WASHINGTON (AP) — The Food and Drug Administration on Friday paved the way for children ages 5 to 11 to get Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine.

The FDA cleared kid-size doses — just a third of the amount given to teens and adults — for emergency use, and up to 28 million more American children could be eligible for vaccinations as early as next week.

One more regulatory hurdle remains: On Tuesday, advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will make more detailed recommendations on which youngsters should get vaccinated, with a final decision by the agency’s director expected shortly afterwards.

“Vaccinating younger children against COVID-19 will bring us closer to returning to a sense of normalcy,” Dr. Janet Woodcock, the acting FDA commissioner, said in a statement. “Our comprehensive and rigorous evaluation of the data pertaining to the vaccine’s safety and effectiveness should help assure parents and guardians that this vaccine meets our high standards.”

A few countries have begun using other COVID-19 vaccines in children under 12, including China, which just began vaccinations for 3-year-olds. But many that use the vaccine made by Pfizer and its partner BioNTech are watching the U.S. decision, and European regulators just began considering the companies’ kid-size doses

With FDA’s action, Pfizer plans to begin shipping millions of vials of the pediatric vaccine — in orange caps to avoid mix-ups with the purple-capped doses for everyone else — to doctors’ offices, pharmacies and other vaccination sites. Once the CDC issues its ruling, eligible kids will get two shots, three weeks apart.

While children are at lower risk of severe illness or death from COVID-19 than older people, 5- to 11-year-olds still have been seriously affected -- including over 8,300 hospitalizations, about a third requiring intensive care, and nearly 100 deaths since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, according to the FDA.

And with the extra-contagious delta variant circulating, the government has counted more than 2,000 coronavirus-related school closings just since the start of the school year, affecting more than a million children.

“With this vaccine kids can go back to something that’s better than being locked at home on remote schooling, not being able to see their friends,” said Dr. Kawsar Talaat of Johns Hopkins University. “The vaccine will protect them and also protect our communities.”

Earlier this week, FDA’s independent scientific advisers voted that the pediatric vaccine’s promised benefits outweigh any risks. But several panelists said not all youngsters will need to be vaccinated, and that they preferred the shots be targeted to those at higher risk from the virus.

Nearly 70% of 5- to 11-year-olds hospitalized for COVID-19 in the U.S. have other serious medical conditions, including asthma and obesity, according to federal tracking. Additionally, more than two-thirds of youngsters hospitalized are Black or Hispanic, mirroring long-standing disparities in the disease’s impact.

The question of how broadly Pfizer’s vaccine should be used will be a key consideration for the CDC and its advisers, who set formal recommendations for pediatricians and other medical professionals.

A Pfizer study of 2,268 schoolchildren found the vaccine was nearly 91% effective at preventing symptomatic COVID-19 infections, based on 16 cases of COVID-19 among kids given dummy shots compared to just three who got vaccinated.

The kid dosage also proved safe, with similar or fewer temporary reactions — such as sore arms, fever or achiness — that teens experience.

But the study wasn’t large enough to detect any extremely rare side effects, such as the heart inflammation that occasionally occurs after the second full-strength dose, mostly in young men and teen boys. It’s unclear if younger children getting a smaller dose also will face that rare risk.

Some parents are expected to vaccinate their children ahead of family holiday gatherings and the winter cold season.

But a recent Kaiser Family Foundation survey suggests most parents won’t rush to get the shots. About 25% of parents polled earlier this month said they would get their children vaccinated “right away.” But the remaining majority of parents were roughly split between those who said they will to wait to see how the vaccine performs and those who said they “definitely” won’t have their children vaccinated.

The similarly made Moderna vaccine also is being studied in young children, and both Pfizer and Moderna also are testing shots for babies and preschoolers.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635537216378.png" alt="The children's doze of the vaccine has an orange cap-photo courtesy Pfizer" />
 <figcaption>The children's doze of the vaccine has an orange cap-photo courtesy Pfizer</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Food and Drug Administration on Friday paved the way for children ages 5 to 11 to get Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine.The FDA cleared kid-size doses — just a third of the amount given to teens and adults — for emergency use, and up to 28 million more American children could be eligible for vaccinations as early as next week.One more regulatory hurdle remains: On Tuesday, advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will make more detailed recommendations on which youngsters should get vaccinated, with a final decision by the agency’s director expected shortly afterwards.“Vaccinating younger children against COVID-19 will bring us closer to returning to a sense of normalcy,” Dr. Janet Woodcock, the acting FDA commissioner, said in a statement. “Our comprehensive and rigorous evaluation of the data pertaining to the vaccine’s safety and effectiveness should help assure parents and guardians that this vaccine meets our high standards.”A few countries have begun using other COVID-19 vaccines in children under 12, including China, which just began vaccinations for 3-year-olds. But many that use the vaccine made by Pfizer and its partner BioNTech are watching the U.S. decision, and European regulators just began considering the companies’ kid-size dosesWith FDA’s action, Pfizer plans to begin shipping millions of vials of the pediatric vaccine — in orange caps to avoid mix-ups with the purple-capped doses for everyone else — to doctors’ offices, pharmacies and other vaccination sites. Once the CDC issues its ruling, eligible kids will get two shots, three weeks apart.While children are at lower risk of severe illness or death from COVID-19 than older people, 5- to 11-year-olds still have been seriously affected -- including over 8,300 hospitalizations, about a third requiring intensive care, and nearly 100 deaths since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, according to the FDA.And with the extra-contagious delta variant circulating, the government has counted more than 2,000 coronavirus-related school closings just since the start of the school year, affecting more than a million children.“With this vaccine kids can go back to something that’s better than being locked at home on remote schooling, not being able to see their friends,” said Dr. Kawsar Talaat of Johns Hopkins University. “The vaccine will protect them and also protect our communities.”Earlier this week, FDA’s independent scientific advisers voted that the pediatric vaccine’s promised benefits outweigh any risks. But several panelists said not all youngsters will need to be vaccinated, and that they preferred the shots be targeted to those at higher risk from the virus.Nearly 70% of 5- to 11-year-olds hospitalized for COVID-19 in the U.S. have other serious medical conditions, including asthma and obesity, according to federal tracking. Additionally, more than two-thirds of youngsters hospitalized are Black or Hispanic, mirroring long-standing disparities in the disease’s impact.The question of how broadly Pfizer’s vaccine should be used will be a key consideration for the CDC and its advisers, who set formal recommendations for pediatricians and other medical professionals.A Pfizer study of 2,268 schoolchildren found the vaccine was nearly 91% effective at preventing symptomatic COVID-19 infections, based on 16 cases of COVID-19 among kids given dummy shots compared to just three who got vaccinated.The kid dosage also proved safe, with similar or fewer temporary reactions — such as sore arms, fever or achiness — that teens experience.But the study wasn’t large enough to detect any extremely rare side effects, such as the heart inflammation that occasionally occurs after the second full-strength dose, mostly in young men and teen boys. It’s unclear if younger children getting a smaller dose also will face that rare risk.Some parents are expected to vaccinate their children ahead of family holiday gatherings and the winter cold season.But a recent Kaiser Family Foundation survey suggests most parents won’t rush to get the shots. About 25% of parents polled earlier this month said they would get their children vaccinated “right away.” But the remaining majority of parents were roughly split between those who said they will to wait to see how the vaccine performs and those who said they “definitely” won’t have their children vaccinated.The similarly made Moderna vaccine also is being studied in young children, and both Pfizer and Moderna also are testing shots for babies and preschoolers.___

COVID vaccine is one step closer for 5 to 11-year-old kids

ROME —President Joe Biden and Pope Francis wrapped up their meeting at the Vatican Friday. The one-on-one meeting between the world's two most notable Roman Catholics started at noon and lasted about 75 minutes, an unusually long time for an audience with the pontiff.&nbsp;

During their visit, President Biden thanked His Holiness for his advocacy for the world’s poor and those suffering from hunger, conflict, and persecution, according to a statement from the White House. He lauded Pope Francis’ leadership in fighting the climate crisis, as well as his advocacy to ensure the pandemic ends for everyone through vaccine sharing and an equitable global economic recovery.&nbsp;

 Biden says abortion did not come up in the meeting. But the president says the pontiff told him he should continue to receive Communion, despite calls from conservatives Catholics to deny Biden the sacrament over his stance on abortion. Speaking to reporters after his private audience with the pope, Biden said Francis told him “He was happy I’m a good Catholic” and that he should “keep receiving Communion.”

After an audience with His Holiness, President Biden met Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Parolin. The President thanked Cardinal Parolin for the Vatican’s active leadership in fighting the climate crisis— both through advocacy and encouraging the climate neutrality of hundreds of Christian organizations worldwide. 

The leaders discussed efforts to rally global support for vaccinating the developing world against COVID-19. President Biden thanked the Vatican for speaking out on behalf of the wrongfully detained, including in Venezuela and Cuba. The leaders committed to continue using their voices to advocate for personal and religious freedoms world-wide, according to the White House.&nbsp;

-The Associated Press contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635514031020.png" alt="First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, President Joe Biden and Pope Francis during their Friday visit-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, President Joe Biden and Pope Francis during their Friday visit-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>ROME —President Joe Biden and Pope Francis wrapped up their meeting at the Vatican Friday. The one-on-one meeting between the world's two most notable Roman Catholics started at noon and lasted about 75 minutes, an unusually long time for an audience with the pontiff.&nbsp;During their visit, President Biden thanked His Holiness for his advocacy for the world’s poor and those suffering from hunger, conflict, and persecution, according to a statement from the White House. He lauded Pope Francis’ leadership in fighting the climate crisis, as well as his advocacy to ensure the pandemic ends for everyone through vaccine sharing and an equitable global economic recovery.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635513708354.png" alt="President Biden, a translator and Pope Francis on Friday at the Vatican-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>President Biden, a translator and Pope Francis on Friday at the Vatican-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure> Biden says abortion did not come up in the meeting. But the president says the pontiff told him he should continue to receive Communion, despite calls from conservatives Catholics to deny Biden the sacrament over his stance on abortion. Speaking to reporters after his private audience with the pope, Biden said Francis told him “He was happy I’m a good Catholic” and that he should “keep receiving Communion.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Biden on whether the issue of abortion came up during his meeting with Pope Francis: &quot;No, it didn&#39;t … We just talked about the fact he was happy I was a good Catholic and I should keep receiving communion.&quot;<a href="https://t.co/opHdwuWcbj">https://t.co/opHdwuWcbj</a> <a href="https://t.co/8XWTGXv3ah">pic.twitter.com/8XWTGXv3ah</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1454110513848270854?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 29, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>After an audience with His Holiness, President Biden met Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Parolin. The President thanked Cardinal Parolin for the Vatican’s active leadership in fighting the climate crisis— both through advocacy and encouraging the climate neutrality of hundreds of Christian organizations worldwide. The leaders discussed efforts to rally global support for vaccinating the developing world against COVID-19. President Biden thanked the Vatican for speaking out on behalf of the wrongfully detained, including in Venezuela and Cuba. The leaders committed to continue using their voices to advocate for personal and religious freedoms world-wide, according to the White House.&nbsp;-The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Pres. Biden, Pope discuss Communion during lengthy meeting

ROOKS COUNTY, Kan.—A Nebraska man was injured in an accident just before 11p.m. Thursday in Rooks County, Kansas.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2002 Chevy Tahoe driven by&nbsp; Cordell Anthony Stover, 35, Cambridge, Nebraska, was&nbsp; northbound on U.S. 183 three miles north of K-18.

The driver&nbsp; lost control of the SUV. It crossed over the southbound lanes, entered the west ditch, struck the farm entrance to a field, went airborne, rolled and the driver was ejected from the vehicle.

EMS transported Stover to the hospital in Plainville. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

ROOKS COUNTY, Kan.—A Nebraska man was injured in an accident just before 11p.m. Thursday in Rooks County, Kansas.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2002 Chevy Tahoe driven by&nbsp; Cordell Anthony Stover, 35, Cambridge, Nebraska, was&nbsp; northbound on U.S. 183 three miles north of K-18.The driver&nbsp; lost control of the SUV. It crossed over the southbound lanes, entered the west ditch, struck the farm entrance to a field, went airborne, rolled and the driver was ejected from the vehicle.EMS transported Stover to the hospital in Plainville. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

Nebraska man hospitalized after ejected when SUV rolls

WASHINGTON — On Monday, November 1, the Internal Revenue Service will
 launch a new feature allowing any family receiving monthly Child Tax 
Credit payments to update their income using the Child Tax Credit Update
 Portal (CTC UP), found exclusively on IRS.gov.

To help families plan ahead, the IRS also announced today that in 
late November it will launch a new Spanish-language version of the CTC 
UP.

The IRS urges families to enter any significant income changes by 
midnight on November 1 in order for them to be reflected in their 
November payment, scheduled for November 15. If a family is unable to 
make the changes on November 1, enter them by November 29 so they are 
reflected in the December payment. Once the update is made, the IRS will
 adjust the remaining payment amounts to ensure people receive the total
 advance payment for the year. For married couples, if one spouse makes 
the income update, it will apply to both spouses and could impact both 
spouses' future monthly advance payments of the Child Tax Credit.

The new income feature can help families make sure they are getting 
the right amount of advance Child Tax Credit payments during 2021. For 
that reason, it will be especially useful to any family who wants to 
raise or lower their monthly payments because their 2021 income has 
risen or fallen substantially, compared to 2020.

In many, but not all, cases a big income swing can either raise or 
lower a family's monthly payments. Normally, this means that small 
changes in income will not impact the payment amount and need not be 
entered into the CTC UP.

Any change to the monthly payment amount will be reflected in both 
the November 15 and December 15 payments, but only if a person completes
 their updated income request before midnight Eastern Time on Monday, 
November 1. Changes made after that date, but before midnight on 
November 29, will only impact the December 15 payment, which is the last
 scheduled monthly payment for 2021. The IRS will adjust the payment 
amount to reflect these changes and ensure people receive their total 
advance payment for the year of up to $1,800 for each child under age 6 
and up to $1,500 for each child ages 6 through 17.

In some cases, families who are currently receiving monthly payments 
that are below the maximum may qualify to have their payments increased.
 This could happen if, for example, they experienced job loss during 
2021, or for some other reason are receiving substantially less income 
this year. If the reduction in income is large enough, reporting that 
change now may increase the amount of their advance CTC payments for the
 rest of this year.

For any family already receiving the maximum payment, a drop in 
income will not increase the payment amount. Normally, the maximum CTC 
payment is $300 per month for each qualifying child, under the age of 6,
 and $250 per month for each child, ages 6 to 17.

Most families are receiving half of the total CTC through monthly 
payments. This means that any changes entered into the CTC UP will 
increase or decrease their monthly payments to ensure they receive half 
of their total expected credit before the end of 2021. They will claim 
the remaining portion on their 2021 tax return.

Any family whose income rose substantially in 2021 should consider 
having their payments reduced. This is especially true if they are now 
receiving the maximum monthly payment, and they expect to qualify for 
less than the full credit when they file their 2021 federal income tax 
return. For more information on calculating the CTC, see Topic C of the 
agency's <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/2021-child-tax-credit-and-advance-child-tax-credit-payments-frequently-asked-questions">Frequently Asked Questions</a>. In particular, where a family qualifies to receive less than the full amount, see <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/2021-child-tax-credit-and-advance-child-tax-credit-payments-topic-c-calculation-of-the-2021-child-tax-credit#qc4">QC 4</a> &amp;&nbsp; <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/2021-child-tax-credit-and-advance-child-tax-credit-payments-topic-c-calculation-of-the-2021-child-tax-credit#qc5">QC 5</a>.

Using the portal to report income changes

Only families who are already eligible for and receiving advance CTC 
payments based on their 2020 tax return can use the CTC UP to update 
their income. Note that someone who filed a joint return for 2020 can 
only update their income if they plan to file a joint return for 2021 
with the same spouse. IRS representatives cannot process income changes 
over the phone or at Taxpayer Assistance Centers.

After an income update is completed, the Update Portal will 
acknowledge a change was made but will not display the change. Likewise,
 IRS representatives won't be able to confirm that an update was made.

It's not too late for low-income families to sign up for advance CTC payments.

The IRS urged any family not already receiving payments who normally 
isn't required to file a tax return to explore the tools available 
through IRS.gov. These tools can help determine eligibility for the 
advance CTC or help them file a simplified tax return to sign up for 
these payments as well as Economic Impact Payments and the Recovery 
Rebate Credit.

The deadline to sign up is November 15, 2021. People can get these 
benefits, even if they don't work and even if they receive no income.

Families who sign up will normally receive half of their total Child 
Tax Credit on December 15. This means a payment of up to $1,800 for each
 child, under 6, and up to $1,500 for each child, ages 6 to 17.

Early in 2022, families will receive Letter 6419 documenting any 
advance payments issued to them during 2021 and the number of qualifying
 children used to calculate the advance payments. This letter can help 
them accurately reconcile the advance CTC payments they have received 
and claim any remaining portion of the CTC when completing their 2021 
federal income tax return next year.

The income change feature joins a growing set of services available 
through CTC UP. Available only on IRS.gov, the portal already allows 
families to verify their eligibility for the payments and then, if they 
choose to:

The IRS has created a special Advance Child Tax Credit 2021 page 
designed to provide the most up-to-date information about the credit and
 the advance payments. It's at <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/advance-child-tax-credit-payments-in-2021">IRS.gov/childtaxcredit2021</a>.

The agency encourages partners and community groups to share 
information and use available online tools and toolkits to help 
non-filers, low-income families and other underserved groups sign up. 
People can check their eligibility by using the advance Child Tax Credit
 Eligibility Assistant.

The webpage features a set of <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/2021-child-tax-credit-and-advance-child-tax-credit-payments-frequently-asked-questions">frequently asked questions</a> and a user guide for the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p5549.pdf">Child Tax Credit Update Portal (Publication 5549)</a>&nbsp;PDF.
 It also provides direct links to the portal, as well as two other 
online tools – the Non-Filer Sign Up Tool and the Child Tax Credit 
Eligibility Assistant – and other useful resources.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — On Monday, November 1, the Internal Revenue Service will
 launch a new feature allowing any family receiving monthly Child Tax 
Credit payments to update their income using the Child Tax Credit Update
 Portal (CTC UP), found exclusively on IRS.gov.To help families plan ahead, the IRS also announced today that in 
late November it will launch a new Spanish-language version of the CTC 
UP.The IRS urges families to enter any significant income changes by 
midnight on November 1 in order for them to be reflected in their 
November payment, scheduled for November 15. If a family is unable to 
make the changes on November 1, enter them by November 29 so they are 
reflected in the December payment. Once the update is made, the IRS will
 adjust the remaining payment amounts to ensure people receive the total
 advance payment for the year. For married couples, if one spouse makes 
the income update, it will apply to both spouses and could impact both 
spouses' future monthly advance payments of the Child Tax Credit.<h2>Income feature right for some&nbsp;</h2>The new income feature can help families make sure they are getting 
the right amount of advance Child Tax Credit payments during 2021. For 
that reason, it will be especially useful to any family who wants to 
raise or lower their monthly payments because their 2021 income has 
risen or fallen substantially, compared to 2020.In many, but not all, cases a big income swing can either raise or 
lower a family's monthly payments. Normally, this means that small 
changes in income will not impact the payment amount and need not be 
entered into the CTC UP.Any change to the monthly payment amount will be reflected in both 
the November 15 and December 15 payments, but only if a person completes
 their updated income request before midnight Eastern Time on Monday, 
November 1. Changes made after that date, but before midnight on 
November 29, will only impact the December 15 payment, which is the last
 scheduled monthly payment for 2021. The IRS will adjust the payment 
amount to reflect these changes and ensure people receive their total 
advance payment for the year of up to $1,800 for each child under age 6 
and up to $1,500 for each child ages 6 through 17.<h2>Who qualifies for a bigger payment</h2>In some cases, families who are currently receiving monthly payments 
that are below the maximum may qualify to have their payments increased.
 This could happen if, for example, they experienced job loss during 
2021, or for some other reason are receiving substantially less income 
this year. If the reduction in income is large enough, reporting that 
change now may increase the amount of their advance CTC payments for the
 rest of this year.For any family already receiving the maximum payment, a drop in 
income will not increase the payment amount. Normally, the maximum CTC 
payment is $300 per month for each qualifying child, under the age of 6,
 and $250 per month for each child, ages 6 to 17.Most families are receiving half of the total CTC through monthly 
payments. This means that any changes entered into the CTC UP will 
increase or decrease their monthly payments to ensure they receive half 
of their total expected credit before the end of 2021. They will claim 
the remaining portion on their 2021 tax return.<h2>Who should have their payments reduced</h2>Any family whose income rose substantially in 2021 should consider 
having their payments reduced. This is especially true if they are now 
receiving the maximum monthly payment, and they expect to qualify for 
less than the full credit when they file their 2021 federal income tax 
return. For more information on calculating the CTC, see Topic C of the 
agency's <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/2021-child-tax-credit-and-advance-child-tax-credit-payments-frequently-asked-questions">Frequently Asked Questions</a>. In particular, where a family qualifies to receive less than the full amount, see <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/2021-child-tax-credit-and-advance-child-tax-credit-payments-topic-c-calculation-of-the-2021-child-tax-credit#qc4">QC 4</a> &amp;&nbsp; <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/2021-child-tax-credit-and-advance-child-tax-credit-payments-topic-c-calculation-of-the-2021-child-tax-credit#qc5">QC 5</a>.<h2>Using the portal to report income changes</h2>Only families who are already eligible for and receiving advance CTC 
payments based on their 2020 tax return can use the CTC UP to update 
their income. Note that someone who filed a joint return for 2020 can 
only update their income if they plan to file a joint return for 2021 
with the same spouse. IRS representatives cannot process income changes 
over the phone or at Taxpayer Assistance Centers.After an income update is completed, the Update Portal will 
acknowledge a change was made but will not display the change. Likewise,
 IRS representatives won't be able to confirm that an update was made.<h2>Low-income families can still sign up</h2>It's not too late for low-income families to sign up for advance CTC payments.The IRS urged any family not already receiving payments who normally 
isn't required to file a tax return to explore the tools available 
through IRS.gov. These tools can help determine eligibility for the 
advance CTC or help them file a simplified tax return to sign up for 
these payments as well as Economic Impact Payments and the Recovery 
Rebate Credit.The deadline to sign up is November 15, 2021. People can get these 
benefits, even if they don't work and even if they receive no income.Families who sign up will normally receive half of their total Child 
Tax Credit on December 15. This means a payment of up to $1,800 for each
 child, under 6, and up to $1,500 for each child, ages 6 to 17.<h2>Get ready to file next year</h2>Early in 2022, families will receive Letter 6419 documenting any 
advance payments issued to them during 2021 and the number of qualifying
 children used to calculate the advance payments. This letter can help 
them accurately reconcile the advance CTC payments they have received 
and claim any remaining portion of the CTC when completing their 2021 
federal income tax return next year.The income change feature joins a growing set of services available 
through CTC UP. Available only on IRS.gov, the portal already allows 
families to verify their eligibility for the payments and then, if they 
choose to:<ul>
 <li>Switch from receiving a paper check to direct deposit;</li><li>Change the account where their payment is direct deposited;</li><li>Update their address or</li><li>Stop monthly payments for the rest of 2021.</li>
 </ul><h2>Latest information available on IRS.gov</h2>The IRS has created a special Advance Child Tax Credit 2021 page 
designed to provide the most up-to-date information about the credit and
 the advance payments. It's at <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/advance-child-tax-credit-payments-in-2021">IRS.gov/childtaxcredit2021</a>.The agency encourages partners and community groups to share 
information and use available online tools and toolkits to help 
non-filers, low-income families and other underserved groups sign up. 
People can check their eligibility by using the advance Child Tax Credit
 Eligibility Assistant.The webpage features a set of <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/2021-child-tax-credit-and-advance-child-tax-credit-payments-frequently-asked-questions">frequently asked questions</a> and a user guide for the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p5549.pdf">Child Tax Credit Update Portal (Publication 5549)</a>&nbsp;PDF.
 It also provides direct links to the portal, as well as two other 
online tools – the Non-Filer Sign Up Tool and the Child Tax Credit 
Eligibility Assistant – and other useful resources.

Deadline for income change reporting for Child Tax Credit looming

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden announced Thursday that he and Democrats in Congress have reached a “historic” framework for his sweeping domestic policy package. But he still needs to lock down votes from key colleagues for what’s now a dramatically scaled-back bill.

Eager to have a deal in hand before his departure late in the day for global summits, Biden made his case privately on Capitol Hill to House Democrats and publicly in a speech at the White House. He’s now pressing for a still-robust package — $1.75 trillion of social services and climate change programs — that the White House believes can pass the 50-50 Senate.

The fast-moving developments put Democrats closer to a hard-fought deal, but battles remain as they press to finish the final draft in the days and weeks ahead.

“Let’s get this done,” Biden exhorted.

“It will fundamentally change the lives of millions of people for the better,” he said about the package, which he badly wanted before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/climate-joe-biden-business-rome-scotland-30c46a7eda7f8549d12fd70bd264b4f3">the summits</a>&nbsp;to show the world American democracy still works.

Together with a nearly $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill, Biden claimed the infusion of federal investments would be a domestic achievement modeled on those of Franklin Roosevelt and Lyndon Johnson.

“I need your votes,” Biden told the lawmakers at the Capitol, according to a person who requested anonymity to discuss the private remarks.

But final votes will not be called for some time. The revised package has lost&nbsp;<a href="https://pronto.associatedpress.com/web/stories/details/60a1bc276d0ab8eb3e0347fc54ee8c2c.12.13.json?type=tab" target="_blank">some top priorities,&nbsp;</a>frustrating many lawmakers as the president’s ambitions make way for the political realities of the narrowly divided Congress.

Paid family leave and efforts to lower prescription drug pricing are now gone entirely from the package, drawing outrage from some lawmakers and advocates.

Still in the mix, a long list of other priorities: free prekindergarten for all youngsters, expanded health care programs — including the launch of a new $35 billion hearing aid benefit for people with Medicare — and $555 billion to tackle climate change.

There’s also a one-year extension of a child care tax credit that was put in place during the COVID-19 rescue and new child care subsidies. An additional $100 billion to bolster the immigration and border processing system could boost the overall package to $1.85 trillion if it clears Senate rules.

One pivotal Democratic holdout, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, said, “I look forward to getting this done.”

However, another, Joe Manchin of West Virginia, was less committal: “This is all in the hands of the House right now.”

The two Democrats have almost single-handedly reduced the size and scope of their party’s big vision, and are crucial to sealing the deal.

Republicans remain overwhelmingly opposed, forcing Biden to rely on the Democrats’ narrow majority in Congress with no votes to spare in the Senate and few in the House.

Taking form after months of negotiations, Biden’s emerging bill would still be among the most sweeping of its kind in a generation, modeled on New Deal and Great Society programs. The White House calls it the largest-ever investment in climate change and the biggest improvement to the nation’s healthcare system in more than a decade.

In his meeting with lawmakers at the Capitol, Biden made clear how important it was to show progress as he headed to the summits.

“We are at an inflection point,” he said. “The rest of the world wonders whether we can function.”

With U.S. elections on the horizon, he said it’s not “hyperbole to say that the House and Senate majorities and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/climate-joe-biden-business-health-d14c1764e3967c36d29d93ff7ff4bb72">my presidency will be determined by what happens in the next week.”</a>

At one point, Biden “asked for a spirited, enthusiastic vote on his plan,” said Rep. Richard Neal, D-Mass.

Twice over the course of the hour-long meeting Democratic lawmakers rose to their feet and started yelling: “Vote, vote, vote,” said Rep. Gerald Connolly of Virginia.

Biden’s proposal would be paid for by imposing a new 5% surtax on income over $10 million a year, and instituting a new 15% corporate minimum tax, keeping with his plans to have no new taxes on those earning less than $400,000 a year, officials said. A special “billionaires tax” was not included.

Revenue to help pay for the package would also come from rolling back some of the Trump administration’s 2017 tax cuts, along with stepped-up enforcement of tax-dodgers by the IRS. Biden has vowed to cover the entire cost of the plan, ensuring it does not pile onto the debt load.

With the framework being converted to a 1,600-page legislative text for review, lawmakers and aides cautioned it had not yet been agreed to.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., the progressive leader, said her caucus endorsed the framework, even as progressive lawmakers worked to delay further action. “We want to see the actual text because we don’t want any confusion and misunderstandings,” she said.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Biden asked the House to vote on the related $1 trillion infrastructure bill, which already cleared the Senate but became tangled in deliberations over the broader bill. But Jayapal said she did not hear an urgent request from him, which emboldened progressives to halt the hoped-for Thursday vote.

“When the president gets off that plane we want him to have a vote of confidence from this Congress,” Pelosi told lawmakers, the person at the private meeting said.

But no votes were scheduled. Progressives have been withholding their support for the roads-and-bridges bill as leverage until they have a commitment that Manchin, Sinema and the other senators are ready to vote on Biden’s bigger package.

“Hell no,” said Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., about allowing the smaller infrastructure bill to pass.

Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., shared her own story of making “pennies” at low-wage work, struggling to afford child care and wanting to ensure constituents have better.

“We need both bills to ride together. And we don’t have that right now,” Bush said. “I feel a bit bamboozled because this was not what I thought was coming today.”

Instead, Congress approved an extension to Dec. 3 of Sunday’s deadline for routine transportation funds that were at risk of expiring without the infrastructure bill.

The two holdout Democratic senators now hold enormous power, essentially deciding whether Biden will be able to deliver on the Democrats’ major campaign promises.

Sinema has been instrumental in pushing her party off a promise to undo the Republicans’ 2017 tax cuts. And Manchin’s resistance forced serious cutbacks to a clean energy plan, the elimination of paid family leave and the imposition of work requirements for parents receiving the new child care subsidies.

At the same time, progressives achieved one key priority — Vermont Independent Bernie Sanders’ proposal to provide hearing aid benefits for people on Medicare. However, his ideas to also include dental and vision care were left out.

Other expanded health care programs build on the Affordable Care Act by funding subsidies to help people buy insurance policies and coverage in states that declined the Obamacare program.

Overall, the new package also sets up political battles in future years. The enhanced child care tax credit expires alongside next year’s midterm elections, while much of the health care funding will expire in 2025, ensuring a campaign issue ahead of the next presidential election.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635428977074.png" alt="President Biden arrived on Capitol Hill Thursday morning in an attempt to rally members of his party to support his $1.75T plan" />
 <figcaption>President Biden arrived on Capitol Hill Thursday morning in an attempt to rally members of his party to support his $1.75T plan</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden announced Thursday that he and Democrats in Congress have reached a “historic” framework for his sweeping domestic policy package. But he still needs to lock down votes from key colleagues for what’s now a dramatically scaled-back bill.Eager to have a deal in hand before his departure late in the day for global summits, Biden made his case privately on Capitol Hill to House Democrats and publicly in a speech at the White House. He’s now pressing for a still-robust package — $1.75 trillion of social services and climate change programs — that the White House believes can pass the 50-50 Senate.The fast-moving developments put Democrats closer to a hard-fought deal, but battles remain as they press to finish the final draft in the days and weeks ahead.“Let’s get this done,” Biden exhorted.“It will fundamentally change the lives of millions of people for the better,” he said about the package, which he badly wanted before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/climate-joe-biden-business-rome-scotland-30c46a7eda7f8549d12fd70bd264b4f3">the summits</a>&nbsp;to show the world American democracy still works.Together with a nearly $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill, Biden claimed the infusion of federal investments would be a domestic achievement modeled on those of Franklin Roosevelt and Lyndon Johnson.“I need your votes,” Biden told the lawmakers at the Capitol, according to a person who requested anonymity to discuss the private remarks.But final votes will not be called for some time. The revised package has lost&nbsp;<a href="https://pronto.associatedpress.com/web/stories/details/60a1bc276d0ab8eb3e0347fc54ee8c2c.12.13.json?type=tab" target="_blank">some top priorities,&nbsp;</a>frustrating many lawmakers as the president’s ambitions make way for the political realities of the narrowly divided Congress.Paid family leave and efforts to lower prescription drug pricing are now gone entirely from the package, drawing outrage from some lawmakers and advocates.Still in the mix, a long list of other priorities: free prekindergarten for all youngsters, expanded health care programs — including the launch of a new $35 billion hearing aid benefit for people with Medicare — and $555 billion to tackle climate change.There’s also a one-year extension of a child care tax credit that was put in place during the COVID-19 rescue and new child care subsidies. An additional $100 billion to bolster the immigration and border processing system could boost the overall package to $1.85 trillion if it clears Senate rules.One pivotal Democratic holdout, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, said, “I look forward to getting this done.”However, another, Joe Manchin of West Virginia, was less committal: “This is all in the hands of the House right now.”The two Democrats have almost single-handedly reduced the size and scope of their party’s big vision, and are crucial to sealing the deal.Republicans remain overwhelmingly opposed, forcing Biden to rely on the Democrats’ narrow majority in Congress with no votes to spare in the Senate and few in the House.Taking form after months of negotiations, Biden’s emerging bill would still be among the most sweeping of its kind in a generation, modeled on New Deal and Great Society programs. The White House calls it the largest-ever investment in climate change and the biggest improvement to the nation’s healthcare system in more than a decade.In his meeting with lawmakers at the Capitol, Biden made clear how important it was to show progress as he headed to the summits.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635435981999.png" alt="Revenue to help pay for the package would also come from rolling back some of the Trump administration’s 2017 tax cuts-photo courtesy White House&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Revenue to help pay for the package would also come from rolling back some of the Trump administration’s 2017 tax cuts-photo courtesy White House&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>“We are at an inflection point,” he said. “The rest of the world wonders whether we can function.”With U.S. elections on the horizon, he said it’s not “hyperbole to say that the House and Senate majorities and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/climate-joe-biden-business-health-d14c1764e3967c36d29d93ff7ff4bb72">my presidency will be determined by what happens in the next week.”</a>At one point, Biden “asked for a spirited, enthusiastic vote on his plan,” said Rep. Richard Neal, D-Mass.Twice over the course of the hour-long meeting Democratic lawmakers rose to their feet and started yelling: “Vote, vote, vote,” said Rep. Gerald Connolly of Virginia.Biden’s proposal would be paid for by imposing a new 5% surtax on income over $10 million a year, and instituting a new 15% corporate minimum tax, keeping with his plans to have no new taxes on those earning less than $400,000 a year, officials said. A special “billionaires tax” was not included.Revenue to help pay for the package would also come from rolling back some of the Trump administration’s 2017 tax cuts, along with stepped-up enforcement of tax-dodgers by the IRS. Biden has vowed to cover the entire cost of the plan, ensuring it does not pile onto the debt load.With the framework being converted to a 1,600-page legislative text for review, lawmakers and aides cautioned it had not yet been agreed to.Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., the progressive leader, said her caucus endorsed the framework, even as progressive lawmakers worked to delay further action. “We want to see the actual text because we don’t want any confusion and misunderstandings,” she said.House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Biden asked the House to vote on the related $1 trillion infrastructure bill, which already cleared the Senate but became tangled in deliberations over the broader bill. But Jayapal said she did not hear an urgent request from him, which emboldened progressives to halt the hoped-for Thursday vote.“When the president gets off that plane we want him to have a vote of confidence from this Congress,” Pelosi told lawmakers, the person at the private meeting said.But no votes were scheduled. Progressives have been withholding their support for the roads-and-bridges bill as leverage until they have a commitment that Manchin, Sinema and the other senators are ready to vote on Biden’s bigger package.“Hell no,” said Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., about allowing the smaller infrastructure bill to pass.Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., shared her own story of making “pennies” at low-wage work, struggling to afford child care and wanting to ensure constituents have better.“We need both bills to ride together. And we don’t have that right now,” Bush said. “I feel a bit bamboozled because this was not what I thought was coming today.”Instead, Congress approved an extension to Dec. 3 of Sunday’s deadline for routine transportation funds that were at risk of expiring without the infrastructure bill.The two holdout Democratic senators now hold enormous power, essentially deciding whether Biden will be able to deliver on the Democrats’ major campaign promises.Sinema has been instrumental in pushing her party off a promise to undo the Republicans’ 2017 tax cuts. And Manchin’s resistance forced serious cutbacks to a clean energy plan, the elimination of paid family leave and the imposition of work requirements for parents receiving the new child care subsidies.At the same time, progressives achieved one key priority — Vermont Independent Bernie Sanders’ proposal to provide hearing aid benefits for people on Medicare. However, his ideas to also include dental and vision care were left out.Other expanded health care programs build on the Affordable Care Act by funding subsidies to help people buy insurance policies and coverage in states that declined the Obamacare program.Overall, the new package also sets up political battles in future years. The enhanced child care tax credit expires alongside next year’s midterm elections, while much of the health care funding will expire in 2025, ensuring a campaign issue ahead of the next presidential election.___

Democrat infighting puts Biden's 'historic' $1.75T plan in jeopardy

If you’re planning to get festive with your Halloween, 
Christmas, or other holiday decorations, keep your eyes open for this 
scam. <a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker">BBB Scam Tracker</a> has received complaints about false advertisements and phony promises for holiday decor. &nbsp;

You are searching for some holiday decorations for your home or lawn.
 You come across the perfect item through a social media ad or a search 
result. The photos on the website look great! The decorations are 
larger-than-life with incredible lights and features and, best of all, 
low prices.

You make your payment and wait for the decorations to arrive. 
However, when your package is delivered, the product is nothing like 
what you saw online. In many cases, it’s a poorly manufactured miniature
 version of what you thought you bought. You now don't have a way to 
return the items or receive a refund. In fact, you probably won’t even 
be able to contact the company.

&nbsp;One consumer reported the following experience: “I ordered a giant 
7-foot pumpkin head and giant 7-foot skeleton with LED eyes and sounds. 
What I finally got in the mail after almost a month was two rubber 
7-inch dolls that sort of looked like what they were advertising. This 
company will not reply to their emails, which is the only means of 
communicating. The items looked amazing online, but the store is a total
 scam.”

Review the <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/23348-shop-safe">BBB Tip: Shop Safe and Shop Smart this Holiday Season</a> for more ways to protect yourself from scams while holiday shopping.

If you spot a scam, report it at <a href="http://www.BBB.org/ScamTracker">BBB.org/ScamTracker</a>. Your report can help others recognize a scam before they fall victim.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579883951052.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BBBIf you’re planning to get festive with your Halloween, 
Christmas, or other holiday decorations, keep your eyes open for this 
scam. <a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker">BBB Scam Tracker</a> has received complaints about false advertisements and phony promises for holiday decor. &nbsp;<h2>How the scam works</h2>You are searching for some holiday decorations for your home or lawn.
 You come across the perfect item through a social media ad or a search 
result. The photos on the website look great! The decorations are 
larger-than-life with incredible lights and features and, best of all, 
low prices.You make your payment and wait for the decorations to arrive. 
However, when your package is delivered, the product is nothing like 
what you saw online. In many cases, it’s a poorly manufactured miniature
 version of what you thought you bought. You now don't have a way to 
return the items or receive a refund. In fact, you probably won’t even 
be able to contact the company.&nbsp;One consumer reported the following experience: “I ordered a giant 
7-foot pumpkin head and giant 7-foot skeleton with LED eyes and sounds. 
What I finally got in the mail after almost a month was two rubber 
7-inch dolls that sort of looked like what they were advertising. This 
company will not reply to their emails, which is the only means of 
communicating. The items looked amazing online, but the store is a total
 scam.”<h2>Avoiding scams</h2><ul>
 <li>Do your research before you buy. Before you make a 
purchase on an unfamilar website, check out the company. Make sure they 
have working contact information. This should include a telephone 
number, email address, and, preferably, a physical address. Look on 
other websites for reviews of the company and reports of scams. You can 
always look for business ratings and customer reviews on <a href="http://www.BBB.org">BBB.org</a>. </li><li>Be wary of deals that seem too good to be true. 
Keep in mind that large decorations that involve special lights and 
technology are expensive. If you find something amazing for cheap, it 
could be a scam. </li><li>Don’t make quick purchases on social media. Scam 
advertisers can track your buying habits from social media ads and then 
target you with specific products they think you’ll fall for. Don’t buy 
anything on impulse while scrolling through your feed. Do research first
 to avoid getting scammed. </li><li>Always use your credit card for online purchases. Credit
 card companies allow you to dispute fraudulent charges, a resource you 
may not have at your disposal if you purchase an item with a debit or 
gift card.</li>
 </ul><h2>For More Information</h2>Review the <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/23348-shop-safe">BBB Tip: Shop Safe and Shop Smart this Holiday Season</a> for more ways to protect yourself from scams while holiday shopping.If you spot a scam, report it at <a href="http://www.BBB.org/ScamTracker">BBB.org/ScamTracker</a>. Your report can help others recognize a scam before they fall victim.

'Tis the season: Don't get duped by holiday decoration scams

WASHINGTON (AP) —There’s an intriguing subplot to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-pope-francis-business-europe-dcf0c3e68138c318f1980a04b27ade39">President Joe Biden’s Friday meeting with Pope Francis</a>. The world’s two most prominent Roman Catholics will be celebrating a shared outlook on church teaching and vital social issues even as Biden faces&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-government-and-politics-religion-ea0179cd6c8eddbf66693a7e2b28e2da">unwavering opposition from many U.S. Catholic bishops</a>&nbsp;over his stances on abortion and LGBTQ rights.

Less than three weeks after Biden’s visit to the Vatican on Friday, the American bishops will convene in Baltimore, with one of the agenda items inspired in part by conservatives who contend that Biden’s support for abortion rights&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-joe-biden-communion-d58f0eec9ac1a1ff576e38fb85bf532f">should disqualify him from receiving Communion</a>. Though any document that emerges is not expected to mention Biden by name, it’s possible there could be a clear message of rebuke.

“This is way beyond embarrassing,” said Massimo Faggioli, a professor of historical theology at Villanova University who recently authored a&nbsp;<a href="https://www1.villanova.edu/villanova/media/pressreleases/2021/0113.html" target="_blank">book</a>&nbsp;about Biden and Catholicism.

“For some of the bishops, it’s an act of intimidation” toward Biden, Faggioli said. “And they have a pope who is protecting a Catholic president’s access to the sacraments — he’s had to send a signal from the Vatican saying, ‘We don’t think this is wise.’”

The pope upholds Catholic doctrine opposing abortion and same-sex marriage, but he has irked some conservative Catholics in the U.S. and elsewhere by emphasizing other issues that mesh with Biden’s priorities — protecting the environment, combating racial injustice and poverty, for example.

The pope and Biden “see eye to eye on many issues,” Faggioli said. “But they both are really embattled, facing very strong headwinds ... fighting against different kinds of ideologues.”

Biden is only the second Catholic president of the United States., after John F. Kennedy, and displays his faith openly, often wearing a rosary and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-politics-pope-francis-jen-psaki-42db004ea67e67350c1a563adbece683">attending Mass routinely</a>. The devotion dates to childhood; he has expressed gratitude to the nuns who helped bolster his confidence while he struggled with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-us-news-politics-7670c784a29d8cf6e60558156bdd239e">stuttering as a schoolboy.</a>

“Wherever there were nuns, there was home,” he wrote in his 2007 memoir “Promises to Keep.” “My idea of self, of family, of community, of the wider world comes straight from my religion.”

His faith was tested, but not weakened, after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/michael-pence-holidays-joe-biden-ap-top-news-delaware-e5a1e70314eb44219448eeb850c65f1e">his wife and baby daughter were killed in a traffic accident</a>&nbsp;in 1972.

“I never doubted that there was a God, but I was angry with God,” he told The Christian Science Monitor in 2007.

In that same interview, Biden conveyed why he considers himself a faithful Catholic despite his views on abortion.

“My views are totally consistent with Catholic social doctrine,” Biden said. “There are elements within the church who say that if you are at odds with any of the teachings of the church, you are at odds with the church. I think the church is bigger than that.”

Francis already has made clear he won’t shun U.S. political leaders who support abortion rights. On Oct. 9 he met at the Vatican with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, whose abortion stance has drawn the wrath of the top Catholic in her hometown of San Francisco, Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone.

Cordileone has been urging the U.S. bishops conference to send a message to Biden, Pelosi and others “that would move them in their conscience.”

“They need to understand the scandal that is caused when they say they are faithfully Catholic and yet oppose the church on such a basic concept,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-coronavirus-government-and-politics-religion-22e0d1ba299fe8693013036e3cc85c81">he told The Associated Press in April</a>.

Under Catholic policy, decisions regarding exclusion from Communion are left to individual bishops. While Cordileone has discouraged Pelosi from receiving Communion in his archdiocese, Cardinal Wilton Gregory, the archbishop of Washington, has made clear that Biden is welcome to receive Communion when he attends services there.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-joe-biden-communion-d58f0eec9ac1a1ff576e38fb85bf532f#:~:text=ABOARD%20THE%20PAPAL%20PLANE%20(AP,into%20questions%20about%20receiving%20Communion.">Francis, asked last month</a>&nbsp;whether Biden and like-minded politicians should be denied Communion, avoided a “yes” or “no” answer, saying bishops must minister to such people with “compassion and tenderness.” He warned that clerics shouldn’t let politics influence decisions about receiving Communion.

Abortion is not the only issue placing Biden in opposition to the U.S. bishops. He is a strong supporter of the proposed Equality Act, which would extend federal civil rights protections to LGBTQ people nationwide.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usccb.org/equality-act" target="_blank">The bishops say the bill,</a>&nbsp;currently stalled in the Senate, would violate the religious freedom of churches and individuals opposed to same-sex marriage and various transgender-rights policies.

The meeting this coming week will be Biden’s first encounter with Francis since becoming president, but he has met him three times before: first when Francis was inaugurated as pope in 2013; later during the pontiff’s 2015 visit to the U.S.; and in 2016, when Biden visited the Vatican for a conference on regenerative medicine, where he spoke on cancer prevention.

Francis repeatedly reaffirmed his opposition to abortion in recent weeks, calling the procedure “murder” and defending the right of conscientious objectors to refuse to participate in it. He has likened abortion to “hiring a hitman” to solve a problem.

Chad Pecknold, a professor of theology at The Catholic University of America, doubts that the pope will confront Biden over his support for abortion rights, but said many Catholics — bishops included — may wish that would happen.

“I think the Catholic faithful have a right to hope for this, and to express their concern for the soul of Mr. Biden,” Pecknold said.

The Biden-Francis visit “could actually highlight the urgent need to unite around a clear and coherent view of how the bishops should respond to politicians who publicly hold the Church’s teaching in contempt while presenting themselves for Holy Communion,” Pecknold added via email.

Steven Millies, a professor of public theology at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, said the meeting will affect the debate over abortion and Communion “in a way that will produce a lot of heat and very little light.” He doubts Francis will see a need to discuss abortion with Biden.

“It’s not going to get anybody anywhere,” Millies said. “On the other hand, there’s a great deal to be accomplished by focusing on areas of aligned concerned and shared interest.”

When Kennedy became the first Catholic president in 1960, abortion was not the divisive issue that it is today. Not until 1973 was there a nationwide right to abortion, and Kennedy felt no pressure to take a public stance.

Anti-Catholic prejudice was common as Kennedy campaigned. Some Protestant ministers questioned whether he could maintain independence from the Catholic Church.

Unlike Biden, Kennedy enjoyed overwhelming support from Catholic voters, winning about 80% of their votes in 1960, according to researchers at Georgetown University. Biden was backed by about half of Catholic voters in the 2020 election.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635005251145.png" alt="In 2015, then Vice President Joe Biden accompanied Pope Francis on a walk through the U.S. Capitol-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>In 2015, then Vice President Joe Biden accompanied Pope Francis on a walk through the U.S. Capitol-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —There’s an intriguing subplot to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-pope-francis-business-europe-dcf0c3e68138c318f1980a04b27ade39">President Joe Biden’s Friday meeting with Pope Francis</a>. The world’s two most prominent Roman Catholics will be celebrating a shared outlook on church teaching and vital social issues even as Biden faces&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-government-and-politics-religion-ea0179cd6c8eddbf66693a7e2b28e2da">unwavering opposition from many U.S. Catholic bishops</a>&nbsp;over his stances on abortion and LGBTQ rights.Less than three weeks after Biden’s visit to the Vatican on Friday, the American bishops will convene in Baltimore, with one of the agenda items inspired in part by conservatives who contend that Biden’s support for abortion rights&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-joe-biden-communion-d58f0eec9ac1a1ff576e38fb85bf532f">should disqualify him from receiving Communion</a>. Though any document that emerges is not expected to mention Biden by name, it’s possible there could be a clear message of rebuke.“This is way beyond embarrassing,” said Massimo Faggioli, a professor of historical theology at Villanova University who recently authored a&nbsp;<a href="https://www1.villanova.edu/villanova/media/pressreleases/2021/0113.html" target="_blank">book</a>&nbsp;about Biden and Catholicism.“For some of the bishops, it’s an act of intimidation” toward Biden, Faggioli said. “And they have a pope who is protecting a Catholic president’s access to the sacraments — he’s had to send a signal from the Vatican saying, ‘We don’t think this is wise.’”The pope upholds Catholic doctrine opposing abortion and same-sex marriage, but he has irked some conservative Catholics in the U.S. and elsewhere by emphasizing other issues that mesh with Biden’s priorities — protecting the environment, combating racial injustice and poverty, for example.The pope and Biden “see eye to eye on many issues,” Faggioli said. “But they both are really embattled, facing very strong headwinds ... fighting against different kinds of ideologues.”Biden is only the second Catholic president of the United States., after John F. Kennedy, and displays his faith openly, often wearing a rosary and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-politics-pope-francis-jen-psaki-42db004ea67e67350c1a563adbece683">attending Mass routinely</a>. The devotion dates to childhood; he has expressed gratitude to the nuns who helped bolster his confidence while he struggled with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-us-news-politics-7670c784a29d8cf6e60558156bdd239e">stuttering as a schoolboy.</a>“Wherever there were nuns, there was home,” he wrote in his 2007 memoir “Promises to Keep.” “My idea of self, of family, of community, of the wider world comes straight from my religion.”His faith was tested, but not weakened, after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/michael-pence-holidays-joe-biden-ap-top-news-delaware-e5a1e70314eb44219448eeb850c65f1e">his wife and baby daughter were killed in a traffic accident</a>&nbsp;in 1972.“I never doubted that there was a God, but I was angry with God,” he told The Christian Science Monitor in 2007.In that same interview, Biden conveyed why he considers himself a faithful Catholic despite his views on abortion.“My views are totally consistent with Catholic social doctrine,” Biden said. “There are elements within the church who say that if you are at odds with any of the teachings of the church, you are at odds with the church. I think the church is bigger than that.”Francis already has made clear he won’t shun U.S. political leaders who support abortion rights. On Oct. 9 he met at the Vatican with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, whose abortion stance has drawn the wrath of the top Catholic in her hometown of San Francisco, Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone.Cordileone has been urging the U.S. bishops conference to send a message to Biden, Pelosi and others “that would move them in their conscience.”“They need to understand the scandal that is caused when they say they are faithfully Catholic and yet oppose the church on such a basic concept,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-coronavirus-government-and-politics-religion-22e0d1ba299fe8693013036e3cc85c81">he told The Associated Press in April</a>.Under Catholic policy, decisions regarding exclusion from Communion are left to individual bishops. While Cordileone has discouraged Pelosi from receiving Communion in his archdiocese, Cardinal Wilton Gregory, the archbishop of Washington, has made clear that Biden is welcome to receive Communion when he attends services there.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-joe-biden-communion-d58f0eec9ac1a1ff576e38fb85bf532f#:~:text=ABOARD%20THE%20PAPAL%20PLANE%20(AP,into%20questions%20about%20receiving%20Communion.">Francis, asked last month</a>&nbsp;whether Biden and like-minded politicians should be denied Communion, avoided a “yes” or “no” answer, saying bishops must minister to such people with “compassion and tenderness.” He warned that clerics shouldn’t let politics influence decisions about receiving Communion.Abortion is not the only issue placing Biden in opposition to the U.S. bishops. He is a strong supporter of the proposed Equality Act, which would extend federal civil rights protections to LGBTQ people nationwide.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usccb.org/equality-act" target="_blank">The bishops say the bill,</a>&nbsp;currently stalled in the Senate, would violate the religious freedom of churches and individuals opposed to same-sex marriage and various transgender-rights policies.The meeting this coming week will be Biden’s first encounter with Francis since becoming president, but he has met him three times before: first when Francis was inaugurated as pope in 2013; later during the pontiff’s 2015 visit to the U.S.; and in 2016, when Biden visited the Vatican for a conference on regenerative medicine, where he spoke on cancer prevention.Francis repeatedly reaffirmed his opposition to abortion in recent weeks, calling the procedure “murder” and defending the right of conscientious objectors to refuse to participate in it. He has likened abortion to “hiring a hitman” to solve a problem.Chad Pecknold, a professor of theology at The Catholic University of America, doubts that the pope will confront Biden over his support for abortion rights, but said many Catholics — bishops included — may wish that would happen.“I think the Catholic faithful have a right to hope for this, and to express their concern for the soul of Mr. Biden,” Pecknold said.The Biden-Francis visit “could actually highlight the urgent need to unite around a clear and coherent view of how the bishops should respond to politicians who publicly hold the Church’s teaching in contempt while presenting themselves for Holy Communion,” Pecknold added via email.Steven Millies, a professor of public theology at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, said the meeting will affect the debate over abortion and Communion “in a way that will produce a lot of heat and very little light.” He doubts Francis will see a need to discuss abortion with Biden.“It’s not going to get anybody anywhere,” Millies said. “On the other hand, there’s a great deal to be accomplished by focusing on areas of aligned concerned and shared interest.”When Kennedy became the first Catholic president in 1960, abortion was not the divisive issue that it is today. Not until 1973 was there a nationwide right to abortion, and Kennedy felt no pressure to take a public stance.Anti-Catholic prejudice was common as Kennedy campaigned. Some Protestant ministers questioned whether he could maintain independence from the Catholic Church.Unlike Biden, Kennedy enjoyed overwhelming support from Catholic voters, winning about 80% of their votes in 1960, according to researchers at Georgetown University. Biden was backed by about half of Catholic voters in the 2020 election.

Biden to meet Pope Francis amid some rifts with US bishops

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said his company is rebranding itself as Meta, an effort to encompass its virtual-reality vision for the future. 

Experts point out that it also appears to be an attempt to change the subject from the Facebook Papers, a document trove that has revealed how Facebook ignored or downplayed internal warnings of the negative and often harmful consequences its algorithms wreaked across the world. 

Zuckerberg insists that the metaverse — what you might think of as the internet rendered in three dimensions — represents the next technological horizon for humanity, and thinks a billion people could be connected to it within a decade.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635450130376.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said his company is rebranding itself as Meta, an effort to encompass its virtual-reality vision for the future. Experts point out that it also appears to be an attempt to change the subject from the Facebook Papers, a document trove that has revealed how Facebook ignored or downplayed internal warnings of the negative and often harmful consequences its algorithms wreaked across the world. Zuckerberg insists that the metaverse — what you might think of as the internet rendered in three dimensions — represents the next technological horizon for humanity, and thinks a billion people could be connected to it within a decade.

Facebook Inc. rebrands as Meta to stress ‘metaverse’ plan

News Release Nebraska State Patrol

Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol have arrested one person after a pursuit in Lancaster and Gage Counties.

At approximately 4:45 p.m. Wednesday, NSP received a report of a reckless vehicle driving on Highway 77 near west Lincoln. A trooper was able to locate the vehicle, a Toyota Celica, as it was traveling southbound on Highway 77 near the Highway 33 junction. The trooper attempted a traffic stop, but the vehicle fled. The trooper initiated a pursuit.

The vehicle fled southbound on Highway 77 with speeds reaching near 100 miles per hour. The Celica then crossed the median and began driving southbound on the shoulder of the northbound lanes of Highway 77. The trooper continued in the correct lane of travel. As the vehicle approached a Gage County Sheriff’s Deputy near the junction of Highway 77 and Highway 41, the suspect vehicle turned around and began traveling northbound on the shoulder of the southbound lanes.

Troopers continued their pursuit while maintaining their position on the correct side of the highway. Other troopers then performed rolling roadblocks to stop southbound traffic, which allowed a trooper to cross the median and pursue from directly behind the suspect vehicle. At that time, as the vehicle approached Panama Road, it drove into the ditch and became stuck in the mud. The driver was then taken into custody without further incident.

The driver, Charles Rothman, 31, of Lincoln, was arrested for flight to avoid arrest, willful reckless driving, and an active warrant for a parole violation. He was lodged in Lancaster County Jail.

News Release Nebraska State PatrolTroopers with the Nebraska State Patrol have arrested one person after a pursuit in Lancaster and Gage Counties.At approximately 4:45 p.m. Wednesday, NSP received a report of a reckless vehicle driving on Highway 77 near west Lincoln. A trooper was able to locate the vehicle, a Toyota Celica, as it was traveling southbound on Highway 77 near the Highway 33 junction. The trooper attempted a traffic stop, but the vehicle fled. The trooper initiated a pursuit.The vehicle fled southbound on Highway 77 with speeds reaching near 100 miles per hour. The Celica then crossed the median and began driving southbound on the shoulder of the northbound lanes of Highway 77. The trooper continued in the correct lane of travel. As the vehicle approached a Gage County Sheriff’s Deputy near the junction of Highway 77 and Highway 41, the suspect vehicle turned around and began traveling northbound on the shoulder of the southbound lanes.Troopers continued their pursuit while maintaining their position on the correct side of the highway. Other troopers then performed rolling roadblocks to stop southbound traffic, which allowed a trooper to cross the median and pursue from directly behind the suspect vehicle. At that time, as the vehicle approached Panama Road, it drove into the ditch and became stuck in the mud. The driver was then taken into custody without further incident.The driver, Charles Rothman, 31, of Lincoln, was arrested for flight to avoid arrest, willful reckless driving, and an active warrant for a parole violation. He was lodged in Lancaster County Jail.

Troopers make arrest in pursuit south of Lincoln

OSAGE COUNTY&nbsp; – Law enforcement authorities are conducting an investigation regarding the online solicitation of a child by an adult.

On October 26, Osage County Investigators and Jefferson County Deputies arrested Marcus L. Smith, 39, of Effingham, in Ozawkie on an Osage County arrest warrant, according to Osage County Sheriff Chris Wells.

Smith was transported to the Jefferson County Jail where he was held on the warrant.

On Wednesday, Osage County deputies transported Smith to the Osage County Jail Facility where he is being held on requested charges of electronic solicitation and indecent solicitation of a minor.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635416096432.png" alt="Smith photo Osage Co." />
 <figcaption>Smith photo Osage Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>OSAGE COUNTY&nbsp; – Law enforcement authorities are conducting an investigation regarding the online solicitation of a child by an adult.On October 26, Osage County Investigators and Jefferson County Deputies arrested Marcus L. Smith, 39, of Effingham, in Ozawkie on an Osage County arrest warrant, according to Osage County Sheriff Chris Wells.Smith was transported to the Jefferson County Jail where he was held on the warrant.On Wednesday, Osage County deputies transported Smith to the Osage County Jail Facility where he is being held on requested charges of electronic solicitation and indecent solicitation of a minor.

Sheriff: Kansas man accused of online child sex crime

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Douglas County prosecutors say they'll try an Omaha man again for a 2019 double killing after a jury deadlocked on convicting him this week. 

The Omaha World-Herald reports that a lone holdout on the jury in the case against 22-year-old Nyir Kuek led to a mistrial being declared Wednesday in his murder trial that relied on circumstantial evidence, including two eyewitnesses. 

Prosecutors promised to try Kuek again for the June 18, 2019, shooting deaths of 50-year-old Tracy Atkins and 57-year-old Michael Sykora in an Omaha home. That would be the third trial for Kuek in the case. 

His first ended in mistrial last year when someone in the courtroom tested positive for COVID-19.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635438845932.png" alt="Kuek" />
 <figcaption>Kuek</figcaption>
 </figure>OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Douglas County prosecutors say they'll try an Omaha man again for a 2019 double killing after a jury deadlocked on convicting him this week. The Omaha World-Herald reports that a lone holdout on the jury in the case against 22-year-old Nyir Kuek led to a mistrial being declared Wednesday in his murder trial that relied on circumstantial evidence, including two eyewitnesses. Prosecutors promised to try Kuek again for the June 18, 2019, shooting deaths of 50-year-old Tracy Atkins and 57-year-old Michael Sykora in an Omaha home. That would be the third trial for Kuek in the case. His first ended in mistrial last year when someone in the courtroom tested positive for COVID-19.

Omaha man to be tried again for murders following hung jury

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A woman who was crossing a Kansas City street died after being hit by a vehicle that then fled the scene, police said.

The crash happened around 7 p.m. Wednesday on the south side of the city, Kansas City police said in a news release.

Investigators believe the 61-year-old woman was walking west and crossing Troost Avenue at 82nd Terrace when she was hit by a northbound vehicle. The woman was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police did not immediately release her name and have not announced any suspects or arrests in the case.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A woman who was crossing a Kansas City street died after being hit by a vehicle that then fled the scene, police said.The crash happened around 7 p.m. Wednesday on the south side of the city, Kansas City police said in a news release.Investigators believe the 61-year-old woman was walking west and crossing Troost Avenue at 82nd Terrace when she was hit by a northbound vehicle. The woman was pronounced dead at the scene.Police did not immediately release her name and have not announced any suspects or arrests in the case.

Woman crossing Kansas City street killed in hit-and-run

WASHINGTON (AP) — Top Democrats signaled a deal is within reach on President Joe Biden’s big domestic bill, but momentum fizzled and tempers flared as a paid family leave proposal fell out and a billionaires’ tax appeared scrapped, mostly to satisfy a pivotal member of the 50-50 Senate.

With his signature domestic initiative at stake, Biden will head to Capitol Hill on Thursday morning to urge Democratic lawmakers to bring talks on the social services and climate change bill “over the finish line” before he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/climate-joe-biden-business-rome-scotland-30c46a7eda7f8549d12fd70bd264b4f3">departs for global summits overseas</a>.

Still in the mix: expanded health care programs, free pre-kindergarten and some $500 billion to tackle&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/climate-change">climate change</a>&nbsp;remain in what’s now at least a $1.75 trillion package.

And Democrats are eyeing a new surcharge on the wealthy — 5% on incomes above $10 million and an additional 3% on those beyond $25 million — to help pay for it, according to a person who insisted on anonymity to discuss the private talks.

“They’re all within our reach. Let’s bring these bills over the finish line.” Biden tweeted late Wednesday.

To help push lawmakers toward that goal, Biden will speak Thursday morning to the House Democratic Caucus, a person familiar with the plan told The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity. Besides pressing for important party priorities, the president was hoping to show foreign leaders the U.S. was getting things done under his administration.

The administration was assessing the situation “hour by hour,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said.

It was a fast-moving day on Capitol Hill that started upbeat as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi declared that Democrats were in “pretty good shape.” But hopes quickly faded as Biden’s big proposal ran into stubborn new setbacks, chief among them how to pay for it all.

A just-proposed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-business-health-personal-taxes-bb51ab8b987c32e00c743a05d428079c">tax on billionaires&nbsp;</a>could be scrapped after Democratic&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-manchin">Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia</a>&nbsp;objected, according to a senior party aide, who insisted on anonymity to discuss the private talks.

The billionaires’ tax proposal had been designed to win over another Democratic holdout,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kyrsten-sinema">Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona</a>, but Manchin panned it as unfairly targeting the wealthy, leaving Democrats at odds.

“People in the stratosphere, rather than trying to penalize, we ought to be pleased that this country is able to produce the wealth,” Manchin told reporters.

Manchin said he prefers a minimum 15% flat “patriotic tax” to ensure the wealthiest Americans don’t skip out on paying any taxes. Nevertheless, he said: “We need to move forward.”

Next to fall was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-business-lifestyle-environment-62b77a3a1bf44dd41525fe577b04a848">a proposed paid family leave program</a>&nbsp;that was already being chiseled back from 12 to four weeks to satisfy Manchin. But with his objections, it was unlikely to be included in the bill, the person said.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., had devised several new options for Manchin’s review and told reporters late in the evening, “It’s not over until it’s over.”

Together, Manchin’s and Sinema’s objections packed a one-two punch, throwing Biden’s overall plan into flux, halving&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-politics-business-us-news-ap-top-news-a6e8ed2379857b7aa9c64f6d608bb938">what had been a $3.5 trillion package</a>, and infuriating colleagues along the way.

In the evenly divided Senate, Biden needs all Democrats’ support with no votes to spare.

White House officials met at the Capitol with Manchin and Sinema, two senators who now hold enormous power, essentially deciding whether or not Biden will be able to deliver on the Democrats’ major campaign promises.

“Making progress,” Sinema said as she dashed into an elevator.

A Sunday deadline loomed for approving a smaller, bipartisan roads-and-bridges infrastructure bill or risk allowing funds for routine transportation programs to expire. But that $1 trillion bill has been held up by progressive lawmakers who are refusing to give their support without the bigger Biden deal.

Despite a series of deadlines, Democrats have been unable to close the deal among themselves, and Republicans overwhelmingly oppose the package. At best, Democrats could potentially reach a framework Thursday that could send Biden overseas with a deal in hand and unlock the process while the final details were sewn up.

Applying pressure, Pelosi announced a Thursday committee hearing to spur the Biden package along toward a full House vote, though timing remained uncertain.

Democrats had hoped the unveiling of the billionaires tax Wednesday could help resolve the revenue side of the equation after Sinema rejected the party’s earlier idea of reversing Trump-era tax breaks on corporations and the wealthy, those earning more than $400,000.

The new billionaires’ proposal would tax the gains of those with more than $1 billion in assets or incomes of more than $100 million over three consecutive years — fewer than 800 people — requiring them pay taxes on the gains of stocks and other tradeable assets, rather than waiting until holdings are sold.

The billionaires’ tax rate would align with the capital gains rate, now 23.8%. Democrats have said it could raise $200 billion in revenue that could help fund Biden’s package over 10 years.

Republicans have derided the billionaires’ tax as “harebrained,” and some have suggested it would face a legal challenge.

But Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, insisted the billionaires tax remains on the table.

“I’ve not heard a single United States senator — not one — get up and say, ‘Gee, I think it’s just fun that billionaires pay little or nothing for years on end,’” Wyden said.

More likely in the mix was the companion proposal,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-child-care-social-services-congress-61767cd905c55f3f204d7824f6924c5a">a new 15% corporate minimum tax</a>, as well as the new surtax being proposed on higher incomes above $10 million.

Together they are designed to fulfill Biden’s desire for the wealthy and big business to pay their “fair share.” They also fit his promise that no new taxes hit those earning less than $400,000 a year, or $450,000 for couples. Biden wants his package fully paid for without piling on debt.

Resolving the revenue side has been crucial, as lawmakers figure out how much money will be available to spend on the new health, child care and climate change programs in Biden’s big plan.

Among Democrats, Rep. Richard Neal of Massachusetts, the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, said he told Wyden the billionaires’ tax may be difficult to implement. Despite Sinema’s opposition, he expects Democrats to stick with the approach his panel took in simply raising rates on corporations and the wealthy, undoing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-donald-trump-us-news-business-laws-2d9e099660064f2b8a8fc2237b4e7e4e">the 2017 tax cuts</a>.

“There’s a lot of there’s a lot of angst in there over the billionaires’ tax,” Neal said.

Under the House bill approved by Neal’s panel, the top individual income tax rate would rise from 37% to 39.6%, on those earning more than $400,000 a year, or $450,000 for couples. The corporate rate would increase from 21% to 26.5%.

The House bill also proposes a 3% surtax on the wealthiest Americans with adjusted income beyond $5 million a year, and Neal suggested that could be raised to $10 million to win over the holdouts.

Opposition from the two senators is forcing difficult reductions, if not the outright elimination, of policy priorities — from child care assistance to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-health-care-69c7bb592f8d73232bec1d8e15be82e3">dental, vision and hearing aid benefits</a>&nbsp;for seniors.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635417614124.png" alt="With his signature domestic initiative at stake, Biden will head to Capitol Hill on Thursday morning to urge Democratic lawmakers to bring talks on the social services and climate change bill “over the finish line” before he&nbsp;departs for global summits overseas-photo courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>With his signature domestic initiative at stake, Biden will head to Capitol Hill on Thursday morning to urge Democratic lawmakers to bring talks on the social services and climate change bill “over the finish line” before he&nbsp;departs for global summits overseas-photo courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Top Democrats signaled a deal is within reach on President Joe Biden’s big domestic bill, but momentum fizzled and tempers flared as a paid family leave proposal fell out and a billionaires’ tax appeared scrapped, mostly to satisfy a pivotal member of the 50-50 Senate.With his signature domestic initiative at stake, Biden will head to Capitol Hill on Thursday morning to urge Democratic lawmakers to bring talks on the social services and climate change bill “over the finish line” before he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/climate-joe-biden-business-rome-scotland-30c46a7eda7f8549d12fd70bd264b4f3">departs for global summits overseas</a>.Still in the mix: expanded health care programs, free pre-kindergarten and some $500 billion to tackle&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/climate-change">climate change</a>&nbsp;remain in what’s now at least a $1.75 trillion package.And Democrats are eyeing a new surcharge on the wealthy — 5% on incomes above $10 million and an additional 3% on those beyond $25 million — to help pay for it, according to a person who insisted on anonymity to discuss the private talks.“They’re all within our reach. Let’s bring these bills over the finish line.” Biden tweeted late Wednesday.To help push lawmakers toward that goal, Biden will speak Thursday morning to the House Democratic Caucus, a person familiar with the plan told The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity. Besides pressing for important party priorities, the president was hoping to show foreign leaders the U.S. was getting things done under his administration.The administration was assessing the situation “hour by hour,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said.It was a fast-moving day on Capitol Hill that started upbeat as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi declared that Democrats were in “pretty good shape.” But hopes quickly faded as Biden’s big proposal ran into stubborn new setbacks, chief among them how to pay for it all.A just-proposed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-business-health-personal-taxes-bb51ab8b987c32e00c743a05d428079c">tax on billionaires&nbsp;</a>could be scrapped after Democratic&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-manchin">Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia</a>&nbsp;objected, according to a senior party aide, who insisted on anonymity to discuss the private talks.The billionaires’ tax proposal had been designed to win over another Democratic holdout,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kyrsten-sinema">Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona</a>, but Manchin panned it as unfairly targeting the wealthy, leaving Democrats at odds.“People in the stratosphere, rather than trying to penalize, we ought to be pleased that this country is able to produce the wealth,” Manchin told reporters.Manchin said he prefers a minimum 15% flat “patriotic tax” to ensure the wealthiest Americans don’t skip out on paying any taxes. Nevertheless, he said: “We need to move forward.”Next to fall was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-business-lifestyle-environment-62b77a3a1bf44dd41525fe577b04a848">a proposed paid family leave program</a>&nbsp;that was already being chiseled back from 12 to four weeks to satisfy Manchin. But with his objections, it was unlikely to be included in the bill, the person said.Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., had devised several new options for Manchin’s review and told reporters late in the evening, “It’s not over until it’s over.”Together, Manchin’s and Sinema’s objections packed a one-two punch, throwing Biden’s overall plan into flux, halving&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-politics-business-us-news-ap-top-news-a6e8ed2379857b7aa9c64f6d608bb938">what had been a $3.5 trillion package</a>, and infuriating colleagues along the way.In the evenly divided Senate, Biden needs all Democrats’ support with no votes to spare.White House officials met at the Capitol with Manchin and Sinema, two senators who now hold enormous power, essentially deciding whether or not Biden will be able to deliver on the Democrats’ major campaign promises.“Making progress,” Sinema said as she dashed into an elevator.A Sunday deadline loomed for approving a smaller, bipartisan roads-and-bridges infrastructure bill or risk allowing funds for routine transportation programs to expire. But that $1 trillion bill has been held up by progressive lawmakers who are refusing to give their support without the bigger Biden deal.Despite a series of deadlines, Democrats have been unable to close the deal among themselves, and Republicans overwhelmingly oppose the package. At best, Democrats could potentially reach a framework Thursday that could send Biden overseas with a deal in hand and unlock the process while the final details were sewn up.Applying pressure, Pelosi announced a Thursday committee hearing to spur the Biden package along toward a full House vote, though timing remained uncertain.Democrats had hoped the unveiling of the billionaires tax Wednesday could help resolve the revenue side of the equation after Sinema rejected the party’s earlier idea of reversing Trump-era tax breaks on corporations and the wealthy, those earning more than $400,000.The new billionaires’ proposal would tax the gains of those with more than $1 billion in assets or incomes of more than $100 million over three consecutive years — fewer than 800 people — requiring them pay taxes on the gains of stocks and other tradeable assets, rather than waiting until holdings are sold.The billionaires’ tax rate would align with the capital gains rate, now 23.8%. Democrats have said it could raise $200 billion in revenue that could help fund Biden’s package over 10 years.Republicans have derided the billionaires’ tax as “harebrained,” and some have suggested it would face a legal challenge.But Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, insisted the billionaires tax remains on the table.“I’ve not heard a single United States senator — not one — get up and say, ‘Gee, I think it’s just fun that billionaires pay little or nothing for years on end,’” Wyden said.More likely in the mix was the companion proposal,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-child-care-social-services-congress-61767cd905c55f3f204d7824f6924c5a">a new 15% corporate minimum tax</a>, as well as the new surtax being proposed on higher incomes above $10 million.Together they are designed to fulfill Biden’s desire for the wealthy and big business to pay their “fair share.” They also fit his promise that no new taxes hit those earning less than $400,000 a year, or $450,000 for couples. Biden wants his package fully paid for without piling on debt.Resolving the revenue side has been crucial, as lawmakers figure out how much money will be available to spend on the new health, child care and climate change programs in Biden’s big plan.Among Democrats, Rep. Richard Neal of Massachusetts, the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, said he told Wyden the billionaires’ tax may be difficult to implement. Despite Sinema’s opposition, he expects Democrats to stick with the approach his panel took in simply raising rates on corporations and the wealthy, undoing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-donald-trump-us-news-business-laws-2d9e099660064f2b8a8fc2237b4e7e4e">the 2017 tax cuts</a>.“There’s a lot of there’s a lot of angst in there over the billionaires’ tax,” Neal said.Under the House bill approved by Neal’s panel, the top individual income tax rate would rise from 37% to 39.6%, on those earning more than $400,000 a year, or $450,000 for couples. The corporate rate would increase from 21% to 26.5%.The House bill also proposes a 3% surtax on the wealthiest Americans with adjusted income beyond $5 million a year, and Neal suggested that could be raised to $10 million to win over the holdouts.Opposition from the two senators is forcing difficult reductions, if not the outright elimination, of policy priorities — from child care assistance to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-health-care-69c7bb592f8d73232bec1d8e15be82e3">dental, vision and hearing aid benefits</a>&nbsp;for seniors.The once hefty&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/climate-joe-biden-business-environment-joe-manchin-fc08eb6a3be7282a2fcd17761f83ecba">climate change strategies</a>&nbsp;are less punitive on polluters, as coal-state Manchin objected, focusing instead on rewarding clean energy incentives.Said Sen. Bernie Sanders, the Vermont Independent: “You got 48 out of 50 people supporting an agenda that works for the American people.”