Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jack Spear.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen met with National and Regional Banking leaders in Washington

today.

His NPR's David Gore explains Yellen told them what she's been telling Congress.

The U.S. may be unable to pay its bills in a matter of weeks.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and more than two dozen bank executives, including the

heads of city group, Bank of America and JP Morgan Chase, talked about the recent turmoil

in the banking system and President Biden's economic policies.

But they spent a good chunk of time discussing the debt limit, as the White House and congressional

leaders are trying to hammer out a deal to avoid a default.

According to a readout from the Treasury Department, Yellen outlined how failing to raise the

debt limit would be, quote, catastrophic for the financial system.

And she said the consequences of inaction would be severe.

David Gore and P.R. News, New York.

A man accused of killing five of his neighbors near Houston late last month made his first

court appearance today from Houston Public Media, Jack Williams reports.

Francisco Orrepeza has been held on $7.5 million bond since he was captured a few days

after the shootings that occurred near Cleveland, Texas, about 45 miles from Houston.

He hasn't been indicted yet and a judge says a grand jury likely won't hear the case

until at least next month.

Orrepeza is charged with five counts of first-degree murder, but his attorney, Lisa Andrews,

says the public hasn't heard the whole story.

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