Page 5 - ATD 23OCT,2015

U.S. NEWS A5
Friday 23 October 2015

Obama vetoes $612 billion US bill in rebuke to Republicans

that fails to deal with the expressed concerns over
broader problem or pro- provisions preventing mili-
vide long-term budget cer- tary base closures and
tainty for the Pentagon. funding equipment be-
Obama also rejects the yond what the military says
bill as written due to provi- it needs.
sions making it harder for “This is the worst possible
him to transfer suspected time for an American presi-
terror detainees out of the dent to veto their national
military prison in Guanta- defense bill, and espe-
namo Bay, Cuba, a key cially to do so for arbitrary
campaign promise that partisan reasons,” Senate
Obama is hard-pressed to Majority Leader Mitch Mc-
fulfill before his term ends. Connell said on the Senate
The White House has also floor.q

President Barack Obama vetoes the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), Thursday, Oct.
22, 2015, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington. The president vetoed the sweeping
$612 billion defense policy bill, citing objections over how the measure is funded.

(AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

JOSH LEDERMAN sorting to “gimmicks” and board spending limits, both
Associated Press prohibiting other changes parties are eager to bust
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presi- needed to address mod- through the caps for de-
dent Barack Obama ve- ern security threats. fense spending. But Obama
toed a sweeping $612 “Unfortunately, it falls woe- has insisted that spending
billion defense policy bill fully short,” Obama said. on domestic programs be
Wednesday in a rebuke “I’m going to be sending it raised at the same time,
to congressional Repub- back to Congress, and my setting off a budget clash
licans, and insisted they message to them is very with Republicans that has
send him a better version simple: Let’s do this right.” yet to be resolved.
that doesn’t tie his hands The rare presidential veto To side-step the budget
on some of his top priorities. marked the latest wrinkle in caps, known in Washington
In an unusual veto cere- the ongoing fight between as sequestration, lawmak-
mony, Obama praised the Obama and Republicans ers added an extra $38.3
bill for ensuring the military who control Congress over billion to a separate ac-
stays funded and making whether to increase fed- count for wartime opera-
improvements on military eral spending — and how. tions that is immune to the
retirement and cybersecu- Four years after Congress spending limits. The White
rity. Yet he pointedly ac- passed and Obama signed House has dismissed that
cused Republicans of re- into law strict, across-the- approach as a “gimmick”

Paul Ryan is in, will seek House Speaker post

ERICA WERNER will be all but assured of tri- caucuses within the party,
Associated Press umphing in elections next including the hardline Free-
WASHINGTON (AP) — Rep. week. dom Caucus that forced
Paul Ryan is formally de- He made the announce- the current speaker, John
claring his candidacy for ment in a letter to col- Boehner, to announce his
speaker of the House af- leagues. resignation.
ter getting unified support Ryan sought unity from di- Ryan would inherit a House
from across the Republican vided Republicans as a with major budgetary and
conference. condition for his candida- spending deadlines on the
The Wisconsin lawmaker cy. horizon. At 45 he would be-
and onetime Republican He succeeded in getting come one of the youngest
vice presidential nominee support from three major House speakers.q