Closing summary
The debt ceiling deadlock continued to loom over Washington, with little sign of progress made between Democrats and Republicans ahead of a potential government default on 1 June. Treasury secretary Janet Yellen appeared to rule out Joe Biden invoking the 14th amendment to order the government to keep paying its bills, but the president will meet with congressional leaders tomorrow in hopes of breaking the logjam.
Here’s what else happened today:
Biden will veto a Republican border security proposal, in the unlikely chance it makes it to his desk.
Despite the carnage in Texas, there’s little sign of a change in heart among House GOP leaders towards gun control.
A former official in Barack Obama’s administration backed Biden’s strategy of not negotiating over the debt ceiling.
Airlines could be forced to compensate passengers for cancelled or delayed flights under new rules the transportation department is considering.
Mitch McConnell, the top Republican in the Senate, gave a preview of his strategy to regain the chamber’s majority next year.
A story to watch this week is the situation at America’s southern border, where asylum restrictions first imposed during the Covid-19 pandemic will be ending on Thursday.
Last week, Joe Biden ordered 1,500 national guard troops to the border to prepare for what some fear will be an influx of new asylum seekers. Immigration is one of the most contentious issues in Washington, and the GOP has in recent years been especially adroit at using it to rally their base, and as a cudgel against Democrats.
On the campaign trail, Nikki Haley, the former UN ambassador under Donald Trump who is now facing off against him for the GOP’s presidential nomination, bashed both the Biden administration and Congress for failing to overhaul the US immigration system.
Here are her comments on Fox News:
“This is not a surprise that we suddenly woke up and Title 42 was ending ... Every single member of Congress, the president knew it ... They got on TV and complained about it, but nobody did anything.”
— The Recount (@therecount) May 8, 2023
— 2024 pres. candidate Nikki Haley (R) slams the impending end of Title 42 pic.twitter.com/OHFw1biaEX