quote, at vote no, and he said, quote, at a time of massive wealth and income inequality, i cannot in good conscience vote for a bill that takes vital nutrition assistance away from women, infants, children, seniors, while refusing to ask billionaires who have never had it so good to pay a penny more in taxes. what do you think of that from senator saunders? look, i don't think the statement is wrong, but i think what we have to deal with in the house, democrats don't control the house of representatives. that ship sailed in november 2022. we don't have the majority. so given a divided government, the voters that sent us to washington, dc chose a divided government... i'm hoping that in november 2024, democrats prevail, and we can take even more compassionate steps. but what i do know about this bill is, for the first time, we

increase services to our veterans, we protect those who are homeless, housing insecure. we have protected foster children up to age 24. so we've taken steps that are very compassionate. but, yes, iam hurt by the fact some people's lives will be more difficult. i want to win the election in november 2024, and i'm going to do everything we can to make a difference for those people. democrats are in control of the senate. are you confident they will pass this bill in the senate as well? i will pass this bill in the senate as well?- will pass this bill in the senate as well? i am. it's a must pass _ senate as well? i am. it's a must pass bill. _ senate as well? i am. it's a must pass bill. we - senate as well? i am. it's a must pass bill. we have - senate as well? i am. it's a must pass bill. we have to | must pass bill. we have to avoid the default and the total meltdown, notjust of our economy, but frankly, it would impact the economy is all around the world. and what i would say is it will pass in the senate, they will get to 60

votes, i'm hoping they do that expeditiously, and so the markets can be calmed over the weekend, and they will open on monday knowing that we will not default on our obligations. and people can keep their homes, their mortgages, their credit card interest rates. and keep theirjobs. that's the most important goal, and that's why i voted yes. important goal, and that's why i voted yes-_ important goal, and that's why i voted vee— i voted yes. speaker of the house kevin _ i voted yes. speaker of the house kevin mccarthy - i voted yes. speaker of the house kevin mccarthy was| i voted yes. speaker of the - house kevin mccarthy wasjust house kevin mccarthy was just holding a press conference and he accused president biden of waiting far too long to negotiate. did the white house make a mistake there? ida. make a mistake there? no, absolutely _ make a mistake there? no, absolutely not. _ make a mistake there? no, absolutely not. frankly - make a mistake there? mr, absolutely not. frankly we were waiting for speaker mccarthy to put his point of view on the table. 0ne put his point of view on the table. one thing about negotiating, you don't ever negotiate against yourself. so president biden had put his proposed budget out there. i might point out that president biden�*s proposed budget would

have cut $3 trillion from the deficit. and the agreement we just voted on was far less than that. so frankly, if we had just voted to pass the president's budget, we would have lowered the deficit by even more. i have lowered the deficit by even more.— have lowered the deficit by even more. i want to ask you about your — even more. i want to ask you about your colleagues - even more. i want to ask you about your colleagues on the j about your colleagues on the other side of the aisle. some members of the freedom caucus have indicated there will be a reckoning for this bill passing through the house of representatives. are you worried that the speaker of the house essentially made a deal that could cost him the speakership and end up with more turbulence in congress? here is what i expect will happen. if the freedom caucus does move forward with a motion to vacate, i don't believe the democrats will support that move, and i think it will fail miserably on the floor of the house. and i think, finally, at long last, all of us together will put an end to the freedom

caucus making decisions for our government, and for people all across this country. congresswoman, democrat from the state of new hampshire, who just voted in support of this agreement on the house floor, thank you so much forjoining us on bbc news. good to be with you, thanks so much. sofia is still with us in the studio. you were listening to that interview, and also the press conference the house speaker was holding. what the congresswoman said there, this wasn't a mistake to wait and negotiate, even if it essentially got up to the limit ofjune the 5th, which is next week. it wasn't a mistake to wait, because this was part of the negotiation, to make sure the negotiation, to make sure the republicans put something on paper. at the end of the day, did that work in democrat�* favour? day, did that work in democrat' favour? , ., favour? they got something done, favour? they got something done. and — favour? they got something done. and i _ favour? they got something done, and i think— favour? they got something done, and i think of- favour? they got something done, and i think of course l done, and i think of course democratic members of the house

will be _ democratic members of the house will be behind the decision making _ will be behind the decision making of the white house and president biden, so it was no surprise _ president biden, so it was no surprise that the congresswoman was in _ surprise that the congresswoman was in support of the way the white house handled these negotiations. if you ask the white — negotiations. if you ask the white house tomorrow, of course they wiii— white house tomorrow, of course they will also be defending themselves. and i think, like, this is— themselves. and i think, like, this is done... so both democrats knock especially democrats knock especially democrats will be looking to take — democrats will be looking to take their victory lap and move forward — take their victory lap and move forward. there will not be that much — forward. there will not be that much litigation over whether the white house was in the right— the white house was in the right or— the white house was in the right or wrong to wait, as mccarthy notes, 97 days for biden— mccarthy notes, 97 days for biden to _ mccarthy notes, 97 days for biden to come to the table. that's— biden to come to the table. that's something he emphasised time and again over the past few days. what do you think of what the congresswoman said about speaker mccarthy's future? she said once this is over, the freedom caucus will essentially move on. do you think speaker mccarthy's position is in danger? i

think speaker mccarthy's position is in danger? i think ou will position is in danger? i think you will continually - position is in danger? i think you will continually have - position is in danger? i think you will continually have to l you will continually have to prove — you will continually have to prove himself and continually be very— prove himself and continually be very scrappy with the way that — be very scrappy with the way that he — be very scrappy with the way that he earns votes. there will be a _ that he earns votes. there will be a next _ that he earns votes. there will be a next piece of legislation to pass — be a next piece of legislation to pass that he will have to go through— to pass that he will have to go through the same process. and you can — through the same process. and you can see the far right republicans, they might say, hey, — republicans, they might say, hey, look, we allowed you to inde — hey, look, we allowed you to slide on _ hey, look, we allowed you to slide on this piece of legislation, we want to go even further — legislation, we want to go even further. we want you to make even — further. we want you to make even more _ further. we want you to make even more concessions. i think the agreement that the freedom caucus— the agreement that the freedom caucus made with mccarthy to make — caucus made with mccarthy to make it — caucus made with mccarthy to make it so easy for them to do a motion — make it so easy for them to do a motion to— make it so easy for them to do a motion to vacate, to threaten mccarthy'sjob, allows a motion to vacate, to threaten mccarthy's job, allows them to continually have the power over mccarthy. — continually have the power over mccarthy, and that's notjust this one _ mccarthy, and that's notjust this one vote. we mccarthy, and that's not 'ust this one votei this one vote. we were 'ust lookin: this one vote. we were 'ust looking at i this one vote. we were 'ust looking at the i this one vote. we were 'ust looking at the pictures h this one vote. we were just looking at the pictures of i this one vote. we were just l looking at the pictures of the final numbers, 314 yes to 117

no. and we have to talk about the democrats who voted against this agreement. they are on the progressive wing of the party. yeah, look, the chairwoman of the congressional progressive caucus ~~ _ the congressional progressive caucus ~~ i_ the congressional progressive caucus... i spoke to her before the november 2022 elections. i asked _ the november 2022 elections. i asked her, what will your role be, if— asked her, what will your role be, if and _ asked her, what will your role be, if and when republicans take — be, if and when republicans take the _ be, if and when republicans take the majority next year? meaning _ take the majority next year? meaning this year. and this is exactly— meaning this year. and this is exactly what is happening. she told me — exactly what is happening. she told me last year that she will be the — told me last year that she will be the opposition movement. that's— be the opposition movement. that's sort of what you are looking _ that's sort of what you are looking at now. they are opposing, they are making a stance, _ opposing, they are making a stance, saying, we don't like this— stance, saying, we don't like this and _ stance, saying, we don't like this and we're going to vote no — this and we're going to vote no. , ., , ., no. interesting to see that section in _ no. interesting to see that section in both _ no. interesting to see that section in both the - no. interesting to see that i section in both the democrat and republican parties. what does this mean for president biden? what do you think we are going to see from him? he

already urge the senate to move forward and pass this as well. do you think this strengthens him going forward? first do you think this strengthens him going forward?— him going forward? first of all, he him going forward? first of all. he gets _ him going forward? first of all, he gets to _ him going forward? first of all, he gets to breathe - him going forward? first of all, he gets to breathe a i him going forward? first of. all, he gets to breathe a sigh of relief _ all, he gets to breathe a sigh of relief. he can move on to other— of relief. he can move on to other issues that may be a priority _ other issues that may be a priority. 0ne other issues that may be a priority. one of the other big priority. 0ne of the other big things— priority. one of the other big things they are going to be doing — things they are going to be doing is— things they are going to be doing is implementation. they have _ doing is implementation. they have an — doing is implementation. they have an entire team at the white _ have an entire team at the white house responsible for implementing the legislation that has already passed. we are talking — that has already passed. we are talking about the inflation reduction act, the bipartisan infrastructure bill. the chips bill infrastructure bill. the chips biii that— infrastructure bill. the chips bill that helps with manufacturing. this is a lot of work — manufacturing. this is a lot of work. there are things biden will now— work. there are things biden will now be able to turn to, that — will now be able to turn to, that is— will now be able to turn to, that is not about raising the debt— that is not about raising the debt ceiling.— debt ceiling. certainly something _ debt ceiling. certainly something he - debt ceiling. certainly something he will. debt ceiling. certainly something he will be | debt ceiling. certainly - something he will be touting, in the coming days. let's remind our viewers what exactly is in this deal that we have been discussing. it involves suspending the debt ceiling

until 2025, suspending the debt ceiling until2025, meaning suspending the debt ceiling until 2025, meaning the government can borrow more money to pay its bills for the next two years. also a ten year freeze on spending except for defence. the budget will increase to $886 billion. i'm spent all funds will be returned. the estimate is that the government will cover around $30 billion. welfare benefits will be slightly tinkered with, no major overhaul. we mention funding to help the internal revenue service to enforce the tax code on america's richest. and new rules will make it easier for fossil fuels rules will make it easier for fossilfuels and rules will make it easier for fossil fuels and renewable energy projects to get licenses. just to remind you the numbers, we saw this bill passing in the house of representatives. it has to go through the upper house, the senate, as well. there it takes 60 votes to advance the bill to the president's desk. democrats control the senate with 51 votes. we are going say goodbye for now, we are dipping into the press conference, we are

seeing republican congressional leaders who negotiated this speaking. leaders who negotiated this s-reakin. ., ., speaking. how we deal with enerr speaking. how we deal with energy in — speaking. how we deal with energy in the _ speaking. how we deal with energy in the us. _ speaking. how we deal with energy in the us. prices, i energy in the us. prices, emissions... helping to set a high dependence on foreign countries. we have a crisis on our southern border. with millions of citizens... hello there. the weather for half—term week continues to frustrate some but glorious for others. west has certainly been best — wednesday was the warmest day of the year so far, scotland just shy of 25. once again along the east coast of scotland and england, it was cool and grey at times. that is because the high—pressure centred to the far north—west with the wind direction swinging round clockwise, always going to be driving in cloud off the chilly north sea. thursday, we start off grey

and gloomy, damp after some drizzle but the sunshine will come through, and into the afternoon once again we have those contrasts. south west england and wales, the west midlands and south coast — dry, sunny and warm. east anglia and east of the pennines, cool and breezy at times. more sunshine west of the pennines and into northern ireland, and for western scotland the temperature peaks in the low 20s. so really a tale of two halves. where we have the best of the sunshine, that's where we will have the highest pollen, grass pollen as well at this time of year. low to moderate, especially on the east coast. high pressure just drifts a little further east. then we see subtle differences with that high, but it will mean more sunshine coming through on friday. slightly drier air and lighter winds and a good deal of dry, settled and sunny weather.

it will still feel cooler along the exposed east coast, but sunshine to go with it, which will hopefully compensate and once again sheltered western areas will see highs into the low 20s. the weekend sees the high pressure continue to push steadily eastwards, so some subtle differences. if you are heading to the beaches, west is best once again, with the temperature into the low 20s, but along the east coast we have sunshine as we head into the weekend. and we still continue to see the breeze coming from the north—east, and guess what? as we head into early next week, very little in the way of change, largely dry with the warmest and driest weather out to the west. take care.

live from washington. this is bbc news. the debt deal has passed the house of representatives and is on its way to the senate. we have reaction. kyiv is hit with more overnight strikes — just hours after the us announces more military aid for ukraine. and two war criminals had their prison sentences extended after a decades—long war tribunal in the hague. we have the latest.

hello.