WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats drove their election-year economic package toward Senate approval early Sunday, debating a measure with less ambition than&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-congress-f6fc8e4ea79642a7e04e28211c00db9a">President Joe Biden’s original domestic vision</a>&nbsp;but that touches deep-rooted party dreams of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/climate-change-joe-biden-business-environment-and-nature-environment-e9b976d57b1b8b35e459c9950b34fca0">slowing global warming</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-prescription-drug-prices-755ac3ccc03dc1f43f4918aecb63bac2">moderating pharmaceutical costs</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-biden-kyrsten-sinema-congress-399fcec95d37d5b0b9a197ed4c8d33fa">taxing immense corporations</a>.

Debate began Saturday and by early Sunday morning, Democrats had swatted down over a dozen Republican amendments designed to torpedo the legislation or create campaign ads attacking Democratic senators. Despite&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-nato-biden-climate-and-environment-7bc6644107e4ce365ab9e225c0591b5c">unanimous GOP opposition,</a>&nbsp;Democratic unity in the 50-50 chamber — buttressed by Vice President Kamala Harris' tiebreaking vote — suggested the party was on track for a morale-boosting victory three months from elections when congressional control is at stake.

“I think it's gonna pass," Biden told reporters as he left the White House early Sunday to go to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, ending his COVID-19 isolation. The House seemed on track to provide final congressional approval when it returns briefly from summer recess on Friday.

“It will reduce inflation. It will lower prescription drug costs. It will fight climate change. It will close tax loopholes and it will reduce the deficit," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said of the package. “It will help every citizen in this country and make America a much better place."

Republicans said the measure would undermine an economy that policymakers are struggling to keep from plummeting into recession. They said the bill's business taxes would hurt job creation and force prices skyward, making it harder for people to cope with the nation's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-prices-consumer-74e1a5c9bced40460e4079f62e980095">worst inflation</a>&nbsp;since the 1980s.

“Democrats have already robbed American families once through inflation, and now their solution is to rob American families a second time," Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., argued. He said spending and tax increases in the legislation would eliminate jobs while having insignificant impact on inflation and climate change.

Nonpartisan analysts have said Democrats' “Inflation Reduction Act” would have a minor effect on surging consumer prices. The bill is barely more than one-tenth the size of Biden's initial 10-year, $3.5 trillion rainbow of progressive aspirations and abandons its proposals for universal preschool, paid family leave and expanded child care aid.

Even so, the new measure gives Democrats&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-biden-health-climate-and-environment-9af87ffab0088b45a2e9d5a7caabbdf1">a campaign-season showcase for action on coveted goals.</a>&nbsp;It includes the largest ever federal effort on climate change — close to $400 billion — hands Medicare the power to negotiate pharmaceutical prices and extends expiring subsidies that help 13 million people afford health insurance.

Biden’s original measure collapsed after conservative Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., opposed it, saying it was too costly and would fuel inflation.

In an ordeal imposed on all budget bills like this one, the Senate had to endure an overnight “vote-a-rama” of rapid-fire amendments. Each tested Democrats' ability to hold together&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-manchin-budget-agreement-7b0ee6e3e0b70357288fd69f44473b9b">a compromise negotiated by Schumer, progressives, Manchin</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-kyrsten-sinema-joe-manchin-congress-c0d40a6f2490b2613a690995daca7e11">inscrutable centrist Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz</a>.

Progressive Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., offered amendments to further expand the legislation's health benefits, and those efforts were defeated. Most votes were forced by Republicans and many were designed to make Democrats look soft on U.S.-Mexico border security and gasoline and energy costs, and like bullies for wanting to strengthen IRS tax law enforcement.

Before debate began Saturday, the bill's prescription drug price curbs were diluted by the Senate's nonpartisan parliamentarian. Elizabeth MacDonough, who referees questions about the chamber's procedures, said a provision should fall that would impose costly penalties on drug makers whose price increases for private insurers exceed inflation.

It was the bill's chief protection for the 180 million people with private health coverage they get through work or purchase themselves. Under special procedures that will let Democrats pass their bill by simple majority without the usual 60-vote margin, its provisions must be focused more on dollar-and-cents budget numbers than policy changes.

But the thrust of their pharmaceutical price language remained. That included letting Medicare negotiate what it pays for drugs for its 64 million elderly recipients, penalizing manufacturers for exceeding inflation for pharmaceuticals sold to Medicare and limiting beneficiaries out-of-pocket drug costs to $2,000 annually.

The bill also caps patients' costs for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-prices-diabetes-congress-a2f9986b7bf3500b81d1ec80a01e5abb">insulin</a>, the expensive diabetes medication, at $35 monthly.

The measure's final costs were being recalculated to reflect late changes, but overall it would raise more than $700 billion over a decade. The money would come from a 15% minimum tax on a handful of corporations with yearly profits above $1 billion, a 1% tax on companies that repurchase their own stock,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-manchin-congress-internal-revenue-service-government-and-politics-dd2e6eaeb914eea553615e231332f3fb">bolstered IRS tax collections</a>&nbsp;and government savings from lower drug costs.

Sinema forced Democrats to drop a plan to prevent wealthy hedge fund managers from paying less than individual income tax rates for their earnings. She also joined with other Western senators to win $4 billion to combat the region's drought.

It was on the energy and environment side that compromise was most evident between progressives and Manchin, a champion of fossil fuels and his state's coal industry.

Clean energy would be fostered with tax credits for buying electric vehicles and manufacturing solar panels and wind turbines. There would be home energy rebates, funds for constructing factories building clean energy technology and money to promote climate-friendly farm practices and reduce pollution in minority communities.

Manchin won billions to help power plants lower carbon emissions plus language requiring more government auctions for oil drilling on federal land and waters. Party leaders also promised to push separate legislation this fall to accelerate permits for energy projects, which Manchin wants to include a nearly completed natural gas pipeline in his state.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659822898310.png" alt="Senators visit during a Saturday evening count of votes -photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Senators visit during a Saturday evening count of votes -photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats drove their election-year economic package toward Senate approval early Sunday, debating a measure with less ambition than&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-congress-f6fc8e4ea79642a7e04e28211c00db9a">President Joe Biden’s original domestic vision</a>&nbsp;but that touches deep-rooted party dreams of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/climate-change-joe-biden-business-environment-and-nature-environment-e9b976d57b1b8b35e459c9950b34fca0">slowing global warming</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-prescription-drug-prices-755ac3ccc03dc1f43f4918aecb63bac2">moderating pharmaceutical costs</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-biden-kyrsten-sinema-congress-399fcec95d37d5b0b9a197ed4c8d33fa">taxing immense corporations</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Rather than a healthcare system that offers Americans breakthrough medicines, this reckless tax and spend bill will force Americans to settle for end-of-life care. That’s wrong. As a physician who practiced medicine for 25+ years, I will not let that happen without a fight.&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1556105593764683778?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 7, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Debate began Saturday and by early Sunday morning, Democrats had swatted down over a dozen Republican amendments designed to torpedo the legislation or create campaign ads attacking Democratic senators. Despite&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-nato-biden-climate-and-environment-7bc6644107e4ce365ab9e225c0591b5c">unanimous GOP opposition,</a>&nbsp;Democratic unity in the 50-50 chamber — buttressed by Vice President Kamala Harris' tiebreaking vote — suggested the party was on track for a morale-boosting victory three months from elections when congressional control is at stake.“I think it's gonna pass," Biden told reporters as he left the White House early Sunday to go to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, ending his COVID-19 isolation. The House seemed on track to provide final congressional approval when it returns briefly from summer recess on Friday.“It will reduce inflation. It will lower prescription drug costs. It will fight climate change. It will close tax loopholes and it will reduce the deficit," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said of the package. “It will help every citizen in this country and make America a much better place."Republicans said the measure would undermine an economy that policymakers are struggling to keep from plummeting into recession. They said the bill's business taxes would hurt job creation and force prices skyward, making it harder for people to cope with the nation's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-prices-consumer-74e1a5c9bced40460e4079f62e980095">worst inflation</a>&nbsp;since the 1980s.“Democrats have already robbed American families once through inflation, and now their solution is to rob American families a second time," Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., argued. He said spending and tax increases in the legislation would eliminate jobs while having insignificant impact on inflation and climate change.Nonpartisan analysts have said Democrats' “Inflation Reduction Act” would have a minor effect on surging consumer prices. The bill is barely more than one-tenth the size of Biden's initial 10-year, $3.5 trillion rainbow of progressive aspirations and abandons its proposals for universal preschool, paid family leave and expanded child care aid.Even so, the new measure gives Democrats&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-biden-health-climate-and-environment-9af87ffab0088b45a2e9d5a7caabbdf1">a campaign-season showcase for action on coveted goals.</a>&nbsp;It includes the largest ever federal effort on climate change — close to $400 billion — hands Medicare the power to negotiate pharmaceutical prices and extends expiring subsidies that help 13 million people afford health insurance.Biden’s original measure collapsed after conservative Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., opposed it, saying it was too costly and would fuel inflation.In an ordeal imposed on all budget bills like this one, the Senate had to endure an overnight “vote-a-rama” of rapid-fire amendments. Each tested Democrats' ability to hold together&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-manchin-budget-agreement-7b0ee6e3e0b70357288fd69f44473b9b">a compromise negotiated by Schumer, progressives, Manchin</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-kyrsten-sinema-joe-manchin-congress-c0d40a6f2490b2613a690995daca7e11">inscrutable centrist Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz</a>.Progressive Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., offered amendments to further expand the legislation's health benefits, and those efforts were defeated. Most votes were forced by Republicans and many were designed to make Democrats look soft on U.S.-Mexico border security and gasoline and energy costs, and like bullies for wanting to strengthen IRS tax law enforcement.Before debate began Saturday, the bill's prescription drug price curbs were diluted by the Senate's nonpartisan parliamentarian. Elizabeth MacDonough, who referees questions about the chamber's procedures, said a provision should fall that would impose costly penalties on drug makers whose price increases for private insurers exceed inflation.It was the bill's chief protection for the 180 million people with private health coverage they get through work or purchase themselves. Under special procedures that will let Democrats pass their bill by simple majority without the usual 60-vote margin, its provisions must be focused more on dollar-and-cents budget numbers than policy changes.But the thrust of their pharmaceutical price language remained. That included letting Medicare negotiate what it pays for drugs for its 64 million elderly recipients, penalizing manufacturers for exceeding inflation for pharmaceuticals sold to Medicare and limiting beneficiaries out-of-pocket drug costs to $2,000 annually.The bill also caps patients' costs for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-prices-diabetes-congress-a2f9986b7bf3500b81d1ec80a01e5abb">insulin</a>, the expensive diabetes medication, at $35 monthly.The measure's final costs were being recalculated to reflect late changes, but overall it would raise more than $700 billion over a decade. The money would come from a 15% minimum tax on a handful of corporations with yearly profits above $1 billion, a 1% tax on companies that repurchase their own stock,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-manchin-congress-internal-revenue-service-government-and-politics-dd2e6eaeb914eea553615e231332f3fb">bolstered IRS tax collections</a>&nbsp;and government savings from lower drug costs.Sinema forced Democrats to drop a plan to prevent wealthy hedge fund managers from paying less than individual income tax rates for their earnings. She also joined with other Western senators to win $4 billion to combat the region's drought.It was on the energy and environment side that compromise was most evident between progressives and Manchin, a champion of fossil fuels and his state's coal industry.Clean energy would be fostered with tax credits for buying electric vehicles and manufacturing solar panels and wind turbines. There would be home energy rebates, funds for constructing factories building clean energy technology and money to promote climate-friendly farm practices and reduce pollution in minority communities.Manchin won billions to help power plants lower carbon emissions plus language requiring more government auctions for oil drilling on federal land and waters. Party leaders also promised to push separate legislation this fall to accelerate permits for energy projects, which Manchin wants to include a nearly completed natural gas pipeline in his state.

All-nighter: Senate Dems push climate, health priorities 

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden tested negative for COVID-19 on Saturday but will continue to isolate at the White House until a second negative test, his doctor said.

Dr. Kevin O'Connor wrote in his&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Update-8.6.pdf">latest daily update</a>&nbsp;that the president, “in an abundance of caution,” will abide by the "strict isolation measures” in place since his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-health-2e843a971be751e8b8b25575c8bfc60a">“rebound” infection</a>&nbsp;was detected July 30, pending a follow-up negative result.

Biden, 79, came down with the virus&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-covid-health-government-and-politics-6ffc64aa1d8d67b074dd8beb67d7cf6f">a second time</a>&nbsp;three days after he had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-covid-health-government-and-politics-7842dd2e606bb9f6aeb15d4a8c856c97">emerged from isolation</a>&nbsp;from his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-covid-health-karine-jean-pierre-government-and-politics-d9dbee6cc390f648396c46dd504c31c3">initial bout</a>&nbsp;with COVID-19, reported on July 21. There have been rare rebound cases documented among a small minority of those, who like Biden, were prescribed the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-pfizer-medication-f5f65e7e61d6aa9c7dfa193053e8878a">anti-viral medication Paxlovid</a>, which has been proved to reduce the risk of serious illness and death from the virus among those at highest risk.

O’Connor wrote that Biden “continues to feel very well.”

Biden's travel has been on hold as he awaited a negative test. He plans to visit&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/floods-storms-biden-travel-1fab331f7de7eab9d963b2dc1a1f57a9">Kentucky on Monday</a>&nbsp;to view damage from catastrophic flooding and meet with families.

Biden was “doing great,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Saturday when asked about his health during her appearance in Las Vegas at a joint conference of the National Association of Black Journalists and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists. She said that when she speaks to the president, he tells her to “tell folks I’ve been working eight-plus hours a day.”

During his first go-around with the virus, Biden’s primary symptoms were a runny nose, fatigue and a loose cough, his doctor said at the time. During his rebound case, O’Connor said only Biden’s cough returned and had “almost completely resolved” by Friday.

Regulators are still studying the prevalence and virulence of rebound cases, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in May warned doctors that it has been reported to occur within two days to eight days after initially testing negative for the virus.

“Limited information currently available from case reports suggests that persons treated with Paxlovid who experience COVID-19 rebound have had mild illness; there are no reports of severe disease,” the agency said at the time.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659805343197.png" alt="&nbsp;President Biden during a bill signing event Friday- White House photo.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;President Biden during a bill signing event Friday- White House photo.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden tested negative for COVID-19 on Saturday but will continue to isolate at the White House until a second negative test, his doctor said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659803915239.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Dr. Kevin O'Connor wrote in his&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Update-8.6.pdf">latest daily update</a>&nbsp;that the president, “in an abundance of caution,” will abide by the "strict isolation measures” in place since his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-health-2e843a971be751e8b8b25575c8bfc60a">“rebound” infection</a>&nbsp;was detected July 30, pending a follow-up negative result.Biden, 79, came down with the virus&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-covid-health-government-and-politics-6ffc64aa1d8d67b074dd8beb67d7cf6f">a second time</a>&nbsp;three days after he had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-covid-health-government-and-politics-7842dd2e606bb9f6aeb15d4a8c856c97">emerged from isolation</a>&nbsp;from his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-covid-health-karine-jean-pierre-government-and-politics-d9dbee6cc390f648396c46dd504c31c3">initial bout</a>&nbsp;with COVID-19, reported on July 21. There have been rare rebound cases documented among a small minority of those, who like Biden, were prescribed the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-pfizer-medication-f5f65e7e61d6aa9c7dfa193053e8878a">anti-viral medication Paxlovid</a>, which has been proved to reduce the risk of serious illness and death from the virus among those at highest risk.O’Connor wrote that Biden “continues to feel very well.”Biden's travel has been on hold as he awaited a negative test. He plans to visit&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/floods-storms-biden-travel-1fab331f7de7eab9d963b2dc1a1f57a9">Kentucky on Monday</a>&nbsp;to view damage from catastrophic flooding and meet with families.Biden was “doing great,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Saturday when asked about his health during her appearance in Las Vegas at a joint conference of the National Association of Black Journalists and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists. She said that when she speaks to the president, he tells her to “tell folks I’ve been working eight-plus hours a day.”During his first go-around with the virus, Biden’s primary symptoms were a runny nose, fatigue and a loose cough, his doctor said at the time. During his rebound case, O’Connor said only Biden’s cough returned and had “almost completely resolved” by Friday.Regulators are still studying the prevalence and virulence of rebound cases, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in May warned doctors that it has been reported to occur within two days to eight days after initially testing negative for the virus.“Limited information currently available from case reports suggests that persons treated with Paxlovid who experience COVID-19 rebound have had mild illness; there are no reports of severe disease,” the agency said at the time.___

Biden tests negative for COVID, will continue to work in isolation

WASHINGTON (AP) — It's nowhere near the $4 trillion proposal President Joe Biden first launched to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-technology-coronavirus-pandemic-pittsburgh-jen-psaki-8865ffc8f5ad3142155a5bd3c3a3e6d3">rebuild America's public infrastructure</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-preschool-community-college-tax-rate-9e352e3dea44997725edb279751abab3">family support systems</a>&nbsp;but the compromise package of inflation-fighting health care, climate change and deficit reduction strategies appears on track&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-congress-government-and-politics-c8e87f1c559a09114355330e1af21143">toward Senate votes this weekend</a>.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-manchin-budget-agreement-7b0ee6e3e0b70357288fd69f44473b9b">The estimated $740 billion proposal,</a>&nbsp;struck by two top negotiators, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and holdout Sen.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-manchin">Joe Manchin</a>, the conservative West Virginia Democrat, includes some hard-fought party priorities. But the final touches came this week from Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., who put her handiwork on the latest revisions.

What's in, and out, of the Democrats' “Inflation Reduction Act of 2022” as it stands now:

Launching a long-sought goal, the bill would allow&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/medicare">the Medicare program</a>&nbsp;to negotiate prescription drug prices with pharmaceutical companies, saving the federal government some $288 billion over the 10-year budget window.

Those new revenues would be put back into lower costs for seniors on medications, including a $2,000 out-of-pocket cap for older adults buying prescriptions from pharmacies.

The money would also be used to provide free vaccinations for seniors, who now are among the few not guaranteed free access, according to a summary document.

The bill would extend the subsidies provided during&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">the COVID-19 pandemic</a>&nbsp;to help some Americans who buy health insurance on their own.

Under earlier pandemic relief, the extra help was set to expire this year. But the bill would allow the assistance to keep going for three more years, lowering insurance premiums for people who are purchasing their own health care policies.

‘SINGLE BIGGEST INVESTMENT IN CLIMATE CHANGE IN U.S. HISTORY'

The bill would invest nearly $374 billion over the decade in climate change-fighting strategies including investments in renewable energy production and tax rebates for consumers to buy new or used&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/electric-vehicles">electric vehicles</a>.

It's broken down to include $60 billion for a clean energy manufacturing tax credit and $30 billion for a production tax credit for wind and solar, seen as ways to boost and support the industries that can help curb the country's dependence on fossil fuels. The bill also gives tax credits for nuclear power and carbon capture technology that oil companies such as Exxon Mobil have invested millions of dollars to advance.

The bill would impose a new fee on excess methane emissions from oil and gas drilling while giving fossil fuel companies access to more leases on federal lands and waters.

A late addition pushed by Sinema and other Democrats in Arizona, Nevada and Colorado would designate $4 billion to combat a mega-drought in the West, including conservation efforts in the Colorado River Basin, which nearly 40 million American rely on for drinking water.

For consumers, there are tax breaks as incentives to go green. One is a 10-year consumer tax credit for renewable energy investments in wind and solar. There are tax breaks for buying electric vehicles, including a $4,000 tax credit for purchase of used electric vehicles and $7,500 for new ones.

In all, Democrats believe the strategy could put the country on a path to cut greenhouse gas emissions 40% by 2030, and “would represent the single biggest climate investment in U.S. history, by far.”

The biggest revenue-raiser in the bill is a new 15% minimum tax on corporations that earn more than $1 billion in annual profits.

It's a way to clamp down on some 200 U.S. companies that avoid paying the standard 21% corporate tax rate, including some that end up paying no taxes at all.

The new corporate minimum tax would kick in after the 2022 tax year and raise some $258 billion over the decade.

The revenue would have been $313 billion, but Sinema insisted on one change to the 15% corporate minimum, allowing a depreciation deduction used by manufacturing industries. That shaves about $55 billion off the total revenue.

Money is also raised by boosting the IRS to go after tax cheats. The bill proposes an $80 billion investment in taxpayer services, enforcement and modernization, which is projected to raise $203 billion in new revenue — a net gain of $124 billion over the decade.

The bill sticks with Biden's original pledge not to raise taxes on families or businesses making less than $400,000 a year.

The lower drug prices for seniors are paid for with savings from Medicare's negotiations with the drug companies.

To win over Sinema, Democrats dropped plans to close a tax loophole long enjoyed by wealthier Americans — the so-called “carried interest,” which under current law taxes wealthy hedge fund managers and others at a 20% rate.

The left has for years sought to boost the carried interest tax rate, hiked to 37% in the original bill, more in line with upper-income earners. Sinema wouldn't allow it.

Keeping the tax break for the wealthy deprives the party of $14 billion in revenue they were counting on to help pay for the package.

In its place, Democrats, with Sinema's nod, will impose a 1% excise tax on stock buybacks, raising some $74 billion over the decade.

With some $740 billion in new revenue and around $433 billion in new investments, the bill promises to put the difference toward deficit reduction.

Federal deficits spiked during the COVID-19 pandemic when federal spending soared and tax revenues fell as the nation's economy churned through shutdowns, closed offices and other massive changes.

The nation has seen deficits rise and fall in recent years. But overall federal budgeting is on an unsustainable path,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-economic-growth-government-finance-gross-domestic-product-a8e2856c81e717f922bd0bc2808a5c08">according to the Congressional Budget Office</a>, which put out a new report this week on long-term projections.

This latest package after 18 months of start-stop negotiations leaves behind many of Biden's more ambitious goals.

While Congress did pass&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-congress-infrastructure-bill-signing-b5b8cca843133de060778f049861b144">a $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill</a>&nbsp;for highways, broadband and other investments that Biden signed into law last year, the president's and the party's other key priorities have slipped away.

Among them is a continuation of a $300 monthly child tax credit that was sending money directly to families during the pandemic and is believed to have widely reduced child poverty.

Also gone, for now, are plans for free pre-kindergarten and community college, as well as the nation's first paid family leave program that would have provided up to $4,000 a month for births, deaths and other pivotal needs.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659790911065.png" alt="The Senate is expected to pass the legislation this weekend-photo Senate Majority Leader's office" />
 <figcaption>The Senate is expected to pass the legislation this weekend-photo Senate Majority Leader's office</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — It's nowhere near the $4 trillion proposal President Joe Biden first launched to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-technology-coronavirus-pandemic-pittsburgh-jen-psaki-8865ffc8f5ad3142155a5bd3c3a3e6d3">rebuild America's public infrastructure</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-preschool-community-college-tax-rate-9e352e3dea44997725edb279751abab3">family support systems</a>&nbsp;but the compromise package of inflation-fighting health care, climate change and deficit reduction strategies appears on track&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-congress-government-and-politics-c8e87f1c559a09114355330e1af21143">toward Senate votes this weekend</a>.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-manchin-budget-agreement-7b0ee6e3e0b70357288fd69f44473b9b">The estimated $740 billion proposal,</a>&nbsp;struck by two top negotiators, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and holdout Sen.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-manchin">Joe Manchin</a>, the conservative West Virginia Democrat, includes some hard-fought party priorities. But the final touches came this week from Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., who put her handiwork on the latest revisions.What's in, and out, of the Democrats' “Inflation Reduction Act of 2022” as it stands now:LOWER PRESCRIPTION DRUG COSTSLaunching a long-sought goal, the bill would allow&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/medicare">the Medicare program</a>&nbsp;to negotiate prescription drug prices with pharmaceutical companies, saving the federal government some $288 billion over the 10-year budget window.Those new revenues would be put back into lower costs for seniors on medications, including a $2,000 out-of-pocket cap for older adults buying prescriptions from pharmacies.The money would also be used to provide free vaccinations for seniors, who now are among the few not guaranteed free access, according to a summary document.HELP PAY FOR HEALTH INSURANCEThe bill would extend the subsidies provided during&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">the COVID-19 pandemic</a>&nbsp;to help some Americans who buy health insurance on their own.Under earlier pandemic relief, the extra help was set to expire this year. But the bill would allow the assistance to keep going for three more years, lowering insurance premiums for people who are purchasing their own health care policies.‘SINGLE BIGGEST INVESTMENT IN CLIMATE CHANGE IN U.S. HISTORY'The bill would invest nearly $374 billion over the decade in climate change-fighting strategies including investments in renewable energy production and tax rebates for consumers to buy new or used&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/electric-vehicles">electric vehicles</a>.It's broken down to include $60 billion for a clean energy manufacturing tax credit and $30 billion for a production tax credit for wind and solar, seen as ways to boost and support the industries that can help curb the country's dependence on fossil fuels. The bill also gives tax credits for nuclear power and carbon capture technology that oil companies such as Exxon Mobil have invested millions of dollars to advance.The bill would impose a new fee on excess methane emissions from oil and gas drilling while giving fossil fuel companies access to more leases on federal lands and waters.A late addition pushed by Sinema and other Democrats in Arizona, Nevada and Colorado would designate $4 billion to combat a mega-drought in the West, including conservation efforts in the Colorado River Basin, which nearly 40 million American rely on for drinking water.For consumers, there are tax breaks as incentives to go green. One is a 10-year consumer tax credit for renewable energy investments in wind and solar. There are tax breaks for buying electric vehicles, including a $4,000 tax credit for purchase of used electric vehicles and $7,500 for new ones.In all, Democrats believe the strategy could put the country on a path to cut greenhouse gas emissions 40% by 2030, and “would represent the single biggest climate investment in U.S. history, by far.”HOW TO PAY FOR ALL OF THIS?The biggest revenue-raiser in the bill is a new 15% minimum tax on corporations that earn more than $1 billion in annual profits.It's a way to clamp down on some 200 U.S. companies that avoid paying the standard 21% corporate tax rate, including some that end up paying no taxes at all.The new corporate minimum tax would kick in after the 2022 tax year and raise some $258 billion over the decade.The revenue would have been $313 billion, but Sinema insisted on one change to the 15% corporate minimum, allowing a depreciation deduction used by manufacturing industries. That shaves about $55 billion off the total revenue.Money is also raised by boosting the IRS to go after tax cheats. The bill proposes an $80 billion investment in taxpayer services, enforcement and modernization, which is projected to raise $203 billion in new revenue — a net gain of $124 billion over the decade.The bill sticks with Biden's original pledge not to raise taxes on families or businesses making less than $400,000 a year.The lower drug prices for seniors are paid for with savings from Medicare's negotiations with the drug companies.WHAT'S CHANGED IN RECENT DAYS?To win over Sinema, Democrats dropped plans to close a tax loophole long enjoyed by wealthier Americans — the so-called “carried interest,” which under current law taxes wealthy hedge fund managers and others at a 20% rate.The left has for years sought to boost the carried interest tax rate, hiked to 37% in the original bill, more in line with upper-income earners. Sinema wouldn't allow it.Keeping the tax break for the wealthy deprives the party of $14 billion in revenue they were counting on to help pay for the package.In its place, Democrats, with Sinema's nod, will impose a 1% excise tax on stock buybacks, raising some $74 billion over the decade.EXTRA MONEY TO PAY DOWN DEFICITSWith some $740 billion in new revenue and around $433 billion in new investments, the bill promises to put the difference toward deficit reduction.Federal deficits spiked during the COVID-19 pandemic when federal spending soared and tax revenues fell as the nation's economy churned through shutdowns, closed offices and other massive changes.The nation has seen deficits rise and fall in recent years. But overall federal budgeting is on an unsustainable path,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-economic-growth-government-finance-gross-domestic-product-a8e2856c81e717f922bd0bc2808a5c08">according to the Congressional Budget Office</a>, which put out a new report this week on long-term projections.WHAT'S LEFT BEHINDThis latest package after 18 months of start-stop negotiations leaves behind many of Biden's more ambitious goals.While Congress did pass&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-congress-infrastructure-bill-signing-b5b8cca843133de060778f049861b144">a $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill</a>&nbsp;for highways, broadband and other investments that Biden signed into law last year, the president's and the party's other key priorities have slipped away.Among them is a continuation of a $300 monthly child tax credit that was sending money directly to families during the pandemic and is believed to have widely reduced child poverty.Also gone, for now, are plans for free pre-kindergarten and community college, as well as the nation's first paid family leave program that would have provided up to $4,000 a month for births, deaths and other pivotal needs.___

Democrats' $740 billion package: What included, what's out?

LAUREL, Neb. (AP) — Police on Friday arrested a man in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fires-nebraska-omaha-57aa8ea4c3cfb05715f2693211172a54">killings of four people</a>&nbsp;in a small northeast Nebraska town where it had been more than 100 years since it last saw such violence.

Around 2:30 a.m. Friday, a police team surrounded the Laurel home of 42-year-old Jason Jones and barged inside, with guns drawn and using flash bangs. Jones' home is just off the main downtown street in the town of 1,000 people and directly across the street from one of two houses where occupants were shot before the homes were set ablaze, police said.

Jones was so badly burned that he had to be flown to a hospital in Lincoln instead of being booked into jail, Nebraska State Patrol Col. John Bolduc said. Jones was charged later Friday with 10 felonies, including four counts of first-degree murder.

The Nebraska Commission on Public Advocacy — which often handles capital murder cases — was appointed to represent Jones and declined to comment on the case.

Police allege that Jones killed 53-year-old Michele Ebeling early Thursday morning before causing some type of explosion and fire in her home that's across the street from him. According to police, Jones then went about three blocks south, broke into another home and killed Gene Twiford, 86; his wife, Janet Twiford, 85; and their daughter, Dana Twiford, 55.

Charging documents allege Jones carried out some of the killings in the course of a burglary, but Bolduc declined to give a possible motive for the slayings or say if Jones knew the victims.

Several people in Laurel said they knew little about Jones, other than he had moved into the home within the last few years. Court records say Jones had lived in the Elm Street house since at least 2019. Receipts and a gun left at the scene of the killings were linked to him.

The killings came as a shock to the community that's about 100 miles northwest of Omaha. Despite its small size, Laurel is home to five churches and the Knuckleheadz bar that also serves as the town’s cafe. The last criminal homicide in Laurel happened in 2005, when a man died following a bar fight — and that case was deemed to be manslaughter, not murder.

To find the town’s last known multiple murder, one would have to go back more than 100 years to 1918, when Dr. C.C. Sackett and Harold Crownover were shot and killed by suspected burglars they had been chasing, according to town historian Roger Tryon. Tryon writes a column titled “Pages of History” for the weekly Laurel Advocate.

“People still talk about it. That was the crime of the 20th century for Laurel,” Tryon said. “I suspect what’s happened here this week will be the crime of the 21st century.”

Michele Ebeling’s daughter, Richele Ebeling, 31, of Oklahoma City, told The Associated Press that her mother moved to Laurel about two years ago with her boyfriend, who travels for his job and was not home when she was attacked.

“Honestly, this is so bizarre and so surreal that I cannot even wrap my head around this,” she said, noting she had last talked with her mom around 6:30 p.m. Wednesday by phone.

She said it is not clear whether her mother knew Jones or whether she knew the Twiford family down the street.

The Twifords were lifelong Laurel residents, and almost everyone there knew them.

Their next-door neighbors, Doug and Lynette Krie, said they didn't hear anything like gunshots before dawn Thursday. They were alerted to trouble around 9:30 a.m., when they spotted the town's lone law enforcement officer in their driveway, who said a passerby had noticed smoke coming from the Twifords' home. The officer and the Kries then went over to the Twiford home together to check the doors.

“They were all secure — and then I saw one of the doors in the back cracked open,” Lynette Krie said.

Firefighters from the town's volunteer department then went in to find the source of the smoke. When they emerged, they fell to their knees. “That's when I knew they were gone," Krie said, fighting back tears.

But the Kries and many others in town didn't find out about the shootings until later.

“We just assumed they had died of smoke inhalation or something,” Doug Krie said. “Nobody expected this.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659785522991.jpeg" alt="A small memorial sits outside the home of Gene Twiford, 86, Janet Twiford, 85, and Dana Twiford, 55, Friday, Aug. 5, 2022, in Laurel, Neb. The three were among four people found dead Thursday in two burning homes in this small community in northeastern Nebraska, authorities said. Police investigating the killings have arrested a neighbor of the victims, the Nebraska State Patrol said Friday. (AP Photo/Margery A. Beck)" />
 <figcaption>A small memorial sits outside the home of Gene Twiford, 86, Janet Twiford, 85, and Dana Twiford, 55, Friday, Aug. 5, 2022, in Laurel, Neb. The three were among four people found dead Thursday in two burning homes in this small community in northeastern Nebraska, authorities said. Police investigating the killings have arrested a neighbor of the victims, the Nebraska State Patrol said Friday. (AP Photo/Margery A. Beck)</figcaption>
 </figure>By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSLAUREL, Neb. (AP) — Police on Friday arrested a man in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fires-nebraska-omaha-57aa8ea4c3cfb05715f2693211172a54">killings of four people</a>&nbsp;in a small northeast Nebraska town where it had been more than 100 years since it last saw such violence.Around 2:30 a.m. Friday, a police team surrounded the Laurel home of 42-year-old Jason Jones and barged inside, with guns drawn and using flash bangs. Jones' home is just off the main downtown street in the town of 1,000 people and directly across the street from one of two houses where occupants were shot before the homes were set ablaze, police said.Jones was so badly burned that he had to be flown to a hospital in Lincoln instead of being booked into jail, Nebraska State Patrol Col. John Bolduc said. Jones was charged later Friday with 10 felonies, including four counts of first-degree murder.The Nebraska Commission on Public Advocacy — which often handles capital murder cases — was appointed to represent Jones and declined to comment on the case.Police allege that Jones killed 53-year-old Michele Ebeling early Thursday morning before causing some type of explosion and fire in her home that's across the street from him. According to police, Jones then went about three blocks south, broke into another home and killed Gene Twiford, 86; his wife, Janet Twiford, 85; and their daughter, Dana Twiford, 55.Charging documents allege Jones carried out some of the killings in the course of a burglary, but Bolduc declined to give a possible motive for the slayings or say if Jones knew the victims.Several people in Laurel said they knew little about Jones, other than he had moved into the home within the last few years. Court records say Jones had lived in the Elm Street house since at least 2019. Receipts and a gun left at the scene of the killings were linked to him.The killings came as a shock to the community that's about 100 miles northwest of Omaha. Despite its small size, Laurel is home to five churches and the Knuckleheadz bar that also serves as the town’s cafe. The last criminal homicide in Laurel happened in 2005, when a man died following a bar fight — and that case was deemed to be manslaughter, not murder.To find the town’s last known multiple murder, one would have to go back more than 100 years to 1918, when Dr. C.C. Sackett and Harold Crownover were shot and killed by suspected burglars they had been chasing, according to town historian Roger Tryon. Tryon writes a column titled “Pages of History” for the weekly Laurel Advocate.“People still talk about it. That was the crime of the 20th century for Laurel,” Tryon said. “I suspect what’s happened here this week will be the crime of the 21st century.”Michele Ebeling’s daughter, Richele Ebeling, 31, of Oklahoma City, told The Associated Press that her mother moved to Laurel about two years ago with her boyfriend, who travels for his job and was not home when she was attacked.“Honestly, this is so bizarre and so surreal that I cannot even wrap my head around this,” she said, noting she had last talked with her mom around 6:30 p.m. Wednesday by phone.She said it is not clear whether her mother knew Jones or whether she knew the Twiford family down the street.The Twifords were lifelong Laurel residents, and almost everyone there knew them.Their next-door neighbors, Doug and Lynette Krie, said they didn't hear anything like gunshots before dawn Thursday. They were alerted to trouble around 9:30 a.m., when they spotted the town's lone law enforcement officer in their driveway, who said a passerby had noticed smoke coming from the Twifords' home. The officer and the Kries then went over to the Twiford home together to check the doors.“They were all secure — and then I saw one of the doors in the back cracked open,” Lynette Krie said.Firefighters from the town's volunteer department then went in to find the source of the smoke. When they emerged, they fell to their knees. “That's when I knew they were gone," Krie said, fighting back tears.But the Kries and many others in town didn't find out about the shootings until later.“We just assumed they had died of smoke inhalation or something,” Doug Krie said. “Nobody expected this.”

4 killings end century of calm in small Nebraska town

By PAUL WISEMAN Associated Press

WASHINGTON — U.S. employers added an astonishing 528,000 jobs last month 
despite flashing warning signs of an economic downturn, easing fears of a
 recession and handing President Joe Biden some good news heading into 
the midterm elections.

(Click below to watch the&nbsp; President's comments on the jobs report)

Unemployment dropped another notch, from 
3.6% to 3.5%, matching the more than 50-year low reached just before the
 pandemic took hold.

The economy has now recovered all 22 million jobs lost in March and April 2020 when COVID-19 slammed the U.S.

The
 red-hot numbers reported Friday by the Labor Department are certain to 
intensify the debate over whether the U.S. is in a recession.

“Recession
 — what recession?’’ wrote Brian Coulton, chief economist at Fitch 
Ratings. “The U.S. economy is creating new jobs at an annual rate of 6 
million — that’s three times faster than what we normally see 
historically in a good year."

Economists had expected only 250,000
 new jobs last month, in a drop-off from June’s revised 398,000. 
Instead, July proved to be the best month since February.

The 
strong figures are welcome news for the Biden administration and the 
Democrats at a time when many voters are worried about the economy.

Inflation
 is raging at its highest level in more than 40 years, and the economy 
has contracted for two quarters in a row, which is the common — but 
informal — definition of a recession and does not take into account a 
host of other factors economists consider, such as the job picture.

At
 the White House, Biden credited the job growth to his policies, even as
 he acknowledged the pain being inflicted by inflation. He emphasized 
the addition of 642,000 manufacturing jobs during his watch.

“Instead
 of workers begging employers for work, we’re seeing employers have to 
compete for American workers," the president said.

Biden has 
boosted job growth through his $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package 
and $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure law last year. Republican 
lawmakers and some leading economists, however, say the administration's
 spending has contributed to high inflation.

The president has 
received some other good economic news in recent weeks, as gasoline 
prices have steadily fallen after averaging slightly more than $5 a 
gallon in June.

On Wall Street, stocks dropped after the 
employment report came out. While a strong job market is a good thing, 
it also makes it more likely that the Federal Reserve will continue 
raising interest rates to cool the economy.

“The strength of the 
labor market in the face of ... rate-tightening from the Fed already 
this year clearly shows that the Fed has more work to do,” said Charlie 
Ripley, senior investment strategist at Allianz Investment Management. 
“Overall, today’s report should put the notion of a near-term recession 
on the back burner for now.″

The Labor Department also reported 
that hourly earnings posted a healthy 0.5% gain last month and are up 
5.2% over the past year. But that is not enough to keep up with 
inflation, and many Americans are having to scrimp to pay for groceries,
 gasoline, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-health-prices-shopping-f0b630ffa0143399181e518be521e9d5">even school supplies</a>.

Job growth was especially strong last month in the health care industry and at hotels and restaurants.

The
 number of Americans saying they had jobs rose by 179,000, while the 
number saying they were unemployed fell by 242,000. But 61,000 Americans
 dropped out of the labor force in July, trimming the share of those 
working or looking for work to 62.1% from 62.2% in June.

New Yorker Karen Smalls, 46, started looking for work three weeks ago as a member of the support staff for social workers.

“I
 didn’t realize how good the job market is right now,’’ she said after 
finishing her fifth interview this week. “You look at the news and see 
all these bad reports ... but the job market is amazing right now.’’

A
 single mother, she is weighing several offers, looking for one that is 
close to home and pays enough to let her take care of her two children.

Two
 years ago, the pandemic brought economic life to a near standstill as 
companies shut down and millions of people stayed home or were thrown 
out of work. The U.S. plunged into a deep, two-month recession.

But
 massive government aid — and the Fed's decision to slash interest rates
 and pour money into financial markets — fueled a surprisingly quick 
recovery. Caught off guard by the strength of the rebound, factories, 
shops, ports and freight yards were <a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-business-los-angeles-health-48ff262b882a37308e4a3f15934b2ee4">overwhelmed with orders</a> and scrambled to bring back the workers they furloughed when COVID-19 hit.

The
 result has been shortages of employees and supplies, delayed shipments 
and high inflation. In June, consumer prices were up 9.1% from a year 
earlier, the biggest increase since 1981.

The Fed has raised its 
benchmark short-term interest rate four times this year in a bid to tame
 inflation, with more increases ahead.

Labor Secretary Marty Walsh
 conceded that businesses and consumers are worried about inflation but 
added: “Companies are still growing, and they’re looking for employees. 
And that’s a good sign.’’

In a report filled with mostly good 
news, the Labor Department did note that 3.9 million people were working
 part time for economic reasons in July, up by 303,000 from June. 
Department economists said that reflected an increase in the number of 
people whose hours were cut because of slack business.

Some employers are also reporting signs of slack in the job market.

Aaron
 Sanandres, CEO and co-founder Untuckit, an online clothing company with
 nearly 90 stores, noticed that in the past few weeks that it has been a
 bit easier filling jobs at the corporate headquarters in New York and 
part-time roles at the stores.

“We have had a plethora of 
candidates,” Sanandres said. He also said the labor market has been 
loosening up for engineers, probably as a result of some layoffs at 
technology companies.

Simona Mocuta, chief economist at State 
Street Global Advisors, was among those stunned by the strong hiring 
numbers when other indicators show an economy losing momentum.

Mocuta
 said it is possible that hiring rose so sharply last month because job 
candidates, seeing signs of an impending slowdown, are now more willing 
to accept jobs they would have balked at earlier in the year. Conditions
 may now be “shifting in employers’ favor,’’ she said.

Whatever the reason for it, the employment data released Friday shows an astonishingly strong and resilient job market.

”Underestimate
 the U.S. labor market at your own peril,'' said Nick Bunker, head of 
economic research at the Indeed Hiring Lab. “Yes, output growth might be
 slowing and the economic outlook has some clouds on the horizon. But 
employers are still champing at the bit to hire more workers. That 
demand may fade, but it’s still red-hot right now.''

Josh Boak in Washington, Anne D'Innocenzio in New York and Courtney Bonnell in London contributed to this story.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659729356814.jpeg" alt="Photo courtesy of Unsplash&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy of Unsplash&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>By PAUL WISEMAN Associated PressWASHINGTON — U.S. employers added an astonishing 528,000 jobs last month 
despite flashing warning signs of an economic downturn, easing fears of a
 recession and handing President Joe Biden some good news heading into 
the midterm elections.(Click below to watch the&nbsp; President's comments on the jobs report)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F457415589324342%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=1" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Unemployment dropped another notch, from 
3.6% to 3.5%, matching the more than 50-year low reached just before the
 pandemic took hold.The economy has now recovered all 22 million jobs lost in March and April 2020 when COVID-19 slammed the U.S.The
 red-hot numbers reported Friday by the Labor Department are certain to 
intensify the debate over whether the U.S. is in a recession.“Recession
 — what recession?’’ wrote Brian Coulton, chief economist at Fitch 
Ratings. “The U.S. economy is creating new jobs at an annual rate of 6 
million — that’s three times faster than what we normally see 
historically in a good year."Economists had expected only 250,000
 new jobs last month, in a drop-off from June’s revised 398,000. 
Instead, July proved to be the best month since February.The 
strong figures are welcome news for the Biden administration and the 
Democrats at a time when many voters are worried about the economy.Inflation
 is raging at its highest level in more than 40 years, and the economy 
has contracted for two quarters in a row, which is the common — but 
informal — definition of a recession and does not take into account a 
host of other factors economists consider, such as the job picture.At
 the White House, Biden credited the job growth to his policies, even as
 he acknowledged the pain being inflicted by inflation. He emphasized 
the addition of 642,000 manufacturing jobs during his watch.“Instead
 of workers begging employers for work, we’re seeing employers have to 
compete for American workers," the president said.Biden has 
boosted job growth through his $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package 
and $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure law last year. Republican 
lawmakers and some leading economists, however, say the administration's
 spending has contributed to high inflation.The president has 
received some other good economic news in recent weeks, as gasoline 
prices have steadily fallen after averaging slightly more than $5 a 
gallon in June.On Wall Street, stocks dropped after the 
employment report came out. While a strong job market is a good thing, 
it also makes it more likely that the Federal Reserve will continue 
raising interest rates to cool the economy.“The strength of the 
labor market in the face of ... rate-tightening from the Fed already 
this year clearly shows that the Fed has more work to do,” said Charlie 
Ripley, senior investment strategist at Allianz Investment Management. 
“Overall, today’s report should put the notion of a near-term recession 
on the back burner for now.″The Labor Department also reported 
that hourly earnings posted a healthy 0.5% gain last month and are up 
5.2% over the past year. But that is not enough to keep up with 
inflation, and many Americans are having to scrimp to pay for groceries,
 gasoline, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-health-prices-shopping-f0b630ffa0143399181e518be521e9d5">even school supplies</a>.Job growth was especially strong last month in the health care industry and at hotels and restaurants.The
 number of Americans saying they had jobs rose by 179,000, while the 
number saying they were unemployed fell by 242,000. But 61,000 Americans
 dropped out of the labor force in July, trimming the share of those 
working or looking for work to 62.1% from 62.2% in June.New Yorker Karen Smalls, 46, started looking for work three weeks ago as a member of the support staff for social workers.“I
 didn’t realize how good the job market is right now,’’ she said after 
finishing her fifth interview this week. “You look at the news and see 
all these bad reports ... but the job market is amazing right now.’’A
 single mother, she is weighing several offers, looking for one that is 
close to home and pays enough to let her take care of her two children.Two
 years ago, the pandemic brought economic life to a near standstill as 
companies shut down and millions of people stayed home or were thrown 
out of work. The U.S. plunged into a deep, two-month recession.But
 massive government aid — and the Fed's decision to slash interest rates
 and pour money into financial markets — fueled a surprisingly quick 
recovery. Caught off guard by the strength of the rebound, factories, 
shops, ports and freight yards were <a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-business-los-angeles-health-48ff262b882a37308e4a3f15934b2ee4">overwhelmed with orders</a> and scrambled to bring back the workers they furloughed when COVID-19 hit.The
 result has been shortages of employees and supplies, delayed shipments 
and high inflation. In June, consumer prices were up 9.1% from a year 
earlier, the biggest increase since 1981.The Fed has raised its 
benchmark short-term interest rate four times this year in a bid to tame
 inflation, with more increases ahead.Labor Secretary Marty Walsh
 conceded that businesses and consumers are worried about inflation but 
added: “Companies are still growing, and they’re looking for employees. 
And that’s a good sign.’’In a report filled with mostly good 
news, the Labor Department did note that 3.9 million people were working
 part time for economic reasons in July, up by 303,000 from June. 
Department economists said that reflected an increase in the number of 
people whose hours were cut because of slack business.Some employers are also reporting signs of slack in the job market.Aaron
 Sanandres, CEO and co-founder Untuckit, an online clothing company with
 nearly 90 stores, noticed that in the past few weeks that it has been a
 bit easier filling jobs at the corporate headquarters in New York and 
part-time roles at the stores.“We have had a plethora of 
candidates,” Sanandres said. He also said the labor market has been 
loosening up for engineers, probably as a result of some layoffs at 
technology companies.Simona Mocuta, chief economist at State 
Street Global Advisors, was among those stunned by the strong hiring 
numbers when other indicators show an economy losing momentum.Mocuta
 said it is possible that hiring rose so sharply last month because job 
candidates, seeing signs of an impending slowdown, are now more willing 
to accept jobs they would have balked at earlier in the year. Conditions
 may now be “shifting in employers’ favor,’’ she said.Whatever the reason for it, the employment data released Friday shows an astonishingly strong and resilient job market.”Underestimate
 the U.S. labor market at your own peril,'' said Nick Bunker, head of 
economic research at the Indeed Hiring Lab. “Yes, output growth might be
 slowing and the economic outlook has some clouds on the horizon. But 
employers are still champing at the bit to hire more workers. That 
demand may fade, but it’s still red-hot right now.''Josh Boak in Washington, Anne D'Innocenzio in New York and Courtney Bonnell in London contributed to this story.

🎥'What recession?': US employers add 528,000 jobs in July

The Nebraska State Patrol has arrested a suspect in connection with four homicides that occurred in Laurel early Thursday morning. The investigation included two scenes on Elm Street in Laurel. Each scene included a residence with a fire.&nbsp;

Once fire suppression efforts were complete at a residence at 503 Elm Street, NSP Crime Scene Investigators were able to examine the scene. Investigators located three deceased victims at that location, each with suspected gunshot wounds. The victims have been identified as Gene Twiford, 86, Janet Twiford, 85, and Dana Twiford, 55. All three were residents of the home.

One deceased victim was located at 209 Elm Street, also with suspected gunshot wounds. That victim has been identified as Michele Ebeling, 53. She was a resident at that home.&nbsp;

Physical evidence located at both scenes led investigators to identify a suspect as Jason Jones, 42, who is a resident of Laurel. Investigators developed information to believe that Jones was inside his home at 206 Elm Street in Laurel. The NSP SWAT Team was activated, and an arrest warrant was obtained for Jones. Following repeated attempts to have Jones exit the home voluntarily, the SWAT Team made entry into the home and located Jones in a bedroom, with severe burns.

Jones was flown to St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Lincoln for treatment of his burn injuries. He is in custody at the hospital.

The investigation remains ongoing. Several agencies have been involved in the response and investigation, including the volunteer fire departments of Laurel, Wayne, and Beldon, the State Fire Marshal’s Office, the Cedar County Attorney, the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office, as well as the Laurel Police Department, Cedar County Sheriff’s Office, and the Nebraska State Patrol.

The Nebraska State Patrol said an arrest has been made in connection to the four homicides in Laurel. A news conference will be held later this morning to release additional information.

The Nebraska State Patrol can release new information and urges public vigilance as the investigation into four deaths in Laurel continues.

After fire suppression efforts were successful this afternoon at the scene in the 500 block of Elm Street in Laurel, investigators have been able to examine the crime scene and now identify that gunfire is suspected of having played a part in the incidents at both homes. Fire investigators also believe that the fire in the 500 block of Elm Street may have started around the same time as the reported explosion in the 200 block of Elm Street. However, indications of that fire weren’t visible outside the home for hours. Both incidents are now believed to have occurred shortly after 3:00 a.m. Thursday.

Based on that time frame, NSP is requesting anyone that may have seen anything out-of-the-ordinary in Laurel between midnight and 4:00 a.m. to report it immediately. Tips can be reported to 402-479-4921.

Additionally, based on this focused time frame of the fires, investigators now believe the previously sought silver sedan reported by a member of the public may have left Laurel much later after the incidents than previously thought.

The Nebraska State Patrol, Cedar County Sheriff’s Office, and Laurel Police Department urge vigilance for members of the Laurel and nearby communities. Anyone who sees out-of-the-ordinary activity should call 911 immediately.

This is an active investigation. Additional details will be released when possible.

Four people were found dead Thursday in two burning homes in a small community in northeastern Nebraska, authorities said.

Nebraska State Patrol Col. John Bolduc said at a news conference that a man was seen driving away from the city of Laurel before the bodies were discovered and that investigators would like to speak to him.

Firefighters responding to a call Thursday morning about an explosion and fire at one of the homes found the body of a person inside, Bolduc said.

A short time later, firefighters were called to a second burning home a few blocks away, where the bodies of three people were found inside.

Authorities didn't release the names of the dead or say how they died, but they said witnesses reported seeing a man leaving Laurel in a silver car. Bolduc referred to the man as a suspect in the deaths and said he may have picked up a passenger on the way out of town.

Investigators believe whoever set the fires may have suffered burns, Bolduc added.

He would not say how or whether the victims were related and declined to speculate on the circumstances leading to the killings.

“We’re not categorizing it as anything right now,” Bolduc said.

Laurel is home to fewer than 1,000 people and is located about 100 miles northwest of Omaha.

“Laurel is a very safe community,” said Cedar County Sheriff Larry Koranda. “It shakes everybody up.”

Most businesses, a senior center and schools in the community voluntarily went on lockdown around the time the bodies were discovered. That came at the recommendation of the city's lone police officer, said Lori Hansen, a clerical assistant at the Laurel City Hall. But even community officials were scrambling for information about what was unfolding in the normally quiet town, she said.

“We’ve been listening to TV to try to find out what’s going on,” Hansen said.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659643660427.png" alt="Investigators on the scene Thursday photo courtesy KCAU TV" />
 <figcaption>Investigators on the scene Thursday photo courtesy KCAU TV</figcaption>
 </figure>By NEBRASKA STATE PATROLThe Nebraska State Patrol has arrested a suspect in connection with four homicides that occurred in Laurel early Thursday morning. The investigation included two scenes on Elm Street in Laurel. Each scene included a residence with a fire.&nbsp;Once fire suppression efforts were complete at a residence at 503 Elm Street, NSP Crime Scene Investigators were able to examine the scene. Investigators located three deceased victims at that location, each with suspected gunshot wounds. The victims have been identified as Gene Twiford, 86, Janet Twiford, 85, and Dana Twiford, 55. All three were residents of the home.One deceased victim was located at 209 Elm Street, also with suspected gunshot wounds. That victim has been identified as Michele Ebeling, 53. She was a resident at that home.&nbsp;Physical evidence located at both scenes led investigators to identify a suspect as Jason Jones, 42, who is a resident of Laurel. Investigators developed information to believe that Jones was inside his home at 206 Elm Street in Laurel. The NSP SWAT Team was activated, and an arrest warrant was obtained for Jones. Following repeated attempts to have Jones exit the home voluntarily, the SWAT Team made entry into the home and located Jones in a bedroom, with severe burns.Jones was flown to St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Lincoln for treatment of his burn injuries. He is in custody at the hospital.The investigation remains ongoing. Several agencies have been involved in the response and investigation, including the volunteer fire departments of Laurel, Wayne, and Beldon, the State Fire Marshal’s Office, the Cedar County Attorney, the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office, as well as the Laurel Police Department, Cedar County Sheriff’s Office, and the Nebraska State Patrol.UPDATE 8/5/22 7:10 a.m.The Nebraska State Patrol said an arrest has been made in connection to the four homicides in Laurel. A news conference will be held later this morning to release additional information.UPDATE 8/5/22 4:25 a.m.The Nebraska State Patrol can release new information and urges public vigilance as the investigation into four deaths in Laurel continues.After fire suppression efforts were successful this afternoon at the scene in the 500 block of Elm Street in Laurel, investigators have been able to examine the crime scene and now identify that gunfire is suspected of having played a part in the incidents at both homes. Fire investigators also believe that the fire in the 500 block of Elm Street may have started around the same time as the reported explosion in the 200 block of Elm Street. However, indications of that fire weren’t visible outside the home for hours. Both incidents are now believed to have occurred shortly after 3:00 a.m. Thursday.Based on that time frame, NSP is requesting anyone that may have seen anything out-of-the-ordinary in Laurel between midnight and 4:00 a.m. to report it immediately. Tips can be reported to 402-479-4921.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659640316445.png" alt="Google Maps" />
 <figcaption>Google Maps</figcaption>
 </figure>Additionally, based on this focused time frame of the fires, investigators now believe the previously sought silver sedan reported by a member of the public may have left Laurel much later after the incidents than previously thought.The Nebraska State Patrol, Cedar County Sheriff’s Office, and Laurel Police Department urge vigilance for members of the Laurel and nearby communities. Anyone who sees out-of-the-ordinary activity should call 911 immediately.This is an active investigation. Additional details will be released when possible.By ASSOCIATED PRESSFour people were found dead Thursday in two burning homes in a small community in northeastern Nebraska, authorities said.Nebraska State Patrol Col. John Bolduc said at a news conference that a man was seen driving away from the city of Laurel before the bodies were discovered and that investigators would like to speak to him.Firefighters responding to a call Thursday morning about an explosion and fire at one of the homes found the body of a person inside, Bolduc said.A short time later, firefighters were called to a second burning home a few blocks away, where the bodies of three people were found inside.Authorities didn't release the names of the dead or say how they died, but they said witnesses reported seeing a man leaving Laurel in a silver car. Bolduc referred to the man as a suspect in the deaths and said he may have picked up a passenger on the way out of town.Investigators believe whoever set the fires may have suffered burns, Bolduc added.He would not say how or whether the victims were related and declined to speculate on the circumstances leading to the killings.“We’re not categorizing it as anything right now,” Bolduc said.Laurel is home to fewer than 1,000 people and is located about 100 miles northwest of Omaha.“Laurel is a very safe community,” said Cedar County Sheriff Larry Koranda. “It shakes everybody up.”Most businesses, a senior center and schools in the community voluntarily went on lockdown around the time the bodies were discovered. That came at the recommendation of the city's lone police officer, said Lori Hansen, a clerical assistant at the Laurel City Hall. But even community officials were scrambling for information about what was unfolding in the normally quiet town, she said.“We’ve been listening to TV to try to find out what’s going on,” Hansen said.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/30aJ9FThCKk" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div><a href="https://northplattepost.com/posts/2ddcec21-000f-4ace-b19e-4250120d6629">&nbsp;&nbsp;Download The Post app for iOs or Android</a><figure>
 <img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/hC0_-w9kb8y8_gfK4ZxnU3P1Ccs4YptMoUDc3Bf3zSvVQoHvm91ncFx_neGVT181aKtfuIDj8V0FiyP6RD7U-A58g_tJw_f74-gEO8MJPNJxmjFGxk1kl2ZgJrSfj4Zi2d1MX6Zqm8FeRCkJdBZTsQ" alt="" />
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UPDATED Arrest made in Laurel homicide investigation

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden tested positive for COVID-19 again Friday in his battle against a rare case of “rebound” following treatment with an anti-viral drug. The White House reported the rebound case on July 30.

White House physician Dr. Kevin O’Connor says in a letter Friday that the president “feels well and his cough has almost completely resolved."

Biden is working from the executive residence and&nbsp;signed two bills Friday that will hold those who commit fraud under COVID-19 small business relief programs accountable. After Biden tested positive on Saturday, he canceled plans to travel and hold in-person events.

&nbsp;The 79-year-old Biden originally tested positive on July 21. He was treated with the anti-viral drug Paxlovid and he had ended his isolation on July 27 before the rebound last Saturday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659721899991.png" alt="President Biden spoke before signing two bills that will hold those who commit fraud under COVID-19 small business relief programs accountable.-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>President Biden spoke before signing two bills that will hold those who commit fraud under COVID-19 small business relief programs accountable.-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden tested positive for COVID-19 again Friday in his battle against a rare case of “rebound” following treatment with an anti-viral drug. The White House reported the rebound case on July 30.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659721525511.png" alt="Biden " />
 <figcaption>Biden </figcaption>
 </figure>White House physician Dr. Kevin O’Connor says in a letter Friday that the president “feels well and his cough has almost completely resolved."Biden is working from the executive residence and&nbsp;signed two bills Friday that will hold those who commit fraud under COVID-19 small business relief programs accountable. After Biden tested positive on Saturday, he canceled plans to travel and hold in-person events.&nbsp;The 79-year-old Biden originally tested positive on July 21. He was treated with the anti-viral drug Paxlovid and he had ended his isolation on July 27 before the rebound last Saturday.

Doctor: Biden tests positive for COVID for 7th day in a row

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — A Florida woman has sued Equifax claiming she was denied a car loan because of a 130-point mistake in her credit report that she says was part of a larger group of credit score errors the ratings agency made this spring due to a coding problem.

The class action lawsuit was filed in federal court in Atlanta on behalf of Nydia Jenkins and potentially millions of others who applied for credit during a three-week period earlier this year. The Jacksonville, Florida woman was forced to accept another, less favorable loan that was $150 per month more than the one she was turned down for because of the error, according to the lawsuit.

Credit scores provide lenders with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.finra.org/investors/personal-finance/how-your-credit-score-impacts-your-financial-future#:~:text=A%20credit%20score%20is%20usually,the%20time%20of%20your%20application.">a picture</a>&nbsp;of how a big a risk a borrower is, and they typically range from 300 to 850 points, with a higher score usually resulting in better terms for people applying for mortgages, auto loans or mortgages. The lawsuit says the errors violated federal law that governs credit reporting agencies.

“In the modern economy, millions of Americans rely on credit to make the most important purchases of their lives, from homes to cars to appliances and everything in between," John Morgan and John Yanchunis, the attorneys representing Jenkins, said in a statement. “We believe that many of the people impacted – some of whom may still be unaware of what happened – suffered severe financial consequences."

The errors occurred over three weeks from mid-March to early April. An analysis Equifax conducted shows that there was no shift in a majority of credit scores, and for those who did experience a change, only a small number would have received a different credit decision, Equifax said in an emailed statement on Thursday.

“While the score may have shifted, a score shift does not necessarily mean that a consumer’s credit decision was negatively impacted," the Equifax statement said.

Equifax said in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.equifax.com/newsroom/all-news/-/story/equifax-statement-on-recent-coding-issue/">another statement</a>&nbsp;earlier this week that the problems stemmed from a coding issue that “resulted in the potential miscalculation of certain attributes used in model calculations." In that statement, the firm said less than 300,000 consumers had a score shift of 25 points or more.

“Again, we do not take this issue lightly," Equifax said.

Besides seeking an undisclosed amount of damages “to the fullest extent allowable by law," the lawsuit is asking for an audit to identify which customers' credit scores were affected; money for credit repair services; and the establishment of a fund to reimburse customers for any out-of-pocket expenses they incurred from the errors.

In 2017, hackers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-business-3e135a3f5b1941a48a9cb9692950d11e">broke into</a>&nbsp;Equifax in a breach that exposed the financial information of 147 million Americans. A federal court in 2020 approved&nbsp;<a href="https://www.equifaxbreachsettlement.com/admin/services/connectedapps.cms.extensions/1.0.0.0/927686a8-4491-4976-bc7b-83cccaa34de0_1033_EFX_Final_Approval_Order_(1.13.2020).pdf">a $380 million settlement</a>&nbsp;of class actions lawsuits, with no finding or judgment of wrongdoing made. The settlement required Equifax to invest a minimum $1 billion over five years on data security.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617904996533.jpeg" alt="Image FTC" />
 <figcaption>Image FTC</figcaption>
 </figure>ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — A Florida woman has sued Equifax claiming she was denied a car loan because of a 130-point mistake in her credit report that she says was part of a larger group of credit score errors the ratings agency made this spring due to a coding problem.The class action lawsuit was filed in federal court in Atlanta on behalf of Nydia Jenkins and potentially millions of others who applied for credit during a three-week period earlier this year. The Jacksonville, Florida woman was forced to accept another, less favorable loan that was $150 per month more than the one she was turned down for because of the error, according to the lawsuit.Credit scores provide lenders with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.finra.org/investors/personal-finance/how-your-credit-score-impacts-your-financial-future#:~:text=A%20credit%20score%20is%20usually,the%20time%20of%20your%20application.">a picture</a>&nbsp;of how a big a risk a borrower is, and they typically range from 300 to 850 points, with a higher score usually resulting in better terms for people applying for mortgages, auto loans or mortgages. The lawsuit says the errors violated federal law that governs credit reporting agencies.“In the modern economy, millions of Americans rely on credit to make the most important purchases of their lives, from homes to cars to appliances and everything in between," John Morgan and John Yanchunis, the attorneys representing Jenkins, said in a statement. “We believe that many of the people impacted – some of whom may still be unaware of what happened – suffered severe financial consequences."The errors occurred over three weeks from mid-March to early April. An analysis Equifax conducted shows that there was no shift in a majority of credit scores, and for those who did experience a change, only a small number would have received a different credit decision, Equifax said in an emailed statement on Thursday.“While the score may have shifted, a score shift does not necessarily mean that a consumer’s credit decision was negatively impacted," the Equifax statement said.Equifax said in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.equifax.com/newsroom/all-news/-/story/equifax-statement-on-recent-coding-issue/">another statement</a>&nbsp;earlier this week that the problems stemmed from a coding issue that “resulted in the potential miscalculation of certain attributes used in model calculations." In that statement, the firm said less than 300,000 consumers had a score shift of 25 points or more.“Again, we do not take this issue lightly," Equifax said.Besides seeking an undisclosed amount of damages “to the fullest extent allowable by law," the lawsuit is asking for an audit to identify which customers' credit scores were affected; money for credit repair services; and the establishment of a fund to reimburse customers for any out-of-pocket expenses they incurred from the errors.In 2017, hackers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-business-3e135a3f5b1941a48a9cb9692950d11e">broke into</a>&nbsp;Equifax in a breach that exposed the financial information of 147 million Americans. A federal court in 2020 approved&nbsp;<a href="https://www.equifaxbreachsettlement.com/admin/services/connectedapps.cms.extensions/1.0.0.0/927686a8-4491-4976-bc7b-83cccaa34de0_1033_EFX_Final_Approval_Order_(1.13.2020).pdf">a $380 million settlement</a>&nbsp;of class actions lawsuits, with no finding or judgment of wrongdoing made. The settlement required Equifax to invest a minimum $1 billion over five years on data security.___

Equifax issued wrong credit scores for millions of consumers

WASHINGTON (AP) — The federal government declared a public health emergency Thursday to bolster the response to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/monkeypox">monkeypox</a><a href="https://apnews.com/hub/monkeypox">outbreak</a>&nbsp;that has infected more <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/response/2022/us-map.html">than 6,600 Americans.</a>

The announcement will free up money and other resources to fight the virus, which may cause fever, body aches, chills, fatigue and pimple-like bumps on many parts of the body.

“We are prepared to take our response to the next level in addressing this virus, and we urge every American to take monkeypox seriously,” said Xavier Becerra, head of the Department of Health and Human Services.

The declaration by HHS comes as the Biden administration has faced criticism over monkeypox vaccine availability. Clinics in major cities such as New York and San Francisco say they haven’t received enough of the two-shot vaccine to meet demand, and some have had to stop offering the second dose to ensure supply of first doses.

The White House said it has made more than 1.1 million doses available and has helped to boost domestic diagnostic capacity to 80,000 tests per week.

The monkeypox virus spreads through prolonged skin-to-skin contact, including hugging, cuddling and kissing, as well as sharing bedding, towels and clothing. The people who have gotten sick so far have been primarily men who have sex with men. But health officials emphasize that the virus can infect anyone.

Earlier this week, the Biden administration named top officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to serve as the White House coordinators to combat monkeypox.

Thursday's declaration is an important — and overdue — step, said Lawrence Gostin, a public health law expert at Georgetown University.

“It signals the U.S. government’s seriousness and purpose, and sounds a global alarm,” he said.

Under the declaration, HHS can draw from emergency funds, hire or reassign staff to deal with the outbreak and take other steps to control the virus.

For example, the announcement should help the federal government to seek more information from state and local health officials about who is becoming infected and who is being vaccinated. That information can be used to better understand how the outbreak is unfolding and how well the vaccine works.

Gostin said the U.S. government has been too cautious and should have declared a nationwide emergency earlier. Public health measures to control outbreaks have increasingly faced legal challenges in recent years, but Gostin didn’t expect that to happen with monkeypox.

“It is a textbook case of a public health emergency,” Gostin said. “It’s not a red or a blue state issue. There is no political opposition to fighting monkeypox.”

A public health emergency can be extended, similar to what happened during the COVID-19 pandemic, he noted.

The urgency in the current response stems from the rapid spread of the virus coupled with the limited availability of the two-dose vaccine called Jynneos, which is considered the main medical weapon against the disease.

The doses, given 28 days apart, are currently being given to people soon after they think they were exposed, as a measure to prevent symptoms.

Becerra announced the emergency declaration during a call with reporters. During the call, Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Robert Califf said regulators are reviewing an approach that would stretch supplies by allowing health professionals to vaccinate up to five people — instead of one — with each vial of Jynneos.

Under this so-called “dose-sparing” approach, physicians and others would use a shallower injection under the skin, instead of the subcutaneous injection currently recommended in the vaccine’s labeling.

Califf said a decision authorizing that approach could come “within days.”

That would require another declaration, to allow the government to alter its guidelines on how to administer the vaccine, officials said.

Health officials pointed to a study published in 2015 that found that Jynneos vaccine administered that way was as effective at stimulating the immune system as when the needle plunger deeper into other tissue.

But experts also have acknowledged they are still gathering information on how well the conventional administration of one or two full doses works against the outbreak.

Others health organizations have made similar declarations.

Last week, the World Health Organization called monkeypox a public health emergency, with cases in more than 70 countries. A global emergency is WHO’s highest level of alert, but the designation does not necessarily mean a disease is particularly transmissible or lethal.

California, Illinois and New York have all made declarations in the last week, as have New York City, San Francisco and San Diego County.

The declaration of a national public health emergency and the naming of a monkeypox czar are “symbolic actions,” said Gregg Gonsalves, a Yale University infectious diseases expert.

What’s important is that the government is taking the necessary steps to control the outbreak and — if it comes to that — to have a plan for how to deal with monkeypox if it becomes endemic, he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1655678482994.png" alt="Monkeypox Photo Credit: NHS England High Consequence Infectious Diseases Network-CDC" />
 <figcaption>Monkeypox Photo Credit: NHS England High Consequence Infectious Diseases Network-CDC</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The federal government declared a public health emergency Thursday to bolster the response to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/monkeypox">monkeypox</a><a href="https://apnews.com/hub/monkeypox">outbreak</a>&nbsp;that has infected more <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/response/2022/us-map.html">than 6,600 Americans.</a><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659646384899.png" alt="Monkeypox cases by state-August 3, 2022 CDC image" />
 <figcaption>Monkeypox cases by state-August 3, 2022 CDC image</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659646434549.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The announcement will free up money and other resources to fight the virus, which may cause fever, body aches, chills, fatigue and pimple-like bumps on many parts of the body.“We are prepared to take our response to the next level in addressing this virus, and we urge every American to take monkeypox seriously,” said Xavier Becerra, head of the Department of Health and Human Services.The declaration by HHS comes as the Biden administration has faced criticism over monkeypox vaccine availability. Clinics in major cities such as New York and San Francisco say they haven’t received enough of the two-shot vaccine to meet demand, and some have had to stop offering the second dose to ensure supply of first doses.The White House said it has made more than 1.1 million doses available and has helped to boost domestic diagnostic capacity to 80,000 tests per week.The monkeypox virus spreads through prolonged skin-to-skin contact, including hugging, cuddling and kissing, as well as sharing bedding, towels and clothing. The people who have gotten sick so far have been primarily men who have sex with men. But health officials emphasize that the virus can infect anyone.Earlier this week, the Biden administration named top officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to serve as the White House coordinators to combat monkeypox.Thursday's declaration is an important — and overdue — step, said Lawrence Gostin, a public health law expert at Georgetown University.“It signals the U.S. government’s seriousness and purpose, and sounds a global alarm,” he said.Under the declaration, HHS can draw from emergency funds, hire or reassign staff to deal with the outbreak and take other steps to control the virus.For example, the announcement should help the federal government to seek more information from state and local health officials about who is becoming infected and who is being vaccinated. That information can be used to better understand how the outbreak is unfolding and how well the vaccine works.Gostin said the U.S. government has been too cautious and should have declared a nationwide emergency earlier. Public health measures to control outbreaks have increasingly faced legal challenges in recent years, but Gostin didn’t expect that to happen with monkeypox.“It is a textbook case of a public health emergency,” Gostin said. “It’s not a red or a blue state issue. There is no political opposition to fighting monkeypox.”A public health emergency can be extended, similar to what happened during the COVID-19 pandemic, he noted.The urgency in the current response stems from the rapid spread of the virus coupled with the limited availability of the two-dose vaccine called Jynneos, which is considered the main medical weapon against the disease.The doses, given 28 days apart, are currently being given to people soon after they think they were exposed, as a measure to prevent symptoms.Becerra announced the emergency declaration during a call with reporters. During the call, Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Robert Califf said regulators are reviewing an approach that would stretch supplies by allowing health professionals to vaccinate up to five people — instead of one — with each vial of Jynneos.Under this so-called “dose-sparing” approach, physicians and others would use a shallower injection under the skin, instead of the subcutaneous injection currently recommended in the vaccine’s labeling.Califf said a decision authorizing that approach could come “within days.”That would require another declaration, to allow the government to alter its guidelines on how to administer the vaccine, officials said.Health officials pointed to a study published in 2015 that found that Jynneos vaccine administered that way was as effective at stimulating the immune system as when the needle plunger deeper into other tissue.But experts also have acknowledged they are still gathering information on how well the conventional administration of one or two full doses works against the outbreak.Others health organizations have made similar declarations.Last week, the World Health Organization called monkeypox a public health emergency, with cases in more than 70 countries. A global emergency is WHO’s highest level of alert, but the designation does not necessarily mean a disease is particularly transmissible or lethal.California, Illinois and New York have all made declarations in the last week, as have New York City, San Francisco and San Diego County.The declaration of a national public health emergency and the naming of a monkeypox czar are “symbolic actions,” said Gregg Gonsalves, a Yale University infectious diseases expert.What’s important is that the government is taking the necessary steps to control the outbreak and — if it comes to that — to have a plan for how to deal with monkeypox if it becomes endemic, he said.