American Morning
Van Hollen: Democrats not going to support a budget on the backs of Social Security beneficiaries
Representative Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), ranking member of the House Budget Committee, said on Tuesday that senior House Republican Eric Cantor's offer to scale back on tax breaks did not "break new ground," casting doubt on the idea that the budget negotiations are progressing.
Nevertheless, Democratic and Republican Congressional leaders are set to meet with President Obama today at the White House to continue talks to raise the nation’s debt limit and reduce the deficit.
Representative Hollen joins Ali Velshi today on American Morning to discuss the negotiations and what concessions he is willing to make to the Republicans in order to reach a deal by August second.
In Depth: Sen. Sherrod Brown on budget negotiations and why Medicare should not be cut
Vice President Joe Biden resumes budget talks with top lawmakers on Thursday at the White House. The impasse rests on GOP refusal to raise the debt ceiling without significant spending cuts – and that may not even be enough for some.
Conservative Republicans, including the powerful Club for Growth, are demanding more than spending cuts – they want other reforms including a balanced-budget amendment. One of the items Democrats want off of the table in any deal is Ryan's "Medicare" proposal.
Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, joins Kiran Chetry this morning to talk about balancing the budget and why Medicare should not be on the cutting board.
Rep. Steve Israel: ‘We will not negotiate the end of Medicare’
Congress heads back to Capitol Hill today, with a debate over Rep. Paul Ryan’s budget plan and a vote in the House on the debt ceiling expected to occur this week.
This morning, Representative Steve Israel (D-NY), Chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, joins the AM anchors to discuss the hard choices both political parties have to make to fix the national deficit problem.
Hoyer, Cantor, Sessions outline hopes for Obama's debt-cutting plan
(CNN) - President Barack Obama enters politically tricky territory Wednesday when he outlines his plan for reducing long-term deficits and the national debt amid a climate of tense budget negotiations. Obama's speech at George Washington University will follow White House talks in the morning with congressional leaders who are staking out positions on upcoming issues, including approval of last week's budget deal for the rest of the current fiscal year, increasing the federal debt ceiling and crafting a budget for fiscal year 2012.
Ahead of today's speech, lawmakers from both sides weigh in on American Morning. Kiran Chetry and Christine Romans talk to Democratic Minority Whip Rep. Steny Hoyer, Republican House Majority Leader Eric Cantor and Alabama Republican Sen. Jeff Sessions, a ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee.
Watch all of the interviews below:
Van Hollen hopes 'cooler heads prevail' in budget demands
Earlier on American Morning, Texas Republican Rep. Jeb Hensarling told AM's Christine Romans that Senate Democrats have done little to help reach a budget deal for funding the federal government. "So far there's nothing in the Senate," Hensarling said. "The Democrats not only do they not have a bill, they don't have a plan. They've put nothing on the table."
Maryland Democrat Rep. Chris Van Hollen responds this morning with AM's Kiran Chetry. Van Hollen says it is the Republicans' unwillingness to move on their position, rather, that is holding back a deal. He says Tea Party Republicans are "fueling this drive toward a shutdown."
"I really hope that cooler heads will prevail," Van Hollen tells AM, "because if you go to a shutdown, it will create all sorts of problems around the country."
Watch Van Hollen's full interview with Kiran here:
Schumer: Dems slicing budget with scalpel, Tea Party using meat ax
They have until the end of the week to finally figure it out. Friday is the deadline for Congress to come to an agreement on the 2011 federal budget. The resolution currently funding the government expires Friday at midnight.
The White House is looking to get Senate Democrats to agree with Republican proposed budget cuts, but there is uncertainty if the House’s most conservative wing, backed by the Tea Party, will accept the Senate’s final legislation.
The Tea Party proposed cuts are too “extreme,” according to New York Democrat Sen. Charles Schumer. This morning Sen. Schumer explains to American Morning’s Kiran Chetry why he thinks the Tea Party’s proposals are hurting negotiations.
What programs would Schumer cut? And, how much money does Congress need to negotiate to come to a deal?
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