Ahead of a potentially pivotal week on Capitol Hill, the Biden-Harris campaign is stepping up its outreach to lawmakers amid growing calls for President Biden to step down from the ticket. Mr. Biden has personally made 20 calls to congressional members since last month’s presidential debate in Atlanta and additional calls are expected, a campaign official confirms to CBS News. 

Last week, the White House said the president spoke with several key allies including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, Rep. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina and Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware. Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders also told Face The Nation Sunday that he had recently spoken with the president.

A memo acquired by CBS News, which was sent to Hill offices by the Biden-Harris campaign, highlights more than a dozen appearances by the president since the debate in “blue wall states,” including this weekend’s campaign events in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. On Sunday, Mr. Biden spoke at Philadelphia church, stopped by a field office with Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania to rally volunteers and joined Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro at a coffee shop in Harrisburg. 

“I’m up to the job,” Biden, 81, told reporters before departing the Keystone State on Air Force One.

The memo outlines Mr. Biden’s upcoming schedule this week, which features the NATO summit, a meeting with union leaders at the AFL-CIO Wednesday and a campaign event in Detroit Friday. It points to a new Bloomberg/Morning Consult poll that shows Mr. Biden narrowing the gap to 45%-47% against former President Donald Trump in seven key battleground states. It also boasts support from surrogates and grassroots donors, citing June as its “best” fundraising month with a $127 million haul.

“Since the debate, we’ve seen an outpouring of robust and continually growing grassroots support, sending a clear message – Americans understand the stakes and are fired-up and ready to re-elect Joe Biden and Kamala Harris,” the memo reads.

The effort follows a Sunday afternoon leadership call with ranking members from various House committees. Several senior House Democrats said the President should end his re-election campaign in the wake of his recent debate performance, multiple people tell CBS News.

At least five House Democrats have called on the president to step down as the party nominee. Virginia Sen. Mark Warner scrapped a Monday meeting with a group of Senate Democrats to discuss the President’s bid, a source familiar with the senator’s thinking confirmed to CBS News. 

House and Senate Democrats are expected to hold separate meetings Tuesday where Biden’s embattled presidential campaign is likely to come up. 

“I’ve got a wait and see position to see how things go,” one House Democrat told CBS News. “I think most people just want to continue to see how the president does.”

— additional reporting by Nancy Cordes.

Nikole Killion

Nikole Killion is a CBS News congressional correspondent based in Washington D.C. As a correspondent, Killion played a key role in the Network’s 2020 political and election coverage, reporting from around the country during the final stretch of the campaign and throughout the Biden transition.

While most eyes are on Amazon Prime Day, starting next week and running from July 16-17, 2024, you don’t want to miss Walmart’s rival sale. Called Walmart Deals, Walmart’s anti-Prime Day sale features slashed prices on some of your favorite products from Dyson, GE, Keurig and more.

There’s no need to wait until Prime Day to save: Walmart Deals starts today and the deals are pretty intense. Like past Walmart sales events, we expect the best deals on back-to-school basics, electronics and more to sell out quick.

Keep reading for our take on the hottest deals happening on Walmart Deals, plus learn what you need to know to get early access to the biggest Walmart sale of 2024 so far.

When does Walmart’s rival Prime Day sale start?

Move over, Amazon Prime Day: The Walmart Deals 2024 sale starts on Monday, July 8, 2024. Expect big savings on back-to-school necessities, camping gear, home essentials and more.

The Walmart Deals sale opens to the general public at 5:00 p.m. ET (2:00 p.m. PT). Paid Walmart+ subscribers get five hours of early access to shopping all of today’s deals, including those we’ve listed below. They can start shopping the Walmart Deals sale starting at noon ET (9:00 a.m. PT) on Monday. 

Walmart+ is on sale: Subscribe for half price

If you’re not a Walmart+ subscriber yet, Walmart Deals week is the best time to join. That’s because Walmart is offering Walmart+ memberships for half price this week. You can get your first year of Walmart+ for just $49. (Walmart+ is regularly $98 per year.)

Not only do Walmart+ members get early access to Walmart Deals, members get free delivery from their local Walmart store, returns picked up from home, member savings on fuel and a complimentary subscription to the Paramount+ streaming service, which gives subscribers access to all NFL games airing on CBS next season.

Tap the button below to get in on this Walmart+ deal while it lasts. Hurry, the Walmart+ deal is good this week only.

Walmart Deals best deals

Walmart is pulling out all stops, offering slashed prices on top-selling products. Below are the hottest deals of Walmart Deals.

TCL 65″ Class Q 4K QLED with Google TV: $398 (save $100)

Get ready for the 2024 NFL season with a great deal on a top-notch TV. TCL’s Q Class TV offers premium picture quality featuring QLED Quantum Dot technology and HDR Pro+ with Dolby vision, ensuring a high-quality picture with enhanced contrast, colors and details. 

This budget TV’s high-brightness direct LED backlight delivers brighter images, while TV’s auto game mode optimizes the picture for responsive gameplay without lag. A standout TV for movie lovers, sports fans and gamers alike, this TV is a great pick for the price. 

Get this TV during Walmart Deals for $398, reduced from $498.

Dyson V12 Detect Slim cordless vacuum cleaner: Save $200

Beauty influencers have long touted Dyson’s heat-minimizing Airwrap styler. Now Dyson deal lovers can clean up with big savings on the brand’s popular slim vacuum at the Walmart Deals sale.

Dyson’s lightest intelligent cordless vacuum, the versatile Dyson V12 Detect Slim can deep clean your home, finding otherwise invisible dust on hard floors. The machine optimizes run time based on debris picked up, tracking it on the LCD screen. The screen also displays a run-time countdown and maintenance alerts. 

We like the de-tangling cleaner head, which deep cleans carpets and hardwood floors without getting stopped up on pet hair. It comes with a two-year warranty.

The Dyson Slim vacuum cleaner is on sale during the Walmart Deals sale for $450, reduced from $650.

Keurig K-Slim + ICED single-serve coffee maker: $49 (save $80)

Whether you’re looking for full-flavored coffee to start your day, or a refreshing iced coffee post-lunch, Keurig’s K-Slim coffee maker delivers one great cup of coffee after the next. It’s less than half price during the Walmart Deals summer sale.

This machine can automatically adjust brew temperature to create the perfect iced coffee, starting hotter to maximize flavor, then cooling down so less of your ice melts. It makes drinks in just two minutes in your choice of three cup sizes.

The Keurig K-Slim makes up to four eight-ounce cups before the 46-ounce reservoir needs refilling.

This Keurig coffee maker will be $49 at the Walmart Deals sale, reduced from $129.

Aovopro ES80 350W foldable electric scooter: Save $200

What a deal on a terrific scooter suited for both kids and adults! This electric scooter features an extended range and higher top speed, making it best suited for experienced riders. 

This waterproof scooter offers three drive modes, a powerful battery for longer rides and an indicator that helps track battery life. The night light powers off automatically, saving your battery from getting drained.

Cruise through town at 19 mph thanks to the powerful 350-watt motor. Ride over 20 miles on a single charge and maximize stability on the 8.5-inch anti-skid tires. Front and rear dual brakes help keep riders safe. The scooter folds when not in use.

This scooter is $239 at the Walmart Deals sale, reduced from $439.

Lego Star Wars Hoth AT-ST building kit: Save $15

There’s no age limit on Lego fandom or Star Wars fandom, and this Star Wars Hoth building kit scratches both itches. The Battle of Hoth AT-ST model from the ‘Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back’ set (75322) includes 586 pieces. It’s guaranteed to provide endless hours of fun..

The AT-ST toy walker features an opening hatch and roof to the cockpit, two spring-loaded shooters and poseable legs. The set includes three Lego Star Wars mini figurines and offers easy-to-follow directions.

This Lego set is $35 during the Walmart Deals sale, reduced from $50.

Philips Sonicare Diamond Clean 9000 special edition rechargeable toothbrush: Save $50

Remove up to 10 times more plaque than a manual toothbrush with the Phillips Sonicare Diamond Clean 9000 special edition rechargeable toothbrush. It features a pressure sensor, four brushing modes and three intensities.

The toothbrush sits on an elegant charging glass. Use the Sonicare App to track your brushing and ensure you’re on the path to reaching your oral health care goals.

This electric toothbrush is $150 during the Walmart Deals sale, reduced from $200.

Travelhouse three-piece luggage set: Save $35

This three-piece hardshell expandable luggage set is lightweight and features spinner wheels.  The set, which comes in nine different color choices, includes one (each) 20-inch, 24-inch and 28-inch suitcases, each with a three-step telescoping handle, quiet spinner wheels and a TSA-approved lock.

If you’re looking for an inexpensive luggage set for your summer travels, this is it. The Travelhouse three-piece luggage set is $85 at the Walmart Deals sale, reduced from $120.

Nintendo Super Mario Party with Red & Blue Joy-Con bundle: Save $30

Save big on endless summer fun with the Nintendo Super Mario Party + Red & Blue Joy-Con bundle — the controllers alone are a $40 value.

This bundle includes a full game download and a pair of red (left) and blue (right) controllers for your Nintendo Switch console. Add another pair of controllers (sold separately) to allow four people to play at once.

This gaming bundle is $69 during the Walmart Deals sale, reduced from $99.

Rayovac 1.5V 72-pack total AA batteries & AAA batteries: Save $20

The Walmart Deals and Amazon Prime Day sales are great opportunities to stock up on household essentials like batteries. Walmart is offering this massive two-pack that includes 36 AA batteries and 36 AAA batteries for $20 total during Walmart Deals, reduced from $40.

Ideal batteries for flashlights and other highly used devices like remote controls and toys, these batteries feature a ten-year power guarantee, so you know they’ll retain their charge while in storage.

Get this 72-count battery pack for $20 at the Walmart Deals sale.

Do you need to be a Walmart+ member to shop the Walmart Deals sale?

While you need to be an Amazon Prime member to get the best deals at the Amazon Prime Day sale, you don’t need to be a Walmart+ member to get the best deals during the Walmart Deals sale. That said, we expect many of the best deals to sell out quickly once they’re made available to the general public, so becoming a paid Walmart+ subscriber before the sale will all but guarantee you access to all the best deals.

Boeing will plead guilty to a criminal fraud charge stemming from two crashes of 737 Max jetliners that killed 346 people after the government determined the company violated an agreement that had protected it from prosecution for more than three years, the Justice Department said Sunday night. The aerospace giant then confirmed that it had agreed to the deal.

Federal prosecutors gave Boeing the choice last week of entering a guilty plea and paying a fine as part of its sentence or facing a trial on the felony criminal charge of conspiracy to defraud the United States.

Prosecutors accused the American aerospace giant of deceiving regulators who approved the airplane and pilot-training requirements for it.

The plea deal, which still must receive the approval of a federal judge to take effect, calls for Boeing to pay an additional $243.6 million fine. That was the same amount it paid under the 2021 settlement that the Justice Department said the company breached. An independent monitor would be named to oversee Boeing’s safety and quality procedures for three years. The deal also requires Boeing to invest at least $455 million in its compliance and safety programs.

The plea deal covers only wrongdoing by Boeing before the crashes, which killed all 346 passengers and crew members aboard two new Max jets. It does not give Boeing immunity for other incidents, including a panel that blew off a Max jetliner during an Alaska Airlines flight in January, a Justice Department official said.

The deal also does not cover any current or former Boeing officials, only the corporation. In a statement, Boeing confirmed it had reached the deal with the Justice Department but had no further comment.

In a court filing Sunday night, the Justice Department said it expected to file the written plea agreement with the court by July 19. Lawyers for some of the relatives of those who died in the two crashes have said they will ask the judge to reject the agreement.

“This sweetheart deal fails to recognize that because of Boeing’s conspiracy, 346 people died. Through crafty lawyering between Boeing and DOJ, the deadly consequences of Boeing’s crime are being hidden,” said Paul Cassell, a lawyer for some of the families.

Federal prosecutors alleged Boeing committed conspiracy to defraud the government by misleading regulators about a flight-control system that was implicated in the crashes, which took place in Indonesia in October 2018 and in Ethiopia less five months later.

As part of the January 2021 settlement, the Justice Department said it would not prosecute Boeing on the charge if the company complied with certain conditions for three years. Prosecutors last month alleged Boeing had breached the terms of that agreement.

The company’s guilty plea will be entered in U.S. District Court in Texas. The judge overseeing the case, who has criticized what he called “Boeing’s egregious criminal conduct,” could accept the plea and the sentence that prosecutors offered with it or he could reject the agreement, likely leading to new negotiations between the Justice Department and Boeing.

Relatives of the people who died in the crashes were briefed on the plea offer a week ago and at the time said they would ask the judge to reject it.

U.S. agencies can use a criminal conviction as grounds to exclude companies from doing business with the government for a set amount of time. Boeing is an important contractor of the Defense Department and NASA.

The case goes back to the crashes in Indonesia and in Ethiopia. The Lion Air pilots in the first crash did not know about flight-control software that could push the nose of the plane down without their input. The pilots for Ethiopian Airlines knew about it but were unable to control the plane when the software activated based on information from a faulty sensor.

The Justice Department charged Boeing in 2021 with deceiving FAA regulators about the software, which did not exist in older 737s, and about how much training pilots would need to fly the plane safely. The department agreed not to prosecute Boeing at the time, however, if the company paid a $2.5 billion settlement, including the $243.6 million fine, and took steps to comply with anti-fraud laws for three years.

Boeing, which blamed two low-level employees for misleading the regulators, tried to put the crashes behind it. After grounding Max jets for 20 months, regulators let them fly again after the Boeing reduced the power of the flight software. Max jets logged thousands of safe flights and orders from airlines picked up, increasing to about 750 in 2021, about 700 more in 2022 and nearly 1,000 in 2023.

The company based in Arlington, Virginia, has dozens of airline customers spanning the globe. The best customers for the 737 Max include Southwest, United, American, Alaska, Ryanair and flydubai.

That changed in January, when a panel covering an unused emergency exit blew off a Max during the Alaska Airlines flight over Oregon.

Pilots landed the 737 Max safely and no one was seriously injured, but the incident led to closer scrutiny of the company. The Justice Department opened a new investigation, the FBI told passengers on the Alaska plane that they might be victims of a crime and the FAA said it was stepping up oversight of Boeing.

A criminal conviction could jeopardize Boeing’s status as a federal contractor, according to some legal experts. The plea announced Sunday does not address that question, leaving it to each government agency whether to bar Boeing.

The Air Force cited “compelling national interest” in letting Boeing continue competing for contracts after the company paid a $615 million fine in 2006 to settle criminal and civil charges, including that it used information stolen from a rival to win a space-launch contract.

The company has 170,000 employees and 37% of its revenue last year came from U.S. government contracts. Most of it was defense work, including military sales that Washington arranged for other countries.

Even some Boeing critics have worried about crippling a key defense contractor.

“We want Boeing to succeed,” Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat, said during a Senate hearing last month on what he termed the company’s broken safety culture. “Boeing needs to succeed for the sake of the jobs it provides, for the sake of local economies it supports, for the sake of the American traveling public, for the sake of our military.”

Relatives of the Indonesia and Ethiopia crash victims have pushed for a criminal trial that might illuminate what people inside Boeing knew about deceiving the FAA. They also wanted the Justice Department to prosecute top Boeing officials, not just the company.

“Boeing has paid fines many a time, and it doesn’t seem to make any change,” said Ike Riffel of Redding, California, whose sons Melvin and Bennett died in the Ethiopian Airlines crash. “When people start going to prison, that’s when you are going to see a change.”

At a recent Senate hearing, Boeing CEO David Calhoun defended the company’s safety record after turning and apologizing to Max crash victims’ relatives seated in the rows behind him “for the grief that we have caused.”

Hours before the hearing, the Senate investigations subcommittee released a 204-page report with new allegations from a whistleblower who said he worried that defective parts could be going into 737s. The whistleblower was the latest in a string of current and former Boeing employees who have raised safety concerns about the company and claimed they faced retaliation as a result.