President Biden said Thursday his administration is deploying more U.S. firefighters to Canada to tackle more than 400 wildfires that have displaced tens of thousands of people.
Driving the news: "We already have 600 American firefighters on the ground, and have been there for a while in Canada, including hotshots and the smokejumper crews," Biden said at a news conference Thursday, one day after speaking with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to offer additional help.
Why it matters: It won't take much to upend Speaker Kevin McCarthy's (R-Calif) 10-seatmajority. Thursday's ruling likely will add a blue seat in Alabama, and could add more in Louisiana, Georgia,South Carolina and Texas.
The White House on Thursday unveiled new actions aimed at protecting LGBTQ+ communities.
Driving the news: The initiatives, announced ahead of a Pride celebration at the White House Thursday evening, include appointing a coordinator in the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights to address book bans.
A Mexican American U.S. Army veteran who helped stop a suspected mass shooter from killing more people at an LGBTQ club will serve as a Pride parade grand marshal in Colorado Springs next week.
A majority of Hispanic Catholics and Protestants in a new survey say they believe there are only two genders, but the percentage isn't as high as it is among white evangelicals.
Why it matters: Many Americans have in recent years embraced the idea that gender identity is complex and not necessarily a binary. But the conservative backlash against LGBTQ+ communities, including legislation in many red states limiting their rights, might be influencing religious Americans' perspectives, experts say.
The Laborers' International Union of North America, with half a million construction workers, has endorsed President Biden for re-election.
Why it matters: It's a sign that Biden is picking up some labor support as his campaign, in the early stages of the race, tries to make the case that the Biden administration has created a "manufacturing boom" in the U.S.
Christian Broadcasting Network founder Pat Robertson has died at the age of 93, his family announced on Thursday.
Why it matters: The televangelist, who showed surprise strength in the 1988 GOP primaries before endorsing George H.W. Bush, was a central figure in tying evangelical Christians to the Republican Party.
Americans' support for the use of gender-neutral pronouns such as "they" instead of "he" or "she" varies widely depending on race, religion and generation, according to a new survey.
Why it matters: Neutral pronouns have been used for centuries but have gotten increasing public attention as LGBTQ+ rights — and attacks on them — have been a focus of debates in U.S. politics, schools and businesses. A 2021 study estimated 1.2 million U.S. adults identified as nonbinary.
Several of Silicon Valley's noisiest tech moguls have begun to support the candidacy of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the vocal anti-vax activist who's challenging President Biden for the Democratic Party nomination.
Why it matters: This could increase pressure on Biden to debate Kennedy, something he's thus far declined to entertain.
Former Vice President Mike Pence said during a CNN presidential town hall that the Justice Department indicting former President Trump, would exacerbate the country's divisions and send a “terrible message” to the world.
Driving the news: “I hope the DOJ thinks better of it and resolves these issues without an indictment,” Pence, 64, said Wednesday at the town hall in Des Moines, Iowa, hours after launching his campaign with a rebuke of Trump.
Why it matters: The contempt push was the closest House Republicans have come to direct action against an executive branch official as part of their vast array of probes into the Biden administration.
Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) is preventing the Biden administration from ramping up deportations of migrants from Venezuela back to their home country before they reach the U.S., Axios has learned.
Why it matters: It's an example of how politically sensitive immigration policy can be. President Biden is being boxed in by a senator from his own party who has blasted the administration's strict approach to migration at the southwest border.
Senators Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) and Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) are introducing legislation to address the shortage of "shovel-ready" manufacturing sites, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: "For a lot of small towns and tribal communities, the biggest barrier to attracting investment is the cost of getting sites ready for development. We're working to fix that," Kelly said in a statement.
