This week in the states, President Biden and Vice President Harris gathered with union members, leaders, and workers in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts to celebrate Labor Day and the importance of unions, doubling down on Democrats’ commitment to putting workers and their families first. They also called out Republicans for pushing an extreme agenda that puts special interests ahead of workers and the middle class.

• In Wisconsin: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: President Biden celebrates union gains during speech at Milwaukee’s Laborfest, continues broadside against ‘MAGA Republicans’
• In Pennsylvania: TribLive: Biden talks about importance of labor unions, democracy in Labor Day speech in West Mifflin
• In Massachusetts: Boston Globe: ‘The most pro-union administration in America’s history’: Kamala Harris touts White House support of workers at Labor Day breakfast in Boston

Meanwhile, Republicans are facing backlash for their extreme anti-choice agenda in key races across the country.

• In Florida: Tallahassee Democrat: Abortion looms large in Florida elections Nov. 8 | Bill Cotterell
• In Iowa: Associated Press: GOP candidates mask rigid abortion stances after Roe ruling
• In Maine: Maine Beacon: Abortion rights supporters protest outside LePage-Youngkin campaign event
• In Massachusetts: MassLive: Republican governor nominee Geoff Diehl called a ‘grave threat’ to abortion access, reproductive care in Massachusetts
• In Michigan: The Detroit News: Abortion drives Michigan governor’s race as women turn against GOP, poll finds
• In North Carolina: The Charlotte Observer: NC Republicans are suddenly trying to sound reasonable on abortion. Don’t believe it.
• In Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania Capital-Star: New Pa. poll points to trouble for Republicans on abortion
• In Wisconsin: Wisconsin Examiner: Michels’ donations went to sidewalk counseling, location tracking of abortion patients

President Biden this week announced the winners of the American Rescue Plan’s “Build Back Better Challenge,” which is helping to create jobs, bolster manufacturing, and boost local economies from Alaska to Florida – no thanks to every single Republican in Congress who voted against the law.

• In Alaska: Anchorage Daily News: Biden administration awards $49 million to boost Alaska mariculture industry
• In California: The Fresno Bee: Feds award $65.1 million for Fresno, Valley region to improve farm technology, food chain
• In Florida: ClickOrlando: Osceola County getting more than $50M in federal money for NeoCITY development
• In Kansas: The Wichita Eagle: Wichita State to get $51 million to boost economic development in aerospace manufacturing
• In Missouri: St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Greater St. Louis wins big federal grant to jump-start advanced manufacturing
• In Nebraska: Nebraska Examiner: Nebraska ‘robotics cluster’ to receive $25 million from Biden challenge to train more workers in high-tech ag jobs
• In New Hampshire: WMUR: Manchester awarded $44M grant to develop biomedical manufacturing sector
• In New York: BingUNews: Binghamton University-led battery initiative wins $113 million to bolster domestic battery manufacturing and supply chain, reinvigorate region
• In North Dakota: Rapid City Journal: Native coalition group to receive $45 million
• In Oklahoma: The Oklahoman: OKC innovation district gets $35M grant to cut dependence on foreign pharmaceuticals
• In Oregon: The Oregonian: Oregon coalition gets $41 million in federal funds to advance ‘mass timber’ for housing
• In Pennsylvania: WESA: Southwestern Pa. wins coveted $63 million federal grant to spur technology investment
• In Texas: CBS4: President Biden names El Paso among winners getting funding for economic development
• West Virginia: WSAZ: Huntington receives $15.7 million toward manufacturing sites