President Joe Biden says Republican leaders have warned that if his government doesn't move on cutting social security before the end of his term - a move he does not support - then they will shut down government.

Republicans can do so, he said, by not providing the votes needed for the US to pay its federal debt.

He says Republicans have tried to do this when he was vice-president of the US.

"Remember what happened? The entire credit of the federal government was degraded internationally because we played that game," Biden said.

"Nothing would create more chaos and do more damage to the American economy than playing around on whether we pay our national bills."

He ends his remarks to applause, before marching band music plays him off.

Image source, Getty Images

Still speaking to his audience in Florida, US president Joe Biden says Republicans' number one priority is repealing his government's Inflation Reduction Act.

He says "if Republicans have their way", then the power to renegotiate prescription drug prices under Medicare will be gone, as well as other measures his government has passed to reduce the cost of medicine and increase access to insurance.

"That means the end of protection for tens of millions of people," Biden said.

He also took aim at Republican Florida Senator Rick Scott, whom he said plans to make Congress reauthorize social security and Medicare every five years - leaving the policies at risk of being repealed.

Biden says if "big pharma" tries to raise the prices of their drugs above the rate of inflation, "they'll have to write a cheque to Medicare".

His remarks were met with cheers and applause from the audience.

Biden says 1,200 drugs had price rises above the rate of inflation. He says the drugs themselves did not have any enhancement or scientific advances, but the prices continued to rise.

He added that the average price for those drugs rose by 30%, instead of rising with the rate of inflation.

The Inflation Reduction Act, which passed earlier this year, aims to keep prices down by allowing Medicare to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies on some drugs.

Joe Biden is now speaking about his government's efforts to pass the Inflation Reduction Act.

The law looks at curbing inflation in the US. It does so by planning to cut the deficit and reduce the costs of prescription drugs in the US - some of the highest in the world.

"Not one single Republican voted for it in the House and Senate," he says, taking aim at Republican Party.

By passing the law, he says that his government has "finally beat" big pharma, thanks to support from Democrats in Congress.

Image source, Getty Images

US president Joe Biden is talking up the benefits of social security and Medicare (federal health insurance) - policies that his Democratic government has heavily supported.

"These programmes do something so basic and so important," Biden says.

"Almost half of seniors in the US lived in poverty before social security."

He says he will continue to fight for these programmes, because "everyone is entitled to be treated with dignity."

Image source, Getty Images

US president Joe Biden is delivering his remarks in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

He is speaking at a taxpayer funded event and is expected to touch on healthcare and prescription drug prices.

Of course, with the US midterms looming, Biden will likely also be campaigning for Democratic candidates in the Sunshine State.

Follow along for updates.

Nada Tawfik
BBC News

This is President Biden's first political trip to the state, though he visited after Hurricane Ian.

Biden will headline a rally in Miami Gardens in support of Democratic candidates Charlie Crist for governor and Val Demings for the Senate.

Aboard Air Force One, White House Press Secretary Jean-Pierre told reporters that Biden plans to talk about the two parties‘ contrasting visions for America - no doubt to rally his base.

She said Republicans plan to repeal Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, if they gain power in DC, which would increase costs and put on the chopping block Medicare and Social Security - popular social programmes.

Republican Florida strategist Kevin Cooper calls that "a scare tactic".

He believes senior voters will be more immediately concerned by inflation and the dent it's putting in their savings.

So, is the president's trip too little, too late?

It's not a great sign that the Miami Herald editorial board says his trip feels "meh" and "a Hail Mary pass for a Democratic party that’s expecting the worst".

Image source, Getty Images

Or need a re-cap? Here are the latest updates as the US edges closer to the midterm elections on Tuesday:

• The US Supreme Court has put a temporary hold on the handover of Donald Trump's tax returns to US lawmakers
• A committee of legislators were due to obtain six years of Trump's tax returns later this week, after first requesting them in 2019
• The move by the top US court comes a week out from the US midterms - elections that have seen the former president play a key campaigning role
• Meanwhile, President Joe Biden is in the key battleground state of Florida to campaign for the Democratic nominee for governor, Charlie Crist
• Crist, a Republican-turned-Democrat, is going up against Florida's Republican governor Ron DeSantis in an election battle that is being widely watched ahead of a potential DeSantis presidential campaign in 2024
• Former President Barack Obama is due to hold a rally at a high school in Las Vegas, Nevada
• Finally, the man who attacked Paul Pelosi, the 82-year old husband of Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, has been charged with multiple violent crimes which police say were motivated by politics. He is expected to formally enter a plea later on Tuesday

Anthony Zurcher
BBC North America correspondent, reporting from Virginia

Incumbent politicians have a natural advantage in US politics. They have time to amass a campaign war chest, build name recognition and use the powers of their office to help constituents through government spending or a hand navigating sometimes byzantine government processes.

Democrat Abigail Spanberger was elected to the House of Representatives, but due to the congressional redistricting undertaken nationwide after the 10-year census, very few of her old constituents are in her new district. That means she has to introduce herself to a new group of voters, unlike her opponent, who holds an elected local office within the new district lines.

It's a challenge many House candidates are facing across the country, as they run in reshaped districts - or even ones merged with other seats in states that have seen population declines since 2010.

Jane Touchet, a volunteer for the Spanberger campaign at the Woodbridge early balloting location, says many of the voters she’s spoken with are unfamiliar with Spanberger - even the Democrats. She’s found that this election, however, voters on both sides are mostly paying attention to party affiliation, rather than an individual candidate’s personal characteristics.

If they did, they'd find Spanberger to be an unusual Democrat - one who has been quick to criticise her party's leadership, both in Congress and the White House. She recently said, in fact, that if she is re-elected and Democrats keep control of the House of Representatives, she won't vote for Nancy Pelosi to be speaker of the House for another term.

Image source, Getty Images

As America gets ready for the midterm elections, US Capitol Police chief Tom Manger is warning of a "contentious" political climate.

In a statement on Tuesday, Manger has called for more resources "to provide additional layers of physical security for Members of Congress."

His comments come after a man attacked Paul Pelosi - husband of Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi - at the couple's California home.

Police said the man asked "Where's Nancy?" after he broke-in with a hammer.

Manger said his police force has reviewed the incident and concluded that there needs to be additional measures in place to protect Congress leaders.

The Capitol Police are also monitoring thousands of threats made against politicians across the country, Manger said, in an effort to stop them before they make headline news.

The force has already added more staff - around 280 - in response to the Capitol riots on 6 January 2021.

Nada Tawfik
BBC News

Image source, Getty Images

President Biden did not win the Sunshine State in 2020 and the dynamics there are even less favourable just two years later.

Florida was always considered one of the most important swing states, but there are signs that it is moving towards Republican red and away from purple (a mix between red and Democratic blue).

The governor, Ron Desantis, can take some credit.

He has fashioned himself as a bulwark against liberal social changes in the so-called culture wars.

Nevertheless, his time in office builds on a decade of work by Republicans to appeal to rural voters and Latinos, particularly Cuban Americans, who hold deeply conservative social and economic views.

In addition, there is a growing older population, which tends to vote more conservative.

Now, for the first time, there are more registered Republicans than Democrats in the state.

Democratic activist Thomas Kennedy says ideological and corporate donors are giving up on Florida and less big money, from those like Michael Bloomberg, is pouring in.

He has criticised the current Democratic leadership for their failure to build a proper state party infrastructure.

Kennedy says the state Democratic party didn’t maintain former President Obama’s well-oiled operation that used data to make sure the base turned out and registered to vote, allowing him to carry the state in 2008 and 2012.

At the same time, he says Florida Republicans have successfully imitated Obama’s grassroots playbook.

Polling now shows that Republicans may carry Miami-Dade county - up until now a blue stronghold.

That would spell real trouble for Democrats. And the concern extends from the midterms to the party’s chances in the state, with its 30 electoral votes, for the presidential election in 2024.

Image source, Getty Images

Biden has two events planned in Florida tonight, and was spotted boarding Air Force One moments ago carrying a biography of Civil War-era president Abraham Lincoln.

At 15:00 local time (19:00GMT) he'll deliver remarks at a taxpayer funded event in Fort Lauderdale. According to the White House, he will speak about government healthcare programmes and prescription drug prices.

But with only a week until the election, his speech with probably be decidedly political in tone, as he warns of the danger posed by what he calls "Maga Republicans".

At 19:00 (23:00GMT) he'll attend a rally with Florida governor candidate Charlie Crist and Senate candidate Val Demmings.

Image source, Getty Images

Anthony Zurcher
BBC North America correspondent, reporting from Virginia

I've now made it to the Woodbridge, Virginia local department of motor vehicles - the town's early voting location.

It's a typically unglamorous spot made more exciting by dozens of campaign signs and tents set up by Republican and Democratic volunteers.

Kathy Schartzer has been standing in a tent outside the building trying to convince voters to support Republicans, including congressional candidate Yesli Vega. The papers she's handing out contrast the candidates on hot-button social issues like abortion gender identity and drug decriminalisation.

Schartzer says Republican Glenn Youngkin's victory in last year's Virginia governor's race has given her hope that Vega can win in her district, after it seemed like the state had been trending toward the Democrats in recent years.

There's been a steady stream of voters passing through, which on a Tuesday is a good indication of the level of interest in this area's toss-up congressional race.

Democrats currently hold a majority in the Senate - the upper chamber of Congress - as well as the House of Representatives.

But their majority is slim. Super slim.

The Democrats have 48 seats, but two Independent senators vote with the Democrats, giving them 50 votes. The Republicans have 50 seats.

That makes the Senate an even split. Tie-breaking votes are cast by the vice president - in this case Democrat Kamala Harris - giving President Biden's party the majority, for now.

Image source, Getty Images

Today we're in Virginia and Montana, but let's take a look at some key states that could swing Congress for the Democrats or the Republicans. We'll be bringing you on-the-ground reporting from these battleground states as the week goes on.

Arizona: In 2020, President Joe Biden became the first Democratic presidential nominee to win Arizona since Bill Clinton won the state in 1996.

The governor race in Arizona pits Trump-backed Republican and former TV news anchor Kari Lake against Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, a Democrat who rose to national prominence for fighting back against Trump’s claims of election fraud.

Georgia: Two years ago, Biden became the first Democrat to win Georgia since 1992.

The race is expected to be a close-run affair as Democrat Raphael Warnock goes up against Trump-backed football star Herschel Walker, who is standing on a strongly anti-abortion platform, despite claims from two women that he paid for them both to have a termination.

Michigan: Biden won Michigan in 2020, after Donald Trump became the first Republican to win the state since 1988.

Democratic governor Gretchen Whitmer faces conservative commentator Tudor Dixon, who has the backing of Donald Trump. The outcome of key governor and local races could mean further abortion restrictions being imposed.

Pennsylvania: The state’s attorney general, Democrat Josh Shapiro, is facing off against Doug Mastriano, a state senator backed by Donald Trump.

The winner will be able to choose the state’s election officials for 2024 and can block - or advance - voting restrictions in the state.

Nadine Yousif
BBC reporter

Image source, Getty Images

You may have noticed that we've been talking about an increase in petrol prices in the US, even though Americans don't call it petrol - they call it gasoline (or just gas).

This is one of the many British English words the BBC uses that might sound foreign to our American readers. And to make it even more complicated, a Canadian is writing this post.

It's not the only term that causes confusion around elections. In the UK (and Canada), the legislature of elected officials is called Parliament. In the US, it's called Congress.

The UK and Canada have a prime minister, while the US has a president.

And don't even get me started on how to spell colour, or the use of the letter 's' in organise instead of the letter 'z'...

If you ever get confused about all the different terms, just know that we do, too.

Chelsea Bailey
reporting from Kalispell, Montana

Kalispell, Montana, is about as far north as you can go in the United States before crossing into Canada - but that doesn’t mean folks here are being spared from the election fervour.

I chatted with 32-year-old Justin van Emmerik as he finished up his shopping. He said it’s hard to pick just one issue that’s motivating him to the vote this midterm season, but abortion access, affordability and renewable energy top his list.

A gallon of petrol here averages about $4 (£3.50) — nearly 20 cents higher than the national average. As a result, van Emmerik said he’ll be voting for a candidate that will do more to harness the state’s enormous renewable resources like wind and solar energy.

But when the political dust settles, he said he ultimately hopes the candidates and his neighbours trust in the integrity of the election.

“Whatever the result is, hopefully it’s abided by both candidates.”

Anthony Zurcher
BBC North America correspondent, reporting from Virginia

Image source, Getty Images

It's not quite in the shadow of the US Capitol, but one of the most hotly contested seats in the House of Representatives is just a short drive from Washington DC.

Virginia's Seventh congressional district stretches through north-western Virginia, from near Washington DC to the town of Fredericksburg.

It's currently held by Abigail Spanberger, a centrist Democrat who was first elected in the Democratic midterm wave of 2018 – although the district's boundaries were significantly redrawn this year to include less of state capitol Richmond and more of Washington’s outer suburbs.

Spanberger's opponent is Yesli Vega, a local county official and the daughter of immigrants from El Salvador. Roughly one in five residents of the congressional district is of Hispanic origin – and this race could provide a good gauge of whether Republicans are making inroads in this growing demographic group.

Out of the 435 congressional districts that make up the House of Representatives, only about 40 or 50 are in play for both the Republicans and Democrats.

Those seats are fairly spread out over the breadth of the country, however, so unless a voter lives in a western state like Wyoming, Utah or Idaho, there is probably a political battleground within a few hour's drive.

Image source, Getty Images

The decision by the Supreme Court to delay the release of Trump's taxes gives us a chance to look at the role he's playing during this midterm season.

Needless to say, the presence of the former Republican president looms large.

The make-up of the Supreme Court is often a major voting issue for Americans, including during this campaign cycle.

Presidents nominate Supreme Court justices, and three of the six conservatives on the court were installed by Trump.

The current make-up of the court is six conservatives to three liberals. They each serve a lifetime appointment.

Trust in the Supreme Court hit historical lows after they invalidated the constitutional right to an abortion in June, and Americans increasingly say that they've lost confidence in the court's political neutrality.

Democrats are counting on voters angry with the court's abortion decision to drive turnout next week.

This injunction, delaying the release until after the midterms, just may be the deciding factor that gets them out to the polls.

• Who is on the US Supreme Court?
• How the US Supreme Court is reshaping America
• Key cases to watch on the Supreme Court

Kayla Epstein
Reporting from New York

The US Supreme Court has put a temporary hold on Congressional Democrats' request to obtain Donald Trump’s tax returns.

Donald Trump appealed to the nation's highest bench after a lower, federal court cleared the way for the Internal Revenue Service to hand over his tax documents to a House of Representatives committee investigating his finances.

The administrative stay does not necessarily mean the Supreme Court will rule in favour of Trump; rather, it gives the justices time to review the case before a deadline.

Trump's tax returns have been a white whale for Democrats since he first ran for office. He broke decades of precedent by refusing to release his tax returns, which most presidential candidates will do in the interest of transparency.

A celebrity real estate developer who said he was worth billions, Trump has sought to shield his financial records from the public, much to the ire of his critics. Some documents have leaked over the years and were a focus of a major New York Times investigation. The tax returns have been a target for Democrats as well as federal and state prosecutors investigating Trump and his businesses.