Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Janine Herbst.

President Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy are speaking on the dead ceiling.

Envier as Franco, Ordonia's reports that they hope to resolve the last few issues to raise

the debt limit.

President Biden spoke optimistically about reaching a deal when he left the White House

for Camp David.

The Republican negotiator said today that there is still some big thorny issues that the

President and Speaker need to resolve themselves.

The two sides have largely agreed on the contours of a deal that would raise the government's

borrowing limit for two years while putting a two-year cap on federal spending.

Republicans have pressed, though, for more work requirements on federal assistance programs,

such as food stamps and Medicaid.

Franco, Ordonia's, and P.R. News.

Meanwhile, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs is warning that a default would be catastrophic

for veterans, and P.R.'s quailorance has more.

7.1 million veterans get monthly benefits checks.

Another million get reimbursed care from outside VA.

If Congress fails to raise the debt ceiling, there won't be money to write those checks,

says VA Secretary Dennis Macdonough.

There's no blueprint of what happens to VA if the debt limit is reached.

Each month, Treasury makes payments on behalf of VA of approximately $25 billion.

All of these payments could be curtailed or stopped.

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