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U.S. NEWS Monday 7 august 2017
Trump takes break from White House with ‘working vacation’

By CATHERINE LUCEY but he did chat with some
Associated Press wedding guests at the
BRIDGEWATER, N.J. (AP) — club, according to a video
President Donald Trump posted by WPVI-TV in Phila-
is taking a break from the delphia.
capital after a rocky first six Trump sent out a flurry of
months in office, but he in- tweets in the early eve-
sists he is not on vacation. ning, defending his travel
Burdened with West Wing plans and hailing a vote
conflict, a stalled legislative by the U.N. Security Coun-
agenda and a pile of inves- cil to impose new sanctions
tigations, Trump departed on North Korea. He also
Washington on Friday after- praised Attorney General
noon for a 17-day trip to his Jeff Sessions for pledging
private golf club in central to clamp down in govern-
New Jersey. ment leaks, after previously
He was accompanied by complaining he was weak
his daughter Ivanka Trump on the matter.
and son-in-law Jared Kush- There is some renovation
ner, both senior advisers, as work underway at the White
well as the aide charged House while Trump is out of
with resetting his chaotic town. Everyone working in
administration— new chief the West Wing, including
of staff John Kelly. President Donald Trump salutes after walking down the steps of Air Force One with his grandchildren, Trump, had to clear out so
Trump said it was not a Arabella Kushner, center, and Joseph Kushner, right, after arriving at Morristown Municipal Airport the government could re-
holiday on Saturday eve- to begin his summer vacation at his Bedminster golf club, Friday, Aug. 4, 2017, in Morristown, N.J. place a balky, 27-year-old
ning, tweeting: “Working (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) heating and cooling sys-
in Bedminster, N.J., as long A White House official said about the three U.S. Ma- on Saturday while trying to tem
planned construction is Trump’s plans for Bedmin- rines who were missing land. Kelly’s first week on the job
being done at the White ster included meetings with after their Osprey aircraft The White House did not was marked by his efforts to
House. This is not a vaca- aides and lawmakers. crashed into the sea off answer questions about crack down on a disorderly
tion - meetings and calls!” He was briefed by Kelly the east coast of Australia whether Trump was golfing, system. q

Congress must prove its mettle this fall; it has no choice

By ALAN FRAM and it’s their responsibil- tled, among them how far
Associated Press ity to deliver those votes. to lower rates and which
WASHINGTON (AP) — Con- Democratic support will be tax credits and deductions
gress will have to prove its required, and some hope would be erased. The last
mettle this fall. It has no they’ll win concessions in time those problems were
choice. exchange. reconciled and the tax
Republicans have little to A stopgap measure will be code broadly reshaped
show for their first seven needed because the 12 was 1986.
months of controlling the annual spending bills are
White House and Capitol behind schedule. There’s HEALTH CARE
Hill. The Senate sent Jus- no agreement on their The GOP’s signature disas-
tice Neil Gorsuch to the overall price tag, which ter so far this year was the
Supreme Court, and Con- will be in the $1 trillion-plus Senate’s July rejection of
gress passed bills bolstering range. One wild card is attempts by Majority Lead-
veterans’ health programs whether Trump will press to er Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.,
and financing the Food House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wis. meets with reporters on Capitol fund the U.S.-Mexico bor- to eradicate Obama’s
and Drug Administration. Hill in Washington. Republicans have little to show for their first der wall he’s pledged. That health care law. Republi-
It approved another sanc- seven months of controlling the White House and Capitol Hill. could spark a nasty con- can divisions proved fatal,
tioning Russia for its 2016 Congress will have to prove its mettle this fall. It has no choice. frontation with Democrats. and they’re split over what
election meddling, which (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) comes next.
President Donald Trump ised agenda or accomplish forgiven. TAXES Trump has goaded McCo-
resentfully signed knowing the basics of governing. The White House and nnell to keep trying. Senate
Congress would lopsidedly Congressional leaders rec- MONEY Republicans promise to leaders have shown little
override a veto. ognize this risks blowback Two must-do items will revamp the loophole- enthusiasm for charging
Lawmakers returning from in next year’s midterm dominate Congress’ Sep- choked tax code and back up that hill without the
recess after Labor Day will elections. House Speaker tember agenda: increas- lower rates for corporations votes to pass something.
confront a pile of bills they Paul Ryan, R-Wis., told a ing the government’s debt and individuals. Along with Health committee Chair-
must approve. They’ll also displeased voter in Mukwo- limit to prevent a jarring repealing and replacing man Lamar Alexander, R-
face another stack of work nago, Wisconsin, last week, federal default and pass- President Barack Obama’s Tenn., says he’ll work with
they’ve promised to tackle “We’ve got to get it done.” ing a temporary spending health care law, this is holy the panel’s top Democrat,
and that GOP voters elect- September will give Re- bill to avert a government grail for the GOP. But core Patty Murray of Washing-
ed them to achieve. publicans a chance to shutdown. principles remain unre- ton state, to continue bil-
complete their responsi- Many Republicans can’t solved, including whether lions in payments to insurers
GOP IN CHARGE ... bilities with minimal fuss. If bring themselves to back the effort would further for reducing out-of-pocket
... But have yet to prove they deliver a tax cut, GOP a debt limit boost. But bloat the budget deficit. costs for low- and middle-
they can deliver their prom- thinking goes, much will be they run the government, Crucial details must be set- income customers. q