NEWS WRAP

Better build back

• Building bipartisan bridges | After months of negotiations, the Senate finalised its 2,702-page bipartisan infrastructure bill, proposing a USD$550bn spend on public works. Edging closer to the fulfilment of a top Build Back Better priority of the Biden administration, the bill has broad support among the 50 Democrat Senators needed but falls short on promises for several ambitious climate and clean energy projects. READ MORE HERE
   
• Proof of Vax |  Coronavirus cases are surging in the United States, with the seven-day average rising to over 70,000 cases per day. As experts push for higher vaccination rates, the Biden administration is faced with some difficult decisions around vaccine-or-test rules for federal employees, following the example of several corporations from Google to BlackRock. READ MORE HERE
   
• Salâm (welcome) | Around 200 Afghan interpreters and their families were welcomed to the United States last week under the Special Immigrant Visas program for Iraqi and Afghan Translators. Their resettlement comes as the Taliban makes advances in Afghanistan’s major cities amid a US withdrawal. READ MORE HERE
   
• GETTR-nother media platform | Only weeks after its launch, Jihadist propaganda has flooded GETTR, the latest pro-Trump online social network. It presents another roadblock to Trump supporters’ search for an online community that allowed fringe views without the moderation of big tech platforms. READ MORE HERE
   
• Democrats’ spat | Liberal House Democrats fired up on Monday after the White House claimed it did not have the legal authority to extend the CDC's moratorium on residential evictions. Bending to pressure, and the criticisms of typical House Biden allies like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the White House announced a (potentially unconstitutional) temporary ban on evictions on Tuesday morning. READ MORE HERE

WEBINAR | 6 AUGUST

US Politics and Policy Web Series with special guest Ambassador Jane Hardy 

The United States Studies Centre and Perth USAsia Centre host a monthly web series reviewing the latest in US politics and policy and what this means for Australia.

This month we look forward to being joined by Ambassador Jane Hardy, who joins the United States Studies Centre as a Visiting Senior Fellow from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. She most recently served as Consul-General in Honolulu from 2018 to 2021 during which time she led Australia’s engagement with US Indo-Pacific Command. 

Ambassador Hardy will join hosts United States Studies Centre Director of Foreign Policy and Defence Ashely Townshend and Perth USAsia Centre CEO Professor Gordon Flake for a discussion on the Biden administration's Indo-Pacific strategy.

WHEN:
Friday 6 August, 1pm AEST (Sydney) 11am AWST (Perth)

COST:
Free but registration is essential.

You can also subscribe to have event invitations and reminders sent straight to your inbox, so you never have to miss an event!

ANALYSIS

Ron Klain: White House Chief of Staff

Victoria Cooper
Research Associate

The White House chief of staff is a highly influential role, setting the president’s agenda, overseeing all policy developments and managing the daily operations for the White House.

What have they done?

• Besties with Biden | Klain first worked with Biden on his first presidential campaign in 1987. He then worked as chief counsel to the Senate judiciary committee while Biden was chair in 1989. Klain was also the Biden's chief of staff as Vice President between 2009 and 2011 and helped Biden to prepare for the 2020 presidential debates.
   
• Ebola czar | During the Ebola outbreak from 2014-15, Klain served as the Obama administration’s Ebola response coordinator where he was praised for his bureaucratic prowess and problem solving skills.
   
• Washington insider | Klain has worked behind the scenes for several Democratic presidential nominees, working as a presidential debate coach for Bill Clinton in 1992 and 1996, Al Gore in 2000, John Kerry in 2004, Barack Obama in 2008, Hillary Clinton in 2016 and Joe Biden in 2020. 

The first 100 days 

• Pandemic response | Many of the Biden administration’s early efforts to control the coronavirus pandemic, like the federal mask mandate and the administration's goal of 100 million COVID-19 vaccinations in the first 100 days, reflect Klain's policy advice - lessons learned during his term as Ebola response coordinator and in his critical observations of the previous administration's response.
   
• Keeping the Left in line | Klain admitted in 2020 that he is more progressive than Joe Biden but, nonetheless, sees Biden as someone capable of implementing real progressive change. Klain giving voice to more progressive politicians proved instrumental in minimising the criticism of the Biden administration from the left-wing of the Democratic Party.

BY THE NUMBERS

Tokyo greatest gender equality games

Sarah Hamilton
Research Associate for Data Insights

The Tokyo 2020 Olympics Games are the most gender-balanced Olympics to date with just under half of the athletes competing in female events. The proportion of female athletes have slowly been increasing from just 23 per cent in the 1984 Los Angeles games female. 

Both the American team and the Australian team have more female athletes - 54 per cent female to 46 per cent male, despite the United States having over 100 more athletes. 

VIDEO

Australia's relationship with NATO

Did you miss the latest webinar from our NATO Expert Talk Series? NATO’s Director for Security Policy and Partnerships Directorate, Political Affairs and Security Policy Division James Mackey sat down with USSC Lecturer and NATO Defense College Partners Across the Globe Fellow Dr Gorana Grgic to discuss the outcomes of this year's NATO summit for partners like Australia. 

The full event replay is now available to stream. Tune in HERE.

Catch this and other recent webinars on the USSC YouTube channel!

THE WEEK IN TWEETS

#Matchup