Monday morning news - October 4, 2021

For WORLD Radio, I'm Kent Covington. 

Biden acknowledges frustration as $3.5T spending push appears to stall » President Biden acknowledged frustration over the weekend as Democrats strain to rescue a scaled-back version of his $3.5 trillion government-overhaul plan.

BIDEN: Everybody’s frustrated. It’s part of being in government.

Biden heard there on the White House lawn as he departed for a stay at his home in Wilmington, Delaware.

The president went to Capitol Hill on Friday for a private meeting with House Democrats. That was partly to boost the morale of the disjointed party caucus.

Congresswomen Alexandria Ocasio Cortez told CBS’ Face the Nation ...

CORTEZ: I believe that the entire party is committed to delivering for this country, and I know that this caucus, the House Democratic Caucus, is entirely focused on delivering for this country.

But it is not entirely united on Biden’s spending plan. A small number of Democrats in both chambers are still balking at that $3.5 trillion price tag. And in the evenly divided Senate, party leaders can’t afford to lose even a single vote.

With that in mind, Biden is reportedly now discussing a scaled down package in the ballpark of $2 trillion.

In the meantime, progressives in the House continue to hold up a vote on a roughly $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill as they push for action on the president’s larger spending plan.

GOP governors set to visit Texas-Mexico border amid crisis » Ten GOP governors will travel to the U.S. border in Texas this week to get a firsthand look at the challenges border officials face.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has scheduled a news conference for Wednesday to address the ongoing crisis.

Abbott says his state, particularly border communities, are paying a heavy price for a porous border with increases in crime and drug trafficking that put a strain on local resources.

And the mayor of Rio Grande City, Texas, Joel Villareal, said over the weekend ...

VILLAREAL: Our hearts go out to these individuals who are risking their lives to come to the United States of America and pursue the American dream. However, it is just not sustainable.

Government officials say another 60,000 people, many of them Haitain, are headed toward the U.S. border. The Biden administration recently released more than 12,000 Haitain migrants inside the United States with orders to appear later in an immgration court. That after publicly declaring that migrants who show up at the border would be turned away.

Lt. Charles Olivarez with the Texas Dept. of Public safety said public health is one of the concerns state officials have about releasing thousands of people north of the border.

OLIVAREZ: We don’t know what process is taking place. We don’t know what vetting process. We don’t know as far as any COVID procedures, and as well as any other viruses or illnesses that these individuals may have that are being released.

Border agents encountered more than 200,000 migrants at the southern border in the month of August alone.

China flies warplanes south of Taiwan » The Chinese military flew 16 warplanes over waters south of Taiwan on Sunday. That after Beijing sent nearly 40 warplanes into the area on Friday and again on Saturday.

The United States expressed concern about what it called Beijing’s “provocative military action” near the self-governing island China claims as its territory.

State Department spokesman Ned Price warned that China’s military activity near Taiwan risks miscalculation and undermines regional peace and stability.

Price said, “We urge Beijing to cease its military, diplomatic, and economic pressure and coercion against Taiwan,” the statement said.

He added that the United States, Taiwan’s biggest supplier of arms, would continue to help the government maintain its defense.

U.K. extends truck driver visa program amid shortages » The British government has extended an emergency visa program for truck drivers. That as a shortage of drivers has caused major supply chain problems in the U.K. as the Christmas shopping season nears.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told reporters ...

JOHNSON: We are going to see a period in which the global economy, particularly the U.K. economy because of the speed of our recovery, is sucking in demand very fast.

The government said temporary visas for nearly 5,000 foreign truck drivers it hopes to recruit will run into 2022 instead of expiring on Christmas Eve.

The shortage of drivers has caused fuel shortages as deliveries to gas stations are delayed.

The government is also deploying about 200 military personnel beginning today to help to relieve fuel supply shortages.

I’m Kent Covington. For more news, features, and analysis, visit us at wng.org. 

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