Biden news – live: President promises Kentucky more aid, calling floods part of ‘dangerous’ climate crisis

Fresh out of Covid-19 isolation after a second negative test, President Joe Biden is resuming in-person duties and events. On Monday he visited flood-stricken eastern Kentucky where he and First Lady Jill Biden met with families impacted by the disaster that saw 37 people killed.

During his isolation in the White House due to a rebound case of the coronavirus, the president remained busy, overseeing several legislative victories, the killing of the leader of Al-Qaeda, and an impressive jobs report.

Most importantly, Senate Democrats managed to pass their signature legislation — the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 — which aims to help tackle the climate crisis, reduce the costs of prescription drugs, and create a 15 per cent minimum tax for corporations making over $1bn in income. The bill goes before the House of Representatives late this week.

On Tuesday, Mr Biden will sign CHIPS and Science Act which will make the US less dependent on semiconductor chips made in China and promote manufacturing. The following day he will sign PACT Act into law which expands access to health care for veterans exposed to toxic burn pits during their service.

Key points

• Biden calls deadly Kentucky floods ‘another sign of dangerous climate change’

• Bill to tackle climate crisis and lower prescription drug prices passes Senate

• Biden touts coming benefits of latest bill

• Winners and losers after Democrats pass transformative bill

• Voices: Democrats have a whole host of achievements to boast about during the midterms

Biden calls deadly Kentucky floods ‘another sign of dangerous climate change’

22:01 , Oliver O'Connell

President Joe Biden has pledged more financial support for disaster-stricken Kentucky, describing the state’s recent destructive flash flooding as “another sign of dangerous climate change”.

The president and first lady Jill Biden met with first responders and families who had lost homes on Monday after the worst flooding in the state’s history in late July.

Some 38 people died in eastern Kentucky after severe storms dropped between 8 and 10.5 inches of rain in the span of 48 hours. Mr Biden previously visited the state in December after a series of devastating tornadoes whipped through the region, killing 77 people.

Louise Boyle, The Independent’s senior climate correspondent, reports.

Deadly Kentucky floods are ‘sign of dangerous climate change’ says Biden during visit

McConnell invited but has ‘Senate to run'

21:39 , Oliver O'Connell

As the journey back to the White House begins, the president gaggled briefly with the press who had accompanied him to Kentucky.

Asked if he had invited Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell for this trip he said he’d spoken to the minority leader and didn’t think he needed to come.

“I don’t think so. He’s got a Senate to run,” Mr Biden said adding that he assured Kentuckians they’ll get the help they need.

ICYMI: Bill to tackle climate crisis and lower prescription drug prices passes Senate

21:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Senate Democrats passed their signature legislation tackling the climate crisis and prescription drug prices early on Sunday morning, sending the legislation to the House of Representatives.

The legislation, known as the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 would be the biggest step that the US government has taken to cut domestic emissions at a moment when global targets are faltering. It will also allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices, cap the cost of insulin for Medicare recipients and continue subsidies for Obamacare.

Democrats pass bill that tackles climate crisis and lowers prescription drug prices

Federal Government still can’t find parents in 185 migrant families separated at border

21:00 , Oliver O'Connell

The Trump administration’s controversial family separation policy at the US-Mexico border may have ended in 2018, but families and children across the US, Mexico, and Central America are still feeling its effects years later.

Over 1,000 families affected by the policy haven’t been unified, NBC News reported this week.

In 185 cases, the parents who were separated from their children and likely deported haven’t even been located, The Atlantic reports.

Josh Marcus has the story.

Biden admin still can’t find parents in 185 migrant families split at US border

House committee to advance Inflation Reduction Act

20:38 , Oliver O'Connell

The Democratic-led House Rules Committee plans to meet on Wednesday to advance the Senate-passed Inflation Reduction Act and send it to the floor for a vote. It is expected to pass.

HHS secretary: ‘We’ll continue to do all we can'

20:20 , Oliver O'Connell

Echoing President Joe Biden’s remarks, Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra tweeted: “As POTUS made clear today, we’ll continue to do all we can to assist Kentucky in its response to the devastating and ongoing impact of recent storms. We are working closely with state and local health authorities to help communities respond and recover.”

Biden pledges further federal assistance, says will be back to check on progress

20:01 , Oliver O'Connell

In informal remarks at the site of some of the flood devastation, President Joe Biden vowed continuing federal support and to bring the area not just back to how it was before, but to a better state.

He then joked that the bad news was that he would be coming back to check on progress.

His remarks stressed that the problems of Kentuckians were the problems of Americans and that the country has the capacity for recovery.

In pictures: Bidens survey more of the flood damage

19:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Fuller Biden comments at flood briefing

19:28 , Oliver O'Connell

President Joe Biden called the deadly floods in eastern Kentucky another sign of dangerous climate change.“It’s unfortunate. It’s my second visit to Kentucky, for a crisis,” he said. “I promise you… As long as it takes we’re going to be here. We [the federal government] are committed. There’s absolute 100 per cent coverage of cost for the next few months.”“People don’t realise those piles of heavy debris, it takes a lot of time, a lot of money to take it away,” Mr Biden said, before talking about flying over the region.“It’s a magnificent state,” the president said, calling it “incredibly heartbreaking” to see cars and buses washed into creeks, and that 37 people have died.

Governor Andy Beshear spoke before the president.“This is the most devastating and deadly flooding event certainly in my lifetime, unlike anything we’ve ever seen,” the governor said.Thousands of people are staying with friends and relatives “but it’s going to take us some time to stabilise people with needs for housing. Thankfully we have over 100 travel trailers on site, faster than we ever anticipated.”“The National Guard airlifted out over 1,300 people” and state police and other agencies rescued thousands of others, Mr Beshear said. Nine days out, “We’ve got power to everybody but about 200 homes. That is incredible. Water to more people than we ever thought was possible in this period of time. Cell phone service… Today is beautiful but the weather has not helped us out. It has either been raining or altogether too hot.”The governor also lauded Biden: “He came through” … for “Team Kentucky”.

Flotus and Kentucky first lady lend a hand

19:15 , Oliver O'Connell

First Lady Jill Biden and Kentucky FIrst Lady Britainy Beshear helped out volunteers packing food and clothes for flood victims.

US announces further Ukraine arms aid package

19:00 , Oliver O'Connell

The United States will provide $1bn in security assistance for Ukraine, the single largest package using the president’s drawdown authority, including munitions for long-range weapons and armored medical transport vehicles, acting Pentagon spokesman Todd Breasseale said on Monday.

The package adds to about $8.8bn in aid the United States has given Ukraine since Russia’s invasion on February 24. It includes munitions for HIMARS, NASAMS surface-to-air missile system ammunition, and as many as 50 M113 armored medical transports.

Reuters

18:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Kentucky lawmakers offer thanks for fast response of federal government

18:31 , Oliver O'Connell

With over 700 FEMA personnel deployed in the area, Governor Beshear and Dean of the House Rep Hal Rogers thanked the president and the agency director Deanne Criswell for their swift action on the day of the floods and since.

In pictures: Bidens survey damage from Kentucky flash-flooding

18:20 , Oliver O'Connell

18:11 , Oliver O'Connell

This is President Biden’s second visit to Kentucky. He previously visited in December after tornadoes whipped through the state, killing 77 people and leaving a trail of destruction.

“I wish I could tell you why we keep getting hit here in Kentucky,” Mr Beshear said recently. “I wish I could tell you why areas where people may not have much continue to get hit and lose everything. I can’t give you the why, but I know what we do in response to it. And the answer is everything we can. These are our people. Let’s make sure we help them out.”

Mr Biden has expanded federal disaster assistance to Kentucky, ensuring the federal government will cover the full cost of debris removal and other emergency measures.

Biden participates in Kentucky flood briefing

18:09 , Oliver O'Connell

Biden hails the incredible job of the Federal Emergency Management Agency in the face of the unprecedented number of climate disasters across the nation — from flooding and fires to tornadoes and heatwaves.

Earlier on Air Force One, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre also noted the increasing occurrence and intensity of such disasters.

“The floods in Kentucky and extreme weather all around the country are yet another reminder of the intensifying and accelerating impacts of climate change and the urgent need to invest in making our communities more resilient to it,” she said.

Voices: Suddenly, Democrats have a whole host of achievements to boast about during the midterms

18:00 , Oliver O'Connell

As Senate Democrats prepared to pass the keystone legislation now known as the Inflation Reduction Act, they began to coalesce around a simple message: We get things done. And for once, they have a case, writes Eric Garcia.

All of a sudden, Democrats have a load of victories to boast about at the midterms

House Oversight Committee Dems push IRA 2022

17:30 , Oliver O'Connell

House Oversight Committee Democrats have begun their push to promote the benefits of the Inflation Reduction Act as it heads to the lower chamber of Congress this week.

Focusing on the ability of Medicare to be able to negotiate drug prices directly with manufacturers, they say that there was a loss of $25.1bn between 2014 and 2018 on just seven drugs because of the inability to negotiate fair prices.

Biden touts coming benefits of latest bill

17:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Freed from Covid isolation, President Joe Biden is wasting no time in touting the benefits of the landmark Inflation Reduction Act as it heads to the House this week.

He told reporters on Monday morning as he began his journey to Kentucky:

Bidens greeted by Governor Beshear

16:56 , Oliver O'Connell

The Bidens are greeted in Chavies, Kentucky, by Governor Andy Beshear and First Lady Britainy Beshear. They will visit families affected by the devastation from recent flooding and survey impacts and response efforts.

Biden arrives in flood-ravaged Kentucky

16:46 , Oliver O'Connell

President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden have arrived in Kentucky to meet with families and survey the damage after the worst flooding in the state’s history.

President Biden and First Lady arrive to tour flood-ravaged Kentucky

Winners and losers after Democrats pass transformative bill

16:30 , Oliver O'Connell

After a marathon series of votes and more than a year of planning and negotiation, Senate Democrats on Sunday passed the Inflation Reduction Act – their signature piece of legislation that would both tackle climate change and work to lower prescription drug costs.

All 50 Democrats and vice president Kamala Harris voted to pass the bill after the marathon series of votes on amendments known as a “vote-a-rama.” The bill now heads to the House of Representatives, where it will likely face a swift passage later this week.

If signed, it will be the largest investment in combating climate change in US history.

The Independent’s Eric Garcia reports on who were the big winners and losers as the bill was passed by the Senate.

Winners and losers after Democrats pass massive climate and healthcare legislation

GOP condemned for striking down insulin cap in major Biden legislation

16:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Republicans are facing fierce backlash for stripping proposed legislation that would have capped the price of life-saving insulin at $35 from the tax and climate bill.

The long-running ambition of Democrats to include people not covered by Medicare by capping the price of insulin for those with private coverage was proposed in their wider legislation, called The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.

Shweta Sharma reports.

Republicans condemned for striking down insulin cap in major Biden legislation

Bidens land in Lexington to meet survivors of flash floods

15:53 , Oliver O'Connell

The Inflation Reduction Act - what’s in it?

15:40 , Oliver O'Connell

Senate Democrats passed their signature legislation tackling the climate crisis and prescription drug prices early on Sunday morning, sending the legislation to the House of Representatives.

The legislation, known as the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 would be the biggest step that the US government has taken to cut domestic emissions at a moment when global targets are faltering. It will also allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices, cap the cost of insulin for Medicare recipients and continue subsidies for Obamacare.

Eric Garcia and John Bowden of The Independent’s Washington bureau and Louise Boyle, New York-based senior climate correspondent, report on the contents of the landmark legislation.

Democrats pass bill that tackles climate crisis and lowers prescription drug prices

Biden free from Covid isolation

15:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Ending his most recent Covid-19 isolation, President Joe Biden on Sunday left the White House for the first time since becoming infected with the coronavirus last month and headed to a reunion with first lady Jill Biden in their home state of Delaware.

The president had tested negative Saturday, clearing the way to emerge from an isolation that lasted longer than expected because of a rebound case of the virus. The White House physician, Dr. Kevin O’Connor, had said in his last update that Biden, “in an abundance of caution,” would continue his “strict isolation measures” pending a second negative test. The White House on Sunday did not say whether the president had a second negative test and had not provided a new report from O’Connor since midday Saturday.

“I’m feeling great,” Biden said before boarding Marine One outside the White House.

The Bidens are expected to spend the day in Rehoboth Beach, a popular vacation destination.

Biden originally tested positive on July 21, and he began taking the anti-viral medication Paxlovid, which is intended to decrease the likelihood of serious illness from the virus. According to his doctor, Biden’s vital signs remained normal throughout his infection, but he his symptoms included a runny nose, cough, sore throat and body aches.

After isolating for several days, Biden tested negative on July 26 and July 27, when he gave a speech in the Rose Garden, telling Americans they can “live without fear” of the virus if they get booster shots, test themselves for the virus if they become sick and seek out treatments.

But Biden caught a rare rebound case of COVID-19 on July 30, forcing him to isolate again. He occasionally gave speeches from a White House balcony, such as when he marked the killing of an al-Qaida leader or a strong jobs report.

He continued to test positive until Saturday, when he received his first negative result. While the president was isolating in the White House residence, the first lady remained in Delaware.

AP

15:18 , Oliver O'Connell

Good morning and welcome to our rolling coverage of what will be a significant week in the presidency of Joe Biden as he returns to public duties from Covid isolation.

He will be signing two major pieces of legislation into law this week and a third, the landmark Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which passed the Senate at the weekend, will go before the House of Representatives on Friday.

First, the president and First Lady Jill Biden are travelling to eastern Kentucky to meet survivors and see damage from the flash-floods that struck the former coal mining region, killing 37.