COVID-19 public health emergency will expire on Thursday
The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) announced on Tuesday that the federally declared public health emergency for COVID-19 will expire on Thursday. Case numbers, hospitalizations, and deaths from COVID-19 are significantly lower now than during surges of the virus. ADPH will continue providing COVID-19 testing and vaccines for uninsured/underinsured people at the local county health departments even after the public health emergency ends. Even though the emergency is no longer in effect, COVID-19 remains a clear and present danger. “Although the COVID-19 pandemic is entering a new phase, the disease is still causing suffering and death in Alabama,” State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris said. “ADPH is committed to monitoring the effects of this virus in Alabama and will continue to provide data that is accurate and actionable.” For the past three years, ADPH has had access to a large amount of COVID-19 data, some of which had been required to be submitted to the federal government. As these requirements transition, COVID-19 will continue to be reportable in Alabama, but some data will no longer be available. The current COVID-19 dashboards will be modified to use the available data and to better align with data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The current Alabama COVID-19 dashboards will update for a final time this week and be available for archive purposes for an unspecified amount of time. ADPH will continue to publish hospital admission data and COVID-19 death data which will be updated, but its reporting frequency will change. Vaccine administration reporting will not be reported as ADPH will no longer receive data from vaccine providers. ADPH continues to recommend the Bivalent COVID-19 Vaccines. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has simplified its COVID-19 vaccine recommendations. Among the recommendations are that adults ages 65 and older and immunocompromised adults can receive a second dose of the updated vaccine. The CDC recommends that children ages six and older and adults receive an updated bivalent mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, regardless of whether they previously completed their (monovalent) primary series. Alternatives to mRNA COVID-19 vaccines remain available for people who cannot or will not receive an mRNA vaccine. The federal supply of COVID-19 vaccine will be available at no charge until the current supply is exhausted. After this supply of COVID-19 vaccine has been depleted, the vaccine will be sold commercially. People with public or private insurance will continue to be able to access authorized COVID-19 vaccines. For the uninsured, the federal government has announced it will fund a program to keep COVID-19 vaccines free after the vaccines move to the private market. A new partnership will cover the administrative costs of giving doses of vaccines at pharmacy chains and county health departments to uninsured people. Some doctors remain skeptical of the effectiveness and safety of the COVID-19 vaccines, which use experimental mRNA technology. The end of the public health emergency also means there will be changes in the availability of free COVID-19 tests. People covered by Medicaid can access free at-home tests through September 2024. The ADPH will continue to monitor COVID-19 as it regularly monitors other respiratory diseases and will respond to any future surges or developments. COVID-19 is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus – a type of coronavirus. 1,162,474 Americans have died, including 21,137 Alabamians, in the COVID-19 global pandemic. 107 million Americans contracted the virus despite efforts to limit the spread of the virus. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Gov. Kay Ivey establishes the Alabama Resilience Council by executive order
Governor Kay Ivey on Friday signed Executive Order 736, establishing the Alabama Resilience Council. Ivey said in a press release that this action is a key part of the Administration’s plan to make Alabama the most resilient state in the nation by protecting the lives, property, and economic well-being of Alabamians against possible hazards, both natural and man-made. “Protecting the well-being of our people, both physically and financially, should be a top priority shared by leaders at all levels of government,” said Gov. Ivey. “Alabama is growing like never before, and it’s imperative we take necessary steps today to preserve our historic progress for tomorrow. By proactively reimagining our approach to events with harmful effects on Alabamians before they occur, we can save lives, protect jobs and ensure our state’s future remains bright.” The Alabama Resilience Council will work with local, state, federal and private partners to help communities build stronger, live safer and recover quicker. The work of the Council will be aimed at better preparing Alabama’s communities to withstand events that result in harmful societal impacts. Ivey says that by including stakeholders with different perspectives from the public and private sectors, the Council aims to create a holistic approach to mitigation and resilience efforts. Alabama Emergency Management Agency Director Jeff Smitherman and Alabama Department of Insurance Commissioner Mark Fowler will serve as co-chairs for the Council. “This council presents a great opportunity to bring stakeholders together to explore partnerships and create synergy in our efforts in our state,” said Smitherman. “It creates a platform to include key players that can significantly increase the strength and resilience of Alabama at all levels.” “I want to thank Governor Ivey for her leadership and vision in creating this important Council. We believe Alabama will set the national standard for preparedness and resilience,” said Commissioner Fowler. “The Alabama Resilience Council will be a whole-of-government response, with the input of private industry, aimed at making that a reality.” The heads of the following agencies will be permanent members of the Council: · The Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries · The Alabama Department of Commerce · The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources · The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs · The Alabama Department of Environmental Management · The Alabama Department of Public Health · The Alabama Department of Transportation · The Alabama Forestry Commission · The Alabama Geological Survey · The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency · The Alabama National Guard · The Alabama Office of Information Technology Other local, state, federal and private partners invited to appoint a representative to the Council include: · The Alabama Association of Regional Councils · The Alabama Indian Affairs Commission · The Alabama League of Municipalities · The Alabama Soil and Water Conservation Committee · The Association of County Commissions of Alabama · The Business Council of Alabama · The Economic Development Administration · The Energy Institute of Alabama · The Federal Emergency Management Agency · Manufacture Alabama · The National Federation of Independent Business · The Small Business Administration · The United States Army Corps of Engineers · The United States Forest Service · The University of Alabama Center for Risk and Insurance Research · The National Weather Service Lars Powell is the director of the University of Alabama Center for Insurance Information and Research. “I am excited to be a part of this effort to maximize the physical and economic resilience of Alabama,” said Powell. “Governor Ivey has always shown the safety and security of Alabamians to be her top priority, and the creation of the Alabama Resilience Council is further evidence of that commitment. Significant opportunities exist to increase the resilience of Alabama, and I am honored by the confidence Governor Ivey shows in the Center to contribute its talents in assessing disaster risk-reduction alternatives.” Gov. Ivey has led the state since 2017. Over the last 40 years, more than 1,100 Alabamians have been killed in natural disasters. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Bill to prevent China from buying Alabama real estate passes House
On Tuesday, the Alabama House of Representatives passed legislation that would forbid Chinese citizens, Chinese businesses and corporations, and the Chinese Communist Party and government from being able to purchase land and other real property in the state of Alabama. House Bill 379 (HB379) is sponsored by House Majority Leader Scott Stadthagen. Stadthagen said, “They are the biggest threat to us.” The synopsis states, “Under existing law, an alien, whether resident or nonresident, may own, hold, or dispose of real property with the same rights as a native citizen. This bill would prohibit Chinese citizens, the Chinese government, or Chinese entities from acquiring title to real property in the state.” State Representative Mary Moore said they were not a problem until Ronald Reagan. “When President Reagan started encouraging our companies to go overseas,” Moore said. “That accounts for a lot of poverty, especially in southern Alabama and eastern Alabama because they were clothing manufacturers.” “The problem is bigger than the state of Alabama,” Moore said. “President Reagan loved China, and they became a superpower.” Stadthagen explained that if his bill passes, “They can’t purchase property in Alabama.” Rep. Jamie Kiel said, “Your bill protects the state from the communist Chinese.” “My district was also impacted by the great sucking sound of jobs leaving the country that Ross Perot talked about, and that was under President [Bill] Clinton in 1994 with NAFTA,” Kiel said. “President [Barack] Obama said that the relationship between the U.S. and China was the most important bilateral relationship in the world.” “Whoever started it, it is time to stop it, and I appreciate the bill,” Kiel said. Rep. Tracy Estes said, “For those who may think that the Chinese are not the greatest threat to this country, don’t be fooled.” Rep. Napoleon Bracy asked, “What prompted this?” Stadthagen explained, “In the last year, the Chinese have purchased over six billion dollars’ worth of property.” “This is a protection bill,” Stadthagen said. “I know of several real estate contracts that are in progress.” Bracy asked, “What if they are already here?” “Then they are already here,” Stadthagen answered. “What if they wanted to expand?” Bracy asked. “Then they have to get a citizen or a dual citizen to purchase that property, and they can lease it from them,” Stadthagen answered. Bracy asked, “Could this hurt the economy?” Stadthagen said that it had not in the other states that have done this, but admitted, “This is something that is fairly new.” Stadthagen said, “The Department of Commerce wants to talk to me about it before it goes upstairs to the Senate.” Bracy said that a Chinese corporation had bought piston engine manufacturer Continental Motors. “Continental is in Mobile,” Bracy said. “Are they the enemy? They are providing jobs to our citizens. They are providing over 300 jobs.” “If Continental Motors decides to leave and those 300 jobs and their $75 million investment leaves with them, then we are impacting a lot more people than what this was designed to impact,” Bracy said. Rep. Tim Wadsworth expressed concerns that the way this was written would also apply to Taiwan. “Taiwan is not a part of it,” Stadthagen said. “About 90% of the semiconductor chips in this country are made in Taiwan,” Wadsworth said. “China and the U.S. actually consider Taiwan to be one country as part of the one-China policy.” Rep. Sam Jones said, “Continental Motors was a U.S. Company that sold out to China. They have been in Mobile for over 50 years.” Jones said he had been on several international job recruiting trips as the Mayor of Mobile. “We weren’t recruiting politics – we were recruiting jobs and companies,” Jones said. “Do I support the communism in China? No, I don’t, but we are a world economy.” Stadthagen said, “Do you know how many acres of land are owned by other countries? 1.4 million acres in Alabama are owned by foreign countries.” Jones said, “Alabama exports surged to over $25 billion last year. Our two largest trading partners are Germany and China.” “We don’t handle foreign policy,” Jones said. “That is not what we do here. You don’t know the facts because you have never spent any time recruiting industries.” “We watch Florida and pass everything that they do down there,” Jones said. “I am surprised that we have not passed anything about Mickey Mouse yet. We follow Florida, but we aren’t Florida.” Rep. Neil Rafferty asked about Chinese people that have moved here seeking asylum. “They can lease a house or property while they work on their citizenship,” Stadthagen answered. Rafferty asked, “Why don’t we do this for Vietnam or Laos? They are communist.” “They are not a threat to us,” Stadthagen answered. Rafferty asked, “What other countries would you do this with? “North Korea and Iran,” Stadthagen answered. Rep. John Rogers said, “The federal government is the one who ought to be pulling the trigger on China.” “If China were to stop exporting all the stuff they make for us, we would be in a world of hurt,” Rogers said. “This concerns me because it seems to single out one particular race. I like Chinese food.” Rogers asked, “If China called in our debt, can we pay it?” Stadthagen answered, “We can’t.” Rogers said, “Can you imagine if we had a war with China? We will have to draft you.” Rep. Barbara Drummond said, “I am here standing for Mobile. Brookley is in my district, so I have seen this business grow. I have seen Brookley take off. They are contributing to our local economy. They are contributing to the Alabama economy. I know China is a communist country, and I know how they treat women, and I don’t like that.” Drummond said, “Our Chamber has red-flagged this for us and said that this is going to hurt.” Rep. Ben Robbins offered an amendment addressing members’ concerns. The amendment exempted companies already operating in the state and Taiwan from the legislation. Stadthagen accepted the amendment as friendly, and it was adopted in a 100 to 0 vote. SB379 passed the House in a
Alabama Legislature advances legislation requiring that American iron be used in public works projects
Last week, the Alabama State Legislature passed legislation requiring that American iron be used in all Alabama public works projects. House Bill 157 (HB157) is sponsored by State Representative David Faulkner. According to the synopsis, “Under existing law, when a public works contract requires the use of steel, the contractor performing the contract is required to use steel produced within the United States. This bill would provide that when a public works contract requires the use of iron, the contractor performing the contract would be required to use iron produced within the United States.” The Senate Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development Committee voted unanimously to give the bill a favorable report Wednesday. Sen. Garlan Gudger chairs the committee. Rep. Faulkner told the Committee that HB157 requires that for public works projects. “You use American iron and steel. Federal law is already that way,” Faulkner said. Sen. Josh Carnley asked, “Are we putting anybody at a disadvantage?” “No, we are not,” Faulkner answered. “We have several iron manufacturers in Alabama.” Faulkner explained that Alabama law already requires the use of American steel. This legislation simply adds iron to it so that state law matches federal law. HB157 passed the Senate on a 32 to 0 vote. It has already passed in the House, so it now goes to Governor Kay Ivey for her consideration. As of Tuesday, 765 bills have been introduced in this legislative session. Tuesday was Day 19 of the 2023 Alabama Regular Legislative Session. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Steve Flowers: Dr. David Bronner celebrates fifty years as CEO of RSA
The legendary head of the Retirement Systems of Alabama (RSA), Dr. David Bronner, celebrates 50 years as CEO this month. When the annals of Alabama history are written, there will never be an Alabamian as remarkable a public servant to our state as David Bronner. Dr. David Bronner has marked his place in Alabama governmental history. When Bronner took his present job with RSA, the Retirement Systems had approximately $500 million of funds. Today, RSA has approximately $43.9 billion in funds under management and manages the pensions for 385,000 public teachers and public employees. Alabama public employees will swear by, stand up for, and place on a golden pedestal David Bronner. They credit him with securing their retirement years with a solid foundation. Indeed, he has. The Employees’ Retirement System and the Teachers’ Retirement System are financially sound and the envy of most other states. Bronner is quick to credit the Alabama Legislature for their part in helping to ensure the systems are fully funded, which is something that has set RSA apart from pensions in other states. Dr. Bronner is also the head of the insurance program for public educators, the Public Education Employees’ Health Insurance Plan. This program covers over 300,000 educators, retirees, and dependents. This $1.4 billion-a-year program provides excellent benefits to members at a low cost to both the members and employers. In fact, RSA has managed the plan with level funding for the past seven years and plans to do the same in the coming year. Bronner was born in Iowa and received his elementary and high school education in Minnesota. He came to Alabama to study law. He earned his Law Degree and Ph.D. from the University of Alabama in 1972. Shortly after graduation, he became Assistant Dean of the Law School at the University of Alabama. A year later, at the age of 28, he became head of the Retirement Systems of Alabama. Today, 50 years later, Bronner is a youthful looking 78 with plenty of vigor and probably no plans to retire. When you have a conversation with him, it is an experience you will never forget. He is extremely quick-witted. There is no mistaking that you are talking with someone very intelligent. He has digested your words almost before they are out of your mouth and will reply immediately with a succinct response that appears as though he has given it 15 minutes of thought. Of course, that may be because we native Alabamians talk a little slower than he does. The Retirement Systems of Alabama has contributed a great deal to the state’s economy over the last 50 years. One of the greatest legacies that Dr. Bronner may enjoy is his creation of Alabama’s Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. This idea generated a profit for RSA in the first years. The brilliance of the Golf Trail is not only the profits the Trail generates for the RSA but the peripheral boost to our state’s economy. The Golf Trail has enhanced the image of Alabama. It has also benefitted the state’s attractiveness for corporate recruitment. The economic benefits and prestige it brings to our state are exponential and helped increase tourism from a $1.8 billion industry to a yearly $24 plus billion industry. The courses have made Alabama a tourist destination. It brings well-heeled northern golfers to our state for week-long stays, and they spend untold amounts of money in our hotels and restaurants. Snowbird golf enthusiasts are locked out of their courses six to seven months of the year, so they journey to warm climates of the Heart of Dixie to play these world-class courses. They might look at the adjoining hole and see Dr. Bronner playing, chomping on his ever-present cigar. The Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail’s first seven sites were constructed in Birmingham, Mobile, Huntsville, Opelika-Auburn, Dothan, and Greenville. These seven were completed from 1990 to 1994. The Prattville site opened, and the Lakewood Club course in Point Clear joined the Trail in 1999. The premier Hoover site at Ross Bridge appeared in 2005. The Ross Bridge course and Ross Bridge Renaissance Resort Hotel and Spa may be the crown jewel. This Hoover location attracts national conventions and has spawned one of the premier residential neighborhoods in the state. Ross Bridge is home to a good many of the young physicians and medical specialists from UAB. Dr. Mark Fagan has authored a wonderful book on Alabama’s Golf Trail, Dr. Bronner, and the RSA. It is entitled Alabama’s Public Pension Fund Growth and Economic Expansions Since 1972. See you next week. Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. His weekly column appears in over 60 Alabama newspapers. He served 16 years in the legislature. Steve may be reached at www.steveflowers.us.
Lawmakers advance bill that could lead to new Statehouse
Alabama lawmakers on Tuesday advanced legislation that could lead to the construction of a new Statehouse, although there is not a price tag yet for the proposal. The House of Representatives voted 88-9 to approve legislation that would give the Legislative Council, a 20-member panel that consists of legislative leaders, key committee chairpersons, and selected members, the authority to contract with the Retirement Systems of Alabama, or another entity, for the construction and maintenance of a new Alabama Statehouse. The bill could get final approval as soon as Thursday. The approval comes as the Retirement Systems of Alabama is seeking proposals from architectural firms for design, analysis, and engineering work for construction that “would replace the existing state house chambers, legislative offices, support services, and parking.” Proposals are due May 19. The Legislative Council last year authorized senior legislative staff to work with Retirement Systems, which has built numerous office and event space buildings, about the possibility of constructing a new Statehouse that would be leased to lawmakers. The Alabama Legislature once met in the Alabama Capitol. Lawmakers in 1985 moved into the current 1963 building that previously housed the Alabama Highway Department Building as a temporary meeting place when the Capitol was undergoing renovations. Lawmakers never moved back. “It was always intended to be a temporary home for the Legislature,” said Republican Sen. Sam Givhan, the sponsor of the legislation. Givhan said the problems in the current building are well documented, including mold, lack of accessibility for the public, and a lack of facilities for the disabled. “It was not designed for the public to interface with their elected officials,” Givhan said. And so this is something we think needs to be done. Now, whether it’s going to happen or not, that’s a totally different issue. There’s still debate about what’s it going to look like, where’s it going to be. And, of course, the overarching issue is probably, what’s it going to cost, and can we afford it?” Givhan said that $200 million was the last price estimate he is aware of but is unsure if that is still accurate. Alabama lawmakers in 2020 briefly discussed the possibility of using $200 million of federal pandemic relief funds to build a new statehouse, but the idea drew an immediate backlash. The possible construction comes as lawmakers have expressed concern about the cost of other proposed big-ticket expenditures, including tax rebates or the full removal of the state sales tax on food. Givhan said those requests involve funding hits to the state education budget, while the statehouse project would involve a separate state pot of funds. Republished with the permission of The Associated Press.
Jury finds Donald Trump liable for sexual abuse, awards accuser $5M
A jury found Donald Trump liable Tuesday for sexually abusing advice columnist E. Jean Carroll in 1996, awarding her $5 million in a judgment that could haunt the former president as he campaigns to regain the White House. The verdict was split: Jurors rejected Carroll’s claim that she was raped, finding Trump responsible for a lesser degree of sexual abuse. The judgment adds to Trump’s legal woes and offers vindication to Carroll, whose allegations had been mocked and dismissed by Trump for years. She nodded as the verdict was announced in a New York City federal courtroom only three hours after deliberations had begun, then hugged supporters and smiled through tears. As the courtroom cleared, Carroll could be heard laughing and crying. Jurors also found Trump liable for defaming Carroll over her allegations. Trump did not attend the civil trial and was absent when the verdict was read. Trump immediately lashed out on his social media site, claiming that he does not know Carroll and referring to the verdict as “a disgrace” and “a continuation of the greatest witch hunt of all time.” He promised to appeal. Trump’s lawyer, Joseph Tacopina, shook hands with Carroll and hugged her lawyer, Roberta Kaplan, after the verdict was announced. Outside the courthouse, he told reporters the jury’s rejection of the rape claim while finding Trump responsible for sexual abuse was “perplexing” and “strange.” “Part of me was obviously very happy that Donald Trump was not branded a rapist,” he said. He defended Trump’s absence, citing the trial’s “circus atmosphere.” He said having Trump there “would be more of a circus.” Tacopina added: “What more can you say other than ‘I didn’t do it’?” In a written statement, Kaplan said the verdict proved nobody is above the law, “not even the president of the United States.” Carroll, in her own statement, said she sued Trump to “clear my name and to get my life back. Today, the world finally knows the truth. This victory is not just for me but for every woman who has suffered because she was not believed.” It was unclear what, if any, implications the verdict would have on Trump’s third presidential bid. He’s in a commanding position among GOP contenders and has faced few political consequences in the wake of previous controversies, ranging from the vulgar “Access Hollywood” tape to his New York criminal indictment. His GOP rivals were mostly silent after the verdict, a sign of their reluctance to cross Trump supporters who are critical to winning the presidential nomination. Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, one of the few vocal Trump critics in the race, said the verdict was “another example of the indefensible behavior of Donald Trump.” Carroll was one of more than a dozen women who have accused Trump of sexual assault or harassment. She went public in a 2019 memoir with her allegation that the Republican raped her in the dressing room of a posh Manhattan department store. Trump, 76, denied it, saying he never encountered Carroll at the store and did not know her. He has called her a “nut job” who invented “a fraudulent and false story” to sell a memoir. Carroll, 79, sought unspecified damages, plus a retraction of what she said were Trump’s defamatory denials of her claims. The trial revisited the lightning-rod topic of Trump’s conduct toward women. Carroll gave multiple days of frank, occasionally emotional testimony, buttressed by two friends who testified that she reported the alleged attack to them soon afterward. Jurors also heard from Jessica Leeds, a former stockbroker who testified that Trump abruptly groped her against her will on an airline flight in the 1970s, and from Natasha Stoynoff, a writer who said Trump forcibly kissed her against her will while she was interviewing him for a 2005 article. The six-man, three-woman jury also saw the well-known 2005 “Access Hollywood” hot-mic recording of Trump talking about kissing and grabbing women without asking. The Associated Press typically does not name people who say they have been sexually assaulted unless they come forward publicly, as Carroll, Leeds, and Stoynoff have done. The verdict comes as Trump faces an accelerating swirl of legal risks. He’s fighting a New York criminal case related to hush money payments made to a porn actor. The state attorney general has sued him, his family, and his business over alleged financial wrongdoing. Trump is also contending with investigations into his possible mishandling of classified documents, his actions after the 2020 election, and his activities during the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Trump denies wrongdoing in all of those matters. Carroll, who penned an Elle magazine advice column for 27 years, has also written for magazines and “Saturday Night Live.” She and Trump were in social circles that overlapped at a 1987 party, where a photo documented them and their then-spouses interacting. Trump has said he doesn’t remember it. According to Carroll, she ended up in a dressing room with Trump after they ran into each other at Bergdorf Goodman on an unspecified Thursday evening in spring 1996. They took an impromptu jaunt to the lingerie department so he could search for a women’s gift and soon were teasing each other about trying on a skimpy bodysuit, Carroll testified. To her, it seemed like comedy, something like her 1986 “Saturday Night Live” sketch in which a man admires himself in a mirror. But then, she said, Trump slammed the door, pinned her against a wall, planted his mouth on hers, yanked her tights down, and raped her as she tried to break away. Carroll said she ultimately pushed him off with her knee and immediately left the store. “I always think back to why I walked in there to get myself in that situation,” she testified, her voice breaking, “but I’m proud to say I did get out.” She never called the police or noted it in her diary. Carroll said she kept silent for fear Trump would retaliate, out of shame, and because
No progress on debt ceiling as deadline approaches
President Joe Biden met with legislative leaders on Tuesday, but neither side gave any indication of progress on the debt ceiling ahead of a potential June 1 default deadline. President Joe Biden met with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell at the White House. Both sides accused each other of holding the economy hostage in the debt ceiling talks. McCarthy said he didn’t see any progress. Schumer said McCarthy refused to take default off the table and argued that a bipartisan solution was needed. Jeffries said additional meetings were planned. A short-term extension also appeared out of reach. “I don’t think a short-term extension does anything,” McCarthy said after the meeting. McCarthy put the ball in Schumer’s court. “My position is clear and reasonable,” the House Speaker posted on Twitter. “House Republicans have done their job to avoid a default and responsibly raise the debt limit. Democrats must now do the same.” Schumer said any path forward would need bipartisan support. House Republicans recently passed a bill to cut spending by nearly $5 trillion and raise the debt limit by about $1.5 trillion, or until March 31, 2024, whichever comes first. Republicans have said they won’t agree to raise the debt limit without spending cuts. Biden and Democrats have said Congress must raise the debt limit before discussing changes to spending or other budget changes. U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said lawmakers must raise the debt ceiling by June 1 or risk a default on U.S. debt obligations. Republished with the permission of The Center Square.
