Daily Briefing: Why the GOP debt limit plan is 'dead on arrival' to the Senate
The House passed a Republican debt ceiling plan that includes $4.5 trillion in spending cuts and raises the debt ceiling until May 2024. Also in the news: Federal prosecutors have warned releasing the suspect behind a Pentagon leak would pose a grave threat and the 2023 NFL Draft begins tonight.
🙋🏼♀️ I'm Nicole Fallert, Daily Briefing author. Happy National Parks week!
Now, here we go with Thursday's headlines.
House passes GOP debt limit plan with deep cuts
After House Republicans narrowly passed their $4.5 trillion debt limit plan, the White House reminded them why the celebration should be short-lived.
The bill, which would raise the debt limit into May 2024 and slash spending, is "dead on arrival" in the Senate, according to Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, and President Joe Biden has said he would veto it.
The passage sets the stage for a showdown between President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., who have disputed government spending levels and have not agreed on how to raise the debt ceiling.
Lawmakers are facing a time crunch to avoid default. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen told Congress the U.S. could default on its debt as soon as June 5.
Republicans have said they will not raise the debt limit without getting spending cuts in return, while Biden wants them to raise the debt limit and negotiate federal spending separately.
Pentagon leak suspect still poses a threat, feds argue
Federal prosecutors will urge a judge Thursday to keep behind bars a Massachusetts Air National guardsman accused of leaking highly classified military documents, arguing he may still have access to secret national defense information he could expose. In court papers filed late Wednesday, the Justice Department lawyers said releasing 21-year-old Jack Teixeira from jail while he awaits trial would be a grave threat to the U.S. national security. Investigators are still trying to determine whether he kept any physical or digital copies of classified information, including files that haven’t already surfaced publicly, they wrote. Read more
Ukraine's Zelenskyy and China's Xi had a ''long'' phone call.
More news to know now
President Joe Biden and South Korea's Yoon Suk Yeol have unveiled a new plan to counter North Korea’s persistent nuclear threat.
Tucker Carlson broke his silence following his Fox News departure.
Is a recession coming? The Commerce Department will issue its first estimate of the economy’s performance in the first three months of 2023 on Thursday.
A severe weather forecast puts more 30 million people at risk Thursday.
On today's 5 Things podcast, we outline a Disney lawsuit against Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your smart speaker.
What's the weather today? Check your local forecast here.
E. Jean Carroll testifies; Trump attacks
E. Jean Carroll detailed her rape allegations against Donald Trump in civil court on Wednesday, while the ex-president and 2024 Republican presidential candidate attacked the lawsuit as politically motivated. "I'm here because Donald Trump raped me," Carroll said during the first day of testimony in her defamation lawsuit against the ex-president. On the stand, Carroll acknowledged that she flirted with Trump and accompanied him to a dressing room. Carroll said their friendly conversation turned ugly and Trump forced himself upon her over her objections. Read more
An appeals court rejected a Trump effort to block Pence's testimony.
Montana lawmaker punished after telling colleagues there would be 'blood on your hands'
A Montana lawmaker will continue to be silenced after telling her colleagues they would “have blood on your hands” over legislation to ban gender-affirming care for transgender children. The state House voted to keep Democratic Montana Rep. Zooey Zephyr from participating on the chamber floor. She will be allowed to vote remotely for the remainder of the legislative session, which is set to adjourn next month. Last week, as the state House debated amendments to the legislation that would impact transgender children, Zephyr, the first openly transgender woman elected to Montana's legislature, was critical of the bill’s supporters, referencing an opening prayer. Read more
Fact check: Donald Trump Jr. and conservatives spread false claims about a Washington bill involving gender-affirming surgery.
Biden officials defended mifepristone as the abortion pill fight returns to an appeals court.
Just for subscribers:
What happened when a Delaware prisoner tried to boycott the internet behind bars.
Immigrants are driving labor force growth, easing worker shortages and inflation.
Super Bowls, College Football Playoff and Final Fours? Nashville dreams big after Titans stadium vote.
Ohio native Vivek Ramaswamy is trying to out-Trump Trump in the 2024 presidential race.
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2023 NFL draft kicks off
The 2023 NFL Draft gets underway Thursday night with the Carolina Panthers kicking off the first round with the No. 1 overall pick. The signature trade of NFL draft week has almost certainly already gone down, with the Green Bay Packers sending four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers to the New York Jets. But the mystery that has shrouded this year's event will begin to dissipate as NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announces 31 first-round picks from Kansas City, Missouri. The lingering uncertainty about several teams and prospects has left open a multitude of possibilities from the top of the order down. Read more
NFL veterans who could be traded during draft: Could top talent be on the move?
Frank Reich says Carolina Panthers have reached 'consensus' on No. 1 pick.
Why the 2023 NFL draft will be one of the most unpredictable drafts in years.
Will Levis' betting odds to be NFL draft's No. 1 pick soared after a Reddit post.
Quick hits
These graphics explain how laser strikes against aircraft have been increasing.
This group is seeing a staggering rise in uterine cancer. Experts don't know why.
Chris Appleton and Lukas Gage wed with Kim Kardashian officiating.
''Wicked'' dazzles as first footage of the film teases Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo's ''Defying Gravity.''
Photo of the day: Bidens host South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol for state dinner
U.S. President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden welcome South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon Hee as they arrive at the North Portico of the White House for a State Dinner on April 26, 2023 in Washington. Click here to see more photos from the evening.
Nicole Fallert is a newsletter writer at USA TODAY, sign up for the email here. Want to send Nicole a note? Shoot her an email at NFallert@usatoday.com or follow along with her musings on Twitter. Support journalism like this – subscribe to USA TODAY here.
Associated Press contributed reporting.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: GOP debt limit plan, China, Ukraine, South Korea, Pentagon leak, Trump, transgender: Daily Briefing
