Biden news – live: President promises Kentucky more aid, calling floods part of ‘dangerous’ climate crisis
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Fresh out of Covid-19 isolation after a second negative test, President Joe Biden is resuming in-person duties and events. On Monday he visited flood-stricken eastern Kentucky where he and First Lady Jill Biden met with families impacted by the disaster that saw 37 people killed.
During his isolation in the White House due to a rebound case of the coronavirus, the president remained busy, overseeing several legislative victories, the killing of the leader of Al-Qaeda, and an impressive jobs report.
Most importantly, Senate Democrats managed to pass their signature legislation — the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 — which aims to help tackle the climate crisis, reduce the costs of prescription drugs, and create a 15 per cent minimum tax for corporations making over $1bn in income. The bill goes before the House of Representatives late this week.
On Tuesday, Mr Biden will sign CHIPS and Science Act which will make the US less dependent on semiconductor chips made in China and promote manufacturing. The following day he will sign PACT Act into law which expands access to health care for veterans exposed to toxic burn pits during their service.
Good morning and welcome to our rolling coverage of what will be a significant week in the presidency of Joe Biden as he returns to public duties from Covid isolation.
He will be signing two major pieces of legislation into law this week and a third, the landmark Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which passed the Senate at the weekend, will go before the House of Representatives on Friday.
First, the president and First Lady Jill Biden are travelling to eastern Kentucky to meet survivors and see damage from the flash-floods that struck the former coal mining region, killing 37.
Biden free from Covid isolation
Ending his most recent Covid-19 isolation, President Joe Biden on Sunday left the White House for the first time since becoming infected with the coronavirus last month and headed to a reunion with first lady Jill Biden in their home state of Delaware.
The president had tested negative Saturday, clearing the way to emerge from an isolation that lasted longer than expected because of a rebound case of the virus. The White House physician, Dr. Kevin O’Connor, had said in his last update that Biden, “in an abundance of caution,” would continue his “strict isolation measures” pending a second negative test. The White House on Sunday did not say whether the president had a second negative test and had not provided a new report from O’Connor since midday Saturday.
“I’m feeling great,” Biden said before boarding Marine One outside the White House.
The Bidens are expected to spend the day in Rehoboth Beach, a popular vacation destination.
Biden originally tested positive on July 21, and he began taking the anti-viral medication Paxlovid, which is intended to decrease the likelihood of serious illness from the virus. According to his doctor, Biden’s vital signs remained normal throughout his infection, but he his symptoms included a runny nose, cough, sore throat and body aches.
After isolating for several days, Biden tested negative on July 26 and July 27, when he gave a speech in the Rose Garden, telling Americans they can “live without fear” of the virus if they get booster shots, test themselves for the virus if they become sick and seek out treatments.
But Biden caught a rare rebound case of COVID-19 on July 30, forcing him to isolate again. He occasionally gave speeches from a White House balcony, such as when he marked the killing of an al-Qaida leader or a strong jobs report.
He continued to test positive until Saturday, when he received his first negative result. While the president was isolating in the White House residence, the first lady remained in Delaware.
AP
The Inflation Reduction Act - what’s in it?
Senate Democrats passed their signature legislation tackling the climate crisis and prescription drug prices early on Sunday morning, sending the legislation to the House of Representatives.
The legislation, known as the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 would be the biggest step that the US government has taken to cut domestic emissions at a moment when global targets are faltering. It will also allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices, cap the cost of insulin for Medicare recipients and continue subsidies for Obamacare.
Eric Garcia and John Bowden of The Independent’s Washington bureau and Louise Boyle, New York-based senior climate correspondent, report on the contents of the landmark legislation.
Democrats pass bill that tackles climate crisis and lowers prescription drug prices
The legislation – which would be the largest investment yet in combating the climate crisis – now heads to the House of Representatives.
Bidens land in Lexington to meet survivors of flash floods
GOP condemned for striking down insulin cap in major Biden legislation
Republicans are facing fierce backlash for stripping proposed legislation that would have capped the price of life-saving insulin at $35 from the tax and climate bill.
The long-running ambition of Democrats to include people not covered by Medicare by capping the price of insulin for those with private coverage was proposed in their wider legislation, called The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.
Shweta Sharma reports.
Republicans condemned for striking down insulin cap in major Biden legislation
‘How many people have to die from insulin rationing before they stop blocking action?’
Winners and losers after Democrats pass transformative bill
After a marathon series of votes and more than a year of planning and negotiation, Senate Democrats on Sunday passed the Inflation Reduction Act – their signature piece of legislation that would both tackle climate change and work to lower prescription drug costs.
All 50 Democrats and vice president Kamala Harris voted to pass the bill after the marathon series of votes on amendments known as a “vote-a-rama.” The bill now heads to the House of Representatives, where it will likely face a swift passage later this week.
If signed, it will be the largest investment in combating climate change in US history.
The Independent’s Eric Garcia reports on who were the big winners and losers as the bill was passed by the Senate.
Winners and losers after Democrats pass massive climate and healthcare legislation
Chuck Schumer and Joe Biden get a much-needed victory and Joe Manchin takes a victory lap while Bernie Sanders and Kyrsten Sinema get left in the dust
Biden arrives in flood-ravaged Kentucky
President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden have arrived in Kentucky to meet with families and survey the damage after the worst flooding in the state’s history.
President Biden and First Lady arrive to tour flood-ravaged Kentucky
President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden have arrived in Kentucky to meet with families and survey the damage after the worst flooding in the state’s history.
Bidens greeted by Governor Beshear
The Bidens are greeted in Chavies, Kentucky, by Governor Andy Beshear and First Lady Britainy Beshear. They will visit families affected by the devastation from recent flooding and survey impacts and response efforts.
Biden touts coming benefits of latest bill
Freed from Covid isolation, President Joe Biden is wasting no time in touting the benefits of the landmark Inflation Reduction Act as it heads to the House this week.
He told reporters on Monday morning as he began his journey to Kentucky:
It’s going to immediately help. For example, no senior will have any — on Medicare — will have bills of more than $2,000 for drugs, no matter what the costs are. That’s a big deal. It changes people’s lives. There’s a whole range of things that are really game-changing for ordinary folks.
Now, some of it is not going to kick in for a little bit, but it’s all good. It’s really going to lower the daily — when you sit down at that kitchen table at the end of the month, you’re going to be able to pay a whole hell of a lot more bills because you’re paying less in medical bills.
House Oversight Committee Dems push IRA 2022
House Oversight Committee Democrats have begun their push to promote the benefits of the Inflation Reduction Act as it heads to the lower chamber of Congress this week.
Focusing on the ability of Medicare to be able to negotiate drug prices directly with manufacturers, they say that there was a loss of $25.1bn between 2014 and 2018 on just seven drugs because of the inability to negotiate fair prices.
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