Education Department pausing plan to garnish Social Security checks over defaulted loans
The Department of Education has not gone through with a plan to garnish Social Security checks over defaulted loans, a department spokesperson told The Hill.
'The Department has not offset any social security benefits since restarting collections on May 5, and has put a pause on any future social security offsets,' Ellen Keast, the spokesperson, said.
The department announced in April that student loan borrowers in default, or people who have not paid their loans for more than 270 days, had the chance of seeing financial consequences including stopped federal payments like Social Security and garnished wages. The changes could have impacted the lives of over 5 million borrowers.
'The Trump Administration is committed to protecting social security recipients who oftentimes rely on a fixed income,' Keast said. 'In the coming weeks, the Department will begin proactive outreach to recipients about affordable loan repayment options and help them back into good standing.'
In March, President Trump said that he was 'immediately' moving the handling of federal student loans from the Department of Education to the Small Business Administration (SBA).
'I've decided that the SBA, the Small Business Administration, headed by Kelly Loeffler … will handle all of the student loan portfolio,' Trump said to reporters in the Oval Office at the time, saying it was a 'pretty complicated deal, and that's coming out of the Department of Education immediately.'
'And also, Bobby Kennedy, with the Health and Human Services Department, will be handling special needs and all the nutrition programs and everything else,' he continued. 'I think that will work out very well. Those two elements will be taken out of the Department of Education.'
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CBS News
10 minutes ago
- CBS News
What is an autopen? Here's what to know about the devices used by presidents, writers and more.
The autopen — a machine first patented centuries ago — is having a moment in the political spotlight, following allegations made by President Trump that former President Biden used one to sign pardons. That's prompting questions about what autopens do, how they work and why the device is now stirring up controversy. The devices use pens or other writing instruments to place a person's signature on documents, books or other papers, such as in the case of a college president, for example, who would otherwise be required to sign hundreds or thousands of diplomas for graduating students by hand. Mr. Trump raised the issue in March when he claimed Mr. Biden's alleged use of an autopen to sign preemptive pardons to members of the House select committee that investigated the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol rendered them "void" and "vacant." Mr. Trump raised the issue again on Wednesday, when he posted on Truth Social, "With the exception of the RIGGED PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION OF 2020, THE AUTOPEN IS THE BIGGEST POLITICAL SCANDAL IN AMERICAN HISTORY!!!" The autopen has also become a focus of the right-leaning Heritage Foundation's Oversight Project, which claims that Mr. Biden's alleged use of an autopen given his "clear cognitive decline ... raises additional questions for investigators." Regardless of the allegations, the autopen is hardly a novel device for the political sphere, with the Shapell Manuscript Foundation noting that one of the devices was bought by Thomas Jefferson soon after it was patented in 1803. Throughout U.S. history, presidents have relied on autopens, although the Shapell Manuscript Foundation notes that some commanders-in-chief have been guarded about their use of the machine. "Whereas once the official White House position was to deny the existence or usage of the autopen, today its existence is more of an open secret," the foundation notes. A spokesperson for Mr. Biden didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. What is an autopen? An autopen, also called a robot pen, is a machine that automates a person's signature with a pen or other writing instrument, versus a scanned signature, which is a digital image of a signature. Unlike people, the machine will never get writer's cramp, and can replicate a person's signature on high volumes of letters, certificates, diplomas and other documents, according to Automated Signature Technology, an autopen manufacturer. Its Ghostwriter machine uses a smart card or USB flash drive to store signatures and phrases that can be replicated on paper. The company's machines "write at human speed ... to produce quality handwriting reproductions," Automated Signature Technology says. The Ghostwriter can use any type of writing instrument, from a ballpoint pen to crayons, and can write on a variety of materials with different thicknesses, it added. Another autopen manufacturer, the Autopen Company, said its machines can be used for "signing certificates, correspondence, photographs and posters, almost anything up to 1/4 inch thick. Factory modifications can be incorporated for signing books and sports memorabilia." One site that sells autopens says that high-end machines used by governments can cost between $5,000 to $20,000 each. Neither the Autopen Company nor Automated Signature Technology immediately responded to requests for comment from CBS MoneyWatch. Have other presidents used autopens? Yes. President Johnson even allowed the autopen to be photographed in the White House. The photo appeared in The National Enquirer with a 1968 article titled, "The Robot That Sits in for the President," according to the Shapell Manuscript Foundation. Other presidents who have relied on autopens include John F. Kennedy and Barack Obama, among others. Presidents have typically used an autopen to sign routine correspondence to constituents, like letters recognizing life milestones, as well as legislation and pardons. During the Gerald Ford administration, the president and First Lady Betty Ford occasionally signed documents and other correspondence by hand, but White House staff more often used autopen machines to reproduce their signatures on letters and photographs. Mr. Trump has also used an autopen, telling reporters on Air Force One in March that he'd used the device "only for very unimportant papers." "You know, we get thousands and thousands of letters, letters of support for young people, from people that aren't feeling well, etcetera. But to sign pardons and all of the things that he signed with an autopen is disgraceful," Mr. Trump said at the time, in reference to his claims former President Biden used the technology to sign pardons. President George W. Bush asked the Justice Department in 2005 if it was constitutional to use an autopen to sign a bill, with the department concluding that "the president need not personally perform the physical act of affixing his signature to a bill he approves and decides to sign in order for the bill to become law. contributed to this report.
Yahoo
19 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Trump says Putin told him that Russia will respond to Ukrainian attack on airfields
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump said that Russian President Vladimir Putin told him 'very strongly' in a phone call Wednesday that he will respond to Ukraine's weekend drone attack on Russian airfields as the deadlock over the war drags on and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismisses Russia's ceasefire proposal. The U.S. president said in a social media post that his lengthy call with Putin "was a good conversation, but not a conversation that will lead to immediate Peace.' It's the first time Trump has weighed in on Ukraine's daring attack inside Russia. The U.S. did not have advance notice of the operation, according to the White House, a point Trump emphasized during the call with Putin, according to a Putin's foreign affairs adviser. The U.S. has led a recent diplomatic push to stop the full-scale invasion, which began on Feb. 24, 2022. Trump, in his social media post, did not say how he reacted to Putin's promise to respond to Ukraine's attack, but his post showed none of the frustration that Trump has expressed with his Russian counterpart in recent weeks over his prolonging of the war. Yuri Ushakov, Putin's foreign affairs adviser, said at a briefing that the two leaders characterized the call as 'positive and quite productive,' and reaffirmed their readiness to stay in touch. 'I believe it was useful for Trump to hear our assessments of what happened,' Ushakov said, noting that the discussion of the attacks was one of the key points in the conversation. He didn't respond to a question about what the Russian response to the attacks could be. Zelenskyy later said in a post on social media: 'Many have spoken with Russia at various levels. But none of these talks have brought a reliable peace, or even stopped the war. Unfortunately, Putin feels impunity.' The Ukrainian leader urged more pressure to be put on Russia and said that Putin's planned response 'means, that with every new strike, with every delay of diplomacy, Russia is giving the finger to the entire world — to all those who still hesitate to increase pressure on it.' Trump repeatedly promised to end the war quickly, and even said he would accomplish it before he was sworn in. But he lost patience with Putin in recent weeks, publicly pleading with him to stop fighting and even said late last month that the Russian leader 'has gone absolutely CRAZY." Trump, however, has not committed to backing a bipartisan push to sanction Putin. The call was Trump's first known talk with Putin since May 19. They also discussed, according to Trump and Ushakov, Iran's nuclear program and the possibility of Russia engaging in talks with Tehran as the U.S. pushes it to abandon its rapidly advancing nuclear program. It was not clear if Trump also planned to speak with Zelenskyy. The White House did not respond to a message Wednesday afternoon. Zelenskyy brushes off Russian plan and pushes for talks The Ukrainian leader earlier Wednesday dismissed Russia's ceasefire plan as 'an ultimatum' and renewed his call for direct talks with Putin to break the stalemate over the war, which has dragged on for nearly 3 1/2 years. Putin, however, showed no willingness to meet with Zelenskyy, expressing anger Wednesday about what he said were Ukraine's recent 'terrorist acts' on Russian rail lines in the Kursk and Bryansk regions on the countries' border. 'How can any such (summit) meetings be conducted in such circumstances? What shall we talk about?' Putin asked in a video call with top Russian officials. Putin accused Ukraine of seeking a truce only to replenish its stockpiles of Western arms, recruit more soldiers and prepare new attacks like those in Kursk and Bryansk. Putin also spoke Wednesday to Pope Leo XIV, who has promised to make ' every effort ' to help end the war. During the call, Leo urged Putin to make a gesture that would promote peace and stressed the importance of dialogue, according to the Vatican. Russia and Ukraine exchanged memorandums setting out their conditions for a ceasefire for discussion at Monday's direct peace talks between delegations in Istanbul, their second meeting in just over two weeks. Zelenskyy had previously challenged Putin to meet him in Turkey, but Putin stayed away. Russia and Ukraine have established red lines that make a quick deal unlikely, despite a U.S.-led international diplomatic push to stop the fighting. The Kremlin's Istanbul proposal contained a list of demands that Kyiv and its Western allies see as nonstarters. 'This document looks like spam' Zelenskyy said that the second round of talks in Istanbul was no different from the first meeting on May 16. Zelenskyy described the latest negotiations in Istanbul as 'a political performance' and 'artificial diplomacy' designed to stall for time, delay sanctions and convince the United States that Russia is engaged in dialogue. The Ukrainian leader said that he sees little value in continuing talks at the current level of delegations. Defense Minister Rustem Umerov led the Ukrainian delegation in Istanbul, while Vladimir Medinsky, an aide to Putin, headed the Russian team. Zelenskyy said he wants a ceasefire with Russia before a possible summit meeting with Putin, possibly also including Trump, in an effort to remove obstacles to a peace settlement. U.S. defense secretary stays away A second round of peace talks on Monday between Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul lasted just over an hour and made no progress on ending the war. They agreed only to swap thousands of their dead and seriously wounded troops. Also, a new prisoner exchange with Russia could take place over the weekend, Zelenskyy said. In tandem with the talks, both sides have kept up offensive military actions along the roughly 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line and carried out deep strikes. Ukraine's Security Service gave more details Wednesday about its spectacular weekend drone strike on Russian air bases, which it claimed destroyed or damaged 41 Russian aircraft, including strategic bombers. The agency released more footage showing drones swooping under and over parked aircraft and featuring some planes burning. It also claimed the planes struck included A-50, Tu-95, Tu-22, Tu-160, An-12, and Il-78 aircraft, adding that the drones had highly automated capabilities and were partly piloted by an operator and partly by using artificial intelligence which flew the drone along a planned route in the event it lost signal. The drones were not fully autonomous and a 'human is still choosing what target to hit,' said Caitlin Lee, a drone warfare expert at RAND, a think thank. Ukraine's security agency said it also set off an explosion on Tuesday on the seabed beneath the Kerch Bridge, a vital transport link between Russia and illegally annexed Crimea, claiming it caused damage to the structure. But Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday that there was no damage. Russia's Defense Ministry said Wednesday that its troops have taken control of another village in Ukraine's northern Sumy region, on the border with Russia. Putin announced on May 22 that Russian troops aim to create a buffer zone that might help prevent Ukrainian cross-border attacks. Since then, Russia's Ministry of Defense claims its forces have taken control of nine Sumy villages. ___ Arhirova reported from Kyiv, Ukraine. Illia Novikov in Kyiv, Chris Megerian in Washington, Emma Burrows in London, Nicole Winfield in Rome and Katie Marie Davies in Manchester, England contributed reporting. ___ Follow AP's coverage of the war in Ukraine at Hanna Arhirova And Michelle L. Price, The Associated Press
Yahoo
20 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Tesla stock slumps as Musk ramps up attacks on Trump's 'big, beautiful' bill: 'KILL THE BILL'
Tesla (TSLA) stock slumped Wednesday in the immediate fallout of the very public policy blowout between President Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, which Musk himself amped up on Wednesday. "Call your Senator, Call your Congressman, Bankrupting America is NOT ok! KILL the BILL," Musk posted on X, part of a furious two-day barrage. Musk added early Wednesday morning, "If the massive deficit spending continues, there will only be money for interest payments and nothing else!" The comments come after the one-time leader of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) angrily posted on Tuesday, "I'm sorry, but I just can't stand it anymore. This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination," adding, "Shame on those" in the House who voted for it. Musk's rhetoric on Trump and the Republican-backed "big, beautiful bill" was ramping up recently with Musk's comments to "CBS News Sunday Morning" and hit detonation levels with Tuesday's post. DOGE itself has come under criticism for not producing the amount of budgetary cuts Musk touted it could find, and the cuts it has produced have been deeply unpopular. Musk's closeness to the Trump administration had been seen as a boon for Tesla, given its range of business with SpaceX and NASA and the regulatory levers NHTSA could pull with getting autonomous driving rules in place for Tesla's robotaxi testing. Read more: How to avoid the sticker shock on Tesla car insurance But demand weakness in the EU and recent protests at US Tesla showrooms have followed Musk's controversial foray into politics, causing some Tesla owners to become alienated by Musk, specifically by his right-leaning tendencies, DOGE, and outward support of President Trump. Tesla's big robotaxi test is slated for June 12 in Austin. Much of the company's value is tied to whether it can fully unlock autonomous driving for robotaxi purposes and individual owners. Meanwhile, Alphabet's (GOOG, GOOGL) Waymo continues to plow ahead and is essentially the leader in the space, accumulating 250,000 robotaxi trips per week. Also driving the news today is Tesla's bread-and-butter automotive business, where new sales reports from international regions have been mostly negative. A longtime bright spot, however, is Australia. Australian publication Drive reported that Tesla had 3,897 vehicle deliveries in May, its highest sales total in nearly a year. The refreshed Model Y powered those sales with 3,580 units sold, up 122.5% from a year ago, and total deliveries up 9.3%. Interestingly, Tesla's year-to-date sales are still down 48.2% in Australia. Model 3 sedan sales were down 83.8% in May. But May's strong sales of the updated Model Y may be an indicator of more positive news to come for the EV maker, which is still the top EV seller in the country. On the flip side, research firm New AutoMotive group reported that Tesla UK registrations in May tumbled 45% to 1,758 units. Meanwhile, overall UK car registrations rose 4.3%, and China rival BYD's sales more than doubled in May to 1,388 units, though both figures include gas-powered and hybrid autos. The UK's results follow the negative trends in Europe, where May sales in major regions like France, Sweden, Germany, Denmark, and Spain slumped lower. Only Norway and Austria saw Tesla sales gains in the month. Pras Subramanian is a reporter for Yahoo Finance. You can follow him on X and on Instagram. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
