President Biden sought Saturday to walk back his earlier statements on a bipartisan infrastructure deal after indicating Thursday he would not sign the bill unless Congress passed a separate measure that included additional domestic priorities.
The big picture: Biden's earlier remarks — that the two packages needed to move in “tandem” and “if they don’t come, I’m not signing. Real simple” — triggered a scramble among aides, who sought to quell concerns over the future of the bipartisan agreement, Politico reports.
The mayor of Lexington, Ky., signed into law an ordinance that bans no-knock warrants in Fayette County, the Lexington Herald Leader reports.
The big picture: Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton, who previously opposed a complete ban, signed the ordinance after the council approved it Thursday in a 10-5 vote.
The climate change the planet has seen so far, now that the world haswarmed by about 1.2°C (2.16°F) since the preindustrial era, is already resulting in unprecedented and destructive events worldwide.
Why it matters: In the past few decades alone, climate change has shifted from a far-off problem disconnected from our day-to-day lives to a crisis to be grappled with here and now.
Four U.S. senators signed a letter to President Biden on June 16 urging the exoneration of J. Robert Oppenheimer, who in 1954 was the government’s top atomic physicist when he came under suspicion as a Soviet spy.
The big picture: The letter asks Biden to issue an executive order to rescind the Atomic Energy Commission’s (AEC) characterization of Oppenheimer as "untrustworthy and unfit to serve his country."
The suicide rate among active duty military members and veterans who have served since 9/11 is approximately four times as high as the number of those killed in post-9/11 war operations, according to a Brown University study.
Why it matters: Researchers found that while suicide rates in the U.S. has been increasing for the past 20 years, "among active military personnel and veterans of the post-9/11 wars, the suicide rate is even higher, outpacing average Americans."
President Biden is under intense pressure to deliver on his historic climate plans, with real danger that he’ll miss his window on major goals that allies had hoped were in their grasp.
Why it matters: Only six months into his presidency, Biden has a limited amount of time to tackle what he calls "the No. 1 issue facing humanity."
The much-anticipated sixth assessment report from the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) will be rolled out on Aug. 9, generating a burst of climate coverage in the media and putting pressure on lawmakers to act.
Why it matters: The IPCC's reports are designed to be the most authoritative summaries of the latest knowledge regarding our changing climate.
Seven out of 10 Americans are aware of the scientific consensus that climate change is largely caused by people, and that the world isn't on track to reach the temperature reduction targets of the Paris climate agreement, according to an Ipsos poll shared exclusively with Axios.
Why it matters: It's the latest in a series of polls that suggest Americans' understanding of climate change has increased in recent years, and particularly over the last five years.
Corporations and their K Street lobbyists are grappling with rising pressure for action on climate change from the White House and its Capitol Hill allies.
Why it matters: Democrats' ascendance is prompting powerful business and industrial interests to try and influence the new initiatives in their favor — or at least limit the fallout.
Texas Democrats sued Gov. Greg Abbott (R) for vetoing funding that covers thousands of paychecks in the state legislature after lawmakers walked off the House floor in May to block a restrictive voting bill.
Driving the news: Lawmakers argue in the suit that the veto was unconstitutional, adding that "[i]f given legal effect, Governor Abbott's unconstitutional veto will effectively result in the abolition of the Legislature..."
Johnson & Johnson reached a $230 million settlement with the state of New York for its role in the opioid crisis, state Attorney General Letitia James announced Saturday.
The state of play: The company will also be required to stop manufacturing or selling opioids in New York. The agreement "acknowledges Johnson & Johnson’s exit from the opioid business nationally."
A man attempted to breach the cockpit of a SkyWest Airlines flight late Friday at LAX as the plane was taxiing on the runway. After failing, he managed to open an emergency exit door and left via the inflatable slide, a local NBC affiliate reported.
The state of play: SkyWest officials said that no passengers suffered injuries. Following the incident, the plane returned to the gate area. The man was apprehended on the taxiway, he was treated for his injuries and taken to a hospital, per NBC.
The question of what makes us Latino “enough” is lovingly and humorously discussed in a book that explores coming to terms with how we shape our identities and choose to express our Latinidad.
Why it matters: As a broader section of the U.S. acknowledges the cultural nuances and differences among Latinos, projects like ¡Hola Papi!: How to Come Out in a Walmart Parking Lot and Other Life Lessons show how the community’s diverse experiences can be universally connected.
An FBI agent’s admission he baselessly targeted a Chinese Canadian researcher in an economic espionage probe is driving calls for a federal investigation into the Justice Department's conduct under the China Initiative.
Why it matters: Asian Americans, concerned about racial profiling amid heightened U.S.-China tensions, raised the alarm about the program early on asthe DOJ has sought to root out the Chinese government’s efforts to steal intellectual property.
Rescue crews are continuing to search for dozens of people after a 12-story oceanfront condo tower partially collapsed in Surfside, just north of Miami Beach.
The latest: Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said Friday night that no new survivors have been found. “But through the night we will continue, and God willing, there will be some good news later tonight or in the morning,” Cava said.
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops quietly clarified this week that there will be "no national policy on withholding Communion from politicians" after some bishops had raised the issue.
Why it matters: A wave of controversy and debate occurred after the conference overwhelmingly voted to draft a "teaching document," which many hoped would rebuke Biden and other Catholic politicians for receiving Communion despite their support for abortion rights, per AP.
