Post Politics Now: Biden to sign key bill for Democrats; Cheney expected to lose in Wyoming
Today, President Biden is scheduled to return to Washington briefly to sign the Inflation Reduction Act, a sprawling bill that aims to lower prescription drug costs, address global warming, raise taxes on some billion-dollar corporations and reduce the federal deficit. A year and a half in the making, the legislation gives Democrats something else to tout heading into challenging midterm elections in November. Before Biden departed, the White House announced first lady Jill Biden has tested positive for the coronavirus.
Meanwhile, there is no shortage of drama in primaries playing out Tuesday in Wyoming and Alaska. Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) is expected to lose to a challenger backed by former president Donald Trump. Former Alaska governor Sarah Palin (R) is trying to make a political comeback by winning a special election for a congressional seat. And Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) is expected to be among four candidates to advance to the November election in a field that also includes a Trump-backed challenger.
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This just in: Over-the-counter hearing aids to be available by mid-October
The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday moved to make hearing aids available to consumers to buy over the counter without a prescription or medical exam, a long-awaited goal for nearly 30 million consumers.
The Post’s Eugene Scott and Katie Shepherd have details:
“As early as mid-October, Americans will be able to purchase more affordable hearing aids over the counter at pharmacies and stores across the country,” President Biden said in a statement Tuesday. “This action makes good on my commitment to lower costs for American families, delivering nearly $3,000 in savings to American families for a pair of hearing aids and giving people more choices to improve their health and well-being.”The president called on the FDA to make hearing aids available over the counter last year in his Promoting Competition in the American Economy executive order to help lower costs and increase competition in certain industries.
You can read the full story here.
