The unemployment rate in July held steady at 9.5 percent, according to the U.S. Labor Department. Friday's report was widely seen as another sign of a sputtering economy.  The Senate on Thursday passed a bill to prevent teacher layoffs and shore up budgets for cash-strapped states, but a stronger jobs bill had to be watered down in order to secure enough votes for Senate passage. Meanwhile, despite catastrophic consequences of global warming and even in the wake of the worst oil spill in history, a Republican filibuster blocked action by the Senate on energy legislation.

Unemployment Friday's jobless report for July showed that 6.6 million Americans, or 45 percent of those unemployed, were out of work for more than six months or more. Even for working people lucky enough to have jobs, wages remain stagnant.  Median weekly wages, adjusted for inflation, fell slightly for both high school and college graduates from 2000 to 2009, according to a recent analysis by the Economic Policy Institute.

Help for Schools and States The Senate on Thursday approved a $26 billion package of aid to states and school districts. House speaker Nancy Pelosi summoned members back to Washington from their summer recess for a final vote on the bill next Tuesday. "It takes the pressure off local government to have to raise property taxes. It takes the pressure off state government," Sanders said.  In Vermont, the bill would provide $19 million for 300 teacher jobs. Another $40 million could go to the state for extended Medicaid expenses, relieving budget pressure on other state services.  Meanwhile, the senator talked with a group of Vermont principals via a video conferencing system.  You can watch that video here.

Jobs Wanted "The American Society of Civil Engineers tell us that we have several trillion dollars of unmet infrastructure any place in America - roads, bridges, water systems, schools, waste water plants - we are in desperate need of work to rebuild those facilities. I'm a former mayor. If you don't invest in infrastructure, it doesn't get any better. It gets worse. Let's put people to work rebuilding the United States of America," Sanders told MSNBC's Morning Joe.

Wall Street Reform At a time when there is massive and appropriate distrust of Wall Street, a movement is gaining momentum for Professor Elizabeth Warren to head a new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The American people want someone in that position who has demonstrated the courage to stand up to Wall Street greed and protect ordinary Americans. Since Bernie first wrote to President Obama backing the "smart and tough consumer advocate," more and more people, from Washington Post columnist Harold Meyerson to Dr. Phil, are speaking out.  To add your name to the petition supporting Professor Warren, click here.

Supreme Court The Senate on Thursday confirmed Solicitor General Elena Kagan as the nation's 112th Supreme Court justice. There was a White House ceremony Friday in advance of Saturday's official swearing-in ceremony at the Supreme Court. Sanders voted to confirm the fourth woman ever to sit on the highest court in the land. "I hope the Supreme Court gains a strong voice for the interests of working people and a skeptical eye on the ceaseless encroachment by corporate interests over the well-being of ordinary Americans."

Climate Change Gridlock Global warming, record-setting hot temperatures and the worst oil spill in history were not enough to get the Senate to act on energy legislation. Blaming Senate Republicans, Majority Leader Reid delayed debate on energy legislation until September. Even beforehand, Sanders told The New York Times "it's a weak bill" that "doesn't begin to address the energy crisis in America.  "Global warming is real, and it is causing very significant problems for our environment," he added.  To watch an ABC News interview with Bernie on global warming, click here.

Solar Power In a bright spot, the Senate energy committee on Thursday formally approved Sanders' 10 Million Solar Roofs Act authorizing a program of rebates, loans, and other incentives to install 10 million solar roofs on homes and businesses around the country by 2021. 

Taxes Senate leaders said Wednesday that debate would most likely begin in September over whether to let the Bush income tax cuts for the rich expire at the end of this year as scheduled.  Sanders has introduced legislation that would restore the estate tax. It would raise $318 billion over the next decade by establishing a graduated inheritance tax on estates over $3.5 million. It would apply to the estate of the wealthiest 0.3 percent of Americans. It also makes certain that the overwhelming majority of family farmers and small businesses never have to pay an estate tax.