House approves raising debt limit
WASHINGTON – Unwilling to spook the markets and divided among themselves, House Republicans backed away from a battle over the government’s debt limit Tuesday and permitted President Barack Obama’s Democratic allies to drive quick passage of a measure extending Treasury’s borrowing authority without any concessions from the White House.
The 221-201 vote came hours after Speaker John Boehner announced his fractured party would relent.
Just 28 Republicans voted for the measure, including Boehner and his top lieutenants. But 193 Democrats more than compensated for the low support among Republicans.
Senate Democrats hoped to vote on the legislation as early as Wednesday and send it to Obama for his signature.
The move was denounced by many conservative groups but came after most Republicans in the House made clear they had no taste for another high-stakes fight with Obama over the nation’s debt ceiling, which must be raised so the government can borrow money to pay all of its bills.
Obama says U.S. will enforce sanctions
WASHINGTON – Juggling a pair of tenuous diplomatic efforts, President Barack Obama on Tuesday vowed to come down like “a ton of bricks” on businesses that violate Iranian sanctions while nuclear negotiations are underway.
Obama spoke during a joint White House news conference with French President Francois Hollande, a key partner on both Syria and Iran. The leaders have aimed to project a united front on the two matters, but a trip to Tehran last week by French executives has irked U.S. officials who are seeking to tamp down the notion that a temporary easing of sanctions opened Iran up for business.
In a blistering warning, Obama said companies exploring economic opportunities in Iran “do so at their own peril right now because we will come down on them like a ton of bricks.”
Associated Press
