It’s Wednesday.
Halloween is in 12 days.
There are 19 days until the mid-term elections.
President Biden’s Public Schedule for Wednesday, October 19th 2022:
| 10:45 AM | The President receives the President’s Daily Brief The White HouseClosed Press |
| 12:15 PM | In-Town Pool Call Time The White HouseIn-Town Pool |
| 12:15 PM | Press Briefing by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre James S. Brady Press Briefing Room |
| 1:15 PM | The President delivers remarks on additional actions to strengthen energy security and lower costs Roosevelt RoomIn-House Pool |
| 3:00 PM | The President delivers remarks on the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law; The Secretary of Energy attends South Court Auditorium Pre-Credentialed Media RSVP HERE by 9:00 AM |
12:15 p.m. D.C., time; Press Briefing.
1:15 p.m. D.C., time; President Biden’s Remarks on Additional Actions to Strengthen Energy Security and Lower Costs.
The White House posted the following fact-sheet; President Biden to Announce New Actions to Strengthen U.S. Energy Security, Encourage Production, and Bring Down Costs
President Biden is committed to doing everything in his power to respond to Putin’s Price Hike at the pump, and he is delivering. Gas prices fell at the fastest rate in over a decade this summer, with average prices down by about $1.15 per gallon since their peak in June – and just about 30 cents above levels on February 24, when the war in Ukraine began. In fact, gas prices have fallen 15 out of the last 18 weeks. According to an industry analyst, the most common price across the country today is $3.39.
President Biden is directing his Administration to take additional action to strengthen energy security, address the supply crunch, and lower costs.
First, the Department of Energy (DOE) is issuing a Notice of Sale tomorrow morning for 15 million barrels from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) to be delivered in December. This sale will complete the historic, 180-million-barrel drawdown the President announced in the spring, which has helped to stabilize crude oil markets and reduce prices at the pump. The President is also calling on DOE to be ready to move forward with additional significant SPR sales this winter if needed due to Russian or other actions disrupting global markets.
Second, the President is announcing that the Administration intends to repurchase crude oil for the SPR when prices are at or below about $67-$72 per barrel, adding to global demand when prices are around that range. As part of its commitment to ensure replenishment of the SPR, the DOE is finalizing a rule that will allow it to enter fixed price contracts through a competitive bid process for product delivered at a future date. This repurchase approach will protect taxpayers and help create certainty around future demand for crude oil. That will encourage firms to invest in production right now, helping to improve U.S. energy security and bring down energy prices that have been driven up by Putin’s war in Ukraine.
Third, the President is calling on companies to pass through lower energy costs to consumers right away. The profit that energy refining companies are now capturing on every gallon of gasoline is about double what it typically is at this time of year, and the retailer margin over the refinery price is more than 40 percent above the typical level. These outsized industry profit margins – adding more than $0.60 to the average price of a gallon of gas – have kept pump prices higher than they should be. Keeping prices high even as input costs fall is unacceptable, and the President will call on companies to pass their savings through to consumers – now.
White House.gov. 10/18/2022.
Continuing to Use the SPR to Advance U.S. Energy Security
In March, following Putin’s further invasion of Ukraine, the President authorized the largest-ever release from the SPR and secured historic coordination with allies and partners to release crude oil from their reserves as well. Treasury Department economists estimate that these releases, along with coordinated releases from international partners, have reduced gas prices by as much as about $0.40 per gallon, compared to what they otherwise would have been. Average U.S. gas prices have declined by more than a dollar per gallon from their peak earlier this year.
Global crude oil supply flows remain a challenge, due in large part to the ongoing instability caused by Russia’s actions in Ukraine. To help stabilize markets and shore up supply in the face of these challenges, DOE will sell 15 million barrels from the SPR for delivery in December, issuing the Notice of Sale for these barrels in the morning. The sale, which completes the 180 million barrels the President authorized in the spring, will add about 500K barrels per day of supply onto the market in December, providing continued supply certainty and some price relief.
White House.gov. 10/18/2022.
The U.S. SPR remains the largest strategic reserve in the world with about 400 million barrels remaining, which is greater than the amount of any SPR release in U.S. history. Even as DOE executes on the plan to refill the SPR to previous levels in coming years, the SPR remains more than ready to respond to energy security needs today.
The President is prepared to authorize significant additional sales in coming months if conditions require. DOE will be prepared to act quickly to inject additional supply into the market if needed, and the Administration will not hesitate to use this tool, or the others at its disposal, to shore up the global supply of energy, support domestic inventory levels, and bring prices down for Americans.
Using SPR Repurchases to Encourage Increases in Near-Term Production
The Administration is committed to replenishing the SPR, which is an important national security asset, so it can continue to serve its purpose well into the future. And, it is committed to doing so in a way that protects taxpayer interests, avoids putting upward pressure on prices in the near term, and encourages more production right now by providing certainty about repurchases in the future.
U.S. oil production is almost 12 million barrels per day. By the end of this year, it will be up by about one million barrels per day compared to when President Biden took office, and it is on track to reach a new annual high in 2023. However, a number of industry participants have suggested that, even with today’s high prices, they are concerned about investing in production when prices could fall in the future.
The Administration is announcing its intent to use SPR repurchases to add to global crude oil demand at times when the price of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil is at or below about $67 to $72 per barrel. This will protect taxpayer interests because the SPR will be repurchasing at a lower price than recent sales, potentially allowing it to repurchase more oil than it released with sale proceeds. It will also help address producer concerns about uncertain demand in future years, encouraging immediate investment.
DOE has finalized a first-of-its-kind rule that enables it to enter into fixed-price contracts with suppliers, through a competitive bid process, to repurchase oil for future delivery windows. This new authority will shore up demand for oil when supply is less uncertain and prices are anticipated to be lower. For example, if the market were to price barrels for delivery in mid-2024 at $70, the new rule allows DOE to enter into a contract now for mid-2024 delivery of oil at, around or lower than that price. DOE plans to use this authority to enter into contracts to repurchase oil for the SPR, targeting a price of about $67 to $72 per barrel or lower, with initial repurchases being delivered in 2024 or 2025. In addition, DOE is prepared to undertake additional SPR repurchases at times when the price of oil for current delivery drops to about $67 to $72 per barrel or lower, supplementing its future fixed-price contracts as appropriate.
This approach is a win for taxpayers – refilling the SPR at a lower price compared to the barrels sold. And it is a win for energy security – giving producers who enter into the contracts more certainty of continued oil demand to inform investment decisions today, thereby spurring needed increases in production at a time when Putin’s war continues to disrupt global energy markets.
White House.gov. 10/18/2022.
3:00 p.m. D.C., time; President Biden’s Remarks on the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
The White House posted the following fact-sheet; Biden-Harris Administration Driving U.S. Battery Manufacturing and Good-Paying Jobs
Department of Energy Awarding $2.8 Billion from Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to Boost Domestic Manufacturing Administration Launching “American Battery Materials Initiative” to Strengthen Critical Mineral Supply Chains
Today, President Biden is announcing that the Department of Energy is awarding $2.8 billion in grants from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to 20 manufacturing and processing companies for projects across 12 states. President Biden is also announcing the American Battery Materials Initiative, a new effort to mobilize the entire government in securing a reliable and sustainable supply of critical minerals used for power, electricity, and electric vehicles (EVs). Together, these actions will improve America’s energy independence, strengthen national security, support good-paying jobs across battery supply chains, and lower costs for working families.
White House.gov. 10/19/2022.
President Biden set an ambitious goal for electric vehicles (EV) to make half of all new vehicles sold in 2030 electric. Thanks to his leadership, economic and industrial strategy, and landmark legislative accomplishments, the United States is seeing historic investment in electric vehicle and battery manufacturing – which has resulted in EV sales tripling since President Biden took office. This market transformation is expected to increase demand for critical minerals such as lithium and graphite used in EV batteries. Today’s announcements demonstrate how the United States is poised to meet this challenge while growing our economy and creating high-quality union jobs in the battery supply chain.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, CHIPS & Science Act, and Inflation Reduction Act combined will invest more than $135 billion to build America’s electric vehicle future, including critical minerals sourcing and processing and battery manufacturing. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law alone invests more than $7 billion to help domestic manufacturers have the critical minerals and other necessary components to manufacture the batteries we need to meet our climate goals. The Inflation Reduction Act makes new and used EVs more affordable for consumers with tax credits that support using minerals and battery components from the United States and our allies. And, it includes credits to help manufacturers retool existing facilities and build new battery manufacturing and critical mineral processing in the United States as well as grants to deploy zero emission heavy-duty vehicles.
President Biden’s economic agenda has already ignited a domestic manufacturing boom, with companies announcing over $100 billion in EV, battery and EV charging investments right here in the United States.
Today’s actions and the launch of the American Battery Material Initiative will also make America more competitive, ensuring we can make more in America to support our own supply chains and workers. The U.S. and its allies currently do not produce enough of the critical minerals and battery materials needed to power clean energy technologies. China currently controls much of the critical mineral supply chain and the lack of mining, processing, and recycling capacity in the U.S. could hinder electric vehicle development and adoption, leaving the U.S. dependent on unreliable foreign supply chains. The American Battery Materials Initiative will align and leverage federal resources for growing the end-to-end battery supply chain; work with stakeholders, allies, and partners to develop more sustainable, secure, resilient supply chains; and support faster and fairer permitting for projects that build the domestic supply chain.
BATTERY MANUFACTURING AWARDS
Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is announcing the first set of projects funded by the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to expand domestic manufacturing of batteries for electric vehicles and the electrical grid including $2.8 billion for 20 manufacturing and processing companies in 12 states, including Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Tennessee, and Washington.
White House.gov. 10/19/2022.
When matched by recipients, the funding leverages a total of more than $9 billion to boost American production of EV batteries. The projects will have positive impact on their own and also catalyze a whole US industry in the critical phases of the battery supply chain.
The funding for the selected projects will support:
- Developing enough battery-grade lithium to supply approximately 2 million EVs annually.
- Developing enough battery-grade graphite to supply approximately 1.2 million EVs annually.
- Producing enough battery-grade nickel to supply approximately 400,000 EVs annually.
- Installing the first large-scale, commercial lithium electrolyte salt (LiPF6) production facility in the United States.
- Developing an electrode binder facility capable of supplying 45% of the anticipated domestic demand for binders for EV batteries in 2030.
- Creating the first commercial scale domestic silicon oxide production facilities to supply anode materials for an estimated 600,000 EV batteries annually.
- Installing the first lithium iron phosphate cathode facility in the United States.
All projects will develop enough lithium to supply over 2 million electric vehicles annually and establish significant domestic production of graphite and nickel.
Fact sheets on the projects can be found here.
White House.gov. 10/19/2022.
AMERICAN BATTERY MATERIALS INITIATIVE
President Biden is committed to advancing America’s energy security and energy independence as he takes historic action to tackle the climate crisis. Today, the White House is launching a new whole-of-government effort to secure a reliable and sustainable supply of the critical minerals that power everything from electric vehicles to homes to defense systems. The American Battery Materials Initiative will be led by a White House steering committee and coordinated by the Department of Energy with support from the Department of the Interior.
The critical minerals and large capacity battery supply chain review initiated by Executive Order 14017 recommended (1) taking a mineral-by-mineral approach to both expand sustainable, environmentally-responsible domestic mining, processing, and recycling of critical minerals; (2) working with partners and allies to diversify international supply chains, recognizing that America’s national and economic security is bolstered through strong alliances, and international coalitions of reliable partners reinforce the security of our supply chains; and (3) developing a faster and fairer domestic process that meets strong environmental and labor standards, ensures meaningful community engagement and consultation with Tribal Nations, and reduces time and cost of permitting.
The Initiative will work through the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment, and leverage ongoing work by the Department of State, to work with partners and allies to strengthen critical mineral supply chains globally, and it will leverage and maximize ongoing efforts throughout the U.S. government to meet resource requirements and bolster energy security.
To further accelerate efforts to secure the supply chain for the critical minerals and materials needed for advanced batteries, this Initiative will coordinate White House and agency attention to implement the President’s critical mineral strategy, align ongoing work on critical mineral supply chains, coordinate community and industry engagement, help guide research, grants, and loans supporting environmentally responsible critical minerals extraction, processing, and recycling, and aid diplomatic efforts to build reliable and sustainable global supply chains. The Initiative will also strengthen federal engagement, partnership, and consultation with the private sector, state, Tribal, and local governments, environmental and environmental justice leaders, and labor unions to more effectively marshal resources, ensure the concerns of Tribes and local communities are heard and addressed earlier in the planning process, and reflect our nation’s commitment to high environmental, social, and labor standards.
White House.gov. 10/19/2022.
Finally, the Initiative will leverage deep, ongoing engagement with international partners and allies to map resources, advance strategic partnerships, diversify global supply chains, and raise international environmental, community, and worker-safety standards for extraction, processing, and recycling. Through this initiative, the Administration is acting on its commitment to build fairly at scale and speed as it executes a modern American industrial strategy.
PRESIDENT BIDEN’S ECONOMIC PLAN IN ACTION
President Biden’s economic plan is about building out the middle class from the bottom up and middle out, lowering costs for working families, and creating good-paying jobs in America. Today’s actions build on President Biden’s historic action to secure critical mineral supply chain for battery manufacturing including:
White House.gov. 10/19/2022.
- Invoking the Defense Production Act to authorize investments to secure American production of critical materials for electric vehicle and stationary storage batteries—lithium, nickel, cobalt, graphite, and manganese—from sustainable mining and processing, as well as unconventional sources such as mine waste and geothermal brine.
- Investing more than $200 million through the Department of Defense in the rare earth supply chain, which is currently controlled by China, to facilitate the re-establishment of an end-to-end American supply chain for rare earth permanent magnets, used in wind turbines and electric vehicle motors, by 2025.
- Issuing a $102 million Department of Energy Loan Program Office loan to Syrah Resources in Vidalia, Louisiana to produce the first domestic battery-grade natural graphite active anode material, a material for which the U.S. is currently 100 percent reliant on China.
- Advancing scientific innovation through a $510.7 million investment from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for the United States Geological Services (USGS) to better map the nation’s mineral resources both still in the ground and in mine wastes, to preserve historical geologic data and samples, and to construct a USGS energy and minerals research center in partnership with the Colorado School of Mines.
- Launching a mining reform effort, led by the Department of the Interior, to make recommendations for improvements necessary to ensure that new production meets strong environmental and community and Tribal engagement standards, while improving the efficiency and outcomes of the permitting process.
- Launching a Permitting Action Plan to strengthen and accelerate Federal permitting and environmental reviews, with a sectoral focus on critical minerals.
- Releasing the National Blueprint for Lithium Batteries, 2021 – 2030 through the Federal Consortium for Advanced Batteries, which aims to put the U.S. on a path to long-term competitiveness in the global battery value chain.
- Launching the Battery Workforce Initiative, led by the Department of Energy in partnership with Department of Labor, to develop industry-recognized training and credentials to support rapid and high-quality workforce development.
- Launching the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment, a whole-of-government initiative coordinated with G7 countries to drive infrastructure investment in low- and middle- income countries in strategic sectors, including the responsible mining of metals and critical minerals, and investing in new global refining, processing, and battery manufacturing sites.
- Establishing the Mineral Security Partnership, which includes Australia, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Sweden, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Commission, to catalyze investment from governments and the private sector for strategic opportunities —across the full value chain —that adhere to the highest environmental, social, and governance standards.
When the post was posted for Tuesday, President Biden had tweeted 3 times. He added 6 tweets giving him a Tuesday Tweeting Total of 9 tweets and 0 retweets.
The tweet text is similar to remarks he gave on Monday on the launching of the student debt relief portal. The YouTube of his remarks can be found here.
President Biden: But I want to be clear who’s going to benefit the most: working people, the middle class. If you earn less than $125,000 a year, you’ll get up to $10,000 knocked off your student debt. If you earn less than $125,000 a year and you received a Pell Grant, you’ll get up to an additional $10,000 knocked off that debt — so $20,000 in relief.
President Biden: Let me be clear: Not a dime will go to those in the top 5 percent of the income bracket. Period.
On Tuesday the Department of Health and Human Services announced new funding:
Today, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), is announcing a new funding opportunity, authorized by the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA), for states to develop and transform Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) to address the country’s mental health crisis. CCBHCs provide crisis services that are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and serve anyone who requests care for mental health or substance use, regardless of their ability to pay.
In addition to the nearly $300 million awarded in September for new and existing CCBHCs, $15 million in additional funding is now being announced for CCBHC planning. This additional round of planning grants kicks off national CCBHC expansion under the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, and will expand access to planning grants for CCBHC’s to all 50 states.
Today’s announcement builds on the progress President Biden has made in his commitment to tackling the country’s mental health crisis by expanding access to mental and behavioral health supports and services – a key priority outlined in his first State of the Union address.
“With these additional funds, we’re delivering on President Biden’s commitment to strengthen mental and behavioral health for all Americans, including people living in our nation’s most vulnerable communities,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra. “Behavioral health is health. Period. There should be no distinction. This investment will bring us closer to that reality.”
The Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Act in 2014, led by Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-Michigan) and Roy Blunt (R-Missouri), transformed the way mental health and addiction services are funded, closing the gap in funding between physical and behavioral health care. The law created CCBHCs, which receive reimbursement through Medicaid for the full cost of services they provide at higher, more competitive rates than community mental health centers currently receive.
“Our mental health care and addiction initiative is a proven success story and is transforming mental health and addiction treatment across our country. Now, every state will be able to join and make sure health care above the neck is funded the same way as health care below the neck. Senator Blunt was a great partner with me in passing the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, and together with the Biden-Harris Administration, our highly successful clinics will begin to reach people in every corner of our country,” said Senator Stabenow.
“Our Excellence in Mental Health demonstration program has shown that treating mental health like all other health is not only the right thing to do, it’s the smart thing to do,” said Senator Blunt. “For too long, emergency rooms and law enforcement have served as the de facto mental health care delivery system in our country. Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics are changing that, helping people get the comprehensive behavioral health care they need, when they need it. Today’s announcement builds on the success we have seen in states that are currently part of the Excellence program, including Missouri and Michigan. I’m grateful for Senator Stabenow’s nearly decade-long partnership in this effort, and the support of the Biden administration. Giving every state the opportunity to be a part of the Excellence program is a huge milestone that will help millions of Americans live longer, healthier, happier lives.”
Ten states, Michigan, Missouri, Kentucky, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon and Pennsylvania, were selected from among 24 states that received one-year planning grants from HHS. States must receive a planning grant in order to apply to be in the demonstration program.
The remaining 40 U.S. states and the District of Columbia are eligible to submit applications for planning grants to develop CCBHCs in their states. In early 2023, up to 15 states will be awarded up to $1 million for one-year planning grants, and from those that submit a successful demonstration application, 10 will be selected to be in the actual CCBHC demonstration, starting in 2024. While 10 states will join the initiative in 2024, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act allows for any state that has completed a planning grant and submits a successful application, to eventually join if they want. The CCBHC planning phase assists states in certifying clinics as CCBHCs, establish prospective payment systems for Medicaid reimbursable services, and prepare an application to participate in a four-year demonstration program.
“Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics are transforming behavioral health systems one community at a time,” said Miriam Delphin-Rittmon, Ph.D., HHS Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use and the leader of SAMHSA. “Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics expand the quality and speed of behavioral health help to those in need.”
“I applaud SAMHSA’s steps to expand access to critical behavioral health services through this funding announcement,” said CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure. “Thanks to the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, we are proud to partner with SAMHSA to expand access to critical behavioral health care.”
Last month, HHS awarded $296.2 million to communities across the U.S. to establish new CCBHCs and improve and advance existing clinics. Approximately $66 million came from American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds intended to address pandemic-related stressors that have increased mental health conditions among Americans. HHS announced this dramatic increase in CCBHC funding earlier this year.
CCBHCs are required to meet federal standards for the range of services that they provide, and they are required to get people into care quickly. The CCBHC model requires crisis services that are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. CCBHCs must also provide routine outpatient care within 10 business days after an initial contact to prevent people from languishing on waiting lists, as well as care that is high quality and that, whenever possible, is evidence based. Equally important, CCBHCs are required to serve anyone who requests care for mental health or substance use, regardless of their ability to pay, place of residence, or age, and they include developmentally appropriate care for children and youth.
Anyone seeking treatment for mental health or substance use issues should call SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 800-662-HELP (4357) or visit findtreatment.samhsa.gov.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.
HHS.gov. 10/18/2022.
President Biden’s full statement:
Today’s announcement of funding to expand Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics is a critical step in helping to expand the availability of evidence-based community mental health services. These clinics are proven to improve health outcomes while lowering costs, by delivering 24/7 mental health and substance use care to millions of Americans, no matter who they are or whether they have ability to pay. Through the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the American Rescue Plan, and funding in this year’s budget, my Administration is working to expand this program to communities that need them most.
Mental health affects all of us, which is why I named tackling the mental health crisis a core pillar of my Unity Agenda. As I outlined in my State of the Union address last March, we can and must do more to transform how we address mental health in America.
In June, I was proud to sign the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which included unprecedented resources to help address mental health needs across our nation, particularly for young people that have been exposed to violence. Over the past few weeks, my Administration has announced the availability of funding that will help grow the pipeline of school-based mental health professionals, expand trauma-informed services in schools, and connect youth in need to mental health experts via telehealth.
In the coming weeks, my Administration will be announcing additional resources to support our heroic mental health workers and help communities strengthen mental health. My Administration remains committed to ensuring that everyone has access to services and support when and where they need them.
White House.gov. 10/18/2022.
The 26 second video snip was taken from his Monday remarks.
President Biden: So, let’s get started. The new student loan application is now open. If you have federal student debt, please visit StudentAid.gov. It’s easy, simple, and fast.
President Biden: You’ll be able to fill out your name, Social Security number, date of birth, and contact information. No forms to upload. No special log-in to remember. It’s available in English and in Spanish, on desktop and mobile. It takes less than five minutes. And if you have any questions, you follow up — we will be able to follow up with you. This is a gamechanger for millions of Americans. We’re getting moving. And it took an incredible amount of effort to get this website done in such a short time.
The above tweet text was taken from his remarks on Friday and Saturday. The YouTubes of his remarks can be found here and here.
From Friday:
President Biden: Now, if Big Pharma tries to raise drug prices faster than inflation, they’re going to have to write a check to Medicare for — to cover the difference. Now, instead of that money going into the pockets of drug companies, it’s going to go into the pockets in the form of lower drug prices in America. (Applause.)
From Saturday:
President Biden: Now, if Big Pharma tries to raise drug prices faster than inflation, they’re going to have to write a check to Medicare to cover the difference. They’re going to not be able to do it. They’re going to cover the difference. And, look, instead of that money going into the pockets of drug companies, it’ll go into your pockets in the form of lower drug prices.
The fact-sheet on the cheaper hearing aids can be found here.
Snip:
- tarting today, Walgreens is selling hearings aids at stores nationwide and online for $799 per pair. According to Walgreens, comparable models sold by specialists range from $2,000 to $8,000 a pair.
- Starting today, CVS will start selling over-the-counter hearing aids on CVS.com, with varying options on model and price point. CVS will also offer hearing aids in select CVS Pharmacy locations beginning in November.
- Starting today, Walmart will offer an assortment of over-the-counter hearing aids on Walmart.com, SamsClub.com, and in over 1,000 Vision Centers in Walmart stores across Colorado, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Texas, as well as 474 Sam’s Club Hearing Aid Center locations. Available products will range in price from $199 to $999 per pair, while according to Walmart, comparable prescription hearing aids are priced at $4,400 to $5,500 per pair.
- Starting this week, Best Buy will offer nearly 20 different hearing devices online. By the end of October, it will offer hearing aids in nearly 300 stores across the country. Devices will range in price between $200 and $3,000.
- Starting this week, Hy-Vee will sell over-the-counter hearing aids online and in 34 locations across Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, and Wisconsin. Hy-Vee plans to offer hearing aids in 100 locations by the end of the year. Hy-Vee will offer four models ranging in price from $499.99 to $999.99.
The 42 second video snip comes from remarks he gave on October 4th 2022 at the second meeting of the Reproductive Rights Taskforce. The YouTube of his remarks can be found here.
President Biden: And, you know, it’s really scary part that, in some states, they’re already succeeding. When the Dobbs decision came down, I said — and Justice Thomas warned us very plainly — that this wouldn’t stop with a woman’s right to choose and it would extend to the right to privacy itself in things like contraception.
President Biden: Folks, what century are we in? I mean, how — what are we doing? I respect everyone’s view on this — personal decisions they make, but, my Lord, we’re talking about contraception here. It shouldn’t be that controversial. And — but that’s — this is what it looks like when you start to take away the right of privacy.
President Biden: And my message to any other college considering enacting policies like this: Don’t. Please don’t. We’re not going to sit by and let Republicans throughout the country enact extreme policies to threaten access to basic healthcare.
President Biden: And I’ve said before, the Court got Roe right nearly 50 years ago and that Congress should codify the protections of Roe and do it once and for all.
President Biden has tweeted…
He has tweeted 2 times so far for Wednesday.
Standard campaign tweet.
From Monday’s remarks.
President Biden: In total, more than 40 million Americans can stand to benefit from this relief, and about 90 percent — 90 percent of that relief is going to go people making less than $75,000 a year. Let me be clear: Not a dime will go to those in the top 5 percent of the income bracket. Period. Now, let’s talk about who is against helping millions of hardworking middle-class Americans. Republican members of Congress and Republican governors are trying to do everything they can to deny this relief, even to their own constituents. As soon as I announced my administration’s student debt plan, they started attacking it, saying all kinds of things. Their outrage is wrong and it’s hypocritical.
President Biden: And despite what the Republican officials say, we can afford — we’re able to afford this student loan relief. It’s because of our historic deficit reduction that Republicans voted against.
This is an Open Thread.
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