Debt ceiling talks continue as default deadline nears

The White House is warning House Republicans against continuing to “demand draconian cuts to critical programs that Americans rely on,” according to a new fact sheet released Tuesday.

The fact sheet released by the Office and Management and Budget details how proposals put forward by House Republicans could lead to cuts of “at least 30% in programs, including education, research, public safety, public health, and other areas” if the GOP preserves spending levels on defense, veterans, and homeland security. This assessment is similar to one described by OMB Director Shalanda Young in a memo last week.

House Appropriations Chair Kay Granger announced late Monday night that all increases had been postponed for the week, citing ongoing negotiations between the White House and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

“Given recent developments in negotiations between Chairman McCarthy and the President, and in order to provide the Chairman with maximum flexibility as talks continue, the committee will defer this week’s increases,” Granger said in a statement. .

It comes as negotiations between President Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and their teams are still ongoing as the United States moves ever closer to potential default. Both sides called Monday’s meeting between Biden and McCarthy “productive” while acknowledging that sticking points remain, with spending levels a major sticking point in the talks.

The fact sheet says some of the programs that could be affected by the proposed Republican cuts include “cancer research at the National Institutes of Health, meals on wheels for the elderly, kindergarten and child care for thousands of children, as well as veterans programs abroad. the Department of Veterans Affairs.