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Tag: EXPLN

  • Explainer: US debt ceiling focus on ‘discretionary spending’ means cuts ahead

    Explainer: US debt ceiling focus on ‘discretionary spending’ means cuts ahead

    WASHINGTON, May 24 (Reuters) – The central pillar of any debt-ceiling agreement between President Joe Biden and House Republican Kevin McCarthy is shaping up to be “discretionary spending” – the chunk of the United States’ roughly $6 trillion annual federal budget that is set annually by Congress.

    Talks are fluid as Biden and McCarthy work towards a deal to raise the $31.4 trillion debt ceiling and avoid a default as soon as June 1. But cuts to Social Security and Medicare programs that eat up most of the U.S. budget are already off the table.

    Instead, funds for programs from education to rail safety to law enforcement could be cut, trims that economists warn will slow U.S. economic growth.

    WHAT IS THE US DISCRETIONARY BUDGET?

    Congress sets funding levels for discretionary spending every year, which powers a wide swath of military and domestic programs.

    In 2022, discretionary spending reached $1.7 trillion, accounting for 27% of the overall $6.27 trillion spent, according to federal figures.

    Military spending typically accounts for roughly half of that total, though the amount varies from year to year.

    The other half is devoted to domestic programs like law enforcement, transportation, housing and scientific research.

    Estimated U.S. government discretionary spending for fiscal year 2023, in billion US dollars

    Discretionary spending as a share of U.S. gross domestic product peaked in the late 1970s, and cuts have served as the backbone for several landmark budget deals since the 1980s.

    Reuters Graphics

    HOW COULD DISCRETIONARY CUTS WORK?

    Biden and Democrats have offered to hold discretionary spending flat from the current 2023 fiscal year, a cut from Biden’s 2024 budget, and then cap spending in future years.

    House Republicans passed a plan last month that would save $3.2 trillion by capping growth at 1% annually for 10 years.

    Republicans say they will not accept a deal unless it results in the government spending less money than it did in the last fiscal year, and are pushing for cuts to 2022 levels.

    Both sides are also at odds over how long any spending caps should last, with Republicans now offering caps for six years, and the White House only two.

    Negotiators are avoiding the main driver of U.S. debt: rising retirement and health costs, driven by an aging population.

    The Social Security pension program is projected to increase by 67% by 2032, and the Medicare health program for seniors will nearly double in cost during that period, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. Together, these programs account for roughly 37% of current federal spending.

    U.S. spending on health, retirement and other benefit programs has climbed steadily in recent decades, but negotiators in debt-ceiling talks look to cut other domestic and military spending.

    MORE BATTLES AHEAD

    If they can hammer out a general agreement on these levels and caps, if could help the United States avoid default, but would likely set up another series of budget battles, as lawmakers would still have to agree on funding levels for everything from fighter-plane construction to border enforcement.

    Republicans have said they do not want to cut spending on national defense and veterans’ care, which would require other programs to shoulder steeper cuts.

    The Republican-led House Appropriations Committee has unveiled legislation that would boost spending on veterans’ care, border security, and other priorities next year.

    That would likely require cuts of more than 13% in other areas like scientific research and environmental protection if they want to keep overall spending at the same level as this year, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a left-leaning think tank.

    The Democratic-controlled Senate is not likely to accept those figures – which could lead to a government shutdown if the two sides do not reach agreement by Sept. 30, the end of the fiscal year.

    POLITICS OF CUTS

    While Republicans on the federal level have generally pushed for funding cuts to these discretionary items and Democrats to increase them, Republican-leaning states tend to benefit more from federal domestic spending, according to a Reuters analysis.

    “Spending restraint always sounds good in the abstract and sounds less good when you’re talking about specifics,” said Jan Moller, head of the Louisiana Budget Project, a nonpartisan think tank.

    Even if Biden and McCarthy agree to spending caps in the years ahead, Congress might not stick to the agreement.

    In 2011, Democratic President Barack Obama reached a deal with Republicans to save $1.8 trillion over 10 years through discretionary spending caps. But lawmakers opted to bypass those caps in the years that followed.

    In the end, the agreement only saved $1.3 trillion, according to Brian Riedl, a fellow with the conservative Manhattan Institute.

    Reporting by Jarret Renshaw and Andy Sullivan; Editing by Heather Timmons and Andrea Ricci

    Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

    Andy Sullivan

    Thomson Reuters

    Andy covers politics and policy in Washington. His work has been cited in Supreme Court briefs, political attack ads and at least one Saturday Night Live skit.

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  • Explainer: What is solid-fuel technology, and why is North Korea eager to develop it?

    Explainer: What is solid-fuel technology, and why is North Korea eager to develop it?

    SEOUL, April 14 (Reuters) – North Korea says it has tested a new solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), its first known use of the propellant in a longer-range projectile, as it seeks the capability to launch with little preparation.

    Here are some characteristics of solid-fuel technology, and how it can help the North improve its missile systems.

    WHAT IS SOLID-FUEL TECHNOLOGY?

    Solid propellants are a mixture of fuel and oxidiser. Metallic powders such as aluminium often serve as the fuel, and ammonium perchlorate, which is the salt of perchloric acid and ammonia, is the most common oxidiser.

    The fuel and oxidiser are bound together by a hard rubbery material and packed into a metal casing.

    When solid propellant burns, oxygen from the ammonium perchlorate combines with aluminium to generate enormous amounts of energy and temperatures of more than 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit (2,760 degrees Celsius), creating thrust and lifting the missile from the launch pad.

    North Korea claims to have tested a new solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), the Hwasong-18

    WHO HAS THAT TECHNOLOGY?

    Solid fuel dates back to fireworks developed by the Chinese centuries ago, but made dramatic progress in the mid-20th century, when the U.S. developed more powerful propellants.

    The Soviet Union fielded its first solid-fuel ICBM, the RT-2, in the early 1970s, followed by France’s development of its S3, also known as SSBS, a medium-range ballistic missile.

    China started testing solid-fuel ICBMs in the late 1990s.

    South Korea said on Friday it had already secured “efficient and advanced” solid-propellant ballistic missile technology.

    SOLID VS. LIQUID

    Liquid propellants provide greater propulsive thrust and power, but require more complex technology and extra weight.

    Solid fuel is dense and burns quite quickly, generating thrust over a short time. Solid fuel can remain in storage for an extended period without degrading or breaking down – a common issue with liquid fuel.

    Vann Van Diepen, a former U.S. government weapons expert who now works with the 38 North project, said solid-fuel missiles are easier and safer to operate, and require less logistical support, making them harder to detect and more survivable than liquid-fuel weapons.

    Ankit Panda, a senior fellow at the U.S.-based Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said any country that operates large scale, missile-based nuclear forces would seek solid-propellant missiles, which do not need to be fuelled immediately ahead of launch.

    “These capabilities are much more responsive in a time of crisis,” Panda said.

    WHAT NEXT?

    North Korea said the development of its new solid-fuel ICBM, the Hwasong-18, would “radically promote” its nuclear counterattack capability.

    South Korea’s defence ministry sought to downplay the testing, saying the North would need “extra time and effort” to master the technology.

    Panda said the North could face difficulties ensuring such a large missile does not break apart when the diameter of the booster becomes larger.

    Although the Hwasong-18 might not be a “game changer”, he said, it will most likely complicate the calculations of the United States and its allies during a conflict.

    “The most important interest the United States and its allies have is to reduce the risks of nuclear use and escalation stemming from North Korea’s possession of these weapons,” Panda said.

    Reporting by Hyonhee Shin; Additional reporting by Ju-min Park; Editing by Gerry Doyle

    Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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  • Trump hush money case: What is an indictment? An arraignment? A gag order?

    Trump hush money case: What is an indictment? An arraignment? A gag order?

    April 3 (Reuters) – Former U.S. President Donald Trump is scheduled to be arraigned at a Manhattan courthouse on Tuesday following his indictment on criminal charges after a probe into hush money paid to a porn star.

    Below is an explanation of what it means to be indicted and arraigned, and other key terms related to Trump’s case.

    INDICTMENT

    An indictment is a court document containing charges that were voted on by a grand jury, a group of people who decide whether a prosecutor has enough evidence to pursue criminal charges.

    An indictment formally charges a defendant with a crime and provides a basis for legal prosecution.

    Following an indictment, a defendant is given formal notice of the charges, a right enshrined in the Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

    A defendant can then be formally arraigned on whatever charges are brought. Law enforcement officials fingerprint and photograph most defendants facing arraignments.

    ARRAIGNMENT

    An arraignment is where a defendant is brought to court to hear charges and have a chance to enter a plea, which is generally guilty or not guilty.

    A judge or prosecutor typically reads the charges aloud. A defendant is usually represented by lawyers, especially in cases that are high-profile or could lead to jail or prison.

    If a defendant pleads not guilty, a judge will typically accept the plea and schedule the next court appearance, and perhaps a tentative trial date.

    [1/6] A person uses a smartphone after former U.S. President Donald Trump’s indictment by a Manhattan grand jury following a probe into hush money paid to porn star Stormy Daniels, in New York City, U.S, April 3, 2023.  REUTERS/Amanda Perobelli

    If a defendant pleads guilty, the judge will impose punishment, typically at a later date.

    Trump’s lawyers have said he will plead not guilty on Tuesday.

    Lawyers for some defendants who plead not guilty may engage in plea bargaining, where they negotiate a guilty plea with prosecutors to avoid a trial. Defendants would typically plead guilty to some but not all charges they face.

    BAIL

    Judges in New York state criminal court have three options for bail: They can set bail, order a defendant released without bail, or order a defendant’s detention.

    The purpose of bail in New York is to ensure that a defendant returns to court, without taking into account the risk a defendant may cause further harm. In 2019, New York ended cash bail for most cases involving misdemeanors and nonviolent felonies, such as Trump’s case.

    GAG ORDER

    A gag order is when a judge prohibits lawyers, parties and witnesses from talking about a case in public.

    Gag orders are common in criminal cases. That is especially true when there is a risk that someone may make statements that could incite violence, be viewed as threatening to prosecutors or witnesses, or taint the jury pool.

    A defendant who violates a gag order in New York can be held by a judge to be in criminal contempt, a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail. A judge will typically warn a defendant before issuing a contempt citation.

    If a gag order is imposed against Trump, he can appeal and argue that it undermines his First Amendment right to free speech as he runs for president.

    Reporting by Rami Ayyub and Jonathan Stempel; editing by Noeleen Walder and Jonathan Oatis

    Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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  • Explainer: What guns were used to attack a Lunar New Year party in California?

    Explainer: What guns were used to attack a Lunar New Year party in California?

    Jan 23 (Reuters) – A 72-year-old man fatally shot 11 people celebrating the Lunar New Year at a ballroom near Los Angeles on Saturday night, according to the county sheriff.

    Here is what is known so far about the weapons involved and the regulations that govern them:

    WHAT GUNS WERE USED?

    The shooter, identified as Huu Can Tran, used a semi-automatic pistol with an “extended large-capacity magazine” attached to it to attack people in the Star Dance Ballroom Studio in Monterey Park, California, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna. This is a type of handgun that fires one bullet with each pull of the trigger and automatically loads the next cartridge from the magazine.

    Luna said the gun was a semi-automatic 9 mm MAC-10, which is a civilian type of pistol based on a fully automatic military-use submachine gun. He did not disclose the capacity of the magazine attached, although under California law a “large-capacity magazine” is defined as one that holds more than 10 rounds.

    The shooter used a second gun to kill himself after fleeing the ballroom. Luna said that one was a Norinco 7.62 x 25mm handgun.

    Investigators also found a .308-caliber rifle at the shooter’s home, along with hundreds of rounds of ammunition.

    HOW WERE THE GUNS OBTAINED?

    Officials said they were still investigating how and when Tran obtained the weapons. Luna said the Norinco handgun was registered to the shooter.

    WHAT GUN REGULATIONS APPLY?

    California has some of the most restrictive gun laws in the United States, the country with the highest rate of private gun ownership in the world.

    The state bans many kinds of guns that are legal in other states, and obtaining a required California gun license is relatively difficult. However, a California resident intent on breaking the law can illegally obtain banned weapons from parts of the country where guns are sold more freely.

    Semi-automatic pistols are the most widely carried guns in the country, and some kinds are legal in California. But the state bans what it defines as “assault weapons,” which is determined by the gun’s features and includes semiautomatic MAC-10 guns. A Californian can continue to legally possess an assault weapon that was legally owned and registered before the 1990s or early 2000s, depending on the type.

    The assault weapons ban was ruled unconstitutional and thrown out by a federal judge in 2021, but remains in effect while legal appeals are heard.

    California also bans the buying and selling of large-capacity magazines, although a Californian can legally continue to possess any large-capacity magazine he or she obtained before Jan. 1, 2000.

    The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that Americans have a fundamental right to have weapons, including many kinds of guns, at home and, in a landmark ruling last year, in public for self-defense under the U.S. Constitution’s Second Amendment “right to keep and bear arms.”

    Reported by Jonathan Allen; Edited by Colleen Jenkins and Bradley Perrett

    Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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