WASHINGTON —President Joe Biden announced the release of 15 million barrels of oil from the U.S. strategic reserve Wednesday as part of a response to recent production cuts announced by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/opec">OPEC+ nations</a>, and he said more drawdowns are possible this winter, as his administration rushes to be seen as pulling out all the stops ahead of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections">next month’s midterm elections</a>.

Below is a transcript of his comments provided by the White House. "Earlier this year, because of Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, the price of oil and gas increased dramatically, and I acted decisively at the time.&nbsp; And thanks in part to those actions, the price of our gas has fallen 30 percent from the summer highs.&nbsp; Now it’s down about $1.15 a gallon from their peak during the summer, and gas prices have fallen every day in the last week.&nbsp; Let me repeat: Gas prices have come down, and they continue to come down again.&nbsp; They’re now down more than 27 cents a gallon in Wisconsin this past week, 27 cents in Oregon, 16 cents in Ohio, 25 cents in Nevada, 17 cents in — in Indiana in just the last 10 days.&nbsp; And that’s progress.&nbsp; But they’re not falling fast enough.&nbsp; Families are hurting.&nbsp; You’ve heard me say before, but I get it.&nbsp; I come from a family — if the price of gasoline went up at the gas station, we felt it.&nbsp; Gas prices hit almost every family in this country, and they squeeze their family budgets.&nbsp;

And when the price of gas goes up, other expenses get cut. That’s why I have been doing everything in my power to reduce gas prices since Putin’s invasion of Ukraine caused these price hikes — these prices to spike and rattled international oil markets.&nbsp; (Clears throat.)&nbsp; Excuse me.&nbsp; I focused on how we can protect American families from that spike and give folks just a little bit of breathing room, as my dad would say.&nbsp; Today I’m announcing three critical steps that my administration will take to reduce gas prices at the pump.&nbsp; First, the Department of Energy will release another 15 million barrels from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, extending our previously announced release through the month of December."

"Independent analysis they — excuse me, independent analysts have confirmed that drawdowns from the reserves so far have played a big role in bringing down oil prices — bringing them down.&nbsp; So, we’re going to continue to responsibly use that national asset.&nbsp; Right now, the Strategic Pol- — the Strategic Petroleum Reserve is more than half full, with about 400 million barrels of oil.&nbsp; That’s more than enough for any emergency drawdown. With my announcement today, we’re going to continue to stabilize markets and decrease the prices at a time when the actions of other countries have caused such volatility.&nbsp; And I’ve told my team behind me here to be prepared to look further — look for further releases in the months ahead if needed.&nbsp; We’re calling it a “Ready and Release” plan.&nbsp; This allows us to move quickly to prevent oil price spikes and respond to international events.&nbsp; Secondly, we need to responsibly increase American oil production without delaying or deferring our transition to clean energy.&nbsp; Let me — let’s debunk some myths here.&nbsp; My administration has not stopped or slowed U.S. oil production; quite the opposite.&nbsp; We’re producing 12 million barrels of oil per day.&nbsp; And by the end of this year, we will be producing 1 million barrels a day, more than the day in which I took office.&nbsp; In fact, we’re on track for record oil production in 2023. And today, the United States is the largest producer of oil and petroleum products in the world.&nbsp; We export more than we import.&nbsp; And I still heard from oil comp- — and I’ve heard from oil companies that they’re worried that investing in additional oil production today will — will — in case of the — in case demand goes down in the future, and they’re not going to be able to sell their oil products at a competitive price later. Well, we have a solution for that.&nbsp; Today, I’m announcing a plan to refill the Strato- — the Strategic Petroleum Res- — Oil Reserve in the years ahead at a profit for taxpayers.&nbsp; The United States government is going to purchase oil to refill the Strategic Petroleum Reserve when prices fall to $70 a barrel.&nbsp; And that means oil companies can invest to ramp up production now, with confidence they’ll be able to sell their oil to us at that price in the future: $70. Refining and refilling the reserve at $70 a barrel is a good price for companies and it’s a good price for the taxpayers, and it’s critical to our national security. To put it in context, since March, the average price of oil has been more than $90 a barrel, the highest since 2014.&nbsp; By selling from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve at the higher price of $90 earlier this year and then refilling it in the future at a lower price, around $70, it will actually make money for the taxpayers, lower the price of gas, and help bolster production, all while totally consistent with my commitment to accelerate to transition to clean energy.&nbsp; So my message to oil companies is: You’re sitting on record profits, and you’re — and we’re giving you more certainty.&nbsp; So you can act now to increase oil production now. The third thing I’m doing is I’m calling on oil companies to pass the savings on to consumers. Consider this: In the second quarter of this year, profits at six of the largest produce- — publicly traded oil companies were more than $70 billion.&nbsp; That’s $70 billion in just one quarter — 90 days.&nbsp; Seventy billion.&nbsp; So far, American oil companies are using that windfall — the windfall of profits to buy back their own stock, passing that money on to their shareholders, not to consumers. In fact, in the first half of the year, those same companies spent over $20 billion buying back their own stock and, most importantly, buying back — a buyback that — the most significant buyback in the last — almost a decade. That’s great if you own a lot of stock in oil companies or if you’re an executive in an oil company.&nbsp; It puts a lot of money in your pocket.&nbsp; That — it’s how you get paid.&nbsp; But it’s not the case for the vast majority of Americans paying at the pump. Here’s another thing: When the cost of oil comes down, we should see the price at the gas station — at the pump come down as well.&nbsp; That’s how it’s supposed to work.&nbsp; But that’s not what’s happening. In the past two weeks, the price of oil has fallen $4 a barrel.&nbsp; And you think — and thanks in large part to steps we’ve taken this year, the price of oil has fallen nearly $40 a barrel since mid-June.&nbsp; That’s a 30 percent drop in the price of a barrel of oil.&nbsp; But guess what?&nbsp; Gas prices haven’t fallen that much.&nbsp; And it’s not right.&nbsp; Gas prices at the pump should be lower. In fact, if retailers and refiners were earning the average profit they’ve made over the last 17 years, Americans would be paying at least 60 cents less per gallon for every gallon they buy.&nbsp; Say it again: 60 cents less for every gallon they buy.&nbsp; That makes a big difference in a family. My message to the American energy companies is this: You should not be using your profits to buy back stock or for dividends.&nbsp; Not now.&nbsp; Not while a war is raging. You should use those record-breaking profits to increase production and refining.&nbsp; Invest in America for the American people.&nbsp; Bring down the price you charge at the pump to reflect what you pay for the product. You still make a significant profit.&nbsp; Your shareholders will still do very well.&nbsp; And the American people will catch the break they deserve and get a fair price at the pump as well. One more thing I want to mention today.&nbsp; Our country needs to pass permitting reform to accelerate the development of clean energy. Right now, the process of getting clean energy projects approved is too cumbersome and too time consuming.&nbsp; So, I’m asking the Congress: Pass a permitting bill to speed up the approval of all kinds of energy production from wind, to solar, to clean hydrogen.&nbsp; Because we need to get this moving now, quickly — now. It would take — you know, this — if we do this, it would take the historic clean energy investments that I signed into law and put them into action. In fact, one independent analyst has already estimated that the $369 billion we’re making in federal investments that will generate — if we just — just that will generate $1.7 trillion in total public and private investments in the years ahead. You can increase oil and gas production now while still moving full speed ahead to accelerate our transition to clean energy.&nbsp; That way — that way, we can lower energy costs for American families, enhance our national security at a very difficult moment.&nbsp; Let me close with this.&nbsp; I know it’s been a rough four or five years for the country.&nbsp; For a lot of families, things are still tough. The choices made by other countries are affecting the price of gas here at home.&nbsp; That’s why I’ve been acting so aggressively. Without the steps we have taken over the past several months to ramp up production and lower prices and get relief to consumers, gas prices would be higher than they are today. And we’ll keep doing everything we can to keep it going to ensure our energy independence and security is available and to lower gas prices here at home and to give folks a little bit of breathing room. We just have to remember who we are.&nbsp; We’re the United States of America, for God’s sake.&nbsp; There’s not a single thing we can’t do when we put our minds to it.&nbsp; And we can strengthen our energy security now, and we can build a clean energy economy for the future at the same time.&nbsp; This is totally within our capacity.&nbsp; Totally within our capacity. Gas prices are coming down.&nbsp; We’re going to do everything we can to make sure they continue to come down and companies act responsibly so it’s reflected at the pump. Thank you all.&nbsp; And may God bless you.&nbsp; And may God protect our troops."&nbsp;

WASHINGTON —President Joe Biden announced the release of 15 million barrels of oil from the U.S. strategic reserve Wednesday as part of a response to recent production cuts announced by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/opec">OPEC+ nations</a>, and he said more drawdowns are possible this winter, as his administration rushes to be seen as pulling out all the stops ahead of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections">next month’s midterm elections</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Happening Now: President Biden delivers remarks on additional actions to lower costs and strengthen energy security. <a href="https://t.co/pRJ5ioOiKY">https://t.co/pRJ5ioOiKY</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1582785782976159744?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 19, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Below is a transcript of his comments provided by the White House. "Earlier this year, because of Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, the price of oil and gas increased dramatically, and I acted decisively at the time.&nbsp; And thanks in part to those actions, the price of our gas has fallen 30 percent from the summer highs.&nbsp; Now it’s down about $1.15 a gallon from their peak during the summer, and gas prices have fallen every day in the last week.&nbsp; Let me repeat: Gas prices have come down, and they continue to come down again.&nbsp; They’re now down more than 27 cents a gallon in Wisconsin this past week, 27 cents in Oregon, 16 cents in Ohio, 25 cents in Nevada, 17 cents in — in Indiana in just the last 10 days.&nbsp; And that’s progress.&nbsp; But they’re not falling fast enough.&nbsp; Families are hurting.&nbsp; You’ve heard me say before, but I get it.&nbsp; I come from a family — if the price of gasoline went up at the gas station, we felt it.&nbsp; Gas prices hit almost every family in this country, and they squeeze their family budgets.&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The Biden-Harris Administration is taking additional steps to reduce gas prices. <a href="https://t.co/u0tZrai13q">pic.twitter.com/u0tZrai13q</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1582811474233155584?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 19, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div> And when the price of gas goes up, other expenses get cut. That’s why I have been doing everything in my power to reduce gas prices since Putin’s invasion of Ukraine caused these price hikes — these prices to spike and rattled international oil markets.&nbsp; (Clears throat.)&nbsp; Excuse me.&nbsp; I focused on how we can protect American families from that spike and give folks just a little bit of breathing room, as my dad would say.&nbsp; Today I’m announcing three critical steps that my administration will take to reduce gas prices at the pump.&nbsp; First, the Department of Energy will release another 15 million barrels from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, extending our previously announced release through the month of December."<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We all know the decreased supply of gasoline is on the back of Joe Biden’s policies. It is shameful that because of these policies, the President is having to dip into our emergency reserve yet again. <a href="https://t.co/dpEAxtZxXR">pic.twitter.com/dpEAxtZxXR</a>&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1582754280213475329?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 19, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div> "Independent analysis they — excuse me, independent analysts have confirmed that drawdowns from the reserves so far have played a big role in bringing down oil prices — bringing them down.&nbsp; So, we’re going to continue to responsibly use that national asset.&nbsp; Right now, the Strategic Pol- — the Strategic Petroleum Reserve is more than half full, with about 400 million barrels of oil.&nbsp; That’s more than enough for any emergency drawdown. With my announcement today, we’re going to continue to stabilize markets and decrease the prices at a time when the actions of other countries have caused such volatility.&nbsp; And I’ve told my team behind me here to be prepared to look further — look for further releases in the months ahead if needed.&nbsp; We’re calling it a “Ready and Release” plan.&nbsp; This allows us to move quickly to prevent oil price spikes and respond to international events.&nbsp; Secondly, we need to responsibly increase American oil production without delaying or deferring our transition to clean energy.&nbsp; Let me — let’s debunk some myths here.&nbsp; My administration has not stopped or slowed U.S. oil production; quite the opposite.&nbsp; We’re producing 12 million barrels of oil per day.&nbsp; And by the end of this year, we will be producing 1 million barrels a day, more than the day in which I took office.&nbsp; In fact, we’re on track for record oil production in 2023. And today, the United States is the largest producer of oil and petroleum products in the world.&nbsp; We export more than we import.&nbsp; And I still heard from oil comp- — and I’ve heard from oil companies that they’re worried that investing in additional oil production today will — will — in case of the — in case demand goes down in the future, and they’re not going to be able to sell their oil products at a competitive price later. Well, we have a solution for that.&nbsp; Today, I’m announcing a plan to refill the Strato- — the Strategic Petroleum Res- — Oil Reserve in the years ahead at a profit for taxpayers.&nbsp; The United States government is going to purchase oil to refill the Strategic Petroleum Reserve when prices fall to $70 a barrel.&nbsp; And that means oil companies can invest to ramp up production now, with confidence they’ll be able to sell their oil to us at that price in the future: $70. Refining and refilling the reserve at $70 a barrel is a good price for companies and it’s a good price for the taxpayers, and it’s critical to our national security. To put it in context, since March, the average price of oil has been more than $90 a barrel, the highest since 2014.&nbsp; By selling from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve at the higher price of $90 earlier this year and then refilling it in the future at a lower price, around $70, it will actually make money for the taxpayers, lower the price of gas, and help bolster production, all while totally consistent with my commitment to accelerate to transition to clean energy.&nbsp; So my message to oil companies is: You’re sitting on record profits, and you’re — and we’re giving you more certainty.&nbsp; So you can act now to increase oil production now. The third thing I’m doing is I’m calling on oil companies to pass the savings on to consumers. Consider this: In the second quarter of this year, profits at six of the largest produce- — publicly traded oil companies were more than $70 billion.&nbsp; That’s $70 billion in just one quarter — 90 days.&nbsp; Seventy billion.&nbsp; So far, American oil companies are using that windfall — the windfall of profits to buy back their own stock, passing that money on to their shareholders, not to consumers. In fact, in the first half of the year, those same companies spent over $20 billion buying back their own stock and, most importantly, buying back — a buyback that — the most significant buyback in the last — almost a decade. That’s great if you own a lot of stock in oil companies or if you’re an executive in an oil company.&nbsp; It puts a lot of money in your pocket.&nbsp; That — it’s how you get paid.&nbsp; But it’s not the case for the vast majority of Americans paying at the pump. Here’s another thing: When the cost of oil comes down, we should see the price at the gas station — at the pump come down as well.&nbsp; That’s how it’s supposed to work.&nbsp; But that’s not what’s happening. In the past two weeks, the price of oil has fallen $4 a barrel.&nbsp; And you think — and thanks in large part to steps we’ve taken this year, the price of oil has fallen nearly $40 a barrel since mid-June.&nbsp; That’s a 30 percent drop in the price of a barrel of oil.&nbsp; But guess what?&nbsp; Gas prices haven’t fallen that much.&nbsp; And it’s not right.&nbsp; Gas prices at the pump should be lower. In fact, if retailers and refiners were earning the average profit they’ve made over the last 17 years, Americans would be paying at least 60 cents less per gallon for every gallon they buy.&nbsp; Say it again: 60 cents less for every gallon they buy.&nbsp; That makes a big difference in a family. My message to the American energy companies is this: You should not be using your profits to buy back stock or for dividends.&nbsp; Not now.&nbsp; Not while a war is raging. You should use those record-breaking profits to increase production and refining.&nbsp; Invest in America for the American people.&nbsp; Bring down the price you charge at the pump to reflect what you pay for the product. You still make a significant profit.&nbsp; Your shareholders will still do very well.&nbsp; And the American people will catch the break they deserve and get a fair price at the pump as well. One more thing I want to mention today.&nbsp; Our country needs to pass permitting reform to accelerate the development of clean energy. Right now, the process of getting clean energy projects approved is too cumbersome and too time consuming.&nbsp; So, I’m asking the Congress: Pass a permitting bill to speed up the approval of all kinds of energy production from wind, to solar, to clean hydrogen.&nbsp; Because we need to get this moving now, quickly — now. It would take — you know, this — if we do this, it would take the historic clean energy investments that I signed into law and put them into action. In fact, one independent analyst has already estimated that the $369 billion we’re making in federal investments that will generate — if we just — just that will generate $1.7 trillion in total public and private investments in the years ahead. You can increase oil and gas production now while still moving full speed ahead to accelerate our transition to clean energy.&nbsp; That way — that way, we can lower energy costs for American families, enhance our national security at a very difficult moment.&nbsp; Let me close with this.&nbsp; I know it’s been a rough four or five years for the country.&nbsp; For a lot of families, things are still tough. The choices made by other countries are affecting the price of gas here at home.&nbsp; That’s why I’ve been acting so aggressively. Without the steps we have taken over the past several months to ramp up production and lower prices and get relief to consumers, gas prices would be higher than they are today. And we’ll keep doing everything we can to keep it going to ensure our energy independence and security is available and to lower gas prices here at home and to give folks a little bit of breathing room. We just have to remember who we are.&nbsp; We’re the United States of America, for God’s sake.&nbsp; There’s not a single thing we can’t do when we put our minds to it.&nbsp; And we can strengthen our energy security now, and we can build a clean energy economy for the future at the same time.&nbsp; This is totally within our capacity.&nbsp; Totally within our capacity. Gas prices are coming down.&nbsp; We’re going to do everything we can to make sure they continue to come down and companies act responsibly so it’s reflected at the pump. Thank you all.&nbsp; And may God bless you.&nbsp; And may God protect our troops."&nbsp;

🎥Biden defends US oil reserve release to fight rising gas prices 

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today urged taxpayers to 
check their tax withholding while there's time left in 2022 to benefit 
from any necessary changes.

An adjustment made now will help people avoid a big surprise, such as a big refund or a balance due, at tax time in 2023.

Life brings constant changes to individual financial situations. 
Events like marriage, divorce, new tax law, a new child or home purchase
 can all be reasons to adjust withholding.

The <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/tax-withholding-estimator">Tax Withholding Estimator</a>,
 also available in Spanish, can help people determine if they have too 
much income tax withheld and how to make an adjustment to put more cash 
into their own pocket. In other cases, it can help taxpayers see that 
they should withhold more or make an <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments">estimated tax payment</a> to avoid a tax bill when they file their tax return next year.

The tool offers workers, retirees, self-employed individuals and 
other taxpayers a user-friendly, step-by-step tool for effectively 
tailoring the amount of income tax they should have withheld from wages 
and pension payments based on their complete set of facts and 
circumstances.

Taxes are generally <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/pay-as-you-go-so-you-wont-owe-a-guide-to-withholding-estimated-taxes-and-ways-to-avoid-the-estimated-tax-penalty">paid throughout the year</a> whether from salary withholding, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/estimated-taxes">quarterly estimated tax payments</a>
 or a combination of both. About 70% of taxpayers, however, withhold too
 much every year. This typically results in a refund. The average refund
 in 2022 is just under $3,000.

Some unforeseen life events can be a trigger to make withholding adjustments. They include:

For more information about estimated taxes and tax withholding, see <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/tax-withholding">Tax Withholding</a> at IRS.gov.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRS&nbsp;WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today urged taxpayers to 
check their tax withholding while there's time left in 2022 to benefit 
from any necessary changes.An adjustment made now will help people avoid a big surprise, such as a big refund or a balance due, at tax time in 2023.Life brings constant changes to individual financial situations. 
Events like marriage, divorce, new tax law, a new child or home purchase
 can all be reasons to adjust withholding.<h2>Tax Withholding Estimator</h2>The <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/tax-withholding-estimator">Tax Withholding Estimator</a>,
 also available in Spanish, can help people determine if they have too 
much income tax withheld and how to make an adjustment to put more cash 
into their own pocket. In other cases, it can help taxpayers see that 
they should withhold more or make an <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments">estimated tax payment</a> to avoid a tax bill when they file their tax return next year.The tool offers workers, retirees, self-employed individuals and 
other taxpayers a user-friendly, step-by-step tool for effectively 
tailoring the amount of income tax they should have withheld from wages 
and pension payments based on their complete set of facts and 
circumstances.<h2>Pay as you go</h2>Taxes are generally <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/pay-as-you-go-so-you-wont-owe-a-guide-to-withholding-estimated-taxes-and-ways-to-avoid-the-estimated-tax-penalty">paid throughout the year</a> whether from salary withholding, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/estimated-taxes">quarterly estimated tax payments</a>
 or a combination of both. About 70% of taxpayers, however, withhold too
 much every year. This typically results in a refund. The average refund
 in 2022 is just under $3,000.A few other facts about refunds:<ul>
 <li>Taxpayers do not have to get one. <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/tax-withholding-estimator">Proper withholding adjustments</a> help people boost take home pay rather than be over withheld and get it back as a tax refund.</li><li>While most are issued in 21 days or less from an error-free and paperless tax return, many take longer for <a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds/tax-season-refund-frequently-asked-questions">different reasons</a>.</li><li>Taxpayers are advised not to rely on a refund for big purchases.</li><li><a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds/get-your-refund-faster-tell-irs-to-direct-deposit-your-refund-to-one-two-or-three-accounts">Direct Deposit</a> is the easiest and most convenient way to get a refund. More than 90% of all refunds are issued this way.</li><li>Paper return processing delays stemming from the pandemic are six months or more. The <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-operations-during-covid-19-mission-critical-functions-continue">IRS COVID-19 operations page</a> offers complete details.</li>
 </ul><h2>Other items may affect 2022 taxes</h2>Some unforeseen life events can be a trigger to make withholding adjustments. They include:<ul>
 <li><a href="https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus-tax-relief-and-economic-impact-payments">Coronavirus tax relief</a>.
 Tax help for taxpayers, businesses, tax-exempt organizations and others
 – including health plans – affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19).</li><li><a href="https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/disaster-assistance-and-emergency-relief-for-individuals-and-businesses">Disasters such as wildfires and hurricanes</a>.
 Special tax law provisions may help taxpayers and businesses recover 
financially from the impact of a disaster, especially when the federal 
government declares their location a major disaster area.</li><li><a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p4128.pdf">Job loss – IRS Publication 4128, Tax Impact of Job Loss</a>PDF explains how this unfortunate circumstance can create new tax issues.</li><li><a href="https://www.irs.gov/businesses/gig-economy-tax-center">Workers moving into the gig economy due to the pandemic</a>
 – The IRS advises people earning income in the gig economy to consider 
estimated tax payments to avoid a balance due or penalties when they 
file.</li>
 </ul>For more information about estimated taxes and tax withholding, see <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/tax-withholding">Tax Withholding</a> at IRS.gov.

Adjust tax withholding now to pay the proper amount of tax

By JENNIFER SHUTT <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/10/19/monkeypox-cases-are-in-sharp-decline-could-the-outbreak-be-over/">States Newsroom</a>

WASHINGTON — New monkeypox cases have been trending downward 
nationwide for more than two months, giving some hope the decades-old 
virus that had its first major outbreak in the United States this year 
is nearly under control, or even on its way out.

However, experts caution that Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention data broken down by race and ethnicity shows the percent of 
cases affecting Black people increasing, while there’s been a decrease 
among Hispanic and Latino people and a flattening out among white 
individuals. That data, however, is not complete, leaving out more than 
30% of cases.

Overall, cases of monkeypox within the United States appear to have 
peaked in early August, about two-and-a-half months after the first case
 of this outbreak was diagnosed in mid-May, sparking a nationwide 
vaccination drive that’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-senators-criticize-federal-health-officials-lagging-monkeypox-response">been criticized</a>&nbsp;by public health experts and members of Congress.

But those vaccination efforts, combined with a massive education 
campaign about the virus and behavioral changes by those most at risk, 
appear to largely have had the intended effect.

The seven-day daily average of new cases crested at 443 on Aug. 6 
before steadily falling to 265 on Sept. 6 and then 79 on Oct. 6, 
according to<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/response/2022/mpx-trends.html">&nbsp;data</a>&nbsp;from the CDC.

During the six-month outbreak, 27,500 Americans were diagnosed with 
monkeypox, which often presents with a rash as well as fever, tiredness,
 chills, itching, headache, swollen lymph nodes and muscle aches in a 
majority of cases reported to the CDC.

Despite the stumbles throughout the past five months, public health 
experts interviewed by States Newsroom said monkeypox cases could 
continue to decrease in the coming months, though they cautioned there’s
 plenty of work to be done before that might happen.

“I do think it’s very possible we get to zero, and I think, you know,
 it’s potentially even possible we get to zero before the end of this 
year,” said Aaron Guest, chair of the LGBTQ Health Caucus at the 
American Public Health Association.

A decline in social activities, an increase in vaccinations and a 
broader understanding of how monkeypox spreads all helped to decrease 
new case numbers, though Guest said it will be a while before public 
health experts can look back “​​at how successful some of the 
interventions and education campaigns were.”

Guest said the best case scenario for him, if cases reach zero for a 
sustained amount of time, would be for public health officials to 
continue talking about monkeypox. He’d also like to see doctors include 
education about the virus in regular checkups and STI testing, for 
vaccinations to continue and for the one approved vaccine to be 
stockpiled for a possible future outbreak.

He cautioned, however, that certain pockets of the country or larger 
cities could continue to see periodic upticks in positive test results, 
even if the virus remains dormant for large swaths of the time.

Researchers and public health officials, he said, will also need to ensure lower case numbers don’t coincide with apathy.

“What I think I unfortunately know, is that oftentimes we have a very
 short attention span,” Guest said. “And once it seems like we’ve dealt 
with something, we kind of move on to the next thing or now that the 
emergency is over … we are not going to dedicate funding and resources 
to addressing these challenges.”

Jessica Justman, associate professor of Medicine in Epidemiology at 
Columbia Mailman School of Public Health, said the CDC data on race and 
ethnicity is concerning.

“That steady increase in the Black and African American population 
really makes me say, you know, we can’t just completely sit back here,” 
Justman said.

“We’ve just seen the same kind of story over and over with other 
epidemics, with HIV, with COVID, that these infections tend to 
concentrate in certain parts of the population that probably have less 
access to vaccines, have less access to health information,” she added.

After the first month of this outbreak, white people made up about 
half of all cases in the U.S., with Hispanic or Latino individuals 
making up about 31% and Black or African American people making up less 
than 12%, according to the CDC partial&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/response/2022/demographics.html">data</a>&nbsp;for the week of June 19.

Since early July, the percentage of Hispanic or Latino individuals 
diagnosed with monkeypox has stayed around 30% of total cases until 
mid-September, when it decreased into the low 20% category.

But since early July the share of white people with the virus has 
decreased from making up 37% of cases to accounting for 29% of diagnoses
 nationwide. In that same time frame, the percent of Black or African 
Americans moved from making up 22% of all U.S. cases to 42%, according 
to CDC&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/response/2022/demographics.html">data</a>.

CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said during a briefing on Sept. 15 
that public health officials had begun to see the “racial and ethnic 
makeup of this outbreak evolve.”

The Kaiser Family Foundation’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kff.org/racial-equity-and-health-policy/issue-brief/national-data-show-continuing-disparities-in-mpx-monkeypox-cases-and-vaccinations-among-black-and-hispanic-people/">breakdown</a>&nbsp;of
 CDC data on race and ethnicity, which only includes 68% of cases 
reported as of Sept. 23, notes that “Black and Hispanic people account 
for larger shares of cases compared with their shares of the 
population.”

For example, while people of color make up about 40% of the U.S. 
population, they made up about 70% of the monkeypox cases at that time.

Data on vaccinations is also skewed when broken down by race and ethnicity.

Walensky said during the briefing in mid-September that white 
individuals made up 47% of people who received their first dose of the 
Jynneos vaccine, while Hispanic individuals represented about 21% and 
Black people about 12%.

The CDC’s data, however, isn’t complete, coming from 39 jurisdictions, accounting for roughly 91% of first-dose shots.

Public health officials, Justman said, should continue vaccinating 
the at-risk populations, regardless of how low case numbers go.

“Really, to me the marker of when to say we’ve done enough is when 
you have covered a very high percentage of the at-risk population,” she 
said.

Justman said the decline in monkeypox cases within the United States 
is due to the vaccination campaign as well as behavior changes, though 
she cautioned there isn’t a lot of data on exactly how many people have 
adopted changes to physical contact the way there’s detailed information
 about vaccines.

Justman also said it’s far too soon to predict if monkeypox cases will continue to decline in the weeks and months to come.

“I feel like it’s still a little too soon to do that kind of crystal 
ball gazing,” Justman said. “To me, it requires more time to see what 
the pattern is going to be.”

Monkeypox, first discovered in 1958 in research monkeys, spreads 
through direct physical contact, by touching fabrics such as bedding or 
towels used by someone with the virus, or by contact with respiratory 
secretions, according to the CDC.

Since the first human case was diagnosed in 1970, the vast majority 
of cases have been in central and western Africa, while cases outside 
that region have been linked to travel to the area or imported animals.

This year’s outbreak, the largest in U.S. history, began in mid-May 
when doctors diagnosed the disease in a Massachusetts man. Europe and 
other regions of the world where monkeypox isn’t traditionally diagnosed
 also experienced a significant outbreak this year.

In total, there’s been more than 72,000 monkeypox diagnoses in 
countries without a history of the virus. There have been 28 deaths, 
including two in the U.S., according to the CDC.

Elizabeth Finley, director of communications at the National 
Coalition of STD Directors, said that while she expects new diagnoses of
 monkeypox to continue to decline, she doesn’t expect the virus to 
disappear.

“I think we will continue to see a low number of monkeypox cases,” she said. “I don’t think it’s going away.”

One key aspect of the ongoing response, she said, needs to be 
developing a better understanding of how well the Jynneos vaccine 
performs after one dose as well as after the complete two-dose series, 
and how long protection will last.

“This is a vaccine that was designed to help the nation or other 
nations address a smallpox outbreak. It wasn’t necessarily designed to 
be a long-term plan for something like monkeypox,” Finley said, adding, 
“we just need to know more about the vaccine.”

While anyone can get monkeypox, this outbreak has predominantly 
affected gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, leading 
public health officials to urge community members to limit physical 
contact.

But, Finley said, experts haven’t been clear about how long and to 
what degree people should withhold or severely limit physical contact.

“I don’t know that that’s sustainable. And frankly, I don’t know if 
it’s fair to ask people to sustain that kind of a change,” Finley said.

As cases of monkeypox continue to decline, Finley said, she hopes 
public health officials will target their outreach to people who have 
little to no access to health care and who may not be vaccinated.

Amesh Adalja, senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health 
Security at the Bloomberg School of Public Health, said he believes it’s
 going to take some time before the United States reaches zero cases, 
though he thinks it’s possible with sustained education, vaccination and
 treatment.

He, however, cautioned that won’t mean doctors never diagnose monkeypox again.

“The U.S. can get to a certain level of resiliency, but there’s 
always going to be some chance of importation from all of these other 
European countries, for example, where the disease is also spreading,”&nbsp; 
Adalja said. “So there may still be sporadic outbreaks until enough of 
the population is immune here or vaccinated. And if the vaccine is 
considered robust enough to keep it at bay.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1666205866785.png" alt="This digitally-colorized electron microscopic (EM) image depicted monkeypox virus particles, obtained from a clinical sample associated with the 2003 prairie dog outbreak. It was a thin section image from of a human skin sample. On the left were mature, oval-shaped virus particles, and on the right were the crescents, and spherical particles of immature virions (Credit: CDC/ Cynthia S. Goldsmith, Russell Regnery, Hannah Bullock)." />
 <figcaption>This digitally-colorized electron microscopic (EM) image depicted monkeypox virus particles, obtained from a clinical sample associated with the 2003 prairie dog outbreak. It was a thin section image from of a human skin sample. On the left were mature, oval-shaped virus particles, and on the right were the crescents, and spherical particles of immature virions (Credit: CDC/ Cynthia S. Goldsmith, Russell Regnery, Hannah Bullock).</figcaption>
 </figure>By JENNIFER SHUTT <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/10/19/monkeypox-cases-are-in-sharp-decline-could-the-outbreak-be-over/">States Newsroom</a>WASHINGTON — New monkeypox cases have been trending downward 
nationwide for more than two months, giving some hope the decades-old 
virus that had its first major outbreak in the United States this year 
is nearly under control, or even on its way out.However, experts caution that Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention data broken down by race and ethnicity shows the percent of 
cases affecting Black people increasing, while there’s been a decrease 
among Hispanic and Latino people and a flattening out among white 
individuals. That data, however, is not complete, leaving out more than 
30% of cases.Overall, cases of monkeypox within the United States appear to have 
peaked in early August, about two-and-a-half months after the first case
 of this outbreak was diagnosed in mid-May, sparking a nationwide 
vaccination drive that’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-senators-criticize-federal-health-officials-lagging-monkeypox-response">been criticized</a>&nbsp;by public health experts and members of Congress.But those vaccination efforts, combined with a massive education 
campaign about the virus and behavioral changes by those most at risk, 
appear to largely have had the intended effect.The seven-day daily average of new cases crested at 443 on Aug. 6 
before steadily falling to 265 on Sept. 6 and then 79 on Oct. 6, 
according to<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/response/2022/mpx-trends.html">&nbsp;data</a>&nbsp;from the CDC.During the six-month outbreak, 27,500 Americans were diagnosed with 
monkeypox, which often presents with a rash as well as fever, tiredness,
 chills, itching, headache, swollen lymph nodes and muscle aches in a 
majority of cases reported to the CDC.<h2>Zero cases possible?</h2>Despite the stumbles throughout the past five months, public health 
experts interviewed by States Newsroom said monkeypox cases could 
continue to decrease in the coming months, though they cautioned there’s
 plenty of work to be done before that might happen.“I do think it’s very possible we get to zero, and I think, you know,
 it’s potentially even possible we get to zero before the end of this 
year,” said Aaron Guest, chair of the LGBTQ Health Caucus at the 
American Public Health Association.A decline in social activities, an increase in vaccinations and a 
broader understanding of how monkeypox spreads all helped to decrease 
new case numbers, though Guest said it will be a while before public 
health experts can look back “​​at how successful some of the 
interventions and education campaigns were.”Guest said the best case scenario for him, if cases reach zero for a 
sustained amount of time, would be for public health officials to 
continue talking about monkeypox. He’d also like to see doctors include 
education about the virus in regular checkups and STI testing, for 
vaccinations to continue and for the one approved vaccine to be 
stockpiled for a possible future outbreak.He cautioned, however, that certain pockets of the country or larger 
cities could continue to see periodic upticks in positive test results, 
even if the virus remains dormant for large swaths of the time.Researchers and public health officials, he said, will also need to ensure lower case numbers don’t coincide with apathy.“What I think I unfortunately know, is that oftentimes we have a very
 short attention span,” Guest said. “And once it seems like we’ve dealt 
with something, we kind of move on to the next thing or now that the 
emergency is over … we are not going to dedicate funding and resources 
to addressing these challenges.”<h2>Data on race, ethnicity</h2>Jessica Justman, associate professor of Medicine in Epidemiology at 
Columbia Mailman School of Public Health, said the CDC data on race and 
ethnicity is concerning.“That steady increase in the Black and African American population 
really makes me say, you know, we can’t just completely sit back here,” 
Justman said.“We’ve just seen the same kind of story over and over with other 
epidemics, with HIV, with COVID, that these infections tend to 
concentrate in certain parts of the population that probably have less 
access to vaccines, have less access to health information,” she added.After the first month of this outbreak, white people made up about 
half of all cases in the U.S., with Hispanic or Latino individuals 
making up about 31% and Black or African American people making up less 
than 12%, according to the CDC partial&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/response/2022/demographics.html">data</a>&nbsp;for the week of June 19.Since early July, the percentage of Hispanic or Latino individuals 
diagnosed with monkeypox has stayed around 30% of total cases until 
mid-September, when it decreased into the low 20% category.But since early July the share of white people with the virus has 
decreased from making up 37% of cases to accounting for 29% of diagnoses
 nationwide. In that same time frame, the percent of Black or African 
Americans moved from making up 22% of all U.S. cases to 42%, according 
to CDC&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/response/2022/demographics.html">data</a>.CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said during a briefing on Sept. 15 
that public health officials had begun to see the “racial and ethnic 
makeup of this outbreak evolve.”<h2>Larger shares of cases</h2>The Kaiser Family Foundation’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kff.org/racial-equity-and-health-policy/issue-brief/national-data-show-continuing-disparities-in-mpx-monkeypox-cases-and-vaccinations-among-black-and-hispanic-people/">breakdown</a>&nbsp;of
 CDC data on race and ethnicity, which only includes 68% of cases 
reported as of Sept. 23, notes that “Black and Hispanic people account 
for larger shares of cases compared with their shares of the 
population.”For example, while people of color make up about 40% of the U.S. 
population, they made up about 70% of the monkeypox cases at that time.Data on vaccinations is also skewed when broken down by race and ethnicity.Walensky said during the briefing in mid-September that white 
individuals made up 47% of people who received their first dose of the 
Jynneos vaccine, while Hispanic individuals represented about 21% and 
Black people about 12%.The CDC’s data, however, isn’t complete, coming from 39 jurisdictions, accounting for roughly 91% of first-dose shots.Public health officials, Justman said, should continue vaccinating 
the at-risk populations, regardless of how low case numbers go.“Really, to me the marker of when to say we’ve done enough is when 
you have covered a very high percentage of the at-risk population,” she 
said.Justman said the decline in monkeypox cases within the United States 
is due to the vaccination campaign as well as behavior changes, though 
she cautioned there isn’t a lot of data on exactly how many people have 
adopted changes to physical contact the way there’s detailed information
 about vaccines.Justman also said it’s far too soon to predict if monkeypox cases will continue to decline in the weeks and months to come.“I feel like it’s still a little too soon to do that kind of crystal 
ball gazing,” Justman said. “To me, it requires more time to see what 
the pattern is going to be.”<h2>Largest outbreak in U.S. history</h2>Monkeypox, first discovered in 1958 in research monkeys, spreads 
through direct physical contact, by touching fabrics such as bedding or 
towels used by someone with the virus, or by contact with respiratory 
secretions, according to the CDC.Since the first human case was diagnosed in 1970, the vast majority 
of cases have been in central and western Africa, while cases outside 
that region have been linked to travel to the area or imported animals.This year’s outbreak, the largest in U.S. history, began in mid-May 
when doctors diagnosed the disease in a Massachusetts man. Europe and 
other regions of the world where monkeypox isn’t traditionally diagnosed
 also experienced a significant outbreak this year.In total, there’s been more than 72,000 monkeypox diagnoses in 
countries without a history of the virus. There have been 28 deaths, 
including two in the U.S., according to the CDC.<h2>Understanding the vaccine</h2>Elizabeth Finley, director of communications at the National 
Coalition of STD Directors, said that while she expects new diagnoses of
 monkeypox to continue to decline, she doesn’t expect the virus to 
disappear.“I think we will continue to see a low number of monkeypox cases,” she said. “I don’t think it’s going away.”One key aspect of the ongoing response, she said, needs to be 
developing a better understanding of how well the Jynneos vaccine 
performs after one dose as well as after the complete two-dose series, 
and how long protection will last.“This is a vaccine that was designed to help the nation or other 
nations address a smallpox outbreak. It wasn’t necessarily designed to 
be a long-term plan for something like monkeypox,” Finley said, adding, 
“we just need to know more about the vaccine.”While anyone can get monkeypox, this outbreak has predominantly 
affected gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, leading 
public health officials to urge community members to limit physical 
contact.But, Finley said, experts haven’t been clear about how long and to 
what degree people should withhold or severely limit physical contact.“I don’t know that that’s sustainable. And frankly, I don’t know if 
it’s fair to ask people to sustain that kind of a change,” Finley said.As cases of monkeypox continue to decline, Finley said, she hopes 
public health officials will target their outreach to people who have 
little to no access to health care and who may not be vaccinated.Amesh Adalja, senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health 
Security at the Bloomberg School of Public Health, said he believes it’s
 going to take some time before the United States reaches zero cases, 
though he thinks it’s possible with sustained education, vaccination and
 treatment.He, however, cautioned that won’t mean doctors never diagnose monkeypox again.“The U.S. can get to a certain level of resiliency, but there’s 
always going to be some chance of importation from all of these other 
European countries, for example, where the disease is also spreading,”&nbsp; 
Adalja said. “So there may still be sporadic outbreaks until enough of 
the population is immune here or vaccinated. And if the vaccine is 
considered robust enough to keep it at bay.”

Monkeypox cases in sharp decline. Could outbreak be over?

GRAND ISLAND, NEB.&nbsp; — Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol have arrested one person following a pursuit on Interstate 80 in central Nebraska.

At approximately 3:25 p.m. Tuesday, a trooper observed a Hyundai Elantra traveling westbound at over 100 miles per hour. The trooper attempted a traffic stop near mile marker 301 on I-80 and the driver pulled over to the shoulder. As the trooper approached the vehicle to contact the driver, the driver accelerated and fled at a high rate of speed. The trooper initiated a pursuit.

The vehicle continued westbound with speeds in excess of 110 miles per hour. After approximately 15 minutes, troopers were able to successfully deploy stop sticks to bring the vehicle to a stop near mile marker 274. The vehicle came to a stop in the median of I-80, where the driver was taken into custody without further incident.

During the pursuit, the trooper observed the driver throw multiple items out of the vehicle. Another trooper was able to locate a handgun that had been thrown from the vehicle near mile marker 293.

The driver, Steven Little, 32, of Chicago, Illinois was arrested for flight to avoid arrest, willful reckless driving, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, carrying a concealed weapon, driving under the influence of alcohol, obstructing a peace officer, and numerous traffic violations. Little was lodged in Hall County Jail.

By Nebraska State PatrolGRAND ISLAND, NEB.&nbsp; — Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol have arrested one person following a pursuit on Interstate 80 in central Nebraska.At approximately 3:25 p.m. Tuesday, a trooper observed a Hyundai Elantra traveling westbound at over 100 miles per hour. The trooper attempted a traffic stop near mile marker 301 on I-80 and the driver pulled over to the shoulder. As the trooper approached the vehicle to contact the driver, the driver accelerated and fled at a high rate of speed. The trooper initiated a pursuit.The vehicle continued westbound with speeds in excess of 110 miles per hour. After approximately 15 minutes, troopers were able to successfully deploy stop sticks to bring the vehicle to a stop near mile marker 274. The vehicle came to a stop in the median of I-80, where the driver was taken into custody without further incident.During the pursuit, the trooper observed the driver throw multiple items out of the vehicle. Another trooper was able to locate a handgun that had been thrown from the vehicle near mile marker 293.The driver, Steven Little, 32, of Chicago, Illinois was arrested for flight to avoid arrest, willful reckless driving, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, carrying a concealed weapon, driving under the influence of alcohol, obstructing a peace officer, and numerous traffic violations. Little was lodged in Hall County Jail.

NSP arrest driver after pursuit, locate handgun thrown from car

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden promised Tuesday that the first bill he sends to Capitol Hill next year will be one that codifies Roe v. Wade — if Democrats control enough seats in Congress for Biden to sign abortion protections into law — in a speech designed to energize his party's voters just three weeks ahead of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections">the November midterms.</a>

“If you care about the right to choose, then you gotta vote,” Biden said during remarks at the Howard Theatre in Washington. He urged those in attendance to recall how they felt when the Supreme Court in late June overturned the landmark 1973 ruling legalizing abortion, and repeatedly lambasted Republicans nationwide who have pushed for restrictions on the procedure, often without exceptions.

Biden said “the only sure way to stop these extremist laws that are putting in jeopardy women’s health and rights is for Congress to pass a law.” He acknowledged that right now, “we're short a handful of votes” to reinstate abortion protections at the federal level, urging voters to send more Democrats to Congress.

“If we do that, here’s the promise I make to you and the American people: The first bill that I will send to the Congress will be to codify Roe v. Wade," Biden said. “And when Congress passes it, I’ll sign it in January, 50 years after Roe was first decided the law of the land.”

Democrats tried repeatedly in this Congress to enshrine abortion rights into law, only to be thwarted by GOP filibusters and the unwillingness of their own members to change the Senate’s rules. That dynamic is likely to persist no matter what happens in the November elections.

Abortion rights have been a key&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-elections-campaigns-8a6e3db27082cc212e9e5183b25e7c32">motivating factor for Democrats this year</a>, although the economy and inflation still rank as chief concern for most voters.

For the White House, it won’t be enough just to keep control of both chambers of Congress, already an uphill battle, to be able to enshrine the protections of Roe into law. The Senate would need to abolish the filibuster, the legislative rule that requires 60 votes for most bills to advance in the chamber, in order to pass an abortion measure with a simple majority of senators.

Long resistant to any revisions to Senate institutional rules, Biden said in the days after the decision by the Supreme Court to overrule Roe in Dobbs v. Jackson that he would support eliminating that supermajority threshold for abortion bills, just as he did on voting rights legislation.

But two moderate Democrats — Sens. Kyrsten Sinema, Ariz., and Joe Manchin, W.Va. — support keeping the filibuster. Sinema has said she wants to retain the filibuster precisely so any abortion restrictions backed by Republicans would face a much higher hurdle to pass in the Senate.

Democratic Senate candidates in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin — the party's two best chances to flip seats currently held by Republicans — have both said they support eliminating the filibuster in order to pass abortion legislation. Pennsylvania Senate candidate John Fetterman has actively campaigned on being the 51st vote for priorities such as legalizing abortion, codifying same-sex marriage protections, and making it easier for workers to unionize — all measures that would otherwise be blocked by a filibuster in the Senate.

Abortion — and proposals from some Republicans to impose nationwide restrictions on the procedure — have been a regular fixture of Biden's political rhetoric this election cycle, as Democrats seek to energize voters in a difficult midterm season for the party in power in Washington.

In fundraisers and in political speeches, Biden has vowed to reject any abortion restrictions that may come to his desk in a GOP-controlled Congress. He has also urged voters to boost the Democratic ranks in the Senate so enough senators would not only support reinstating abortion nationwide, but would be willing to change Senate rules to do it.

"If you give me two more Democratic senators in the United States Senate, I promise you, I promise you we’re going to codify Roe," Biden said at a Democratic National Committee rally in Washington last month. “We’ll once again make Roe the law of the land. And we’ll once again protect a woman’s right to choose.”

On Tuesday, Biden made a pointed appeal to young voters, who traditionally participate in lower rates than other age demographics in midterm elections. Though his remarks were primarily focused on abortion, Biden also mentioned his decisions to forgive billions of dollars in student loan debt and to issue pardons for marijuana possession — moves popular with younger voters.

“What I am saying is, you represent the best of us. Your generation will not be ignored, will not be shunned and will not be silent,” Biden said, adding: “In 2020, you voted to deliver the change you wanted to see in the world. In 2022, you need to exercise your power to vote again for the future of our nation and the future of your generation.”

Court decisions and state legislation have shifted — and sometimes, re-shifted — the status of abortion laws across the country. Currently, bans are in place at all states of pregnancy in 12 states. In another, Wisconsin, clinics have stopped providing abortions though there’s dispute over whether a ban is in effect. In Georgia, abortion is banned at the detection of cardiac activity -- generally around six weeks and before women often know they’re pregnant.

Meanwhile, codifying Roe remains a broadly popular position. In a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-biden-nancy-pelosi-womens-rights-government-and-politics-c410dbe9a8321b35a4e779b2fb226de5">July AP-NORC poll</a>, 60% of U.S. adults said they believe Congress should pass a law guaranteeing access to legal abortion nationwide.

Even with the economy dominating so much of the midterm discourse, abortion has been a touchstone in high-profile contests from Ohio to Arizona, especially as Democrats try to trap Republicans between their most ardent anti-abortion base voters who want absolute or near-total bans and a majority of U.S. adults that wants at least some legal access to elective abortions.

For instance, in Georgia, Republican Senate nominee Herschel Walker went so far in his only debate against Sen. Raphael Warnock, a Democrat, as to deny his previous support for a national abortion ban with no exceptions. Despite Walker’s previous statements captured on video, he insisted Warnock misrepresented his position. Walker said in the debate that he backs a Georgia statute outlawing abortion after six weeks of pregnancy – an effective ban for some women because it’s so early they don’t yet know they’re pregnant. The law includes exceptions for later abortions in cases of rape, incest and involving health risks to a woman.

Warnock, meanwhile, avoided direct questions about whether he’d support any abortion limits, instead turning the question to Walker’s position.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1666127025170.png" alt="“If you care about the right to choose, then you gotta vote,” Biden said during remarks at the Howard Theatre in Washington-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>“If you care about the right to choose, then you gotta vote,” Biden said during remarks at the Howard Theatre in Washington-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden promised Tuesday that the first bill he sends to Capitol Hill next year will be one that codifies Roe v. Wade — if Democrats control enough seats in Congress for Biden to sign abortion protections into law — in a speech designed to energize his party's voters just three weeks ahead of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections">the November midterms.</a><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Biden on if Democrats keep their majority in Congress: &quot;If we do that, here&#39;s the promise I make to you and the American people: the first bill that I will send to the Congress will be to codify Roe v. Wade.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/D7CGg2Cl25">pic.twitter.com/D7CGg2Cl25</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1582416394473603072?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 18, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“If you care about the right to choose, then you gotta vote,” Biden said during remarks at the Howard Theatre in Washington. He urged those in attendance to recall how they felt when the Supreme Court in late June overturned the landmark 1973 ruling legalizing abortion, and repeatedly lambasted Republicans nationwide who have pushed for restrictions on the procedure, often without exceptions.Biden said “the only sure way to stop these extremist laws that are putting in jeopardy women’s health and rights is for Congress to pass a law.” He acknowledged that right now, “we're short a handful of votes” to reinstate abortion protections at the federal level, urging voters to send more Democrats to Congress.“If we do that, here’s the promise I make to you and the American people: The first bill that I will send to the Congress will be to codify Roe v. Wade," Biden said. “And when Congress passes it, I’ll sign it in January, 50 years after Roe was first decided the law of the land.”That's a big if.Democrats tried repeatedly in this Congress to enshrine abortion rights into law, only to be thwarted by GOP filibusters and the unwillingness of their own members to change the Senate’s rules. That dynamic is likely to persist no matter what happens in the November elections.Abortion rights have been a key&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-elections-campaigns-8a6e3db27082cc212e9e5183b25e7c32">motivating factor for Democrats this year</a>, although the economy and inflation still rank as chief concern for most voters.For the White House, it won’t be enough just to keep control of both chambers of Congress, already an uphill battle, to be able to enshrine the protections of Roe into law. The Senate would need to abolish the filibuster, the legislative rule that requires 60 votes for most bills to advance in the chamber, in order to pass an abortion measure with a simple majority of senators.Long resistant to any revisions to Senate institutional rules, Biden said in the days after the decision by the Supreme Court to overrule Roe in Dobbs v. Jackson that he would support eliminating that supermajority threshold for abortion bills, just as he did on voting rights legislation.But two moderate Democrats — Sens. Kyrsten Sinema, Ariz., and Joe Manchin, W.Va. — support keeping the filibuster. Sinema has said she wants to retain the filibuster precisely so any abortion restrictions backed by Republicans would face a much higher hurdle to pass in the Senate.Democratic Senate candidates in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin — the party's two best chances to flip seats currently held by Republicans — have both said they support eliminating the filibuster in order to pass abortion legislation. Pennsylvania Senate candidate John Fetterman has actively campaigned on being the 51st vote for priorities such as legalizing abortion, codifying same-sex marriage protections, and making it easier for workers to unionize — all measures that would otherwise be blocked by a filibuster in the Senate.Abortion — and proposals from some Republicans to impose nationwide restrictions on the procedure — have been a regular fixture of Biden's political rhetoric this election cycle, as Democrats seek to energize voters in a difficult midterm season for the party in power in Washington.In fundraisers and in political speeches, Biden has vowed to reject any abortion restrictions that may come to his desk in a GOP-controlled Congress. He has also urged voters to boost the Democratic ranks in the Senate so enough senators would not only support reinstating abortion nationwide, but would be willing to change Senate rules to do it."If you give me two more Democratic senators in the United States Senate, I promise you, I promise you we’re going to codify Roe," Biden said at a Democratic National Committee rally in Washington last month. “We’ll once again make Roe the law of the land. And we’ll once again protect a woman’s right to choose.”On Tuesday, Biden made a pointed appeal to young voters, who traditionally participate in lower rates than other age demographics in midterm elections. Though his remarks were primarily focused on abortion, Biden also mentioned his decisions to forgive billions of dollars in student loan debt and to issue pardons for marijuana possession — moves popular with younger voters.“What I am saying is, you represent the best of us. Your generation will not be ignored, will not be shunned and will not be silent,” Biden said, adding: “In 2020, you voted to deliver the change you wanted to see in the world. In 2022, you need to exercise your power to vote again for the future of our nation and the future of your generation.”Court decisions and state legislation have shifted — and sometimes, re-shifted — the status of abortion laws across the country. Currently, bans are in place at all states of pregnancy in 12 states. In another, Wisconsin, clinics have stopped providing abortions though there’s dispute over whether a ban is in effect. In Georgia, abortion is banned at the detection of cardiac activity -- generally around six weeks and before women often know they’re pregnant.Meanwhile, codifying Roe remains a broadly popular position. In a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-biden-nancy-pelosi-womens-rights-government-and-politics-c410dbe9a8321b35a4e779b2fb226de5">July AP-NORC poll</a>, 60% of U.S. adults said they believe Congress should pass a law guaranteeing access to legal abortion nationwide.Even with the economy dominating so much of the midterm discourse, abortion has been a touchstone in high-profile contests from Ohio to Arizona, especially as Democrats try to trap Republicans between their most ardent anti-abortion base voters who want absolute or near-total bans and a majority of U.S. adults that wants at least some legal access to elective abortions.For instance, in Georgia, Republican Senate nominee Herschel Walker went so far in his only debate against Sen. Raphael Warnock, a Democrat, as to deny his previous support for a national abortion ban with no exceptions. Despite Walker’s previous statements captured on video, he insisted Warnock misrepresented his position. Walker said in the debate that he backs a Georgia statute outlawing abortion after six weeks of pregnancy – an effective ban for some women because it’s so early they don’t yet know they’re pregnant. The law includes exceptions for later abortions in cases of rape, incest and involving health risks to a woman.Warnock, meanwhile, avoided direct questions about whether he’d support any abortion limits, instead turning the question to Walker’s position.

🎥Biden uses promise of abortion legislation to energize Dem voters

NORFOLK, NEB.&nbsp; — The Nebraska State Patrol is able to release additional details regarding the investigation into a shooting that occurred in Oakland on September 27.

The Oakland Police Department and Burt County Sheriff’s Office responded to reports of a domestic disturbance and shooting in the 300 block of North Oakland Avenue, in Oakland at approximately 9:00 p.m. Upon arrival, officers located a male subject with a gunshot wound. The person, identified as Ryan Schuman, 32, was transported to the hospital where he died.

The Burt County Attorney requested that the Nebraska State Patrol investigate the incident. Preliminary investigation suggested that the parties involved were engaged in a domestic physical altercation, when one of the subjects discharged a firearm a single time. That individual made a claim of self-defense.

The investigation has shown that Schuman had attempted to prevent two people, a male and female, from leaving an apartment. Schuman then attacked the woman, striking her repeatedly. At that time, the male fired one shot at Schuman to end the attack. The male and female then exited the apartment to get help and call 911. The woman was treated for injuries at the scene.

Following a thorough investigation and consultation with the Burt County Attorney, all evidence and statements collected substantiate the assertion of self-defense. No arrests have been made in this case and no charges are pending at this time.

By Nebraska State PatrolNORFOLK, NEB.&nbsp; — The Nebraska State Patrol is able to release additional details regarding the investigation into a shooting that occurred in Oakland on September 27.The Oakland Police Department and Burt County Sheriff’s Office responded to reports of a domestic disturbance and shooting in the 300 block of North Oakland Avenue, in Oakland at approximately 9:00 p.m. Upon arrival, officers located a male subject with a gunshot wound. The person, identified as Ryan Schuman, 32, was transported to the hospital where he died.The Burt County Attorney requested that the Nebraska State Patrol investigate the incident. Preliminary investigation suggested that the parties involved were engaged in a domestic physical altercation, when one of the subjects discharged a firearm a single time. That individual made a claim of self-defense.The investigation has shown that Schuman had attempted to prevent two people, a male and female, from leaving an apartment. Schuman then attacked the woman, striking her repeatedly. At that time, the male fired one shot at Schuman to end the attack. The male and female then exited the apartment to get help and call 911. The woman was treated for injuries at the scene.Following a thorough investigation and consultation with the Burt County Attorney, all evidence and statements collected substantiate the assertion of self-defense. No arrests have been made in this case and no charges are pending at this time.

NSP provides update on Oakland shooting investigation

Anchorage, Alaska —The Alaskan North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) Region detected, tracked, positively identified and intercepted two Russian Tu-95 Bear-H bombers entering and operating within the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on Monday, according to a media release from the command.

Two U.S. Air Force F-16 fighter aircraft intercepted the Russian aircraft which remained in international airspace and did not enter American or Canadian sovereign airspace.

The recent Russian activity in the North American ADIZ is not seen as a threat nor is the activity seen as provocative, according to the release.

In September, a U.S. Coast Guard ship on routine patrol in the Bering Sea came across a guided missile cruiser from China, 86 miles north of Alaska’s Kiska Island.&nbsp;The patrol boat later discovered there were two other Chinese naval ships and four Russian naval vessels, including a destroyer, all in single formation, according to a report from the Associated Press.

 NORAD tracks and positively identifies foreign military aircraft that enter the ADIZ. NORAD routinely monitors foreign aircraft movements and as necessary, escorts them from the ADIZ.

NORAD employs a layered defense network of satellites, ground-based radars, airborne radar and fighter aircraft to track and identify aircraft and inform appropriate actions.&nbsp;

The Coast Guard has not released additional details on the September incident.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1666187064189.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Anchorage, Alaska —The Alaskan North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) Region detected, tracked, positively identified and intercepted two Russian Tu-95 Bear-H bombers entering and operating within the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on Monday, according to a media release from the command.Two U.S. Air Force F-16 fighter aircraft intercepted the Russian aircraft which remained in international airspace and did not enter American or Canadian sovereign airspace.The recent Russian activity in the North American ADIZ is not seen as a threat nor is the activity seen as provocative, according to the release.In September, a U.S. Coast Guard ship on routine patrol in the Bering Sea came across a guided missile cruiser from China, 86 miles north of Alaska’s Kiska Island.&nbsp;The patrol boat later discovered there were two other Chinese naval ships and four Russian naval vessels, including a destroyer, all in single formation, according to a report from the Associated Press. NORAD tracks and positively identifies foreign military aircraft that enter the ADIZ. NORAD routinely monitors foreign aircraft movements and as necessary, escorts them from the ADIZ.NORAD employs a layered defense network of satellites, ground-based radars, airborne radar and fighter aircraft to track and identify aircraft and inform appropriate actions.&nbsp;The Coast Guard has not released additional details on the September incident.

US intercepts two Russian bombers off Alaskan coast

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The federal government announced Tuesday a program that will provide $1.3 billion in debt relief for about 36,000 farmers who have fallen behind on loan payments or face foreclosure.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the farm loan relief program funded from $3.1 billion set aside in the Inflation Reduction Act allocated toward assisting distressed borrowers of direct or guaranteed loans administered by USDA. The law was passed by Congress and signed by President Joe Biden in August.

The USDA provides loans to about 115,000 farmers and livestock producers who cannot obtain commercial credit. Those who have missed payments, are in foreclosure or are heading toward default will get help from the USDA. Financial difficulties for farmers may be caused by a variety of issues including drought and transportation bottlenecks.

“Through no fault of their own, our nation’s farmers and ranchers have faced incredibly tough circumstances over the last few years,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “The funding included in today’s announcement helps keep our farmers farming and provides a fresh start for producers in challenging positions.”

About 11,000 farm borrowers delinquent on direct or guaranteed loan payments for 60 days or longer are receiving automatic electronic payments to get them current on their loans. Each farmer with a direct loan received about $52,000 and those with guaranteed loans received about $172,000. The total cost for this group is nearly $600 million. Farmers who received this help will get a letter informing them that their payments have been made and they will remain current until their next annual payment is due in 2023, Vilsack said.

Another $200 million has been used to immediately help 2,100 farm borrowers after their loans had been foreclosed but who still owed money and had their tax refunds and other resources taken by the U.S. Treasury. The money will be used to pay the money these farmers owe to give them a fresh start, Vilsack said. The USDA said farmers in this category received an average of $101,000.

Another $571 million will be used help several additional groups including:

—7,000 farmers who during the COVID pandemic delayed loan payments to the end of their loans. This will cost $66 million.

—1,600 farmers that face bankruptcy or foreclosure will get help on a case-by-case basis with individual meetings to assess their problem and find solutions at a cost of $330 million.

—14,000 financially distressed farm borrowers facing cash flow problems who ask for help to avoid missing a loan payment will receive additional assistance. Vilsack said these issues could be brought on by drought or by low levels on the Mississippi River that is slowing barge traffic causing grain transportation issues. Up to $175 million will be available for this program.

The money announced Tuesday is the first round of payments designed to help insure the farmers stay in business or re-enter farming.

The remainder of the $3.1 billion will be used to help relax unnecessary loan restrictions and provide further assistance to be announced later, the USDA said.

Farmers assisted by the program have been found by the USDA to be distressed borrowers hard hit by pandemic-induced market disruptions exacerbated by more frequent, more intense, climate-driven natural disasters, the USDA said.

President Joe Biden and his administration continue to endure criticism for enacting a program to forgive some college loans but some of the Republican politicians who have criticized that program did not respond to questions about whether they support the farm loan help.

The USDA also provided $31 billion to help nearly a million farmers offset lower sales, prices and other losses due to the coronavirus pandemic in 2021 and 2022, the U.S. Government Accountability Office has said.

<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5qYVbVE9ul0" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The federal government announced Tuesday a program that will provide $1.3 billion in debt relief for about 36,000 farmers who have fallen behind on loan payments or face foreclosure.The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the farm loan relief program funded from $3.1 billion set aside in the Inflation Reduction Act allocated toward assisting distressed borrowers of direct or guaranteed loans administered by USDA. The law was passed by Congress and signed by President Joe Biden in August.The USDA provides loans to about 115,000 farmers and livestock producers who cannot obtain commercial credit. Those who have missed payments, are in foreclosure or are heading toward default will get help from the USDA. Financial difficulties for farmers may be caused by a variety of issues including drought and transportation bottlenecks.“Through no fault of their own, our nation’s farmers and ranchers have faced incredibly tough circumstances over the last few years,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “The funding included in today’s announcement helps keep our farmers farming and provides a fresh start for producers in challenging positions.”About 11,000 farm borrowers delinquent on direct or guaranteed loan payments for 60 days or longer are receiving automatic electronic payments to get them current on their loans. Each farmer with a direct loan received about $52,000 and those with guaranteed loans received about $172,000. The total cost for this group is nearly $600 million. Farmers who received this help will get a letter informing them that their payments have been made and they will remain current until their next annual payment is due in 2023, Vilsack said.Another $200 million has been used to immediately help 2,100 farm borrowers after their loans had been foreclosed but who still owed money and had their tax refunds and other resources taken by the U.S. Treasury. The money will be used to pay the money these farmers owe to give them a fresh start, Vilsack said. The USDA said farmers in this category received an average of $101,000.Another $571 million will be used help several additional groups including:—7,000 farmers who during the COVID pandemic delayed loan payments to the end of their loans. This will cost $66 million.—1,600 farmers that face bankruptcy or foreclosure will get help on a case-by-case basis with individual meetings to assess their problem and find solutions at a cost of $330 million.—14,000 financially distressed farm borrowers facing cash flow problems who ask for help to avoid missing a loan payment will receive additional assistance. Vilsack said these issues could be brought on by drought or by low levels on the Mississippi River that is slowing barge traffic causing grain transportation issues. Up to $175 million will be available for this program.The money announced Tuesday is the first round of payments designed to help insure the farmers stay in business or re-enter farming.The remainder of the $3.1 billion will be used to help relax unnecessary loan restrictions and provide further assistance to be announced later, the USDA said.Farmers assisted by the program have been found by the USDA to be distressed borrowers hard hit by pandemic-induced market disruptions exacerbated by more frequent, more intense, climate-driven natural disasters, the USDA said.President Joe Biden and his administration continue to endure criticism for enacting a program to forgive some college loans but some of the Republican politicians who have criticized that program did not respond to questions about whether they support the farm loan help.The USDA also provided $31 billion to help nearly a million farmers offset lower sales, prices and other losses due to the coronavirus pandemic in 2021 and 2022, the U.S. Government Accountability Office has said.

USDA announces $1 billion debt relief for farmers

PAWNEE COUNTY, Kan. —One person died in an accident just after 7p.m. Tuesday in Pawnee County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2010 Toyota passenger car driven by Barbara N.&nbsp;Westeman, 60, Syracuse, Kansas, was northbound on U.S. 183 eleven miles south of Rush Center.

The Toyota was passing a 2000 International semi driven by Nathaniel J. Dunlay, 40, Torrington, Wyoming, in a No Passing Zone. 

A southbound, non-contact vehicle, traveled into the west ditch to avoid a head-on collision with Toyota. 

Dunlay lost control of the semi as the vehicle traveled partially onto the east shoulder. He overcorrected, the semi crossed the roadway, entered the west ditch and came to rest on its top, facing southwest.

Dunlay was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Beckwith Mortuary. Westeman was not injured. Dunlay was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

PAWNEE COUNTY, Kan. —One person died in an accident just after 7p.m. Tuesday in Pawnee County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2010 Toyota passenger car driven by Barbara N.&nbsp;Westeman, 60, Syracuse, Kansas, was northbound on U.S. 183 eleven miles south of Rush Center.The Toyota was passing a 2000 International semi driven by Nathaniel J. Dunlay, 40, Torrington, Wyoming, in a No Passing Zone. A southbound, non-contact vehicle, traveled into the west ditch to avoid a head-on collision with Toyota. Dunlay lost control of the semi as the vehicle traveled partially onto the east shoulder. He overcorrected, the semi crossed the roadway, entered the west ditch and came to rest on its top, facing southwest.Dunlay was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Beckwith Mortuary. Westeman was not injured. Dunlay was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

Driver dead after semi swerves to avoid driver in no passing zone

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today reminded employers to
 file the next quarterly payroll tax return by the approaching October 
31, 2022, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/employment-tax-due-dates">due date</a>, and urged them to do so electronically.

While paper filing is available, the IRS strongly encourages 
e-filing. E-filing is the most secure, accurate method to file returns 
and saves taxpayers' time.

E-filing is easy with auto-populating forms and schedules with a 
step-by-step process that performs calculations for the employer.

The IRS acknowledges receipt of e-filed returns within 24 hours, 
giving taxpayers reassurance that their return was not misplaced or lost
 in the mail. E-file users also receive missing information alerts.

Two options to electronically file payroll tax returns

Employers can choose to self-file by purchasing IRS-approved <a href="https://www.irs.gov/e-file-providers/94x-mef-providers">software</a>
 that meets their specific needs. There may be a fee to electronically 
file returns through the software, and the software will require a 
signature to e-file the returns.

Depending on the software they choose, taxpayers will have one or both of the following options:

The second option for employers is to hire a tax professional to
 prepare and file their employment tax returns. Taxpayers can use the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/e-file-providers/authorized-irs-e-file-provider-locator-service-for-tax-professionals">Authorized IRS e-file Provider Locator Service</a>&nbsp;to find a tax professional who can file on behalf of the business.

For more information on electronic filing of payroll tax returns, see the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/businesses/e-file-employment-tax-forms">E-file Employment Tax Forms</a>&nbsp;page.

Employers can find information on the most recent tax relief provisions for taxpayers affected by <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/tax-relief-in-disaster-situations">disaster</a> situations on IRS.gov. See&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/faqs-for-disaster-victims">FAQs for Disaster Victims&nbsp;</a>for information about the definition of an affected taxpayer.

<a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/around-the-nation">IRS News from Around the Nation</a>&nbsp;provides IRS news specific to local areas, primarily disaster relief or tax provisions that affect certain states.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today reminded employers to
 file the next quarterly payroll tax return by the approaching October 
31, 2022, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/employment-tax-due-dates">due date</a>, and urged them to do so electronically.While paper filing is available, the IRS strongly encourages 
e-filing. E-filing is the most secure, accurate method to file returns 
and saves taxpayers' time.E-filing is easy with auto-populating forms and schedules with a 
step-by-step process that performs calculations for the employer.The IRS acknowledges receipt of e-filed returns within 24 hours, 
giving taxpayers reassurance that their return was not misplaced or lost
 in the mail. E-file users also receive missing information alerts.<h2>Two options to electronically file payroll tax returns</h2>Employers can choose to self-file by purchasing IRS-approved <a href="https://www.irs.gov/e-file-providers/94x-mef-providers">software</a>
 that meets their specific needs. There may be a fee to electronically 
file returns through the software, and the software will require a 
signature to e-file the returns.Depending on the software they choose, taxpayers will have one or both of the following options:<ul>
 <li><a href="https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/use-an-on-line-signature-pin-to-e-file-employment-tax-forms">Apply for an online signature PIN</a></li><li>Scan and attach <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-8453-emp">Form 8453-EMP, Employment Tax Declaration for an IRS e-file Return</a>, for the required signature.</li>
 </ul>The second option for employers is to hire a tax professional to
 prepare and file their employment tax returns. Taxpayers can use the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/e-file-providers/authorized-irs-e-file-provider-locator-service-for-tax-professionals">Authorized IRS e-file Provider Locator Service</a>&nbsp;to find a tax professional who can file on behalf of the business.For more information on electronic filing of payroll tax returns, see the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/businesses/e-file-employment-tax-forms">E-file Employment Tax Forms</a>&nbsp;page.<h2>Tax relief in disaster situations</h2>Employers can find information on the most recent tax relief provisions for taxpayers affected by <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/tax-relief-in-disaster-situations">disaster</a> situations on IRS.gov. See&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/faqs-for-disaster-victims">FAQs for Disaster Victims&nbsp;</a>for information about the definition of an affected taxpayer.<a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/around-the-nation">IRS News from Around the Nation</a>&nbsp;provides IRS news specific to local areas, primarily disaster relief or tax provisions that affect certain states.

Employers urged to electronically file payroll tax returns by Oct. 31

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will announce the release of 15 million barrels of oil from the U.S. strategic reserve Wednesday as part of a response to recent production cuts announced by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/opec">OPEC+ nations</a>, and he will say more oil sales are possible this winter, as his administration rushes to be seen as pulling out all the stops ahead of next month’s midterm elections.

Biden will deliver remarks Wednesday to announce the drawdown from the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-business-prices-ae5200310e3d3c0390d9e1cbb3c5a964">strategic reserve</a>, senior administration officials said Tuesday on the condition of anonymity to outline Biden's plans. It completes the release of 180 million barrels over six months authorized by Biden in March. That has sent the strategic reserve to its lowest level since 1984 in what the president called a “bridge” until domestic production could be increased. The reserve now contains roughly 400 million barrels of oil.

Biden will also open the door to additional releases this winter in an effort to bring prices down, but administration officials would not detail how much the president would be willing to tap and the conditions under which he would do so.

Biden will also say that the U.S. government will restock the strategic reserve when oil prices are at or lower than $67 to $72 a barrel, an offer that administration officials argue will increase domestic production by guaranteeing a baseline level of demand even if prices fall. Yet the president is also expected to renew his criticism of the profits reaped by oil companies — repeating a bet made this summer that public condemnation would matter more to these companies than shareholders’ focus on returns.

It marks the continuation of an about-face by Biden, who has tried to move the U.S. past fossil fuels to identify additional sources of energy to satisfy U.S. and global supply as a result of disruptions from Russia's invasion of Ukraine and production cuts announced by the Saudi Arabia-led oil cartel.

The prospective loss of 2 million barrels a day — 2% of global supply — has had the White House saying Saudi Arabia sided with Russian President Vladimir Putin and pledging there will be consequences for supply cuts that could prop up energy prices. The 15 million-barrel release would not cover even one full day's use of oil in the U.S., according to the Energy Information Administration.

The administration could make a decision on future releases a month from now, as it requires a month and a half for the strategic reserve to notify would-be buyers.

Biden had pledged to speak about his plans to reduce gasoline prices this week. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre declined to say what policies Biden will discuss, telling reporters at Tuesday's briefing, “I will let the president speak for himself."

Jared Bernstein, a member of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, said a past release of oil from the U.S. strategic reserve contributed to a decline in prices at the pump this summer. That decline ended last month as prices began to rise again, though they've eased somewhat in the past week.

Bernstein suggested to Fox News Sunday that the reserve is large enough that the White House could tap it again.

“There are still 400 million barrels of oil in the strategic reserve — it is more than half full,” Bernstein said, adding that Biden had not yet made a final decision on releasing more barrels.

Biden still faces political headwinds because of gas prices. AAA reports that gas is averaging $3.87 a gallon, up from a month ago when falling prices at the pump suggested that the president and his fellow Democrats were faring better in surveys.

An analysis Monday by ClearView Energy Partners, an independent energy research firm based in Washington, suggested that two states that could decide control of the evenly split Senate — Nevada and Pennsylvania — are sensitive to energy prices. The analysis noted that gas prices over the past month rose above the national average in 18 states, which are home to 29 potentially “at risk” House seats.

Even if voters want cheaper gasoline, expected gains in supply are not materializing because of a weaker global economy. The U.S. government last week revised downward its forecasts, saying that domestic firms would produce 270,000 fewer barrels a day in 2023 than was forecast in September. Global production would be 600,000 barrels a day lower than forecast in September.

The hard math for Biden is that oil production has yet to return to its pre-pandemic level of roughly 13 million barrels a day. It's about a million barrels a day shy of that level. The oil industry would like the administration to open up more federal lands for drilling, approve pipeline construction and reverse its recent changes to raise corporate taxes. The administration counters that the oil industry is sitting on thousands of unused federal leases and says new permits would take years to produce oil with no impact on current gas prices. Environmental groups, meanwhile, have asked Biden to keep a campaign promise to block new drilling on federal lands.

Biden has resisted the policies favored by U.S. oil producers. Instead, he's sought to reduce prices by releasing oil from the U.S. reserve, shaming oil companies for their profits and calling on greater production from countries in OPEC+ that have different geopolitical interests, said Frank Macchiarola, senior vice president of policy, economics and regulatory affairs at the American Petroleum Institute.

“If they continue to offer the same old so-called solutions, they’ll continue to get the same old results,” Macchiarola said.

Because fossil fuels lead to carbon emissions, Biden has sought to move away from them entirely with a commitment to zero emissions by 2050. When discussing that commitment nearly a year ago after the G-20 leading rich and developing nations met in Rome, the president said he still wanted to also lower gas prices because at “$3.35 a gallon, it has profound impact on working-class families just to get back and forth to work."

Since Biden spoke of the pain of gas at $3.35 a gallon and his hopes to reduce costs, the price has risen another 15.5%.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will announce the release of 15 million barrels of oil from the U.S. strategic reserve Wednesday as part of a response to recent production cuts announced by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/opec">OPEC+ nations</a>, and he will say more oil sales are possible this winter, as his administration rushes to be seen as pulling out all the stops ahead of next month’s midterm elections.Biden will deliver remarks Wednesday to announce the drawdown from the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-business-prices-ae5200310e3d3c0390d9e1cbb3c5a964">strategic reserve</a>, senior administration officials said Tuesday on the condition of anonymity to outline Biden's plans. It completes the release of 180 million barrels over six months authorized by Biden in March. That has sent the strategic reserve to its lowest level since 1984 in what the president called a “bridge” until domestic production could be increased. The reserve now contains roughly 400 million barrels of oil.Biden will also open the door to additional releases this winter in an effort to bring prices down, but administration officials would not detail how much the president would be willing to tap and the conditions under which he would do so.Biden will also say that the U.S. government will restock the strategic reserve when oil prices are at or lower than $67 to $72 a barrel, an offer that administration officials argue will increase domestic production by guaranteeing a baseline level of demand even if prices fall. Yet the president is also expected to renew his criticism of the profits reaped by oil companies — repeating a bet made this summer that public condemnation would matter more to these companies than shareholders’ focus on returns.It marks the continuation of an about-face by Biden, who has tried to move the U.S. past fossil fuels to identify additional sources of energy to satisfy U.S. and global supply as a result of disruptions from Russia's invasion of Ukraine and production cuts announced by the Saudi Arabia-led oil cartel.The prospective loss of 2 million barrels a day — 2% of global supply — has had the White House saying Saudi Arabia sided with Russian President Vladimir Putin and pledging there will be consequences for supply cuts that could prop up energy prices. The 15 million-barrel release would not cover even one full day's use of oil in the U.S., according to the Energy Information Administration.The administration could make a decision on future releases a month from now, as it requires a month and a half for the strategic reserve to notify would-be buyers.Biden had pledged to speak about his plans to reduce gasoline prices this week. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre declined to say what policies Biden will discuss, telling reporters at Tuesday's briefing, “I will let the president speak for himself."Jared Bernstein, a member of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, said a past release of oil from the U.S. strategic reserve contributed to a decline in prices at the pump this summer. That decline ended last month as prices began to rise again, though they've eased somewhat in the past week.Bernstein suggested to Fox News Sunday that the reserve is large enough that the White House could tap it again.“There are still 400 million barrels of oil in the strategic reserve — it is more than half full,” Bernstein said, adding that Biden had not yet made a final decision on releasing more barrels.Biden still faces political headwinds because of gas prices. AAA reports that gas is averaging $3.87 a gallon, up from a month ago when falling prices at the pump suggested that the president and his fellow Democrats were faring better in surveys.An analysis Monday by ClearView Energy Partners, an independent energy research firm based in Washington, suggested that two states that could decide control of the evenly split Senate — Nevada and Pennsylvania — are sensitive to energy prices. The analysis noted that gas prices over the past month rose above the national average in 18 states, which are home to 29 potentially “at risk” House seats.Even if voters want cheaper gasoline, expected gains in supply are not materializing because of a weaker global economy. The U.S. government last week revised downward its forecasts, saying that domestic firms would produce 270,000 fewer barrels a day in 2023 than was forecast in September. Global production would be 600,000 barrels a day lower than forecast in September.The hard math for Biden is that oil production has yet to return to its pre-pandemic level of roughly 13 million barrels a day. It's about a million barrels a day shy of that level. The oil industry would like the administration to open up more federal lands for drilling, approve pipeline construction and reverse its recent changes to raise corporate taxes. The administration counters that the oil industry is sitting on thousands of unused federal leases and says new permits would take years to produce oil with no impact on current gas prices. Environmental groups, meanwhile, have asked Biden to keep a campaign promise to block new drilling on federal lands.Biden has resisted the policies favored by U.S. oil producers. Instead, he's sought to reduce prices by releasing oil from the U.S. reserve, shaming oil companies for their profits and calling on greater production from countries in OPEC+ that have different geopolitical interests, said Frank Macchiarola, senior vice president of policy, economics and regulatory affairs at the American Petroleum Institute.“If they continue to offer the same old so-called solutions, they’ll continue to get the same old results,” Macchiarola said.Because fossil fuels lead to carbon emissions, Biden has sought to move away from them entirely with a commitment to zero emissions by 2050. When discussing that commitment nearly a year ago after the G-20 leading rich and developing nations met in Rome, the president said he still wanted to also lower gas prices because at “$3.35 a gallon, it has profound impact on working-class families just to get back and forth to work."Since Biden spoke of the pain of gas at $3.35 a gallon and his hopes to reduce costs, the price has risen another 15.5%.

Biden to release 15M barrels from oil reserve, more possible

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo &amp; Aquarium has closed several exhibits and taken other precautions after one of its pelicans died from the bird flu.

The zoo said one of its pink-backed pelicans that died on Thursday tested positive for the highly pathogenic avian influenza. A second pelican became ill Friday and was euthanized.

As a precaution, the zoo has closed its Lied Jungle, Desert Dome and Simmons Aviary exhibits to the public for at least 10 days.

The Omaha zoo was one of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-north-america-canada-omaha-united-states-94e5df5a0b3510a69ac621eb03cdc9ff">many across the country</a>&nbsp;that closed down its aviaries and moved birds inside whenever possible to help protect them from avian influenza that is primarily spread by the droppings of wild birds.

The zoo reopened its aviary in June after bird flu cases&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-flu-prices-animals-1ec0f5a8e5485300fe117f87f8470f06">waned</a>, but some cases continued to be reported across the country throughout the summer, and the outbreak has started to make a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-minnesota-animals-flu-animal-2f02b2d35e82feb05273d9a72e898170">resurgence</a>&nbsp;this fall.

More than 47 million&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-ohio-agriculture-flu-toledo-ed49e4d8d1d0027f3d0b07e1faeb62d5">chickens and turkeys</a>&nbsp;have been slaughtered in 42 states to limit the spread of bird flu during this year’s outbreak. Officials order entire flocks to be killed when the virus is found on farms. More than 6 million chickens and turkeys were slaughtered last month to limit the spread of the disease.

The Omaha zoo also took precautions to protect its birds by limiting staff access to them and requiring workers to clean their shoes before entering areas where the birds are kept.

The zoo said its pelicans live outside, so they do come into contact with wild birds. But the pelicans don’t come into contact with other zoo birds and no other birds in the zoo’s collection have shown symptoms of bird flu.

“It is very important that Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium immediately tighten our protocols to protect our birds and guard against any potential spread of avian influenza,” Sarah Woodhouse, the zoo’s director of animal health, said in a statement. “This is important both to prevent infection of other zoo birds, and to prevent the virus from being dispersed off zoo grounds.”

Unlike on farms, zoos are generally allowed to isolate and treat an infected bird as long as they take precautions to protect the other birds in their collections.

Health officials emphasize that bird flu doesn’t jeopardize food safety because infected birds aren’t allowed into the food supply and properly cooking meat and eggs to 165 degrees Fahrenheit will kill any viruses.

By Associated PressOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo &amp; Aquarium has closed several exhibits and taken other precautions after one of its pelicans died from the bird flu.The zoo said one of its pink-backed pelicans that died on Thursday tested positive for the highly pathogenic avian influenza. A second pelican became ill Friday and was euthanized.As a precaution, the zoo has closed its Lied Jungle, Desert Dome and Simmons Aviary exhibits to the public for at least 10 days.The Omaha zoo was one of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-north-america-canada-omaha-united-states-94e5df5a0b3510a69ac621eb03cdc9ff">many across the country</a>&nbsp;that closed down its aviaries and moved birds inside whenever possible to help protect them from avian influenza that is primarily spread by the droppings of wild birds.The zoo reopened its aviary in June after bird flu cases&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-flu-prices-animals-1ec0f5a8e5485300fe117f87f8470f06">waned</a>, but some cases continued to be reported across the country throughout the summer, and the outbreak has started to make a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-minnesota-animals-flu-animal-2f02b2d35e82feb05273d9a72e898170">resurgence</a>&nbsp;this fall.More than 47 million&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-ohio-agriculture-flu-toledo-ed49e4d8d1d0027f3d0b07e1faeb62d5">chickens and turkeys</a>&nbsp;have been slaughtered in 42 states to limit the spread of bird flu during this year’s outbreak. Officials order entire flocks to be killed when the virus is found on farms. More than 6 million chickens and turkeys were slaughtered last month to limit the spread of the disease.The Omaha zoo also took precautions to protect its birds by limiting staff access to them and requiring workers to clean their shoes before entering areas where the birds are kept.The zoo said its pelicans live outside, so they do come into contact with wild birds. But the pelicans don’t come into contact with other zoo birds and no other birds in the zoo’s collection have shown symptoms of bird flu.“It is very important that Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium immediately tighten our protocols to protect our birds and guard against any potential spread of avian influenza,” Sarah Woodhouse, the zoo’s director of animal health, said in a statement. “This is important both to prevent infection of other zoo birds, and to prevent the virus from being dispersed off zoo grounds.”Unlike on farms, zoos are generally allowed to isolate and treat an infected bird as long as they take precautions to protect the other birds in their collections.Health officials emphasize that bird flu doesn’t jeopardize food safety because infected birds aren’t allowed into the food supply and properly cooking meat and eggs to 165 degrees Fahrenheit will kill any viruses.

Bird flu case prompts Omaha zoo to close several exhibits

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — A college wrestler from a small Wyoming school helped his teammate survive a grizzly mauling over the weekend by trying to wrestle the massive bear off his friend, eventually drawing a more brutal attack to himself.

The men are crediting their bonds as wrestling teammates at Northwest College in Cody, Wyoming, with helping them survive the attack Saturday evening southeast of Yellowstone National Park.

Brady Lowry of Cedar City, Utah, suffered a broken arm and puncture wounds in the initial attack after they surprised the bear while searching for antlers shed by elk and deer in the Shoshone National Forest.

“It shook me around and I didn't know what to do,” Lowry told&nbsp;<a href="https://ksltv.com/508792/college-student-from-utah-injured-in-grizzly-bear-attack/">KSL-TV</a>&nbsp;Monday in an interview from a hospital in Billings, Montana. “I curled up in a ball and it got me a few more times.”

His teammate — Kendell Cummings of Evanston, Wyoming — tried to stop the attack on Lowry by yelling, kicking and hitting the bear and pulling on its fur.

“I didn't want to lose my friend. It was bad,” Cummings told&nbsp;<a href="https://www.deseret.com/utah/2022/10/17/23408910/grizzly-bear-attacks-college-wrestlers">the Deseret News</a>. “There was a big ol' bear on top of him. I could have run and potentially lost a friend, or get him off and save him.”

The bear quickly turned its fury onto Cummings.

“It tackled me, chewed me up a bit, and then when it was done it wandered off, and I started calling out for Brady to make sure he was alright,” Cummings told KSL.

“The bear circled back around, and it got me again, chewed on me, and that's when it got my head and cheek,” Cummings said. “And then it went away again for whatever reason.”

Cummings pulled himself up and began looking for his teammates. In the meantime, Lowry was able to walk to an area with cell service and call 911.

Two other teammates — August Harrison of Vernal, Utah, and Orrin Jackson of Kersey, Colorado — helped the badly injured Cummings off the mountain, carrying him at times. Lowry was able to walk by himself.

Both ended up at Billings Clinic Hospital, where Cummings underwent surgery. Neither man was listed as a patient there on Tuesday, hospital spokesperson Zach Benoit said.

Other members of the wrestling team joined coach Jim Zeigler at the hospital to support their injured teammates.

“I'm proud of them, just the way they love each other, they way they protected each other, the way they stuck together,” Zeigler told the Deseret News. “I can't imagine the horror, the terror of it. I don't think they realized until after it was over how frightening it was. They just did what they did, helped each other survive and they lived to tell about it and I'm proud of them.”

Dallas Lowry credited Cummings with saving his son's life.

“That young man over there — Kendell is a hero,” Dallas Lowry told KSL. “Any normal person would have turned and ran, but these bonds that they build in college athletics last forever.”

“Me and (Cummings) would both be dead if it wasn’t all four of us — if it wasn’t for (Cummings) pulling the hair, if it wasn’t for (Harrison) running up and scaring the bear away and not coming back for more,” Brady Lowry said. “It was a team effort. We love each other. We’re going to be best friends for the rest of our lives because of this.”

Wyoming wildlife officials said they will not try to capture and relocate or kill the bear because it was a surprise attack and because there are many other bears in the area, making it difficult for them to determine which bear was involved.

<a href="https://northplattepost.com/posts/2ddcec21-000f-4ace-b19e-4250120d6629">&nbsp;&nbsp;Download The Post app for iOs or Android</a>

<figure>
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 </figure>By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSBILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — A college wrestler from a small Wyoming school helped his teammate survive a grizzly mauling over the weekend by trying to wrestle the massive bear off his friend, eventually drawing a more brutal attack to himself.The men are crediting their bonds as wrestling teammates at Northwest College in Cody, Wyoming, with helping them survive the attack Saturday evening southeast of Yellowstone National Park.Brady Lowry of Cedar City, Utah, suffered a broken arm and puncture wounds in the initial attack after they surprised the bear while searching for antlers shed by elk and deer in the Shoshone National Forest.“It shook me around and I didn't know what to do,” Lowry told&nbsp;<a href="https://ksltv.com/508792/college-student-from-utah-injured-in-grizzly-bear-attack/">KSL-TV</a>&nbsp;Monday in an interview from a hospital in Billings, Montana. “I curled up in a ball and it got me a few more times.”His teammate — Kendell Cummings of Evanston, Wyoming — tried to stop the attack on Lowry by yelling, kicking and hitting the bear and pulling on its fur.“I didn't want to lose my friend. It was bad,” Cummings told&nbsp;<a href="https://www.deseret.com/utah/2022/10/17/23408910/grizzly-bear-attacks-college-wrestlers">the Deseret News</a>. “There was a big ol' bear on top of him. I could have run and potentially lost a friend, or get him off and save him.”The bear quickly turned its fury onto Cummings.“It tackled me, chewed me up a bit, and then when it was done it wandered off, and I started calling out for Brady to make sure he was alright,” Cummings told KSL.The bear was only gone briefly.“The bear circled back around, and it got me again, chewed on me, and that's when it got my head and cheek,” Cummings said. “And then it went away again for whatever reason.”Cummings pulled himself up and began looking for his teammates. In the meantime, Lowry was able to walk to an area with cell service and call 911.Two other teammates — August Harrison of Vernal, Utah, and Orrin Jackson of Kersey, Colorado — helped the badly injured Cummings off the mountain, carrying him at times. Lowry was able to walk by himself.Both ended up at Billings Clinic Hospital, where Cummings underwent surgery. Neither man was listed as a patient there on Tuesday, hospital spokesperson Zach Benoit said.Other members of the wrestling team joined coach Jim Zeigler at the hospital to support their injured teammates.“I'm proud of them, just the way they love each other, they way they protected each other, the way they stuck together,” Zeigler told the Deseret News. “I can't imagine the horror, the terror of it. I don't think they realized until after it was over how frightening it was. They just did what they did, helped each other survive and they lived to tell about it and I'm proud of them.”Dallas Lowry credited Cummings with saving his son's life.“That young man over there — Kendell is a hero,” Dallas Lowry told KSL. “Any normal person would have turned and ran, but these bonds that they build in college athletics last forever.”Brady Lowry echoed his father's remarks.“Me and (Cummings) would both be dead if it wasn’t all four of us — if it wasn’t for (Cummings) pulling the hair, if it wasn’t for (Harrison) running up and scaring the bear away and not coming back for more,” Brady Lowry said. “It was a team effort. We love each other. We’re going to be best friends for the rest of our lives because of this.”Wyoming wildlife officials said they will not try to capture and relocate or kill the bear because it was a surprise attack and because there are many other bears in the area, making it difficult for them to determine which bear was involved.<a href="https://northplattepost.com/posts/2ddcec21-000f-4ace-b19e-4250120d6629">&nbsp;&nbsp;Download The Post app for iOs or Android</a><figure>
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