Open House? Republicans plan to sink key Biden legislation

A standoff over the debt ceiling. Aid to Ukraine on the chopping block. And impeachment proceedings against homeland security secretary Alejandro Mayorkas - or perhaps even president Joe Biden himself.

- Chris Stein WASHINGTON

With polls indicating that they have a good shot of winning a majority in the House of Representatives in the 8 November midterms, top Republican lawmakers have in recent weeks offered a preview of what they might do with their resurgent power, and made clear they have their sights set on key aspects of the Biden administration's policies at home and abroad.

Kevin McCarthy, the top Republican in the chamber, last week signalled in an interview with Punchbowl News that if Congress is going to approve an increase in the amount the federal government can borrow - as it is expected to need to by sometime next year-Republicans are going to want an agreement to cut spending in return.