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u.s. news Diaranson 17 augustus 2022

Biden signs massive climate and health care legislation

(AP) — President Joe how long or messy the pro- will be to Ohio, where he’ll
Biden signed Democrats’ cess — can still deliver for view the groundbreaking of
landmark climate change voters in America as he road- a semiconductor plant that
and health care bill into tested a line he will likely re- will benefit from the recent
law on Tuesday, deliver- peat later this fall ahead of the law to bolster production of
ing what he has called the midterms: “The American such computer chips. He will
“final piece” of his pared- people won, and the special also stop in Pennsylvania to
down domestic agenda, as interests lost.” promote his administration’s
he aims to boost his party’s plan for safer communities,
standing with voters less “In this historic moment, a visit that had been planned
than three months before Democrats sided with the the same day he tested posi-
the midterm elections. American people, and ev- tive for COVID-19 last
ery single Republican in the month.
The legislation includes the Congress sided with the spe-
most substantial federal in- cial interests in this vote,” “In the coming weeks, the
vestment in history to fight Biden said, repeatedly seizing President will host a Cabinet
climate change — some $375 on the contrast between his Biden signed the bill into of Ukraine and overwhelm- meeting focused on imple-
billion over the decade — party and the GOP. “Every law during a small ceremony ingly supported NATO menting the Inflation Reduc-
and would cap prescription single one.” in the State Dining Room membership for Sweden and tion Act, will travel across
drug costs at $2,000 out-of- of the White House, sand- Finland. the country to highlight how
pocket annually for Medi- The House on Friday ap- wiched between his return the bill will help the Ameri-
care recipients. It also would proved the measure on a from a six-day beachside va- With Biden’s approval rat- can people, and will host an
help an estimated 13 million party-line 220-207 vote. It cation in South Carolina and ing lagging, Democrats are event to celebrate the enact-
Americans pay for health care passed the Senate days earlier his departure for his home in hoping that the string of suc- ment of the bill at the White
insurance by extending sub- with Vice President Kamala Wilmington, Delaware. He cesses will jump-start their House on September 6th,”
sidies provided during the Harris breaking a 50-50 tie in plans to hold a larger “cel- chances of maintaining con- the White House said in a
coronavirus pandemic. that chamber. ebration” for the legislation trol in Washington in the statement.
on Sept. 6 once lawmakers November midterms. The
The measure is paid for by “In normal times, getting return to Washington. 79-year-old president aims to Republicans say the legisla-
new taxes on large companies these bills done would be restore his own standing with tion’s new business taxes
and stepped-up IRS enforce- a huge achievement,” Sen- The signing caps a spurt of voters as he contemplates a will increase prices, worsen-
ment of wealthy individuals ate Majority Leader Chuck legislative productivity for reelection bid. ing the nation’s bout with its
and entities, with additional Schumer, D-N.Y., said dur- Biden and Congress, who in highest inflation since 1981.
funds going to reduce the ing the White House cere- three months have approved The White House announced Though Democrats have la-
federal deficit. mony. “But to do it now, with legislation on veterans’ ben- Monday that it was going to beled the measure the Infla-
only 50 Democratic votes in efits, the semiconductor in- deploy Biden and members tion Reduction Act, nonpar-
In a triumphant signing event the Senate, over an intransi- dustry and gun checks for of his Cabinet on a “Build- tisan analysts say it will have a
at the White House, Biden gent Republican minority, is young buyers. The president ing a Better America Tour” barely perceptible impact on
pointed to the law as proof nothing short of amazing.” and lawmakers have also re- to promote the recent vic- prices.
that democracy — no matter sponded to Russia’s invasion tories. One of Biden’s trips

Lag in slavery reparations from US Jesuits irks descendants

(AP) - Last year, the U.S. Conference of Canada and Reconciliation back on the lion within five years with a the Rev. Arturo Sosa, Stewart
branch of the Jesuits the United States, and the shelf for another 200 years broader goal of reaching $1 called on the Jesuits to act ur-
pledged to raise $100 mil- GU272 Descendants Associ- as voices for ‘reparation’ get billion from an array of do- gently and fund the descen-
lion for a reconciliation ation, which represents those stronger and stronger and nors. The money would pay dants’ trust so racial recon-
initiative in partnership whose ancestors were sold. louder and louder.” for educational opportuni- ciliation grants, scholarships
with descendants of peo- If the partnership falls apart, ties for current and future and care for the elderly could
ple once enslaved by the “the Jesuits leaders of today Their partnership and joint descendants, and the founda- move forward.
Catholic order. On Tues- will effectively betray De- creation of the Descendants tion would oversee fundrais-
day, a leader of those de- scendants today just as the Je- Truth & Reconciliation ing and grant allocation. Stewart suggested the fund-
scendants expressed deep suits of the past betrayed our Foundation was announced ing delay has been caused
dissatisfaction with the ancestors,” Stewart wrote. in March 2021. The Jesuits In his letter to the interna- by the Jesuits’ reluctance to
order’s lack of progress “Jesuits will attempt to put pledged to raise $100 mil- tional religious order’s leader, move about $57 million in
since then. proceeds from 2009 planta-
tion land sales into the trust.
Joseph Stewart, in a publicly In his letter to Sosa, he urged
released letter to the head of the sale of remaining plan-
the order, contends the Jesu- tation lands and depositing
its have failed to uphold their those proceeds by Christmas.
side of the partnership with Stewart also laid out an in-
the urgency the circumstanc- cremental, multiyear fund-
es demand. Stewart and other ing timeline that starts with a
descendants are the progeny $100 million deposit by July
of 272 enslaved men, women 2023 and finishes with a $1
and children sold in 1838 by billion addition by July 2029.
the Jesuit owners of George-
town University to Louisiana “Fundraising alone has not
plantation owners to pay off produced sufficient resourc-
the school’s debts. es to make the foundation ef-
fective and to begin deliver-
The Jesuits “are in a state of ing on the promise,” Stewart
disillusionment,” Stewart told The Associated Press. “It
wrote, warning of the possi- has not derailed the initiative,
ble disintegration of the part- but it’s just going too slow.
nership between the Jesuit We need to accelerate it.”