Category: Federal
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President Biden nominates six to Article III courts; two to D.C. local courts
President Joe Biden (D) nominated six individuals to Article III judgeships with lifetime terms on June 15: • Myrna Pérez, to the United States Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit • Jia Cobb, to the United States District Court for the District of Columbia • Sarah A.L. Merriam, to the United States District Court…
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Melanie Stansbury sworn in to Congress on June 14
U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D) was sworn in to represent New Mexico’s 1st Congressional District on June 14. Stansbury defeated Mark Moores (R), 60% to 36%. to win a special election for the seat on June 1. The seat became vacant when former Rep. Debra Haaland (D) left office to become secretary of the interior. …
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Sen. Ron Johnson temporarily suspended from YouTube for violating platform’s medical misinformation policy
Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) was suspended from YouTube for seven days on June 11, 2021, for promoting hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin as a treatment for COVID-19 during a virtual event hosted by the Milwaukee Press Club. A YouTube spokesperson said in a statement, “We removed the video in accordance with our COVID-19 medical misinformation policies, which…
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U.S. Supreme Court decides three cases in two rulings on June 14
The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) issued rulings in three cases on June 14. Two of the cases, Greer v. United States and United States v. Gary, were decided in one consolidated opinion, though they were argued separately. The cases were argued during the court’s April sitting. The third case, Terry v. United…
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Federal judge rules California’s ban on assault weapons is unconstitutional
Federal District Court Judge Roger Benitez ruled on June 4 that California’s Assault Weapons Control Act of 1989, which banned all assault weapons in California, violates the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and unlawfully restricts the kinds of firearms protected under previous U.S. Supreme Court rulings. He wrote, “Like the Swiss Army Knife, the…
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COVID-19 policy changes and events one year ago this week
Although the first case of COVID-19 in the U.S. was confirmed on Jan. 21, 2020, it wasn’t until March when the novel coronavirus upended life for most Americans. Throughout the year, states issued stay-at-home orders, closed schools, restricted travel, issued mask mandates, and changed election dates. Here are the policy changes that happened June 15-19,…
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SCOTUS decides case concerning Armed Career Criminal Act in 5-4 opinion
The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) issued an opinion in one case on June 10, Borden v. United States, which involved the use-of-force clause in the Armed Career Criminal Act (ACCA). The case was argued during the November argument sitting. Charles Borden Jr. pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a felon. The…
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Federal Register weekly update: 87 new final rules
The Federal Register is a daily journal of federal government activity that includes presidential documents, proposed and final rules, and public notices. It is a common measure of an administration’s overall regulatory activity, accounting for both regulatory and deregulatory actions. From June 7 through June 11, the Federal Register grew by 1,296 pages for a…