Biden Calls on Republicans to Uphold Budget Agreement

U.S. President Joe Biden criticized what he termed "extreme Republicans" on Saturday, stating that "lawmakers in the party must take immediate steps to prevent a government shutdown before the September 30 deadline." He clarified that "the agreement reached between Republican leadership in Congress and his administration in May would fund essential homeland security and national priorities and reduce the budget deficit by $1 trillion over the next ten years." Biden added, "Now there is a small group of extreme Republicans who do not want to adhere to the agreement." He argued that "a government shutdown and disruption of services would harm food safety, cancer research, and children's programs," emphasizing that "ensuring government funding is one of Congress's core responsibilities." He continued, "It is time for Republicans to start doing the job that America elected them to do. Let's get it done." Biden described his 2024 campaign against potential Republican rival former President Donald Trump as a battle against political extremism. He hoped that "the threat to democracy ended with his victory in 2020, but that is not the case... democracy is still at stake, and he should not deceive himself."