Democrats warn of deadlock as House Republicans issue demands – live

Democrats warn of shutdown or US could default on its debt if two sides can’t overcome differences over next two years

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Good morning, US politics blog readers. After two years of Joe Biden and the Democrats in full control of Congress, Republicans are eager to use their majority in the House of Representatives to hold his presidency to account and bend his allies to their will. From spending cuts to investigations, they have big plans to ensure Congress enacts conservative policies – plans that Democrats fear will amount to only one thing: deadlock. If the two sides can’t overcome what look to be substantial differences, Democrats are warning that the government could shut down, or the nation could even default on its debt, for the first time ever. This dynamic will probably define Congress for the next two years, but expect to hear more about it today, as Republican leaders detail committee assignments and other business in Congress’s lower chamber.

Here’s what else is happening today:

The White House press secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre, will brief reporters at 3pm eastern time, who will no doubt demand more information about the administration’s response to Biden’s possession of classified documents.

The House oversight committee chair, James Comer, is demanding information about Chinese donors to the University of Pennsylvania and the Penn Biden center, where some of the president’s secret material was located.

The UK foreign secretary, James Cleverly, continues his visit to Washington DC, with a wreath laying planned at Arlington national cemetery.