Summary
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The Department of Veterans Affairs became the first government agency to mandate coronavirus vaccinations for employees. Veterans affairs secretary Denis McDonough told the New York Times: “I am doing this because it’s the best way to keep our veterans safe, full stop.” The announcement came as the US deals with a surge in new cases among unvaccinated Americans.
- Dozens of medical groups called for health care facilities to require vaccinations for their workers. The groups, which included the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics, described a vaccination mandate as the “logical fulfillment of the ethical commitment of all healthcare workers to put patients as well as residents of long-term care facilities first and take all steps necessary to ensure their health and wellbeing”.
- All New York city workers will be required to get vaccinated, the mayor Bill de Blasio announced this morning. Starting 13 September, all city employees will either need to get vaccinated or receive weekly coronavirus tests. “Let’s be clear about why this is so important: this is about our recovery,” de Blasio said.
- Trump ally Tom Barrack pleaded not guilty to charges of illegal lobbying for the United Arab Emirates. Barrack, who served as the chair of Donald Trump’s 2017 inaugural committee, has also been charged with obstruction of justice and making multiple false statements to federal agents.
- Biden commemorated the 31st anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The president announced that some Americans with long-term symptoms of coronavirus qualify for ADA protections, including accommodations in schools and offices to guarantee their success.
In a survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation vaccine monitor, 23% of Republicans said they definitely won’t get vaccinated, while 16% of independents and 2% of Democrats said the same.
White House chief medical adviser Anthony Fauci said local leaders, particularly in areas with low rates of vaccination, needed to lead outreach efforts to get people vaccinated.
He highlighted recent work by two prominent Republicans who have repeatedly criticized him: a Louisiana representative, Steve Scalise, and the governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis.
“I was very heartened to hear people like Steve Scalise come out and say, ‘Hey, we’ve got to get vaccinated,’” Fauci said. “Even Governor DeSantis right now in Florida is saying the same thing. We’ve got to get more people who relate well to the individuals who are not getting vaccinated to get out there and encourage them to get vaccinated.”
DeSantis.DeSantis sells merchandise which mocks masks and Fauci, but cases in Florida are the highest they have been since January.
“These vaccines are saving lives,” DeSantis said last week.
Scalise, the House Republican whip, was vaccinated last week and told the New Orleans Times-Picayune he had waited because he thought he had some immunity from an earlier Covid-19 infection. But the rise of the Delta variant appeared to sway him.
“When you talk to people who run hospitals, in New Orleans or other states, 90% of people in hospital with Delta variant have not been vaccinated,” he said. “That’s another signal the vaccine works.”
Fauci said the administration was reviewing whether some vaccinated people may require booster shots. Vulnerable people such as organ transplant and cancer patients were “likely” to be recommended for booster shots, he said.
From Missouri, a local mayor told CBS’s Face the Nation some prominent local figures were still speaking out against the vaccine.
“We continue to have to push back against negative messaging,” said Quinton Lucas, mayor of Kansas City.
Lucas said the focus in Kansas City was on getting people vaccinated and that his city did not currently have plans to re-introduce mask requirements, though it was something he had considered.
“I think every mayor in a major city in America is wondering if it is time to return to mandates,” Lucas said.
Read more:
A final victim of the Miami condo collapse has been identified.
The AP reports:
Estelle Hedaya, an outgoing 54-year-old with a love of travel, was the last victim identified, ending what her relatives described as a torturous four-week wait.
Her younger brother, Ikey Hedaya, confirmed the identification to the Associated Press. The news comes just days after rescuers officially concluded the painstaking and emotionally heavy task of removing layers of dangerous debris and pulling out dozens of bodies.
“She always mentioned God anytime she was struggling with anything,” he said. “She had reached a different level spiritually, which allowed her to excel in all other areas.”
Her brother said he is drawing strength from God, just as he’d seen his sister do in troubling times. A funeral was scheduled for Tuesday.
The site of the 24 June collapse at the oceanside Champlain Towers South has been mostly swept flat, the rubble moved to a Miami warehouse. Although forensic scientists are still at work, including examining the debris at the warehouse, authorities said there are no more bodies to be found where the building once stood.
In the end, crews found no evidence that anyone who was found dead had survived the initial collapse, fire chief Alan Cominsky has said.
Search teams spent weeks battling the hazards of the rubble, including an unstable portion of the building that teetered above, a recurring fire and Florida’s stifling summer heat and thunderstorms. They went through more than 14,000 tons of broken concrete and rebar before finally declaring the mission complete.
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The president and vice president commemorated the death of Bob Moses, the civil rights leader and educator who died on Sunday.
“Throughout his remarkable life, Bob devoted his heart and soul to lead, teach, and organize generations of Americans to answer that question by making real the promise of our nation – that we are all created equal and deserve to be treated equally throughout our lives,” Joe Biden said in a statement. “With attacks on the right to vote unseen since the days of the Jim Crow system Bob helped to dismantle, I call on Congress again to pass the For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.”
Moses left his job as a New York high school teacher in 1960, and headed to Mississippi where he organized Black residents to fight segregation and registered thousands of Black voters. He faced violence at the hands of law enforcement and Klansmen in response to his efforts. In the 1980s, he started the Algebra Project, a math training program for students at underfunded schools.
“Throughout his life, Mr. Moses continued to teach and to organize. He saw a nexus between mathematics literacy and economic empowerment, and he founded the Algebra Project to expand both knowledge and opportunity to underserved students,” Kamala Harris said. “Let us honor his memory by continuing the fight for justice, for equality, and for the right to vote.”
Read more:
Updated
The US is monitoring over 200 people for potential monkeypox exposure, Maya Yang reports:
Health officials are monitoring potential exposure to monkeypox after an individual who contracted the disease in Nigeria returned to Texas in July.
Monkeypox is a rare disease caused by a virus similar to smallpox. According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it was discovered in 1958 when two outbreaks occurred in colonies of monkeys kept for research.
Symptoms include fever, muscle aches, chills, exhaustion, swollen lymph nodes and a rash that often begins on the face and spreads to the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet.
The CDC said it was working with airline, state and local health authorities in 27 states to identify and assess individuals who may have been in contact with the person on flights from Lagos to Atlanta and Atlanta to Dallas on 9 July.
The individual went to the emergency room at a Dallas hospital and was diagnosed with monkeypox on 15 July, Stat News reported.
People being monitored include those who sat within 6ft of the infected individual on flight from Lagos, those who used the flight’s bathroom, flight attendants, airline workers who cleaned the bathroom and family members who came in contact with the individual in Dallas.
The CDC said the infection rate for the monkeypox strain concerned was one in 100 people.
“It’s believed the risk of spread of monkeypox on the plane and in the airports is low, as travelers were required to wear masks due to the Covid-19 pandemic and monkeypox is primarily spread through respiratory droplets,” it said.
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Steny Hoyer, the House majority leader, said that key Trump officials are likely to be called before the select committee on the 6 January attack on the capitol.
“I do want to say, anybody and everybody who has relevant knowledge ... the who, what, where, when and why” of the insurrection should be called to testify, Hoyer told NBC’s Kelly O’Donnell.
House Dem @LeaderHoyer says it would be "incomprehensible" if key Trump officials were not called before the Jan 6 Select Committee. More here: pic.twitter.com/d56Slx3CzL
— Kelly O'Donnell (@KellyO) July 26, 2021
Meanwhile, Liz Cheney, one of two Republicans who accepted Nancy Pelosi’s invitation to join the committee, dismissed House minority leader Kevin McCarthy’s comment that she was a “Pelosi Republican”.
“I think that’s pretty childish,” she said.
Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) responds to House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy calling her a “Pelosi Republican”:
— The Recount (@therecount) July 26, 2021
“I think that’s pretty childish.” pic.twitter.com/mpTviN7xCJ
The committee will hear tomorrow from two members of the Capitol police and another two members of DC’s Metropolitan police who served at the Capitol during the attack.
Updated
Today so far
That’s it from me today. My west coast colleague, Maanvi Singh, will take over the blog for the next few hours.
Here’s where the day stands so far:
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The Department of Veterans Affairs became the first government agency to mandate coronavirus vaccinations for employees. Veterans affairs secretary Denis McDonough told the New York Times: “I am doing this because it’s the best way to keep our veterans safe, full stop.” The announcement came as the US deals with a surge in new cases among unvaccinated Americans.
- Dozens of medical groups called for health care facilities to require vaccinations for their workers. The groups, which included the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics, described a vaccination mandate as the “logical fulfillment of the ethical commitment of all healthcare workers to put patients as well as residents of long-term care facilities first and take all steps necessary to ensure their health and wellbeing”.
- All New York city workers will be required to get vaccinated, the mayor Bill de Blasio announced this morning. Starting 13 September, all city employees will either need to get vaccinated or receive weekly coronavirus tests. “Let’s be clear about why this is so important: this is about our recovery,” de Blasio said.
- Trump ally Tom Barrack pleaded not guilty to charges of illegal lobbying for the United Arab Emirates. Barrack, who served as the chair of Donald Trump’s 2017 inaugural committee, has also been charged with obstruction of justice and making multiple false statements to federal agents.
- Biden commemorated the 31st anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The president announced that some Americans with long-term symptoms of coronavirus qualify for ADA protections, including accommodations in schools and offices to guarantee their success.
Maanvi will have more coming up, so stay tuned.
Updated
However, retired Army General Barry McCaffrey said that Joe Biden’s announcement about the US policy in Iraq is “not very significant at all”.
Gen. Barry McCaffrey (@mccaffreyr3) says the White House announcement about the end of combat operations in Iraq is “not very significant."
— Geoff Bennett (@GeoffRBennett) July 26, 2021
He suggests it's a way to “take the heat off the Iraqi prime minister and redefine the public face of the U.S. presence.” pic.twitter.com/7WTKgv0fyq
“We haven’t been in a combat mission there for a couple years. It’s a train and advise,” McCaffrey told MSNBC.
“So I don’t know what’s coming out of this, primarily that they’re trying to take the heat off the Iraqi prime minister and redefine the public face of the US presence.”
US will not be in combat mission in Iraq by end of year, Biden says
Joe Biden has just made some news in the Oval Office, while meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi.
Biden first welcomed the prime minister to the White House, saying, “Iraq has been a vital partner for the United States for some time now in the Middle East, and I’ve engaged deeply in Iraq for my entire career.”
As reporters were being shuffled out of the Oval Office, the president answered a couple questions about the future of the US-Iraqi partnership.
Biden on most recent discussions with the Iraqi government: "Our role in Iraq will be dealing with — it's just to be available, to continue to train, to assist, to help and to deal with ISIS as it arrives. But we are not going to be, by the end of the year, in a combat mission." pic.twitter.com/IT4TBSwIhG
— CBS News (@CBSNews) July 26, 2021
Biden pledged that the US will “continue to train, to assist, to help and to deal with Isis as it arrives” in Iraq.
“But we are not going to be, by the end of the year, in a combat mission,” Biden said.
The president’s comments come as the US military also looks to complete its withdrawal from Afghanistan by the end of next month.
Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer said the upper chamber may stay in session through the weekend to get the bipartisan infrastructure bill passed.
“I am fully committed to passing a bipartisan infrastructure bill,” Schumer said on the Senate floor moments ago.
“Since senators are still finalizing the text of the agreement, senators should be on notice that the Senate may stay in session through the weekend in order to finish the bill.”
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer says he is "fully committed to passing a bipartisan infrastructure bill," and the Senate may stay in session over the weekend to finish the legislation https://t.co/Nj065CIsxp pic.twitter.com/1zXmqErMpW
— CBS News (@CBSNews) July 26, 2021
Schumer also reiterated his warning that the Senate may work through their previously scheduled August recess if a bill is not passed by then.
The Senate voted on a motion to proceed on the bill last Wednesday, but the motion failed, as Republicans insisted that a final deal be reached before the chamber takes up the legislation.
And new problems arose in the bipartisan negotiations today, with Republicans accusing Democrats of walking away from previous promises.
At the White House briefing earlier, Jen Psaki mentioned a story that attracted a lot of attention at the weekend, that of Tennessee conservative radio host Phil Valentine and his battle with Covid.
Valentine doubted and mocked vaccination efforts – even singing a cod-Beatles song, Vaxman – but then ended up seriously ill in hospital with Covid-19.
Psaki said: “Some of those, like a radio host in Tennessee, are saying from their hospital bed that they plan to be a strong advocate for the vaccine after recovering from severe illness because of Covid.”
Our original story about Valentine’s experience, from Saturday, is here.
It contains a statement from Valentine’s family, which said: “Phil would like for his listeners to know that while he has never been an ‘anti-vaxer’ he regrets not being more vehemently ‘pro-vaccine’, and looks forward to being able to more vigorously advocate that as soon as he is back on the air.”
His radio station has since provided updates on his health:
Sunday night update on @ValentineShow #prayforphil pic.twitter.com/hJzP7Fb4ug
— SuperTalk 99.7 WTN (@997wtn) July 25, 2021
Biden confirms VA vaccine mandate move
Joe Biden has been speaking to reporters at the White House, where he is meeting the Iraqi prime minister, Mustafa al-Kadhimi, and he has confirmed that the Department of Veterans Affairs will become the first federal agency to mandate Covid-19 vaccinations among staff, in this case in frontline healthcare roles.
The New York Times reported the move shortly after Jen Psaki finished a White House press briefing replete with questions about whether such mandates would enter administration policy.
Veterans affairs secretary Denis McDonough, a former White House chief of staff, told the Times he had told the White House about the move and added: “I am doing this because it’s the best way to keep our veterans safe, full stop.”
Updated
Clay Higgins, a Republican congressman from Louisiana who has criticised mask mandates and other public health measures during the coronavirus pandemic, has announced that he, his wife and son have contracted Covid-19.
Higgins, who has not said if he has been vaccinated, announced the news on Facebook on Sunday night. He said he and his wife were infected last year.
“This episode is far more challenging,” he wrote. “It has required all my devoted energy. We are all under excellent care and our prognosis is positive.”
In May, Higgins wrote on Facebook: “If you want to get vaccinated, get vaccinated. If you want to wear a mask, wear a mask. If you don’t, then don’t. That’s your right as a free American.”
Amid dwindling vaccination rates, Higgins’ state is among those experiencing a fourth surge of Covid cases.
Last December, a 41-year-old Republican congressman-elect from Louisiana, Luke Letlow, died from complications from Covid-19.
Steve Scalise, another Louisiana Republican and as House Minority Whip a key member of party leadership in Washington, said recently that he only got vaccinated this month, because he thought he had immunity because he previously tested positive for coronavirus antibodies.
Last week, the Florida Republican Vern Buchanan announced a positive test. He said he had been fully vaccinated and was experiencing mild symptoms.
Here’s Jessica Glenza on the problem of vaccine hesitancy:
VA will mandate vaccines for frontline health staff
The New York Times reports that the Department of Veterans Affairs will become the first federal agency to mandate vaccinations for employees, in this case 115,000 frontline healthcare workers who look after those who have served in the US military.
The move follows similar by New York City earlier today.
Veterans affairs secretary Denis McDonough, a former White House chief of staff under Barack Obama, told the Times: “I am doing this because it’s the best way to keep our veterans safe, full stop.”
At the White House earlier, press secretary Jen Psaki said mandates on vaccinations were a matter for individual companies and communities.
McDonough told the Times he had told the White House about his decision.
EPA revises Trump rule on coal plant river waste
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has said it will revise a Donald Trump-era rule that allowed coal-fired power plants to dump certain toxins into rivers and streams.
The EPA said it will draw up a new rule later this year to strengthen wastewater pollution regulations for coal plants that produce electricity. The agency hopes the new rule will be in place by the end of Joe Biden’s first term in office.
Under Trump, the EPA allowed plant operators to avoid or delay installing equipment that ensured toxins such as lead and mercury did not seep into waterways.
The agency will continue to use this weaker standard until the new rule comes into force, which has disappointed green groups that voiced dismay at the barrage of environmental protections rolled back by the former president.
“EPA is committed to science-based policy decisions to protect our natural resources and public health,” said Michael Regan, administrator of the EPA.
Jen Psaki has wrapped the White House briefing for the day, as the press goes off to see Joe Biden and the Iraqi PM. It was a wide-ranging briefing with, as Joanie showed below, a lot of questions about the Delta Covid variant, its surging case numbers and its effects on travel and the US economy.
Psaki made a spot of news earlier, as it happens, by telling Snapchat the Biden administration engages with Fox News because its viewers “might” listen to its medical experts about the need to beat Covid.
She was speaking to Good Luck America after a week in which Fox News denied reports it had engaged in high-level discussions with the White House before hosts including Sean Hannity (if not Tucker Carlson) exhorted viewers to get Covid-19 vaccinations.
Asked why any member of the administration should engage, given that Fox News was “only going to lash Democrats”, Psaki referred to primetime hosts such as Hannity and Carlson when she said: “Well first, we don’t do a lot of the personalities on Fox.
“Look, I would say that the president’s No 1 goal still is beating the pandemic, our objective is to put people back to work, and we need to talk to Fox and Fox viewers in order to do that.
“Now, they are not waiting for the president, the vice-president and other people from the administration to tell them what to do.
“But they might have listened to medical experts or some of our doctors. They might. There might be information that strikes them because it’s so fact-based, if we conveyed to Fox that they may hear that.”
Full story:
Updated
Jen Psaki downplayed the latest disagreements between Senate Democrats and Republicans over the bipartisan infrastructure bill.
The White House press secretary said such hurdles are “expected” as Congress tries to reach a final deal on a bipartisan proposal.
“We always know that there is some wrangling at the end of a process,” Psaki said.
The press secretary’s comments came as Senate Republican aides accused Democrats of backpedaling on previous promises about the legislation, per the Washington Post:
GOP aides now claim Democrats violated the contours of the roughly $1 trillion infrastructure agreement they announced in principle last month particularly on prevailing wages, pay-fors and water spending.
— Tony Romm (@TonyRomm) July 26, 2021
seems not good! https://t.co/X2cBBRAGgh
One reporter asked Jen Psaki whether Joe Biden will watch the January 6 select committee’s first hearing tomorrow.
The press secretary said that the president has a busy scheduled but may watch some clips of the hearing during the day.
Psaki also reiterated that Biden supports House speaker Nancy Pelosi’s goal of getting to the bottom of what happened on January 6, when a pro-Trump mob stormed the Capitol.
Members of the US Capitol Police force and the Metropolitan Police Department of Washington, who provided security on that violent day, are scheduled to testify tomorrow before the select committee.
US will keep travel restrictions in place for now, White House confirms
The White House press secretary, Jen Psaki, began her daily briefing by once again encouraging all eligible Americans to get vaccinated against coronavirus.
Psaki noted that nearly 70% of American adults are now at least partially vaccinated, a benchmark that Joe Biden had hoped to reach by July 4.
The press secretary emphasized that those who are vaccinated are far less likely to be hospitalized with coronavirus, as the delta variant continues to spread across the US.
“The reality is: it’s preventable,” Psaki said.
The press secretary also confirmed earlier reports that the US is keeping travel restrictions in place for now because of the spread of the delta variant and concerns about unvaccinated Americans.
Updated
Trump ally Barrack pleads not guilty
Trump ally Tom Barrack is headed for trial, after pleading not guilty today in court in Brooklyn, New York to charges of illegal lobbying for the United Arab Emirates.
Barrack, who played a key role in fundraising for Donald Trump’s (much legally troubled) inauguration in 2017, was arrested and bailed (in a $250m deal) last week.
Magistrate judge Sanket Bulsara accepted his plea on seven counts, including secretly lobbying the Trump administration for the UAE between 2016 and 2018. Barrack, 74, also pleaded not guilty to lying to investigators.
Barrack has long been close to Trump. For example, in his book Fire and Fury, Michael Wolff characterised the two men and the financier Jeffrey Epstein, who was later convicted of sex trafficking before killing himself in custody, as a “set of nightlife musketeers” in the 1980s and 1990s.
Here’s more on the case at hand:
Updated
Today so far
Here’s where the day stands so far:
- Dozens of medical groups called for health care facilities to require coronavirus vaccinations for their workers. The groups, which included the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics, described a vaccination mandate as the “logical fulfillment of the ethical commitment of all healthcare workers to put patients as well as residents of long-term care facilities first and take all steps necessary to ensure their health and wellbeing”.
- All New York city workers will be required to get vaccinated, mayor Bill de Blasio announced this morning. Starting September 13, all city employees will either need to get vaccinated or receive weekly coronavirus tests. “Let’s be clear about why this is so important: this is about our recovery,” de Blasio said.
- Joe Biden commemorated the 31st anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The president announced that some Americans with long-term symptoms of coronavirus qualify for ADA protections, including accommodations in schools and offices to guarantee their success.
The blog will have more coming up, so stay tuned.
One of the members of the January 6 select committee, Democrat Adam Schiff, said he expected the panel to issue subpoenas in the course of its work.
.@HallieJackson asks Rep. Schiff whether he expects to issue subpoenas in the Jan. 6th Select Committee investigation.
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) July 26, 2021
"Yes, I do. We want to make sure, for example, when we request documents that we get all of them ... That's certainly my expectation." pic.twitter.com/FTJ1qD4InF
“We want to make sure, for example, when we request documents that we get all of them, that we don’t have people withholding information because it’s a voluntary request,” Schiff told MSNBC today.
“So, yes, I fear we’re going to subpoenas and going to them early. And with witnesses, I expect that some of them will be reluctant to testify, and they will need to be compelled. So that’s certainly my expectation.”
Schiff also said that he did not expect the select committee to wrap up its work within the year, although he noted the members feel a “sense of urgency” about the work.
The congressman added that the committee’s timetable will depend upon how much obstruction members encounter as they carry out the investigation.
Hugo Lowell reports for the Guardian:
The House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, is readying the committee that will on Tuesday begin its investigation into the attack on the Capitol to press ahead with an aggressive inquiry into Donald Trump, as she seeks to exploit a Republican refusal to participate that could leave the former president unguarded.
Pelosi’s move last week to block Jim Banks and Jim Jordan – vociferous allies of Trump – from serving on the House select committee, prompted the House minority leader, Kevin McCarthy, to boycott the inquiry, pulling his three other Republican picks from the panel.
But Pelosi won strong support from Democrats and told lieutenants she may have emerged with the upper hand ahead of the select committee’s first hearing.
“We have the duty, to the constitution and the country, to find the truth of the 6 January insurrection and to ensure that such an assault on our Democracy cannot again happen,” Pelosi said of the investigation in a letter to Democrats.
The speaker has suggested to top Democrats in recent days that McCarthy’s move to boycott the panel leaves Trump without any defenders in the high-profile investigation into the 6 January insurrection, according to a source familiar with the matter.
McCarthy mocks Cheney and Kinzinger as 'Pelosi Republicans'
House minority leader Kevin McCarthy was among those who attended Joe Biden’s speech on the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Before the president’s remarks, the Republican leader was asked about his thoughts on a second member of his caucus, Adam Kinzinger, accepting speaker Nancy Pelosi’s invitation to serve on the January 6 select committee.
At WH, @GOPLeader responded to questions about Jan 6 Commission & criticized @SpeakerPelosi for selecting R members.McCarthy called @RepLizCheney @AdamKinzinger "Pelosi Republicans" pic.twitter.com/Jln7ALAGbq
— Kelly O'Donnell (@KellyO) July 26, 2021
McCarthy reiterated his previous criticism of Republican members accepting committee invitations from a Democratic speaker, describing the situation as unprecedented.
McCarthy dismissed Kinzinger and congresswoman Liz Cheney, who previously accepted Pelosi’s invitation to serve on the committee, as “Pelosi Republicans”.
Updated
Joe Biden took a couple questions from reporters as his event celebrating the Americans with Disabilities Act was wrapping up.
Asked about whether he’s confident the US can get more unvaccinated Americans vaccinated, Biden replied, “We have to.”
NOW @POTUS in response to my question about getting the unvaccinated vaccinated says “We Have to”. Also said he remains optimistic he will get an infrastructure deal this week pic.twitter.com/1o3vHbbKrx
— Brian J. Karem (@BrianKarem) July 26, 2021
The president was also asked whether he is optimistic about the chances of a bipartisan infrastructure deal being reached this week.
“You know me, I’m always optimistic,” Biden said.
The bipartisan group crafting the infrastructure bill is still working to reach a final agreement, and it’s unclear whether negotiations will conclude this week.
Biden announces new protections for Americans with long-term Covid symptoms
Joe Biden praised the Americans with Disabilities Act as “a triumph of American values”.
Marking the 31st anniversary of the signing of the ADA, Biden said of the law, “It’s testament to our character as a people.”
The president noted he recently spoke to two of his former Senate colleagues who helped make the ADA a reality, Republican Bob Dole and Democrat Tom Harkin.
But Biden also warned that too many Americans with disabilities are still not adequately protected by the legislation, and he outlined some of his administration’s efforts to strengthen the ADA.
Among other initiatives, Biden announced that his administration is working to ensure that Americans will long-term coronavirus symptoms are covered by the ADA.
The president noted that many Americans who contracted coronavirus have suffered from long-term symptoms, such as breathing problems and brain fog, that qualify as a disability.
Biden emphasized that those Americans should be protected by the ADA and receive the necessary accommodations in schools and offices to ensure their success.
“So they can live their lives in dignity and get the support they need as they navigate these challenges,” Biden said.
Biden marks 31st anniversary of Americans with Disabilities Act
Joe Biden is speaking at the White House to commemorate the 31st anniversary of President George HW Bush signing the Americans with Disabilities Act.
House speaker Nancy Pelosi and minority leader Kevin McCarthy are among those in attendance at the White House for Biden’s remarks.
VP Harris on the Americans With Disabilities Act: "When people can ride a bus because it has a lift, when they can enter a building because it has a ramp...that is the ADA in action. The ADA gives all Americans the opportunity to fully participate in our democracy." pic.twitter.com/Bfj0I69hP6
— CBS News (@CBSNews) July 26, 2021
The president was introduced by Kamala Harris, who said the ADA gives all Americans “the opportunity to fully participate in our democracy, in our economy and in our society”.
But the vice-president emphasized that the ADA still needs to be strengthened in terms of provisions and enforcement.
Artist Tyree Brown, who became quadriplegic after a 2015 car accident, spoke after Harris, and she called for the passage of Biden’s American Families Plan to invest in the care economy and better support disabled Americans.
The new coronavirus vaccination mandate will apply to all of New York’s city employees, including police officers, firefighters and public school teachers.
Dr Dave Chokshi, the New York health commissioner, joined mayor Bill de Blasio’s press conference to emphasize the need to get more city residents vaccinated.
“In the tug of war between vaccines and the variants, we should continue to bet on vaccines,” Choksi said. “But now is the time for our whole city to pull together to defeat delta.”
The delta variant of coronavirus is much more highly transmissible than the original variant of the virus. The spread of the delta variant has led to a surge in cases in US regions with lower vaccination rates.
Mayor Bill de Blasio encouraged New York’s private-sector employers to mandate coronavirus vaccinations for their workers as well.
“My message to the private sector is: go as far as you can go right now. Do what you can do,” the Democratic mayor said at his press conference.
"My message to the private sector is: Go as far as you can go right now. Do what you can do ... I would urge a vaccination mandate whenever possible," NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio says. pic.twitter.com/cg3MxqkG0x
— CBS News (@CBSNews) July 26, 2021
De Blasio added, “Each private sector employer needs to do what they believe is right, but I would strongly urge a vaccination mandate whenever possible.”
The mayor said that offices should “at minimum” require employees to either get vaccinated or receive weekly coronavirus tests, mirroring the new mandate for all of New York’s city workers.
All New York city employees will be required to get vaccinated, de Blasio says
All of New York’s city employees will be required to get vaccinated against coronavirus, mayor Bill de Blasio has just announced at a press conference.
The Democratic mayor said that, as of September 13, all city workers must either be vaccinated or start receiving weekly coronavirus tests.
BREAKING: New York will require "the entire city workforce" to be vaccinated by mid-September or face weekly testing, NYC Mayor de Blasio announces.
— CBS News (@CBSNews) July 26, 2021
"This is about our recovery. This is about keeping people safe. This is about bringing back jobs. You name it." pic.twitter.com/GpIRMZ986j
“Let’s be clear about why this is so important: this is about our recovery. This is about what we need to do to bring back New York City,” de Blasio said.
“This is about keeping people safe. This is about making sure that our families get through Covid safe. This is about bringing back jobs. You name it.”
De Blasio described September as “the pivot point of the recovery” because it is when students will return to schools and more offices will start reopening.
The White House is not lifting travel restrictions “at this point” because of concerns over the delta variant, an administration official told Reuters.
According to Reuters, the official cited the more highly transmissible delta variant and the rising number of coronavirus cases in the US to justify keeping the restrictions in place.
The White House press secretary, Jen Psaki, has been repeatedly asked about when the administration will relax the restrictions on international travel.
“There are ongoing working groups that are having discussions about how to, hopefully, move forward to a point where there is international travel and is returning something we would all like to see -- not just for tourism, but for families to be reunited,” Psaki said on Friday.
“There are a range of topics in those discussions that are ongoing. The president receives regular briefings on them, but we rely on public health and medical advice on when we’re going to determine changes to be made.”
Anthony Fauci, the White House chief medical adviser, said on Sunday top US health officials were discussing whether to revise mask guidance for Americans vaccinated against Covid-19.
“This is under active consideration,” Fauci told CNN’s State of the Union, though he also emphasized that local governments can issue their own rules under current guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Los Angeles county and St Louis, Missouri, have reinstated indoor mask requirements and other cities are weighing whether to do the same.
After a significant drop in Covid-19 cases because of the national vaccine campaign, infections are rising in all 50 states and Washington DC. The increases are highest in states with large groups of unvaccinated people. More than 610,000 have died from Covid-19 in the US.
At a White House briefing on Thursday the surgeon general, Vivek Murthy, said 97% of hospital admissions and 99.5% of Covid deaths were occurring among unvaccinated people.
More than 162.7 million Americans are vaccinated – or 49% of the population, according to the CDC.
Meanwhile, the mayor of New York is reportedly preparing to expand his vaccination mandate to include all city employees.
NBC New York reports:
Mayor Bill de Blasio is expected to announce as soon as Monday an expansion of New York City’s current vaccine mandate to include all city workers, sources familiar with the plan tell News 4.
A source with knowledge of the plan told NBC New York that the mandate will begin with city employees who work in congregate settings first; a City Hall source also confirmed that plan. The plan will be phased in, with the full city workforce expected to follow it by mid-September.
Unvaccinated city workers are expected to be required to wear masks in the workplace under the new plan, which will require them to be tested weekly if they aren’t receiving the vaccine.
De Blasio announced on Wednesday that all workers at city-run health care facilities and hospitals would be required to get vaccinated or receive weekly coronavirus tests.
Yolette Bonnet, 60, the chief executive of a group of community health clinics in underserved neighborhoods across Palm Beach County, Florida, got vaccinated. Perhaps this would be unremarkable, except that she got her shot Thursday, more than seven months after she was eligible to get the vaccine with ready access as a healthcare provider.
Bonnet, who is Black, described her resistance as a mix of hope the pandemic would fade, and skepticism born from the American medical establishment’s history of racism.
Bonnet’s story is just one example of how people in a vast, heterogeneous country are reckoning with the re-emergence of the pandemic with the more contagious Delta strain predominantly causing new cases and their own willingness to prevent it using the most powerful tool at humanity’s disposal – the vaccine.
It also reveals the complex, highly personal deliberations behind a stalled vaccination campaign in the US, one that threatens to undermine vaccine efficacy as each new infection provides an opportunity for the development of a new variant.
Bonnet said she was still uncertain when she got her first Pfizer shot, but the encouragement of her two daughters, husband and staff prevailed, and amid fanfare she got the shot. So did 12 of her staff members, who saw their leader’s willingness to get vaccinated as a sign of its safety.
Dozens of medical groups call for mandatory vaccinations of health workers
Greetings from Washington, live blog readers.
Nearly 60 medical groups, including the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics, are now calling for mandatory coronavirus vaccinations of all health workers in the US.
“Due to the recent Covid-19 surge and the availability of safe and effective vaccines, our health care organizations and societies advocate that all healthcare and long-term care employers require their workers to receive the Covid-19 vaccine,” the groups said in a joint statement, which was shared with the Washington Post.
“This is the logical fulfillment of the ethical commitment of all healthcare workers to put patients as well as residents of long-term care facilities first and take all steps necessary to ensure their health and wellbeing.”
The statement comes as vaccinations have stalled in the US, even as the Delta variant of coronavirus has caused a surge in cases in regions with low vaccinations rates.
Because of the recent uptick in cases, the medical groups also suggested that employers in other sectors consider requiring vaccinations for their workers.
“As the healthcare community leads the way in requiring vaccines for our employees, we hope all other employers across the country will follow our lead and implement effective policies to encourage vaccination,” the groups said.
“The health and safety of US workers, families, communities and the nation depends on it.”
The blog will have more coming up, so stay tuned.
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