From Washington: Speaker McCarthy Makes First Move In Debt Limit Battle

Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy revealed his plan to raise the debt ceiling this week, with a proposal that seeks to cut government spending by targeting domestic and military budgets. The proposal was greeted with criticism from the White House, with Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre saying the plan was a “blueprint to devastate hard-working American families”. Indiana Republican Senator Mike Braun joins to share his reaction to Speaker McCarthy’s proposal, why some lawmakers in his party have been reluctant to cut government spending in the past, and responds to the criticism coming from the White House.

Senate Republicans blocked Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s proposal to replace California Senator Dianne Feinstein’s role on the Senate Judiciary Committee this week, a request that would temporarily fill her position with an alternative senator in lieu of her medical absence. Senator Feinstein’s medical leave marks just one of several recent absences on Capitol Hill, leaving legislators faced with a challenging tradeoff between fairness and productivity. Senior Congressional Correspondent Chad Pergram discusses the issue of long-term absences in Congress and provides insight into the implications of this phenomenon.