Senate suspends debt ceiling as activists warn of risk to social programs

The US Senate approved a bill today to temporarily suspend the debt ceiling, pushing the so-called fiscal cliff until mid-May. The measure already passed the House and President Obama has said he will sign it. But progressive lawmakers and activists warn the move puts crucial social programs at risk when the bill expires, and others are attempting to avoid this scenario with legislation to abolish the debt ceiling altogether. On Capitol Hill, FSRN’s Alice Ollstein has more.