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Republicans demand healthcare law delay for debt rise | Republicans demand healthcare law delay for debt rise |
(35 minutes later) | |
Republicans have said they will only agree to raising the US debt ceiling if the Obama health law is delayed for a year. | |
The demand headlines a conservative wish list that the party is set to put forward in negotiations over the federal borrowing limit. | |
The US is set to hit the debt ceiling on 17 October, leaving the government short of money to pay its bills. | The US is set to hit the debt ceiling on 17 October, leaving the government short of money to pay its bills. |
It is one of two fiscal deadlines that is stalemating Congress once more. | |
The federal government also faces a shutdown if a budget bill is not passed by 1 October. | |
"We have no interest in seeing a government shutdown," Republican House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner told a press conference on Thursday. "But we've got to address the spending problem." | "We have no interest in seeing a government shutdown," Republican House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner told a press conference on Thursday. "But we've got to address the spending problem." |
'50 favourite flavours' | |
House Republicans have already inserted a provision that would strip funding from the healthcare law into their version of a spending bill to avert a government shutdown, which is due to happen next Tuesday. | |
The Senate will strike out that proposal from its version of the bill. Mr Boehner would not confirm on Thursday whether his party would accept such a revision. | The Senate will strike out that proposal from its version of the bill. Mr Boehner would not confirm on Thursday whether his party would accept such a revision. |
But analysts say Republicans seem to be backing away from a showdown over the shutdown in case it backfires politically. | |
On Thursday, the party instead brought its fight against President Barack Obama's healthcare law to the negotiations over the debt ceiling. | On Thursday, the party instead brought its fight against President Barack Obama's healthcare law to the negotiations over the debt ceiling. |
The White House and its Democratic allies have repudiated legislative attempts to target the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare. | The White House and its Democratic allies have repudiated legislative attempts to target the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare. |
They point out it has been the law of the land since 2010 and withstood a US Supreme Court challenge. | |
Republican House deputy leader Eric Cantor told Thursday's news conference that the debt ceiling bill would be put forward this week. | |
The National Review magazine reports that an outline of the Republican proposal includes tax reform, cutting civil service pensions, an overhaul of financial regulations and more means-testing for benefits. | |
It will also reportedly demand approval for the Keystone XL pipeline, increased offshore oil drilling and a rollback of environmental regulations. | It will also reportedly demand approval for the Keystone XL pipeline, increased offshore oil drilling and a rollback of environmental regulations. |
But Patty Murray, the Democratic chairwoman of the Senate budget committee, told the New York Times: "This is not the time to throw in your 50 favourite flavours." | But Patty Murray, the Democratic chairwoman of the Senate budget committee, told the New York Times: "This is not the time to throw in your 50 favourite flavours." |
The debt ceiling is the pre-set limit Congress authorises the US Treasury to borrow in order to pay the country's bills. | The debt ceiling is the pre-set limit Congress authorises the US Treasury to borrow in order to pay the country's bills. |
The US Treasury has been using "creative accounting" as a workaround since the limit topped $16.7 trillion (£10.4 trillion) back in May. | |
In a letter to Mr Boehner on Wednesday, Treasury Secretary Jack Lew urged Congress to "act immediately" and increase the debt ceiling. | In a letter to Mr Boehner on Wednesday, Treasury Secretary Jack Lew urged Congress to "act immediately" and increase the debt ceiling. |
He warned: "If we have insufficient cash on hand, it would be impossible for the United States of America to meet all of its obligations for the first time in our history." | He warned: "If we have insufficient cash on hand, it would be impossible for the United States of America to meet all of its obligations for the first time in our history." |
Since 1960, the debt ceiling has been raised 78 times, but it has become a sticking point between the White House and congressional Republicans in recent years. | |
Mr Obama has said he will not be forced into making concessions as during the 2011 debt crisis, when he accepted a $2.1 trillion spending cut over a decade. |