Live streams

Obama Calls for Debt Ceiling Increase

President Barack Obama speaks about the debt limit in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Jan. 14, 2013.

Obama Calls for Action on Gun Violence

TEXT SIZE - +

Dan Robinson

January 14, 2013

WHITE HOUSE — In the final news conference of his first term, a week ahead of the formal inauguration of his second term in office, President Barack Obama underscored the dangers of another fight with Republicans in Congress over raising the U.S. debt ceiling. The president also spoke about gun violence.

In his 21st formal full-scale news conference, Obama underscored his refusal to negotiate with Congress over the debt ceiling.

The national debt stands at $16.4 trillion. Lawmakers must raise it, or risk another damaging downgrade of the U.S. credit rating as occurred in 2011.

Republicans say they will insist on spending cuts in exchange for debt ceiling vote.

Obama says he is willing to negotiate over deficit reductions, but that Congress is responsible for ensuring that the U.S. pays its bills. He warned Monday against another "self-inflicted wound" on the economy.

"What I will not do is to have that negotiation with a gun at the head of the American people [with Republicans saying], 'Unless we get our way, unless you gut Medicare or Medicaid or otherwise slash things that the American people don't believe should be slashed, that we're going to threaten to wreck entire economy,'" Obama said.

Saying America is "not a deadbeat nation," Obama said if Congress wants to turn authority over to him for debt-ceiling increases, he would happily accept it.

Obama and Congress are also likely to battle over more than $100 billion in mandatory government spending cuts, called a sequester, that will occur in March after an agreement reached in December expires.

Asked about the threat of a federal government shutdown over the debt ceiling, Obama said a shutdown would be "profoundly damaging" to the economy. Americans, he said, would blame all of Washington.

The speaker of the House of Representatives, Republican John Boehner, responded by saying Americans do not support raising the debt ceiling without reducing government spending.

Boehner said the Republican-controlled House would pass legislation to control spending, meet obligations and keep the government running and insist that Democrats do the same.

Watch a related report by VOA's Meredith Buel

12:00:00 / -:--:--

⎚

Download

In a news conference dominated by domestic issues, the other major topic was gun violence in the wake of the massacre of 26 children and adults in a Connecticut school last month.

The National Rifle Association, the nation's largest pro-gun organization, is pushing members of Congress to reject any legislation to strengthen gun controls.

The NRA accuses the White House of attacking the Constitution’s Second Amendment "right to bear arms" protection for all. Obama rejected that, saying pro-gun groups are trying to fan fears that Americans who use guns properly will lose them.

"The issue here is not whether or not we believe in the Second Amendment, the issue is are there some sensible steps that we can take to make sure that somebody like the individual in Newtown [Connecticut] can't walk into a school and gun down a bunch of children in a shockingly rapid fashion, and surely we can do something about that," Obama said.

Obama was meeting Monday with Vice President Joe Biden to review the recommendations of a task force set up after the Connecticut shootings last month, and will speak about the findings later this week.

You May Like

Activists wearing orange jumpsuits mark the 100th day of prisoners

Experts Weigh In on Challenges of Closing Guantanamo Prison

Former chief military prosecutor at Guantanamo delivers petition to White House with more than 370,000 signatures, demanding facility be closed down immediately More

Afghan President Hamid Karzai receives an honorary degree from his Indian counterpart Pranab Mukherjee, second right, at the Lovely Professional University in Jalandhar, India, May 20, 2013.

Karzai to Discuss Enhancing Defense Ties with India

Afghanistan looking for more military aid as it prepares for withdrawal of NATO forces by next year More

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (L) speaks with the media as India

India, China Pledge to Overcome Border Tensions

Indian prime minister and Chinese premier attempt to move past tense standoff in the Himalayas during Delhi talks More

Burmese president Thein Sein took part in a town hall meeting at VOA in Washington, DC, May 19, 2013. (Alison Klein for VOA)

Burmese President Opens US Visit with VOA Town Hall Meeting

Ahead of his meeting with President Obama Monday, Thein Sein answered questions on human rights and economic development in his country More

This forum has been closed.

Comment Sorting

Comments

by: Bearman from: U.S.A.

January 15, 2013 6:54 AM

Report Comment

Gun Control Defined:
The theory that people who are willing to ignore laws against rape, kidnapping, theft, and murder will obey a law that prohibits them from possessing a firearm.

Gun control is like trying to reduce drunk driving by making it tougher for sober people to own cars.

by: Bearman from: U.S.A.

January 15, 2013 6:51 AM

Report Comment

Senator Obama to then President Bush on the debt ceiling, 2006:
I rise today to talk about America’s debt problem. The fact that we are here today to debate raising America’s debt limit is a sign of leadership failure. It is a sign that the U.S. Government can’t pay its own bills. It is a sign that we now depend on ongoing financial assistance from foreign countries to finance our Government’s reckless fiscal policies.

America has a debt problem and a failure of leadership. Americans deserve better. I therefore intend to oppose the effort to increase America’s debt limit.

by: NVO from: USA

January 14, 2013 5:02 PM

Report Comment

The whole thing is a SHAM! And where are the Rothschilds and Rockefellers during all of this?? Where are they?? The house of Rothschild owns $Trillions. They only need to administer their wealth, to see that it is nicely placed, they do not need to work, at least not by what we understand as work. But who provides them and their like with such an enormous amount of money?

Who does this? You do it, nobody but you! That's right, it is your money, hard earned through care and sorrow, which is drawn as if magnetically into the coffers of these insatiable people. The whole financial collapse was PLANNED.

by: Phil

January 14, 2013 4:27 PM

Report Comment

The right to live in a safe, gun-free society. All the major developed countries make this one of citizens' most basic rights. Yet, the U.S. still can't figure it out.

by: jonathan loomis from: brockton

January 14, 2013 3:17 PM

Report Comment

if the debt cealing being raszed isent a blank check to this curent government i dount know what is just look at te spending that has happened since our lord and master took over and the best kind of gun controle is a well traned person haveing the abality to hit the target they shoot at

Republish This Story

Obama Calls for Debt Ceiling Increase

<h1>Obama Calls for Debt Ceiling Increase</h1><img src="http://www.voanews.com/App_Themes/VOA_en-US/img/colorLogo.gif"/>In the final news conference of his first term, a week ahead of the formal inauguration of his second term in office, President Barack Obama underscored the dangers of another fight with Republicans in Congress over raising the U.S. debt ceiling.  The president also spoke about gun violence. In his 21st formal full-scale news conference, Obama underscored his refusal to negotiate with Congress over the debt ceiling. The national debt stands at $16.4 trillion. Lawmakers must raise it, or risk another damaging downgrade of the U.S. credit rating as occurred in 2011. Republicans say they will insist on spending cuts in exchange for debt ceiling vote. Obama says he is willing to negotiate over deficit reductions, but that Congress is responsible for ensuring that the U.S. pays its bills. He warned Monday against another "self-inflicted wound" on the economy. "What I will not do is to have that negotiation with a gun at the head of the American people [with Republicans saying], 'Unless we get our way, unless you gut Medicare or Medicaid or otherwise slash things that the American people don't believe should be slashed, that we're going to threaten to wreck entire economy,'" Obama said. Saying America is "not a deadbeat nation," Obama said if Congress wants to turn authority over to him for debt-ceiling increases, he would happily accept it. Obama and Congress are also likely to battle over more than $100 billion in mandatory government spending cuts, called a sequester, that will occur in March after an agreement reached in December expires. Asked about the threat of a federal government shutdown over the debt ceiling, Obama said a shutdown would be "profoundly damaging" to the economy. Americans, he said, would blame all of Washington. The speaker of the House of Representatives, Republican John Boehner, responded by saying Americans do not support raising the debt ceiling without reducing government spending. Boehner said the Republican-controlled House would pass legislation to control spending, meet obligations and keep the government running and insist that Democrats do the same. Watch a related report by VOA's Meredith Buel <div class="tag_image tag_video_plain" mode="video|plain|1583848"> <img src="http://gdb.voanews.eu/0B632DDB-A620-4766-8D25-1985434A8591_w640_h512.jpg?nocache=1" /></div> In a news conference dominated by domestic issues, the other major topic was gun violence in the wake of the massacre of 26 children and adults in a Connecticut school last month. The National Rifle Association, the nation's largest pro-gun organization, is pushing members of Congress to reject any legislation to strengthen gun controls. The NRA accuses the White House of attacking the Constitution’s Second Amendment "right to bear arms" protection for all. Obama rejected that, saying pro-gun groups are trying to fan fears that Americans who use guns properly will lose them. "The issue here is not whether or not we believe in the Second Amendment, the issue is are there some sensible steps that we can take to make sure that somebody like the individual in Newtown [Connecticut] can't walk into a school and gun down a bunch of children in a shockingly rapid fashion, and surely we can do something about that," Obama said. Obama was meeting Monday with Vice President Joe Biden to review the recommendations of a task force set up after the Connecticut shootings last month, and will speak about the findings later this week.<link rel="canonical" href="http://www.voanews.com/content/obama-says-us-economy-poised-for-good-year/1583513.html"/><meta name="syndication-source" content="http://www.voanews.com/content/obama-says-us-economy-poised-for-good-year/1583513.html"/><img src="http://livetracker.voanews.eu/counter.lt?PageType=256&RecordId=1583513&SiteId=415&r=537135200&it=0&pd=20130114171100&url=ArticleID1583513" alt="" style="border:none;" height="1" width="1">

Featured Videos

Your JavaScript is turned off or you have an old version of Adobe's Flash Player. Get the latest Flash player.

Video

US Oil Surge Could Impact Mideast Geopolitics

The United States will account for a third of new oil supplies over the next five years, and will become energy self-sufficient in 20 years, according to a new report by the Paris-based International Energy Agency (IEA). Although U.S. oil imports from Arab Gulf countries increased last year, analysts predict the U.S. will lose its dependence on Middle East imports, which is expected to have a huge impact on international relations and the balance of power. VOA's Henry Ridgewell reports.