Debt Ceiling, Vape Laws Down Under, & Utah Loses A Website
May 3, 2023
Debt Danger Draws Near
As the debt crisis continues to loom over the U.S., Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen announced Monday that the country might run out of money as soon as June 1 unless Congress is able to negotiate an expansion to the government’s ability to borrow. While Congressional Republicans and the White House have been at loggerheads over the debt ceiling debate in recent months, President Biden broke the ice on Monday, scheduling a meeting with GOP and Democratic lawmakers next week.
Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy will attend the White House Meeting next Tuesday, alongside Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, with the aim of bringing the two sides at least a step closer together. At the meeting, Biden says he will “stress” to congressional leaders that both parties “must take action to avoid default without conditions.” He also emphasized “the urgency of preventing default,” adding that budget negotiations will hopefully enter preliminary steps as lawmakers meet face-to-face.
While Democrats are calling for a “clean” debt ceiling raise without tacked-on legislation or budget negotiations, Republicans are looking to bring new laws and spending cuts into the mix. House Republicans have passed their own debt limit bill, which the Democrat-held Senate has yet to vote on. “House Republicans did their job and passed a responsible bill that raises the debt ceiling, avoids default, and tackles reckless spending,” McCarthy said on Monday. “Meanwhile, President Biden has refused to do his job — threatening to bumble our nation into its first ever default — and the clock is ticking.” Schumer has penciled in the bill for a potential Senate vote, but a vote before the upper house would be simply performative to show that the measure won’t pass.
Some Good News
- Engineers develop water filtration system that permanently removes ‘forever chemicals’ (NBC)
- US adult cigarette smoking rate hits new all-time low (AP)
Tim Hsia, our publisher, is a Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) term member. As a team we believe global and domestic news are important because everything is interconnected. For that reason one of the newsletters we recommend is Home & Away: a Friday morning newsletter that analyzes U.S. democracy, international developments and foreign policy choices facing the United States, and at times the connections between the two. It is written by Richard Haass, the President of CFR. Subscribe today (it’s currently a free newsletter) to learn more about what’s happening around the world, and how it all ties together.
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Unconscionable In Uganda
- On Tuesday, Uganda’s parliament passed one of the most oppressive anti-LGBTQ bills in the world, even after President Yoweri Museveni asked lawmakers to tone down certain parts of the legislation. The new bill received four changes since it was introduced in March, but the harshest punishments were not edited out.
- The bill as passed includes the death penalty for “aggravated homosexuality” – having gay sex when HIV-positive – and a 20-year sentence for “promoting” homosexuality, which opponents of the bill say could be used to punish any advocacy for LGBTQ rights.
- While Museveni returned the bill to parliament for revisions earlier this year, his options are more limited this time. The president can normally sign a bill into law, send it back to lawmakers for revision, or veto it. This time, however, the bill will pass if he returns it to parliament for edits (as 371 MPs were in favor of the law), meaning he has the choice between passing and vetoing. The U.S., E.U., and many major corporations have called upon Museveni to veto the law when it reaches his desk.
Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, *Cough*, *Cough*, *Cough*
- Australia is the latest country to crack down on e-cigarettes, announcing that it plans to enact new anti-vaping legislation aimed at keeping teenagers away from their favorite flavored smoking devices. Measures include bans on recreational vaping, disposable vapes, and the import of non-prescription vapes. The legislation will also limit the levels of nicotine in vapes.
- “Just like they did with smoking, Big Tobacco has taken another addictive product, wrapped it in shiny packaging and added flavors to create a new generation of nicotine addicts,” said Health Minister Mark Butler. Under the new vaping regime, e-cigarettes will be used for helping smokers quit their habit instead of as an alternative method for nicotine delivery.
Additional World News
- Leaders of Sudan’s warring factions agree to seven-day ceasefire, South Sudan says (CNN)
- Khader Adnan: Rockets fired after Palestinian hunger striker dies in Israeli jail (BBC)
- Australia central bank stuns with 25-bps hike, warns more might be needed (Reuters)
- ‘It’s not a good look.’ As cost of living crisis bites, some Brits are questioning spending money on glitzy coronation (CNN)
- Filipino crew on front line of sea feud with China (AP)
- The ‘stunning’ scale of Russian deaths in Ukraine signals trouble ahead for Putin (NBC)
- Hong Kong to slash elected seats in setback to democracy (AP)
“Relish everything that’s inside of you, the imperfections, the darkness, the richness and light and everything. And that makes for a full life.” – Anthony Hopkins
The Secret Service’s Suspicious Screening
- Mohamed Khairullah is the mayor of Prospect Park, New Jersey, and is also Muslim. On Monday, he was denied entry into the Eid reception that marks the end of Ramadan at the White House, and on Tuesday, he told CNN he still hasn’t been told why – but he did say “there’s no doubt in my mind that at this point, my crime is my race, my religion and my name.”
- Khairullah was invited to the White House as part of a group of Muslim-American elected officials across the country. He says he submitted his information into the system for approving visitors two days before the event, but wasn’t told that he couldn’t attend until half an hour before it began. The Secret Service simply said that they “are not able to comment further” on their process for approving visitors.
Cut And Shooting Down His Escape
- The man responsible for killing five people on Friday night in Texas was arrested on Tuesday evening. He was apprehended in the city of Cut and Shoot, Texas. Oropesa is charged with first-degree murder. The search for the killer involved over 250 law enforcement officers.
- The shooter opened fire into his neighbor’s home after they asked him to stop firing off his rifle, as it was keeping their baby awake. The victims have been identified as 9-year-old Daniel Enrique Laso; Sonia Argentina Guzman, 25; Diana Velazquez Alvarado, 21; Julisa Molina Rivera, 31; and Jose Jonathan Casarez, 18.
Additional USA News
- Woman IDs 4 of 7 Oklahoma bodies as daughter, grandchildren (AP)
- Former Minneapolis police officer Tou Thao, who held back bystanders during George Floyd’s killing, convicted of manslaughter (CBS)
- 3rd stabbing in a week near UC Davis leaves campus on edge as officials lift overnight shelter-in-place order (CNN)
- DeSantis expands death penalty to include child rape, setting up likely court challenge (NBC)
- Oklahoma governor signs legislation banning gender-affirming care for minors (CNN)
- New York City Panel to Vote on Rent Increases for 2 Million People (NYT, $)
- Glenn Youngkin says he’s not running for president ‘this year’ (Politico)
Voting Out Another Vice
- Coffee, tea, alcohol, and now Pornhub videos – these are a few of the things that Mormons aren’t able to consume, though that last item on the list is a new addition. Pornhub and other sites owned by its parent company Mindgeek have blocked access to Utah users as the majority-Mormon state enacted a new law Tuesday making porn sites liable for allowing content to be available to minors.
- “As you may know, your elected officials in Utah are requiring us to verify your age before allowing you access to our website,” read a message that appeared on Pornhub for users with Utah IP addresses. “While safety and compliance are at the forefront of our mission, giving your ID card every time you want to visit an adult platform is not the most effective solution for protecting our users, and in fact, will put children and your privacy at risk.”
- The message added that the new law would drive users “to sites with far fewer safety measures,” and called for lawmakers to “identify users by their device” instead of their IDs, as the new system does. Currently, Utah’s ID system includes digital age verification through an app, but Pornhub says that this verification doesn’t work with online systems. Additionally, just 24,000 of the 3.3 million people living in Utah have signed up for the ID app.
Additional Reads
- Environmental groups sue FAA over SpaceX Texas rocket launch (AP)
- Biden Isn’t the Only Official Who Could Pardon Trump (Politico)
- Scooby doobie don’t: Discarded joints pose hazards for dogs (AP)
- WATCH: CNN reporter unpacks 3 main sources of the royal family’s money (CNN)
- Loneliness poses profound public health threat, surgeon general says (WaPo, $)
- Bill would require disclosure of AI-generated content in political ads (WaPo, $)
- This zoo is seeking 5 people to dress up as birds and chase seagulls away (CNN)