Hi, this is Julie Wong in Pleasant Grove, Utah, where me and my community

theater are about to go on for our opening night of the Sound of Music.

This podcast was recorded at 105 PM on Friday, July 29.

Things may have changed by the time you hear it, but over here, the hills will

still be alive with the Sound of Music. Okay, here's the show.

The Sound of Music, it still slaps, I guess, even with the kids.

I just love that there's live theater going on. Hey, there.

It's the MPR Politics Podcast, Tom Susan Davis, I cover politics.

I'm dear Drew Walsh, I cover Congress. And I'm Franco Ardonia's, I cover the White House.

And it has been a big week for the White House and for Congress,

with big implications for President Biden's domestic and foreign policy

agendas. Here at home, Democrats are positioning to send two significant

legislative victories to President Biden's desk. And US China relations are in focus

as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi may take a controversial trip to Taiwan.

Drew, let's start on the hill. You know, not only did Democrats pass a pretty

significant bipartisan piece of legislation to boost domestic production of

semi-conductor chips. It's actually called the Chips Bill, but those are the things

that power your cars, your phones, and many, many other things.

There was also this big surprise deal announced this week that essentially

revives some big parts of Biden's Build Back Better plan. So take a little bit

of a step back and explain to us how this came together.

Well, you are right. This was definitely a big surprise.

...