Congress and President Barack Obama are heading towards a budget showdown, as the government will run out of money at the end of September. Republicans have proposed blocking the Affordable Care Act – in which open enrollment begins on Oct. 1 - for a year to fund the government.
Pressed From His Right, Speaker Yields on Budget Showdown (NY Times)
- As the government is set to run out of money at the end of September, House Republicans, led by Speaker of the House John Boehner introduced a bill to fund the government and block the Affordable Care Act from going into effect for a year.
- The House's spending measure would finance the government through Dec. 15 at the current spending levels and block the health care law for a year.
- If passed in the House on Friday, Republicans could put forth a measure that would also increase the debt ceiling for a year in addition to blocking provisions of the Affordable Care Act, expedite construction of the Keystone pipeline, and set a timeline for an overhaul of the federal tax code.
Howard Schultz: Obamacare Is 'A Good Thing For The Country' (The Huffington Post)
- Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz said that the Affordable Care Act is "a good thing for the country" in an interview with Maria Bartiromo, a CNBC anchor and USA Today contributor.
- His remarks come after he announced that he would not use the health care law to cut health benefits or hours for workers at Starbucks.
- Schultz suggested in the interview that his support for the law was based on the belief that companies "need to significantly invest back into the country."