Biden, McCarthy to discuss debt limit in talks on Wednesday:
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy of Calif., pauses during a break in the taping of an interview for the Hannity show with Fox News Channel's Sean Hannity, on Capitol Hill, Jan. 10, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)
On Sunday, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said he looks forward to discussing lifting the debt with President Joe Biden when the two meet Wednesday for their first sit-down at the White House since McCarthy’s election to the post. McCarthy wants to address spending cuts along with raising the debt limit despite the White House having ruled out linking those two issues together as the government tries to avoid a financial default. When asked whether he would make a guarantee, McCarthy said, "There will not be a default,” though he clarified that this depended on the willingness of Biden and Democrats to negotiate. McCarthy has been eager to push Biden to the negotiating table, hoping to make good on the promises the GOP leader made to holdouts during his campaign to become speaker to cut back on federal spending back to 2022 budget levels, which would require a sizable 8% reduction on spending. Meanwhile, the White House maintains that it is unwilling to make policy concessions in exchange for lifting the debt limit.
VP Harris hosts White House summit to replace lead pipes:
Vice President Kamala Harris attends a meeting with CEOs from companies that are engaged with the Northern Triangle in Washington US, May 27, 2021. REUTERS/Carlos Barria
On Friday, US Vice President Kamala Harris hosted a summit at the White House to speed up the removal of lead pipes across America. According to White House officials, Harris was joined by US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan, along with other representatives from state and local government, water utilities, labor leaders, NGOs, and the private sector. The White House has made removing every lead pipe in the United States a centerpiece of its plan to combat racial disparities and environmental issues in the wake of water contamination disasters seen in recent years from Newark, New Jersey to Flint, Michigan. The administration has put $5 billion of infrastructure funding into cities and towns across the country for this purpose, but millions of lead service lines still deliver water to schools, offices, homes, and daycare centers across the country. Biden administration officials have previously said they did not have a time frame for replacing the millions of lead pipes but environmental groups have asked the EPA to set a deadline of 10 years.
Michigan's Ronna McDaniel defeats rival in RNC leadership vote:
Republican National Committee Chairwoman, Ronna McDaniel, gavels the call-to-order at the opening of the first day of the Republican National Convention, in Charlotte, North Carolina, US, August 24, 2020. Photo by Chris Carlson/Pool via Reuters
On Friday, Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel won her bid to lead the GOP for two more years. This comes after an election that highlighted fierce internal divisions that threaten to plague the party into the next presidential season. McDaniel, who became RNC chair in 2016, won the secret ballot vote 111 to 51. With the victory, McDaniel becomes the longest-serving RNC chair since the Civil War. The case against McDaniel centered on dissatisfaction with the direction of the party due to election losses. Ahead of the vote, Harmeet Dhillon, McDaniel’s chief rival, cited the Republican base’s desire for change and threatened political retribution for RNC members who dared support McDaniel’s reelection. McDaniel is now set to lead the RNC through the 2024 election. Under her leadership, the committee will control much of the 2024 presidential nominating process – including the debates and voting calendar – while directing the sprawling nationwide infrastructure designed to elect the next Republican president.
Sources:
Biden, McCarthy to discuss debt limit in talks on Wednesday | ClickOrlando
VP Harris hosts White House summit to replace lead pipes | Reuters
Michigan's Ronna McDaniel defeats rival in RNC leadership vote | Detroit News