foreign aid agencies still operate
The federal government may have ground to a halt, but at least one part continues to operate as usual: foreign aid agencies. While U.S. government workers have been furloughed, aid workers continue to provide services to millions of people from Africa to South America. "The aid agencies, including the Agency for International Development, are considered part of the national security apparatus," said Andrew S. Natsios, a professor at Texas A&M University's Bush School of Public Service and a former administrator of USAID. "Both the Bush and Obama administrations' national security strategies list development as a security issue." The agency said it continued to honor contracts and grants made before the shutdown.
some lawmakers to go without pay
Dozens of members of Congress said they are having their paychecks withheld or are donating the money to charity during the shutdown. The gesture crosses party lines, with such lawmakers as Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., to Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, saying they intended to donate their salaries. The roster includes conservatives, like Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and liberals, like Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio. Other members of Minnesota's delegation — including Sen. Al Franken, D; Republican Reps. John Kline, Erik Paulsen, Michele Bachmann; and Democratic Reps. Tim Walz and Rick Nolan — also said they would donate all or part of their salaries or seek to have them withheld. Lawmakers earn $174,000 a year.
Most Americans want debt limit raised
A majority of Americans want Congress to raise the nation's $16.7 trillion debt limit and would blame Republicans if it isn't, according to a poll released Wednesday. About 56 percent of respondents said it would be bad for the country if the debt limit was not raised, the CNN/ORC International poll found. Just 38 percent said failure to increase the limit would be a good thing. Asked who would be responsible if the limit were not raised, 53 percent said congressional Republicans and 31 percent said President Obama. The poll found that by a 51-to-43 percent margin, respondents said it was more important to raise the debt limit than delay the health care law.
news services
