Latest news with #Warnock
The Hill
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Hill
Warnock dodges question on whether Biden should've dropped out in 2024: ‘It's over'
Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) sidestepped a question on whether former President Biden should have dropped out of the 2024 presidential race sooner, saying in a Sunday interview that the election is 'over.' 'Kristen, here is what we absolutely know about last year's election: It's over. And I'm going to spend all of my energy focused on the task in front of us,' he told NBC News's Kristen Welker on 'Meet the Press' on Sunday, before railing against the GOP tax and spending bill, which the Senate is poised to take up this week. 'We are headed into a very critical week,' the senator continued. 'The Republicans are trying to push forward this big ugly bill that's going to literally cut as many as 7 million Americans off of their health care. It is a drag not only on their health care, it is a drag on the American economy.' 'This is an unfunded mandate at a time when Donald Trump's tariff tax is literally raising the cost of groceries. And so I've got my sleeves rolled up and in front of me is the American people, the people of Georgia. I'm doing everything I can to save them from Trump's big ugly bill,' he added. Warnock's comments come in response to Welker's question about a quote from David Plouffe, a senior campaign adviser to former Vice President Harris, reported in the recent book by CNN's Jake Tapper and Axios's Alex Thompson. 'If Biden had decided in 2023 to drop out, we would have had a robust primary. Whitmer, Pritzker, Newsom, Buttigieg, Harris, and Klobuchar would have run. Warnock and Shapiro would have kicked the tires. Maybe Mark Cuban or a businessperson of some sort. Twenty percent of governors and 30 percent of senators would have thought about it. We would have been eminently stronger,' Plouffe said in the quote, which Welker read to Warnock in the interview. After Warnock gave his response, Welker noted that she 'didn't hear a direct answer to the question there,' but tried to move on. Warnock interrupted the anchor and again focused on the GOP legislative package that passed the House late last month. 'Well, I take very seriously my job. The people of Georgia hired me to stand up for them. And this really is a critical week,' Warnock said, continued to talk about the bill. The interview comes as high-profile Democrats have been asked to reckon with new reporting alleging Biden's mental and physical decline in the final couple of years of his term was more severe than what had previously been disclosed to the American public.
CNBC
2 days ago
- Politics
- CNBC
Speaker Mike Johnson says some Medicaid recipients will 'choose' whether to lose healthcare under House spending bill
Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., on Sunday defended cuts to Medicaid in the budget bill House Republicans passed last month from allegations that millions of Americans could lose their access to the program, saying that "4.8 million people will not lose their Medicaid unless they choose to do so." Johnson told NBC News' "Meet the Press" that the bill imposes "common sense" work requirements for some Medicaid recipients and added that he's "not buying" the argument that the work requirements, which would require able-bodied Medicaid recipients to work, participate in job training programs or volunteer for 80 hours a month, are too "cumbersome." "You're telling me that you're going to require the able-bodied, these young men, for example, okay, to only work or volunteer in their community for 20 hours a week. And that's too cumbersome for them?" Johnson told "Meet the Press" moderator Kristen Welker. "I'm not buying it. The American people are not buying it." The bill also adds new rules and paperwork for those Medicaid recipients and increases eligibility checks and address verifications. Johnson argued that the work requirements "should have been put in a long time ago." "The people who are complaining that these people are going to lose their coverage because they can't fulfill the paperwork, this is minor enforcement of this policy, and it follows common sense," Johnson added. Johnson's comments come as Republicans have faced pushback in town halls for the cuts to Medicaid in the "One Big Beautiful Bill" package that passed along party lines in the House last month. Reps. Mike Flood, R-Neb., and Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, were booed when they mentioned their support for the package at events in their districts. Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, also faced pushback after she defended the proposed cuts, telling attendees of a town hall on Friday, that 'we all are going to die.' The move has also faced criticism from some Senate Republicans. Last month, before the House passed their bill, Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., wrote in a New York Times op-ed that there is a "wing of the party [that] wants Republicans to build our big, beautiful bill around slashing health insurance for the working poor. But that argument is both morally wrong and politically suicidal." Democrats and other opponents of the bill have seized on a number of provisions that include hundreds of billions of dollars in cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Medicaid, a federal program that provides healthcare for low-income Americans. Democrats, including Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., who appeared on the program after Johnson, have argued that Medicaid recipients who get tripped up by the reporting requirements that are set to be imposed alongside the new work requirements will lead to the loss of healthcare coverage for millions. "This is what this legislation does, that they're trying to do, they're going to throw poor people away," Warnock told Welker. Warnock referenced an examination that he conducted on his home state of Georgia, which he said "shows that this work reporting requirement — because that's what we're talking about, not work requirements — work reporting requirement is very good at kicking people off of their health care." "It's not good at incentivizing work at all," he added. The bill now heads to the Senate, where Johnson said he was confident that the bill would make it out of Congress and to President Donald Trump's desk by July 4. "We're going to get this done. The sooner the better," Johnson said on Sunday, adding later, "We're going to get it to the president's desk, and he's going to have a — we're all going to have a glorious celebration — on Independence Day, by July 4, when he gets this signed into law."
NBC News
2 days ago
- Health
- NBC News
Speaker Mike Johnson says some Medicaid recipients will 'choose' whether to lose healthcare under House spending bill
Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., on Sunday defended cuts to Medicaid in the budget bill House Republicans passed last month from allegations that millions of Americans could lose their access to the program, saying that "people will not lose their Medicaid unless they choose to do so." Johnson told NBC News' "Meet the Press" that the bill imposes "common sense" work requirements for some Medicaid recipients and added that he's "not buying" the argument that the work requirements, which would require able-bodied Medicaid recipients to work, participate in job training programs or volunteer for 80 hours a month, are too "cumbersome." "You're telling me that you're going to require the able-bodied, these young men, for example, okay, to only work or volunteer in their community for 20 hours a week. And that's too cumbersome for them?" Johnson told "Meet the Press" moderator Kristen Welker. "I'm not buying it. The American people are not buying it." The bill also adds new rules and paperwork for those Medicaid recipients and increases eligibility checks and address verifications. The House Speaker argued that the work requirements "should have been put in a long time ago." "The people who are complaining that these people are going to lose their coverage because they can't fulfill the paperwork, this is minor enforcement of this policy, and it follows common sense," Johnson added. Johnson's comments come as Republicans have faced pushback in town halls for the cuts to Medicaid in the "One Big Beautiful Bill" package that passed along party lines in the House last month. Reps. Mike Flood, R-Neb., and Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, were booed when they mentioned their support for the package at events in their districts. Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, also faced pushback after she defended the proposed cuts, telling attendees of a town hall on Friday, that 'we all are going to die.' The move has also faced criticism from some Senate Republicans. Last month, before the House passed their bill, Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., wrote in a New York Times op-ed that there is a "wing of the party [that] wants Republicans to build our big, beautiful bill around slashing health insurance for the working poor. But that argument is both morally wrong and politically suicidal." Democrats and other opponents of the bill have seized on a number of provisions that include hundreds of billions of dollars in cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Medicaid, a federal program that provides healthcare for low-income Americans. Democrats, including Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., who appeared on the program after Johnson, have argued that Medicaid recipients who get tripped up by the reporting requirements that are set to be imposed alongside the new work requirements will lead to the loss of healthcare coverage for millions. "This is what this legislation does, that they're trying to do, they're going to throw poor people away," Warnock told Welker. Warnock referenced an examination that he conducted on his home state of Georgia, which he said "shows that this work reporting requirement — because that's what we're talking about, not work requirements — work reporting requirement is very good at kicking people off of their health care." "It's not good at incentivizing work at all," he added. The bill now heads to the Senate, where Johnson said he was confident that the bill would make it out of Congress and to President Donald Trump's desk by July 4. "We're going to get this done. The sooner the better," Johnson said on Sunday, adding later, "We're going to get it to the president's desk, and he's going to have a — we're all going to have a glorious celebration — on Independence Day, by July 4, when he gets this signed into law."
Agriland
5 days ago
- Business
- Agriland
Cllr: ‘I don't want young farmers to get burnt before they start'
Fianna Fáil councillor for Manorhamilton, Co. Leitrim, Justin Warnock has said that young farmers are unable to compete with big companies and individuals with 'deeper pockets'. The councillor highlighted the problem of generational renewal in Co. Leitrim and in the rest of Ireland. He told Agriland that a failure to keep young people farming in rural counties will see a return of 'the landlord system'. Warnock said: 'It's a huge problem in Leitrim. Take, for argument's sake, a 90ac farm – €30,000 it might cost to lease it. What young person who wants to start off in farming can afford that? 'The biggest problem is, a lot of these people have their Green Cert, have their education, but the family farm isn't big enough to split, as it is in other counties. 'There is 180 townlands in Leitrim and there is nobody living in them. We already have a serious decline. With 21% of the county under forestry, there's not an awful lot left for the young farmers.' Warnock believes that the ageing population of farmers is a problem throughout the EU. 'When you take on farming, you are taking on a business. It's alright renting the land, but you have to stock the land as well. You have a massive outlay before you get any payment back,' the councillor explained. 'One of the other things that's crippling (young farmers) in this country is, if they start out this year, they may not get paid in this calendar year. That's wrong and something that needs to be addressed,' Warnock added. Young farmers Despite the difficulties facing the sector, Warnock said he wouldn't give up his life as a farmer 'for anything'. He explained: 'There's an interest in it, and it is a great way of life, but you cannot be in poverty over it. 'These young people, I don't want them to get burnt before they get started. 'There is opportunities there, and there is good payments, but young farmers can't afford to give it to the landlords. 'There is one bit of comfort, I know a lot of young people with degrees, going back and getting their green certs from abroad and doing it online,' he added.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Georgia regional airports to get upgrades, US Senators secure $13 million for projects
U.S. Sens. Jon Ossoff and Rev. Raphael Warnock secured $13 million in federal grants to upgrade regional airports across the state. According to a release, the funding will be used to facilitate more than 30 projects. 'Georgia's airports are a key driver of job creation and economic competitiveness. Alongside Sen. Rev. Warnock, we are pleased to announce this funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for airport upgrades across the State of Georgia. Our bipartisan infrastructure law will continue to deliver long-overdue upgrades to Georgia's infrastructure for years to come,' Ossoff said in a statement. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] TRENDING STORIES: Marietta hotel fined women hundreds for smoking, but they say other activities tripped sensors Store owners disappointed they won't be part of renovated Cobb Galleria Centre If you're picking up someone at the airport, the cell lot will now have a new name As far as what the funding will handle, the senators said it will support development and infrastructure projects 'to help ensure Georgia's airports have the resources they need to support local businesses and communities.' In the metro Atlanta area, upgrade funding is headed to airports in Rome, Athens, Fulton County, DeKalb County, Griffin, Dallas, Morgan Newnan and Lawrenceville, as well as several others in the region. 'This investment in Georgia's aviation infrastructure is critical to our state and its economy,' Warnock said. 'I was proud to help pass a bipartisan infrastructure law that centers the people, and this new funding is a testament to the good we can accomplish when we reach across the aisle. I will continue to do all I can to strengthen Georgia's aviation economy.' [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
