Axios

Half the states have imposed limits on abortion in the two years since the Supreme Court rejected a federal right to the procedure.

• The severity of those limits varies significantly; in general, the harshest restrictions are in the South and the Midwest.
• Court battles over restrictions are ongoing in several states.

President Biden has said he wants to codify the abortion rights under Roe v. Wade into federal law, but he hasn't had the votes in Congress to do it.

The wave of state abortion restrictions that began after the Supreme Court's reversal of Roe v. Wade in 2022 has led Democratic-leaning doctors to become an organizing and political force against such laws.

Why it matters: Doctors driving the backlash say many of the new state laws jeopardize patients' health and restrict their ability to practice medicine.

Half the states have imposed limits on abortion in the two years since the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a federal right to the procedure.

Why it matters: The severity of those limits varies significantly; in general, the harshest restrictions are in the South and the Midwest.

One month in, Florida's six-week abortion ban appears as disruptive to patients seeking care as providers and advocates predicted.

• That means fewer abortions performed in-state, more Floridians seeking care elsewhere and a surge in patients at clinics in less-restrictive states along the East Coast.

Democrats hope the backlash to the recent blitz of state abortion restrictions will continue to give them a boost in November. But the bigger question is how much it will help President Biden in the battleground states likely to decide the election.

Why it matters: Since the Supreme Court's reversal of Roe v. Wade in 2022, Democrats consistently have won midterm and state elections in which abortion has been on the ballot.

Republicans and anti-abortion groups worked in lockstep for decades to dismantle the nationally protected right to abortion in the U.S. — but their unity has frayed since the Supreme Court struck down abortion rights two years ago.

Why it matters: After the beating they took in 2022 midterm and state races that focused on abortion, many GOP leaders — joined by former President Trump — have embraced protecting in vitro fertilization (IVF) and leaving abortion regulations to the states.

National security adviser Jake Sullivan said Sunday that the U.S. is still working to learn how many were killed when Israel conducted a military operation to rescue four hostages being held by Hamas.

The big picture: Israeli Defense Forces and Gaza's Ministry of Health have each released dramatically different numbers of deaths and injuries related to the operation, and prompted renewed questions about the efforts Israel is taking to minimize civilian casualties.

After months of brutal 2024 polls, President Biden has some cause for optimism.

Why it matters: Multiple polls in swing states had shown former President Trump heading for a clean sweep. But there's early evidence the race tightened after Trump's 34 convictions in his hush-money trial.

Historical treasures, many previously hidden in the Library of Congress' vast vaults, will be on display as part of a new exhibition starting June 13.

Why it matters: The Library of Congress holds over 178 million items in its collections, and thanks to a $10 million donation from philanthropist David Rubenstein, some of its most precious pieces will be displayed in a new gallery.