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AP Political NewsBrief at 2:42 p.m. EDT(Associated Press Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) White House criticizes new House debt billWASHINGTON (AP) _ The White House is dismissing the latest debt-ceiling bill from House Speaker John Boehner as overly partisan and a dangerous waste of time. The reworked version of Boehner's bill, designed to attract conservative votes, would condition a future increase in the debt ceiling on passage of a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution. That would require approval by two-thirds majorities in both houses in Congress. Boehner rewrites his bill, conservatives climb onWASHINGTON (AP) _ House Speaker John Boehner hastily rewrote his stalled debt-limit bill again Friday, and former conservative foes began climbing aboard. Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid signaled he's ready to push ahead with his own version, and President Barack Obama declared "we're almost out of time" in a wrenching political standoff that has heightened fears of a market-rattling government default. "The power to solve this is in our hands on a day when we've been reminded how fragile the economy already is," the president said from the White House as many U.S. stocks fell in response to a sour report on economic growth and widespread uncertainty over the Washington debt stalemate. "This is one burden we can lift ourselves. We can end it with a simple vote." New mileage standards aim for less fuel, pollutionWASHINGTON (AP) _ President Barack Obama and automakers ushered in the largest cut in fuel consumption since the 1970s on Friday with a deal that will save drivers money at the pump and dramatically cut heat-trapping gases coming from tailpipes. The agreement pledges to double overall fuel economy to 54.5 mpg by 2025, bringing even greater under-the-hood changes to the nation's automobiles starting in model year 2017. Cars and trucks on the road today average 27 mpg. Clemens accuses prosecutors of provoking mistrialWASHINGTON (AP) _ With his trial abruptly cut short, former baseball star Roger Clemens argued Friday that prosecutors intentionally goaded him into asking for a mistrial and asked a judge to throw out his indictment on charges of lying to Congress. Clemens argued that a new trial would violate his constitutional right against the double jeopardy of facing the same charge twice. Judge: Time to unseal Nixon's Watergate testimonyWASHINGTON (AP) _ Thirty-six years after Richard Nixon testified to a grand jury about the Watergate break-in that drove him from office, a federal judge on Friday ordered the secret transcript made public. But the 297 pages of testimony won't be available immediately, because the government gets time to decide whether to appeal. Panel: Local support crucial for nuke waste sitesWASHINGTON (AP) _ Efforts to replace a disputed nuclear dump in Nevada are doomed unless officials generate local support for alternative sites, a presidential commission said Friday. In an interim report, the 15-member panel suggests building regional storage sites to warehouse spent nuclear fuel for up to 100 years, while officials seek to build a permanent burial site. Vets with PTSD, government reach settlementWASHINGTON (AP) _ More than a thousand Iraq and Afghanistan veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder would be given lifetime disability retirement benefits such as military health insurance under the terms of a settlement reached between the government and the veterans. Attorneys for the veterans, the Justice Department and the military jointly filed a motion on Thursday that spelled out the terms. The settlement must be approved by a judge to be final. Former Intel Chief: Stop Drone StrikesASPEN, Colo. (AP) _ Former U.S. intelligence chief Dennis Blair said Friday the U.S. should stop its drone campaign in Pakistan, and reconsider the $80 billion a year it spends to fight terrorism. Speaking at the Aspen Security Forum, Blair said the CIA's unmanned aircraft operation aimed at al-Qaida is backfiring by damaging the U.S.-Pakistan relationship. The former director of national intelligence suggests giving Pakistan more say in what gets hit by drone strikes and when, despite Pakistan's record of tipping off militants when it gets advance word of U.S. action. Struggling with debt, Congress talks defense cutsWASHINGTON (AP) _ Taking a stance once unthinkable in a time of two wars, Democrats and Republicans alike are insisting that the billions spent on the military can be significantly cut back over the next decade as the nation struggles to reduce its spiraling debt. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's plan to slash spending and increase the government's borrowing authority would cap spending by the Pentagon and other government agencies at $1.2 trillion. Conservative Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., has called for just over $1 trillion in defense cuts in his "Back in Black" plan, including fewer weapons, fighter jets and personnel. A bipartisan group of six senators envisions reductions of more than $800 billion in 10 years. Members pressured on debt seek sanctuaryWASHINGTON (AP) _ The stare-down over the debt limit debate had become so fierce that a trio of South Carolina Republicans, pressured by their leaders to agree to a bill they didn't like, sought answers from a higher power. "I'm going to pray on it," Rep. Jeff Duncan, R-S.C., said late Thursday. (c) 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |