Happy Friday! Tonight marks the summer solstice. Did anyone manage to capture those intense thunderstorms in D.C. yesterday? They were something else.
Here’s what we’re covering today:
- Supreme Court decisions impacting FDA and EPA
- Trump’s pursuit of a 2020 election review
- Senator’s perspective on the “Big and Beautiful” bill
- ChatGPT’s effects on critical thinking
Supreme Court 🏛️️
Recent opinions released:
This morning, the Supreme Court addressed six cases, and it wasn’t a good day for federal agencies.
Both the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) faced setbacks.
Catchiest opinion:
🔷Vaping:The court ruled in favor of the vaping industry, blocking the FDA’s attempts to control where companies can legally push back against rejected marketing applications. It was a 7-2 decision; interestingly, both dissenting justices were from the court’s liberal block.read more
🔷EPA Standards: The court also revived challenges against California’s stringent vehicle emissions regulations approved by the EPA, which also ended in a 7-2 decision.read more
🔷Palestinian Leadership Lawsuit: A unanimous ruling allowed victims of a terrorist attack to sue Palestinian leadership groups in the U.S. court for damages.read more
📝Summary of today’s opinions
A note from the courtroom: “Judge Kavanaugh’s daughters were present, listening to him make remarks from the VIP section alongside LSU’s women’s basketball coach, Kim Mulkey.” (via scotusblog)
➤Looking ahead:
Today’s rulings are significant, yet the Supreme Court still has major cases pending. There are ten important decisions left to be made before summer recess.
Pending cases include: Age verification protocols and racial reforms linked to birthright citizenship, TikTok, and adult sites.
➤Recommended reading:
“Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas seems to take a hard stance for conservative views, particularly regarding academic perspectives and progressive influence in medicine.”ElleryandZach Schunfeld.
For the full report:“Judge Thomas affirms conservative views on expert care.”
At the White House 🗳§
Trump calls for a special prosecutor:
President Trump has requested a special prosecutor to investigate his unfounded claims regarding the 2020 presidential election.
This move underscores Trump’s ongoing refusal to accept his loss to formerPresident Biden in 2020, despite his later political recovery.
Trump shared on social media: “Biden’s administration is failing. The 2020 election was a total fraud. The evidence speaks volumes; appoint a special prosecutor!”
Keep in mind: Many lawsuits alleging election fraud have been dismissed, including those brought forth by judges appointed by Republican leaders.
Trump’s recent legal victories:
President Trump celebrated what he called a “big win” in his legal tussle with California’s administration, led by GovernorGavin Newsom.
What transpired?: A federal appeals court ruled that Trump can maintain control over the California National Guard for now.
Context: Trump deployed National Guardsmen to assist with immigrant protests, while Newsom maintained that state resources were adequate to handle the situation. This led to a lawsuit.
➤ On the agenda in L.A. today:
Vice President Vance will meet with Marines in Los Angeles and visit Federal Command.
Reports indicate Vance also attended a Republican National Committee summer retreat.
⚾Meanwhile in L.A.: The Los Angeles Dodgers denied ICE access to their stadium on Thursday. The Trump administration faced scrutiny regarding federal agents’ presence at the venue.
On Capitol Hill:
A look at Trump’s bill:
Non-partisan Senate rules expertElizabeth MacDonough rejected certain segments of Trump’s “big and beautiful” bill as ineligible for the current legislative process being used to bypass the 60-vote threshold.
What actions are Congress taking?:
- Cuts of $1.4 billion from the Federal Reserve Staff budget
- Caps on Consumer Financial Protection Bureau funding
- $293 million reduction for the Financial Research Bureau
- Disbanding the Accounting Oversight Board
What’s next?: Senate Republicans must address these components or gather enough support from Democrats for a 60-vote approval.
Senate GOP leader John Thune seems to be positioning himself to advance Congressional rulings to bypass the 60-vote requirement.
Important note: The Legislature still has not clarified whether these elements can proceed as law. It’s uncertain if Republicans can use the budget resolution process to advance Trump’s agenda with a simple majority.
➤ Ongoing tensions:
Negotiations surrounding the state and local tax (SALT) deduction caps are intensifying, with moderates from high-tax areas advocating for higher limits, a source of discord among Senate Republicans.
Upcoming events
The House and Senate are currently in recess. President Trump will be in Washington before heading to New Jersey later today. (All Times EST)
- Today:Iran officials will meet with the Foreign Ministers fromEngland, France, andGermany.
- 2 PM: Trump departs for his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey.
- 2 PM: State Department briefing will occur.💻
- 3 PM: The UN Security Council will convene to discuss Russia and Ukraine.💻
- 7:30 PM: Trump will attend a MAGA dinner.
Trending on the internet
🥐Celebration: Today marksNational Cowin Amanday.
🤖Watch your usage: New MIT findings indicate that excessive use of ChatGPT might impair critical thinking skills over time.
Anyone else find these little stories charming?: InvestorMark Cuban shared he passed on an initial offer from Vice President Kamala Harris regarding the 2024 ticket discussions.
And finally…
Enjoy these golden retrievers living their best lives this summer and have a great Friday!
