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U.S. NEWS Monday 8 May 2023
Yellen: 'No good options' if Congress fails to act on debt

By ZEKE MILLER tiate about government
AP White House Correspon- spending once Congress
dent takes the risk of default off
WASHINGTON (AP) — Trea- the table.
sury Secretary Janet Yel- Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sine-
len said Sunday that there ma, an independent who
are "no good options" for left the Democratic Party
the United States to avoid in December, encouraged
an economic "calamity" if Biden and McCarthy to
Congress fails to raise the meet each other half way.
nation's borrowing limit of "There's not going to be just
$31.381 trillion in the com- a simple clean debt limit
ing weeks. She did not rule — the votes don't exist for
out President Joe Biden that," she told CBS's "Face
bypassing lawmakers and the Nation." "So the sooner
acting on his own to try to these two guys get in the
avert a first-ever federal room and listen to what the
default. other one needs, the more
Her comments added likely they are to solve this
even more urgency to a challenge and protect the
high-stakes meeting Tues- full faith and credit of the
day between Biden and United States of America."
congressional leaders from Yellen was asked on ABC
both parties. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen speaks on the U.S.-China economic relationship at Johns Hopkins whether Biden could by-
Democrats and Republi- University School of Advanced International Studies, Thursday, April 20, 2023, in Washington. pass Congress by citing the
cans are at loggerheads Associated Press Constitution's 14th Amend-
over whether the debt limit limit is not increased before meet all of our obligations," er, D-N.Y., and Senate Mi- ment that the "validity"
should even be the sub- the Treasury Department she said. "And it's widely nority Leader Mitch McCo- of U.S. debt "shall not be
ject of negotiation. GOP runs out of what it calls "ex- agreed that financial and nnell, R-Ky., will be the first questioned." Yellen did not
lawmakers, led by House traordinary measures" to economic chaos would substantive talks between answer definitively, but said
Speaker Kevin McCarthy of operate under the current ensue." Biden and McCarthy in it should not be considered
California, are demanding cap. That time, she said, is An increase in the debt lim- months. a valid solution.
spending cuts in return for expected to come in early it would not authorize new House Republicans on April "We should not get to the
raising the borrowing limit, June, perhaps as soon as federal spending. It would 26 passed a bill that would point where we need to
while Biden has said the June 1. only allow borrowing to raise the debt limit but im- consider whether the presi-
threat of default shouldn't "Whether it's defaulting on pay for what Congress has pose significant federal dent can go on issuing
be used as leverage in interest payments that are already approved. spending cuts. But those debt. This would be a con-
budget talks. due on the debt or pay- Biden's White House meet- cuts are unlikely to win the stitutional crisis," she said.
Yellen, interviewed on ments due for Social Securi- ing with McCarthy, House support of all Republicans "What to do if Congress fails
ABC's "This Week," painted ty recipients or to Medicare Minority Leader Hakeem in the Democratic-con- to meet its responsibility?
a dire picture of what might providers, we would simply Jeffries, D-N.Y., Senate Ma- trolled Senate, and Biden There are simply no good
happen if the borrowing not have enough cash to jority Leader Chuck Schum- has said he will only nego- options," she added.q

Navy commissions USS Cooperstown; honors war veteran players

NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. (Army, WWII); Ted Williams
Navy on Saturday com- (Marines, WWII and Korea);
missioned the USS Cooper- and Willie Mays (Army, Ko-
stown in honor of 70 Major rea). The ship’s motto is
League Baseball Hall of “America’s Away Team.”
Fame players who served Torre, a former player and
in the military during war- longtime New York Yankees
time. manager, was elected to
The littoral combat ship is the Hall in 2014. Bench, a
named after the village in catcher for the Cincinnati
New York state where the Reds, was selected in 1989.
Hall is located. Bench’s father and Torre’s
Hall of Famers Joe Torre older brother served in the
and Johnny Bench took Army and Navy, respec-
part in the ceremony, with tively, during World War II,
Torre delivering remarks according to the Hall of
and Bench presenting a Fame. The ship, built by the
long glass, a nautical tele- Lockheed Martin and Fin-
scope. This photo provided by the U.S. Navy shows the Freedom-variant littoral combat ship USS cantieri Marinette Marine
“It is critical that we honor Cooperstown (LCS 23) prior to the ship’s commissioning ceremony, Saturday, May 6, 2023, in New in Wisconsin, was launched
York.
the legacy of these Hall of Associated Press in 2019 and christened in
Famers,” Torre said, “not 2020. It was delivered to
just for what they did on Their legacy lives on with The 70 players honored some of the sport’s biggest the Navy in September.
the field, but for what they the USS Cooperstown and served during conflicts from names, such as Ty Cobb From New York City, the
sacrificed and what they with the sailors here today the Civil War through the (Army, WWI); Joe DiMag- ship will sail to its base in
accomplished off the field. and in the years to come.” Korean War and include gio and Jackie Robinson Mayport, Florida.q