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dailysignal--2019-05-29--Conservative Lawmakers Fight the Swamp
| 2019-05-29T00:00:00 |
dailysignal
|
Conservative Lawmakers Fight the Swamp
|
It’s typical Washington, D.C., to want to pass a $19 billion bill without even giving lawmakers a chance to weigh in. But thanks to the effort of Republican Reps. Chip Roy and Thomas Massie, the swamp hit a speed bump. On Friday and again on Tuesday, there was an effort to pass a $19 billion disaster aid package in the House—despite the fact that the House was on recess. This would seem to be an important matter for the House to hash out in open debate before sending to the president’s desk. After all, the Founding Fathers intentionally put the purse strings in the hands of the House, a body closest to the interests of the people. The average American household pays about [$26,000 in taxes to the federal government a year](https://www.dailysignal.com/2019/04/14/in-1-chart-how-your- taxes-are-spent/). That $19 billion is roughly equal to the annual federal taxes of 730,000 households—hardly a trivial amount of money. But instead of having a robust debate, the bill was rushed through in the metaphorical dead of night. Rachel Bovard, the policy director of the Conservative Partnership Institute,[ explained in the Washington Examiner](https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/chip-roy-wants-to- actually-debate-a-19-billion-spending-bill-and-democrats-think-its-the-end-of- the-world) how this all went down. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. brought the bill to the floor after sending legislators home for vacation on Thursday. Enter Roy. “What [Pelosi] wasn’t counting on, however, was that one member wanted to actually read the bill—the final text of which had only come over from the Senate hours earlier,” Bovard wrote. “Not only that, but horror of horrors, he wanted to debate and vote on it.” “Roy [objected](https://roy.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-chip-roy- objecting-disaster-supplemental) to passing the bill by unanimous consent, asserting his right to request that the House of Representatives debate and vote on the measure with all members present,” Bovard continued. Roy [explained](https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2019/05/24/disaster-aid- bill-chip-roy-bts-vpx.cnn) in a CNN interview that he believes disaster relief for places like Puerto Rico, Texas, and Georgia should be debated, as should border security—especially in light of President Donald Trump’s request for additional border wall funding. “I objected because I didn’t think that the people’s House should be subjected to unanimous consent when everyone is out of town, and instead we should vote,” Roy said. Unsurprisingly, pundits and politicians immediately lashed out at Roy and anyone who might object to the particulars of the bill. Others,[ like Massie and Rep. Alex Mooney, R-W.Va.](https://www.politico.com/story/2019/05/28/another-gop-lawmaker- blocks-massive-disaster-aid-package-1345524), have now joined in criticizing the way this bill was brought up as well. On Tuesday, Massie, Mooney by his side, prevented the bill from being passed, saying, “If the speaker of this House felt that this was must-pass legislation, the speaker of this House should have called a vote on this legislation before sending its members on recess for 10 days.” Tucking needless pork into emergency relief bills is the kind of swampy behavior that rarely gets punished in Washington, but now that a congressman wants to do his job and make sure the people’s money isn’t being wasted, he’s being attacked over it. NPR [reported](https://www.npr.org/2019/05/24/726600378/disaster-aid-bill- stalled-after-republican-blocks-house-vote) on the disaster relief provisions of the bill: > The bill includes specific provisions to speed money to communities recovering from tornadoes, hurricanes, drought, volcanoes and other natural disasters. [It earmarks ](https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Emergency%20Supplemental%20Summary_Disaster.pdf)$3 billion for farms, places that were hit by flooding in the South and Midwest; nearly $800 million for the Army Corps of Engineers for rebuilding and investigations; and more than $500 million for the Coast Guard. > > > The bill also includes $600 million in nutrition assistance for Puerto Rico and about $300 million for Community Development Block Grants for U.S. territory. > However, some of the Republican senators who voted against the legislation attacked it for pairing wasteful spending with disaster relief. “If legislators in Washington actually read this $19.1 billion spending bill, maybe they would share my concern with spending taxpayer funds on pet projects—like provisions for cherry farmers who make over $900,000 a year—instead of dealing with real problems like relief for victims of natural disasters or the humanitarian crisis on our southern border,” said Sen. Mike Braun, R-Ind., in a [statement](https://www.theindychannel.com/news/politics /sen-mike-braun-of-indiana-votes-against-19-1-billion-disaster-relief-aid- bill). Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, [derided](https://www.romney.senate.gov/romney- opposes-wasteful-191-billion-spending-bill) the bill for being “loaded up with billions of dollars in unrelated pet projects” in a statement. There are certainly reasons to think that much of this bill is egregious waste rather than necessary relief, and the included funding for the Community Development Block Grant is of particular concern. Vanessa Brown Calder, formerly a policy analyst at the Cato Institute,[ highlighted](https://www.cato.org/blog/community-development-block-grant- spending-poorly-targeted-poor) in March just a few of the dubious spending projects of the program in recent years, including $375,000 for a burrito restaurant in New York and $276,000 for a skateboard park in Massachusetts. Furthermore, was all the spending in this package truly for emergencies that occurred because of disasters? Romina Boccia, director of The Heritage Foundation’s Grover M. Hermann Center for the Federal Budget, told The Daily Signal in an email: > Congress is yet again using the guise of disaster relief as an excuse to engage in more deficit spending. > > > Supplemental appropriations should be reserved for truly unforeseen events that have a large scale impact on the country, not for recurring problems such as seasonal flooding and wildfires. > > > Congress should strictly adhere to a 1991 Office of Management and Budget definition of what qualifies for emergency spending: necessary; sudden; urgent; unforeseen; and not permanent. This disaster package does not meet these criteria. > Jessica Anderson, vice president of Heritage Action for America, said in a statement to The Daily Signal: “Congress should not be taking shortcuts and cutting out debate on a bill that would increase spending by $19.1 billion with zero offsets. The American people have a right to know where their elected representatives stand on these important issues, and representatives should go on record with their votes.” There are many reasons why America is now saddled with more debt than any time in its history, but casual wasting of money and endless borrowing has certainly been a contributing factor. We should be more careful with how our hard-earned tax money is spent or try to understand why in this instance we need to borrow against our future. Continually pushing legislation through with seemingly little input for our representatives makes a mockery of our republican system, as common as this sort of practice has become. It also adds to the reputation of Congress as a rubber-stamp body, overshadowed by the power of the presidency, and overruled by the mandates of our vast federal bureaucracy. This shouldn’t be the case, and certainly doesn’t reflect the institution the Founding Fathers created to be the most powerful branch of the federal government. Perhaps yet another opaque spending bill passed without debate won’t make or break the republic, but what does it say of us that we continue to allow this to happen unchecked? It’s not grandstanding for legislators to halt the spending of billions of dollars to come to a better understanding of what such vast sums of money are actually being used for—and whether they would be better spent elsewhere. Frankly, that’s their job. What we should be lamenting is a dereliction of duty; duty to the people to make sure their money is well spent.
|
Jarrett Stepman
|
https://www.dailysignal.com/2019/05/29/conservative-lawmakers-fight-the-swamp/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=conservative-lawmakers-fight-the-swamp
|
2019-05-29 22:08:22+00:00
| 1,559,182,102 | 1,567,539,912 |
politics
|
government
|
136,627 |
dailysignal--2019-10-11--Voters Will ‘Send Home’ Lawmakers Who Act to Impeach Trump, House Conservative Says
| 2019-10-11T00:00:00 |
dailysignal
|
Voters Will ‘Send Home’ Lawmakers Who Act to Impeach Trump, House Conservative Says
|
If Democrats are successful in impeachment efforts against President Donald Trump, voters will send them home, a leading House conservative said Friday at a gathering of “values voters” in Washington. “Even before this president was sworn in they were talking about impeachment, and they’re bound and determined to do it,” Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., said at the annual Values Voter Summit organized by FRC Action, the lobbying arm of the Washington-based Family Research Council. “And we need to send a clear message [that] if they do it we will send them home,” Meadows told the crowd at the Omni Shoreham Hotel. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., last month opened what she called an official impeachment inquiry, saying Trump’s actions as president “have seriously violated the Constitution,” and that Trump “must be held accountable.” Pelosi said Trump had “seriously violated the Constitution,” citing his July 25 phone conversation with the president of Ukraine that she said was meant to “benefit him politically.” “We’re not taking this sitting down, or even lying down,” Meadows said. “We’re going to stay in the fight because of people like you that continue to encourage us to stay in the fight.” Meadows, former chairman of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, said it has become commonplace for politicians to stray from what their constituents sent them to Congress to accomplish. “We need to have some kind of vaccination for the Potomac fever,” the North Carolina Republican said, adding: You know, it’s amazing when members of Congress and senators, they elected, you go out, you work hard, you try to make sure that they’re going to make a difference. They get elected, they raise their right hand. They say they’re going to defend the Constitution, they’re going to support your values. They come across the Potomac River, and they lose their mind. I’ve said it here before, I might as well say it again: You know they have the backbone of a banana. Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., last month assumed the chairmanship of the Freedom Caucus, a group of House conservatives, following Meadows’ stint. Meadows said that Americans need to be vocal with their elected representatives about their support of the Trump administration, so they aren’t surprised that a vote to impeach Trump could result in voters tossing them out. “I can tell you that there is backbones that are like bananas that start to stiffen up when they hear from hundreds if not thousands of people from back home, because there is only one thing that a member of Congress fears [and that] is being voted out of office,” he said. The Values Voter Summit, which runs Friday through Sunday at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, was created in 2006 to help inform and mobilize Americans to preserve the “bedrock values” of religious liberty, the sanctity of life, traditional marriage, and limited government. Since its inception, the primary sponsor has been FRC Action, the lobbying arm of the Family Research Council.
|
Rachel del Guidice
|
https://www.dailysignal.com/2019/10/11/voters-will-send-home-lawmakers-who-act-to-impeach-trump-house-conservative-says/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=voters-will-send-home-lawmakers-who-act-to-impeach-trump-house-conservative-says
|
Fri, 11 Oct 2019 16:42:02 +0000
| 1,570,826,522 | 1,570,833,598 |
politics
|
government
|
137,500 |
dcgazette--2019-05-30--Conservative Lawmakers Fight the Swamp
| 2019-05-30T00:00:00 |
dcgazette
|
Conservative Lawmakers Fight the Swamp
|
It’s typical Washington, D.C., to want to pass a $19 billion bill without even giving lawmakers a chance to weigh in. But thanks to the effort of Republican Reps. Chip Roy and Thomas Massie, the swamp hit a speed bump. On Friday and again on Tuesday, there was an effort to pass a $19 billion disaster aid package in the House—despite the fact that the House was on recess. This would seem to be an important matter for the House to hash out in open debate before sending to the president’s desk. After all, the Founding Fathers intentionally put the purse strings in the hands of the House, a body closest to the interests of the people. The average American household pays about $26,000 in taxes to the federal government a year. That $19 billion is roughly equal to the annual federal taxes of 730,000 households—hardly a trivial amount of money. But instead of having a robust debate, the bill was rushed through in the metaphorical dead of night. Rachel Bovard, the policy director of the Conservative Partnership Institute, explained in the Washington Examiner how this all went down. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. brought the bill to the floor after sending legislators home for vacation on Thursday. “What [Pelosi] wasn’t counting on, however, was that one member wanted to actually read the bill—the final text of which had only come over from the Senate hours earlier,” Bovard wrote. “Not only that, but horror of horrors, he wanted to debate and vote on it.” “Roy objected to passing the bill by unanimous consent, asserting his right to request that the House of Representatives debate and vote on the measure with all members present,” Bovard continued. Roy explained in a CNN interview that he believes disaster relief for places like Puerto Rico, Texas, and Georgia should be debated, as should border security—especially in light of President Donald Trump’s request for additional border wall funding. “I objected because I didn’t think that the people’s House should be subjected to unanimous consent when everyone is out of town, and instead we should vote,” Roy said. Unsurprisingly, pundits and politicians immediately lashed out at Roy and anyone who might object to the particulars of the bill. Others, like Massie and Rep. Alex Mooney, R-W.Va., have now joined in criticizing the way this bill was brought up as well. On Tuesday, Massie, Mooney by his side, prevented the bill from being passed, saying, “If the speaker of this House felt that this was must-pass legislation, the speaker of this House should have called a vote on this legislation before sending its members on recess for 10 days.” Tucking needless pork into emergency relief bills is the kind of swampy behavior that rarely gets punished in Washington, but now that a congressman wants to do his job and make sure the people’s money isn’t being wasted, he’s being attacked over it. NPR reported on the disaster relief provisions of the bill: However, some of the Republican senators who voted against the legislation attacked it for pairing wasteful spending with disaster relief. “If legislators in Washington actually read this $19.1 billion spending bill, maybe they would share my concern with spending taxpayer funds on pet projects—like provisions for cherry farmers who make over $900,000 a year—instead of dealing with real problems like relief for victims of natural disasters or the humanitarian crisis on our southern border,” said Sen. Mike Braun, R-Ind., in a statement. Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, derided the bill for being “loaded up with billions of dollars in unrelated pet projects” in a statement. There are certainly reasons to think that much of this bill is egregious waste rather than necessary relief, and the included funding for the Community Development Block Grant is of particular concern. Vanessa Brown Calder, formerly a policy analyst at the Cato Institute, highlighted in March just a few of the dubious spending projects of the program in recent years, including $375,000 for a burrito restaurant in New York and $276,000 for a skateboard park in Massachusetts. Furthermore, was all the spending in this package truly for emergencies that occurred because of disasters? Romina Boccia, director of The Heritage Foundation’s Grover M. Hermann Center for the Federal Budget, told The Daily Signal in an email: Jessica Anderson, vice president of Heritage Action for America, said in a statement to The Daily Signal: “Congress should not be taking shortcuts and cutting out debate on a bill that would increase spending by $19.1 billion with zero offsets. The American people have a right to know where their elected representatives stand on these important issues, and representatives should go on record with their votes.” There are many reasons why America is now saddled with more debt than any time in its history, but casual wasting of money and endless borrowing has certainly been a contributing factor. We should be more careful with how our hard-earned tax money is spent or try to understand why in this instance we need to borrow against our future. Continually pushing legislation through with seemingly little input for our representatives makes a mockery of our republican system, as common as this sort of practice has become. It also adds to the reputation of Congress as a rubber-stamp body, overshadowed by the power of the presidency, and overruled by the mandates of our vast federal bureaucracy. This shouldn’t be the case, and certainly doesn’t reflect the institution the Founding Fathers created to be the most powerful branch of the federal government. Perhaps yet another opaque spending bill passed without debate won’t make or break the republic, but what does it say of us that we continue to allow this to happen unchecked? It’s not grandstanding for legislators to halt the spending of billions of dollars to come to a better understanding of what such vast sums of money are actually being used for—and whether they would be better spent elsewhere. What we should be lamenting is a dereliction of duty; duty to the people to make sure their money is well spent. The post Conservative Lawmakers Fight the Swamp appeared first on The Daily Signal.
|
505335761211
|
https://dcgazette.com/2019/conservative-lawmakers-fight-the-swamp/
|
2019-05-30 05:03:12+00:00
| 1,559,206,992 | 1,567,539,758 |
politics
|
government
|
138,046 |
dcgazette--2019-10-12--Voters Will ‘Send Home’ Lawmakers Who Act to Impeach Trump, House Conservative Says
| 2019-10-12T00:00:00 |
dcgazette
|
Voters Will ‘Send Home’ Lawmakers Who Act to Impeach Trump, House Conservative Says
|
If Democrats are successful in impeachment efforts against President Donald Trump, voters will send them home, a leading House conservative said Friday at a gathering of “values voters” in Washington. “Even before this president was sworn in they were talking about impeachment, and they’re bound and determined to do it,” Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., said at the annual Values Voter Summit organized by FRC Action, the lobbying arm of the Washington-based Family Research Council. “And we need to send a clear message [that] if they do it we will send them home,” Meadows told the crowd at the Omni Shoreham Hotel. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., last month opened what she called an official impeachment inquiry, saying Trump’s actions as president “have seriously violated the Constitution,” and that Trump “must be held accountable.” Pelosi said Trump had “seriously violated the Constitution,” citing his July 25 phone conversation with the president of Ukraine that she said was meant to “benefit him politically.” “We’re not taking this sitting down, or even lying down,” Meadows said. “We’re going to stay in the fight because of people like you that continue to encourage us to stay in the fight.” Meadows, former chairman of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, said it has become commonplace for politicians to stray from what their constituents sent them to Congress to accomplish. “We need to have some kind of vaccination for the Potomac fever,” the North Carolina Republican said, adding: You know, it’s amazing when members of Congress and senators, they elected, you go out, you work hard, you try to make sure that they’re going to make a difference. They get elected, they raise their right hand. They say they’re going to defend the Constitution, they’re going to support your values. They come across the Potomac River, and they lose their mind. I’ve said it here before, I might as well say it again: You know they have the backbone of a banana. Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., last month assumed the chairmanship of the Freedom Caucus, a group of House conservatives, following Meadows’ stint. Meadows said that Americans need to be vocal with their elected representatives about their support of the Trump administration, so they aren’t surprised that a vote to impeach Trump could result in voters tossing them out. “I can tell you that there is backbones that are like bananas that start to stiffen up when they hear from hundreds if not thousands of people from back home, because there is only one thing that a member of Congress fears [and that] is being voted out of office,” he said. The Values Voter Summit, which runs Friday through Sunday at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, was created in 2006 to help inform and mobilize Americans to preserve the “bedrock values” of religious liberty, the sanctity of life, traditional marriage, and limited government. Since its inception, the primary sponsor has been FRC Action, the lobbying arm of the Family Research Council. The post Voters Will ‘Send Home’ Lawmakers Who Act to Impeach Trump, House Conservative Says appeared first on The Daily Signal.
|
505335761211
|
https://dcgazette.com/2019/voters-will-send-home-lawmakers-who-act-to-impeach-trump-house-conservative-says/
|
Sat, 12 Oct 2019 05:03:27 +0000
| 1,570,871,007 | 1,570,882,829 |
politics
|
government
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143,814 |
drudgereport--2019-02-14--House Set to Vote on Trillion-Dollar Spending Bill Lawmakers Have NOT Read
| 2019-02-14T00:00:00 |
drudgereport
|
House Set to Vote on Trillion-Dollar Spending Bill Lawmakers Have NOT Read...
|
The House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on a government appropriations bill Thursday evening and, with a day until the vote, lawmakers still have not received the text of the legislation. “No one has seen the final wording of a long and complicated bill we will be expected to vote on tomorrow evening,” Republican Maryland Rep. Andy Harris told The Daily Caller News Foundation. “That’s no way to run a legislature.” Republican Study Chairman Mike Johnson also confirmed that “as of lunch on Wednesday, members of the RSC, and to our knowledge, even members of the conference committee, had not seen the text.” “It has been reported that [House Majority Leader Steny] Hoyer has said if the bill is dropped today we will consider it tomorrow. This is reminiscent of the, ‘you must pass it to find out what is in it,’ Obamacare debacle,” Johnson said to TheDCNF. “This bill is expected to be well over 1,000 pages, and we will potentially have less than 24 hours to digest it. This is absurd.” The bicameral and bipartisan Homeland Security funding conference committee signaled last week that they are nearing a final border security deal that could be voted on prior to the Feb. 15 funding deadline. However, after hitting a snag over Democrats’ demand to limit to how many criminals Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) should be allowed to detain, Congress reportedly reached an “agreement in principle” late Monday. The agreement includes $1.375 billion for 55 miles of new bollard fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border, far short of the $5.7 billion that President Donald Trump initially sought for 234 miles of steel or concrete walls. Regardless, the legislation is expected to be finalized Wednesday night, giving members of Congress less than 24 hours to read what they are voting on. A senior House Republican source confirmed to TheDCNF that no Republican lawmakers have received a copy of the legislation or seen any text as of Wednesday afternoon. (RELATED: Democrats Wall Deal Seeks To Limit ICE’s Ability To House Criminal Illegal Immigrants) “When one bemoans the swamp, look no further than spending a trillion dollars and jamming through legislation when none of us have even seen it,” Republican Texas Rep. Chip Roy told TheDCNF. “We should be a no on such incompetence even if it weren’t perpetuating drunken spending and failing to actually secure the border.” “Pelosi and the Democrats promised a full 72 hours to review legislation,” a senior conservative congressional aide told The Daily Caller News Foundation. “But now we’re voting on a massive, probably thousands-page long conference report tomorrow and we haven’t even seen text the day before? This is worse than under Speaker Ryan.” Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact [email protected].
| null |
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DrudgeReportFeed/~3/xEEXHc-26bI/
|
2019-02-14 20:58:38+00:00
| 1,550,195,918 | 1,567,548,586 |
politics
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government
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208,244 |
foxnews--2019-01-03--New Congress in 2019 5 things to watch as lawmakers go back to work
| 2019-01-03T00:00:00 |
foxnews
|
New Congress in 2019: 5 things to watch as lawmakers go back to work
|
The federal government will remain partially shuttered as the new 116th Congress begins work Thursday – but history will be made as many of the new members are sworn in. Following the midterm elections, Democrats regained control of the U.S. House – setting up Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi to take back the speaker’s gavel. Pelosi was the first woman ever to serve as House speaker when she was first tapped for the job in 2007. Here’s a look at five things to watch as Congress comes back to work. California Rep. Nancy Pelosi is expected to get her old job as House speaker back as the new Congress convenes Thursday. Pelosi made history as the first woman elected speaker of the House in 2007 – and she will be the first lawmaker to regain the gavel in more than a half-century. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Pelosi, 78, faced early opposition from some in her own party who called for a fresh generation of guidance. But one-by-one, Pelosi managed to win over several skeptics through promising lead positions on their legislative priorities or special panels. She also struck a deal with Democrats by vowing to serve no more than four years in the leadership position. TRUMP VERSUS DEMOCRATS: A LOOK AT WHICH LAWMAKERS ARE SET TO BATTLE THE PRESIDENT IN 2019 In accepting the gavel, Pelosi will give a nod to the new era of divided government with a pledge to “reach across the aisle in this chamber and across the divisions in this great nation,” according to excerpts of her prepared remarks. As the new Congress convenes, the partial government shutdown continues in its 13th day – with no end in sight in the showdown between Trump and lawmakers over funding for a border wall. The Democrat-controlled House plans to vote on a pair of bills to reopen the government, which includes a plan to fund the Department of Homeland Security at current levels through Feb. 8, with $1.3 billion allotted for border security. Other departments affected by the partial shutdown would be funded for the remainder of the fiscal year until the end of September. LINDSEY GRAHAM: TRUMP CAVING ON BORDER SECURITY ‘PROBABLY THE END OF HIS PRESIDENCY’ But neither the White House nor the Republican-controlled Senate is likely to budge and support a bill that doesn’t allocate for the $5 billion for a border wall that Trump demanded. “Both parties must work together to pass a Funding Bill that protects this Nation and its people – this is the first and most important duty of government,” Trump tweeted Wednesday night. “I remain ready and willing to work with Democrats to pass a bill that secures our borders, supports the agents and officers on the ground, and keeps America Safe.” The new Congress will make history for seating a record number of women and becoming the most racially and ethnically diverse. Additionally, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a New York Democrat, is the youngest woman elected to Congress at 29 years old. Michigan’s Rashida Tlaib and Minnesota’s Ilhan Omar will become the first Muslim women to serve in Congress. Tlaib will take her oath on a 1734 English translation Quran that belonged to former President Thomas Jefferson. And Sharice Davids of Kansas along with Deb Haaland of New Mexico will be the first Native American women to serve in Congress. Davids, an activist and lawyer, will also set a record as the first LGBT Native American elected to the House. In all, 127 women — 106 Democrats 21 Republicans — will serve in the 116th Congress, holding nearly 24 percent of all seats, according to the Center for Women and Politics at Rutgers University. Two self-described Democratic Socialists will officially join Congress Thursday (Tlaib and Ocasio-Cortez) as big-government policies – such as the Green New Deal and Medicare for all – are on the agenda for some party members. It’s unclear when and if any of these programs will make it to the floor, let alone pass the House. But their growing support marks an astonishing rise for socialist-leaning policies in just a few years and reflects a shift in the party itself. While echoing the language of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s New Deal, the Green New Deal aims to combat both climate change and income inequality. It’s pushed by progressive lawmakers including Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. A draft proposal, which calls for a select committee to be formed to create an official plan, calls for eliminating greenhouse gas emissions from manufacturing and agriculture while “dramatically” expanding energy sources to meet 100 percent of power demand through renewable sources as well. It also demands a job guarantee program offering a “living wage job to every person who wants one.” Single-payer proposals, like Medicare for all, would rely on the government to control the health care system. It’s been championed by more progressive Democrats, and more than half of House Democrats in the new Congress have supported plans to open Medicare to any American, regardless of age, according to The New York Times. Rep. Brad Sherman, D-Calif., plans to hit the ground running as Democrats take control of the House Thursday – by introducing articles of impeachment against Trump, according to the Los Angeles Times. He is accusing the president of obstructing justice by firing former FBI Director James Comey, the newspaper reported. “Every day, Donald Trump shows that leaving the White House would be good for our country,” Sherman, 64, said. This isn’t the first time Sherman has introduced articles of impeachment against Trump. But when he did so in 2017, Republicans controlled the House. Pelosi isn’t ruling out impeachment proceedings entirely. Ahead of the new Congress convening, she told NBC News she wants to “see what comes” from special counsel Robert Mueller’s probe of Trump’s presidential campaign and Russia. “We shouldn’t be impeaching for a political reason, and we shouldn’t avoid impeachment for a political reason,” she said. Fox News’ Lukas Mikelionis, Adam Shaw and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
|
Kaitlyn Schallhorn
|
http://feeds.foxnews.com/~r/foxnews/politics/~3/yUtPy17e8YY/new-congress-in-2019-5-things-to-watch-as-house-lawmakers-go-back-to-work
|
2019-01-03 14:36:51+00:00
| 1,546,544,211 | 1,567,554,152 |
politics
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government
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208,321 |
foxnews--2019-01-07--Lawmakers can now wear religious headwear after House Democrats change rules
| 2019-01-07T00:00:00 |
foxnews
|
Lawmakers can now wear religious headwear after House Democrats change rules
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Congress hasn't been allowed to wear hats on the House floor since 1837, but the newly Democratic-controlled House voted to change that to accommodate lawmakers who wear religious headwear. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Rules Committee Chairman Jim McGovern, D-Mass., proposed the changes last month and it passed Thursday 234-197. The changes allow one of the first female Muslim members of Congress, Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., who also co-authored the proposal, to wear her headscarf. NEW CONGRESS HAS FEW CHRISTIANS, MORE RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY The new rule reads: “During the session of the House, a Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner may not wear nonreligious headdress or a hat or remain by the Clerk’s desk during the call of the roll or the counting of ballots," the rule change reads. Omar celebrated the change Friday on Twitter, calling it a move to make Congress "more inclusive for all" with an apparent swipe at the Trump administration. "I thank my colleagues for welcoming me, and I look forward to the day we lift the Muslim ban separating families all over the U.S. from their loved ones," she wrote. Florida Rep. Frederica Wilson, known for her wide collection of hats, tried to get the rule evoked in 2010, calling it “sexist,” according to the Miami Herald. “It dates back to when men wore hats and we know that men don't wear hats indoors, but women wear hats indoors,” Wilson said. “Hats are what I wear. People get excited when they see the hats. Once you get accustomed to it, it's just me. Some people wear wigs, or high heel shoes or big earrings or pins. This is just me.” While her efforts were unsuccessful, a spokesman for then-House Speaker John Boehner told PolitiFact: “The rule regarding hats has never been interpreted to apply to religious headcoverings.” FIRST DAY OF 116TH CONGRESS BEGINS WITH PRAYER, ENDS WITH A PROFANITY Nathan Diament, executive director of the Orthodox Union Advocacy Center, which represents the interests of Orthodox Jews, said no Jewish House member had made the ban an issue in the past. But there have been special House sessions when Jewish men wore head coverings — including when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed Congress, and Israeli officials wore kippahs or "kippot" in Hebrew. “The Orthodox Union has long supported laws and policies that foster the accommodation of religious practices in the workplace," Diament told the Washington Post. "Religious practices — such as wearing religious garb, whether a kippot or a hijab, should be accommodated in all workplaces — including in the halls of Congress,”
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Caleb Parke
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http://feeds.foxnews.com/~r/foxnews/politics/~3/zUdcEQHtM9I/house-democrats-change-rule-to-allow-lawmakers-to-wear-religious-headwear
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2019-01-07 20:11:13+00:00
| 1,546,909,873 | 1,567,553,653 |
politics
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government
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214,462 |
france24--2019-02-12--US lawmakers reach tentative deal on border security to avoid shutdown
| 2019-02-12T00:00:00 |
france24
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US lawmakers reach tentative deal on border security to avoid shutdown
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Joe Raedle, Getty Images, AFP | US President Donald Trump speaks during a rally at the El Paso County Coliseum in Texas on February 11, 2019 U.S. congressional negotiators on Monday reached a tentative deal to try to avert another partial government shutdown on Saturday, but congressional aides said it did not contain the $5.7 billion President Donald Trump wants for a border wall. "We reached an agreement in principle" on funding border security programs through Sept. 30, Republican Senator Richard Shelby told reporters. "Our staffs are going to be working feverishly to put all the particulars together,” Shelby said. Neither he nor three other senior lawmakers flanking him provided any details of the tentative pact. But it was far from clear if the Republican president would embrace the agreement. His December demand for $5.7 billion this year to help pay for a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border - rejected by congressional Democrats - triggered a 35-day partial government shutdown that ended last month without him getting wall funding. A congressional aide, who asked not to be identified, said the outline of the deal included $1.37 billion for erecting new fencing along the southern border. That is about the same amount Congress allocated last year and far below what Trump has demanded. The aide said none of the money would be for a "wall," which Trump has been touting since he launched his campaign for president in 2016. Democrats say the wall would be costly and ineffective. Two other congressional sources said only currently deployed designs could be used for constructing 55 miles (90 km) of additional barriers. Those designs, which include "steel bollard" fencing, have been in use since before Trump became president. Shortly after the deal was reached in the U.S. Capitol, Trump held a rally in the border city of El Paso, Texas, to argue for the wall he says can protect Americans from violent criminals, drugs and a "tremendous onslaught" of migrant caravans. Trump said he heard about progress in the talks just before he took the stage, but he too did not discuss details. "Just so you know - we're building the wall anyway," he said. "Maybe progress has been made - maybe not." Beto O’Rourke, the former Democratic congressman from Texas considering a 2020 White House run, held a counter-rally just 200 yards away and accused Trump of stoking "false fear" about immigrants and telling "lies" about O'Rourke's hometown of El Paso. But a vocal group of conservatives influential with Trump has urged him to remain steadfast in his demand for the border wall money. In comments about the tentative congressional deal reached on Monday, Fox News commentator Sean Hannity told his viewers: "Any Republican that supports this garbage compromise, you will have to explain." Under Monday's agreement, which must be fleshed out by congressional staff experts, Democrats gave up on a demand they floated on Friday night to lower the cap on immigrant detention beds in the interior of the United States. Democrats had complained the Trump administration was increasing detention capacity as a way of speeding up deportations of illegal immigrants, some of whom were seeking asylum under U.S. law. But an overall cap - on borders and in the interior - would remain at 40,520 beds. The aide said that despite that cap, the number had actually grown to 49,057 and that under the deal, it would be brought down to the legal cap. But one of the other aides said the deal would give Trump the flexibility to increase the number to 52,000 if necessary. Democratic Representative Nita Lowey said on Monday night: "I hope by Wednesday we'll have a finished product." Lowey said she had been in touch with House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who she said "has confidence I have made the right decision." Trump agreed to reopen the government last month for three weeks to allow congressional negotiators time to find a compromise on government funding for the rest of the fiscal year, which ends on Sept. 30, to avert another shutdown. The handful of lawmakers leading the negotiations met privately for about two hours on Monday. They said they wanted to seal a plan by Monday night to allow time for the legislation to pass the House of Representatives and Senate and get Trump's signature by Friday, when funding is due to expire for the Department of Homeland Security, the Justice Department and several other federal agencies. Without a new injection of federal funds, an array of federal agencies would have to suspend some activities, ranging form the maintenance of national parks to publication of economic data that is important to financial markets. During the record-long partial government shutdown, which ran from Dec. 22 to Jan. 25, 800,000 federal workers went without pay even though many of them were required to report to work. The shutdown ended shortly after a shortage of federal air traffic controllers triggered delays of hundreds of flights at airports in the New York and Philadelphia areas. In recent weeks, Trump has threatened to declare a "national emergency" if Congress did not give him money to build a border wall. He says that would allow him to use existing funds for other activities to build a wall - an idea that Democrats and many Republicans in Congress oppose.
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NEWS WIRES
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https://www.france24.com/en/20190212-usa-lawmakers-reach-government-shutdown-deal-trump-heads-border-wall
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2019-02-12 02:22:18+00:00
| 1,549,956,138 | 1,567,548,842 |
politics
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government
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227,182 |
fusion--2019-12-20--Lawmakers leave without an agreement on impeachment trial rules
| 2019-12-20T00:00:00 |
fusion
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Lawmakers leave without an agreement on impeachment trial rules
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The battle in the Senate has already reached an impasse on the second day after impeachment. The majority and minority leaders were unable Friday to reach an agreement on the rules for a trial, this as the speaker of the House stands by her decision to not send the articles to the Senate until fair rules are established.
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Fusion
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https://fusion.tv/video/598652/lawmakers-leave-without-an-agreement-on-impeachment-trial-rules/
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Fri, 20 Dec 2019 20:50:24 +0000
| 1,576,893,024 | 1,576,887,129 |
politics
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government
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249,466 |
inquisitr--2019-01-01--Donald Trump Invites Congressional Lawmakers To First White House Meeting Since Shutdown Began
| 2019-01-01T00:00:00 |
inquisitr
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Donald Trump Invites Congressional Lawmakers To First White House Meeting Since Shutdown Began
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President Donald Trump invited leaders from both parties to the White House for a meeting to discuss negotiations over his border wall. According to CNN, it would be the first time top Democratic and Republican congressional leaders will have met with the president since the shutdown began on December 22 — and comes just a day before a new group of Democrats take their place as the majority in the House. According to two sources familiar with the situation, on New Year’s Eve, President Trump invited Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, incoming House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, Speaker-designate Nancy Pelosi, House GOP leaders Steve Scalise and Kevin McCarthy, Democratic Whip Dick Durbin, and Majority Whip John Thune to sit down at the White House for a meeting on Wednesday. The meeting is expected to include a briefing from Homeland Security Officials, and marks some of the only meaningful discussions that leaders from both parties will have had with the president since the shutdown began 11 days ago. Democrats will take over leadership of the House tomorrow, and are expected to pass a bill that would reopen the government — but wouldn’t include any of the $5 billion the president has demanded for the planned wall at the U.S.-Mexico border. The funding has been a sticking point between Democrats and the president — and is the primary reason for the current partial government shutdown. Trump has been firm in his position, blaming Democrats for the shutdown while saying that he won’t compromise on border security. He spent the weekend — the New Year’s holiday — taunting leaders on the left through social media. “The Democrats, much as I suspected, have allocated no money for a new Wall. So imaginative! The problem is, without a Wall there can be no real Border Security,” he wrote Wednesday morning. A few hours later, Trump tweeted a somewhat more conciliatory message. “Border Security and the Wall ‘thing’ and Shutdown is not where Nancy Pelosi wanted to start her tenure as Speaker! Let’s make a deal?” the president wrote on Twitter. Pelosi replied that she and other Democrats would take advantage of the opportunity to end the “irresponsible” shutdown. “@realDonaldTrump has given Democrats a great opportunity to show how we will govern responsibly & quickly pass our plan to end the irresponsible TrumpShutdown – just the first sign of things to come in our new Democratic Majority committed to working ForThePeople,” she wrote. Trump believes that the public is on his side in the debate over the wall, per ABC 8 News, an element that he made a key part of his campaign and presidency. It is unclear if the Republican-led Senate would consider any bill put forward by the House that lacks wall funding.
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Kristine Lofgren
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https://www.inquisitr.com/5230880/donald-trump-invites-congressional-lawmakers-to-first-white-house-meeting-since-shutdown-began/
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2019-01-01 21:32:19+00:00
| 1,546,396,339 | 1,567,554,287 |
politics
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government
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250,408 |
inquisitr--2019-03-17--Trump Veto In Favor Of Border Wall Drives Lawmakers To Limit Emergency Powers
| 2019-03-17T00:00:00 |
inquisitr
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Trump Veto In Favor Of Border Wall Drives Lawmakers To Limit Emergency Powers
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President Donald Trump, on Friday, used his veto power for the first time to overrule the Congress after their successful vote to block his border wall emergency declaration. As a result, many lawmakers are now looking to how they might limit such moves in the future, including reeling in the presidential powers granted by the National Emergencies Act of 1976, The New York Times reports. “Ultimately, this is a problem created by Congress, and it has been allowed to persist by Congress,” said Senator Mike Lee, a Utah Republican. “Congress is starting to wake up to the fact that over time it has delegated out too much power.” Last week, Lee introduced a bill intended to avoid such a showdown between the president and Congress. The bill would have allowed the current emergency declaration over the border wall to continue while simultaneously refining in presidential power for future declarations. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, however, expressed that she would block the bill in the House, essentially refusing to provide short-term cover for the president and congressional Republicans and to force the vote, and ultimately Trump’s veto, instead. While some Republican politicians oppose the expansive nature of the National Emergencies Act in principal, indicating that it cedes too much power to the president, others are more pragmatic, simply worrying that a future Democratic president could use the act to their own ends. Indeed, Lee joined 11 other Republican Senators to cross the aisle and vote with the Democrats to block the emergency declaration, though the majority fell short of the two thirds margin needed to override a presidential veto. That still isn’t the end of the matter, however, as ultimately the constitutionality of Trump’s declaration will need to play out in the courts. It is possible that the congressional vote could be taken into consideration by judges hearing the case, including the Supreme Court, as evidence of congressional intent when it comes to this particular aspect of the law. Senate Majority Mitch McConnell said last week that it is possible that the Senate might take up the issue again through a hearing of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. “If Congress has grown uneasy with this law, as many have, then we should amend it,” he said. “If the 116th Congress regrets the degree of flexibility that the 94th Congress gave the executive, the 116th Congress can do something about it.” Lee likewise expressed a commitment to finding a solution, with the border wall declaration the potentially galvanizing issue to drive bipartisan progress. “This has been created over time under Congresses and White Houses of every conceivable partisan configuration,” Lee said. “It needs to be a bipartisan solution.”
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Josh West
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https://www.inquisitr.com/5346367/trump-veto-for-border-wall-drives-lawmakers-to-limit-emergencies-powers/
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2019-03-17 03:06:16+00:00
| 1,552,806,376 | 1,567,545,867 |
politics
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government
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282,824 |
latimes--2019-08-05--Despite Californias travel ban lawmakers find ways to visit states with anti-LGBTQ laws
| 2019-08-05T00:00:00 |
latimes
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Despite California's travel ban, lawmakers find ways to visit states with 'anti-LGBTQ' laws
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Three years after the California Legislature banned taxpayer-financed travel to states it saw as discriminating against LGBTQ people, lawmakers and university athletic teams are still visiting the boycotted states and finding other ways to pay for their trips. Signed in 2016 by then-Gov. Jerry Brown, California’s law bars state-funded travel to 10 states and says the purpose of the restrictions is to “avoid supporting or financing discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people.” But California elected officials have tapped campaign contributions to continue visiting the targeted states, while state university sports teams and students participating in academic competitions have appealed for private donations to fund their travel. The law has been criticized by officials from the states affected — Alabama, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee and Texas — who say it represents meddling in their affairs by left-leaning California. But supporters say it has had an effect, putting pressure on states that have adopted discriminatory laws, even if some California officials are using political funds to continue traveling to the targeted states. “Ultimately this is about making sure that our taxpayer dollars aren’t going to those states, and I think in that way the law has been successful,” said Samuel Garrett-Pate, a spokesman for Equality California, an LGBTQ rights group. The travel restrictions were pushed by Democratic lawmakers but opposed by Republicans, who say it has proved to be an empty gesture. Assembly Republican leader Marie Waldron of Escondido cited as one example Gov. Gavin Newsom’s April fact-finding trip to El Salvador to determine the reasons so many migrants from that country have fled to the United States. “The travel ban was virtue-signaling at its worst,” Waldron said. “El Salvador doesn’t allow same-sex couples to marry or adopt children and discrimination is rampant. Where was the outrage from legislative Democrats when Gov. Newsom traveled there?” Some California officials have cut back on their travel to the states targeted by the law. Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood) and state Sen. Holly Mitchell (D-Los Angeles) are among the many lawmakers who are opting not to attend the annual summit of the National Conference of State Legislators, scheduled to begin this week in Nashville, Tenn. “If any legislators or staff were to attend, they would be traveling to Tennessee with private funds,” said Pablo Espinoza, a spokesman for Rendon. Records show Mitchell spent $1,950 of her campaign funds during the last two years on trips to Montgomery, Ala. and Nashville to attend conferences by the National Organization of Black Elected Legislative Women, or NOBEL Women, which she helped found as a staff member and for which she serves on the board of directors. “I respect and understand the travel ban and therefore don’t use public resources,” said Mitchell, who voted for the law in 2016. There is some value, she said, in having state lawmakers talk to counterparts in boycotted states to educate them about California’s ideas on issues including LGBTQ rights and criminal justice reform. “It’s important for me to go because I am the only black woman who serves in the California state Senate, and NOBEL is an organization of black female state legislators from across the country,” Mitchell said. “It is for me and my own sense of connection to other women who look like me, who do my work.” Texas was put on the travel-ban list for a law allowing foster care agencies to deny adoptions and services to children and parents based on “sincerely held religious beliefs.” A representative for California Secretary of State Alex Padilla defended Padilla’s decision to use campaign funds to travel to San Antonio in 2017, saying it was “to advocate for voting rights in a state that is ground zero for voter suppression.” A similar justification was provided for state Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, when as a state senator he traveled to Dallas in 2017 to attend the annual conference of the National Assn. of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials. “With LGBT and immigrant rights under assault across the country, I thought it was important to join other Latino leaders and show California’s example,” Lara said at the time. Like Lara and Mitchell, Assemblywoman Autumn Burke (D-Marina del Rey) voted for California’s travel ban and later reported spending campaign funds for travel involving a Technet conference in Austin, Texas last November. She did not respond to a request for comment. Two employees of the state auditor’s office attended an annual conference in Mississippi last year, but the trip was paid for by the National Assn. of State Auditors so the pair could present information about an award-winning audit they conducted, a representative said. State Auditor Elaine Howle is past president of the group and would normally have attended its annual meeting, but did not consider traveling to the event because of the state law, spokeswoman Margarita Fernández said . Joel Anderson was a Republican state senator when he traveled in 2017 to Tennessee to attend legislative meetings sponsored by the American Legislative Exchange Council. The group paid all of his expenses because he is a board member, he said. “My colleagues had an opportunity to grandstand but now that the television cameras are off it was unenforced,” Anderson said of the travel-ban law he voted against. “It was the dumbest thing I’ve heard of in my entire life.” The law also prohibits using public resources to send academics and sports teams from California universities to the 10 states, but travel has continued as teams turn to private financing, including donations from boosters and corporate sponsors, to keep their schedules. When the Cal State Long Beach men’s basketball team was invited in November to play in a tournament in Starkville, Miss., it asked the company that staged the tournament to cover its travel and hotel costs. Track stars were able to participate in the NCAA Track and Field National Championships this year because of private funds raised from supporters, said Andy Fee, the university’s athletic director. “It’s extra work,” Fee said. “We’ve been lucky that we do have folks who understand the need to fundraise private dollars.” Fee said he understands why California has the travel restrictions and that he is concerned about discriminatory policies that led to states being put on the no-go list. UC officials support and comply with the state law, said spokeswoman Sarah McBride. “However, UC has faced challenges implementing this law in areas such as academic research and teaching, student recruitment and athletics,” she said. In one case, students at Cal State Fullerton had to crowdsource funding to attend a debate competition. The policy has drawn the ire of government leaders in the boycotted states. “California’s attempt to influence public policy in our state is akin to Tennessee expressing its disapproval of California’s exorbitant taxes, spiraling budget deficits, runaway social welfare programs, and rampant illegal immigration,” said a resolution approved by the Tennessee Legislature in 2017. Tennessee’s Republican Gov. Bill Lee, who has seen California businesses including Mitsubishi decide to move operations to his state, believes the Golden State’s travel policy is a distraction. “Gov. Lee thinks it’s better to focus less on divisive politics and more on job creation,” said Chris Walker, a spokesman for the governor. “If leaders in other states adopted a similar perspective, perhaps companies wouldn’t be leaving those states.” California leads the nation in new business startups, said Lenny Mendonca, Newsom’s chief economic and business advisor and director of the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development. “This is a state that values inclusion, both in our society and in the workplace and we encourage all businesses that share that belief to join us,” Mendonca said. “They will be in good company.” Despite the criticism of the law and how it has been followed, Garrett-Pate of Equality California said it has had an effect on the national dialogue on LGBTQ issues. “I do think it is now part of the conversation when states are considering discriminatory policies like the ones we have seen in the states to which travel is banned in California,” Garrett-Pate said. “We want them to think twice before they do this.”
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Patrick McGreevy
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https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2019-08-04/california-ban-government-trips-states-anti-lgbtq-rights-laws
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2019-08-05 12:00:50+00:00
| 1,565,020,850 | 1,567,534,834 |
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283,324 |
latimes--2019-08-31--Newsom and top California lawmakers strike a deal to cap rent increases
| 2019-08-31T00:00:00 |
latimes
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Newsom and top California lawmakers strike a deal to cap rent increases
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Millions of Californians would receive new protections against large rent increases under an agreement announced late Friday by Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders. The deal, which needs the approval of the Legislature in the next two weeks, would cap rent increases statewide at 5% plus inflation per year for the next decade, according to Newsom’s office. The legislation, Assembly Bill 1482, would also include a provision to prevent some evictions without landlords first providing a reason. “We are pleased to announce we have come to an agreement on a series of amendments to AB 1482 that would create strong renter protections,” said a statement from Newsom, Senate leader Toni Atkins (D-San Diego), Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood) and bill author Assemblyman David Chiu (D-San Francisco). “The bill will protect millions of renters from rent-gouging and evictions and build on the Legislature’s work this year to address our broader housing crisis.” The agreement represents a dramatic shift in the debate over whether tenants would see any new limits on rent increases this year, and represents a political risk for Newsom as he backs a highly visible bill not assured of passage. Prior to Friday’s announcement, the California Assn. of Realtors, which holds significant sway at the Capitol, had agreed not to oppose a weaker version of the legislation that would have capped rents at a higher percentage for a shorter time. The new bill in many ways reverts to an earlier version fiercely opposed by the Realtor group. The organization said after the deal was announced that it would lobby lawmakers to vote against the bill. The bill, Californian Assn. of Realtors President Jared Martin said in a statement, “will not incentivize production of rental housing or help more people find an affordable place to live. It discourages new rental housing, which is why CAR, representing more than 200,000 real estate agents and brokers across California, strongly opposes it.” Three weeks ago, Newsom told reporters he wanted stricter caps than what was in the bill and he and his advisers then intensified efforts to negotiate, the governor’s office said. Previously, the California Apartment Assn., which represents landlords in the state, had opposed the bill. Friday’s deal includes an agreement by the organization to no longer do so. “We applaud the governor for temporarily finding a solution for tenants,” said Deb Carlton, the association’s senior vice president. “Now we must get serious about moving forward on production, which is the only way we address our housing crisis.” The proposed rent caps, which have yet to be incorporated into the bill, would not apply to properties built in the last 15 years, nor would they apply to single-family home rentals unless they were owned by large corporations. The bill would not affect apartments already under rent control, such as those in Los Angeles and San Francisco, but they would extend caps to apartments in those cities not covered by the existing local measures. The bill’s anti-eviction protections, which would limit evictions to lease violations or require relocation assistance, would kick in after a tenant has lived in an apartment for a year. Newsom’s striking of a rent cap deal comes less than a year after California voters decisively rejected a ballot measure that would have led to the expansion of local rent control policies statewide, which would have likely resulted in tighter restrictions in some cities than those now offered by AB 1482. Newsom opposed last year’s ballot initiative, but after taking office in January said he would sign a package of rent stabilization bills if the Legislature passed them. The Los Angeles-based AIDS Healthcare Foundation, which financed last year’s rent control initiative, is currently collecting signatures to place a similar measure on the Nov. 2020 ballot. Michael Weinstein, the foundation’s president, has said he’d pull the initiative if legislators agree to strong renter protections. But Weinstein has criticized AB 1482 as too weak since it was first introduced. In an interview Friday, Weinstein said the revised version of the bill was an improvement, but remained committed to his own measure because the cap was still too high. “It’s a benefit that more people will be covered by some form of [rent] control, but it won’t stop the homeless crisis which is being caused by people losing their homes or being evicted,” Weinstein said. “It won’t advantage working people and people on fixed incomes who need affordable housing.” Despite the backing of the governor and legislative leadership, AB 1482 still faces an uncertain path to clear both houses of the Legislature, which must occur by Sept. 13. Most major tenant legislation has already been defeated this year, and AB 1482 only advanced out of the Assembly in the spring when Chiu agreed to weaken it at the Realtors’ behest. Tenant organizations that were initially behind the legislation said they supported the deal announced Friday. But they noted the measure’s ultimate approval wasn’t assured. “We appreciate the leadership of Gov. Newsom,” said Christina Livingston, executive director of the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment. “There is still work to be done to pass this legislation and give tenants the protection that they need.”
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Liam Dillon
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https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-08-30/california-rent-increases-cap-newsom-housing-crisis
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2019-08-31 04:40:20+00:00
| 1,567,240,820 | 1,569,416,874 |
politics
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government
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291,639 |
liveaction--2019-06-02--Pro-life org claims Texas lawmakers let clock run out on many pro-life bills
| 2019-06-02T00:00:00 |
liveaction
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Pro-life org claims Texas lawmakers let clock run out on many pro-life bills
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Despite being dubbed a “Super Bowl Session,” Texas legislators have ended their 86th session on a disappointing note, passing very few of the pro-life bills brought to their attention. While Republican lawmakers celebrated their efforts at property taxes and school finance reform, at least one pro-life group believes more should have been done in the way of pro-life legislation. The failure to pass pro-life laws at a time when other states around the country have made sweeping bans against abortion seems puzzling, especially as Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick just claimed, “We are clearly the most pro-life state in the country.” The legislative track record during this last session has caused some pro-lifers to question Patrick’s claim. As the Star-Telegram noted, “Texas Republicans this year have conspicuously stayed on the sidelines. They’ve instead let other conservative states lead efforts squarely aimed at the Supreme Court’s 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion.” Notably, it appears that representatives in the House failed to act on several bills which passed the Senate. Pro-life legislation that ultimately died included the following: In a statement, Texas Right to Life conveyed its belief that legislators were too busy shoring up support for next year’s election to care about the important issues at hand. But House Speaker Dennis Bonnen slammed the criticism of the pro-life organization, telling reporters, “They aren’t worth responding to. If we passed every pro-life bill filed in the history of the state, they would say we had not done enough. You will never please or appease those folks and I’m sure as hell not going to waste my time trying.” While many pro-life bills failed to pass, there were some smaller victories worth noting. SB 22, which prevents taxpayer funding of Planned Parenthood or its entities passed both the Senate and the House and is headed to Gov. Gregg Abbott, who is expected to sign. HB 16, the Texas Born-Alive Infants Protection Act, provides protections to those infants who are abortion survivors. While these are undoubtedly victories, many still wonder what caused Texas pro-life legislators to refuse to act on so many important bills at such a critical time in our nation. “Like” Live Action News on Facebook for more pro-life news and commentary!
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Bridget Sielicki
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https://www.liveaction.org/news/pro-life-texas-clock-bills/
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2019-06-02 19:42:25+00:00
| 1,559,518,945 | 1,567,539,315 |
politics
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government
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317,822 |
motherjones--2019-01-23--When Will GOP Lawmakers Finally Break With Trump These Four Kansas Defectors May Provide the Answer
| 2019-01-23T00:00:00 |
motherjones
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When Will GOP Lawmakers Finally Break With Trump? These Four Kansas Defectors May Provide the Answer.
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On multiple occasions last year, Stephanie Clayton’s Republican Party affiliation led her to seek counsel from her priest. Clayton, a Kansas state representative, was losing sleep. Being a Republican, she says, was “starting to taint my integrity as a human being.” She wanted to know “what kind of a person I was morally by remaining a Republican.” On December 19, Clayton left the party she had belonged to since she was a teenager and registered as a Democrat. She was one of four women in the Legislature, all from the Kansas City suburbs, who quit the GOP within the span of a week last month. There’s no record of so many defections in such a small period of time in Kansas. But there’s also little precedent—perhaps not since the political realignments of the 1960s—for the rapidity with which voters in suburban districts across the United States have gone from voting for Republicans to voting against them. Over the last two years, Clayton felt her constituents moving away from the GOP, and particularly from President Donald Trump. “I had to spend a great deal of my energy apologizing for things that Trump said or did,” she says. “Which meant that I was apologizing every 15 minutes because of how many terrible things he says and does.” Johnson County, which encompasses the Kansas City suburbs, typifies Republican suburbia. Its residents enjoy the highest median income in the state. It’s a place where, in the 1950s, well-educated whites fled the cities in search of good schools, parks, libraries, and racial homogeneity. Today, as suburbia recoils from Trump’s Republican Party, Johnson County is at the vanguard of that increasingly rapid shift. This transformation over the last two years has scrambled American politics. It was suburbia, and particularly the women who live there, that gave Democrats 40 seats in the House of Representatives in 2018—including a pickup in Johnson County. But the defections in Kansas may signal a new chapter in the country’s political realignment. For the past two years, every extreme Republican policy proposal and offensive presidential utterance has led to questions about whether elected officials would finally break with the party and its leader. For the most part, the answer has been no. The four legislators from Johnson County are the first ones to say yes en masse. The retreat from the GOP has been felt in suburbs across the country, from Orange County, California, to suburban Houston, Atlanta, Chicago, and New York. Johnson County’s shift was particularly stark. In 2016, its residents helped send Republican Kevin Yoder to Congress by a 10-point margin. Two years later, he lost by the same amount to Democrat Sharice Davids, one of two Native American women elected to Congress last year. Since 2000, the suburbs, including Johnson County, have slowly shifted from reliably Republican to contested territory as voters with a higher educational level have clustered there. Trump’s candidacy jolted the transition into warp speed. In 2012, Johnson County supported Mitt Romney over Barack Obama by 18 points. In 2016, Trump won it by 3 points. The four Kansas Republican women who walked away from the party were more liberal than most of their GOP colleagues: pro-choice, pro-gay rights, pro-gun control, comfortable with taxation if it went to schools and roads and public services. All of them expressed in conversations with Mother Jones that they had been fighting with the right wing of their own party to try to enact more moderate policies. Then Trump came along and blew up the whole project by destroying the party’s reputation. “When I think of Johnson County, I think it’s very much the story of what we’ve seen in suburbia,” says Patrick Miller, a political scientist at the University of Kansas who has tracked the county’s political evolution. Some of these women’s districts, he says, “have gone from being solidly Republican up and down the ballot to now solidly Democratic.” On both style and substance, the party of Trump looks very different from the one these lawmakers and their constituents would feel comfortable in, says Miller. Trump provides “a kind of political theater” that does not appeal to Johnson County’s “country club” sensibility. Kansas is emerging from eight years of far-right policy that the state’s voters opted to reverse by electing a Democratic governor in November. From Washington, Trump has embraced the social conservatism and government dysfunction that Kansas voters just chose to extricate themselves from. State Sen. Barbara Bollier, who had spent nearly 10 years in the Legislature and a lifetime as a Republican, was the first to switch parties, doing so on December 12.* (Like the other defectors, she is now caucusing with the Democrats in the new legislative session.) But her breaking point had come in March, when the state party approved a resolution to “oppose all efforts to validate transgender identity.” “It was just awful,” she says. This came on top of a yearslong push by conservatives in her party to cut funding for public schools and oppose an expansion of Medicaid, which Bollier, a retired physician, had (unsuccessfully) fought for. Bollier shares an office with state Sen. Dinah Sykes, a moderate Republican in her first term. Last year, they began exploring the idea of creating a third party. But they ultimately decided the political system didn’t allow for an effective third party. So Bollier announced that she would become a Democrat; a week later, Sykes and Clayton followed. When Clayton switched, she felt relief. “The moral and emotional freedom that I feel,” she says, “I can’t explain to you what a weight has been taken off of me by no longer having that association with some of the terrible things that were being done under that party mantle.” It turned out many of her constituents felt the same way. She estimates that the positive responses she received outnumbered the negative ones about 100 to 1. But one comment, which she heard over and over, really struck her. “Many of them said, ‘The only reason I stayed a Republican was so that I could support you in primaries,'” she says. “‘Now that you’ve left, I can leave too. I don’t have to stay.’” Bollier, whose Senate district overlaps with Clayton’s House district, heard the same thing. Some constituents reported beating her to it. “I switched six months ago,” some wrote to her, she says. “I switched a year ago.” Election results in their districts bear this out. In 2012, Clayton’s district voted for Romney over Obama by 9 points, according to data compiled by Miller. Four years later, her district chose Clinton by 14 points. In 2018, when the Republican gubernatorial candidate was Trump ally Kris Kobach, the district went for Democrat Laura Kelly by 31 points. (She won the race by 5 points.) In Bollier’s district, Obama beat Romney by 2 points in 2012, then Clinton won it by 21 points. In 2018, Bollier’s constituents chose Kelly by a margin of 66 percent to 27 percent. “Women are leaving the Republican Party, particularly more educated people,” says Bollier. “And that is my district.” For the last two years, Bollier has watched the moderate wing of the party begin to disintegrate around her. Finding moderates to run for local Republican Party positions is increasingly difficult. “They don’t want to be associated publicly as Republican, and so they won’t run,” she says. “That’s how you really knew the party was losing its ability to have the moderate wing. It’s when the very grassroots-level people say, ‘I can’t do this. I don’t want people to publicly say, “You’re a Republican?”‘” Johnson County is a harbinger of how severe the rebuke for Republicans may be in suburban areas across the country in 2020. Because in Kansas, Trumpism didn’t start in 2016. It started six years earlier, and the residents of the suburbs have lived with its effects for most of a decade. The rest of the country is just catching up. In 2010, an arch-conservative, Sam Brownback, was elected governor and embarked on what he called a “real, live experiment” in right-wing governance. He slashed taxes and government services. Class sizes have expanded dramatically in public schools, roads are pocked with potholes, and mental health services have disappeared. “Many of the things that Trump is doing at the national level were first done by Sam Brownback here,” says former state Rep. Joy Koesten, who switched parties along with Bollier, Sykes, and Clayton in December. (She left office four weeks later, having been defeated in a primary last year by a more conservative Republican.) Brownback’s hallmarks, she says, were “putting incompetent people in charge of agencies” and “making sure that agencies didn’t function so that people got angry and went against government.” That kind of deliberate dysfunction is now playing out on the national scale, where the longest government shutdown in history still has no end in sight. In both Kansas and Washington, conservative Republicans have actively undermined their more moderate colleagues. In the 2012 primaries, Brownback campaigned against moderate Republicans who opposed his policies. On the national level, outside conservative activist groups aligned with the tea party movement helped a new crop of conservatives beat moderates in primaries during the Obama presidency, pushing the GOP to the right. Trump is known to hold grudges against Republicans who cross him. In 2018, both the Kansas Legislature and Congress saw the decimation of the GOP’s moderate ranks, leaving behind a party that is politically right-wing and stylistically Trumpian. Koesten was recruited by other moderate Republicans for a state House seat in 2016, as was Sykes. To run as a centrist Republican in Kansas is to run without the support of your party. “You get no funding from the party, no logistical help from the party,” says Koesten. Meanwhile, outside groups work against you. If you win, the reception from conservative colleagues is icy. Colleagues “would boo us” at some GOP caucus meetings, Koesten recalls. When she was invited to a national conference on the opioid epidemic, the House speaker never informed her and instead sent one of her colleagues, she says. Bollier was twice stripped of her leadership position on the health committees, the second time in retaliation for her endorsement of Kelly. “We were very aware that we were not welcome,” says Koesten. Bollier, Koesten, Clayton, and Sykes tell a story about the suburbs not just as Republicans but also as women. Johnson County has a rich history of electing moderate Republican women, many of them drawn into politics from their local PTAs. Their decision to walk away from the party helps illustrate why women throughout America’s suburbs are doing the same. Nationwide, women supported Democrats over Republicans by 19 points in 2018, a record. “It’s harder for women to stay with a party that has gotten just a lot more misogynistic,” Clayton says. She still can’t believe the party brushed off Trump’s Access Hollywood video, in which he bragged about sexually assaulting women. “It was difficult to remain and maintain my self-respect.” If more suburban women are starting to feel the same way, the political realignment may be just beginning. Correction: An earlier version of this article misstated the year of Bollier’s most recent election.
|
Pema Levy
|
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2019/01/when-will-gop-lawmakers-finally-break-with-trump-these-four-kansas-defectors-may-provide-the-answer/
|
2019-01-23 11:00:59+00:00
| 1,548,259,259 | 1,567,551,139 |
politics
|
government
|
329,707 |
nationalreview--2019-01-29--Harris Lawmakers Should View Autopsy Photographs of Dead Kids before Gun-Control Votes
| 2019-01-29T00:00:00 |
nationalreview
|
Harris: Lawmakers Should View ‘Autopsy Photographs’ of Dead Kids before Gun-Control Votes
|
Senator Kamala Harris (D., Calif.) made an emotional plea for increased gun control during CNN’s town hall in Iowa Monday night, arguing that her pro-Second Amendment colleagues should be forced to examine photos of dead children before voting on gun restrictions. “I think somebody should have required all those members of Congress to go in a room — in a locked room, no press, nobody else — and look at the autopsy photographs of those babies. And then you vote your conscience,” Harris said, referring to the 20 children murdered by a gunman at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012. “This has become a political issue. This has become a political issue, and it is — there is no reason why we cannot have reasonable gun-safety laws in this country,” she added. Harris, a former prosecutor and California state attorney general, argued that solutions, such as an assault-weapons ban and universal-background-check legislation, have been devised and proven effective, but cannot be implemented because her colleagues in Congress lack “the courage to act the right way.” Popular support for increased gun control surged in the wake of the Parkland shooting last February on the back of a public pressure campaign launched by the student survivors of the tragedy, but quickly receded in the following months. Since reclaiming the majority in the House in November, Democrats have vowed to prioritize the passage of a universal-background-check bill — legislation that Speaker Nancy Pelosi believes is more politically feasible in the current climate than an assault-weapons ban.
|
Jack Crowe
|
https://www.nationalreview.com/news/kamala-harris-lawmakers-should-view-autopsy-photographs-of-dead-kids-before-gun-control-votes/
|
2019-01-29 15:34:20+00:00
| 1,548,794,060 | 1,567,550,347 |
politics
|
government
|
337,312 |
naturalnews--2019-10-13--Now it’s OFFICIAL: Democratic lawmakers are actually siding with Marxist Antifa protesters
| 2019-10-13T00:00:00 |
naturalnews
|
Now it’s OFFICIAL: Democratic lawmakers are actually siding with Marxist Antifa protesters
|
(Natural News) If you still wondered which side of the political aisle Democrats come down on when it comes to engaging in political violence, this should settle the issue for you. On Thursday, President Donald Trump held a rally in Minneapolis, Minn., as his reelection campaign switches into high gear. It was his first rally the president held since coming under siege by Democrats pushing the latest phony scandal — “Ukrainegate.” The president’s reelection campaign believes it can flip traditionally blue Minnesota to the red column next year, considering a) he only lost the state to Hillary by 1.5 percent; and b) CNN traveled to a ‘deep blue’ town in Minnesota recently and discovered most of its residents had become Trump supporters. So the president and his team are going to focus on winning that state. They believe it’s well within range. But there are some state political leaders who not only don’t want Trump to win Minnesota, they are actively participating in violent acts to prevent his supporters from exercising their constitutional rights. And, of course, they’re Democrats. As reported by Katie Pavlich at TownHall, Rep. Aisha Gomez, a Democratic member of the Minnesota House of Representatives, was captured on video Thursday night “engaged in protests with the violent Leftist group Antifa.” Pavlich noted further, “After President Trump finished his rally in Minneapolis, members of the group assaulted Trump supporters and burned ‘Make America Great Again’ hats.” “Rep. Aisha Gomez (DFL) of the Minnesota House of Representatives is caught on video protesting with ANTIFA in the streets outside Target Center during President Donald Trump’s visit to MN. Andy Mannix @AndrewMannix reports for @startribune on federal courts, and law enforcement. Andy Mannix captured on video Antifa protestors outside the Target Center, yelling profanities, beating on random cars driving by, verbally assaulting rally attendees,” Twin Cities Talk Radio host Jon Justice wrote regarding the situation in a Facebook post. “4:00 mins into the below video Rep. Gomez dressed in all block is seen participating in intimidating people as they leave the rally, clad in all black.” What do Democrats hope to gain by threatening people? So in other words, this woman wasn’t exercising her right to political discourse; she was engaged in political violence, which — by definition — is terrorism (using violence and intimidation to achieve a political objective). Sponsored solution from the Health Ranger Store: The Big Berkey water filter removes almost 100% of all contaminants using only the power of gravity (no electricity needed, works completely off-grid). Widely consider the ultimate "survival" water filter, the Big Berkey is made of stainless steel and has been laboratory verified for high-efficiency removal of heavy metals by CWC Labs, with tests personally conducted by Mike Adams. Explore more here. “Does the MN House Speaker support Rep Gomez (dressed in all black wearing a hood) participating in an ANTIFA rally that clashed w MPD? Did any of her other caucus members join in the ANTIFA protests, and does Gov Walz support DFL Legislators joining ANTIFA in their anti-police riot?” Justice noted further. What, precisely, do Democrats supporting Antifa, which has been identified by the Department of Homeland Security as a domestic threat, hope to gain? Converts? Do they really believe that beating people up, intimidating them, or destroying their property is going to suddenly make those folks say, ‘You know, Ms. Gomez, you’re right…I should be a Democrat. I’ve been such a fool!’ Communists, Nazis, and Marxists for more than 100 years have used, or attempted to use, violence and intimidation to push their own political agenda and gain power. And in many cases over the past several decades, they’ve been successful. But America is a different beast — fundamentally, culturally, and politically. We don’t like to be told what to do, who to support, and what we can and cannot say. In fact, the more violent and crappy people are to us who are pushing their own agenda, the more resistant we become to the ideas and ideology they are pushing. Democrats want to behave like modern-day Left-wing revolutionaries. They truly believe their bullying tactics are going to ultimately be successful. After Election Day next year, they’re going to discover their violence and intimidation actually worked against them. In states like Minnesota. Meanwhile, state lawmakers there need to figure out whether it’s okay for one of their members to harass and intimidate the citizens.
|
JD Heyes
|
http://www.naturalnews.com/2019-10-13-democratic-lawmakers-siding-with-marxist-antifa-protesters.html
|
Sun, 13 Oct 2019 19:55:50 +0000
| 1,571,010,950 | 1,571,056,055 |
politics
|
government
|
346,395 |
newsmax--2019-10-15--Trump to Meet Lawmakers on Syria at White House on Wednesday
| 2019-10-15T00:00:00 |
newsmax
|
Trump to Meet Lawmakers on Syria at White House on Wednesday
|
Leaders of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, as well as the congressional foreign affairs and armed services committees are to meet with President Donald Trump at the White House on Wednesday to discuss the situation in Syria, congressional aides and an administration official said. Those invited include the Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the chairman and ranking members of the Senate Foreign Relations and House Foreign Affairs Committees, as well as the Senate and House Armed Services Committees, the congressional sources said on Tuesday. According to a White House schedule, the meeting is due to take place at 3 p.m. EDT. The meeting coincides with growing unease among members of the U.S. Congress, including some of Trump's fellow Republicans, about Trump's decision to withdraw U.S. forces from northeastern Syria, creating an opening for a Turkish offensive against U.S.-allied Kurdish militia who were fighting Islamic State alongside the Americans.
| null |
https://www.newsmax.com/politics/trump-syria-lawmakers/2019/10/15/id/937246
|
Tue, 15 Oct 2019 22:43:51 EDT
| 1,571,193,831 | 1,571,234,925 |
politics
|
government
|
362,451 |
newsweek--2019-02-12--Lawmakers Reach Deal In Principle To Avoid Second Government Shutdown Reportedly Includes 13 Bi
| 2019-02-12T00:00:00 |
newsweek
|
Lawmakers Reach Deal "In Principle" To Avoid Second Government Shutdown, Reportedly Includes $1.3 Billion For Border Barriers
|
As President Donald Trump prepared a give a stump speech for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border in El Paso, Texas on Monday, members of the Senate and House Appropriations Committee announced they had arrived at a tentative deal to avoid a second government shutdown. The deal arrives just four days before the federal government will run out of money once again. Another shutdown would force thousands of federal workers to go without a paycheck and either be placed on furlough or to report to work without being paid. “We’ve had a good evening. We’ve reached an agreement in principle between us on the Homeland Security and the other six bills,” Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL) told reporters on Monday as he stood with Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Reps. Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.) and Kay Granger (R-Texas). The White House has yet to comment publicly on the bill, but Shelby was hopeful that Trump would sign the agreement. "We think so. We hope so," Shelby told reporters when asked about the likelihood of getting the president's signature. The agreement comes after multiple meetings between Shelby, Leahy, Lowey and Granger who spent much of Monday attempting to come to an agreement after negotiations broke down over the weekend regarding the number of detention beds afforded to Immigration and Customs Enforcement as well as the ongoing fight regarding the $5.7 billion that Trump has requested to build the border wall. "All of us realized us that we had a bigger obligation to get back together. I didn't know if it would happen," Shelby said. "I think the fact that it looked like there was going to be another shutdown imminently probably helped contribute to us getting together." According to the Washington Post, the bill includes $1.375 billion for physical barriers. That money will also go towards 55 miles of new fencing at the southern border, though there are limitations to where that fencing may be placed. Lowey, the House Appropriations Committee Chairman, said she informed Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi of the deal and that Pelosi had given her approval. “Some may be happy, some may not be happy. We did the best we could," Lowey said in response to a reporter's question about the reaction from Democrats to the proposal. According to The Hill, the agreement also includes 40,520 ICE detention beds. However, a congressional source who spoke to the media outlet under the condition of anonymity said that the proposal includes flexibility to reach Trump's "requested level of 52,000 beds." "There's not a single one of us who's going to get every single thing we want, but nobody does. But we are going to get what is best for the United States," Leahy said to reporters. "If the four of us couldn't get it together, this Congress never could."
| null |
https://www.newsweek.com/congress-reaches-deal-principle-avoid-second-government-shutdown-includes-13-1327374?utm_source=Public&utm_medium=Feed&utm_campaign=Distribution
|
2019-02-12 03:35:48+00:00
| 1,549,960,548 | 1,567,548,742 |
politics
|
government
|
371,003 |
newyorkpost--2019-02-18--Ohio lawmakers studying error that could ban some guns
| 2019-02-18T00:00:00 |
newyorkpost
|
Ohio lawmakers studying error that could ban some guns
|
COLUMBUS, Ohio — A mistake in writing up an Ohio bill could inadvertently ban several types of already legal guns and must be fixed quickly, gun rights advocates say. At issue is legislation approved by lawmakers last year that allows off-duty police officers to carry firearms and phases in pre-emption of many local firearms restrictions, among other changes. The bill also attempted to align Ohio law with federal law regarding short-barrel weapons, or generally speaking shotguns with barrel lengths less than 16 inches. Such guns are legal under federal law but classified as illegal in Ohio, even though many gun stores sell them. As the bill was being drafted, a misplaced paragraph unintentionally lumped a variety of long guns into a prohibited category. Those could include semi-automatic AK-47s and any long gun with a pistol grip, which could also affect shotguns used in competitive shooting. It’s unclear if the mistake would cause gun owners problems in “real-world terms,” said Dean Rieck, executive director of the gun rights group Buckeye Firearms, who said who said he’s consulted with lawyers for the National Rifle Association and Ohio’s Legislative Services Commission, among others. Nevertheless, “We would prefer they deal with it immediately because it is causing a lot of concern and confusion among gun owners in Ohio,” Rieck said. Republicans who control the Senate don’t believe the error would affect the way the law, which takes effect in late March, is applied. “However, members have prepared an amendment that would remove any alleged ambiguity,” said John Fortney, a Senate GOP spokesman. Republican House Speaker Larry Householder plans to examine the issue further, said spokeswoman Gail Crawley. One option is fixing the error in the state budget, which will be introduced March 15 but won’t be passed into law until July 1. Such a delay is unacceptable, said Chris Dorr, executive director of Ohio Gun Owners. Without a quick solution, “it has the potential to make us all felons,” he said. The mistake illustrates the problem of rushing legislation through a lame duck session, said Sen. Cecil Thomas, a Democrat from Cincinnati. “It’s just a bad way to do business now, and mistakes are made, and this is an example of that,” said Thomas, a retired police officer.
|
Associated Press
|
https://nypost.com/2019/02/18/ohio-lawmakers-studying-error-that-could-ban-some-guns/
|
2019-02-18 05:24:07+00:00
| 1,550,485,447 | 1,567,548,172 |
politics
|
government
|
373,287 |
newyorkpost--2019-03-31--Cuomo and state lawmakers reach last-minute agreement on budget plan
| 2019-03-31T00:00:00 |
newyorkpost
|
Cuomo and state lawmakers reach last-minute agreement on budget plan
|
Gov. Cuomo and the state Senate and Assembly leadership reached a last-minute agreement on a $175.5 billion budget early Sunday — just in time to meet a voting deadline that will let legislators lock in their promised pay raises. The measure creates a six-member board to govern the city’s contentious congestion pricing plan, which is now set to begin Dec. 31, 2020, and which will generate an estimated $15 billion for MTA improvements. The revenue would fund improvements to subways, the Long Island Railroad and Metro North. Officials offered a first look at the controversial toll plan, under which passenger vehicles entering Manhattan south of 60th Street will be charged once per day through electronic tolling devices installed at points of entry into that district. The board will make recommendations on toll rates and possible exemptions. The measure requires the MTA to undergo an independent forensic audit and efficiency review, and the creation of a “review unit” of outside experts who will evaluate major construction projects. Beginning July 1, 2019, owners of pricey residential and commercial properties in the five boroughs will be hit with a “progressive mansion tax” when properties sell for $25 million or more. Cuomo and suburban lawmakers also want to make the state’s 2 percent property-tax cap permanent. Almost all of the wheeling and dealing was done behind closed doors on Saturday by three people — state Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D-Westchester), Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie (D-Bronx) and Gov. Cuomo. Lawmakers are expected to begin voting on the series of bills that make up the spending plan later Sunday morning, just in time to make a midnight April 1 deadline that, if missed, would cancel their promised pay raises. Total state education spending will reach $27.9 billion, a 3.8 percent increase over last year’s budget. Criminal-justice reform was a bone of contention as the leaders squabbled over whether a new cashless bail system should be used for those accused of violent crimes. The measure would now eliminate cash bail for misdemeanors and non-violent felonies. Prosecutors and defense lawyers will be given earlier deadlines for sharing evidence. Also, police officers would be required to issue desk appearance tickets to most people charged with misdemeanors and the lowest level of felonies, rather than putting them through the lengthy process of taking the suspects into custody and having them booked and sent before a judge. “From the beginning, I said we will not do a budget that fails to address three major issues that have evaded this state for decades – the permanent property tax cap, criminal justice reform and an MTA overhaul including Central Business District Tolling,” Cuomo said.
|
Bernadette Hogan
|
https://nypost.com/2019/03/31/cuomo-and-state-lawmakers-reach-last-minute-agreement-on-budget-plan/
|
2019-03-31 07:06:35+00:00
| 1,554,030,395 | 1,567,544,599 |
politics
|
government
|
382,523 |
newyorkpost--2019-12-25--City lawmakers want to impose gentrification tax
| 2019-12-25T00:00:00 |
newyorkpost
|
City lawmakers want to impose gentrification tax
|
Here’s one thing that unites local pols across the political divide — a gentrification tax. A bipartisan group of city lawmakers is pushing Albany to approve tweaks to the state tax laws that would allow them to hit new homebuyers with tax bills based on the actual market prices of their properties. The coalition of 13 Republican and Democratic city council members says that taxes would not go up for existing owners. New York’s famously opaque property tax system offers big breaks to new homebuyers by taxing them at assessed values that are often millions of dollars less than the market price. For instance, a buyer who snapped up a Clinton Hill brownstone for $3 million in 2017 only has to pay taxes on a sliver of that amount — $24,000, leaving the lucky owner with a tax bill of just $4,297 a year. Meanwhile, the owner of a relatively modest half-million-dollar Bergen Beach bungalow pays nearly an identical amount, despite being worth just one-sixth the price on the market. The current system amounts to a giant giveaway for gentrifiers, Staten Island Councilman Joe Borelli told The Post. “People are just getting fed up with the loophole, and they’re demanding action,” the GOP politician added. The bipartisan coalition also includes Park Slope Democrat Brad Lander and Bay Ridge Democrat Justin Brannan. They’re backing a resolution that calls on state lawmakers to change the tax law to require new homebuyers to pay property taxes on the market rate instead of the heavily discounted assessed value. The change would boost the Clinton Hill gentrifiers bill by $1,600 a year while keeping the Bergen Beach old timer’s costs the same. “Borelli’s plan to reset the tax cap whenever a new owner purchases a property would bring a small drop of fairness to a system that is just completely screwed and totally unfair,” Brannan said. Borelli sent the proposed resolution to City Council Speaker Corey Johnson and state Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie earlier this month with a letter asking for the change. Reps for Heastie did not return calls. Johnson’s spokeswoman, Jennifer Fermino, said, the speaker is awaiting the preliminary report from a property tax reform commission he convened with Mayor Bill de Blasio in 2018. “The Advisory Commission is looking at Real Property Tax Law 1805 as part of its review of our broken system,” Fermino added. “Any recommendations for changes will be part of the commission’s preliminary report. The Speaker is looking forward to reviewing their recommendations when the report is ready. There’s no deadline for the initial tax overhaul report, which has been reportedly near release since July. A spokeswoman for de Blasio also punted on Borelli’s plan, referring to the overdue tax study. “The property tax system is complex, and we appreciate Council Member Borelli’s interest in reforming the Real Property Tax Law,” said Marcy Miranda, press secretary for the city’s Department of Finance.
|
Julia Marsh
|
https://nypost.com/2019/12/25/city-lawmakers-want-to-impose-gentrification-tax/
|
Wed, 25 Dec 2019 17:05:06 -0500
| 1,577,311,506 | 1,577,319,212 |
politics
|
government
|
384,573 |
npr--2019-03-21--Pay Raises More Staff Earmarks Lawmakers Propose Ways To Overhaul Congress
| 2019-03-21T00:00:00 |
npr
|
Pay Raises, More Staff, Earmarks: Lawmakers Propose Ways To Overhaul Congress
|
Members of Congress have not received a pay raise in a decade. So like most Americans, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., would like a raise. "The cost of rent, childcare, and other necessities has risen substantially in Washington and across the country in recent years, but members and staff pay and benefits have not kept pace with the private sector," Hoyer said last week at a hearing held by the new Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress. Most House members make $174,000 per year, but they often have to maintain two residences and related expenses. Congress has not approved a raise since the economic recession hit in 2009. Hoyer said if Congress wants to attract Americans from all socio-economic backgrounds to run for office, it needs to pay better. Rep. Katherine Clark, D-Mass., said that applies not just to lawmakers, but also to the thousands of staffers that work on Capitol Hill. "Simply put, we don't have enough staff to do our jobs. The staff we have are underpaid, and they don't stay very long," she told the committee. Better pay and more employees are just two of hundreds of ideas offered up at a recent lawmaker spit-balling session on how to make Congress function better. It's a question a new bipartisan task-force has just one year to answer before making formal recommendations for change. The Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress is equally divided between six Republicans and six Democrats, and it is expected to file a report by the end of the year with formal recommendations for how best to reform the House's internal operations. Last week, the panel held a hearing in which all lawmakers were invited to come and offer up their best ideas for change. Lawmakers' proposals largely fell into two categories: the kind that would change the culture of Congress, and the kind that would change how laws are made. One common theme was that lawmakers need structured ways to become friends — it's a popular idea among freshmen like Minnesota Democrat Dean Phillips. "We should begin orientation by getting to know one another," he said, "By participating in team building exercises and by allowing each new member to share his or her life story in a full group setting." Phillips also said the U.S. Capitol complex needs a design overhaul akin to the way companies like Apple, Google and Tesla approach office and sales space. "And yet we operate in dark compartmentalized offices that were the hallmark of the 19th Century, designed to segregate not collaborate," he said. Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., offered perhaps one of the more dramatic ways to shake up modern Capitol Hill culture with his proposal to ban lawmakers from living out of their offices. As many as 50 members are estimated to do it — former House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., was one of them. "The actions of these members raise several obvious and potential violations that reflect negatively upon the decorum and the credibility of the House as a body and as an institution," Thompson said. Some proposals came seemingly out of nowhere, such as one politically-charged proposal from Florida Republican Brian Mast to give rigorous background checks for lawmakers before they are given access to national security briefings. "Do we have members with lifestyle choices that make them targets for black mail? Do we have members with contra-American views?...Do we have representatives who are sympathetic to socialist ideas?" Mast said. Another unexpected proposal came from Rep. Terri Sewell, D-Ala., to revive the House Page program. "I do know that it costs money, but we spend money on what we value," she said. Then-Speaker John Boehner and then-Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi jointly agreed to end in 2011, citing costs and diminished need. The program also came under national scrutiny when Rep. Mark Foley, R-Fla., resigned for sending sexually explicit messages to young boys who had served in the program. The Senate still uses a page system. There were also many well-worn ideas. Rep. Jack Bergman, R-Mich., wants the House to consider a constitutional amendment for term limits. Hoyer wants to overturn a 2011 earmark ban to make it easier for lawmakers to steer money to projects in their districts. "Eliminating them all together, which was a winning talking point, but a misguided policy, has had the effect of taking Congress out of key funding decisions," he said. Both Republicans and Democrats offered various proposals to completely reorganize the committee system, a process so complicated it's only been done twice since World War II. "I know this is a radical change," said Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis., "I know I'm new and I'm sure there's things I'm not talking about, but time and again if you look at the history of congressional reforms, the successful periods, have been one in which they restructured the committee process." How big and how bold to go in their final recommendations is no easy task. Two-thirds of the 12 committee members must vote in favor of a proposal for it to even have a shot at consideration by the full House. While some changes could be done in the House alone by amending House Rules or Ethics standards, anything that requires a new law would also need bipartisan support in the Senate. It's one reason why some lawmakers voiced a bit of skepticism that this effort will produce lasting and meaningful change. "We can modernize this thing all we want, but if we don't change the culture of Washington and the politics in this place and some of the structural deficiencies, then we'll just have a more efficient way of running right off the cliff," said Rep. Jodey Arrington, R-Texas.
|
Susan Davis
|
https://www.npr.org/2019/03/21/705210155/pay-raises-more-staff-earmarks-lawmakers-propose-ways-to-overhaul-congress?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=news
|
2019-03-21 09:00:56+00:00
| 1,553,173,256 | 1,567,545,410 |
politics
|
government
|
417,173 |
politico--2019-02-08--Presidents lawmakers pay tribute to John Dingell
| 2019-02-08T00:00:00 |
politico
|
Presidents, lawmakers pay tribute to John Dingell
|
Presidents and politicians on Thursday paid tribute to John Dingell, the longest serving member of Congress, as a leader who had an extraordinary record of legislative achievement — with a work ethic and sense of humor to match. “Today, we have lost a beloved pillar of the Congress and one of the greatest legislators in American history," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said of Dingell, who died Thursday at 92, in a statement. "John Dingell leaves a towering legacy of unshakable strength, boundless energy and transformative leadership." Former President Barack Obama, whom Dingell sat next to when he signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act into law, said the lawmaker's legacy "reminds us that change does not always come with a flash, but instead with steady, determined effort." "Over the course of the longest congressional career in history, John led the charge on so much of the progress we take for granted today," Obama said in a statement. "He had a long tradition of introducing legislation on the first day of each new Congress to guarantee health care for every single American. Because of him, we’ve come closer to that vision than ever before. And when we finally achieve it – and we will – we’ll all owe him our gratitude." Former President George W. Bush said he spoke to Dingell on Thursday and thanked the former congressman "for being an example to those who have followed him into the public arena." "He was a gentleman who showed great respect for our country and her people," Bush said in a statement. "He represented his district with decency and honor." Summing up the Michigan Democrat's legacy, former President Bill Clinton said: "There are few major legislative triumphs since 1955 that he didn’t have a key hand in passing." House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer remembered his friend as a "giant," adding that Dingell "was a man of indefatigable spirit who loved life, the lovely Deborah his wife, and the House of Representatives." "None of us who were close to him will ever forget John’s positive attitude, his humor, his pride in both his Polish roots and his service in the U.S. Armed Forces during World War II, his love of America, and his abiding belief in working across the aisle to achieve results through consensus." House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said Dingell left "a lasting impression with everyone he met." Fellow Michiganders remembered Dingell, who first came to Capitol Hill as a page when his father, John Dingell Sr., was elected to Congress, as a gritty, determined lawmaker who found a way to forge deals with Republicans. "The Congressman’s grit, humility and humor taught us all that we can disagree without being disagreeable, while still finding common ground and working together to get things done," Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer wrote on Twitter. Oregon Republican Rep. Greg Walden, who chaired the Energy and Commerce Committee before Democrats retook the House in November, added: "The U.S. House of Representatives and the nation lost one of its most faithful servants. John Dingell, the Dean, was a giant in Congress for decades – a true man of the House. He loved this institution; he loved the Energy and Commerce Committee." For a new generation of lawmakers who were unable to serve with Dingell, the retired "Dean of Congress" shared his thoughts and wit with the world through Twitter, where he opined to his more than 250,000 followers on everything from the Kardashians and Michigan football to President Donald Trump. "One day I hope to be as cool as @JohnDingell," Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-Penn.) wrote on Twitter. One of his former colleagues, Rep. Ted Deutch (D-Fla.) poignantly recalled the advice the elder gave him when he was first elected. "When I got to Congress, John sat me down to give me advice: 'You’re not important. It’s what you can now do to help others that’s important," Deutch said. 'If you never forget that, you’ll do fine.' "John never forgot, and he helped millions. A very fine life indeed."
|
[email protected] (Brent D. Griffiths)
|
https://www.politico.com/story/2019/02/07/john-dingell-life-congress-1157984
|
2019-02-08 04:08:27+00:00
| 1,549,616,907 | 1,567,549,170 |
politics
|
government
|
417,814 |
politico--2019-05-15--Trump officials to brief lawmakers after warning of Iranian threats
| 2019-05-15T00:00:00 |
politico
|
Trump officials to brief lawmakers after warning of Iranian threats
|
The Trump administration will brief congressional leaders on Thursday about the Middle East amid administration warnings that Iran might be planning attacks on U.S. people and facilities in the region. Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) will take part in the confidential briefing by Trump administration officials, according to two Democratic sources. Leaders of the House and Senate Intelligence Committees — Reps. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), and Sens. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) and Mark Warner (D-Va.) — will also take part. “Let me say that we have to avoid any war with Iran,” Pelosi said in a closed door Democratic Caucus meeting Wednesday. The briefing comes as tensions between the U.S. and Tehran have skyrocketed in recent days. Earlier Wednesday, the State Department ordered the evacuation of non-essential personnel from the U.S. embassy in neighboring Iraq and is urging Americans not to travel to the country in the near future. The Defense Department has also beefed up its military presence in the Persian Gulf over the last week, citing a “credible threat” from Iran towards the U.S. without providing details. And Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has twice switched up his foreign travel schedule in recent days to try to deal with the escalating crisis. Pelosi is also seeking a broader congressional briefing on Iran but so far that has not been confirmed since she first put in the request eight days ago, according to a Democratic source. “We still do not have that scheduled. They still haven’t given us a schedule,” Pelosi said, noting administration officials told her they couldn’t assemble a full member briefing “that fast.” “That is on top of four months asking them for the classified briefing on North Korea," Pelosi added. "So, again, in many ways they are trying to deter us from having our role.” Maryland Rep. Steny Hoyer, the No. 2 House Democrat, said on Wednesday, "This is a serious situation and we want to make sure we’re not getting ahead of ourselves." Senators are also pushing for a wider briefing that isn’t just limited to congressional leaders. “We need to have a classified briefing” for all senators, said Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, the top Democrat on the Armed Services Committee. “There’s concern of the rhetoric on both sides. We have to know what’s going on. And we don’t know.” Some senators heard from intelligence community about Iran and other topics on Wednesday morning. Most said they needed a lot more information. “I don’t know the urgency” of the situation, said GOP Sen. Jerry Moran of Kansas. “I think there’s a lot more to be known before decisions are made.” There are some lawmakers who have been briefed on the issue, though. "I’m on the Senate Intelligence Committee and on a bipartisan basis we’ve been briefed on the issue. So really that’s a decision for the leader," said Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas). An all-member meeting on Iran is possible next week but hasn't been set. Trump on Tuesday denied a New York Times report that he was considering troops to the Middle East as the U.S. considers a more aggressive approach to Iran. “Now, would I do that? Absolutely,” Trump told reporters. “But we have not planned for that. Hopefully we’re not going to have to plan for that. If we did that, we would send a hell of a lot more troops than that.”
|
Burgess Everett
|
https://www.politico.com/story/2019/05/15/us-iran-war-congress-leaders-1325374
|
2019-05-15 16:00:15+00:00
| 1,557,950,415 | 1,567,540,560 |
politics
|
government
|
453,541 |
realnewsrightnow--2019-08-12--Lawmakers Agree to Hold Conversation on Gun Violence at D.C.-Area Starbucks
| 2019-08-12T00:00:00 |
realnewsrightnow
|
Lawmakers Agree to Hold Conversation on Gun Violence at D.C.-Area Starbucks
|
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Sunday said he and a select group of Republican congressmen have agreed to discuss the nation’s gun violence epidemic with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Ca.) and other Democratic lawmakers after the August recess. “We are going to do it. Absolutely,” Senator McConnell told WHAS 840, a Kentucky news radio station. “I’ll have my secretary pencil something in as soon as we return to Washington.” Without providing a specific date, McConnell said the bipartisan talks would take place at a Starbucks coffee shop located a few blocks from the U.S. Capitol. “This will be an informal discussion, but a real discussion nonetheless,” Mr. McConnell told the station. Senators Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Marco Rubio (R-Fl.) have also agreed to take part in the upcoming talks on the gun violence epidemic, with Senator Graham serving as a “semi-official” mouthpiece for President Donald J. Trump, who does not drink coffee. Florida senator Marco Rubio, who, in 2017, vowed never to set foot in a Starbucks again after the company “used holiday cups to launch a covert campaign propagating the gay agenda,” told Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson that he intends to bring a gun to Starbucks “for my own personal safety.” When pressed, Mr. Rubio declined to speculate on the duration of the conversation but said it would “likely depend on how long a line there is.” A spokesperson for Senator Mitch McConnell’s re-election campaign issued a statement Monday morning defending the senate majority leader’s decision to hold the upcoming discussion on gun violence at a coffee shop rather than a conference room at the U.S. Capitol, saying the Kentucky senator recently received a $10,000 Starbucks gift card from the NRA.
|
R. Hobbus J.D.
|
http://realnewsrightnow.com/2019/08/lawmakers-agree-to-hold-conversation-on-gun-control-at-local-starbucks/
|
Mon, 12 Aug 2019 12:38:02 +0000
| 1,565,627,882 | 1,570,464,381 |
politics
|
government
|
469,338 |
rferl--2019-05-21--Zelenskiy Meets With Leading Lawmakers On Parliament Dissolution
| 2019-05-21T00:00:00 |
rferl
|
Zelenskiy Meets With Leading Lawmakers On Parliament Dissolution
|
KYIV -- A day after his inauguration, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is holding discussions with leading lawmakers on his plan to dissolve the parliament. Zelenskiy held a meeting with Verkhovna Rada speaker Andriy Parubiy and leaders of parliamentary factions at the presidential administration building in Kyiv on May 21. Zelenskiy announced in his inaugural address that he was disbanding the Rada, Ukraine's unicameral parliament, and the consultations are part of the process. He is expected to sign a decree dissolving parliament after the talks. Under the constitution, new parliamentary elections must be held within two months of the decree. A comedian and actor with no previous political experience, Zelenskiy defeated incumbent Petro Poroshenko by a wide margin in a presidential runoff vote on April 21. The 41-year-old ran for president without the support of a political party and has no formal backing in parliament now. The next parliamentary elections had been set for late October. As he starts a five-year term, early elections are a chance for Zelenskiy to strengthen his position and sideline allies of Poroshenko. Opponents have questioned whether Zelenskiy has the authority to disband parliament under the constitution because of the timing of his inauguration, but there has been little sign of vocal resistance to his plan since he announced it on May 20. Hours after Zelenskiy was sworn in, Prime Minister Volodymyr Hroysman said he will resign on May 22 and suggested that he will run in the snap elections. "I proposed to the president and the parliament that we together form a new agenda and very quickly begin to make decisions that would make Ukraine stronger," Hroysman said. "The president has chosen a different path." Zelenskiy has taken the helm of a country of 44 million that faces deep-seated corruption, economic challenges, and a deadly conflict with Russia-backed militants who hold parts of the eastern provinces of Donetsk and Luhansk. The war in the region known as the Donbas has killed some 13,000 people since 2014 and Russia continues to control Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula it occupied and seized the same year.
| null |
https://www.rferl.org/a/zelenskiy-meets-with-leading-lawmakers-on-parliament-dissolution-plan/29954284.html
|
2019-05-21 08:56:24+00:00
| 1,558,443,384 | 1,567,540,333 |
politics
|
government
|
469,561 |
rferl--2019-06-19--Angry Afghan Lawmakers Disrupt Parliament Over Disputed Vote
| 2019-06-19T00:00:00 |
rferl
|
Angry Afghan Lawmakers Disrupt Parliament Over Disputed Vote
|
KABUL -- Chaotic scenes erupted in Afghanistan's lower house of parliament on June 19 amid a weeks-long dispute over the election of a speaker. Video footage showed angry members of the Wolesi Jirga smashing the speaker's chair and flipping his desk over to prevent businessman Mir Rahman Rahmani from taking his seat. The violence came the day after Rahmani was elected as speaker -- a result that supporters of the other leading candidate, Kamal Nasir Osuli, refused to recognize. Afghanistan's general elections in October 2018 were marred by security and organizational issues. The official results were finalized in May, seven months after the poll. The new Wolesi Jirga has since been trying to elect a speaker, but disagreements over vote-counting have led to an impasse.
| null |
https://www.rferl.org/a/angry-afghan-lawmakers-disrupt-parliament-over-disputed-vote/30009050.html
|
2019-06-19 18:35:57+00:00
| 1,560,983,757 | 1,567,538,772 |
politics
|
government
|
470,503 |
rferl--2019-08-29--Ukrainian Lawmakers Approve Political Novice Honcharuk As Prime Minister
| 2019-08-29T00:00:00 |
rferl
|
Ukrainian Lawmakers Approve Political Novice Honcharuk As Prime Minister
|
KYIV – Ukrainian lawmakers have approved 35-year-old lawyer Oleksiy Honcharuk as the country's new prime minister during parliament's first session since elections last month. Honcharuk, a political newcomer who previously worked in the presidential office, was nominated on August 29 by President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, a comedian-turned-politician who has pledged to “break the system” in Ukrainian politics. Despite his lack of experience, lawmakers easily approved Honcharuk with 290 deputies in the 450-seat house voting in favor of his appointment. Honcharuk has spent much of his career as a lawyer, eventually becoming a lead partner at a firm that specializes in real estate development. In 2015, he ran the EU-funded nongovernmental organization BRDO that focused on reforms and advised Stepan Kubiv, the first deputy prime minister during ex-President Petro Poroshenko’s administration. “It will be very difficult for this government," he acknowledged in a speech to parliament. Honcharuk said Kyiv will start talks with the International Monetary Fund over a new program in the coming weeks, signaling that Ukraine is seeking a new longer-term deal to replace an existing $3.9 billion standby aid agreement. "You all know about these problems that we have in the country. These are the debts we have inherited," he added. Other appointments included former NATO Ambassador Vadym Prystaiko as foreign minister and Andriy Zahorodnuk, an expert on defense reform, as the new defense minister. Before his confirmation, Prystaiko told parliament that Ukraine’s path toward EU and NATO integration would remain unchanged. Zelenskiy’s former business partner, Ivan Bakanov, was appointed head of the SBU security service. The chairman of the Servant of the People party, Dmytro Razumkov, was chosen as parliamentary speaker. Zelenskiy’s Servant of the People took a solid majority of 254 parliamentary seats in last month’s elections for the 450-seat legislature. That unprecedented mandate is expected to give Zelenskiy a free hand to carry out his campaign pledge in April to turn Ukraine's political system upside down. In his state-of-the-nation address before lawmakers, Zelenskiy noted that this legislature has the chance “to achieve the impossible” and accomplish what previous parliaments failed do in the last 28 years. He named bolstering national security and defense as the highest priority, along with “ending the war” against Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine, and “returning” the Crimean Peninsula to Ukraine’s fold. Russia forcibly annexed Ukraine’s Crimea region in March 2014 and has backed separatists in eastern Ukraine in a conflict that has killed more than 13,000 people since April 2014. Zelenskiy also said he wants to end the practice of “raiding,” a reference to company takeovers enabled by crooked notaries and judges to transfer ownership of assets. Another priority is achieving energy independence. The president called on lawmakers not to fight in the chamber, skip sessions, or engage in multiple voting, otherwise “this parliament will last only a year,” Zelenskiy said. Among the 37 draft laws the president and his party registered on August 29, one would lift lawmakers’ immunity from prosecution. Because it’s a constitutional amendment, the bill requires a two-thirds majority vote that Servant of the People lacks. Abolishing immunity has for Ukrainians consistently been one of the most desired anti-corruption measures, according to public opinion polls. Zelenskiy registered a bill on corruption whistle-blowers and presidential impeachment as well.
| null |
https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-s-new-parliament-has-action-packed-agenda-for-first-session/30134531.html
|
2019-08-29 02:05:59+00:00
| 1,567,058,759 | 1,567,543,589 |
politics
|
government
|
471,779 |
rferl--2019-12-05--Pelosi Asks U.S. Lawmakers To Proceed With Articles Of Impeachment Against Trump
| 2019-12-05T00:00:00 |
rferl
|
Pelosi Asks U.S. Lawmakers To Proceed With Articles Of Impeachment Against Trump
|
The speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, has instructed the legislative chamber’s Judiciary Committee chairman to draft articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump for his alleged pressuring of Ukraine to investigate a political rival. The move, announced on December 5, effectively assures a formal impeachment process against the 45th president, who given the Democrats' majority in the house is likely to become just the third president to be impeached. "Sadly, but with confidence and humility, with allegiance to our founders and a heart full of love for America, today I am asking our chairman to proceed with articles of impeachment," Pelosi said. "The president abused his power for his own personal political benefit at the expense of our national security.... In America, no one is above the law," Pelosi added. Earlier this week, the Judiciary Committee received a 300-page report from the fact-finding component of the proceedings, which were led by Democrats in the House Intelligence Committee. That report lays out the evidence Democrats say demonstrates Trump abused his office for political gain. The U.S. House of Representatives has the sole responsibility to impeach a president. If impeachment is voted upon by the full chamber, a trial would be held in the Senate, which is controlled by Republicans, meaning conviction is highly unlikely. White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham responded moments after the statement on Twitter, saying Trump "has done nothing but lead our country...We look forward to a fair trial in the Senate." The Democrat-led House of Representatives has for two months probed whether the president committed impeachable offenses that constitute “high crimes and misdemeanors,” a vaguely defined term in the U.S. Constitution. At the center of the investigation is a July 25 phone call Trump had with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy during which Kyiv was prodded to open investigations into Trump's political rivals. The White House had frozen $391 million of military aid to Ukraine leading up to the phone call, but eventually released it in September.
| null |
https://www.rferl.org/a/pelosi-asks-u-s-lawmakers-to-proceed-with-articles-of-impeachment-against-trump/30309605.html
|
Thu, 05 Dec 2019 15:44:12 +0000
| 1,575,578,652 | 1,575,593,514 |
politics
|
government
|
473,312 |
rollcall--2019-10-16--Some lawmakers question amount of time spent in committees
| 2019-10-16T00:00:00 |
rollcall
|
Some lawmakers question amount of time spent in committees
|
California Rep. Mark DeSaulnier sits on four committees and seven subcommittees, one of the most packed rosters in the House. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call file photo) The House parliamentarian brought the hammer down on the Education and Labor Committee in April, ending a long-standing practice that allowed panel members from both parties to vote on bills in committee on a flexible schedule — a violation of the House ban on proxy voting. Members say their schedules have become so hectic and compressed that the courtesy, which the committee has extended for years, is needed. But the practice raises a bigger question: How sustainable are members’ often packed and chaotic schedules? It’s an issue being examined by the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress, which holds another hearing on the matter Wednesday as part of its directive to offer recommendations on overhauling the way Congress does things. Earlier this year, at another Modernization hearing that featured testimony from multiple members, Pennsylvania Democrat Chrissy Houlahan laid out the problem. “Tomorrow I am supposed to be at two subcommittee meetings for the same committee at the same time, and I [and] nine other people are on both subcommittees,” the freshman lawmaker said in March. “There’s no way that I can physically be there, and that’s only one of my committees.” One member who benefited from the voting flexibility at Education and Labor was California Democrat Mark DeSaulnier. There’s good reason he probably needed this special carve-out — he sits on four committees and seven subcommittees, one of the most packed rosters in the entire House. A day with DeSaulnier illustrates the breakneck schedules of the chamber’s busiest members. On a Wednesday morning in June, DeSaulnier threaded his way through the crowded Cannon Building basement, a staffer by his side, on his way to a 10 a.m. House Oversight and Reform hearing about the opioid crisis. It was one of three simultaneous hearings on his calendar that day. After 10 minutes in that hearing, though, he ducked out and made his way to Transportation and Infrastructure, where he spent about 15 minutes before leaving for another hearing at Education and Labor. After 15 minutes there, he was back at Oversight and Reform for another 40 minutes, then back to Transportation and Infrastructure for 20 minutes. Despite the stacked schedule of committee assignments, DeSaulnier said he thought he’d juggled it all pretty well. “Personally, I like it,” he says. “It’s intellectually stimulating. You just have to manage your time with it.” DeSaulnier is one of seven members who sit on four committees. But he and Maryland Democrat Jamie Raskin are the only two of that group whose committees all meet frequently. While DeSaulnier may be an extreme example, it’s common for members to dash between multiple commitments. It’s not a new problem, and its causes are multifaceted, but part of it is the declining influence of committees in the face of increasing party and leadership clout. Even though committee hearings and markups fill members’ schedules as they always have, votes in some panels are reliably party-line, reflecting party positions more than experience and knowledge of a particular policy area. It’s also true that a major factor in the time crunch is that members simply are on more committees than in the past. According to data compiled by the Brookings Institution, the average number of standing committee, subcommittee and other committee assignments for members of the 84th Congress (1955-56) was three. By the 115th Congress (2017-18), the average number of assignments had increased to 5.3, while the number of committees had risen from 22 to 27. Reducing committee slots is far from a priority for leadership because seats on certain high-profile panels like Ways and Means, Appropriations or Energy and Commerce can be valuable bargaining chips with members looking to help their districts or build a following, said Hugh Halpern, who was floor director for former Speaker Paul D. Ryan and staff director of the House Rules Committee. Halpern said it’s a balancing act. “If you have to be on the Small Business Committee, they want to try to give you something that’s a little bit higher-profile,” he said. “If you’re just on Small Business and Science, that kind of sucks.” Another contributing factor is the shift of work from the subcommittee level to the full committee level. The relevance of subcommittees has declined over the last few decades, experts say. In the 94th Congress (1975-76) there were 151 total subcommittees of standing committees; in the 115th, there were just 92, according to the Brookings data. “The subcommittee activity has declined for some of the same reasons that the committee activity has declined,” said Bryan Jones, a University of Texas at Austin professor who has compiled data on congressional committee activity. “Too much is done through the parties and not enough through the committee structure.” With the exception of committees that reliably produce complex legislation every year — like Appropriations and Armed Services — many panels have subcommittees that hold hearings but infrequently mark up legislation. Those hearings demand members’ time, but don’t prevent lengthy committee markups at a later stage. “I would have less interest in being on four committees if the subcommittees did more work,” DeSaulnier said. “I like being busy at this level. I would prefer to be more busy, in-depth on specific issues.” Alaska Republican Don Young, the longest-serving member of the House, sees a marked decline in productivity from his earlier days in the chamber, which he joined in 1973. “I personally think most committee meetings are a waste of time,” he said. “I go to most markups because I do think you should be there to vote on a markup. I very rarely go to hearings because you’re not going to learn anything.” Jones’ data shows that committees are holding fewer hearings than ever, and that hearings are far more likely to be related to oversight than a specific bill. It used to be about a half-and-half split. Today, according to Jones, committees hold eight oversight hearings for every legislative hearing. Aside from committee meetings, members must also balance floor votes, constituent meetings, off-campus events and fundraising — a necessity for most members running for reelection. DeSaulnier spends one or two hours a day fundraising. There is consensus that the current committee scheduling structure is far from ideal, but there’s less consensus on how to fix it. Washington Democrat Derek Kilmer, who chairs the Modernization Committee, and Georgia Republican Tom Graves, the panel’s ranking member, said in a statement that lawmakers “often find themselves pulled in a number of different directions on any given day — whether it be committee business, floor votes or constituent engagement all at the same time.” They plan to further explore the issue. Halpern said members of Congress have tried over the years to solve the problem, pointing to a proposal from Utah Republican Rep. Rob Bishop that involved “A” committees and “B” committees having different designated meeting days. Like other proposals, it was stymied by the reality of legislating on a tight timeline. But Halpern is optimistic about the future. “The Modernization Committee has been doing great work,” he said. “If they can come up with an attempt to crack this nut, more power to them.” “I can tell you that the high school scheduling of high school classes is much more effectively run than the scheduling of Congress,” the congresswoman said, remembering her days as a teacher. Young is more skeptical, instead advising newcomers to work within the current committee structure. “I’ve tried to tell all my freshmen: Don’t try to get on more than two. Dedicate yourself to what you have the most interest in and don’t worry about not being there if you’re not there,” the longtime lawmaker said. “You just can’t be every place at one time. It makes you really like a butterfly with no flowers, fluttering around here and there and not getting anything.”
|
Caroline Simon
|
https://www.rollcall.com/news/congress/some-lawmakers-question-amount-of-time-spent-in-committees
|
Wed, 16 Oct 2019 06:00:22 EST
| 1,571,220,022 | 1,571,234,942 |
politics
|
government
|
494,985 |
sottnet--2019-01-16--As US govt shutdown grinds on most lawmakers keep their paychecks staying warm and well-fed
| 2019-01-16T00:00:00 |
sottnet
|
As US govt shutdown grinds on, most lawmakers keep their paychecks staying warm and well-fed
|
yet continued to take her own salary President Trump attacked House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for taking a paycheck during a government shutdown. But Pelosi is not the only lawmaker bringing home the cash while furloughed workers scrimp and save."Why is Nancy Pelosi getting paid when people who are working are not?" Trump tweeted on Tuesday.The government has been partially shut down for over three weeks, during which. Despite several rounds of negotiations, Trump and Congressional Democratic leaders Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi have failed to reach a compromise on Trump's request for $5.7 billion to build a wall along the Mexican border.Among those going without pay are the 42,000 active duty members of the Coast Guard, who missed their mid-monthly paycheck on Tuesday, the first time in the nation's history that a branch of the armed forces has gone unpaid. Over 20 government agencies have shut their doors, as have federally funded museums, national parks, and zoos.While the Senate passed a bill before Christmas guaranteeing backpay to all furloughed workers, those workers will only be paid once the government reopens, and a resolution currently seems a long way off.even those Democrats Trump attacked for jetting off on a fact-finding trip to sunny Puerto Rico. The 16 officers and officials on the hill - from the sergeants at arms to the chaplains - will also stay warm and fed during the shutdown.Congressmen and Senators take home $174,000 per year. As Speaker of the House, Pelosi is the highest paid lawmaker on Capitol Hill, bringing home $223,500 per year.Accepting that pay or not, however, has become a partisan issue in itself. More than 70 members of Congress have said they will either ask for their pay to be withheld, or donate it to charitable causes.Texas Republican Rep. Dan Crenshaw tweeted that he "cannot in good conscience get paid," in a post urging Democrats to support Trump's planned border wall.When pressed on this by a New York Post reporter earlier this month, the self-described Democratic Socialist told the reporter "I've gotta run," before cutting the impromptu interview short.Trump is still receiving his $400,000 salary, but has been donating his pay to charities and government initiatives since the start of his presidency.Most American voters share Trump's opinion that there is a "crisis" at the country's southern border, according to a poll released on Monday. 55 percent of voters are opposed to a border wall, however. As the shutdown drags on, Trump's approval rating has fallen to 43 percent, its lowest point since January 2018 and down from 50 percent last month.
| null |
https://www.sott.net/article/405079-As-US-govt-shutdown-grinds-on-most-lawmakers-keep-their-paychecks-staying-warm-and-well-fed
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2019-01-16 16:36:43+00:00
| 1,547,674,603 | 1,567,552,303 |
politics
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government
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527,856 |
sputnik--2019-03-14--British Lawmakers Debate Brexit Delay After No-Deal Voted Down VIDEO
| 2019-03-14T00:00:00 |
sputnik
|
British Lawmakers Debate Brexit Delay After No-Deal Voted Down (VIDEO)
|
UK lawmakers have tabled 10 amendments to the government's motion on a potential extension to Brexit deadline, which will be put to vote later on Thursday. Parliament Speaker John Bercow has selected four amendments for the vote. Amendment H by Sarah Wollaston asks for an extension and a referendum. Brexit with an agreement or remaining an EU member should be referendum options. Amendment E, backed by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, wants an extension and parliamentary time to work out a proposal that would secure a majority in the House. Amendment I, brought forward by Labour and Conservatives, wants the House to have indicative votes on Brexit next Wednesday. An amendment to this amendment has also been selected for the vote. Amendment J by Chris Bryant asks the House to prevent the government from submitting its withdrawal deal for a vote again The government says in its motion that if the House of Commons passes the withdrawal deal, it will ask the European Union for a Brexit deadline extension until June 30, instead of currently expected March 29. The government remarked that in case the deal has not been approved, the European Council would ask to give clear reasons for extensions. The government underlined that any extension beyond June 30 would oblige the United Kingdom to hold European elections scheduled for May. The day before, lawmakers voted with a majority of 321 against 278 for the government's motion to rule out a no-deal Brexit. Following the rejection of a no-deal, Jeremy Corbyn, the leader of UK opposition Labour Party, urged the parliament to take the initiative in settling the crisis around looming Brexit, adding that he would engage in talks with other lawmakers to find a compromise solution.
| null |
https://sputniknews.com/europe/201903141073223105-brexit-uk-london-vote/
|
2019-03-14 11:06:00+00:00
| 1,552,575,960 | 1,567,546,329 |
politics
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government
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543,650 |
sputnik--2019-09-09--UK Lawmakers Reject Snap Parliamentary Election
| 2019-09-09T00:00:00 |
sputnik
|
UK Lawmakers Reject Snap Parliamentary Election
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To call a snap election, the government needs 434 votes - two-thirds of all legislators elected to the 650-seat lower house of the UK parliament. In a vote in the early hours of Tuesday, only 293 lawmakers backed the government's proposal. The vote came just before a five-week suspension of parliament, a move announced earlier by Johnson. "Once again, the opposition think they know better", Johnson said in the early hours of Tuesday, right after the vote. Nevertheless, the prime minister immediately announced that he would make another proposal to hold snap elections in the near future. Opposition officials said that they would discuss holding snap parliamentary elections only after Johnson agreed with Brussels on the postponement of Brexit and on the terms of the withdrawal agreement. Johnson told the UK parliament on Monday, ahead of a vote on whether a snap election should be held, that an election is the only way to break the deadlock over Brexit. "Mr. Speaker, I am re-tabling a motion for an early date general election, I don't want it, I hoped this step would be unnecessary [...] Yet I have accepted the reality that an election is the only way to break the deadlock in the House (of Commons) and to serve the national interest by giving whoever is prime minister the strongest possible mandate to negotiate for our country at next month's European council", Johnson said, cited by Reuters. Johnson said that if Parliament did not vote for a snap election, he would go to the EU summit next month seeking to agree on a deal, but would not ask for another delay to Brexit. "I will not ask for another delay", Johnson said Monday. UK Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn argued on Monday, "we are not walking into traps laid by this prime minister", noting that Johnson is trying to take the country "over a cliff of a no-deal exit", adding it will damage the poorest and most vulnerable in the country. "Until [...] no-deal has been taken off the table... we will not vote to support the dissolution of this house and a general election [...] We're eager for an election. But as keen as we are, we are not prepared to risk inflicting the disaster of no-deal on our communities", Corbyn told Parliament in a debate about holding the snap election. UK lawmakers also voted earlier on Monday in favor of forcing the government to publish its planning documents for a no-deal Brexit scenario. Members of parliament voted 311 to 302 in favor of the motion earlier in the day. The UK government now has until Wednesday 11:00 p.m. (22:00 GMT) to publish all correspondence, including informal communications via Facebook, WhatsApp, and Telegram. Earlier on Monday, a bill aimed at blocking a no-deal Brexit in late October became law after receiving the formal assent of Queen Elizabeth II. The bill aims to avoid leaving the European Union without a deal. The legislation forces UK Prime Minister Johnson to ask for a delay unless a deal has been agreed with the bloc or the parliament votes for a no-deal Brexit by 19 October. On Friday, UK opposition parties agreed to protest Johnson's plan for a snap election, seeking to avoid it taking place prior to the 31 October Brexit deadline. Currently, Brexit is at a standstill. The country’s parliament is opposed to the agreement with the European Union in its current form, but is also unilaterally opposed to a no-deal Brexit. The European Union has refused to resume negotiations and revise the agreement. Johnson insists that the United Kingdom will leave the European Union as scheduled, on 31 October, with or without a deal.
| null |
https://sputniknews.com/europe/201909101076763705-uk-lawmakers-reject-snap-parliamentary-election/
|
2019-09-09 23:34:21+00:00
| 1,568,086,461 | 1,569,330,717 |
politics
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government
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88,925 |
channel4uk--2019-07-04--Chinese international relations expert The UK is in no position to bluff against China
| 2019-07-04T00:00:00 |
channel4uk
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Chinese international relations expert: ‘The UK is in no position to bluff against China’
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From Beijing, we speak to the Chinese international relations expert – and translator to the late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping – Victor Gao. We began by asking him if “one country, two systems” is now over.
|
Jon Snow
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https://www.channel4.com/news/chinese-international-relations-expert-the-uk-is-in-no-position-to-bluff-against-china
|
2019-07-04 18:47:25+00:00
| 1,562,280,445 | 1,567,536,919 |
politics
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international relations
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562,744 |
tass--2019-03-15--Any foreign interference in Venezuela to harm future international relations diplomat
| 2019-03-15T00:00:00 |
tass
|
Any foreign interference in Venezuela to harm future international relations — diplomat
|
BRUSSELS, March 15. /TASS/. Any interference into the crisis in Venezuela will deal a serious blow to the basis and the future of international relations, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Vershinin said. "We believe that Venezuelans need to find the solution on their own, through a broad dialogue. Anything else, including calls to recognize some illegitimate president constitute a very serious violation of the fundamental basis of international relations and of the basic principles of the UN charter. We must not let this happen, because it’s not only about Venezuela, it’s about how we view the future of international relations today," he said. The Russian deputy foreign minister added that the UN Security Council has already rejected the Russian and US draft resolutions on situation in the country. "Of course, we could not give our consent to the US variant, which constituted a blatant, totally cynical interference into the domestic affairs of a country and envisaged the use of humanitarian aid for political purposes," he said. In other media
| null |
http://tass.com/world/1048746
|
2019-03-15 03:13:12+00:00
| 1,552,633,992 | 1,567,546,095 |
politics
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international relations
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5,791 |
activistpost--2019-10-07--China Takes A Comprehensive Trade Deal Off The Table, And That Is Disastrous News For The U.S. Econo
| 2019-10-07T00:00:00 |
activistpost
|
China Takes A Comprehensive Trade Deal Off The Table, And That Is Disastrous News For The U.S. Economy
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The Chinese never intended to make a deal, and now they are publicly admitting it. For months, I have been warning readers of The Economic Collapse Blog that a comprehensive trade deal with China will not happen before the 2020 presidential election, and the reason why this is the case is actually very simple. The Chinese have concluded that President Trump will never give them the kind of deal that they are looking for, and so their entire goal has been to run out the clock on the Trump administration so that they can finally get to a Democrat who will be much more “reasonable” to deal with. Of course if Elizabeth Warren or Bernie Sanders wins the election, they won’t be very “reasonable” either, and so the best-case scenario for the Chinese is for either Joe Biden or Hillary Clinton to emerge victorious in November 2020. In any event, the Chinese are now being very clear about the fact that they are never, ever going to agree to Trump’s core demands. The following comes from CNBC… Chinese officials are growing hesitant to pursue a broad trade deal with the U.S. in negotiations set to begin this Thursday, people familiar with the matter told Bloomberg News. Vice Premier Liu He, who will lead negotiations for China, told dignitaries that his offer to the U.S. will not include commitments on reforming Chinese industrial policy or government subsidies, according to to Bloomberg. These are among the Trump administration’s main demands in the trade talks. In essence, the Chinese have completely taken a comprehensive trade deal off the table, and they probably believe that Trump’s looming impeachment may make him more agreeable to a more limited deal that would be more favorable to the Chinese. But Trump is holding his ground, and he continues to insist that his negotiating stance has not changed… Trump has said repeatedly he would entertain only an all-encompassing deal with China. People close to him say he remains firm in that view. “We’ve had good moments with China. We’ve had bad moments with China. Right now, we’re in a very important stage in terms of possibly making a deal,” Trump told reporters on Friday. “But what we’re doing is we’re negotiating a very tough deal. If the deal is not going to be 100% for us, then we’re not going to make it.” So what all of this means is that we should not expect any sort of a trade deal any time soon. Unfortunately, the longer this trade war stretches on, the more painful it will become for our economy. Big companies are laying off workers all across America, and there are some industries that are being absolutely devastated by this trade conflict. See: 177 Different Ways to Generate Extra Income For example, just check out what has been happening to the lumber industry… • China used to account for about half of all U.S. hardwood lumber exports, about $2 billion annually. The Trump administration’s 25% tariff cut that demand. • In the 12 months since tariffs on U.S. hardwood were announced in July of last year, lumber exports to China were down by $615 million compared with the previous year, according to the American Hardwood Export Council. • In June of this year alone, when the full tariff rate went into effect, trade volume to China was half what it was a year ago. Of course the lumber industry is far from alone. All over the country the impact of the trade war can be clearly seen, and we just learned that September was the worst month for U.S. manufacturers in more than a decade. As the U.S. economy slows down, the mainstream media will gleefully blame Trump for our troubles. Just check out the following excerpt from Paul Krugman’s most recent article entitled “Here Comes The Trump Slump”… Now the U.S. economy is going through another partial slump. Once again, manufacturing is contracting. Agriculture is also taking a severe hit, as is shipping. Overall output and employment are still growing, but around a fifth of the economy is effectively in recession. But unlike previous presidents, who were just unlucky to preside over slumps, Trump has done this to himself, largely by choosing to wage a trade war he insisted would be “good, and easy to win.” Even though we are way overdue for a recession, and even though the Federal Reserve has more control over our economy than anyone else does, the mainstream media is going to relentlessly push the narrative that Trump’s trade war has created a giant mess for the U.S. economy. And without a doubt, this trade war is causing economic pain, but placing 100 percent of the blame on Trump is not intellectually honest. Unfortunately, the mainstream media is just going to keep telling us that everything would be just fine if it wasn’t for this trade war. The following is an excerpt from a recent CNN article entitled “America’s economy is slowing. Ending the trade war could fix that”…
|
Activist Post
|
https://www.activistpost.com/2019/10/china-takes-a-comprehensive-trade-deal-off-the-table-and-that-is-disastrous-news-for-the-u-s-economy.html
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Mon, 07 Oct 2019 14:04:33 +0000
| 1,570,471,473 | 1,570,492,219 |
politics
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international relations
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48,740 |
bigleaguepolitics--2019-12-14--ART OF THE DEAL: China Agrees to First Phase of Trade Deal With Trump
| 2019-12-14T00:00:00 |
bigleaguepolitics
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ART OF THE DEAL: China Agrees to First Phase of Trade Deal With Trump
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On Thursday, December 12, 2019, President Donald Trump signed off on a mini-trade deal with China. Trump then followed up with the Phase One Deal with China on Friday, December 13, 2019. This tentative agreement, which Trump describes as a “phase one” deal, codifies what was originally agreed to back in October. Trending: Meet the Female Georgia Republican Who Plans to Dismantle Planned Parenthood It will demand that China significantly increase its purchases of U.S. agricultural products, open up its financial services sector, and implement new protections against the theft of intellectual property. take our poll - story continues below Trump tweeted, “We have agreed to a very large Phase One Deal with China. They have agreed to many structural changes and massive purchases of Agricultural Product, Energy, and Manufactured Goods, plus much more. The 25% Tariffs will remain as is, with 7 1/2% put on much of the remainder….” He then added, “…..The Penalty Tariffs set for December 15th will not be charged because of the fact that we made the deal. We will begin negotiations on the Phase Two Deal immediately, rather than waiting until after the 2020 Election. This is an amazing deal for all. Thank you!” Additionally, Trump is expected to cancel a 15 percent tariff that was slated for Sunday. Trump is also expected to slash duty rates that are already imposed on previous goods affected by tariffs such as clothing, flat panel TVs, and footwear. The trade deal will also include new rules demanding China to be more transparent in its currency valuations with respect to the dollar. The Trump administration has already declared that China is a currency manipulator because Beijing intentionally lowers the value of the renminbi— the currency’s official name — thus making exports cheaper. The second phase of negotiations with China will attempt to tackle systemic trade issues that U.S. companies have complained about for decades, such as Beijing’s subsidization of state-owned companies and the Chinese’ government’s constant demands that multinationals transfer technology in order to operate in China. So far, Trump has gotten the China issue right. The country’s not too distant past of authoritarianism should worry Western countries as China becomes more powerful on the world stage. Tough diplomacy, trade pressure, and other forms of soft power should continue to be used to contain China’s influence. Trump’s trade deal is a good place to start, however.
|
Jose Nino
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https://bigleaguepolitics.com/art-of-the-deal-china-agrees-to-first-phase-of-trade-deal-with-trump/
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Sat, 14 Dec 2019 16:08:26 +0000
| 1,576,357,706 | 1,576,543,878 |
politics
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international relations
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72,231 |
breitbart--2019-08-25--G7 Surprise Donald Trump Announces Trade Deal In Principle Agreement with Japan
| 2019-08-25T00:00:00 |
breitbart
|
G7 Surprise: Donald Trump Announces Trade Deal In Principle Agreement with Japan
|
“This is a tremendous deal for the United States,” Trump said after announcing the deal with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. “It’s a, really, tremendous deal for our farmers and agricultural ranchers, and also involves other things.” The two leaders agreed on a deal in principle, which they expected would be signed during the United Nations General Assembly in New York in September. After withdrawing from the proposed Trans-Pacific partnership, Trump pursued a bi-lateral deal with Japan since becoming president. The president developed a close personal friendship with Abe and continued pressing for a better deal for the United States. Trump hailed the deal as a big step for American farmers, as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said the private sector would likely purchase new volumes of corn from the United States. Japan is also expected to cut tariffs on American beef, pork and agricultural products “We believe that there is a need for us to implement emergency support measures for the Japanese private sector to have the early purchase of the American corn,” Abe said via a translator, noting that Japan was experiencing pests in their crops. United States Trade Representative Robert Lightgizer said the deal included agriculture products, industrial tariffs, and digital trade, but did not share additional details. “We look forward to finishing the additional work and having it be implemented as soon as possible in Japan and the United States,” he said.
|
Charlie Spiering
|
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/breitbart/~3/wW6TN6SxV44/
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2019-08-25 16:07:29+00:00
| 1,566,763,649 | 1,567,533,416 |
politics
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international relations
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72,303 |
breitbart--2019-08-26--Watch Trump Announces Trade Deal with Japan
| 2019-08-26T00:00:00 |
breitbart
|
Watch: Trump Announces Trade Deal with Japan
|
“We’ve been working on a deal with Japan for a long time. It involves agriculture and e-commerce and many other things. It’s a very big transaction and we’ve agreed in principle” Trump said at a press conference where he was seated beside Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. “It’s billions and billions of dollars.” Trump said that the deal would open Japan to additional U.S. agricultural exports. In particular, Trump said Japan had agreed to buy surplus corn from U.S. farmers. Trump said he expected the two leaders would sign a deal next month. U.S. auto tariffs, which Japan has been asking to be reduced, will stay in place. But the deal rules out those tariffs going even higher. And U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said other tariffs would be cut. The corn part of the deal should alleviate some of the economic pressures on U.S. farmers from China’s retaliatory tariffs. China had promised to buy additional U.S. farm products, but that has fallen by the wayside as trade tensions have escalated over the past month.
|
John Carney
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http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/breitbart/~3/AsreomrsPrc/
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2019-08-26 02:13:08+00:00
| 1,566,799,988 | 1,567,533,330 |
politics
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international relations
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77,395 |
breitbart--2019-12-13--Job Creators Network: Trump China Trade Deal 'Another Major Victory for Small Businesses'
| 2019-12-13T00:00:00 |
breitbart
|
Job Creators Network: Trump China Trade Deal 'Another Major Victory for Small Businesses'
|
Job Creators Network, one of the country’s largest pro-jobs grassroots organizations, praised President Donald Trump’s newly announced trade deal with China. “President Trump notched another major victory for small businesses and ordinary Americans with the Phase One trade deal with China. The agreement will significantly benefit small businesses, farmers, and ordinary Americans,” said Alfredo Ortiz, president and CEO of the Job Creators Network in a statement. “The deal requires China to make significant purchases of U.S. agricultural and manufacturing goods while making long-overdue structural reforms to protect American entrepreneurs’ intellectual property and technology,” Ortiz said. “The trade agreement comes on the heels of House Democratic agreement to support Trump’s USMCA, which will update NAFTA for the 21st century.” Indeed, President Trump announced Friday that his administration had reached what he called “Phase One” one of major trade deal with China. “Yesterday’s landslide election victory for British Prime Minister Boris Johnson also paves the way for a bilateral free trade agreement between the U.S. and U.K. which will provide even more opportunities for American small businesses,” Ortiz continued. “President Trump is successfully reorienting global trade networks in America’s favor, opening up new markets for exports while overcoming the unfair practices conducted by trading partners.” Jerome Hudson is Breitbart News Entertainment Editor and author of the bestselling book 50 Things They Don’t Want You to Know. Order your copy today. Follow Jerome Hudson on Twitter and Instagram @jeromeehudson.
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Jerome Hudson
|
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/breitbart/~3/XyFs7tYc8-U/
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Fri, 13 Dec 2019 18:39:24 +0000
| 1,576,280,364 | 1,576,282,093 |
politics
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international relations
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77,430 |
breitbart--2019-12-13--White House Expects Phase One China Trade Deal to Be Signed in January
| 2019-12-13T00:00:00 |
breitbart
|
White House Expects Phase One China Trade Deal to Be Signed in January
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The White House on Friday said it expects the new phase one trade deal with China would be finished in the first week of January 2020, in a briefing with reporters detailing the deal. White House senior advisor Larry Kudlow said the deal would be signed by Ambassador Robert Lighthizer and the Chinese vice premiere in a few weeks at the administerial level, after all of the documents were completed. A senior administration official told reporters that the they expected that date to be in the first week of 2020. Kudlow praised the deal as a “very important first step” representing real progress with China that covered “all of the key chapters.” He ticked off a list of achievements including tariff adjustments, Chinese commitments to purchase American goods, financial service reform, currency reform, intellectual property rights, and reform of the Chinese forced transfer of technology. A senior administration official told reporters that China agreed to increase its American goods and services purchases by at least $200 billion in the next two years, with an average of $40-$50 billion in agricultural products. “We are very comfortable that our farmers and ranchers and growers can meet those numbers,” the official said. The official confirmed that the deal would include a strong enforcement mechanism that would ensure that the commitments from China would take place. He said: If we decide that China has violated a provision of the agreement, we can take responsive action and/or suspend concessions under the agreement. It could take the form of tariffs but we have the ability to take that action if they’re not abiding by their commitments. Trump agreed not to level additional tariffs scheduled for December 15 and even cut tariffs leveled in September in half. The original 25 percent tariff remains in place as the president pursues phase two of the trade deal with China. “There are other issues that we need to address moving forward and we’re very much committed to doing that,” the official said, assuring that the 25 percent tariff would remain.
|
Charlie Spiering
|
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/breitbart/~3/sB7wFWzzXiY/
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Fri, 13 Dec 2019 21:48:24 +0000
| 1,576,291,704 | 1,576,282,090 |
politics
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international relations
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78,761 |
businessinsider--2019-09-12--The Trump administration has reportedly discussed a China trade deal that would lift some tariffs
| 2019-09-12T00:00:00 |
businessinsider
|
The Trump administration has reportedly discussed a China trade deal that would lift some tariffs
|
The Trump administration has reportedly discussed a plan to offer China a deal that would include a rollback of some tariffs, which could defuse tensions in a more than yearlong trade war that has rattled the world's largest economies. Bloomberg reported on Thursday that under the agreement, the US would remove some of its punishing tariffs on Chinese goods in return for commitments to increase agricultural purchases and change intellectual-property rules. The White House did not immediately respond to an email requesting comment. Ahead of high-level trade meetings set to take place in Washington in early October, the two sides have offered one another what appeared to be modest olive branches in recent days. China said on Wednesday that it would shield 16 American product types from retaliatory tariffs for one year from next Tuesday. While the move was seen in part as a way to mitigate domestic costs, President Donald Trump announced hours later that he would delay some planned escalations for two weeks. The move to suspend tariff increases on roughly $250 billion worth of Chinese products until mid-October was made "at the request of the Vice Premier of China, Liu He, and due to the fact that the People's Republic of China will be celebrating their 70th Anniversary on October 1st," the president wrote in two tweets. The Trump administration still plans to extend tariffs in December to virtually all imports from China. Earlier this month, each side targeted more of the other's products with new import taxes as tensions escalated dramatically. Read more: A majority of Americans think a recession will strike in the next year — and they're blaming Trump's trade war
|
Gina Heeb
|
https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/trump-has-reportedly-discussed-limited-china-trade-deal-tariff-delays-2019-9-1028520658
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2019-09-12 15:22:00+00:00
| 1,568,316,120 | 1,569,330,347 |
politics
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international relations
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78,770 |
businessinsider--2019-09-17--Trump says a trade deal with China might not happen until after the 2020 elections
| 2019-09-17T00:00:00 |
businessinsider
|
Trump says a trade deal with China might not happen until after the 2020 elections
|
President Donald Trump on Tuesday dimmed hopes for an imminent détente with China, telling reporters that a trade deal might not happen until after the 2020 elections. Deputy-level meetings are scheduled to begin on Thursday in Washington, according to a top US Trade Representative official. The meetings are meant to pave the way for higher-level negotiations, but the two sides remain divided on key issues. "If it's after the election, it'll be a deal like you've never seen," Trump said aboard Air Force One. "It'll be the greatest deal ever, and China knows that. They think I'm going to win. China thinks I'm going to win so easily. And they're concerned because I told them if it's after the election, it's going to be far worse than what it is right now." Chamber of Commerce CEO Tom Donohue said at a press conference on Monday that Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer had similarly told business executives that it had been a challenge to reach a deal and that the two sides had a significant amount of work left to do. Lighthizer "was pretty clear that we have to do this one step at a time but that this has to be real agreement," Donohue said. The Trump administration has struggled to make tangible progress on trade issues in China that it identified in a Section 301 investigation last year, such as intellectual-property theft and how to enforce any new rules to address it. Read more: Dem candidates stumble on how to counter Trump on the trade war with China Just as the two sides were on the cusp of a deal this spring, the US said China reneged on nearly all its commitments in a draft document, leading to a series of significant tariff escalations and stalled negotiations for several weeks. Trump has also expressed frustration about the trade balance between the two sides. He has for months sought to open the market in China back up to American farmers, who have dealt with steep retaliatory tariffs on agricultural products for more than a year. "It is expected that China will be buying large amounts of our agricultural products!" Trump tweeted last week. Markets Insider is looking for a panel of millennial investors. If you're active in the markets, CLICK HERE to sign up.
|
Gina Heeb
|
https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/trump-us-china-trade-war-deal-could-take-until-2020-2019-9-1028531843
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2019-09-17 19:46:59+00:00
| 1,568,764,019 | 1,569,330,135 |
politics
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international relations
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78,843 |
businessinsider--2019-10-07--Trump signs trade deal with Japan as tensions escalate with China and the EU
| 2019-10-07T00:00:00 |
businessinsider
|
Trump signs trade deal with Japan as tensions escalate with China and the EU
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• The deal would reopen some of the markets farmers had lost access to after the US withdrew from a multilateral Asia-Pacific pact in early 2017. • But critics have said it only recovered a portion of the benefits from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a now 11-country trade agreement Trump withdrew the US from within his first week in office. President Donald Trump signed a final trade agreement with Japan on Monday that would reopen some of the markets farmers had lost access to after the US withdrew from a multilateral Asia-Pacific pact in early 2017. "I think we're at a stage with Japan where our relationship has never been better than it is right now," Trump said at a press conference in the Roosevelt Room, portraying the deal as a major win for farmers and ranchers. US officials estimated the deal would reduce tariffs for roughly $7 billion worth of American agricultural products including cheese, wine, beef, pork, wheat, and almonds. The US would in turn lower tariffs on Japanese industrial goods under the agreement, which would also set stricter terms for digital trade between the two sides. But critics have said it only recovered a portion of the benefits from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a now 11-country trade agreement Trump withdrew the US from within his first week in office. "Why we'd walk away from that in order to take this is beyond me," Senator Tom Carper, a Democrat from Delaware and a ranking member of the Environment and Public Works Committee, said on Bloomberg TV last month. "Is it better than nothing? It is. But it's not even close to the Trans-Pacific Partnership." The agreement did not touch on current auto tariffs or additional ones that Trump threatened Japan with last year on the basis of national security concerns. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has said he was assured the country would be spared from such measures, but that was not explicitly laid out in the text. "It certainly is the Japanese ambition to have car tariffs be discussed," US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said in a call with reporters after the deal was reached. "But at this point, it's not part of this agreement." The Trump administration has increasingly sought to placate farmers, who have suffered financial losses from broader tariff disputes with China and other trading partners. After a separate World Trade Organization decision last week, the US said it would hit the European Union with tariffs on agricultural items and hundreds of other imports. While Trump has found support in calls to address Chinese trade practices seen as unfair, critics warned American allies should be involved in that process. The president has separated himself from that approach in office as he withdrew from deals like the TPP and slapped metal tariffs on the EU and elsewhere. "Bigger picture, as we sign these deals with our largest trading partners — Japan, USMCA, EU — it puts increasing pressure on China to ink a deal with us," said Dave Walton, a soybean farmer in Iowa. "They do so by making China see them as competitors for our trade." The agreement was announced on a preliminary basis in August. On the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York last month, the US and Japan signed an agreement-in-principle. The move on Monday afternoon concluded the final text of the deal. Now read: Ray Dalio warns the White House's latest plan to clamp down on Chinese investment could soon become a reality. Here's why he thinks 'all market participants need to worry.'
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Gina Heeb
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https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/trump-trade-japan-and-us-sign-limited-trade-agreement-2019-10-1028581466
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Mon, 07 Oct 2019 16:44:00 -0400
| 1,570,481,040 | 1,570,542,734 |
politics
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international relations
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78,847 |
businessinsider--2019-10-09--China is reportedly open to a partial trade deal with the US — but only if Trump scales back planned
| 2019-10-09T00:00:00 |
businessinsider
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China is reportedly open to a partial trade deal with the US — but only if Trump scales back planned tariffs
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• China appeared to ease its tone toward the US ahead of high-stakes trade talks set for the end of the week. • Bloomberg reported early Wednesday that China would still be open to a limited trade deal if President Donald Trump were to back down from the scheduled tariff escalations he's announced in recent months. • Trump would be unlikely to accept a long-term deal without Chinese concessions on structural issues, a White House official told Business Insider. China appeared to ease its tone toward the US ahead of high-stakes trade talks set for the end of the week, even though officials and analysts said the prospect of a breakthrough between the two sides had dimmed in recent days. Citing an official with direct knowledge of the talks, Bloomberg reported early Wednesday that China would still be open to a limited trade deal if President Donald Trump were to back down from the scheduled tariff escalations he's announced in recent months. That would include non-core commitments such as resumed agricultural purchases, which China halted last year to retaliate against the Trump administration. The Chinese Embassy did not immediately respond to an email requesting comment. Trump would be unlikely to accept a long-term deal of that sort without Chinese concessions on structural issues, a White House official, who requested anonymity to discuss ongoing negotiations, told Business Insider. Those include intellectual-property theft and large-scale state subsidies that officials have found put the US at a disadvantage. With a rapidly evolving impeachment inquiry that was opened last month, the president could face increasing pressure to at least temporarily hold off on tariff escalations this month. The Trump administration is set to raise the tariff rate on Chinese products to as high as 30% next Tuesday. "The impeachment threat increases Trump's incentives to agree a deal with mainland China, but the process can also heighten China's incentives in extending the process longer as Trump's approval rating slips," analysts at JPMorgan wrote in a recent research note. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin are set to meet with a Chinese delegation led by Vice Premier Liu He in Washington on Thursday and Friday. But a series of likely hurdles have piled up ahead of those meetings, the first on US soil since 13 rounds of negotiations collapsed in May. On Monday evening, the US added 28 technology companies in China to an export blacklist over alleged human-rights abuses in the Xinjiang region. Each country has separately taken steps to tighten visa restrictions on the other this week. White House officials have also continued to discuss a policy that would limit investment flows into China, according to a source familiar with the matter. Bloomberg first reported the plan, which was disputed by the Trump administration but has been confirmed by several news outlets, including Business Insider. "The Trump administration appears to not be looking for leverage to make China 'cry uncle,' but instead, methodically reduce interdependence between the two countries in trade, finance, technology, and education," said Scott Kennedy, a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies who studies China. "And with its own nationalistic behavior, China is acceding to if not accelerating this divorce." Now read: Ray Dalio warns the White House's latest plan to clamp down on Chinese investment could soon become a reality. Here's why he thinks 'all market participants need to worry.'
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Gina Heeb
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https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/china-reportedly-open-mini-trade-deal-trump-scales-back-tariffs-2019-10-1028587647
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Wed, 09 Oct 2019 11:45:00 -0400
| 1,570,635,900 | 1,570,659,823 |
politics
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international relations
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78,857 |
businessinsider--2019-10-11--Trump plays up odds of China trade deal as high-stakes meetings resume
| 2019-10-11T00:00:00 |
businessinsider
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Trump plays up odds of China trade deal as high-stakes meetings resume
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• President Donald Trump expressed optimism around high-level trade talks with China on Friday. • Trump is scheduled to meet with China's top trade negotiator at 2:45 p.m. ET in the Oval Office. • Financial markets jumped on hope for a deal, with all three major US stock indexes up more than 1%. President Donald Trump expressed optimism toward high-level trade negotiations with China on Friday, saying that he would like to see progress made in a dispute that has threatened growth in the largest economies. "Good things are happening at China Trade Talk Meeting," the president wrote on Twitter. "Warmer feelings than in recent past, more like the Old Days. I will be meeting with the Vice Premier today. All would like to see something significant happen!" The tweet came just as a delegation led by Chinese Vice Premier Liu He entered a second day of negotiations with Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin in Washington. Financial markets jumped on hope for a deal, with all three major US stock indexes up more than 1%. Trump is scheduled to meet with Liu at 2:45 p.m. ET in the Oval Office. "One of the great things about the China Deal is the fact that, for various reasons, we do not have to go through the very long and politically complex Congressional Approval Process," Trump continued on Friday. "When the deal is fully negotiated, I sign it myself on behalf of our Country. Fast and Clean!" Top negotiators from the two sides had not met on US soil since nearly a dozen rounds collapsed in May. On Thursday, Trump sought to sow uncertainty around whether any agreement would be reached. "They want to make a deal, but do I?" he said. Tariffs on thousands of Chinese products are set to increase to as high as 30% on Tuesday. In December, the Trump administration plans to expand import taxes to virtually every shipment from China. Read more: The White House eyes new economic penalties against China as trade talks kick off Now read: Nobel laureate Robert Shiller forewarned investors about the dot-com and housing bubbles. Now he tells us which irrational market behaviors have him most worried.
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Gina Heeb
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https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/trump-on-china-deal-all-want-something-significant-to-happen-2019-10-1028593746
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Fri, 11 Oct 2019 10:27:53 -0400
| 1,570,804,073 | 1,570,832,172 |
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businessinsider--2019-10-14--China is reportedly not ready to sign a partial trade deal with the US
| 2019-10-14T00:00:00 |
businessinsider
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China is reportedly not ready to sign a partial trade deal with the US
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• Chinese officials would like to hold further talks with the US before the preliminary agreement the Trump administration touted on Friday is finalized, according to Bloomberg. • Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin confirmed early Monday that there were still several meetings the two sides planned to take before a pact might be made official. • With details on core trade issues still elusive, officials said they did not expect to have the text of the agreement ready for several weeks. Chinese officials would reportedly like to hold further trade talks with the US before the preliminary agreement the Trump administration touted on Friday is finalized. Bloomberg reported Monday that China could send a trade delegation led by Vice Premier Liu He to hammer out details of what President Donald Trump has called a "substantial phase one" deal, which sought to ease trade tensions between the two sides. The White House did not immediately respond to an email requesting comment. The Trump administration said last week that China agreed to increase agricultural purchases, make unspecified adjustments to its intellectual property rules, and open its financial services market. That was in return for the postponement of tariff hikes on Chinese products that had been scheduled to take effect this week. But with details on core trade issues still elusive, officials said they did not expect to have the text of the agreement ready for several weeks. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin confirmed on CNBC early Monday that there were still several meetings the two sides planned to take before a pact might be made official, potentially at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Chile in November. "I expect we'll have a deal," Mnuchin said, adding that it was "subject to documentation." If an agreement was not reached by December 15, he said tariffs would be expanded to nearly all imports from China. Over the weekend, Trump defended the agreement to critics who viewed it as weak and said it included concessions China had already offered in previous months. He attempted to placate farmers who have been hurt by retaliatory tariffs levied last year, which sent agricultural exports and prices sharply lower. "My deal with China is that they will IMMEDIATELY start buying very large quantities of our Agricultural Product, not wait until the deal is signed over the next 3 or 4 weeks," the president wrote on Twitter. "THEY HAVE ALREADY STARTED! Likewise financial services and other deal aspects, start preparing...." He added: "....I agreed not to increase Tariffs from 25% to 30% on October 15th. They will remain at 25%. The relationship with China is very good. We will finish out the large Phase One part of the deal, then head directly into Phase Two. The Phase One Deal can be finalized & signed soon!" Read more: Nobel laureate Robert Shiller forewarned investors about the dot-com and housing bubbles. Now he tells us which irrational market behaviors have him most worried.
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Gina Heeb
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https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/trump-us-trade-war-deal-china-not-ready-wants-details-2019-10-1028596670
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Mon, 14 Oct 2019 09:26:47 -0400
| 1,571,059,607 | 1,571,091,376 |
politics
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international relations
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78,895 |
businessinsider--2019-11-02--Trump said the first part of mini China trade deal could be signed in Iowa this month
| 2019-11-02T00:00:00 |
businessinsider
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Trump said the first part of mini China trade deal could be signed in Iowa this month
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• President Donald Trump has played up the prospect that the US could soon defuse trade tensions with China in recent days. • The two sides could sign a so-called phase one agreement in Iowa this month, he said. • But administration officials emphasized that further negotiations would be needed to resolve key economic issues between the two sides. President Donald Trump has said in recent days the US could soon defuse trade tensions with China, though administration officials emphasized that further negotiations would be needed to resolve key economic issues between the two sides. Speaking to reporters on the White House lawn Friday evening, Trump said he and President Xi Jinping could sign a so-called phase one agreement as soon as this month. He added that meeting could take place in Iowa, a state Trump won in 2016 but that has suffered financial losses from retaliatory tariffs levied by the second-largest economy. "China wants to make the deal very much," the president said. "I don't like to talk about deals until they happen, but we're making a lot of progress." But China hawks in the Trump orbit have expressed a less optimistic tone toward negotiations, suggesting that the first stage of the agreement would not be comprehensive. In an interview with Fox Business Network on Friday, White House trade adviser Peter Navarro said the agreement would need two more phases to address the "structural deadly sins of China." The US halted planned tariff increases in mid-October, saying China had agreed to a series of trade and economic stipulations at the center of a Section 301 investigation that ignited the dispute in early 2018. Trump said those included unspecified commitments on technology rules, currency practices and market access for financial services companies. Now read: US adds more jobs than expected in October despite GM strike, trade-war tensions Businesses and analysts have remained cautious, however, particularly after China dodged confirmations of announced farm purchases. Just as the two sides were seen on the verge of a breakthrough in May, negotiations fell apart as the US said China had reneged on nearly all issues in a draft agreement. "A shortfall in agricultural purchase commitments might well lead to a reescalation in the conflict further down the road," said Mark Haefele, the chief investment officer at UBS. "Longer-term trade issues on intellectual property and market access are likely to remain unresolved."
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Gina Heeb
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https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/trump-part-of-china-trade-deal-could-signed-in-iowa-2019-11-1028653061
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Sat, 02 Nov 2019 11:33:09 -0400
| 1,572,708,789 | 1,572,881,382 |
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international relations
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78,906 |
businessinsider--2019-11-06--First part of US-China trade deal could be delayed until December, report says
| 2019-11-06T00:00:00 |
businessinsider
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First part of US-China trade deal could be delayed until December, report says
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• The US and China could delay plans to finalize the first part of an agreement to defuse trade tensions until December. • Reuters reported Wednesday that an expected meeting between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping could be pushed back as the two sides continue to negotiate a venue and terms of a deal. • Dozens of venues for a meeting are said to be under consideration, including in Asia and Europe. The US and China could delay plans to finalize the first part of an agreement to defuse trade tensions until December. President Trump has said he planned to sign a so-called "phase one" agreement this month. But Reuters reported Wednesday that an expected meeting between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping could be put off until next month as the two sides continued to negotiate a venue and terms of a deal. Trump recently suggested that he and Xi could sign the first part of the deal in Iowa, where officials have been in touch with the White House about such a proposal. But that has been ruled out, according to a senior administration official who spoke to Reuters on the condition of anonimity. Dozens of other meeting venues in Asia and Europe are said to be under consideration. In October, the White House announced that it would delay planned tariff escalations as part of an agreement that included a range of unspecified commitments from China. But the fate of those terms, which have not yet been put to paper, were uncertain after Chile canceled a pair of global summits where Trump and Xi were expected to meet this month. White House spokesperson Hogan Gidley said just last week that the first stage was still expected to be signed "within the same time frame," despite the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit cancellation. The White House did not immediately respond to an email requesting comment on a potential delay. Broader concerns have surfaced over whether a comprehensive trade deal could be reached anytime soon. Peter Navarro, a White House trade adviser, said this week that two more stages of an agreement would be needed to address structural issues in China. Now read: These 12 highly shorted stocks have suffered brutal losses this year - but one Wall Street firm says a major threat just passed, and it might be time to buy
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Gina Heeb
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https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/us-china-phase-one-trade-deal-could-be-delayed-report-2019-11-1028665953
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Wed, 06 Nov 2019 12:38:07 -0500
| 1,573,061,887 | 1,573,062,511 |
politics
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international relations
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78,965 |
businessinsider--2019-11-20--The US and China may not sign a 'phase-one' trade deal until 2020
| 2019-11-20T00:00:00 |
businessinsider
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The US and China may not sign a 'phase-one' trade deal until 2020
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• The so-called phase-one trade agreement announced by the US and China last month might not be finalized until next year. • China indicated this month that it expected the US to lift punitive duties as part of a broader agreement. • But President Donald Trump could be reluctant to give in to those demands ahead of his reelection bid. The US and China have appeared increasingly divided over a tariff rollback and other key trade terms, casting doubt on whether an interim agreement announced last month could be signed before the end of the year. China indicated this month that it expected the US to lift punitive duties as part of a broader agreement on technology rules, farm purchases, and financial-sector access. But without concrete concessions on issues like intellectual property, President Donald Trump could be reluctant to give in to those demands ahead of his reelection bid. "The Chinese know Trump doesn't want trade-war headwinds messing with his reelection bid, so I doubt they'll let up on tariff reductions," said Jared Bernstein, a top economic adviser in the Obama administration. "I'm just not sure Trump's willing to go there yet. If he does, a lot of people are going to be reasonably asking what was the point of the whole thing." Reuters reported on Wednesday that a deal might not be finalized until next year, citing anonymous sources close to the Trump administration. Asked whether the first part of an interim trade agreement with China was expected to be signed in 2019, a White House representative told Business Insider that "negotiations are continuing, and progress is being made on the text of the phase-one agreement." But the largest economies have struggled to resolve the structural issues at the center of the impasse, which has led to punitive tariffs on thousands of products. The US is scheduled to expand those taxes to virtually all imports from China in December, a threat Trump has repeatedly doubled down in recent days. "We'll see what happens, but I'm very happy right now," he said during a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday. "If we don't make a deal with China, I'll just raise the tariffs even higher." Earlier this month, Trump denied China's claim that the US had agreed to lift some tariffs as part of a broader agreement. China has also not publicly confirmed agricultural commitments the Trump administration demanded. Read more: GOLDMAN SACHS: Equity traders are expecting an economic acceleration — and these 12 stocks are best positioned to skyrocket as conditions improve
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Gina Heeb
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https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/us-china-may-not-sign-phase-one-trade-deal-2020-2019-11-1028705749
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Wed, 20 Nov 2019 14:59:34 -0500
| 1,574,279,974 | 1,574,294,945 |
politics
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79,044 |
businessinsider--2019-12-13--Trump calls report on China trade deal 'completely wrong'
| 2019-12-13T00:00:00 |
businessinsider
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Trump calls report on China trade deal 'completely wrong'
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• President Donald Trump claimed on Friday that recent news reports on an interim trade agreement with China were false. • While Trump did not specify which story he was referring to, The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday that US negotiators had offered to lower tariffs on roughly $360 billion worth of Chinese products. • China announced early Friday that trade officials would soon hold a briefing. President Donald Trump sowed confusion around trade negotiations early Friday, claiming that recent news reports on an interim trade agreement with China were not accurate. "The Wall Street Journal story on the China Deal is completely wrong, especially their statement on Tariffs," the president wrote on Twitter. "Fake News. They should find a better leaker!" While Trump did not specify which story he was referring to, The Journal reported on Thursday that US negotiators had offered to lower tariffs on roughly $360 billion worth of Chinese products. The Journal did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The White House declined to elaborate. The Office of the US Trade Representative did not respond to several emails. China is expected to hold a press briefing on trade at 10 a.m. ET. Officials initially scheduled the briefing for a half hour earlier but delayed it at the last minute.
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Gina Heeb
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https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/trump-calls-report-china-trade-deal-completely-wrong-wsj-tariffs-2019-12-1028762512
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Fri, 13 Dec 2019 09:52:41 -0500
| 1,576,248,761 | 1,576,282,099 |
politics
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79,053 |
businessinsider--2019-12-16--Here the full list of everything covered by Trump's phase-one trade deal with China
| 2019-12-16T00:00:00 |
businessinsider
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Here the full list of everything covered by Trump's phase-one trade deal with China
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• President Donald Trump unveiled an interim trade agreement with China last week, marking a major de-escalation in trade tensions in the global economy. • The 86-page text of the agreement is expected to be signed in January following routine legal checks and a translation process. • Here's what is included so far in the so-called phase-one deal, which has not yet been made public. President Donald Trump unveiled an interim trade agreement with China last week, marking a major de-escalation in trade tensions in the global economy. The 86-page text of the agreement is expected to be signed in January following routine legal checks and a translation process. But it did not resolve all of the issues in a more than yearlong trade dispute between the two sides. "Anyone who thinks you're going to take their system and our system that have- that have worked in a very unbalanced way for the United States and in- in one stroke of the pen change all of that is foolish," US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said Sunday on CBS. "The president is not foolish. He's very smart. The question was, how big was the first phase going to be?" Here's what is included so far in the so-called phase-one deal, which has not yet been made public. As part of the phase-one agreement, US negotiators agreed to lowered tariffs on $120 billion worth of Chinese products to 7.5% from 15%. A 25% tariff remains on roughly $250 billion worth of imports. The US also canceled plans to target all additional imports including electronics and toys. China suspended a pledge to retaliate in-kind. The Trump administration said China agreed to buy more from the US agricultural, manufacturing, energy and services sectors. That would lead to $200 billion worth of additional American exports within the next two years, according to the Office of the US Trade Representative. A farm purchase quota touted by administration officials has not been confirmed by China yet. Economists and industry groups have questioned the $50 billion figure, which would be more than double the $24 billion in agricultural products that China bought in 2017. The trade agreement includes a mechanism to enforce its rules, which would include regular bilateral consultations and the possibility of tariff snapbacks. Concessions could be suspended if either side decides the other has violated a provision of the agreement, according to a senior administration official. "We can take action," the official said. "It could be potentially in the form of tariffs, but we have the ability to take that action if they are not." The USTR said the trade agreement would also ease pressure on foreign companies to hand over technology in order to access the Chinese market. But that pledge was seen as the result of new foreign investment legislation, which has been criticized for potential loopholes. "It's not clear how much we moved the Chinese on tech transfer, as the new Foreign Investment Law already made it illegal to force transfer," said Mary Lovely, a trade scholar at the Peterson Institute for International Economics. "Overall, I view this as a ceasefire with significant purchases attached." The trade agreement includes chapters on some of the core issues the Trump administration cited in its Section 301 investigation, which ignited the trade dispute in early 2018. It calls on China to enhance intellectual property protections for companies who have long complained about infringement of copyrights and trade secrets. Trump has long been frustrated over the relative exchange rate of the yuan and the dollar, arguing that weakness put US companies at a disadvantage and offset the effects of punitive tariffs. Over the summer, the Treasury Department labeled China a currency manipulator for the first time in decades. The USTR said the trade agreement addressed that issue through "high-standard commitments to refrain from competitive devaluations and targeting of exchange rates, while promoting transparency and providing mechanisms for accountability and enforcement."
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Gina Heeb
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https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/list-of-everything-covered-by-trump-us-china-trade-deal-2019-12-1028766534
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Mon, 16 Dec 2019 12:39:30 -0500
| 1,576,517,970 | 1,576,541,260 |
politics
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international relations
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83,040 |
cbsnews--2019-04-04--Trump says China trade deal has very good chance of happening
| 2019-04-04T00:00:00 |
cbsnews
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Trump says China trade deal has "very good chance of happening"
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President Trump said he thinks there's a "very good chance" of reaching a trade deal with China, the latest sign that the months-long dispute could be coming to a close. Mr. Trump also announced he would participate in a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping to finalize the details of an agreement in about four weeks, but only if the framework of a deal is in place. "This is the granddaddy of them all. And we'll see what happens. I think it has a very good chance of happening," Mr. Trump said at the White House Thursday before a meeting with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He and other negotiators. "If we have a deal, there will be a summit. I think we'll know over the next four weeks." The U.S. and China have been in an escalating tariff war for months, with Mr. Trump accusing China of unfair trade practices and intellectual property theft. Mr. Trump told reporters the "hardest issues" had been resolved but the two countries still have to hash out intellectual property theft issues and certain tariffs. "Some of the toughest things have been agreed to," Mr. Trump said. "It's a very — I'm using a word I don't like using too often — it's a very comprehensive deal." He also called the Chinese government "tough negotiators" but "great friends." Although he did not announce the specific date for a summit with Xi, he said the coming deal would be "an epic deal, historic — if it happens." Mr. Trump tweeted Thursday morning that talks with China "are moving along nicely." Speaking at the White House earlier Thursday, the president said the two countries are nearing a deal. "They very much want to make a deal. We'll see what happens," Mr Trump said. "It's got to be a great deal. We've been losing for many years, four, five, $600 billion a year, we're losing. It's got to be a great deal." Liu, who is China's top trade negotiator, met with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Wednesday. Mr. Trump's meeting with Liu came hours after he threatened to impose tariffs on cars coming into the U.S. from Mexico. In order to avoid the tariffs, Mr. Trump says Mexico must do more to prevent illegal immigration into the U.S. and if it does not crack down on drugs crossing the border. He said he would give Mexico a year to prevent immigrants from entering the U.S. before following through on the auto taxes. "If Mexico doesn't help, that's okay. We'll tariff their cars," he said. At another point, he said, "If the drugs don't stop, we'll tariff the cars. If that doesn't work, we'll close the border." "The whole ballgame is cars," he added. Before meeting with Liu, Mr. Trump said, "We'll start with the tariffs and see what happens."
| null |
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-meets-with-chinese-vice-premier-liu-he-as-trade-talks-appear-to-wind-down-live-stream-2019-04-04/
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2019-04-04 21:30:30+00:00
| 1,554,427,830 | 1,567,544,020 |
politics
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international relations
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86,985 |
cbsnews--2019-12-03--Trump on trade deal with China: Maybe wait until "after the election"
| 2019-12-03T00:00:00 |
cbsnews
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Trump on trade deal with China: Maybe wait until "after the election"
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President Trump indicated Tuesday a trade deal with China may not come until after the 2020 presidential election, saying that he has "no deadline" for striking an agreement with Beijing. Speaking to reporters in London, where Mr. Trump is attending the annual NATO summit, the president said any trade deal with China would come on his terms. "I think in some ways it's better to wait until after the election with China," the president said during a bilateral meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. Any deal between the world's two largest economies is "dependent on one thing: do I want to make it," Mr. Trump added. The president reiterated that Beijing is eager to reach an agreement, but said the U.S. is "doing very well with China" and can do better. Mr. Trump's comments come as the U.S. is set to impose another round of duties on Chinese imports Dec. 15. The latest tariffs will hit a wide range of consumer goods, including mobile phones and laptops. The trade war with China has been ongoing for more than a year, with the two sides trading tariffs on thousands of products. An announcement from the president in October that the U.S. and Beijing reached a phase one deal, however, seemed to ease tensions between the two nations. As part of the initial agreement, Mr. Trump said China agreed to buy between $40 billion and $50 billion in American farm products, though Chinese officials have said they would make purchases according to market needs. Beijing, meanwhile, has been pushing for the U.S. to lift existing tariffs on products from China. The Chinese Commerce Ministry said last week top Chinese and U.S. trade negotiators agreed to additional talks on a phase one deal, though it was not immediately confirmed by Washington.
| null |
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/china-trade-deal-trump-says-trade-deal-with-china-may-have-to-wait-until-after-2020-election/
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Tue, 03 Dec 2019 09:55:46 -0500
| 1,575,384,946 | 1,575,418,105 |
politics
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international relations
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87,245 |
cbsnews--2019-12-13--Trump says first phase of trade deal reached with China
| 2019-12-13T00:00:00 |
cbsnews
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Trump says first phase of trade deal reached with China
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President Trump claims the U.S. has agreed to a "Phase One Deal" with China on trade, which the president says will lead to structural changes and agricultural product purchases, among other things. The president also announced tariffs on $160 billion in Chinese imports won't go into effect on December 15. The Trump administration had already claimed they reached a "phase one" deal with China in October, but the countries have now agreed on the text of such a deal. The president's announcement came minutes after the House Judiciary Committee approved articles of impeachment, sending those articles to the House for a floor vote. Mr. Trump also said negotiations will begin for a "Phase Two Deal immediately," instead of after the 2020 presidential election. The Chinese are also holding a press conference to announce some sort of agreement. "We have agreed to a very large Phase One Deal with China," the president tweeted Friday morning, the president tweeted. "They have agreed to many structural changes and massive purchases of Agricultural Product, Energy, and Manufactured Goods, plus much more. The 25% Tariffs will remain as is, with 7 1/2% put on much of the remainder....The Penalty Tariffs set for December 15th will not be charged because of the fact that we made the deal. We will begin negotiations on the Phase Two Deal immediately, rather than waiting until after the 2020 Election. This is an amazing deal for all. Thank you!" The president's top economic adviser Larry Kudlow, however, said on CNBS he didn't want to put a timeline on a second phase of an agreement. Kudlow told reporters on a conference call that U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and a Chinese representative will sign the first phase of the deal "in a few weeks." The U.S. Trade Representative emphasized that they believe the agreement is enforceable, establishing a dispute resolution system. "President Trump has focused on concluding a Phase One agreement that achieves meaningful, fully-enforceable structural changes and begins rebalancing the U.S.-China trade relationship. This unprecedented agreement accomplishes those very significant goals and would not have been possible without the President's strong leadership," Lighthizer said in a statement. The U.S. will continue to maintain 25% tariffs on roughly $250 billion of Chinese imports, along with 7.5% tariffs on roughly $120 billion in Chinese imports, USTR said. Interested parties outside the administration pointed to the timing of the announcement. "We may never know if the decision by Democrats to impeach the President is what finally made him see religion on trade policy, which up until now was killing his election chances," Chris Zaccarelli, chief Investment officer for Independent Advisor Alliance, said in a note to investors after the president's announcement of a China deal. "And if he is reelected next year, we may look back to today's phase one agreement with China and point to today as the reason the economy and business confidence regained their footing and laid the groundwork for his reelection." On Thursday, the president teased the U.S. was "very close" to a trade deal with China, although he's been using similar language for a long time. "Getting VERY close to a BIG DEAL with China. They want it, and so do we!" the president tweeted Thursday morning. Shortly after Mr. Trump made the announcement on Twitter Friday morning, White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham wrote, "Take note @SpeakerPelosi -- this is what real leadership looks like. President @realDonaldTrump never stops working and continues to make successful deals that benefit this country." This is a developing story and will be updated.
| null |
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/donald-trump-white-house-announces-phase-one-of-tentative-china-trade-deal-today-2019-12-13/
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Fri, 13 Dec 2019 16:05:00 -0500
| 1,576,271,100 | 1,576,282,130 |
politics
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international relations
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89,173 |
channel4uk--2019-08-13--Interim USUK trade deal could take effect day after Brexit
| 2019-08-13T00:00:00 |
channel4uk
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Interim US/UK trade deal could take effect ‘day after Brexit’
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US national security advisor John Bolton is in London, where he’s had meetings to discuss an interim trade deal between the US and the UK – that could take effect on the 1st of November. US national security advisor John Bolton is in London, where he’s had meetings to discuss an interim trade deal between the US and the UK – that could take effect on the 1st of November. There was also talk of a declaration to be signed at the G7 by President Trump and the Prime Minister. Meeting with International Trade Secretary Liz Truss Mr Bolton outlined the US commitment to support Britain through the Brexit process
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Lindsey Hilsum
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https://www.channel4.com/news/interim-us-uk-trade-deal-could-take-effect-day-after-brexit
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2019-08-13 18:22:23+00:00
| 1,565,734,943 | 1,567,534,284 |
politics
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international relations
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98,706 |
cnbc--2019-03-20--Trump says China tariffs could remain for a substantial period of time as trade deal develops
| 2019-03-20T00:00:00 |
cnbc
|
Trump says China tariffs could remain for a 'substantial period of time' as trade deal develops
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President Donald Trump said Wednesday that his administration's tariffs on Chinese imports could stay in place indefinitely until Beijing complies with a still-developing trade deal — which the president said "is coming along nicely." "We're not talking about removing [tariffs], we're talking about leaving them for a substantial period of time, because we have to make sure that if we do the deal with China that China lives by the deal," Trump told reporters on the White House lawn as he left to visit an Ohio manufacturing plant. The president's comments come amid conflicting reports about how close the world's two largest economies are to reaching a deal and just what China is willing to concede in talks. Negotiations will restart next week when U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin travel to Beijing. Trump stressed that "we're getting along with China very well" as the countries try to strike a deal and ease trade tensions that threaten sustained damage to U.S. businesses. "President Xi [Jinping] is a friend of mine," Trump said. "The deal is coming along nicely. We have our top representatives going there this weekend to further the deal." Major U.S. stock indexes initially dipped following Trump's remarks Wednesday. If Trump keeps duties on Chinese goods for an extended period of time, it could not only pass higher costs on to American businesses and consumers but also hurt exporters vulnerable to China's retaliatory tariffs. The president has used the duties as a negotiating tool to push China toward a trade agreement. The Trump administration has so far put tariffs on $250 billion worth of Chinese imports. China has slapped duties on $110 billion in U.S. products. Trump has held off on increasing tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese goods to 25 percent from 10 percent as he seeks a deal. On Tuesday, Bloomberg News reported that China had backed off certain concessions as it sought assurances that the U.S. would remove tariffs. However, The Wall Street Journal later reported that trade talks are in their final stages. Trump's comments Wednesday reflect the muddled messaging that has come from the administration throughout the negotiations.
| null |
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/03/20/trump-says-china-tariffs-could-stay-in-place-amid-trade-deal-talks.html
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2019-03-20 17:20:00+00:00
| 1,553,116,800 | 1,567,545,549 |
politics
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international relations
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98,838 |
cnbc--2019-04-04--Trump says well know over the next four weeks if a China trade deal happens
| 2019-04-04T00:00:00 |
cnbc
|
Trump says 'we'll know over the next four weeks' if a China trade deal happens
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"If we have a deal, there will be a summit. I'd say we'll know over the next four weeks," the president said. The two sides were going line by line through deal text Thursday, with a break for a meeting between Trump and Liu, an administration official told CNBC. They will continue to work through the deal on Friday. The world's two largest economies still disagree over whether the U.S. will use tariffs as an enforcement tool, the official acknowledged. Trump has previously said his administration's tariffs on $250 billion in Chinese goods could stay in place even after the sides strike a deal. China has pushed for the removal of duties as part of an agreement. The U.S. and China had not set a date or place for a summit between Trump and Xi as of Thursday. The talks come as investors and businesses watch closely for developments that could ease tensions between the U.S. and its largest trading partner. The escalating series of tariffs imposed by both China and the U.S. has rattled financial markets and led to concerns about issues rippling throughout both economies. Trump, who won the White House partly on his pledges to crack down on what he called Chinese trade abuses, seeks a victory that he can promote during his 2020 reelection bid. "If it's not a great deal, we're not doing it," he told reporters at the White House earlier Thursday. "But it's going very well." The two sides are eyeing a series of agreements on different subjects tied together by one enforcement tool, the administration official said. The U.S. and China have not decided how much of the agreement to finish now and how much to leave for the potential meeting between Trump and Xi. The U.S. would give China until 2025 to follow through on commitments to purchase more goods from the U.S., the person added. But different products would be subject to separate timelines. Trump has long decried the trade deficit between the U.S. and China and pushed for Beijing to buy more American goods. Negotiators have not set a time frame for addressing structural issues, such as stopping intellectual property theft or forced technology transfers. WATCH: Why investors are banking on trade war deal
| null |
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/04/04/us-and-china-make-progress-on-trade-deal-but-enforcement-is-an-issue.html
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2019-04-04 18:06:00+00:00
| 1,554,415,560 | 1,567,544,073 |
politics
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international relations
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99,041 |
cnbc--2019-05-01--A US-China trade deal is possible by next Friday sources say
| 2019-05-01T00:00:00 |
cnbc
|
A US-China trade deal is 'possible' by next Friday, sources say
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The announcement of a U.S. trade deal with China is "possible" by next Friday, sources told CNBC on Wednesday. A U.S. delegation met with Chinese negotiators in Beijing on Wednesday as the world's two largest economies try to hammer out details of an agreement. Chinese Vice Premier Liu He will travel to Washington for talks next week. Washington and Beijing have pushed to resolve a trade dispute that led to a series of tariffs and raised fears about spiraling economic damage. While both sides have repeatedly touted progress in the talks, disputes such as whether to immediately remove existing tariffs or keep them in place as an enforcement measure to stop practices such as intellectual property theft have derailed a final deal. President Donald Trump also wants China to buy more U.S. goods to reduce the trade deficit between the countries. On Wednesday, the White House said the latest talks moved Washington and Beijing closer to an agreement. In a statement, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said, "Discussions remain focused toward making substantial progress on important structural issues and rebalancing the US-China trade relationship."
| null |
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/05/01/trump-news-us-china-trade-deal-possible-by-next-friday.html
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2019-05-01 18:18:00+00:00
| 1,556,749,080 | 1,567,541,546 |
politics
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international relations
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99,094 |
cnbc--2019-05-07--USMCA trade deal could cost Georgia produce growers nearly 900 million report says
| 2019-05-07T00:00:00 |
cnbc
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USMCA trade deal could cost Georgia produce growers nearly $900 million, report says
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But he recently defended the Trump administration deal. "Not only does USMCA expand market access for commodities and crops, but also the agreement specifically addresses agricultural biotechnology, including new technologies such as gene editing, to support innovation and reduce trade-distorting policies," Perdue wrote in a guest column this week in the Gazette paper in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Added Perdue, "USMCA ensures a level playing field for American agriculture. If we are to keep our economy booming and continue to feed and clothe the world, Congress must pass USMCA." Some agricultural producers want changes to the deal first. They claim Mexico is "dumping" seasonal produce on the U.S. market with the help of government subsidies. Last month, a group of U.S. lawmakers from Florida and Georgia wrote a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer expressing concern about the lack of trade protections for seasonal and perishable produce in the proposed USMCA. Florida tomato growers and a group of U.S. lawmakers have previously accused Mexico of unfair trade practices. Southeast growers argued that an anti-dumping clause in a new trade deal would give U.S. farmers more leverage to hold Mexico accountable for not playing by the rules. But producer groups in California and other U.S. Western states cautioned against including anti-dumping provisions in a NAFTA replacement. They warned it could be used by Canada or Mexico to make a "dumping" case against U.S.-grown seasonal crops such as apples. The U.S. Trade Representative's Office referred inquiries to the Commerce Department, which didn't respond to a request for comment. The UGA study also criticized Mexico's government subsidies to its agriculture industry and added that Mexico's labor costs can be about one-tenth of U.S. labor costs. The report claimed, "the costs of the Mexican imports is often less than one half the price American growers were receiving before the Mexican imports arrived." The UGA report said there's potential for "catastrophic damage" when it comes to tomatoes. In February, the Trump administration indicated it planned to reopen an anti-dumping investigation into Mexican tomatoes and exit a 2013 agreement that has been criticized by U.S. growers. The 2013 agreement was described on a Commerce website as a commitment by Mexican producers and exporters to sell tomatoes "at or above the reference price, which will eliminate completely the injurious effects of exports of fresh tomatoes to the United States." On Tuesday, Reuters reported the U.S. plans to impose a 17.5% tariff on Mexican tomatoes this week, coming after the two countries failed to renew the 2013 agreement. It cited Mexican officials as the source for report. "As of tomorrow, a tariff of 17.5% will be applied on the value of the product ... Mexican exporters will be affected, it's going to affect their financial flows but that is going to be directly transferred to U.S. consumers," Mexican Deputy Economy Minister Luz Maria de la Mora was quoted as saying. She added, "We're very disappointed but the good news is that negotiations continue, looking for a solution. And we hope that in the coming weeks we can, in fact, reach an agreement."
| null |
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/05/07/usmca-losses-to-georgia-growers-could-reach-about-900-million-report.html
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2019-05-07 18:44:00+00:00
| 1,557,269,040 | 1,567,540,985 |
politics
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international relations
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99,099 |
cnbc--2019-05-08--Pelosi doubts Trump will strike a trade deal with China this week as tariff hike looms
| 2019-05-08T00:00:00 |
cnbc
|
Pelosi doubts Trump will strike a trade deal with China this week as tariff hike looms
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Nancy Pelosi doubts the Trump administration can strike a trade deal with China this week as a tariff increase looms on Friday. "No," the House speaker said at a Washington Post Live event Wednesday when asked if she is confident an agreement will happen. "Let me just say that first of all, I never believed that the Chinese were going to honor what they said they were going to do. ... In any trade agreement if you don't have enforcement, all you're having is a conversation, a cup of tea." The U.S. plans to escalate its trade conflict with Beijing on Friday, when it expects to increase duties on $200 billion in Chinese goods to 25% from 10%. The move comes as the American side cites a lack of progress toward a final agreement to address trade concerns and accuses China of backing out of previous commitments. The Trump administration hopes it can still make progress when a Chinese delegation led by Vice Premier Liu He heads to Washington for talks on Thursday and Friday. On Wednesday, President Donald Trump tweeted that Chinese negotiators "are now coming to the U.S. to make a deal." But the president added that he is "very happy" with the revenue raised by tariffs, which he called "great" for the U.S. but "not good for China!" But U.S. consumers largely bear the costs of duties, not China. Top Democrats have largely backed Trump's efforts to crack down on what officials call Chinese trade abuses, such as intellectual property theft and forced technology transfers. But Washington and Beijing have disagreed over how best to enforce those provisions: Trump wants to at least temporarily leave tariffs in place to force China to uphold its end of an agreement. The president and Democrats have differed on how best to encourage China to strike a deal to change its practices. On Wednesday, Pelosi said, "The president is correct in asserting what we have to do with China." However, she said his methods are "empowering them to hurt our people." The tariffs Trump has put so far on $250 billion in Chinese goods sparked retaliatory duties that helped to send crop prices diving and damaged U.S. farmers. Pelosi contended that, rather than putting tariffs on allies such as the European Union and angering them, Trump should have spared them to increase the leverage the countries could have collectively had over China. Trump has more enthusiastic support from the top Senate Democrat. After Trump first announced the tariff increase on Sunday, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., urged him to "hang tough on China." The Trump administration has said it would consider delaying Friday's planned tariff increase if talks with Beijing make progress. But even some Democrats who backed Trump's initial efforts to overhaul trade deals and boost U.S. manufacturing workers have soured on his negotiating tactics with China. Some Democratic lawmakers who supported the president's tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from China have criticized the widening trade conflict. "President Trump's inability to close a deal with China is hurting our economy," Rep. Tim Ryan, an Ohio Democrat and 2020 presidential candidate, said in a statement. "Businesses need certainty—not a trade war. Our country needs President Trump to finally develop a whole-of-government strategy that holds China accountable and benefits American workers and businesses." Meanwhile, a spokeswoman for Sen. Sherrod Brown — another skeptic of U.S. trade agreements — said the Ohio Democrat "supports a strong final agreement that leads to long-term structural changes to curb China's cheating." The spokeswoman, Jennifer Donohue, did not immediately answer whether the senator thinks tariffs are the best method of getting to a final agreement.
| null |
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/05/08/pelosi-doubts-trump-will-reach-china-trade-deal-amid-tariff-trade-war.html
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2019-05-08 14:30:00+00:00
| 1,557,340,200 | 1,567,540,906 |
politics
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international relations
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99,605 |
cnbc--2019-08-05--US and China will not likely reach a trade deal this year says former ambassador
| 2019-08-05T00:00:00 |
cnbc
|
US and China will not likely reach a trade deal this year, says former ambassador
|
The latest escalation in tensions between the U.S. and China has reduced the chances that both sides could reach a trade deal this year, a former American diplomat said on Monday. Negotiations between Washington and Beijing appeared to be progressing well until U.S. President Donald Trump shocked markets in May by hiking tariffs from 10% to 25% on $200 billion of Chinese goods. Talks subsequently broke down and had resumed last week before Trump again threatened to slap 10% tariffs on $300 billion of Chinese goods starting Sept. 1. Trump's latest actions are "a step away from a solution," said Frank Lavin, U.S. ambassador to Singapore from 2001 to 2005. He added that it's "unlikely" both sides would reach a deal by the end of this year. "This tariffs war has gone on for over a year, so you see a deterioration in environment, a deterioration in trust and communication," Lavin, who's now chief executive at business consultancy Export Now, told CNBC's "Street Signs." Export Now is a company founded by Lavin to help consumer brands expand in China
| null |
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/08/05/us-china-unlikely-to-reach-a-trade-deal-this-year-former-ambassador.html
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2019-08-05 06:48:00+00:00
| 1,565,002,080 | 1,567,534,835 |
politics
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international relations
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99,709 |
cnbc--2019-08-20--Something like Tiananmen Square in Hong Kong would make a trade deal more difficult Pompeo says
| 2019-08-20T00:00:00 |
cnbc
|
'Something like Tiananmen Square' in Hong Kong would make a trade deal 'more difficult,' Pompeo says
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A trade deal between the U.S. and China would be less likely if President Xi Jinping's government cracks down violently on the large-scale protests in Hong Kong, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told CNBC on Tuesday. It would be "more difficult" to reach a trade deal if the protests end "in a way that there was violence — the president said something like Tiananmen Square," Pompeo said in an interview on "Squawk Box. " He was referring to the 1989 student-led demonstrations in Beijing's Tiananmen Square, which ended in mass bloodshed after government-deployed soldiers and tanks and fired on those protesters. "I hope that the trade negotiations move forward, and I hope that Hong Kong is resolved in a peaceful way. Those would be the best outcomes for both China and the United States," Pompeo said. Hong Kong has for weeks been roiled by massive protests that have resulted in tense clashes with police. The protests stemmed from opposition to an extradition bill that critics say would have given Beijing undue control over Hong Kong. But after the bill was suspended, the scope of the protest movement expanded to encompass issues of civil rights and democracy. When Britain handed over Hong Kong to China in 1997, Beijing promised that Hong Kong's economic and political systems would not be changed for 50 years. Over the weekend, President Donald Trump said that a trade deal "would be very hard" to do "if they do violence. If it's another Tiananmen Square … I think it's a very hard thing to do if there's violence." Republican and Democratic lawmakers alike have come out in support of the protesters. But the movement against Chinese interference complicates the political landscape for Trump, who has sought a trade deal with Beijing that addresses issues such as trade deficits, the alleged theft of intellectual property and forced technology transfers. Even without factoring in Hong Kong's impact on negotiations, the trade war between the two economic superpowers has shown little sign of slowing down. The U.S. has imposed 25% tariffs on about $250 billion worth of Chinese imports, while Beijing has responded with its own tariffs on $110 billion in U.S. goods. Despite the White House's decision last week to delay some new tariffs on Chinese goods to spare American holiday shoppers, billions in that country's imports will be taxed on Sept. 1. The rest of that round of tariffs, which will cover roughly the remaining $300 billion in goods bought from China, are slated to go into effect Dec. 15. China had initially responded to the prospect of new tariffs by announcing that it would no longer buy U.S. agricultural products. The U.S. then labeled China a currency manipulator.
| null |
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/08/20/pompeo-violence-in-hong-kong-would-make-china-trade-deal-more-difficult.html
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2019-08-20 13:06:00+00:00
| 1,566,320,760 | 1,567,533,963 |
politics
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international relations
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99,876 |
cnbc--2019-09-12--Trump says he would consider an interim trade deal with China
| 2019-09-12T00:00:00 |
cnbc
|
Trump says he would consider an interim trade deal with China
|
President Donald Trump signaled Thursday that he would consider an interim trade deal with China, even though he would not prefer it. The president told reporters he would like to ink a full agreement with the world's second largest economy. However, he left the door open to striking a limited deal with Beijing. "If we're going to do the deal, let's get it done," he told reporters as he left for a congressional Republican retreat in Baltimore. "A lot of people are talking about it, I see a lot of analysts are saying an interim deal — meaning we'll do pieces of it, the easy ones first. But there's no easy or hard. There's a deal or there's not a deal. But it's something we would consider, I guess." Trump's statements add to confusion sparked earlier in the day about what the White House would accept in its ongoing negotiations with China. U.S. stock indexes initially climbed on a report that the Trump administration talked about crafting an interim agreement. A White House official then said the U.S. is "absolutely not" considering such a deal, causing markets to give up some of those gains. Asked to clarify if Trump's position had changed from earlier in the day, White House spokesman Judd Deere emphasized the president's comment that he would prefer a complete agreement.
| null |
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/09/12/trump-says-he-would-consider-an-interim-trade-deal-with-china.html
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2019-09-12 21:57:00+00:00
| 1,568,339,820 | 1,569,330,342 |
politics
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international relations
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100,112 |
cnbc--2019-10-06--China is reportedly reluctant to agree to a broad US trade deal with talks set to restart
| 2019-10-06T00:00:00 |
cnbc
|
China is reportedly reluctant to agree to a broad US trade deal with talks set to restart
|
E-cigarettes cause lung cancer in mice, finds first study tying... How carcinogenic e-cigarette use is for humans "may not be known for a decade," but the study is the first to link vaping nicotine to cancer
| null |
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/06/china-is-reportedly-reluctant-to-agree-to-a-broad-us-trade-deal-with-talks-set-to-restart.html
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2019-10-06 21:00:00+00:00
| 1,570,410,000 | 1,570,632,942 |
politics
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international relations
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100,525 |
cnbc--2019-11-06--Trump-Xi meeting to sign trade deal could be delayed as US and China wrangle over terms and venue
| 2019-11-06T00:00:00 |
cnbc
|
Trump-Xi meeting to sign trade deal could be delayed as US and China wrangle over terms and venue
|
A meeting between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping to sign an interim trade deal could be delayed until December as the two parties look to agree on the terms and a new venue. A senior administration official told CNBC that the White House's goal is still to reach an agreement with Beijing by Nov. 16 – when the now-canceled APEC summit in Chile would have taken place – but it's not clear that timeline can be delivered. "The first order of business is to complete the negotiations," this official said, noting that the potential venue was just one element of the discussions. The official cast doubt on a signing summit in Sweden or Switzerland, which Reuters reported as under consideration, but did not rule it out entirely. Trump has suggested Switzerland as a possible meeting location for the deal signing since February, saying, "there's nowhere more neutral than that," according to an official paraphrasing Trump's views. A potential summit in Europe would be relatively neutral territory for the two leaders, both of whom are conscious of the political optics of signing a deal on the other's home turf. Trump is scheduled to be in London for a gathering of NATO leaders on Dec. 3-4, and people close to the talks say a potential signing could happen nearby before or after that visit. "Negotiations are continuing and progress is being made on the text of the phase-one agreement," said White House deputy press secretary Judd Deere. Last month, the Trump and Xi administrations started working to finalize a "phase one" trade agreement that included a pause in tariff escalation and China buying U.S. agriculture products. The deal was expected to be signed during an APEC summit in Chile this month, but violent protests in Santiago over unrelated issues led to the cancellation of the event. The United States and China have been at odds ever since over a possible U.S. location for the meeting. The U.S. suggested hosting the meeting in Iowa to feature the agricultural benefits of the potential deal in a critical swing state. But the Chinese suggested Hawaii or Alaska – with a preference for Alaska, in part to revive a partnership over liquefied natural gas, according to two people close to the talks. At earlier stages of discussions, Xi suggested the two leaders meet in Asia after Trump's February summit in Vietnam. Months later, the two countries were discussing a signing summit at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. Beijing has suggested that a full-fledged state visit in Washington would be required for Xi to visit the country.
| null |
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/11/06/trump-xi-meeting-to-sign-trade-deal-could-be-delayed-over-terms-venue.html
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Wed, 06 Nov 2019 18:53 GMT
| 1,573,084,380 | 1,573,081,714 |
politics
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international relations
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100,775 |
cnbc--2019-12-04--Agriculture secretary says Trump wants a US-China trade deal that's 'enforceable' and 'reliable'
| 2019-12-04T00:00:00 |
cnbc
|
Agriculture secretary says Trump wants a US-China trade deal that's 'enforceable' and 'reliable'
|
President Donald Trump only wants a "phase one" trade deal with China that works for the United States, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue told CNBC on Wednesday. "Trump wants to conclude a deal that can be enforceable, that can be reliable and be consistent with what the deal says," said Perdue, who appeared on "Squawk Box" shortly after Bloomberg reported that the U.S. and China were edging closer to finalizing an agreement before new U.S. tariffs go into effect on Chinese goods on Dec. 15. In comments from this week's NATO summit, Trump said Wednesday that China trade talks are going well — just one day after suggesting he may want to delay a China trade deal until after the 2020 presidential election. Perdue said the trade war, which has seen escalating tariffs on both sides for more than 15 months, has actually been been going on for the past 20 years. "We just didn't recognize it until President Trump decided to reset the arrangement." Beijing and Washington have placed retaliatory tariffs on billions of dollars of each other's goods, a move that's hit U.S. farmers. Nearly $20 billion in U.S. agricultural exports went to China last year. "We in agriculture are optimistically hopeful we can conclude this," Perdue said, reiterating concerns from some Trump officials that China won't follow through on its promises. Farmers were looking for some relief in the phase one deal, announced by Trump in October. Though not signed, Trump said the accord will include purchases of about $40 billion to $50 billion worth of farm products by China. The U.S. Department of Agriculture in July also authorized up to $12 billion in aid to help farmers who have been harmed by the retaliatory tariffs. However, farmers are looking for a permanent deal rather than help from the White House. "Every farmer in America would rather have trade than aid," Perdue said.
| null |
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/12/04/agriculture-secretary-says-trump-wants-trade-deal-thats-enforceable.html
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Wed, 04 Dec 2019 14:35 GMT
| 1,575,488,100 | 1,575,504,554 |
politics
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international relations
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100,870 |
cnbc--2019-12-12--US reaches a phase one trade deal with China in principle pending Trump's approval
| 2019-12-12T00:00:00 |
cnbc
|
US reaches a phase one trade deal with China in principle pending Trump's approval
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The Trump administration has reached a phase one trade deal with China in principle, pending approval from President Donald Trump, three sources close to talks told CNBC on Thursday. Trump met with top advisors on Thursday about trade with China and whether to delay the next round of U.S. tariffs. Duties of 15%, set to take effect Sunday, would affect about $160 billion in Chinese-made goods including toys, computers, phones and clothing. The White House has offered to scrap those duties and slash some existing tariffs in half, two sources told CNBC. The U.S. proposed cutting existing duties on $360 billion in Chinese products by 50%. Trump has focused on the U.S. agricultural products China will purchase as part of the deal, one of the sources told CNBC. China had committed to buying about $40 billion in goods, while the president wanted the figure closer to $50 billion. The world's two largest economies have moved to rein in a trade war that threatens to drag on global growth. It is unclear exactly how the agreement between Washington and Beijing differs from a partial deal the president announced in October. Major U.S. stock indexes jumped following news of the deal in principle. Investors hope the U.S. and China can reach an accord before the tariff deadline and avoid a potentially damaging escalation in their nearly 2-year-old trade war. Bloomberg first reported that the U.S. and China reached a deal in principle Thursday. On Thursday morning, Trump signaled optimism about an agreement with China. He tweeted that the U.S. has moved close to a trade deal with Beijing after several false starts and near misses. "Getting VERY close to a BIG DEAL with China. They want it, and so do we!" the president wrote. Aside from his advisors, the president also huddled with major business figures on Thursday, CNBC has learned. Business Roundtable CEO Joshua Bolten, Cummins CEO Tom Linebarger, Stanley Black and Decker CEO James Loree and Union Pacific CEO Lance Fritz, among others, met with Trump. It is unclear if the meeting overlapped with the China trade discussions. The White House tariff offer to Beijing, first reported in The Wall Street Journal on Thursday, came last week and may have changed. Recent talks have taken place mostly at the deputy level as U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer tries to push the administration's NAFTA replacement through Congress. Trump's acknowledgement that the U.S. wants a deal marked a shift in tone from recent weeks. He has repeatedly contended that Beijing needs an agreement more than Washington does, and suggested he was content waiting until after the November 2020 election to strike a deal — a statement that disappointed investors. Trump in October announced a partial phase one agreement with China as the world's two largest economies try to de-escalate the economic conflict. Washington and Beijing had so far failed to sign the agreement. During months of trade talks with China, the president has previously touted progress before discussions crumbled. He has repeatedly said the negotiations are going well, even as trade officials struggled to reach a deal. The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative did not immediately respond to a request to comment. Trump wants a broad trade agreement with China to address concerns about intellectual property theft, forced technology transfers and trade deficits. The president, who promised to crack down with China during his 2016 campaign, sees an agreement as an economic and political priority ahead of his 2020 reelection bid. Not all of Trump's advisors want to back off the planned duties. China hawk Peter Navarro, under the pseudonym "Ron Vara," wrote a memo supporting the White House's tariff strategy. In the document obtained by CNBC on Wednesday, he wrote that tariffs "are working to defend [the] economy and have had no negative impacts on growth or stock market rise."
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https://www.cnbc.com/2019/12/12/trump-getting-very-close-to-a-big-deal-with-china-they-want-it-and-so-do-we.html
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Thu, 12 Dec 2019 21:59:08 GMT
| 1,576,205,948 | 1,576,195,746 |
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international relations
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101,009 |
cnbc--2019-12-30--Vice Premier Liu He to sign 'phase one' trade deal in Washington this week, Chinese media says
| 2019-12-30T00:00:00 |
cnbc
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Vice Premier Liu He to sign 'phase one' trade deal in Washington this week, Chinese media says
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US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin (R) and US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer (L) greet Chinese Vice Premier Liu He (C) as he arrives for trade talks at the Office of the US Trade Representative in Washington, DC, October 10, 2019. ( The newspaper, citing a source briefed on the matter, said Beijing has accepted the U.S. invitation for a deal signing in Washington, and the Chinese delegation will stay in the U.S. for a few days until the middle of next week. The South China Morning Post is run by Alibaba but is often criticized for being biased in favor of the state. Chinese Vice Premier Liu He, that nation's top trade negotiator, will visit Washington this week to sign the "phase one" trade deal with the U.S., the South China Morning Post reported Monday. The two countries have been working on translating and formalizing the partial agreement since earlier this month. The phase one trade deal includes some tariffs rollback and increased agricultural purchases from China. White House trade advisor Peter Navarro told Fox News on Monday that the signing will likely happen within next week or so with both sides waiting for the translation. President Donald Trump said last week that the deal is "getting done," adding that there will "ultimately" be a signing ceremony with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer previously said the two countries were aiming to sign the deal in the first week of January in Washington at the ministerial level and would not involve Trump and Xi.
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https://www.cnbc.com/2019/12/30/liu-he-to-sign-phase-one-trade-deal-in-washinton-this-week.html
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Mon, 30 Dec 2019 23:12:36 GMT
| 1,577,765,556 | 1,577,751,001 |
politics
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international relations
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cnn--2019-01-09--Trumps new trade deal still wont pay for his wall
| 2019-01-09T00:00:00 |
cnn
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Trump's new trade deal still won't pay for his wall
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Now he's demanding that Congress come up with more than $5 billion to build a wall. He'll make a prime-time address Tuesday night, making his case to the public that a wall is needed to address what the administration views as a national security and humanitarian crisis along the Mexico-US border. But even as the government remains shut down due to a fight over the money, the President continues to suggest that Mexico will ultimately pay for some of the wall through his revamped North American Free Trade Agreement, the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement. "Mexico is paying for the Wall through the new USMCA Trade Deal. Much of the Wall has already been fully renovated or built. We have done a lot of work. $5.6 Billion Dollars that House has approved is very little in comparison to the benefits of National Security. Quick payback!" Trump tweeted last week. "It's extremely implausible," said Phil Levy, a senior fellow at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs who served as a senior economist for trade under President George W. Bush. The USMCA could potentially create more economic activity, and in turn raise tax revenue. The Trump administration has said new rules on auto production would bring manufacturing jobs back to the US. But for now, it's unclear what kind of impact the deal will have on the American economy. It could potentially eliminate some jobs, too. The US International Trade Commission is investigating the economic impact of the deal, but it has until mid-March to publish its report. Even if the USMCA ends up raising tax revenue, there's nothing earmarking that money for a wall. Income and corporate taxes are general revenue that would have to be appropriated by Congress. Another way trade could bring money into the Treasury is through tariffs -- which are paid by American importers when they buy foreign goods. But like the original North American Free Trade Agreement, the new deal aims to keep trade between the three countries largely tariff-free. "There's not that much in the new deal that looks radical and new. You're already starting with free trade across the two borders," Levy said. Plus, the USMCA hasn't been ratified by Congress yet, and it's unclear whether it will get the votes. It's unlikely that the Democrats, who now control the House, will be eager to hand a victory to Trump, and Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said she would like to see stronger enforcement measures for the labor and environment provisions in the deal.
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Katie Lobosco
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http://rss.cnn.com/~r/rss/cnn_allpolitics/~3/CjikrEK_fao/index.html
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2019-01-09 01:03:46+00:00
| 1,547,013,826 | 1,567,553,320 |
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cnn--2019-02-25--Trump declares signing summit for imminent trade deal with China
| 2019-02-25T00:00:00 |
cnn
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Trump declares 'signing summit' for imminent trade deal with China
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It was yet another optimistic signal by the American President that a long-standing trade impasse that has resulted in a series of tit-for-tat tariffs may finally be nearing a close as negotiators inched closer to a 90-day deadline of March 1. "I told you last night -- there was a lovely dinner -- but I told you how well we did with our trade talks in China and it looks like they'll be coming back quickly again, and we're going to have another summit, we're going to have a signing summit, which is even better, so hopefully we can get that completed, but we're getting very, very close," Trump told the nation's governors at the White House. The US President also floated the prospect of a summit "to conclude an agreement" with China's Xi should progress continue. He didn't specify how long the extension of a trade truce would be or when a summit might be scheduled. During a meeting with Chinese Vice Premiere Liu He on Friday in the Oval Office, suggested it would take place sometime in March at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. The Trump administration had been planning to escalate tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese goods from 10% to 25% this weekend if they were unable to broker a deal. "China is paying us right now billions and billions of tariffs a month, I love it personally, I love it, but it's hurting them," Trump said and then recounted his fentanyl deal with Xi. Fentanyl is a substance that has been tied to an epidemic of overdose deaths in the United States, which has been a top priority issue for the Trump administration. Over the weekend, Chinese trade negotiators echoed Trump's remarks, saying the countries' teams had "achieved substantial progress on specific issues," according to a statement released to Xinhua, China's state news agency. The two countries have been making progress nailing down text in the form of Memoranda of Understanding in six areas: non-tariff barriers, forced technology transfers, intellectual property, cyber theft, agriculture and currency, according to public statements from both countries. Trump praised on Sunday evening at this year's Governors' Ball, his top trade negotiator Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin for the progress achieved after negotiations last week in Washington were extended for two-and-half more days. His remarks followed a moment of tension between Trump and Lighthizer over the use of the term "memorandum of understanding" to signify a trade agreement between the United States and China. "I don't like MOUs because they don't mean anything ... I think you're better off just going into a document," Trump said on Friday to reporters. "I was never a fan of an MOU." Lighthizer appeared to steer Trump away from his understanding of the use of term, describing it as a "contract," a legal term that has been historically used to refer to trade agreements. But Trump still wasn't pleased, disagreeing with his US trade representative in front of reporters. "To me, the final contract is really the thing, Bob. And I think you mean that too -- is really the thing that means something." To which, Lighthizer acquiesced, saying he would use the term "trade agreement" instead. "I like that much better," Trump replied.
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Donna Borak
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http://rss.cnn.com/~r/rss/cnn_allpolitics/~3/Zr95MfaYkJo/index.html
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2019-02-25 17:12:15+00:00
| 1,551,132,735 | 1,567,547,423 |
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cnn--2019-12-16--US and Mexico say trade deal is on track after last-minute objections
| 2019-12-16T00:00:00 |
cnn
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US and Mexico say trade deal is on track after last-minute objections
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The trade agreement is still headed for debate and a vote in the US House later this week. The Senate is expected to take it up in January after impeachment. Mexico's Undersecretary for North America, Jesus Seade, rushed to Washington to meet with trade officials Monday, after writing to US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer to say he was "surprised" about the modifications to the USMCA, which has already been ratified in its original form by both Mexico and Canada. But on Monday, Seade said he was "very satisfied" with the new terms. At issue was a labor provision added in negotiations between Lighthizer and House Democrats that designates up to five inspectors from the United States Department of Labor to be stationed in Mexico working on implementing labor reform. Mexican officials said they were not consulted on this addition. But Lighthizer clarified Monday that the five US workers would be providing technical assistance, disbursing capacity building funds, and providing assistance to a new US government interagency labor committee. "These personnel will not be 'labor inspectors' and will abide by all relevant Mexican laws," he wrote in a letter to Seade, which his office made public. At a press conference in Washington on Monday afternoon, Seade said he was pleased with the terms laid out in Lighthizer's letter regarding the five US workers. "Their business is cooperation, assistance, disbursement of funds and reporting to the big interagency committee," he said. Earlier in the day, top White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow was confident that Mexico's concerns would not hold up the deal. "Mr. Lighthizer is gonna work that out," Kudlow, director of the economic council, told reporters, adding, "I know it's not going to stop this successful passage of USMCA." The ratification of the trade agreement would be a huge victory for President Donald Trump as he heads into an election year. He made renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement a legislative priority and signed the deal, with his Canadian and Mexican counterparts, about a year ago -- but it still needs to be ratified by US Congress. The agreement keeps most trade between the three countries tariff-free, addresses digital trade, and strengthens labor and environmental enforcement provisions. It also nudges open the Canadian dairy market to US farmers and requires more of a car's parts to be made in North America in order to remain free from tariffs, but generally the two deals are more alike than they are different. The Trump administration finally reached a deal with House Democrats last week after months of negotiations for changes on Democratic priorities, including strengthening efforts to enforce labor rules. Speaking during the daily press conference in Mexico City on Monday morning, Mexico's Foreign Secretary Marcelo Ebrard said the country will not accept US attachés in their territory -- but did not suggest there was a threat to the deal passing. "Every country tries to advance their points," Ebard said adding, "we do not feel tricked because the deal was respected just as it was signed."
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http://rss.cnn.com/~r/rss/cnn_allpolitics/~3/yXCatOUL7EM/index.html
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Mon, 16 Dec 2019 21:38:29 GMT
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conservativehome--2019-08-14--James Arnell The conventional wisdom about a trade deal with America is wrong Trump will want a fa
| 2019-08-14T00:00:00 |
conservativehome
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James Arnell: The conventional wisdom about a trade deal with America is wrong. Trump will want a fair one. Here’s why.
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James Arnell is a partner at Charterhouse. He writes in a personal capacity. I disagree with most commentators who believe that the UK will get a raw deal in any US-UK trade negotiations after Brexit. I do not underestimate the fickleness of Trump, nor the Irish-American lobby in Congress. I recognise the overwhelming weight of the US relative to the UK. I know that the US looks after its interests and does no one any favours. But I don’t think any of that will stop us agreeing a decent trade deal. I believe that the US has major strategic interests in a trade deal with the UK, and that it will decide not to use all the undeniable leverage it has to strike the toughest possible terms. It will want to strike a fair deal. The US is in “America First” mode. Contrary to what most people seem to believe, I believe that means Trump, and the American people, wish to see a global trading system which it sees as fair from its perspective. There are many senior American business people who believe that the renegotiation of NAFTA was long overdue, and who are throughly fed up with the uneven playing field between the US and China. Yes, they worry about the effects of the US-China trade war on the US economy, but many of them believe that some fights just have to be had. There is more patriotism in American business and much more business support for Trump’s China line than the media presents. The opportunity to strike a trade deal with a long-term ally like the UK is timely. Agreeing an even-handed trade deal sends a strong message: this is about fairness, not American economic bullying. I am optimistic that the US, across the political spectrum, will support a fair deal with the UK, because I think that it has a very strong interest in sending that message. And that is not all. A thriving UK, in a comprehensive free trade relationship with the US, right on the periphery of the EU, will put massive pressure on it. Other EU countries, fed up with the federal agenda of the EU, will look at the UK and wonder whether they too might be better free and able to strike their own trade relationships. This threat to the EU will be eyed by the US as great leverage to force the EU into what the US would see as a fair trade deal. They will want the UK to succeed in its deal with the US. They won’t want to screw us – because that would make it far too easy for the EU to keep its trade barriers up. The US’ leverage is greater if any UK-US trade deal is designed to be as close as possible to something the EU could, should and, ultimately, would accept. There is no leverage in agreeing a deal which does not work for the UK and which certainly would not work for the EU, and the smart money in the US will know it. Aside from its desire to show an openness to trade with partners who do not play the US for fools, and its desire to pressurise the EU, the US will also welcome a committed ally in the global struggle for a new trade order, binding the three big blocs (US, China, Europe) into a more open, more level world trade regime or, at least, binding the rest of the world into a trading system around an unreformed China. That is the best chance of America remaining “First”. At present, we are in the phase of pulling down the old system, which the US sees as rotten and against its own interests. We should not confuse that with isolationism. My firm belief is that the US will relish the opportunity to show the world what its new order should look like, by agreeing a sensible deal with the UK.
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James Arnell
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https://www.conservativehome.com/platform/2019/08/jamie-arnell-the-conventional-wisdom-about-a-trade-deal-with-america-is-wrong-trump-will-want-a-fair-one-heres-why.html
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2019-08-14 05:30:38+00:00
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dailymail--2019-05-28--Japan calls Trumps promise of a trade deal by August hopeful thinking
| 2019-05-28T00:00:00 |
dailymail
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Japan calls Trump's promise of a trade deal by August 'hopeful thinking'
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Donald Trump's promise of a trade deal with Japan by August has been shot down by Japanese officials just a day after the US President made the comments. On Monday, Trump indicated the two countries would straighten out their differences ‘rapidly’ and said a trade announcement would come within months. Trump's optimism came following a meeting with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during the president's four-day state visit. But Japan’s economy minister played down expectations today, describing Trump’s words as wishful thinking. Toshimitsu Motegi told reporters at a cabinet meeting: ‘When you look at the exact wording of his comments, you can see that the president was voicing his hopes of swift progress in talks toward something that is mutually beneficial.’ Trump was in Japan to meet Japan's new emperor Naruhito and hash out a trade deal with the prime minister. Washington and Tokyo have been spatting over tariffs on cars and agricultural products for months. Trump has repeatedly complained about the trade imbalance between the two sides, especially in automobiles, and has threatened Japan and European carmakers with tariffs. The US had a £67.6 billion trade deficit in goods with Japan last year, according to the office of the US Trade Representative. In April Japan's exports to the U.S. jumped nearly 10 per cent, while imports of American goods rose 2.3 per cent. Japan's trade surplus surged almost 18 per cent to 723 billion yen ($6.6bn). Its imports from the U.S. are dominated by food, chemicals, machinery and devices. The Trump administration has designated auto imports as a threat to U.S. national security, though the government has delayed a decision on raising tariffs on imported cars for six months. Apart from cars, Washington is also worried American farm products won't get a fair deal, as Japan forges trade pacts with Australia and Europe.
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https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7077613/Japan-calls-Trumps-promise-trade-deal-August-hopeful-thinking.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490
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2019-05-28 16:14:47+00:00
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dailymail--2019-06-18--Trump claims theres a chance of a trade deal with Chinas Xi when the two meet next week
| 2019-06-18T00:00:00 |
dailymail
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Trump claims there's a 'chance' of a trade deal with China's Xi when the two meet next week
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President Donald Trump said Tuesday his relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping is 'a very good one' and noted there is a 'chance' of a trade deal being made at next week's G-20 meeting in Japan. 'I have a very good relationship with President XI. We'll see what happens. I think we have a chance. China wants a deal. They don't like the tariffs. A lot of companies are leaving China in order to avoid the tariffs,' he told reporters at the White House before he left for Florida. 'I think that is working out pretty much as I anticipated it would,' he said. 'China very much wants to discuss the future and so do we. So the relationship with President XI a very good one. We had a long talk this morning,' he added. 'We'll see what happens,' he noted. President Trump said ahead of next week's meeting between the two leaders, their teams would start trade talks - which broke down last month - on Wednesday. 'I think the meeting might go well. Frankly our people are starting to deal as of tomorrow, the team is starting to deal. We'll see. China would like to make the deal. We would like to make the deal but it has to be a good deal for everybody,' he said. The news of Trump's morning phone call with Xi sent stocks soaring on Tuesday as did his announcement he'll meet his Chinese counterpart at next week's G-20 meeting in Japan. The two leaders spoke on the phone Tuesday morning to discuss ongoing trade negotiations between Washington D.C. and Beijing - a topic they will pick up on in Osaka at the end of the month. 'Had a very good telephone conversation with President Xi of China,' the president wrote on Twitter. 'We will be having an extended meeting next week at the G-20 in Japan. Our respective teams will begin talks prior to our meeting.' On their call, the two men discussed 'the importance of leveling the playing field for U.S. farmers, workers, and businesses through a fair and reciprocal economic relationship,' according to a White House readout of the conversation. 'It's a good call. i guess you look at the rally, the stock market, I think the market says talk is better than no talk,' White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow told reporters at the White House. 'No guarantees.' But he declined to specify what would exactly be on the agenda. 'It's really hard to say and I don't want to speculate. The two leaders will talk.' He added: 'The fact that they're meeting means they're meeting. That's all I can say. Kudlow rule: better to talk than not to talk, most of the time.' Meanwhile, stock prices rose on Wall Street after Trump tweeted about his conversation. Investors are watching for any kind of positive movement between the nations in their trade war. And Wall Street is praying Trump doesn't go through on his threat expand his tariffs to $300 billion on goods from China. China's state-run TV said Xi was looking forward to the meeting. 'As the two largest economies in the world, China and the United States should play a leading role in promoting positive outcomes of the Osaka Summit of the Group of Twenty and injecting confidence and vitality into the global market,' it quoted Xi as saying. 'I would like to meet with Mr. President during the Osaka Summit of the leaders of the Group of Twenty to exchange views on fundamental issues related to the development of Sino-US relations.' Washington has already imposed 25 per cent tariffs on $250 billion of Chinese goods. In response, China raised tariffs on $60 billion worth of U.S. goods. Talks between the two countries broke down last month but hopes were high Trump and Xi would talk when both are in Japan.
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https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7154859/Now-Trump-says-meet-Chinas-Xi-one-one-talks-trade-G-20.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490
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2019-06-18 21:42:34+00:00
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dailymail--2019-07-30--US politicians warn USUK trade deal is all but impossible if Brexit threatens Irish peace
| 2019-07-30T00:00:00 |
dailymail
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US politicians warn US/UK trade deal is 'all but impossible' if Brexit threatens Irish peace
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A Transatlantic trade deal will be 'all but impossible' if the Good Friday Agreement is undermined, a group of prominent Irish-Americans have warned. A committee set up in the US to protect the peace treaty said it was 'deeply concerned' at Boris Johnson's call for the backstop to be ditched from the Brexit deal. The bipartisan group, which includes former US ambassadors, state governors and foreign policy experts, echoed the views of Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi last week. She suggested a trade deal would fall if it did not honour the peace deal. The intervention is a fresh headache for the new PM as he seeks to find a way of securing Brexit. Mr Johnson has been hoping to secure a quick deal with America that could underline the benefits of leaving the EU - with Donald Trump saying he wants to boost trade between the countries by a multiple of five. But in a letter to Northern Ireland Secretary Julian Smith, the US group made clear the process will not be straightforward. 'We remain deeply concerned given the new prime minister's recent statement in the Commons that there can be no Irish backstop in the withdrawal agreement, even one with a time limit,' they said. 'We view the belief that alternative arrangements can easily solve the problem of the Irish Border with a healthy scepticism as do many experts.' Pointing to Ms Pelosi's comments to The Irish Times last week that Congress will not sign off on a trade pact if the peace agreement is undermined, they added: 'As former members of Congress we can assure you that getting any trade deal through the Congress is challenging at any time,' Signatories to the letter include former members of congress Bruce Morrison and Jim Walsh. Ms Pelosi said last week: 'We made it clear in our conversations with senior members of the Conservative Party earlier this year that there should be no return to a hard border on the island. That position has not changed. What is the Irish backstop and why is it so divisive? The so-called Irish border backstop is one of the most controversial parts of the existing Brexit deal. This is what it means: The backstop was invented to meet promises to keep open the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland even if there is no comprehensive UK-EU trade deal. The divorce deal says it will kick in automatically at the end of the Brexit transition period if that deal is not in place. It effectively keeps the UK in a customs union with the EU and Northern Ireland in both the customs union and single market. This means many EU laws will keep being imposed on the UK, restricting its ability to do its own trade deals. It also means regulatory checks on some goods crossing the Irish Sea. Why have Ireland and the EU demanded it? Because the UK is leaving the customs union and single market, the EU said it needed guarantees that people and goods circulating inside its border - in this case in Ireland - met its rules. This is covered by the Brexit transition, which effectively maintains the status quo, and can in theory be done in the comprehensive EU-UK trade deal. But the EU said there had to be a backstop to cover what happens in any gap between the transition and final deal. Because Britain cannot decide when to leave the backstop. Getting out - even if there is a trade deal - can only happen if both sides agree and Brexiteers fear the EU will unreasonably demand the backstop continues so EU law continues to apply in Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland MPs also hate the regulatory border in the Irish Sea, insisting it unreasonably carves up the United Kingdom. 'Any trade deal between the US and Great Britain would have to be cognisant of that.' The US Ambassador said last week the White House would not need to know the future terms on which the UK would trade with the EU in order to start work on a cross-Atlantic agreement. 'I think that you have to take what you have got,' Mr Johnson said. 'No, I don't think that's imperative. I think if you have a No Deal Brexit you can still negotiate trade deals with other countries.' Asked if a No Deal split would actually help the chances of the US and Britain striking a free trade agreement, Mr Johnson told the BBC: 'That I would leave to the expert trade negotiators. 'But I would think when you are allowed to start negotiating you start negotiating and you are going to have a lot of bilateral trade agreements here and even maybe multilateral. 'You are going to have to deal with the situation as it exists.' Brexiteers believe a US trade deal would bring tremendous economic benefits to the UK and have hailed it as one of the great prizes of leaving the EU. But critics believe a deal would not come close to replicating the existing benefits of the UK's current EU membership and there are also major concerns about what the price of such an agreement could be. Some believe Washington could demand the UK lower its animal welfare standards to allow the import of chlorine-washed chicken or let US healthcare providers bid to run parts of the NHS. The backstop was included in the original Brexit deal as a last resort measure to be used in the event no overall trade deal has been struck by the two sides by the end of the transition period. It would effectively see existing EU rules on customs kept in place to ensure frictionless trade on the island of Ireland could continue and prevent the return of a hard border. But Brexiteers hate it because if implemented it would last indefinitely, restrict the UK's ability to strike its own trade deal and getting out of it would require the agreement of both sides.
| null |
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7302249/US-politicians-warn-UK-trade-deal-impossible-Brexit-threatens-Irish-peace.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490
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2019-07-30 18:59:02+00:00
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dailymail--2019-07-31--Congress will veto trade deal if Brexit means hard Irish border US politicians warn
| 2019-07-31T00:00:00 |
dailymail
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Congress will veto trade deal if Brexit means hard Irish border, US politicians warn
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Congress will veto a Transatlantic trade deal if Brexit results in a hard Irish border, US politicians warned today. Boris Johnson has hailed the prospect of a deep pact with the US as a major benefit of cutting ties with the EU - and Donald Trump has also voiced enthusiasm. However, any agreement would need to be approved by the US congress, and a slew of senior figures have suggested that will not happen if the Good Friday Agreement has been put at risk. Richard Neal, who is co-chair of the 54-strong Friends of Ireland caucus in Congress, and also chairs the powerful House ways and means committee, said there would be 'little enthusiasm' for a trade deal in those circumstances. The intervention is a fresh headache for the new PM as he seeks to find a way of securing Brexit. Earlier this week a committee set up in the US to protect the peace treaty said it was 'deeply concerned' at Boris Johnson's call for the backstop to be ditched from the Brexit deal. The bipartisan group, which includes former US ambassadors, former state governors and foreign policy experts, echoed the views of Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi. who suggested a trade deal would fall if it did not honour the peace deal. Mr Neal, whose committee oversees trade deals, told the Guardian: 'The American dimension to the Good Friday agreement is indispensable. 'I would have little enthusiasm for entertaining a bilateral trade agreement with the UK, if they were to jeopardise the agreement.' Pete King, the Republican co-chair of the Friends of Ireland group, said the demand to ditch the backstop was a 'needless provocation'. 'I would think anyone who has a strong belief in Northern Ireland and the Good Friday agreement the open border would certainly be willing to go against the President,' he said. In a letter to Northern Ireland Secretary Julian Smith this week, the US committee made clear the process will not be straightforward. 'We remain deeply concerned given the new prime minister's recent statement in the Commons that there can be no Irish backstop in the withdrawal agreement, even one with a time limit,' they said. 'We view the belief that alternative arrangements can easily solve the problem of the Irish Border with a healthy scepticism as do many experts.' Pointing to Ms Pelosi's comments to The Irish Times last week that Congress will not sign off on a trade pact if the peace agreement is undermined, they added: 'As former members of Congress we can assure you that getting any trade deal through the Congress is challenging at any time,' Signatories to the letter include former members of congress Bruce Morrison and Jim Walsh. Ms Pelosi said last week: 'We made it clear in our conversations with senior members of the Conservative Party earlier this year that there should be no return to a hard border on the island. That position has not changed. What is the Irish backstop and why is it so divisive? The so-called Irish border backstop is one of the most controversial parts of the existing Brexit deal. This is what it means: The backstop was invented to meet promises to keep open the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland even if there is no comprehensive UK-EU trade deal. The divorce deal says it will kick in automatically at the end of the Brexit transition period if that deal is not in place. It effectively keeps the UK in a customs union with the EU and Northern Ireland in both the customs union and single market. This means many EU laws will keep being imposed on the UK, restricting its ability to do its own trade deals. It also means regulatory checks on some goods crossing the Irish Sea. Why have Ireland and the EU demanded it? Because the UK is leaving the customs union and single market, the EU said it needed guarantees that people and goods circulating inside its border - in this case in Ireland - met its rules. This is covered by the Brexit transition, which effectively maintains the status quo, and can in theory be done in the comprehensive EU-UK trade deal. But the EU said there had to be a backstop to cover what happens in any gap between the transition and final deal. Because Britain cannot decide when to leave the backstop. Getting out - even if there is a trade deal - can only happen if both sides agree and Brexiteers fear the EU will unreasonably demand the backstop continues so EU law continues to apply in Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland MPs also hate the regulatory border in the Irish Sea, insisting it unreasonably carves up the United Kingdom. 'Any trade deal between the US and Great Britain would have to be cognisant of that.' The US Ambassador said last week the White House would not need to know the future terms on which the UK would trade with the EU in order to start work on a cross-Atlantic agreement. 'I think that you have to take what you have got,' Mr Johnson said. 'No, I don't think that's imperative. I think if you have a No Deal Brexit you can still negotiate trade deals with other countries.' Asked if a No Deal split would actually help the chances of the US and Britain striking a free trade agreement, Mr Johnson told the BBC: 'That I would leave to the expert trade negotiators. 'But I would think when you are allowed to start negotiating you start negotiating and you are going to have a lot of bilateral trade agreements here and even maybe multilateral. 'You are going to have to deal with the situation as it exists.' Brexiteers say a US trade deal would bring tremendous economic benefits to the UK and have hailed it as one of the great prizes of leaving the EU. But critics insist a deal would not come close to replicating the existing benefits of the UK's current EU membership and there are also major concerns about what the price of such an agreement could be. Some believe Washington could demand the UK lower its animal welfare standards to allow the import of chlorine-washed chicken or let US healthcare providers bid to run parts of the NHS. The backstop was included in the original Brexit deal as a last resort measure to be used in the event no overall trade deal has been struck by the two sides by the end of the transition period. It would effectively see existing EU rules on customs kept in place to ensure frictionless trade on the island of Ireland could continue and prevent the return of a hard border. But Brexiteers hate it because if implemented it would last indefinitely, restrict the UK's ability to strike its own trade deal and getting out of it would require the agreement of both sides.
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2019-07-31 14:18:28+00:00
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dailymail--2019-08-07--Dominic Raab talks up post-Brexit trade deal with the US after surprise Donald Trump meeting
| 2019-08-07T00:00:00 |
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Dominic Raab talks up post-Brexit trade deal with the US after surprise Donald Trump meeting
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Dominic Raab hailed Donald Trump's 'huge appetite' for a post-Brexit trade deal with the UK today after a surprise meeting at the White House. The Foreign Secretary chatted with Mr Trump in the Oval Office last night on a whistle-stop tour of North America as he seek to build support for Transatlantic trade deals after Brexit. He also held talks with the vice president Mike Pence in meetings that were not announced beforehand. Mr Raab described the president as 'effusive in his warmth' for the UK, adding: 'It was amazing to hear an American president talk about our country in such warm terms.' Speaking to Sky in Washington today about the meeting the Foreign Secretary said: 'He expressed his high regard for Boris Johnson as a Prime Minister and we talked about all the things that we want to do together in the post-Brexit vision for the UK. 'Whether it is getting a free trade deal done - and there is obviously going to be a lot of work to make that happen - but there is huge appetite on both sides to achieve that.' It is a major relations boost for the new UK top team as they seek to boost UK trade after Brexit. Mr Raab later met his US counterpart Mike Pompeo, in Washington. Speaking to reporters about Brexit alongside the Secretary of State Mr Raab said: 'We will manage the risks come what may. We will leave at the end of October and are determined to make a success of it.' Mr Raab had earlier hailed the 'warmth and enthusiasm' of Donald Trump for the special relationship between Britain and America today after a surprise meeting in Washington last night. He said: 'We appreciate the President's warmth and enthusiasm for the UK-US relationship. 'The UK looks forward to working with our American friends to reach a free trade deal that is good for both countries, and cooperating on the common security challenges we face.' MailOnline understands that the meeting with Trump came during the Foreign Secretary's sit down with Mr Pence at the White House. Mr Raab is also due to sit down with US National security Adviser John Bolton in Washington, the Foreign Office said. He flew into the US capital following talks on Tuesday in Toronto with Canadian foreign minister Chrystia Freeland and is due to travel on to Mexico following his meetings in the US capital. The Foreign Secretary is not the only Cabinet minister attempting to woo the Americans this week Trade Secretary Liz Truss is in Washington to meet figures including secretary of commerce Wilbur Ross. Tomorrow she is due to give a speech at the Heritage Foundation in Washington. Ms Truss said: 'Negotiating and signing an exciting new free trade agreement with the US is one of my top priorities. 'Having already laid the groundwork, we are fast-tracking this deal so that businesses are able to take advantage of the golden opportunity to increase trade with the US as soon as possible.' Boris Johnson insists a Transatlantic trade agreement will be one of the big benefits of leaving the EU, which he has said must happen by the end of October. Mr Trump has also voiced enthusiasm for a pact, saying it could boost trade between the countries by a multiple of five. However, US politicians have warned that Congress is unlikely to sign off on any deal if Brexit has put the peace process in Ireland at risk. Visiting the UK in June Mr Trump ramped up the rhetoric by demanding the UK 'gets rid of the shackles' of the EU so a transatlantic trade deal can be done. Stressing his desire for a trade deal, he said: 'We're going to get it done.'
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2019-08-07 18:08:02+00:00
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dailymail--2019-08-08--Dominic Raab hails a new win-win relationship with Mexico on his post-Brexit trade deal tour
| 2019-08-08T00:00:00 |
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Dominic Raab hails a new 'win-win' relationship with Mexico on his post-Brexit trade deal tour
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Dominic Raab hailed a new 'win-win' agreement with Mexico today ahead of the last stage of his whistle-stop of North America to drum up post Brexit trade deals with Britain. The Foreign Secretary will sign a 'partnership agreement' with Mexico City that involves the UK paying £60million to help the country tackle poverty and open it up to UK firms. Billed as 'the most wide-ranging agreement ever concluded' between the two countries it will also see the two countries work closely on trade and investment and climate change. The visit to Mexico comes after Mr Raab visited Canada and the US, with the latter seeing him hold a surprise meeting with president Donald Trump and his counterpart Mike Pompeo. Speaking ahead of his arrival in Mexico Mr Raab said: 'The UK is excited to be working with our Mexican friends to develop a win-win relationship. 'There are huge opportunities to boost two-way trade, create jobs, tackle poverty and inequality, and address key Mexican priorities such as strengthening transparency and reducing corruption.' The multi million-pound investment will come from the Government's Prosperity Fund and will be spread over four years. It will be used to tackle 'poverty and inequality, strengthen its business environment and open up markets' to firms in a move it hopes will generate £450million by 2026. Shadow trade secretary Barry Gardiner said: 'The new Foreign Secretary is spinning a negotiating defeat as a victory. 'This deal fails every test set by the government: it doesn't replicate the terms of Mexico's agreement with the EU, reduce tariffs to zero on the majority of goods, or reduce other kinds of barriers to trade between us and Mexico. 'Thanks to the new PM's administration, we will have a poorer trade relationship with Mexico than the EU. 'Boris Johnson's government cannot be trusted to deliver for the people of the UK – and this is just more proof of that.' Last night the Foreign Secretary hailed Mr Trump's 'huge appetite' for a post-Brexit trade deal after their face-to-face meeting in the Oval Office. He also held talks with the vice president Mike Pence in meetings that were not announced beforehand. Mr Raab described the president as 'effusive in his warmth' for the UK, adding: 'It was amazing to hear an American president talk about our country in such warm terms.' Speaking to Sky in Washington today about the meeting the Foreign Secretary said: 'He expressed his high regard for Boris Johnson as a Prime Minister and we talked about all the things that we want to do together in the post-Brexit vision for the UK. 'Whether it is getting a free trade deal done - and there is obviously going to be a lot of work to make that happen - but there is huge appetite on both sides to achieve that.' It is a major relations boost for the new UK top team as they seek to boost UK trade after Brexit.
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2019-08-08 13:27:25+00:00
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dailymail--2019-08-25--Trump and Abe agree on new trade deal that will see Japan slash tariffs on US agricultural imports
| 2019-08-25T00:00:00 |
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Trump and Abe agree on new trade deal that will see Japan slash tariffs on US agricultural imports
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Donald Trump says he and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe reached a trade deal 'in principle' on Sunday at the annual Group of Seven summit. The president claimed the agreement was favorable to U.S. farmers, because it Japan would be buying up excess corn that's rotting on the stalk now that a China trade accord is no longer imminent. 'This is a tremendous deal for the United States,' he told press while speaking alongside Abe in Biarritz, France, where this year's gathering is being held. 'It's really tremendous deal for our farmers.' The potential deal would slash tariffs on U.S. beef, pork and other agricultural imports, U.S. Trade Representatives Robert Lighhizer claimed. He said during the announcement that Japan would be also buying a lot of wheat, wine, ethanol and dairy products from the United States. Japan and the United States are two of the seven largest economies in the world, and the Asian nation is America's third largest trading partner after Canada and China. Trump and Abe made a surprise announcement that they were close to reaching a trade deal on the second day of the G7. They seemed to have differing opinion on what close meant, with Trump claiming it was all but completed and Abe saying they'd reached a potential agreement. 'We're very far down the line. We've agreed to every point, and now we're papering it, and we'll be signing it at a formal ceremony,' the U.S president stated. His timeline for completion was the United Nations General Assembly, which will be held at the end of September in at the multinational organization's headquarters in New York City. 'And one of the things that Prime Minister Abe has also agreed to is we have excess corn in various parts of our country, with our farmers, because China did not do what they said they were going to do,' he claimed. 'And Prime Minister Abe, on behalf of Japan, they're going to be buying all of that corn. Trump claimed that Japan would be making a 'massive purchase of wheat also' and 'the very, very large order of corn will go quickly.' 'But importantly, it's something that wasn't in the agreement that we may not even -- we may do that as a supplementary agreement. But we appreciate that very much. We just agreed to that on the other idea of the door,' he stated. Trump claimed on Twitter a little later, 'Big Trade Deal just agreed to with Prime Minister Abe of Japan. Will be great for our Farmers, Ranchers and more. Really big Corn purchase!' Abe said the agricultural product purchases by private sector businesses were a 'possibility' but did not comment on any other alleged points of the framework. At Trump's invitation to speak, he said, 'So with regard to the potential purchase of American corn, in Japan we are now experiencing inspect pest on some of the agricultural products. And there is a need for us to buy certain amount of agricultural products. 'And this will be done by the Japanese private sector. That means that Japanese corporations will need to buy additional agricultural products. And we believe that there is a need for us to implement emergency support measures for the Japanese private sector to have the early purchase of the American corn,' he explained. Abe reaffirmed that it would be up to Japanese businesses to decide who they purchase corn from, regardless of the step his government takes to lower barriers to buying from America. 'Of course, there is something that is already a shared understanding between -- by the Japanese public, Japanese private sector, as well. So that's why, against such backdrop, I do think that there is a possibility for us to cooperate to address this issue,' he said. 'And with regard to further details, I would like to continue discussing with you, Mr. President.' Trump was not deterred. He claimed that the Japanese private sector follows the lead of the public sector, and he had no concerns at all. One remaining sticking point was a tariff on Japanese cars that Trump's said he won't take off. 'They stay the same. They're staying the same,' he told a group of reporters. The same day he reached the trade deal with the Asian nation, Trump admitted that he was having 'second thoughts' about escalating tariffs on Chinese products. Press secretary Stephanie Grisham claimed in a statement that U.S. president meant that he wished he had hit China with stiffer penalties. 'President Trump responded in the affirmative - because he regrets not raising the tariffs higher,' Grisham said, playing clean-up. During Trump and Abe's bilateral meeting earlier in the day Sunday, the two discussed a wide variety of issues, including North Korean missile testing. The Washington ally challenged Trump on whether the authoritarian nation's actions violated the agreement. 'I'm not happy about it. But, again, he's not in violation of an agreement,' Trump said of North Korea testing short-range missiles. Abe diagreed, claiming that Tokyo's 'position is very clear,' that the actions violated the agreement. '[T]he launch of short-range ballistic missiles by North Korea clearly violates the relevant U.N. Security Council resolutions,' he said. 'So, in that sense, it was extremely regrettable for us to experience another round of the launch of the short-range ballistic missiles by North Korea in recent days.'
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2019-08-25 23:35:58+00:00
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dailymail--2019-08-25--Donald and Melania Trump dine with Macrons and world leaders at G7 opener in Biarritz
| 2019-08-25T00:00:00 |
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Donald and Melania Trump dine with Macrons and world leaders at G7 opener in Biarritz
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Donald Trump is not a classic American diplomat — but he makes a classic U.S. entrance. He and first lady Melania Trump arrived at a Saturday evening dinner in Biarritz in a two-car motorcade, with teams of security guards in tow, after every other visiting leader and their partners had entered the first official event of this year's G7 summit. They were greeted on the spot by the French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte, who sought to make them comfortable with affectionate back pats and intimate hand holding. Their quiet conversation wasn't picked up by microphones, but President Trump appeared to be speaking to his French counterpart quite intently, while Brigitte and Melania, both of whom wore cream-colored gowns, conversed casually with one another. Melania showed off toned arms in a sleeveless, pleated and belted Gucci dress valued at $3,800.00 she finished of with silver Louboutins. Mrs. Macron covered up for the breezy seaside dinner. She wore a long-sleeve, apricot midi dress. Donald Trump put his palm on Macron's back as they entered a lighthouse they were dining at with fellow leaders, reciprocating his counterpart's earlier back touching. Their entry to the private dinner was the leaders' last planned appearance a frenzy of individual and group meetings on Sunday. Emmanuel Macron had made nice with Donald Trump in the afternoon, breaking bread with him before the official opening of the G7, after a days-long spat that escalated when the U.S. president threatened to tax French wine. Trump dined at the posh Hotel du Palais in Biarritz on Saturday with Macron, who was waiting for him when he arrived at his lodging. The impromptu lunch had White House aides scrambling. Reporters who'd been dismissed for the afternoon were hastily rerouted. The White House said in readout of meal that they 'discussed the importance of promoting free and fair trade, reducing trade barriers, taxation, and regulation, and ensuring freedom of navigation and commerce as pillars of global economic growth,' in addition to developing crises in Libya, the Sahel region in Africa and the Persian Gulf. Trump had disparaged fellow leaders outside the White House, suggesting that some of them weren't his friends, and grabbed Macron's attention with a new promise to tariff one of France's most lucrative exports. He accepted Macron's detente at the unscheduled talk. The former businessman said the pair had been 'friends for a long time' and 'have a lot in common' with one another when it comes to their personal lives. 'And every once in a while, we go at it just a little bit, not very much,' he acknowledged. 'But we get along very well. We have a very good relationship.' Their dinner in Paris at the Eiffel Tour with their wives two summers ago was a positive beginning, Trump observed. 'Sort of, I think I could say a special relationship,' he said of their chemistry, invoking a phrase that's typically reserved for the UK. 'And we couldn’t have asked for better weather or a more beautiful location.' He had been in Biarritz for less an hour, but he assessed, 'So far, so good. The weather is perfect. 'Everybody is getting along. And I think we'll accomplish a lot this weekend, and I look forward to it. And thank you for having us.' Macron spoke first, providing an outline for the agenda and acknowledging Trump's desire to discuss tariffs, in an attempt to keep talks from imploding. 'You are a very special guest for us,' he told the U.S. president, who sat facing him, with his arms crossed. He said they'd be talking about 'how to fix the situation in terms of trade' and the 'divergences we can have on climate,' in addition to the humanitarian crisis in Syria and measures to counter nuclear development in Iran. 'When I look at Europe, especially, we need some new tools to relaunch our economy. We decided, and we'll probably decide to have new tax cuts, which is one of the ways to relaunch,' he said. Flattering Trump as he concluded, he again said, 'But thanks again, Mr. President, for taking the time being here and being a partner. So this discussion will be very important between the allies, friends.' The conversation seemed to have had the intended effect. Trump tweeted after the meal concluded: 'Just had lunch with French President @EmanuelMacrone. Many good things are happening for both of our countries. Big weekend with other world leaders! He accidentally tagged a parody account, instead of the French leader's handle, in the conciliatory tweet that he later deleted and resent. The U.S. president had thrown shade at America's closest partners on Friday evening, mere hours before he'd see them in Biarritz at the annual Group of Seven summit for the world's leading heads of government. He threatened to tax French wine 'like they've never seen before' and characterized counterparts attending the event as 'friends, for the most part' in front of Marine One on the South Lawn. 'We're going to France. We'll have a good few days. I think it will be very productive, seeing a lot of leaders who are friends of mine, for the most part,' he said of his trip, smirking as he added, 'Wouldn't say in 100 percent of the cases, but for the most part.' He did not say which leaders were getting under his skin, but Trump offered several hints in the comments he delivered outside the White House before he left for Europe with first lady Melania. She departed Washington wearing a Chanel jacket, white pants, white heels and a black top. When she arrived in Biarritz, she was wearing a yellow, Calvin Klein tie-dyed denim midi dress priced at $530.16 paired with pink stiletto heels and sunglasses. Her airy evening gown was her third outfit change of the elongated day. At the White House, while his wife was waiting indoors, Trump had harped on France's digital tax, which he said U.S. tech companies don't deserve. He noted that he's 'not the biggest fan of the tech companies' he's accused of interfering in his election. Yet, he said their regulation should be up to the United States, and not foreign countries like France. 'I don't like what France did. They put a digital tax on our tech companies,' he said. 'Those are great American companies, and frankly, I don't want France going out and taxing our companies, very unfair.' He cautioned Macron against moving ahead with the action that could spark a protracted trade war with the United States. 'If they do that, we'll be taxing their wine, or doing something else. We'll be taxing their wine, like they've never seen before,' Trump promised. Whether he meant for the earlier jab about his 'friends' in the global community to land on Macron or another leader he'll be seeing like German Chancellor Angela Merkel was unclear. He seemed to suggest in his remarks at their unscheduled lunch that he did not mean to insult Macron, even though he threatened to penalize him. Trump has forged a bond with Macron, in spite of their ideological differences. He's traveled to France on three other occasions in the two years since the 41-year-old populist took office and named him the guest of honor at his first and only White House state dinner. Their relationship was under strain this week, however, after the White House claimed that Macron introduced the idea of Russia rejoining the G7, in spite of the ongoing occupation of Crimea, in a phone call with Trump in advance of the summit that France is hosting this year for the sixth time since the group's launch in 1975. Macron subsequently told reporters that it would be a 'strategic error' and 'signing off the weakness of the G7' for Russia to be invited without preconditions. The White House says that Trump also had to force a discussion on the global economy and his desire for trade agreements that are more favorable to the U.S. after Macron deliberately disincluded a session on the dispute from the Biarritz agenda. They've been fighting over a proposed digital services tax, too, with Trump qualifying it as 'Macron's foolishness' in a tweet in which he first threatened to tax French wine at the end of July. 'I’ve always said American wine is better than French wine!' the tee-totaling president who owns a winery in Virginia charged. To placate Trump, the president's advisers say Macron added a Sunday morning conversation to the G7 schedule that encompasses the president's trade grievances. 'Right now, outside the U.S. as you know, there's very little economic growth: Europe is on the edge, Japan, China's faltering. And we think it's high time that we had a good group discussion of the allies regarding how to promote economic growth and prosperity and to lower trade barriers and to stabilize currency,' National Economic Council director Larry Kudlow told reporters on Thursday. He concluded, 'So that will formally be on the formal agenda. And that’s really all we care about.' Macron will in turn try to move the needle on environmental issues such as greenhouse gas emissions. 'At the Biarritz Summit, France will build on its past and current efforts to support carbon neutrality by 2050 at the European level, by encouraging more countries to adopt this vital goal,' an outline of of the G7 agenda provided to press says. After his wine tax threat he'd added, 'Other than that, I have a very good relationship with, Macron, as you say, and we're going to have a very good couple of days. I look forward to being in France.' 'I'm going to see Prime Minister Abe, he's a great gentleman, a great friend of mine,' he told another reporter asking about his relationship with Japan's head of government. Trump has a kinship with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson but their relationship will also be put to test. The U.S. president is coming in hot on the economy and trade and plans to lobby fellow leaders to readmit Russia to the exclusive group that Trump will have his turn at running next year. Macron is pushing a climate change agenda that Trump has vociferously opposed and rejected a U.S.-circulated claim this week that he wants to include Vladimir Putin in future summits. One of Trump's only natural ally among G7 nations - a group comprised of Germany, France, Italy, Canada, the US, the UK and Japan - Johnson will be caught in the crossfire. The conservative leaders have been strategizing in weekly calls for the past month. The White House said in a Saturday statement that talked again before Trump left Washington. 'He and I are very much aligned. We feel very good about each other,' Trump said of Johnson last week. A self-defined nationalist who has broken with fellow leaders on climate change, Russian aggression and the Iranian nuclear pact, Trump's rejection of globalism and his distaste for multinational organizations is likely to leave him feeling unexpectedly isolated, even with Johnson at this year's negotiating table. The UK has remained steadfast in its partnership with regional allies on core issues, although Johnson's interest in European priorities like global warming is softer than his immediate predecessors. That support is unlikely to change even after Brexit, and Trump may be surprised by Johnson's positions. 'We’re obviously going to continue to see some really serious divergences,' Leslie Vinjamuri, head of the US and the Americas Programme at Chatham House, told DailyMail.com. 'You can’t just wait it out for your friend to run the country and then think that you're going to move things along. Britain is a democracy. It's got its own set of interests.' On economic basics, Trump and Johnson have the same general worldview, which will benefit the U.S. president as he fights his own trade battle with the EU. 'That’s really all we care about,' White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow said Thursday of the U.S. mission at the secluded conference. Trump will be heralding a pro-jobs, pro-growth agenda centered on free, fair and reciprocal trade, another senior administration official said, outlining a U.S. push to return to the mandate of the group that's comprised of the world's most advanced economies. 'These are critical agenda items that the President has done domestically. We’ve seen the results. We’ve seen hundreds of thousands of jobs coming back to the U.S. economy. And we’ve seen growth rates that we didn’t think were possible just a few years ago,' the official said. 'And you can contrast this to what’s happening in Europe, where growth is effectively flat.' Trump at the summit will be 'really engaging in honest conversations' about these issues, said the adviser of the president's desire to 'ensure that U.S. workers and businesses have markets in which they can sell their goods and services' within the world's most lucrative economies. The Wilson Center's Matthew Rojansky told DailyMail.com that European nations will be equally interested to see behind the curtain of Trump's trade practices. 'With troubling economic signs on the horizon in U.S. markets and the ongoing U.S.-China trade dispute, this is likely to be the major focus of concern from U.S. allies at the summit,' he said. 'They will want to know what Washington plans to do to manage these threats to growth and prosperity.' Ned Price, a spokesman for the National Security Council in the Obama administration, observed that the resulting fallout is likely to be a 'good deal of disunity on trade' in both the transnational context and in terms of Trump's brawl with China. 'The trend that we’ve noticed, and it's been unmistakable over the past couple years, has been that often the G7 has evolved into disarray rather than ascended to unified themes and objectives,' he told DailyMail.com ahead of the summit. When Canada hosted the meeting last year, the U.S. pulled out of a joint communique at the last minute after Trump took offense to comments that Justin Trudeau made at a news conference. Macron decided to scrap a 2019 statement of mutual agreement altogether, he said on Wednesday, because it would be 'pointless' without U.S. participation in a communique. In a tweet after his lunch with Trump, he lowered his standards for a successful summit even further. 'We may not accomplish everything we’ve set out to, but we’ll do our best to be effective to ensure your security, create more jobs and fight the inequality you are suffering. I’ll keep you posted on our progress,' he asserted. Price had assessed before the summit began that Macron's main objective appeared to be avoiding an international incident. 'I think it's quite likely that he is seeking to avoid a debacle rather than to achieve what the summit used to set out to achieve, and that is a good degree of consensus between and among the world's most powerful economies and the world's most powerful countries,' he said. The G7 began as a response to the 1970s oil crisis but it has evolved to include, and has in many ways been overtaken, by foreign policy crises. This Biarritz agenda skews in the direction of liberal initiatives that Macron has championed such income and gender equality and the health and protection of the planet. It began Saturday evening with a greeting and informal dinner for visiting heads of state and their top aides and concludes Monday with unilateral press conferences. African leaders from five nations, the Australian prime minister, India's prime minister and the Chilean president have also been invited to join talks in the seaside resort town that's a haven for celebrities and well-to-do tourists. In addition to the private working sessions, Trump will hold one-offs with most of his counterparts, including Germany's Merkel, France's Macron, Canada's Trudeau, India's Narendra Modi, Japan's Abe and the UK's Johnson. Each of those bilateral talks has a separate agenda that's catered to participating nations. Merkel can expect another lecture from Trump on LNG and Germany's reliance on Russia for liquefied natural gas. The U.S. leader will again demand additional military spending from Germany, which continues to fall below the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's recommended contribution level. Protests in Hong Kong will dominate a scheduled bilateral with Trudeau, a U.S. official said. Canada has more than 300,000 expats living in the autonomous region of China, and it's government is helping to lead a pressure campaign on Beijing to maintain Hong Kong's constitutional rights and keep the peace. Trump will dedicate a meeting with Modi to the conflict Kashimir, which he called 'explosive' this week as he offered to mediate peace talks. 'Kashmir is a very complicated place. You have the Hindus and you have the Muslims, and I wouldn’t say they get along so great. And that’s what you have right now,' the U.S. president said. In his first in-person conversation with Johnson since the conservative replaced Theresa May as prime minister, the White House said that Trump will seek to improve 'ongoing very close partnership that that the US and UK enjoy' and work toward a free trade agreement with Britain. 'We’re very enthusiastic about that prospect,' a senior U.S. official said in a G7 preview for U.S. press. 'And we would like to be able to make some progress.' Trump's support for a deal or no deal exit from the EU has created an opening for a return to the 'special relationship' between the countries that soured when May was in office, Vinjamuri said. A diplomatic row at the end of her tenure brought about the resignation of the British ambassador after The Daily Mail revealed his unflattering portrayal of Trump in private cables. Trump lashed out at May in tweets for fumbling Brexit, as he demanded the diplomat's recall to London. His anger has calmed with the election of Johnson, whom he'd said he'd prefer to work with. The leaders have spoken on the phone four times in as many weeks about a trade agreement and Brexit. 'They’re probably — I don’t want to say our “closest,” because I don’t want to insult other people, but certainly — or countries — but certainly they’re one of our closest allies anywhere in the world,' the U.S. president told DailyMail.com and other reporters last Thursday of the alliance with Britain. He added, 'And we’re going to have a fantastic relationship with UK. And we’re going to have a great trade deal with UK. And that’s moving along rapidly.' Vinjamuri said the statement may not be a reflection of some developing rift with Johnson but warned, 'This is as good it's going to get for this American president, in terms of a leader that he can work with in Europe.' A conversation on Russia and it's future participation is not on the agenda at the G7, however the White House said that Trump is likely to bring the issue up in closed-door talks. 'We expect the issue of Russia’s participation or nonparticipation to be discussed among the leaders,' a senior official said Thursday. Trump said this week that it would be 'appropriate' for G7 nations to allow Russia to rejoin the informal organization's ranks and 'somebody' should raise the issue. 'President Obama thought it wasn't a good thing to have Russia in, and so, he wanted Russia out. But I think it's much more appropriate to have Russia in, particularly the G8, because a lot of things we talk about have to do with Russia,' he argued. Macron and Johnson have openly rebuffed him, and Canadian foreign minister Chrystia Freeland said Thursday at a joint news conference with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that Russia's participation is out of the question until it vacates Crimea. 'I think all of us would be delighted to welcome a Russia which sought again to be a member in good standing of our like-minded group of countries, a group of countries committed to the rule of law, a group of countries committed to democracy,' she said. 'And the way for Russia to show that it wants to do that is to leave Crimea and to end the war in the Donbas. It’s very simple.'
| null |
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7390977/Donald-Melania-Trump-dine-Macrons-world-leaders-G7-opener-Biarritz.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490
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2019-08-25 06:01:21+00:00
| 1,566,727,281 | 1,567,533,417 |
politics
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international relations
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134,143 |
dailymail--2019-08-26--Awkward moment Scott Morrison is left to check his phone at the G7 summit while other leaders chat
| 2019-08-26T00:00:00 |
dailymail
|
Awkward moment Scott Morrison is left to check his phone at the G7 summit while other leaders chat
|
Scott Morrison looked awkward and slightly out of place while engaging with other world leaders at the G7 Summit in France. The Australian Prime Minister cut a lonely figure among world leaders during official photo opportunities at the high-powered international forum in Biarritz on France's south-west coast. Invited by French President Emmanuel Macron, Mr Morrison was left to stare at his phone as US president Donald Trump mingled with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Canadian PM Justin Trudeau and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Footage showed the leaders socialising while a glum-looking Mr Morrison stood alone in the background, despite his wife Jenny being present. The Prime Minister's awkward interactions didn't go unnoticed by the public. 'Wonder what the Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison is thinking in the background there,' one eagled-eyed viewer tweeted. Another added: 'Scott Morrison as usual the 'Have a Go-between'.' One official photo captured the US First Lady Melania Trump warmly greeting Mr Trudeau with a kiss on the cheek as Mr Morrison sheepishly looked on from behind. 'She isn't looking at Scott Morrison this way,' one person tweeted. Another added: 'Is Australian PM Scott Morrison in line behind her for a kiss also. Is kissing a custom at meetings of world leaders?' Other photos showed Trump chatting with and kissing Mr Macron's wife Brigette as Mr Morrison looked on in the background. Mr Morrison finally got some love when he shared a warm hug with Mr Macron. Earlier, Mr Morrison met with Mr Trump and demanded the US resolve its hostile trade war with China. He is expected to discuss the issue on Sunday with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who hosted the G20 and strongly backed Mr Morrison's efforts, and Angel Gurria, the head of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. He will also raise it during one of the formal G7 sessions he'll take part in on Monday, on the topic of the digital transformation. Mr Morrison will also hold bilateral meetings with Chile's President Sebastian Pinera and Rwandan President Paul Kagame on Monday. Mr Morrison is expected to also meet new British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and India's leader Narendra Modi during the summit. The 2019 talks are likely to encompass a wide agenda, including the global economy, the escalating US-China trade dispute, climate change and the Amazon wildfires, taxes on tech giants, the planned US-UK-Australia operation in the Straits of Hormuz, and the ongoing unrest in Hong Kong. Mr Morrison expects to be given a hard time by Mr Johnson over the cricket after England's thrilling one wicket victory against Australia at Headlingley to level the Ashes series 1-1. 'I'm sure he'll give me a hard time about the fact they clipped us in the latest Ashes,' Mr Morrison told reporters. Mr Macron is seeking to shake up the summit's format and apart from inviting several new participants, he has declared there will be no joint statement issued at the end and derided 'these communiques that no one reads'. At last year's summit in Canada, US President Donald Trump left early and spent his plane ride home sending disparaging tweets about the communique he had just signed.
| null |
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7393845/Awkward-moment-Scott-Morrison-left-check-phone-G7-summit-leaders-chat.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490
|
2019-08-26 04:18:50+00:00
| 1,566,807,530 | 1,567,533,331 |
politics
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international relations
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134,169 |
dailymail--2019-08-26--Trump skipped G7 climate session and thought meeting hadnt happened yet
| 2019-08-26T00:00:00 |
dailymail
|
Trump skipped G7 climate session and thought meeting hadn't happened yet
|
President Donald Trump proclaimed himself an 'environmentalist' Monday after missing a climate change discussion on Monday with other world leaders at the G7 summit in Biarritz, France. At a press conference, the president said he knows 'more about the environment than most people' in part due to his time as a builder, when environmental concerns often pose last-minute roadblocks to a project. At a summit where relentless fires in the Amazon provided a backdrop, Trump did not respond directly when asked if he still harbored doubts about global warming, vouching for his environmental credentials by pointing to numerous environmental impact statements he has been involved with. 'I went the cleanest water on earth. I want to cleanest air on earth. And that's what we're doing. I'm an environmentalist,' Trump told reporters at the end of the summit. 'A lot of people don't understand that I have done more environmental impact statements probably than anybody, that's I guess I can say definitely because I've done many, many, many of them. More than anybody that's ever been president or vice president or anything even close to president. And I think I know more about the environment than most people,' he said. Trump was referencing his time as a builder, when an environmental review is part of the construction process. Although he steered clear of the global warming debate, after long expressing doubts, Trump touted the value of U.S. oil and liquified national gas reserves, and called for new infrastructure to harness it. He said the domestic industry is creating 'tremendous wealth, and LNG is being sought over all over Europe and all over the world.' 'I’m not going to lose that wealth. I’m not going to lose it on dreams — on windmills, which, frankly, aren’t working too well,' Trump said, once again taking a shot at a growing renewable energy source. 'I want clean air. I want clean water I want a wealthy country. I want a spectacular country with jobs, with pensions, with so many things and that's what we're getting so I want to be very careful at the same time at the same time … it's very important to me, very important to me, we have to maintain this incredible – this incredible place that we've all built. We've become much richer country and that's a good thing, not a bad thing because that great wealth allows us to take care of people,' Trump said. He concluded his remarks with some environmental boosterism. 'We can take care of people that we couldn't afford taking care of the past because of the great wealth we can't let that wealth is taken away clean air clean water – thank you very much everybody I appreciate it, thank you,' he concluded. Trump was scheduled to attend the session on climate, biodiversity and oceans, but his chair remained empty while other leaders pledged a modest $20 million to help put out fires that are raging across wide swaths of the Amazon jungles in Brazil. 'He wasn’t in the room but his team was there,' French President Emmanuel Macron said. The White House attributed his absence to scheduled one-on-one meetings that he attended with India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Angela Merkel – both of whom managed to attend. 'The President had scheduled meetings and bilaterals with Germany and India, so a senior member of the Administration attended in his stead,' White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham told DailyMail.com and other news outlets. A White House official said the stand-in was an aide from the National Security Council. Trump started the morning behind schedule. His meeting with Merkel was delayed about two hours. Asked about the global warming meeting during a photo-op with Merkel, the president said: 'We’re having it in a little while.' He had no reply to a journalist who informed him that it was already underway. During his meeting with Modi, Trump said that he wants 'clean air and clean water,' but made no comment about his decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris climate accord. He did offer, however, that the climate change discussion would be his next stop. That never materialized. Trump is a climate change skeptic who once claimed it was a hoax invented by the Chinese. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Monday that the world faces 'a dramatic climate emergency.' He will ask leaders at a Sept. 23 summit in New York to agree to cut greenhouse gas emissions by more than they promised in the 2015 Paris agreement. Guterres said Monday that 'we are much worse than we were during Paris ... and so it's absolutely essential that countries commit themselves to increase what was promised.' Guterres claimed that Greenland's ice cap was melting 'dramatically' and that 2015 through 2019 were 'the five hottest years on record.'
| null |
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7395407/Trump-skipped-G7-climate-session-thought-meeting-hadnt-happened-yet.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490
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2019-08-26 18:54:29+00:00
| 1,566,860,069 | 1,567,533,331 |
politics
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international relations
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918 |
abcnews--2019-01-08--Pence calls border bona fide emergency dodges questions about Trump falsehoods
| 2019-01-08T00:00:00 |
abcnews
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Pence calls border ‘bona fide emergency,’ dodges questions about Trump falsehoods
|
Vice President Mike Pence on Tuesday said that President Trump will use his first prime-time Oval Office address to detail what he described as "a real humanitarian and security crisis at our southern border." But when pressed by ABC News on the multiple falsehoods recently spread by the president about the immigration debate in recent days, the vice president argued that it shouldn't undermine the administration's credibility in the eyes of the American public. "Look, the American people aren't as concerned about the political debate as they are about what's really happening at the border," Pence told ABC News Chief White House Correspondent Jonathan Karl in an interview for "Good Morning America." Eighteen days into the partial government shutdown, Trump and other administration officials have made several false claims as they have sought to pressure Democrats to agree for billions in funding for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. On Friday, Trump falsely claimed that he has been contacted by "some" of the four living former presidents who told him they wished they'd built a border wall. Spokespersons for all four have since denied such communication ever occurred. The White House has also claimed that in 2018 "nearly 4,000" suspected terrorists tried to cross into the U.S. through the southern border. But that claim has since been debunked citing figures straight from the administration. The Department of Homeland Security has since sought to clarify that DHS has instead "encountered more than 3,000 Special Interest Aliens" trying to enter via the southern border, which it described as "individuals with suspicious travel patterns who may pose a national security threat." "The passion you hear from President Trump is determination to take this case to the American people as he will tonight in his national broadcast from the Oval Office -- comes from the president's deep desire to protect the American people," Pence said when pressed on the falsehoods. Pence did not say whether the president would declare a "national emergency" over border security, which he has said he has the authority to do if no agreement is reached with Democrats. Trump has told congressional leaders that the government shutdown could go on for months -- even a year or longer -- if Congress doesn't approve funding for a border wall. "The American people deserve to know that the situation on our southern border has become as 'The Washington Post' said a 'bona fide emergency,'" Pence said. The Washington Post article Pence is referring to called the influx of migrant families -- and the difficulty Customs and Border Protection had dealing with the situation - "a bona fide emergency." "Sixty-thousand people a month and for the first time on record, the vast majority of those are families, unaccompanied children and it simply is overwhelming the ability of our border patrol and customs agents to be able to address it," Pence said. "We need new resources. We need to build a wall. We need the Congress to come to the table and work with this president to address this crisis once and for all." Pence argued Democrats' refusal to compromise shows they are ignoring the border situation, but in an interview on ABC's "Good Morning America," Sen. Kamala Harris disputed that claim. "It's just simply not true," Sen. Harris, D-Calif., said. "There was a bipartisan effort out of the United States Senate and the United States Congress to pass funding of the government and the president is holding it up because of his vanity project, which is this wall at taxpayers' expense and at the expense of hundreds of thousands of workers who are working every day without being paid. So it's just simply not true. It's an emergency of his own creation." Harris said if Trump declares a national emergency, Democrats would likely mount an immediate legal challenge. "I think that there's no question that we will litigate and there will be litigation," Harris said. "Those other branches of government and the courts and the press will put checks on this outrageous conduct of this administration. If he declares an emergency, I think that we will see again the checks and balances kick in particular through the courts."
|
Bill Hutchinson, Alexander Mallin
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https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/vp-pence-claims-crisis-southern-border-bona-fide/story?id=60220476
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2019-01-08 15:14:21+00:00
| 1,546,978,461 | 1,567,553,430 |
politics
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political process
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44,934 |
bbcuk--2019-11-12--England flooding: Communities to get practical and financial help
| 2019-11-12T00:00:00 |
bbcuk
|
England flooding: Communities to get practical and financial help
|
The prime minister has announced more support for communities in parts of northern England affected by flooding. Boris Johnson made the commitment following a meeting of the government's emergency Cobra committee earlier. He had faced criticism from Labour and the Liberal Democrats who said he should declare a "national emergency". Mr Johnson said it had been "an absolute tragedy for those who have seen such damage to their homes and livestock". He said authorities were working "flat out" and a request had been made for "a little bit more help" from the military in getting sandbags and other defences to some of the areas affected. Among the measures announced by Mr Johnson were: • An extra 100 Army personnel deployed from Wednesday to support the recovery effort in South Yorkshire • Funding for local councils where households and businesses have been affected - equivalent to £500 per eligible household • Up to £2,500 for small and medium-sized businesses which have suffered severe impacts not covered by insurance Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn had earlier said the government's response was "woeful" while Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson called for "long-term policy changes". Mr Corbyn said if the flooding had happened in Surrey it "would have been a very different story". Both leaders urged the prime minister to declare a "national emergency". Referring to the response for people affected by the flooding, Mr Johnson added: "I know there will be people who feel that that isn't good enough. "I know there will be people who are worrying about the damage to their homes, who will be worried about the insurance situation, worried about the losses they face. "All I want to say to those people is that there are schemes to cover those losses." • Have flood and fire services been cut? • What are the factors making floods worse? • Why insurance does not always cover flood damage Jon Trickett, shadow minister for the Cabinet Office and Labour MP for Hemsworth in West Yorkshire, said Mr Johnson's proposals were "too little too late". He said: "You can't trust Boris Johnson to look out for the North or the Midlands or protect our communities from flooding." The five severe flood warnings along the River Don in South Yorkshire have now been removed, but 20 flood warnings - meaning "flooding is expected" - remain in place. About 500 homes have been flooded in Doncaster with more than 1,000 properties evacuated in areas hit by the floods. The Met Office has issued yellow weather warnings for rain covering large parts of the country on Wednesday and Thursday. Last week extensive downpours meant several areas were struck by a month's worth of rain in a single day. A couple who became new parents on Friday - to be told hours later that their home in Fishlake was underwater - have praised the support they have had from people as "invaluable". "Thank God for the people of Stainforth, and other people around for the support that they've shown," said Dan Greenslade. Meanwhile a Doncaster salon offered free "pamper" sessions for local children affected by flooding, and dozens of swans were rescued from oil from an upturned barge in Rotherham and cars which had been trapped in flood water. Churches and community centres have collected toiletries, clothes, cleaning products and food for the hundreds of people displaced from their homes.
| null |
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-50398877
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Tue, 12 Nov 2019 21:32:19 GMT
| 1,573,612,339 | 1,573,604,677 |
politics
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political process
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44,936 |
bbcuk--2019-11-12--England flooding: PM to chair Cobra meeting over floods
| 2019-11-12T00:00:00 |
bbcuk
|
England flooding: PM to chair Cobra meeting over floods
|
The prime minister is to chair a meeting of the government's emergency committee later in response to floods in northern England. The Environment Agency has 30 flood warnings in place as well as five severe warnings on the River Don in South Yorkshire. About 400 homes have been flooded and 1,200 properties evacuated. A yellow warning for rain remains in place over parts of Yorkshire and the East Midlands for Tuesday and Thursday. The Met Office has also issued further yellow weather warnings for rain covering larger parts of the country on Thursday. An emergency appeal to support "displaced" families has raised almost £50,000. It comes after downpours last week meant several areas were struck by a month's worth of rain in a single day. Hundreds of people in Fishlake, near Doncaster, have fled their homes after the village was submerged. Empty coffins were seen floating inside the workshop of a flooded funeral parlour and some villagers had to spend the night at a nearby pub. The council has called for people to evacuate the village, saying it "can only offer dedicated support to people who are not in an area where there is a threat to life". • How do you stop flooding? Speaking at a rally in Blackpool, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the Conservative government's response to the floods had "been woeful" and had only been triggered after he had written to Boris Johnson. Mr Corbyn said: "If this had happened in Surrey instead of Yorkshire and the East Midlands, I think it would have been a very different story." The decision to hold a meeting about the response to flooding had been taken prior to the letter from Mr Corbyn, according to Number 10. The flooding situation at the weekend had not reached the level where a national emergency could be officially declared. Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats have set out plans for a £5bn fund to improve flood defences across the UK, to be paid for through government borrowing. National Farmers Union president Minette Batters said "seismic change" was needed to tackle flooding and described the situation as a "national emergency". Four Environment Agency pumps are in Fishlake to remove floodwater from the village. Joe Howslam, 23, told the BBC: "I live with my parents, brother and sister, but we've all had to move out. "In the history of Fishlake it's never been this bad, according to some of the older members of our village. "I'm an HGV mechanic and we've run a family farm, so I borrowed a tractor on Saturday and helped rescue a few people. I even rescued my dad from the top window of the house." It might be a new day In Fishlake but the horrendous problems caused by flooding continue to hang over the people who call this place home. Roads remain closed and there's a big police presence on the outskirts of the village, partly to deter looters from trying their luck here. Fire crews with large inflatable boats remain on the streets, regularly checking on people who've ignored advice from the authorities to leave their homes. Some residents say they feel as though Doncaster Council has turned its back on them, but it is clear it wants everyone out of here for their own safety. Water levels seem to have dropped a bit but some roads remain covered in deep floodwater almost a foot deep. Community spirit is strong and the Hare and Hounds pub and St Cuthbert's church remain a focal point, taking in donations of household items and clothes, and serving up food to those in need. Pam Webb, who owns a spa in Fishlake, described how she lost everything she has worked for after her insurance did not cover flooding. "I feel really selfish in saying this and I hope that other people aren't in this boat but I've lost my home and my business and my livelihood that I've worked so hard for. "And the girls who worked for me, or worked with me, it's their livelihoods as well. And a lot of them are only young. Some of them have got young families and I've tried to look after them the best I can." Tractors and boats have been used to get around the village, with many roads in the area under floodwater. According to the Salvation Army, some people have been rescued from their homes by boat since the early hours of Saturday, but others remain in their properties, while military helicopters have been used to help boost flood defences in the area. In Worksop, hundreds of homes have been evacuated and dozens of businesses have also been badly hit. Susan Hale said the floodwater had "completely devastated" her tapas bar. "The years of hard work and love [have] just gone in a day," she said. Twelve flood warnings remain in Lincolnshire where more than 1,000 acres have been flooded by Barlings Eau river and some farms are cut off, with some train lines still blocked by high water. Northern said its services into Rotherham Central were not running until further notice, with reduced services between Doncaster and Sheffield. CrossCountry's trains are being diverted away from Doncaster. You may also be interested in: The RSPCA has been involved in a rescue operation to save 60 swans following an oil spillage caused by flooding in Rotherham. Further south, parts of Derbyshire are also still affected by flooding. Areas around Matlock - where former High Sherriff of Derbyshire Annie Hall was swept to her death by the flooded River Derwent - are continuing their clean-up efforts, with further rain over the weekend leaving standing water along a number of roads. Have you been affected by the floods? Share your experiences by emailing [email protected]. Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: • Text an SMS or MMS to 61124 or +44 7624 800 100 • Please read our terms of use and privacy policy
| null |
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-50384178
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Tue, 12 Nov 2019 12:17:56 GMT
| 1,573,579,076 | 1,573,561,498 |
politics
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political process
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44,989 |
bbcuk--2019-11-13--England flooding: Fishlake residents 'could be homeless for weeks'
| 2019-11-13T00:00:00 |
bbcuk
|
England flooding: Fishlake residents 'could be homeless for weeks'
|
Some residents in a flood-stricken village could be out of their homes for up to three weeks as efforts continue to make the area safe. Fishlake near Doncaster has been one of the worst hit with hundreds of people being forced to leave their properties. About 100 Army personnel are in South Yorkshire supporting the flood effort. The prime minister visited flood-hit Stainforth to see the emergency response. But some onlookers shouted at him to say "you took your time". One resident told Boris Johnson: "I'm not very happy about talking to you so, if you don't mind, I'll just mope on with what I'm doing." Mr Johnson said he understood the strength of feeling as "you cannot underestimate the anguish that a flood causes". Shelly Beniston, who is organising supply runs in Fishlake, told Mr Johnson there not been enough help from authorities. When the prime minister asked if there was anything he could do to help, she replied: "I think it's more a less all coming in now, a little bit too late though." The PM said the government was "plainly going to have to do more" to equip places with flood defences. Doncaster Council said every effort was being made to increase pumping so people could return home sooner. More widespread rain is forecast, with warnings in place for large parts of the country on Wednesday and Thursday. On Tuesday, Mr Johnson announced more support for communities affected by flooding following a meeting of the government's emergency Cobra committee. It came amid criticism from Labour and the Liberal Democrats who said he should declare a "national emergency". Mr Johnson said authorities were working "flat out" and a request had been made for "a little bit more help" from the military in getting sandbags and other defences to some of the areas affected. Jon Trickett, shadow minister for the Cabinet Office, said Mr Johnson's proposals were "too little too late". He said: "You can't trust Boris Johnson to look out for the North or the Midlands or protect our communities from flooding." Personnel from the Light Dragoons laid down sandbags in Stainforth near Doncaster, attempting to shore up the village's bridge. About 500 homes have been flooded in Doncaster with more than 1,000 properties evacuated in areas hit by the floods. Hundreds of people in Fishlake have fled their homes after the village was submerged and the fire service has been working to rescue people. The council said the village was not safe and that "a return to properties is discouraged in the strongest possible terms". Roads into Fishlake remain closed and the Environment Agency said people should not attempt to enter the area. The council said the Environment Agency, along with emergency services, were working hard to recover the area for a safe return but "the latest estimates suggest a safe return could be up to three weeks away for some residents". Scott Godfrey, landlord of the Hare and Hounds, has been using the pub as a refuge giving affected residents accommodation and hot food as well as delivering meals to people stranded in their homes. He said they had been let down by Doncaster Council "big style" because it had rowed back on its promise of helping with provisions to send out to villagers. He said: "We had 45 residents that were stranded who wanted meals. Luckily everyone pulled together and we managed to get some hot meals out." The authority said it would now be offering humanitarian aid to those who have remained in Fishlake but this should not be attempted by residents. • Have flood and fire services been cut? • What are the factors making floods worse? • Why insurance does not always cover flood damage Meanwhile, the next door village of Stainforth has been coming to the aid of those evacuated from their homes. Other measures announced by Mr Johnson were: • Funding for local councils where households and businesses have been affected - equivalent to £500 per eligible household • Up to £2,500 for small and medium-sized businesses which have suffered severe impacts not covered by insurance Referring to the response for people affected by the flooding, Mr Johnson added: "I know there will be people who feel that that isn't good enough. "I know there will be people who are worrying about the damage to their homes, who will be worried about the insurance situation, worried about the losses they face. "All I want to say to those people is that there are schemes to cover those losses." Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn had earlier said the government's response was "woeful" while Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson called for "long-term policy changes". Mr Corbyn said if the flooding had happened in Surrey it "would have been a very different story". Both leaders urged the prime minister to declare a "national emergency". The five severe flood warnings along the River Don in South Yorkshire have now been removed, but 20 flood warnings - meaning "flooding is expected" - remain in place. Last week extensive downpours meant several areas were struck by a month's worth of rain in a single day. A couple who became new parents on Friday - to be told hours later that their home in Fishlake was underwater - have praised the support they have had from people as "invaluable". "Thank God for the people of Stainforth, and other people around for the support that they've shown," said Dan Greenslade. Meanwhile a Doncaster salon offered free "pamper" sessions for local children affected by flooding, and dozens of swans were rescued from oil from an upturned barge in Rotherham and cars which had been trapped in flood water. Churches and community centres have collected toiletries, clothes, cleaning products and food for the hundreds of people displaced from their homes.
| null |
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-50398877
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Wed, 13 Nov 2019 12:00:09 GMT
| 1,573,664,409 | 1,573,647,859 |
politics
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political process
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1,042,835 |
theweekuk--2019-11-12--Boris Johnson under fire for response to flooding
| 2019-11-12T00:00:00 |
theweekuk
|
Boris Johnson under fire for response to flooding
|
Boris Johnson has been accused of an “utterly outrageous” lack of concern about the severe floods that have caused devastation and misery in Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and South Yorkshire. After the floods hit parts of Nottinghamshire, Simon Greaves, the Labour leader of Bassetlaw district council, said the prime minister was “preoccupied with electioneering” when he should have been coordinating a national response to the flooding. Speaking to The Guardian, Greaves said the government had a “fantastic opportunity to step up to the plate and take emergency action” but were “concentrating more on the general election campaign than they were on people’s lives”. He added: “They had an opportunity to take action [and] they consciously chose not to. I think it’s utterly outrageous.” The criticism comes after Jeremy Corbyn called on the prime minister to “take personal charge” of the situation yesterday. Blaming government cuts for the severity of the damage, the Labour leader promised to inject more funding into flood defences. He denounced Johnson for not declaring a national emergency, saying: “If this had happened in Surrey, not Yorkshire or the east Midlands, it seems far more likely that a national emergency would have been declared.” The Liberal Democrats have pledged £5bn for flood prevention measures and their leader, Jo Swinson, has echoed Corbyn’s call for the government to declare the floods a “national emergency”. There was further criticism from local politicians. David Hughes, the mayor of Matlock, said: “Obviously if people are flooded for days and days on end then it is an emergency for them and it seems to be over a large area.” Tony Nicholson, a Green councillor in the Doncaster suburb of Bentley, which remained under a severe flood warning yesterday, echoed Corbyn’s sentiment, saying: “If this was in another area this would be deemed a national emergency. This is devastating for people’s lives.” However, Jane Cox, the leader of the Conservative group on Doncaster council, said of the flooding: “I firmly believe it should not be politicised.” The prime minister chaired a meeting of the government’s emergency committee Cobra yesterday. More than 1,200 properties have been evacuated in northern England. A woman died after being swept away by floodwater in Darley Dale near Matlock. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise, refreshing and balanced take on the week’s news agenda - try The Week magazine. Get your first six issues for £6 –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
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chas
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https://www.theweek.co.uk/104298/boris-johnson-under-fire-for-response-to-flooding
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Tue, 12 Nov 2019 16:02:21 +0000
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thetelegraph--2019-11-12--UK weather: Boris Johnson to prepare Cobra meeting as 38 flood warnings remain in place
| 2019-11-12T00:00:00 |
thetelegraph
|
UK weather: Boris Johnson to prepare Cobra meeting as 38 flood warnings remain in place
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More villages could be cut off as floods will continue to devastate parts of northern England, the Met Office has warned. The Prime Minister is set to chair a meeting of the Government's emergency committee on Tuesday after severe flooding in parts of the country. Severe flooding hit several areas in Yorkshire and the East Midlands last week with areas around the River Don near Doncaster worst affected after the river burst its banks. Downpours last week meant several areas in Yorkshire and the East Midlands were struck by a month's worth of rain in a single day. But in a new warning issued on Tuesday, the Met Office warned that buildings could collapse and towns and villages could be cut off "for several days". The warning, which covers areas in South Yorkshire and the East Midlands, states: • There is a small chance that communities could be completely cut off, perhaps for several days • There is a small chance of fast flowing or deep floodwater, causing a danger to life • There is a small chance of extensive flooding to homes and businesses which may lead to collapse or damage to buildings or structures • Where flooding occurs, road closures are likely, along with bus and train service delays and cancellations • Dangerous driving conditions will occur because of spray and flooded roads • There is a slight chance that power and other essential services, such as gas, water, mobile phone service will be lost Around half the 700 residents of Fishlake, near Doncaster, left the village and those who stayed behind have faced waist-high floods. Annie Hall, the former high sheriff of Derbyshire, died after she was swept away by water on Friday in Darley Dale, near Matlock.
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Gareth Davies
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https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/11/12/uk-weather-boris-johnson-prepare-cobra-meeting-38-flood-warnings/
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Tue, 12 Nov 2019 08:34:38 GMT
| 1,573,565,678 | 1,573,562,177 |
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political process
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986,056 |
thesun--2019-11-13--Boris Johnson to send 100 troops to flood-hit areas and give cash bail-outs to affected businesses
| 2019-11-13T00:00:00 |
thesun
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Boris Johnson to send 100 troops to flood-hit areas and give cash bail-outs to affected businesses
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BORIS Johnson is sending 100 troops to help flood-hit areas and giving a cash bail-out to affected councils and businesses. The announcement came as Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and Lib Dem chief Jo Swinson were accused of “weaponising” the crisis. Soldiers from UK Standby Battalion, based in Catterick, will be deployed today. Following a meeting of the Government’s Cobra committee, the PM added: “It is essential our communities have the support they need to recover.” Councils will get emergency grants and business £2,500 handouts. Meanwhile, Mr Corbyn blamed flooding on years of spending cuts and pledged £5.6billion to shore up defences. He said: “The Government’s response to the floods has been woeful. “If this had happened in Surrey instead of Yorkshire and the East Midlands, I think it would have been a very different story.” Ms Swinson followed in his footsteps by taking her election campaign to sodden South Yorkshire. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said: “This is nothing but cheap political posturing. Using a natural disaster in this way is as low as it gets.” One of the worst-hit villages is Fishlake, near Doncaster, where residents said they received a “severe warning” from the council on social media five hours after homes were flooded. Meanwhile, a farm was cut off by floodwater in Barlings, Lincs, when a river burst its banks. Last night families battling to clear up were warned that two weeks’ worth of rain will fall tomorrow. • GOT a story? Ring The Sun on 0207 782 4104 or WHATSAPP on 07423720250 or email [email protected].
|
Phoenix Cronin
|
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/10334498/boris-johnson-sends-troops-cash-help-britains-flood-communities/
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Wed, 13 Nov 2019 00:17:31 +0000
| 1,573,622,251 | 1,573,604,767 |
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theindependent--2019-07-21--Iran crisis May to chair emergency Cobra meeting after Hammond insists UK aposdidnapost take ey
| 2019-07-21T00:00:00 |
theindependent
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Iran crisis: May to chair emergency Cobra meeting after Hammond insists UK 'didn't take eye off ball'
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Theresa May will begin her final week as prime minister by chairing a meeting of the government’s emergency committee Cobra on Monday to discuss Iran‘s seizure of a British-flagged oil tanker in the Persian Gulf. The prime minister was absent from ministerial Cobra meetings over the weekend, which she spent in her Maidenhead constituency, but was kept informed of developments. She is expected to receive updates from ministers and officials on the situation and will discuss the maintenance of the security of shipping in the region. Jeremy Hunt, the foreign secretary, will update the Commons on the situation on Monday afternoon, amid reports that ministers are considering freezing Iranian regime assets. He is expected to tell MPs what further measures the government will take. It came after Philip Hammond, the chancellor, denied reports that the UK had taken its “eye off the ball” because of domestic politics after the vessel was commandeered in Omani waters in the economically significant Strait of Hormuz. Mr insisted the government had been “very much engaged with both the Americans and our European partners in the response to Iran’s increasing defiance of the JCPOA over the last few months”. And Tobias Ellwood, the defence minister, said the UK had vessels going through 100 nautical miles of waterway every day in the region, adding: “It is impossible simply to escort each individual vessel.” He also called for more money to be invested in the Royal Navy if Britain wants to continue to play a role on the international stage. Meanwhile, audio footage emerged between Iranian authorities and HMS Montrose moments before the Stena Impero was seized. In the radio recording, the Iranian vessel can be heard saying: “If you obey, you will be safe. Alter your course immediately. I want to inspect the ship for security reasons.” HMS Montrose replied: “You must not impair, impede, obstruct or hamper the passage of the Stena Impero. Please confirm that you are not intending to violate international law by attempting to board.” Reports from Tehran state those on board the Stena Impero are safe and well. Iran has directly linked the seizure of the vessel with Britain’s role in detaining a tanker carrying Iranian oil earlier this month. A spokesman for Iran’s Guardian Council was quoted as saying “the rule of reciprocal action is well known in international law” and that Tehran made the right decision in the face of an “illegitimate economic war and seizure of oil tankers”. The explanation, which contrasts with a suggestion on Friday night that the Stena Impero was “violating international maritime rules” and had collided with a fishing boat, came as the UK government warned British ships to stay away from the Strait of Hormuz. HMS Montrose, which is patrolling the Persian Gulf to protect shipping, and earlier this month intercepted Iranian patrol boats surrounding another UK-flagged tanker, reportedly arrived minutes too late to prevent the latest incident. A second oil tanker, the Liberian-flagged Mesdar, which is managed by Norbulk Shipping UK, veered off course towards the Iranian coast after it was boarded by armed guards at about 5.30pm on Friday. Communication with the ship was later re-established and the crew were unharmed. The tanker was reportedly allowed to resume navigation. France and Germany joined condemnation of Iran’s actions, which have triggered concerns that it will lead to further oil price hikes amid heightened tensions in the Gulf involving Iran, the US and UK.
|
Samuel Osborne
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https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/iran-crisis-may-cobra-meeting-hammond-uk-eye-off-ball-a9014886.html
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2019-07-21 22:10:54+00:00
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714,457 |
theguardianuk--2019-11-13--Resident tells Boris Johnson on floods visit: 'You've not helped us'
| 2019-11-13T00:00:00 |
theguardianuk
|
Resident tells Boris Johnson on floods visit: 'You've not helped us'
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Boris Johnson has been accused of doing nothing to help flood victims as he visited one of the worst hit areas and told residents: “We’ve been on it round the clock”. The prime minister appeared in Stainforth, in South Yorkshire as 100 soldiers were deployed to help shore up the region’s battered flood defences. One resident told Johnson: “I’m not very happy about talking to you so, if you don’t mind, I’ll just mope on with what I’m doing.” The woman, clutching a wheelbarrow alongside the troops sent to the area to help, added: “You’ve not helped us … I don’t know what you’re here today for.” Another told him: “You’ve took your time Boris, haven’t you?”, to which Johnson replied: “We’ve been on it round the clock.” The prime minister chaired a meeting of the government emergency committee Cobra on Tuesday night following pressure from opposition leaders to get a grip on the crisis, which affected communities in South Yorkshire, the East Midlands and Lincolnshire. About 400 homes have been flooded and more than 1,200 properties evacuated across parts of northern England in the past week, according to the Environment Agency. Speaking to reporters in Stainforth on Wednesday, Johnson said: “I perfectly understand how people feel and you can understand the anguish a flood causes. “The shock of seeing your property engulfed by water is huge and also the anxiety of what may still be to come and I do thank the emergency services for everything they are doing.” Johnson arrived in the area as nearly 100 soldiers began assisting communities cut off by the flooding. Personnel from the Light Dragoons laid down sandbags in Stainforth near Doncaster, attempting to shore up the village’s bridge. Weather warnings are in place for much of England and part of Wales on Thursday amid fears that those worst affected will be hit for a second time, hampering the recovery effort. Five of the most serious “danger to life” alerts were stood down along the River Don in South Yorkshire on Tuesday, but 20 flood warnings remain in place and further downpours are forecast for Thursday. A Met Office yellow weather warning for rain stretches across much of the country over the next 48 hours, with flood-hit parts of South Yorkshire and Lincolnshire likely to bear the brunt. The agency said there was a small chance that communities in the region could be cut off completely, perhaps for several days, with a small chance of fast-flowing or deep flood water causing a danger to life. The Met Office said there was a small chance of extensive flooding to homes and businesses and a slight chance of power outages. The recovery effort was already well under way on Tuesday when, under pressure from opposition leaders, Boris Johnson announced a package of measures to help. Following the Cobra meeting on Tuesday, the prime minister announced funding “to support the recovery efforts of local councils where households and businesses have been affected”. As well as the deployment of 100 armed forces personnel, the government said a community recovery grant would be available to local councils, equivalent to £500 per eligible household, and businesses would each be eligible for up to £2,500. Johnson said it had been “an absolute tragedy for those who have seen such damage to their homes and livestock” and that the country had to prepare for more floods this winter because the ground was so waterlogged. The prime minister faced criticism for refusing to acknowledge the seriousness of the situation on Friday night, when he said the floods were not a national emergency. The recovery in the village of Fishlake, near Doncaster, is expected to take weeks. Residents have been advised to leave their homes and evacuate the village, though many have stayed put. The Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, and the Liberal Democrat leader, Jo Swinson, visited Fishlake on Tuesday, outlining pledges to spend £5.6bn and £5bn respectively on flood defences. Sue Marshall, who has been unable to return to her house since she was evacuated on Saturday, said she hoped the political visits would lead to real help for those affected. She feared being flooded on Thursday, when more rain is forecast. “I’ve just said to Jo Swinson that it’s all very well her doing this but in a month’s time we’re going to be old news,” she said. “What we need to know is that in two months’ time, the MPs will revisit this and look at what has been done to stop it happening again. And my immediate concern is what are they doing now to stop it happening on Thursday.”
|
Josh Halliday North of England correspondent
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https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/nov/13/uk-flooding-army-help-recovery-effort-more-rain-forecast
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Wed, 13 Nov 2019 09:46:42 GMT
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theguardianuk--2019-11-13--Boris Johnson heckled over floods but does not apologise for 'slow response'
| 2019-11-13T00:00:00 |
theguardianuk
|
Boris Johnson heckled over floods but does not apologise for 'slow response'
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Boris Johnson declined to apologise over his government’s slow response to the flooding across parts of the north of England, insisting that a huge amount of work was going on to help and compensate victims. The prime minister faced difficult questions over whether enough had been spent on flood defences in deluged regions of Yorkshire, the east Midlands and Lincolnshire, after giving a speech on how he would give billions of pounds to research and development. Asked to apologise, and challenged over why voters in the areas underwater should support him, Johnson insisted the government stood “ready to support in any way” it could the 850 residents whose homes were flooded. He said the government had already put £2.6bn into flood defences and would look at longer term solutions, such as planting more trees, to manage the environment better. Earlier, he was accused by some flood victims of doing nothing to help them as he visited one of the worst affected areas. The prime minister appeared in Stainforth, South Yorkshire, as 100 soldiers were deployed to help shore up the region’s battered flood defences. One resident told Johnson: “I’m not very happy about talking to you, so, if you don’t mind, I’ll just motor on with what I’m doing.” The woman, clutching a wheelbarrow alongside the troops sent to the area to help, added: “You’ve not helped us … I don’t know what you’re here today for.” Another told him: “You’ve took your time, Boris, haven’t you?” Johnson replied: “We’ve been on it round the clock.” Earlier the prime minister chaired a meeting of the government emergency committee, Cobra, following pressure from opposition leaders to get a grip on the crisis. The Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, and the Liberal Democrat leader, Jo Swinson, visited Fishlake, near Doncaster, on Tuesday, outlining pledges to spend £5.6bn and £5bn respectively on flood defences. However, Johnson did not mention any extra money for flood defences as he outlined a multi-billion-pound package of spending on research and development while visiting an electric car factory near Coventry. He claimed a Conservative government would launch three industrial revolutions – in green tech, innovation and skills. His main policy planks were: • None Ensuring that everyone in England and Wales was within 30 miles of an electric vehicle charging point, by spending £500m on expanding the network • None Increasing the target for electricity from offshore wind power from 30GW to 40GW by 2030, a move he said that could create 9,000 more jobs • None Spending £800m on carbon capture and storage (CCS) clusters to help them become established by the mid-2020s • None Doubling research and development spending to £18bn by 2024 compared with 2017 levels, including funding for advanced maths research, a national space strategy and support for nuclear fusion • None About £1.8bn for rebuilding further education colleges “I want you to imagine a Britain ... where in 10 years’ time scientists are starting to reap the huge rewards from our plans to double funding for research and businesses as well as from space to AI to the gigafactory for batteries we are going to build in the next three years,” Johnson said. The speech also reiterated his core message on Brexit, claiming he had a “Blue Peter deal – here’s one I made earlier” and one that was “ready to go, just add water, stir in pot”. He also suggested that all big new public-sector projects would be forced to hire British apprentices as workers after the UK left the EU.
|
Rowena Mason and Josh Halliday
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https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/nov/13/boris-johnson-refuses-to-apologise-for-slow-response-to-england-floods
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Wed, 13 Nov 2019 19:42:13 GMT
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theguardianuk--2019-11-12--Boris Johnson accused of 'outrageous' lack of concern about floods
| 2019-11-12T00:00:00 |
theguardianuk
|
Boris Johnson accused of 'outrageous' lack of concern about floods
|
Boris Johnson has been accused of displaying an “utterly outrageous” lack of concern about the severe floods that have devastated hundreds of homes and caused more than 1,200 properties to be evacuated in northern England. Under increasing pressure over the issue, the prime minister chaired a meeting of the government’s emergency committee Cobra on Tuesday after he was criticised by Jeremy Corbyn for not declaring a national emergency. Afterwards, the government announced it would “provide funding to support the recovery efforts of local councils where households and businesses have been affected”. It said a community recovery grant would be made available to local councils, equivalent to £500 per eligible household, and businesses would be eligible for up to £2,500 each. An additional 100 armed forces personnel will also be deployed. Speaking afterwards, Johnson said the country had to “prepare for more floods” this winter because the ground is so waterlogged. Criticism of Johnson by opposition leaders was echoed in the towns badly affected by the downpours, where 30 flood warnings remain in place including five “danger to life” alerts along the River Don in South Yorkshire. In the Nottinghamshire town of Worksop, scores of residents were evacuated and more than 200 homes and businesses were flooded on Friday after a month’s worth of rain fell in 24 hours. Simon Greaves, the Labour leader of Bassetlaw district council, said Johnson had been “preoccupied with electioneering” when he should have been coordinating a national response to the disaster, which encompasses Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and South Yorkshire. He said: “The government had a fantastic opportunity to step up to the plate and take emergency action. For me, they were concentrating more on the general election campaign than they were on people’s lives. They had an opportunity to take action [and] they consciously chose not to. I think it’s utterly outrageous.” Johnson was filmed mopping up in a branch of Specsavers when he visited flood-hit Matlock on Friday night after campaigning in nearby Mansfield. Earlier that day the body of Annie Hall, the former high sheriff of Derbyshire, had been found, after she had been swept away by the River Derwent at Darley Dale, not far from Matlock. On his visit to Derbyshire, the prime minister said the government needed to invest in flood defences but that the floods were not “looking like something we need to escalate to the level of a national emergency”. The Liberal Democrat leader, Jo Swinson, visited Fishlake near Doncaster on Tuesday, where she announced her party’s plans for a £5bn flood prevention fund that local authorities would be able to access to improve their area’s defences. Sue Marshall, who has been unable to return to her house since she was evacuated on Saturday, said she hoped the political visits would lead to real help for those affected – and that she feared being flooded on Thursday, when more rain is forecast. “I’ve just said to Jo Swinson that it’s all very well her doing this but in a month’s time we’re going to be old news,” she said. “What we need to know is that in two months’ time, the MPs will revisit this and look at what has been done to stop it happening again. And my immediate concern is what are they doing now to stop it happening on Thursday.” Corbyn made his second trip to the affected area in a week on Tuesday afternoon visiting a site of serious flooding in Doncaster, eight miles from where the Lib Dem leader made an appearance earlier in the day. He used the visit to announce Labour’s plans for a new £5.6bn fund to level up flood defences over 10 years, funded through the party’s £250bn Green Transformation Fund. The Labour leader was shown around Custom Windows and Doors in Bentley, which has become the site of a community effort to help people affected by the floods back on their feet, housing piles of donated clothes and food. Asked whether politicians were guilty of taking advantage of the disaster in South Yorkshire for their own electoral advantage, Corbyn said it was important that people understood that the party was serious about “providing the resources necessary to deal with what are the personal and human disasters of floods”. Corbyn said that the Conservatives always ignored the needs of the north of England. His party’s proposed fund would prioritise areas of need in the north-west, Yorkshire and the East Midlands. Emma King, 36, showed Corbyn around the home she lives in with her three children and partner. Her house was flooded on Friday and she said it now smelled like “stale, rotten fish”. King’s house was last flooded in 2007. “It shouldn’t have happened again,” she said. Gwen Kincel’s home was flooded on Saturday, 12 years after it was last flooded in 2007. “They promised us this would never happen again and it has,” said Kincel, 69. “It was the same in 2007. I spent a year living upstairs last time until the downstairs of my house was back to normal and now i’m going to have to do it again.” David Hughes, the mayor of Matlock, said it was right that the government had called an emergency meeting but he was surprised that Johnson had not yet visited the worst-affected areas. “Obviously if people are flooded for days and days on end then it is an emergency for them and it seems to be over a large area,” he said. “Given the persistency [of the floods], yes I think he probably should make a visit.” In the Doncaster suburb of Bentley, which remained under a severe flood warning on Tuesday, Tony Nicholson said there was anger at the hierarchy of the town’s Labour council and the Conservative government over their response to the disaster. “If this was in another area this would be deemed a national emergency. This is devastating for people’s lives,” said Nicholson, a Green party parish councillor. Nicholson said he was not making a party political point but was angry at the official response at a national and local level. “It’s the official response that’s the issue, whoever is in charge,” he said. “It seems it has not been fast enough and because these people are not wealthy people and it has happened before, they have a sense that they’re not that important.” Jane Cox, the leader of the Conservative group on Doncaster council, said it was inappropriate to score political points out of a human tragedy. “It does matter that [the government] should acknowledge it but I firmly believe it should not be politicised,” she said. “I would be horrified if anyone started slating anyone from the Labour party for what has happened.”
|
Josh Halliday and Frances Perraudin
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https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/nov/12/boris-johnson-accused-of-outrageous-lack-of-concern-about-floods
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Tue, 12 Nov 2019 19:48:51 GMT
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theguardianuk--2019-11-12--Andrew Sparrow's election briefing: for Angela Rayner, the personal is political
| 2019-11-12T00:00:00 |
theguardianuk
|
Andrew Sparrow's election briefing: for Angela Rayner, the personal is political
|
Boris Johnson has claimed the situation is “stabilising” for those affected by the flooding in northern England, as he spoke to broadcasters after chairing a meeting of the government’s Cobra emergency committee. He rejected claims that the government had been complacent. But No 10 announced the Cobra meeting only after Jeremy Corbyn publicly called for one (although Downing Street says it was scheduled anyway), and Corbyn and the Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson both made visits today to residents affected. Corbyn said Labour would spend £5.6bn over 10 years improving flood defences. The Labour leader has unveiled what he described as one of the party’s most transformative plans: a lifelong learning proposal that he said would give every adult an entitlement to six years of free education. At a launch in Blackpool, Corbyn said this was one of the plans he was “most excited about”. Angela Rayner, the shadow education secretary, said people taking up the offer would be able to get the same maintenance support available to students in higher education, and workers would have the right to paid time off for study. Rayner’s speech was powerful because she was able to recount how, as a teenage mother, her own life was transformed by adult education, and her performance will do nothing to quell speculation that, if she is not setting up a national education service after the election (and the polls continue to imply she won’t be), she might be running for the leadership instead. Corbyn was given a standing ovation by the activists here in Blackpool, and his promise that the NHS is “not for sale” in a trade deal with the US was greeted with enthusiastic applause. But the star turn was Rayner, who talked about the importance of adult education in her own life, after she left school at 16 to look after her son. Under Labour’s policy, she said, “whether you left school with no GCSEs or 10, your ability to pay or your willingness to take on debt will not determine whether you get the education you need”. She skewered politicians’ habit of parroting the idea that vocational qualifications are as important as academic ones, or that the UK can simply copy Germany. And she had another nice line that “poverty is not just about being penniless, it is about being powerless”, because workers often don’t have the opportunity to train. Just anecdotally, the atmosphere is warm here, but the audience doesn’t seem quite as big, as young or as lively as the most memorable Labour events I went to during the 2017 campaign. Back then, some Corbyn fans were coming from miles around just to get a glimpse of their man. Labour campaigners I chatted to here said they were finding a lot of “undecideds” on the doorstep. Perhaps enthusiasm will build as we get closer to 12 December? We’ll see. • None Corbyn told reporters that British voters were now at risk from a Trump/Farage/Johnson alliance that would threaten the NHS, workers’ rights and safe food. • None Labour has described a Tory claim that personal taxes would go up by £2,400 a head under a Corbyn government as “fake news”. It is. The costings on which the claim is based are flawed, making it even more dubious than these election projections normally are. • None Nigel Farage has branded Conservative calls for the Brexit party to stand down in Labour marginals as “almost comical”, saying his party needs to get MPs into parliament to hold Johnson’s feet to the fire. • None But Farage has also faced a backlash from some of the Brexit party candidates asked to stand down, with one saying he only learned the news when a passing driver asked him why he was still campaigning. • None Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and Corbyn have led tributes to Frank Dobson, the former Labour health secretary, who has died at the age of 79. An MP for 36 years, socialist, campaigner, loyalist, wit and raconteur, he was widely admired, and even more widely liked. • None Labour’s Anna Turley, who is suing the union Unite, has told the high court that the party has moved too far to the left under Corbyn and has refused to apologise for insulting the union’s leader, Len McCluskey. • None The Labour party has faced a second cyber-attack in two days, after experiencing what it called a “sophisticated and large-scale” attempt to disrupt its digital systems. • None Labour has responded to a backlash among voters of Indian heritage in the UK by shifting its stance on the Kashmir dispute and insisting it is a bilateral matter between India and Pakistan in which Labour will not interfere. Sign up here to receive Andrew Sparrow’s election briefing direct to your email inbox every weekday:
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Andrew Sparrow
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https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/nov/12/andrew-sparrow-election-briefing-angela-rayner-personal-is-political
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Tue, 12 Nov 2019 18:57:59 GMT
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theguardianuk--2019-11-11--Boris Johnson to hold emergency Cobra meeting over floods
| 2019-11-11T00:00:00 |
theguardianuk
|
Boris Johnson to hold emergency Cobra meeting over floods
|
Boris Johnson has agreed to chair a meeting of the government’s emergency committee on Tuesday to discuss the response to the recent severe floods, after he was urged by Jeremy Corbyn to “take personal charge” of the situation. The announcement by Downing Street came as residents began a clean-up operation, and warned that further damage was likely unless existing water was pumped away. Corbyn had said that he disagreed with the prime minister’s assessment at the weekend that the flooding was “not looking like something we need to escalate to the level of a national emergency” and urged him to convene the Cobra meeting. The Labour leader wrote to Johnson: “If this had happened in Surrey, not Yorkshire or the east Midlands, it seems far more likely that a national emergency would have been declared.” He called for the government to ensure “every resource is being utilised to aid those that need it and protect against future potential floods” and “that the insurance industry fulfils its responsibilities”. Downpours last week meant several areas from Yorkshire to Derbyshire and the east Midlands were deluged with one month’s worth of rain in a day. On Monday, the Environment Agency had five severe “danger to life” flood warnings in place, all in and around Doncaster, as well as 39 flood warnings across the country. Last week the River Don burst its banks, leaving houses inundated by floodwater and forcing residents out of their homes. Residents in Fishlake, near Doncaster, raised concerns that more flooding was likely unless the existing water was pumped away, with more rain forecast for Thursday night. In Fishlake, 51-year-old Grant Berry said he had spent three dark nights marooned on the first floor of his house in Fishlake, relying on candles for light after the electricity was knocked out. It was just before 1am on Saturday that the Environment Agency issued a “danger to life” warning for the village after a month’s rain fell in 24 hours. But Berry and his wife, Samantha, did not get it, having not signed up to the agency’s text alerts. Nor did many residents of their pretty South Yorkshire village, who thought they had escaped the worst after a major emergency was declared across the county on Thursday night. They only realised they were in trouble when the water started rushing down the lane by their house. Two nearby rivers, the Don and Ea Beck, had breached their banks, spilling into Fishlake, which centuries ago was settled on a floodplain. The couple had just a few minutes to grab their most precious belongings and a packet of candles before their ground floor was a foot underwater, tripping the electrics. At the bottom of the drive, the floodwaters had reached waist-height. The couple were going nowhere. All weekend, they sat upstairs eating crisps and corned beef, taking turns to look forlornly out of the window at the For Sale sign outside, poking up from the floodwater. “We can forget about selling up now,” said Berry, showing the Guardian around the musty ground floor on Monday after the waters had receded, the floorboards warped after their rapid submersion. Like at least half of the 175 households in Fishlake, the Berrys had no intention of abandoning their property, even though the threat to life warning was firmly in place. Not only did they have nowhere to go, but they worried their home could be targeted by looters. John Waite, 75, one of the voluntary flood wardens, insisted the door of a local funeral parlour had been forced, leading to the surreal sight of coffins – empty, thankfully – “floating down the high street”. But South Yorkshire police said there were no confirmed reports. “We’ve got a drone up, boats and crime prevention patrols and we can’t find any evidence of criminality,” said a spokeswoman. In the Hare and Hounds, Andrew Benford was stroking his border terrier, Mazy. Along with several other homeless residents, the pair had been sleeping together on a camp bed in the pub since Friday night when their bungalow was flooded. The new landlords, Scott and Angie Godfrey, had been amazing, said Benford. “They can’t do enough for us.” On Monday afternoon the first high-volume pump arrived in Fishlake to reduce water levels, which were still several foot deep in some areas of the village. In nearby Bentley Ings, which flooded on Thursday night, an RAF Chinook helicopter had been deployed to reinforce flood banks with aggregate. However, there was no sign of Doncaster council in Fishlake. A spokeswoman said it could not send in employees for health and safety reasons, and had been asked to stay away by the emergency services while the severe flood warning was in place. While expressing sympathy for residents, she criticised them for using the fire service as “a courier service”. Throughout Monday, fire officers ferried prescriptions via dinghy from house to house, checking that anyone who wanted to leave could do so. For many residents, the council’s absence was all the more jarring given how many journalists had managed to travel on amphibious vehicles to reach the village, hitching a ride from the nearby pit village of Stainforth. The Guardian was given a lift by one of these “Land Rover heroes”, Neil Carpenter, who with his son Lewis had been providing a shuttle service all weekend, refusing money for petrol. “What you have seen here is people who have very little, giving a lot,” said town councillor Phil Bedford, who was coordinating a respite centre at Stainforth community resource centre, which was filled with donations of everything from sanitary towels to tins of beans – and even a pair of flippers. “This is a response from the people not the authorities.”
|
Helen Pidd and Heather Stewart
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https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/nov/11/corbyn-asks-johnson-to-take-charge-of-response-to-yorkshire-flooding
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Mon, 11 Nov 2019 21:13:02 GMT
| 1,573,524,782 | 1,573,518,337 |
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theguardianuk--2019-11-11--Andrew Sparrow's election briefing: The best news Boris Johnson has had so far?
| 2019-11-11T00:00:00 |
theguardianuk
|
Andrew Sparrow's election briefing: The best news Boris Johnson has had so far?
|
Nigel Farage claimed he had killed off a second referendum The leader of the Brexit party declared his party would not stand candidates in the 317 seats won by the Conservatives in 2017. The exact impact is still a matter of debate, but it is almost certainly the most significant electoral boost the Tories have had in the campaign so far. In a speech in Hartlepool (full text here), Farage claimed his decision meant a “leave alliance” was now in operation: I have got no great love for the Conservative party at all. But I can see right now that by giving Boris half a chance, by keeping him honest and holding him to account by getting people in, and by stopping the fanatics in the Liberal Democrats who’d sign us up to everything, wouldn’t they, the United States of Europe, European army, you name it, I mean they even want to revoke the result of the referendum. No, I think our action … prevents a second referendum from happening and that to me I think right now is the single most important thing in our country. So in a sense, we now have a leave alliance. It’s just that we’ve done it unilaterally. Boris Johnson said he had not agreed a deal Johnson claimed he did not call Farage to agree a leave alliance. But Farage claimed he had changed his mind – even though only 10 days ago he said Johnson would have to abandon his whole Brexit plan – because of assurances made in a video posted on Twitter: Johnson’s “super Canada plus” comment has not been reported today because this sort of trade deal has always been his aim. But it did look as though the video had been distributed to give Farage cover for the climbdown. Farage is still planning to run candidates in Labour-held seats, which could prevent the Tories from making gains. But given Farage has now accepted Johnson’s deal, and that a Johnson majority would be preferable to a hung parliament, it is hard to see the logic of his stance. It remains to be seen if a further retreat is coming. Thursday is the deadline when candidates must decide whether or not they are standing. Opposition parties: the Tories are becoming the Brexit party Labour (here), the SNP (here) and the Lib Dems (here) all made this point. The Labour leader called on Johnson to chair a meeting of the government’s emergency committee, Cobra, in response to the flooding in South Yorkshire. This is undoubtedly the best news that Boris Johnson has had during the campaign so far. It doesn’t mean the result of the election is a foregone conclusion, and it does not mean a hung parliament is now impossible, as Farage claimed, but an election in which the Brexit party is not standing in Tory seats will probably not be the same as an election in which it was splitting the Brexit vote. Two points are worth stressing. First, Farage is capitulating from a position of weakness, not strength. The polls have not shifted a great deal in the past week, but one constant feature is that the Brexit party vote has been heading south. You can see the figures in the Guardian’s poll tracker. Second, the Brexit party still seems to be intent on standing candidates in Tory target seats – particularly the leave-leaning Labour seats in the north of England, where Farage has been saying his party could do well. But it seems more likely that the Tories and the Brexit party will operate unofficial non-aggression pacts, allowing the best placed party to challenge Labour. One final point. Until relatively recently it was assumed that if the Tories tried to fight an election without having delivered Brexit, they would get smashed by the Brexit party. Almost all media commentators thought this, but so did Johnson himself, and probably Farage too. But that was another piece of conventional political wisdom (like the idea that Corbyn could never win a Labour leadership contest) that turned out to be nonsense. You could cite this as proof that the Westminster commentariat are all rubbish (perhaps we are?), but it is probably better seen as evidence that voter behaviour is inherently unpredictable. • None Hillary Clinton has called Downing Street’s suppression of a report into potential Russian infiltration of British politics “damaging, inexplicable and shaming”. • None A Green party candidate has withdrawn in a second marginal seat targeted by Labour, prompting speculation that more could step aside as part of an informal anti-Conservative alliance. • None Dominic Raab, the UK foreign secretary, has accused Corbyn of putting Marxist solidarity ahead of democracy after the Labour leader said Evo Morales had been forced to resign as Bolivia’s president. • None A Labour government would introduce “managed migration” for EU nationals in the event Brexit happens, the shadow foreign secretary, Emily Thornberry, has said as the party continues to debate what immigration policy to offer. • None The Conservatives have challenged Labour to explain whether Corbyn would be willing to use nuclear weapons as a last resort after Thornberry refused to answer this question. • None Johnson’s government appears to be preparing to nominate an EU commissioner, potentially breaching another Brexit promise. • None Britain’s economy avoided a recession in the third quarter after it expanded by 0.3% but the annual pace of growth was the slowest for nearly 10 years. • None Ireland has expressed concern over a Conservative party pledge to change the law to protect former soldiers in Northern Ireland from possible prosecution over deaths during the Troubles. If you’re using the Guardian app and would like a daily alert to Andrew Sparrow’s election briefing, click here and select “get notifications”.
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Andrew Sparrow
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https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/nov/11/andrew-sparrow-election-briefing-the-best-news-boris-johnson-has-had-so-far
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Mon, 11 Nov 2019 19:00:50 GMT
| 1,573,516,850 | 1,573,518,354 |
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theguardianuk--2019-06-24--The Unwanted The Secret Windrush Files review who could feel proud of Britain after this
| 2019-06-24T00:00:00 |
theguardianuk
|
The Unwanted: The Secret Windrush Files review – who could feel proud of Britain after this?
|
As the Empire Windrush made its way from the Caribbean to Britain in 1948, politicians in Westminster were frantically scheming about how they could prevent a ship carrying hundreds of black immigrants from docking in the UK. The Labour prime minister Clement Attlee described it as an “incursion”. A meeting of the government’s economic policy committee discussed whether it might be possible to divert the ship to east Africa, and make its passengers (a well-qualified group of electricians, mechanics, welders and carpenters) take work there, picking peanuts. Eleven Labour MPs delivered a letter to Attlee warning that “an influx of coloured people” would “impair the harmony, strength and cohesion of our public and social life and cause discord and unhappiness among all concerned”. Anyone who thought that the introduction of the hostile environment was one of Theresa May’s few clear, tangible accomplishments will need to reconsider. It turns out that even this unpleasant creation is not something she can claim as her core legacy, since it had already been 70 years in the making. Although the postwar government estimated Britain needed 1.3 million extra workers to help rebuild a country shattered by five years of war, officials turned out to be more welcoming to ex-SS soldiers from Germany than British subjects from the Caribbean. In his powerful film, The Unwanted: the Secret Windrush Files (BBC Two), the historian David Olusoga manages to explain complex immigration law and decode dense documents from the government archives in an arresting way. He pulls out devastating passages from forgotten files to showcase the hostility of successive governments to non-white settlers. Everything begins with the British Nationality Act of 1948, which confirmed the right of all British subjects to move freely and live anywhere they liked within the newly created Commonwealth. But the act, Olusoga argues, was intended to ensure frictionless travel for the large white populations of Canada and Australia. “No one imagined that black and brown people from Asia, Africa and the West Indies would use their rights under this act to come and settle in Britain.” Incriminating archival material reveals the scale of official panic about immigration and the underhand measures taken to discourage residents of Britain’s colonies from settling. Crucially, politicians wanted to restrict access without actually appearing to be racist. The film exposes their shameful contortions as they scrabbled around to justify their prejudices. We learn how ministers in the 1950s commissioned researchers to come up with reasons for concluding that non-white immigration was problematic, with senior civil servants instructing dole officers to conduct secret race surveys to see if there was any truth in the assumption that migrants were coming to live off the welfare state, and asking police chiefs around the country leading questions such as: “Is it true that they are generally idle?”, “Do they have low standards of living?”, and “Are they addicted to drug trafficking and other types of crime?” Winston Churchill was obsessed by the “considerable” number of “coloured workers” employed by the Post Office, and, by 1955, was suggesting to ministers that they should fight the next election on the slogan “Keep England White”. This gradual tightening of immigration legislation exploded in the hands of Theresa May’s government last April, with the Windrush scandal – when thousands of Caribbean-born citizens, legally settled here since childhood, found that they had been silently transformed into illegal immigrants, and threatened with deportation, detained, sacked from their jobs or made homeless. Olusoga shows how the roots of the scandal lie in a single line from the 1971 Immigration Act, which put the onus on individuals to prove that they are here legally – something so many people were unable to do, with devastating consequences. “Who keeps receipts from the 1970s?” Anthony Bryan asks, explaining how he was detained for five weeks and booked on a flight back to Jamaica. A letter from the Home Office to his lawyer demands more proof: “Your client has stated that he has been resident in the UK since 1965. As such, the evidence submitted must be continuous, and cover the entirety of the 51 years that your client has claimed to reside in the UK.” The most moving parts of this film are the interviews with three Windrush victims (all of whom helped expose the scandal in the Guardian). “It was a country I was proud of, but now I don’t think I feel proud of it,” Sarah O’Connor says, after being wrongly classified as an illegal immigrant, despite her 51 years in the UK. “At times I got so low I wanted my life to end.” Sarah died before the film was finished. No one could feel proud of Britain after watching it.
|
Amelia Gentleman
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https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/jun/24/the-unwanted-the-secret-windrush-files-review-who-could-feel-proud-of-britain-after-this
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2019-06-24 21:00:23+00:00
| 1,561,424,423 | 1,567,538,326 |
politics
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650,844 |
thedailyrecord--2019-07-22--First picture inside seized British tanker showing crew held captive by Iran forces
| 2019-07-22T00:00:00 |
thedailyrecord
|
First picture inside seized British tanker showing crew held captive by Iran forces
|
Crew members of a British oil tanker seized by Iranian forces can be seen in the first photo to be released from inside the ship. The captured sailors have been pictured sat together on the floor behind an Iranian official, with their shoes piled up nearby. It comes after Iran's Revolutionary Guard took control of the Stena Impero last Friday, initially claiming it was in violation of international maritime law int he Strait of Hormuz. The owner of the UK-flagged tanker says the crew are of Indian, Russian, Latvian and Filipino nationality. Fresh video footage also shows the Iranian flag raised above the vessel, where the British flag once was. A separate snap shoes an armed member of Iran's forces on the ship, with reports suggesting all those on board the shop are safe and well, as the Mirror reports. Britain said the ship was in Oman’s territorial waters when its was seized, and it was following international law. Theresa May will chair a meeting of the Government's emergency committee Cobra on Monday to discuss the situation as the crisis between Iran and the West deepened. The Prime Minister is expected to receive updates from ministers and officials on the seized tanker and will discuss the maintenance of the security of shipping in the region. Mrs May was not present at ministerial Cobra meetings over the weekend - which she spent in her Maidenhead constituency - but was kept informed of developments. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt will update the Commons on the situation on Monday afternoon, amid reports that ministers are considering freezing Iranian regime assets. He is expected to tell MPs what further measures the Government will take. UK ships have been warned to avoid the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil shipping route. The Swedish-owned, UK-flagged ship and its crew members are being held at the Port of Bandar Abbas. It was captured just weeks after British Royal Marines seized an Iranian tanker off the coast of Gibraltar earlier this month as the UK claimed the vessel had violated sanctions on Syria. An audio recording has emerged of communications between Iranian authorities and HMS Montrose moments before the Stena Impero was seized in a busy oil shipping route. In the radio recording, the Iranian vessel can be heard saying: "If you obey, you will be safe. "I want to inspect the ship for security reasons." HMS Montrose replied: "You must not impair, impede, obstruct or hamper the passage of the Stena Impero. "Please confirm that you are not intending to violate international law by attempting to board." Iran has directly linked the seizure of the vessel with Britain's role in detaining a tanker carrying Iranian oil earlier this month. A spokesman for Iran's Guardian Council was quoted as saying "the rule of reciprocal action is well known in international law" and that Tehran made the right decision in the face of an "illegitimate economic war and seizure of oil tankers". The explanation, which contrasts with a suggestion on Friday night that the Stena Impero was "violating international maritime rules" and had collided with a fishing boat, came as the UK Government warned British ships to stay away from the Strait of Hormuz. HMS Montrose, which is patrolling the Persian Gulf to protect shipping, and earlier this month intercepted Iranian patrol boats surrounding another UK-flagged tanker, reportedly arrived minutes too late to prevent the latest incident. A second oil tanker, the Liberian-flagged Mesdar, which is managed by Norbulk Shipping UK, veered off course towards the Iranian coast after it was boarded by armed guards at about on Friday. Communication with the ship was later re-established and the crew were unharmed. The tanker was reportedly allowed to resume navigation. France and Germany joined condemnation of Iran's actions, which have triggered concerns that it will lead to further oil price hikes amid heightened tensions in the Gulf involving Iran, the US and UK. Hostilities between Iran and the West, mainly the US, have increased after Washington imposed new, tighter sanctions in May. The sanctions were introduced after President Donald Trump pulled out of a nuclear deal signed by his predecessor Barack Obama. The deal had provided Iran access to world trade in return for curbs on its nuclear programme. In recent weeks, the US has accused Iran of seizing several oil tankers in the region, and the Americans and Iranians have shot down each other's drones. Britain became involved when the Royal Marines seized an Iranian tanker off the coast of Gibraltar earlier this month as the UK claimed the vessel had violated sanctions on Syria. The crisis between Iran and the US escalated on Monday as Tehran claimed it had captured 17 "CIA spies" and some have been sentenced to death. An intelligence ministry official claims CIA operatives infiltrated "sensitive" and "vital" sectors of Iran - including economic, nuclear, military and cyber sectors - to steal secrets. Some of those involved in the spy ring were sentenced to execution for being "corrupters", the ministry added.
|
[email protected] (Chris Kitching)
|
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/first-picture-inside-seized-british-18539992
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2019-07-22 10:17:13+00:00
| 1,563,805,033 | 1,567,536,163 |
politics
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political process
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