At Lewis funeral, Obama calls for renewing Voting Rights Act
By BILL BARROW Associated Press
ATLANTA (AP) — Former President Barack Obama has used Rep. John Lewis’ funeral to issue a stark warning that the voting rights and equal opportunity the late civil rights icon championed are under increasing threat heading into the 2020 election. Obama urged Congress on Thursday to honor Lewis by revitalizing the Voting Rights Act, “the law he was willing to die for.” Obama called the Senate filibuster a relic of Jim Crow segregation and said it should be abolished if that’s what it takes to pass such a law. The Democratic-led House has adopted a sweeping rewrite of the Voting Rights Act, but it faces opposition in the Republican-led Senate.

Wall Street slips, but tech strength helps it pare losses
By STAN CHOE AP Business Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — Most of Wall Street is pulling lower on Thursday, but the indefatigable rise for big tech stocks is helping the market trim its losses. The S&P 500 was down 0.5% in late afternoon trading, with nearly three quarters of the stocks in the index lower. Among the hardest-hit were banks, oil producers and other companies that most need the economy to pull out of its recession. But stronger-than-expected profit reports from several companies helped the market trim its losses. So did steadying prices for Amazon and other big tech-oriented stocks, which are set to report their own results after Thursday’s trading ends.

GOP rep blasted over parody of appeal for trans tolerance
By MICHAEL RUBINKAM and MARC LEVY Associated Press
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Gov. Tom Wolf is denouncing a Republican state lawmaker and self-styled opponent of mask-wearing for mimicking the words of the state’s health secretary, who is transgender, by appealing for tolerance of the “unmasked community.” Lebanon County Rep. Russ Diamond on Wednesday released a nearly word-for-word parody of Dr. Rachel Levine’s call for tolerance and acceptance of LGBTQ people. Diamond swapped out her references to “LGBTQ” with “unmasked.” Diamond’s parody drew the wrath of the Democratic governor, who on Thursday called it “abhorrent, disrespectful, dangerous” and a “thinly veiled attack on the LGBTQ community” and Levine. Diamond responded by calling Wolf’s pandemic policies “abhorrent, unlawful, political and deadly.”

(WASHINGTON, DC) – Representative Conor Lamb (PA-17) introduced the bipartisan Supporting American Families, Employers (SAFE) Kids and Jobs Act with his colleagues, Representative Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-1) and Linda Sánchez (CA-38).  The text of the SAFE Kids and Jobs Act passed the House yesterday on a bipartisan basis as part of the Child Care for Economic Recovery Act (H.R. 7327); the legislation will help families pay for child or dependent care during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Too many families in my district are struggling to afford childcare during this pandemic.  With many schools and summer camps closed, families shouldn’t have to choose between working or keeping their kids safe,” said Lamb.  “The SAFE Kids and Jobs Act would help millions of Americans pay for childcare while working.”

The SAFE Kids and Jobs act would establish a tax credit to encourage employers to help cover the cost of child or dependent care for their employees during the pandemic.  Employers would receive this credit quickly and efficiently through the payroll tax system.

“This commonsense bill is designed to get money for care into the hands of Pennsylvanians as quickly as possible.  Ensuring they can pay for childcare helps workers, families, and employers,” added Lamb.

The SAFE Kids and Jobs act builds on Lamb’s work on childcare affordability for working families.  Leading up to the CARES Act negotiations, Lamb led a letter calling on House and Senate leadership to increase funding and flexibility for the Child Care Development Block Grant (CCDBG) Program, to help essential workers like police, doctors, first responders and grocery store workers access childcare.  The CARES Act, which was signed into law in March, included $3.5 billion in CCDBG funding and language that allowed essential workers to access this critical program.

Click here to learn more about the SAFE Kids and Jobs Act.

2nd US virus surge hits plateau, but few experts celebrate
By MIKE STOBBE and NICKY FORSTER Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) — While deaths are mounting rapidly in the U.S., the nation’s second surge in coronavirus cases appears to be leveling off, though experts say that the good news is driven by changes in a few large states and that cases are rising in many states. Indeed, few scientists are celebrating. Some are skeptical that improvements in states like Florida and Texas will endure. They are watching worrisome upticks across much of the country.

Former GOP presidential candidate Herman Cain dies at 74
ATLANTA (AP) — Former GOP presidential candidate Herman Cain has died after battling the coronavirus. He was 74. A post on Cain’s Twitter account on Thursday announced the death. Cain had been ill with the virus for several weeks. It’s not clear when or where he was infected, but he was hospitalized less than two weeks after attending President Donald Trump’s campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in June. The former pizza company executive has been an outspoken backer of the president and was named by the campaign as a co-chair of Black Voices for Trump.