Trump gets his passports back

Laura L. Davis, USA TODAY
·6 min read

The Justice Department returns former President Donald Trump's passports after the search of Mar-a-Lago. What the newly signed Inflation Reduction Act means for you. And can your pet get monkeypox? It's possible – but rare.

👋 Hello! Laura Davis here. It's time for Tuesday's news.

But first, get well soon, Jill! 🤒 First lady Jill Biden has tested positive for COVID-19, and "only experiencing mild symptoms," the White House said. She'll be isolating from others, and the president tested negative Tuesday. Keep reading.

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DOJ returns Trump's passports as scrutiny over search continues

Federal authorities said they would return Donald Trump’s three passports Tuesday, as the Justice Department faced rising pressure to release more details and justification for the unprecedented search of the former president’s Mar-a-Lago estate. Agents determined the travel documents were unrelated to the search Aug. 8 for classified documents. Here's the latest.

Will the search affidavit be unsealed? The Florida federal magistrate who signed off on the search of Trump’s estate has set a Thursday hearing to weigh arguments on whether to unseal the government’s affidavit supporting the search.

  • He says yes: Trump called for the "immediate release" of the unredacted affidavit, in a post on Truth Social.

  • They say no: The Justice Department opposed unsealing the affidavit, saying it would "irreparably harm the government's ongoing criminal investigation."

🔎 New Trump Mar-a-Lago details emerge: What we know (and don't) about these classified docs.

Police stand outside an entrance to former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate on Aug. 8, 2022, in Palm Beach, Fla.
Police stand outside an entrance to former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate on Aug. 8, 2022, in Palm Beach, Fla.

Biden signs Inflation Reduction Act into law

With a few strokes of a pen on Tuesday, President Joe Biden turned Democrats' hard-fought climate and health-care spending legislation from a bill into a law. Biden, stressing more than once that every Republican in Congress opposed the bill, praised the Inflation Reduction Act as a “godsend” for many families. Here's a look at what it means for you.

What’s in the bill? 

  • Health care: Lower prescription-drug costs for seniors and extended health-insurance subsidies for millions.

  • Taxes: Raising a projected $739 billion, the measure will also reduce the deficit and set a minimum tax rate for large corporations.

  • Climate change: $369 billion will go toward the fight against global warming, lowering costs for consumers on electric vehicles, appliances and sustainable energy.

What's not included? Several of Democrats' most ambitious plans were left behind, including paid sick and parental leave, universal preschool, subsidized child care or an enhanced child tax credit.

President Joe Biden gives Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.V., the pen he used to sign The Inflation Reduction Act.
President Joe Biden gives Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.V., the pen he used to sign The Inflation Reduction Act.

What everyone's talking about

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Can my pet get monkeypox?

As U.S. health officials struggle to contain the monkeypox outbreak, some pet owners wonder whether their four-legged companions could be at risk. The answer? It's possible, but rare. Researchers identified a case of monkeypox in a dog in Paris, according to a study in The Lancet, which suggested the dog may have become infected while sharing a bed with its owners. So far, there have been no reported cases in cats, guinea pigs or hamsters. Here's what you should know to keep your furry friend safe.

📊 How many monkeypox cases? The U.S. has reported 11,890 confirmed monkeypox cases as of Monday, the CDC says. Take a look at the numbers in your state.

ITT Tech students to get $4 billion in loan forgiveness

Any student who borrowed federal money to take classes at ITT Technical Institute – a large for-profit college that closed in 2016 following government sanctions – will see their debts erased. The relief, about $4 billion in total, will benefit about 208,000 borrowers who attended the college from January 2005 through its closure in September 2016. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said the college misled students about its academic programs “in order to profit off federal student loan programs, with no regard for the hardship this would cause.” Keep reading.

Real quick

GOP voters could oust Cheney from House

Voters in Alaska and Wyoming cast their ballots in high-profile primary elections Tuesday – contests where the presence of former President Donald Trump will, yet again, again loom. Here's a rundown of what you need to know.

  • In Wyoming, all eyes are on Rep. Liz Cheney, an outspoken critic of Trump who is not expected to survive a challenge from lawyer Harriet Hageman.

  • And in Alaska, voters will select nominees in primaries for Senate, governor and the state's sole House seat. Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski faces a Trump-backed challenger after she voted to convict the former president during his second impeachment trial.

  • Sarah Palin is back on the ballot – twice: The former Alaska governor and vice-presidential nominee is running in the election to complete the term of Rep. Don Young, who died in March, as well as another race for a full two-year House term starting in January.

🗳 Follow along: Live updates from the primaries as results come in.

Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., is vice chair of the House Jan. 6 committee and facing a primary election on Aug. 16, 2022.
Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., is vice chair of the House Jan. 6 committee and facing a primary election on Aug. 16, 2022.

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My favorites so far: Neverland, Munchies, Artesano, Evergreen, Captain Planet, Mighty Max and Meta Dryococelus Xena, a.k.a. MDX. Yes. Absolutely.

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A break from the news

Laura L. Davis is an Audience Editor at USA TODAY. Send her an email at laura@usatoday.com or follow along with her adventures – and misadventures – on Twitter. Support quality journalism like this? Subscribe to USA TODAY here.

This is a compilation of stories from across the USA TODAY Network. Want this news roundup in your inbox every night? Subscribe to the newsletter here or text messages here.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Inflation Reduction Act, Trump Mar-a-Lago search, ITT Tech loan forgiveness, monkeypox in pets. It's Tuesday's news.

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