Tag Archives: United States

At the center of shutdown fight, health care is one of the most intractable issues in Congress

At the center of shutdown fight, health care is one of the most intractable issues in Congress

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats believe health care is an issue that resonates with a majority of Americans as they demand an extension of subsidies in exchange for their votes to reopen the shuttered U.S. government. But it is also one of the most intractable issues in Congress and a real compromise is not likely to be easy. There are some Republicans in Congress who want to extend the higher subsidies, which were first put in place in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic. But many GOP lawmakers are firmly opposed to any extension. The government shutdown is in its seventh day and hundreds of thousands of federal workers are going unpaid.… Continue Reading

Speaker Johnson says it’s up to Democrats to ‘stop the madness’ on shutdown’s sixth day

Speaker Johnson says it’s up to Democrats to ‘stop the madness’ on shutdown’s sixth day

WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawmakers are showing few signs of meaningful negotiations to break an impasse on reopening the federal government as the shutdown drags through its sixth day. Speaker Mike Johnson said Monday “there’s nothing for us to negotiate,” while Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries says the “time is now” to work out a deal on health care. Meanwhile, the White House clarified President Donald Trump’s remarks Sunday about the firing of federal workers. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump was talking about the furloughs happening across the federal government.… Continue Reading

Trump plans aid package for US soybean farmers while seeking trade deal with China

Trump plans aid package for US soybean farmers while seeking trade deal with China

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is making plans for a significant aid package for U.S. soybean farmers. The move aims to help them survive China’s boycott of American beans, which was sparked by Trump’s trade war. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says substantial support for farmers is expected to be announced Tuesday. The aid comes amid a tariff war between the U.S. and China, where China has stopped buying U.S. soybeans. Trump plans to discuss soybeans with Chinese President Xi Jinping in four weeks. Farmers are struggling as China orders soybeans from Brazil and Argentina. They prefer trade over aid, hoping for a deal soon.… Continue Reading

Trump plans to federalize 300 troops in Illinois, as judge blocks a similar mobilization in Oregon

Trump plans to federalize 300 troops in Illinois, as judge blocks a similar mobilization in Oregon

President Donald Trump has authorized the deployment of 300 Illinois National Guard troops to protect federal officers and assets in Chicago. It is the latest escalation of his use of federal intervention in cities. But the same day, a similar mobilization of 200 guard troops in Oregon was temporarily blocked after a federal judge found the president was likely overstepping his legal authority in responding to relatively small protests in Portland. The president has called the deployments in cities necessary and attacked Democrats on crime and immigration. Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek says the deployment is an abuse of power. And Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker calls the administration’s demands un-American.… Continue Reading

Wall Street ticks to more records, led by technology stocks

Wall Street ticks to more records, led by technology stocks

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks edged up to more records. The S&P 500 rose 0.1% Thursday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.2%, while the Nasdaq composite climbed 0.4%. All three set all-time highs. Technology stocks helped lead the way after OpenAI announced partnerships with South Korean companies for its Stargate artificial-intelligence infrastructure project. Fair Isaac surged to its best day in nearly three years after unveiling a program where customers can potentially bypass big credit bureaus for FICO credit scores. Stock indexes also rose across much of Europe and Asia, while Treasury yields eased in the bond market.… Continue Reading

Republicans are relishing a role reversal in the shutdown fight. Can Trump keep them united?

Republicans are relishing a role reversal in the shutdown fight. Can Trump keep them united?

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican leaders have presented a united stance as they try to keep the government open and berate Democrats for demanding health care policy changes in exchange for their votes. It’s a role reversal from previous funding battles. The change is happening because President Donald Trump is exercising top-down control over a mostly unified GOP. Democrats, meanwhile, have been left scrambling for leverage in the first year of Trump’s second term, using the funding fight to exert what influence they can. It’s an awkward posture for a party that has long cast itself as the adults in the room during shutdown threats.… Continue Reading

Democrats voted for a shutdown. Now they have to find a way out

Democrats voted for a shutdown. Now they have to find a way out

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Democrats kept their promise to reject any Republican spending bill that didn’t extend or restore health care benefits, choosing instead to force a government shutdown. Now they have to figure out how to get out of it. Just hours after the shutdown began, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said that if the Republicans work with them, “the shutdown could go away very quickly.” But that won’t be easy. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, House Speaker Mike Johnson and President Donald Trump have said that they won’t negotiate or be “held hostage” by Democrats demanding concessions to reopen the government.… Continue Reading

Government headed to a shutdown after last-ditch vote fails in Senate

Government headed to a shutdown after last-ditch vote fails in Senate

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Democrats have voted down a Republican bill to keep funding the government, putting it on a path to a shutdown after midnight Wednesday. The 55-45 vote Tuesday on the bill to extend federal funding for seven weeks fell short of the 60 needed to end a filibuster and pass the legislation. After the vote, the White House’s Office of Management and Budget issued a memo saying “affected agencies should now execute their plans for an orderly shutdown.” The action comes as Democrats are making good on their threat to close the government if President Donald Trump and Republicans won’t accede to their health care demands.… Continue Reading

Pfizer agrees to lower prescription drug costs for Medicaid in a deal with Trump

Pfizer agrees to lower prescription drug costs for Medicaid in a deal with Trump

WASHINGTON (AP) — Drugmaker Pfizer has agreed to lower drug costs under a deal struck with President Donald Trump’s administration. Trump made the announcement Tuesday with Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla at the White House. The announcement comes as the Republican president has for months sought to lower drug costs and as Washington faces a possible federal government shutdown amid a standoff between Democrats and Republicans over health care and its costs. Trump says that under the agreement, New York-based Pfizer will charge most-favored-nation pricing to Medicaid and guarantee the same pricing on newly launched drugs. That involves matching the lowest price offered in other developed nations. Trump says similar deals will be struck with other drugmakers facing a threat of tariffs.… Continue Reading

Trump to meet Monday with top four congressional leaders as government shutdown risk looms

Trump to meet Monday with top four congressional leaders as government shutdown risk looms

congressional leaders at the White House on Monday, one day before the deadline to fund the federal government or face a shutdown. The meeting involving House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune as well as House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer was confirmed Saturday by a White House official and two other people familiar with the planning. The parties have been in a standoff for days as Democrats, namely in the Senate, have refused to offer the necessary votes to pass a funding measure that would keep the government open beyond Tuesday.… Continue Reading

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