It's Your Week: What the Supreme Court decided and what's next for fall term
What a week. What a month. Welcome to July, folks.
And welcome to Your Week, our newsletter exclusively for Paste BN subscribers. I'm Sallee Ann.
June was an explosive, historic month in Washington. This past week-plus has felt like a crescendoing season finale (kind of like "Stranger Things" – which, by the way, might be a rip-off).
Let's break it down for you.
What did the Supreme Court decide?
Abortion: In a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court voted to overturn Roe v. Wade, knocking down the constitutional right to an abortion to any American.
Abortion is now in the states' hands. A web of laws limit where, when and under what circumstances someone may receive an abortion.
Guns: The court also struck down a New York state law that required residents to have "proper cause" to carry a handgun in public, such as self-protection.
Immigration: The court allowed the Biden administration to end a Trump-era policy that required Central American migrants seeking U.S. asylum to stay in Mexico while awaiting a decision.
Chief Justice John Roberts and Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh sided with the more liberal justices on this 5-4 decision.
Climate change: The court ruled against an Environmental Protection Agency effort to regulate power plant emissions.
Simmering just below the surface of this decision was a deeper debate over how much authority all federal agencies have to issue regulations absent explicit authorization from Congress.
Religious freedom: The court argued that fired high school coach Joseph Kennedy's 50-yard line prayers were a private matter and did not constitute the public school district endorsing Christianity.
The decision has implications for religious practices at schools and government establishments in the future.
Flexing conservative muscle
No one has been covering the flurry of decisions closer than Supreme Court reporter John Fritze.
"One of the biggest takeaways from this historic Supreme Court term is that the conservative 6-3 majority is really flexing its muscle – on abortion, guns and religious freedom – in a way we didn’t see last year," Fritze told Your Week.
So what's next?
"Given the cases they’ve decided to hear in the term that begins in October – including on affirmative action, LGBTQ rights and election laws – I’m not sure the conservative majority has said all it wants to say."
187 minutes
In the Jan. 6 hearings, lawmakers hope to document minute-by-minute what happened during the riot at the U.S. Capitol and the reaction it got at the White House.
In particular, the panel is focused on the 187 minutes between Trump’s speech near the White House and a tweeted video urging his supporters to “go home and go home in peace.” Lawmakers want to know what Trump did or did not do during that period.
Our reporters and graphic journalists break it down for you in a minute-by-minute timeline.
More on Jan. 6 hearings:
- What did Jan. 6 witness Cassidy Hutchinson say about Trump? How does it compare with other evidence?
- Liz Cheney says it raises 'concerns' that Jan. 6 witnesses were contacted. Is it illegal?
- Secret Service officials willing to testify after Jan. 6 witness said Trump lunged, grabbed wheel
A historic new justice
Ketanji Brown Jackson made history Thursday when she was sworn in as the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court. Jackson takes the seat occupied by retired Associate Justice Stephen Breyer.
"I am truly grateful to be part of the promise of our great nation," Jackson said.
Across the country, Black women of all ages celebrated Jackson's moment.
“I’m still recovering from the happiness. I'm really jumping up and down,” said Elizabeth Dandridge, 7. “She is like me. The same skin tone. I’m also smart like her.”
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Thank you
Your subscription supports journalism with impact. We are here to connect you with news that matters to you and your family. Have a safe Fourth of July and I'll see you next week!