for his brand of "traditional conservatism" in the party. Donald Trump has remained largely silent on the debt ceiling, leaving Pence to make his voice heard.
The House of Representatives is set to vote Wednesday night on a bill that would cut federal spending by more than $1 trillion and raise the debt ceiling through the 2024 presidential election. The bill is expected to pass with support from both Republicans and Democrats, although there is opposition from both sides of the political spectrum. If the bill passes, it will be the first time in history that the U.S. has avoided a government debt default. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries need both parties to pass the bill in order to lift the debt ceiling a few days before the U.S. is expected to run out of money to pay its bills. Majority of the left wing of the Democratic Party is likely to vote no, arguing that the bill does not address underlying issues of inequality and poverty.