WASHINGTON – Congress will not act to help debt-ridden Puerto Rico ahead of a May 1 deadline when nearly half-a-billion dollars in bond payments come due, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy said Tuesday.
The California Republican’s admission to reporters amounted to a statement of the obvious, given that the deadline is days away and the House has failed so far even to get a bill out of committee. A more important deadline looms July 1 when around $2 billion in principle and interest payments come due.
McCarthy said he’s “hopeful” a bipartisan bill could emerge from the House by then, though the Senate still would have to act.
WASHINGTON – For the second time in two months, the Senate has reached a bipartisan deal to address a water crisis in Flint, Michigan, where lead-contaminated pipes have resulted in an ongoing public health emergency.
Democratic Sens. Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters of Michigan said an agreement reached Tuesday with Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla., would authorize $100 million in grants and loans to replace lead-contaminated pipes in Flint and other cities with lead emergencies, as well as $70 million in credit subsidies for loans to improve water infrastructure across the country. The deal also authorizes $50 million nationwide to bolster lead-prevention programs and improve children’s health.
SEOUL, South Korea – South Korea’s president said Tuesday that North Korea has almost completed preparations for a fifth nuclear test, and the country has reportedly placed a new midrange missile on standby for an impending launch.
North Korea said two days ago it had successfully test-fired a ballistic missile from a submarine in a continuation of its weapons tests during ongoing South Korea-U.S. military drills. Seoul officials said they could not confirm whether Saturday’s test-firing was a success.
Meeting with senior South Korean journalists, President Park Geun-hye said South Korea believes North Korea can conduct a nuclear test anytime it decides to do so. She didn’t elaborate on why South Korea made such an assessment.
Associated Press
