Supreme Court to consider reviving lawsuit restricting evangelizing in small Mississippi town
Gabriel Olivier, an evangelical Christian, says restricting him from public property violated his religious and free speech rights, but a legal Catch-22 has barred him from challenging the law in court.
Lower courts found he couldn't file a civil-rights lawsuit because he'd been arrested, and instead needed to file under habeas corpus, a legal remedy open to prisoners. But because he was ticketed rather than imprisoned, his lawyers say that option wasn't open either, effectively denying him a day in court.
The city of Brandon, Mississippi, on the other hand, says the restrictions aren't about religious speech, but rather about limiting disturbances caused when he and his group yelled insults like 'Jezebel,' 'nasty,' and 'drunkards" at people passing by.
The ordinance restricts demonstrations near the amphitheater but does allow him to preach from a designated 'protest zone," and has already survived another lawsuit, the city said. The city says the case is about Olivier and his group's 'desire to have their preferred method of protest, without regard for the rights or interests of anyone else.'
Olivier's attorneys say he was engaging in respectful and protected speech at the time of his arrest, and the case centers on a key legal issue affecting free speech across the political spectrum.
'Every American has First Amendment rights to free speech; and every American has a right to their day in court,' said Kelly Shackelford, president and CEO for First Liberty Institute, which is representing him along with attorney Allyson Ho of the firm Gibson Dunn. 'Both of these rights were violated for Gabe Olivier. The Supreme Court will now decide whether those rights will be protected for all Americans.'
The court is expected to hear arguments in the fall.
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32 minutes ago
- Boston Globe
House passes Trump's signature bill, sending it to the president's desk. Follow live updates.
pinned What's in the bill? .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press At its core, the package's priority is $4.5 trillion in tax breaks enacted in 2017 during Trump's first term that would expire if Congress failed to act, along with new ones. This includes allowing workers to deduct tips and overtime pay, and a $6,000 deduction for most older adults earning less than $75,000 a year. There's also a hefty investment, some $350 billion, in national security and Trump's deportation agenda and to help develop the 'Golden Dome' defensive system over the US. To help offset the lost tax revenue, the package includes $1.2 trillion in cutbacks to the Medicaid health care and food stamps, largely by imposing new work requirements, including for some parents and older people, and a major rollback of green energy tax credits. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates the package will add $3.3 trillion to the deficit over the decade and 11.8 million more people will go without health coverage. Air Force One doesn't buzz crowd at fairgrounds — 7:52 p.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press Trump landed at the airport in Des Moines at 6:20 p.m. local time. He's due to speak in about an hour at the kick-off party for America's 250th anniversary. Advertisement Trump is close to arriving in Iowa as Air Force One is seen in the distance — 7:35 p.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up The president's plane was seen high in the sky near the fairgrounds during a break in the pre-program. Some attendees stood to watch and wave at the aircraft, anticipating a fly-by as the plane gets closer to landing. As a candidate, Trump also looped his private jet above the 2023 Iowa State Fair before giving remarks at a beer hall in the fairgrounds. Iowa launch for America's 250th anniversary is intended to bring people together, organizer says — 6:26 p.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press US Ambassador Monica Crowley, Trump's liaison to the organizing group for the 250th anniversary of American independence, said Iowa's middle-of-the-country geography for the kickoff party is symbolic of the desire to use the coming celebrations to help bring people together. Elijah Martin, 19, drove with his grandpa to the event in Des Moines from Cedar Rapids. He cast his first presidential vote for Trump, whom he called 'probably the greatest president of the 21st century.' He acknowledged the deep divides in the nation but said he thinks Trump is bringing people together with more people recognizing his impact every day. Advertisement 'Walk outside, look at the beautiful country we live in,' Martin said. 'I just think a more positive attitude towards the world would really help.' Iowa event where Trump will speak resembles a mini state fair — 6:02 p.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press The section of the Iowa State Fairgrounds where Trump will speak is filling up several hours before he's expected to arrive. The event is meant to start the countdown to America's 250th birthday in 2026. Patriotic attire is abundant with people in red, white and blue or American flag-patterned clothing. Many are wearing 'Make America Great Again' or other Trump camps. Volunteers are handing out ice-cold bottles of water in the 93-degree F heat. Vendors are selling everything from burgers and corn dogs to ice cream and cheese curds. Trump talks pause on weapons for Ukraine — 5:58 p.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press Before boarding Air Force One to fly to Iowa, Trump made his first public comments about his administration pausing weapons transfers to Ukraine. 'We've given so many weapons,' he said. 'We are working with them and trying to help them.' But he suggested that his predecessor provided too much. 'Biden emptied out our whole country giving them weapons, and we have to make sure that we have enough for ourselves,' he said. President Trump speaks to reporters as he boards Air Force One to travel to Iowa at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, on Thursday, July 3, 2025. HAIYUN JIANG/NYT Trump says he 'didn't make any progress' with Putin during call — 5:54 p.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press Trump said he and Russian President Vladimir Putin talked about Iran and the war in Ukraine during 'a pretty long call' Thursday morning. He said he didn't make any progress on a deal to end the fighting in Ukraine. Advertisement 'I'm not happy about that,' Trump said. 'I didn't make any progress with him today at all.' Spectators await the president on a hot afternoon in Des Moines, Iowa — 5:49 p.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press A few thousand people were braving heat topping 90 degrees F to greet Trump at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines. Trump is scheduled to headline the rally that will kick off a yearlong birthday party to mark 250 years of American independence. Fearing long security lines, Brandon Duart from West Des Moines arrived hours early for what he thought might be a rare chance to be close to a president. The military veteran who now works in auto repairs sported American flags on his truck. He said he likes any opportunity to 'support patriotism.' 'There's a lack of it,' Duart said. 'We got flipped off on the way over here. It's a little discouraging.' Takeaways as Congress sends tax and spending cuts bill to Trump's desk — 5:26 p.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press The 887-page bill includes spending cuts, tax breaks, military spending, money for deportations and other longtime GOP priorities like cuts to Medicaid and renewable energy programs. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that under the bill 11.8 million more Americans would become uninsured by 2034 and 3 million more would not qualify for food stamps, also known as SNAP benefits. Trump talks to former hostage about how Hamas treated him after 2024 election — 5:10 p.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press At the prodding of Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, former hostage Edan Alexander confirmed to Trump during a meeting at the Oval Office that his Hamas captors treated him better after the Republican won the 2024 election. Advertisement 'Tell the president what happened when they announced he had won the presidency,' Witkoff said in a short video clip posted on social media by a White House official. Alexander replied, 'It was like a new place.' 'Oh, so they treated you better. Wow!' Trump chimed in. At that point, Witkoff said the better treatment was because Hamas militants were 'afraid' of Trump. Trump didn't miss the chance to take a swipe at his predecessor, former President Joe Biden. 'They weren't too afraid of Biden,' Trump said. Alexander, the last living American held in Gaza, was released in May after 584 days in captivity. Trump watched Johnson's news conference — 5:09 p.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press The White House posted a photo on the social platform X of Trump watching House Speaker Mike Johnson give a triumphant news conference after the passage of the president's big bill. In the image, Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are standing in a room outside the Oval Office watching Johnson speak on a TV mounted above an aide's desk. The White House wrote of the picture: 'monitoring the situation.' monitoring the situation 🇺🇸🦅 — The White House (@WhiteHouse) North Carolina governor says GOP Legislature must work to preserve Medicaid expansion — 4:53 p.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press North Carolina Democratic Governor Josh Stein says it'll be up to the Republican-led Legislature to act to ensure Medicaid expansion and food stamps are preserved in the ninth-largest state now that Trump's bill has received final congressional approval. Stein called the bill a 'disgrace' that will 'have devastating consequences for the people and economy in North Carolina,' including those who rely on the health services that Medicaid provides and on food assistance. Stein's administration warned this week the anticipated reduction in federal Medicaid reimbursements to hospitals and the expense of implementing work requirements for people who received Medicaid expansion coverage could trigger state laws that would do away with the expansion program. Over 670,000 people are now receiving benefits though the North Carolina expansion program that began in December 2023. Advertisement 'The General Assembly must step up to protect our bipartisan Medicaid expansion law and food assistance through SNAP,' Stein said. These two House GOP members voted against Trump's big bill — 4:49 p.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By Alyssa Vega, Globe Staff Just two Republican members of the House voted against President Trump's massive tax and spending bill that was received final congressional approval on Thursday afternoon. Republican Representatives Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania voted alongside Democrats against President Trump's massive tax and spending bill. The bill prevailed by a 218-214 vote in the chamber. Represenatative Thomas Massie speaks to the media following a vote to stop a government shutdown at the Capitol on March 11. Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post GOP advocate for clean energy hails vote for tax bill — 4:18 p.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press Rep. Andrew Garbarino, a New York Republican who had pushed to preserve clean energy tax credits, said he was proud to vote for the GOP tax bill, saying it will 'keep critical energy projects moving forward' and help ensure American families and businesses have reliable access to power without the threat of blackouts. Garbarino was one of 13 House Republicans who urged the Senate to preserve credits for wind and solar power that instead will be quickly phased out under the GOP law. 'We didn't get everything we wanted, but we got what we needed to make progress, and there will be more legislation to come that builds on these victories and addresses the remaining challenges,'' Garbarino said in a statement. He was especially pleased the bill will raise a cap on state and local tax deductions, a provision that lawmakers in New York and other high-tax states had fought for. Johnson celebrates at House signing ceremony for bill — 3:44 p.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press House Republicans celebrate with Speaker Mike Johnson as he signs the party's massive bill of tax breaks and spending cuts. JEMAL COUNTESS/AFP via Getty Images Johnson displays the count of the yeas and nays on the bill. JEMAL COUNTESS/AFP via Getty Images AOC: 'One of the saddest days in modern American history — 3:38 p.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press The New York Democrat told reporters after the vote that 'people are going to go hungry, people are going to get sick on a scale unlike anything we've ever seen. And all of it is just to finance tax cuts for billionaires and the wealthiest corporations who don't need it.' Advertisement Ocasio-Cortez echoed Jeffries' speech in urging a change in 2026. 'There has to be consequences to these votes,' she said. 'We have to decide if this is just for tv, or just a joke, or our real lives. And I hope people vote like it's our real lives.' GOP lawmakers praise Trump and celebrate passage of landmark Republican budget package — 3:35 p.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press The atmosphere was joyous and musical at a ceremony for the passage of Republicans' signature tax and spending bill. 'I believe in America,' said House Speaker Mike Johnson, becoming briefly emotional as his colleagues cheered for him just ahead of the bill signing. Johnson praised his Republican conference for 'an audacious plan' that 'did not waste the opportunity' of unified government. 'Everything was an absolute disaster under the Biden-Harris radical, woke, progressive, Democrat regime,' said House Speaker Mike Johnson, who said that Republicans 'had to quite literally fix every area of public policy.' All of Republican leadership praised President Donald Trump in their remarks, noting that the bill codified into law much of his agenda and that the White House's influence was integral in getting the legislation passed. 'Without his leadership, none of this would have been possible,' said Rep. Lisa McClain, the GOP conference chair. 'But today, we passed actual transformational legislation, legislation that will impact every family tomorrow.' Johnson took selfies with lawmakers just before he signed the bill. Lawmakers all posed around the House Speaker with their thumbs up as Johnson signed the bill, mimicking President Donald Trump's signature poses. Half a dozen lawmakers also danced with their fists — Trump's trademark dance move — as Y.M.C.A broke out in the room after Johnson penned his signature on the bill. Massie says Trump's bill 'wasn't beautiful enough' — 3:30 p.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press Rep. Thomas Massie, one of two Republicans who voted against the bill, explained his decision in one sentence. 'Well, it looks like the big bill is going to pass but it wasn't beautiful enough for me to vote for it,' Massey told reporters as he left the Capitol on Thursday. The Kentucky Republican has been a fierce critic of the bill from the right, complaining it doesn't rein in the budget deficit. Trump and his allies are mobilizing to challenge him in next year's primary. National Latino organizations condemn passage of tax and spending cut bill — 3:07 p.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press Leaders from LULAC, Unidos US and Voto Latino warn that the passage of President Donald Trump's big bill will harm many working families, especially those in the Latino community. 'This bill sends one message loud and clear — if you are Latino, working-class, or undocumented, you are not welcome here,' said Juan Proaño, Chief Executive Officer of LULAC in a statement. 'It guts our nation's moral fabric by placing walls, weapons, and fines where there should be help, hope, and humanity.' Unidos US President and CEO Janet Murguía said in a statement the U.S. House of Representatives turned their back on the American people. 'Members of Congress who passed this bill have once again betrayed the trust of their constituents — including the Latino community — and chosen cruelty over common sense. All to supercharge a cruel and ineffective deportation machine that is sowing chaos across our nation.' Voto Latino President and Co-Founder Maria Teresa Kumar said the bill is a disgrace and a clear representation of Republican priorities. 'Once again, Republicans have made it loud and clear: their agenda is out of step with the needs of working-class Americans. They ought to be ashamed for having acted recklessly in fast-tracking this harmful bill to meet their self-imposed deadline.' Trump to sign bill Friday evening — 3:05 p.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that Trump plans to sign his big tax breaks and spending cuts bill at 5 p.m. on Friday. The Fourth of July signing ceremony will come as the White House is scheduled to hold a picnic to mark the holiday. Union condemns passage of bill — 2:55 p.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press Milton Jones, international president of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, said it was disappointing that Congress 'passed this damaging, ugly bill that ignores the needs of working families and makes cuts that are not just cruel — they are economically reckless.' 'Both Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid do much more than help families make ends meet. These programs support union jobs in grocery stores, meatpacking plants, and health care facilities across the country,' Jones said in a statement, adding that '80 percent of SNAP dollars are spent at traditional grocery stores where our members work and feed their communities.' 'Similarly, UFCW members working in hospitals, nursing homes, and health care facilities depend on Medicaid funding to care for patients and keep their doors open. These cuts will lead to more layoffs, more burnout, and fewer staff to care for those in need.' Treasury Secretary says bill passage sets stage for 'coming Golden Age' — 2:48 p.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in an emailed statement that the passage of Republicans' mega tax bill 'has set the stage for the coming Golden Age as we prepare to celebrate the 250th year of our great nation.' Thanking Trump and Congressional Republicans, Bessent said the GOP wing has 'passed the biggest legislative win for American workers and families.' Democrats accuse Republicans of passing a bill that will rip health care and food assistance away from millions of working poor, seniors and veterans around the country. The House gives final approval to Trump's big tax bill and sends it to him to sign — 2:35 p.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press House Republicans propelled President Trump's $4.5 trillion tax breaks and spending cuts bill to final congressional passage Thursday, overcoming multiple setbacks to approve his signature second-term policy package before a Fourth of July deadline. The tight roll call, 218-214, came at a potentially high political cost, with two Republicans joining all Democrats opposed. GOP leaders worked overnight and the president himself leaned on a handful of skeptics to drop their opposition and send the bill to him to sign into law. Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York delayed voting by holding the floor for more than eight hours with a record-breaking speech against the bill. 'We have a big job to finish,' said House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. 'With one big beautiful bill we are going to make this country stronger, safer and more prosperous than ever before.' U.S. House of Representatives PASSES GOP Tax & Spending Cuts Bill, 218-214. Goes now to the president. — CSPAN (@cspan) Johnson makes closing arguments for Trump bill — 2:10 p.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press House Speaker Mike Johnson is making the GOP's closing arguments as the chamber prepares to take up President Trump's tax and spending cut bill. 'For everyday Americans, this means real, positive change that they can feel,' Johnson said of the bill. At another point, he asked colleagues: 'Are you tired of winning yet?' 'No,' they roared back. Speaker of the House Representative Mike Johnson speaks to reporters outside his office at the Capitol on July 3, 2025 in Washington, D.C. Alex Wong/Getty Here's why Hakeem Jeffries was able to hold the floor for so long — 2:09 p.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By Tal Kopan, Globe Staff House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries spoke for nearly nine hours on the House floor to delay a final vote on Republicans' massive tax and spending cuts legislation, using a privilege known as the 'magic minute.' The 8-hour, 44-minute speech set a modern record. Unlike in the Senate, rank-and-file House members are unable to delay passage of legislation by holding the floor, as strict time limits apply to any moments of debate. But there is an exception for top leadership of the House: particularlythe speaker and the minority leader. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY, "No matter the outcome on this single day, we're going to press going to press on for our children, press on for our seniors, press on for our… — CSPAN (@cspan) Trump's big bill would slash Planned Parenthood's Mass. budget in half — 1:54 p.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By Jonathan Saltzman, Globe Staff The Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts says it would lose $14 million, roughly half its operating budget, if the deep Medicaid cuts under consideration by the House win approval. Dr LuuIreland, the league's chief medical officer, said about 40 percent of the 30,000 patients who receive services from Planned Parenthood each year are insured by MassHealth, the Medicaid program for the poor and people with disabilities in Massachusetts. The legislation approved by the Senate and before the House would ban Medicaid payments to any health care nonprofit that offers abortions. Although not mentioned by name in the bill, Planned Parenthood, the nation's largest abortion provider, sees the measure as a back-door way to defund the organization. Speaker of the House Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) walks back to his office as the House Republicans try to pass President Trumps "Big Beautiful Bill." Medicaid cuts contained in the bill would slash the budget of the Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts in half. Alex Wong/Getty Jeffries concludes speech after 8 hours 44 minutes — 1:49 p.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has concluded his record floor speech that including everything from highlighting everyday Americans to mocking President Donald Trump and promising to make his 'Big Beautiful Bill' a centerpiece of the upcoming midterm elections. Jeffries repeatedly assailed the measure as 'an all-out assault' on the nation's values, hard-working Americans, labor unions and 'law abiding immigrant families.' He reminded voters how Republicans disavowed Project 2025, the conservative policy tome that proved unpopular during the 2024 campaign, only to watch Trump and the GOP pursue many of its ideas. But Jeffries said voters have a chance to shift course. 'After Project 2025 comes Project 2026,' he said, prompting roars from his Democratic colleagues. Based on the current House roster, Democrats need a net gain of just three seats to reclaim control of the chamber for the final two years of Trump's second presidency. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is seen on a television screen as he delivers a floor speech while the House of Representatives debates the One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act at the US Capitol on July 3, 2025 in Washington, D.C. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Jeffries quotes New Testament to explain Democrats' opposition and slams Trump for hawking Bibles — 1:44 p.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press Jeffries went into Sunday sermon mode during his ninth hour the microphone, quoting New Testament gospel passages to indict GOP priorities, accusing other politicians of religious hypocrisy and mocking Trump — without naming him — for his political uses of religion. Some highlights: 'I don't know who I'm talking about, but if you sell the Bible, you should know the Bible. 'House rules generally don't allow members to attack others by name. So Jeffries chose his words carefully. But he was clearly the 'God Bless the USA' Bible that Trump hawked for $59.99 with singer Lee Greenwood. Jeffries sets record for longest floor speech — 1:27 p.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries has surpassed the record for the longest floor speech as the chamber considers President Trump's tax and spending cut bill. The stemwinder began at 4:53 a.m. EDT and has touched an array of subjects, including the reading of letters from Americans who rely on government programs such as Medicaid and SNAP. Jeffries said the bill 'steals' from those programs to pay for tax cuts for the wealthy. The speech took on the air of a Sunday church service air as it extended into its eighth hour and he began citing passages from the Bible. 'Take your time,' 'Take your sweet time,' colleagues replied as he spoke.'Shame on this institution if this bill passes,' he said. Here's the moment Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) set the record for longest floor speech in the U.S. House of Representatives. — CSPAN (@cspan) In case it's not obvious, Democrats are a 'Hell No!' on Trump's bill, Jeffries says — 1:13 p.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press If Jeffries' long-form speech wasn't enough to communicate the Democrats' uniform opposition to Trump's policy priorities, the House Speaker is summing it up in two words: 'Hell no!' More than eight hours into his opposing presentation, Jeffries said that despite the president's rhetoric about helping Americans in their daily lives, 'not a single thing in Donald Trump's One Big Ugly Bill will meaningfully make life more affordable for everyday Americans.' 'We were a 'Hell No!' last week, a 'Hell No!' this week, a 'Hell No!' yesterday, a 'Hell No!' today, and we'll continue to be a 'Hell No!' on this effort to hurt the American people.' As his volume rose, Jeffries' fellow Democrats joined his 'Hell No!' refrain. And then they laughed at his conclusion: 'I know, for the record, Mom, 'hell' is in the Bible.' Putin and Trump talk Ukraine and Iran, Kremlin says — 12:55 p.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press Trump and Putin discussed Iran, Ukraine and other issues in a call Thursday, the Kremlin said. Regarding Iran, Putin emphasized the need to resolve all issues by political and diplomatic means, said Yuri Ushakov, his foreign affairs adviser. As for Ukraine, Ushakov said Trump emphasized his push for a quick cessation of hostilities, and Putin voiced Moscow's readiness to pursue talks with Ukraine. At the same time, the Russian leader emphasized that Moscow will seek to achieve its goals in Ukraine and remove the 'root causes' of the conflict, Ushakov said. The Kremlin adviser said a suspension in US military aid to Ukraine wasn't discussed during the call. Volodymyr Zelensky hopes to speak to Trump soon about weapons — 12:52 p.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press The Ukrainian president says he hope to speak soon with Trump following a pause in some weapons shipments to the country seeking to fight off invading Russian forces. Asked Thursday when he would find out more about the halt, Zelenskyy said, 'I hope that maybe tomorrow, or close days, these days, I will speak about it with President Trump.' Zelenskyy spoke to reporters in Aarhus, Denmark, after a meeting with major European Union backers. Asked about his expectations for the phone call Trump said he would have with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday, Zelensky said, 'I'm not sure that they have a lot of common ideas, common topics to talk, because they are very different people.' The chamber has been mostly empty during Jeffries speech — 12:46 p.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press For those watching Jeffries speech online or on TV, the rows of clapping and nodding Democrats behind the House minority speaker may give the impression that the chamber is filled with representatives attentively tuned in. Not so. Aside from those few rows of Democrats positioned into view for the TV cameras, the chamber, particularly the Republican side, has been mostly empty. So while Jeffries is calling out specific Republicans over their support of the bill, his main audience is people watching from home. First immigration detainees arrive at Florida center in the Everglades — 12:35 p.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press The first group of immigrants has arrived at a new detention center deep in the Florida Everglades that officials have dubbed 'Alligator Alcatraz,' a spokesperson for Republican state Attorney General James Uthmeier told The Associated Press. 'People are there,' Press Secretary Jae Williams said, though he didn't immediately provide further details on the number of detainees or when they arrived. 'Next stop: back to where they came from,' Uthmeier said on the X social media platform Wednesday. Governor Ron DeSantis said housing immigrants in the hot, humid, mosquito-ridden Florida Everglades and naming it after the notorious federal prison known for its brutal conditions is meant to persuade people in the country illegally to leave voluntarily. Rains already flooded some of the tents during Trump's visit this week. President Trump tours "Alligator Alcatraz," a new migrant detention facility at Dade-Collier Training and Transition facility, Tuesday, July 1, 2025, in Ochopee, Fla. Evan Vucci/Associated Press Jeffries calls out Republicans who voted yes, then urged changes — 12:20 p.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries is calling out 13 House Republicans who supported Trump's big tax bill in May but later sent a letter urging the Senate to scale back some of its clean energy cuts. He urged the Republicans who signed the clean energy letter to vote against the final bill. He also criticized Alaska Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski, who voted for the bill Tuesday but said it 'needs more work across chambers and is not ready for the president's desk.' Jeffries said he was 'flummoxed' that GOP lawmakers would urge members of the other chamber to fix a bill they voted for. 'That is not how the people's business should be done in the United States Congress,'' he said. 'We have a responsibility to stand up for what is right in the chamber that we serve in.' In floor speech, Jeffries is previewing Democrats' 2026 midterm arguments — 12:06 p.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press The Democrats lack the votes in Congress to stop Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill.' So Jeffries' speech is really about framing it — today and for the 2026 midterm elections — as 'an all-out assault on the American people.' 'This is personal to us,' Jeffries said as he notes the Republican measure's impact on Americans including veterans, the working class, small-business owners, employees trying to unionize, federal workers, Medicaid beneficiaries and customers in Affordable Care Act insurance exchanges. That list spans typical Republican and Democratic coalitions. Republicans hold 220 seats to Democrats' 212, with three vacancies after recent deaths of Democratic members. So Democrats would need a net gain of just three seats to make Jeffries the potential House speaker in 2027. 'Puddin' Jeffries gets introduced to the nation — 11:56 a.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press Jeffries has now at least twice highlighted his late father, Marland Jeffries, as he rails against the sweeping Republican budget and policy bill. The elder Jeffries, who died in 2024 at age 85, became known somewhere along the way as 'Puddin.' His son said he regrets never asking his father where the moniker originated. Jeffries praised his father as an Air Force veteran who served in Germany, and noted that it was Democratic president Harry Truman who integrated the US military so that men and women like his father could serve alongside white service members. Jeffries has repeatedly blasted the GOP bill's effects on veterans' health care and benefits. House Democratic leader says what Republicans are doing is criminal — 11:48 a.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press 'I never thought that I'd be on the House floor saying that this is a crime scene,' Jeffries said. 'It's a crime scene, going after the health, and the safety, and the well-being of the American people.' And as Democrats, he said, 'We want no part of it.' Jeffries seized a leader's prerogative for unlimited debate early Thursday, and after speaking for more than five hours is still a few hours away from breaking the record for the longest House leader's speech, set in 2021. House Republicans, up all night, are ready to vote on Trump's $4.5 trillion tax breaks and spending cuts bill as soon as he gives up the floor. A television monitor broadcasts Representative Hakeem Jeffries speaking on the House floor of the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on July 3. Kent Nishimura/Photographer: Kent Nishimura/Blo Jeffries cites case of father of Marines beaten by Border Patrol — 11:32 a.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press As he railed against Trump's deportation crackdown — saying that Democrats support removing violent criminals, but the president is rounding up far too many peaceful immigrants — he cited the case of California landscaper Narciso Barranco. Video of Barranco has been widely circulated, showing the father of three US Marines being beaten and pepper-sprayed by Border Patrol agents in Santa Ana, a city south of Los Angeles. 'This is not the way that anyone in the United States should be treated, particularly not the father of three patriotic Marines,' Jeffries said. The administration says Barranco, who came to the US from Mexico in the 1990s and does not have legal status, had swung a lawn trimmer at one of the agents who came to take him away. How a GOP rift doomed the bill's ban on state AI laws — 11:22 a.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press A bid to deter states from regulating artificial intelligence for a decade seemed on its way to passing as part of the Republican tax cut and spending bill, but was doomed by a relentless campaign by Republican governors, lawmakers, think tanks and social groups. Activist Mike Davis urged right-wing podcaster Steve Bannon's viewers to call their senators to reject this 'AI amnesty' for 'trillion-dollar Big Tech monopolists.' He said he texted with Trump directly, advising the president to stay neutral despite significant pressure from White House AI czar David Sacks, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Texas Senator Ted Cruz, and others. The schism revealed the enormous influence of a segment of the Republican Party that has come to distrust Big Tech. They believe states must remain free to protect citizens against potential harms from AI, social media or emerging technologies. Rollback of past presidential agendas — 11:11 a.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press In many ways, the package is a repudiation of the agendas of the last two Democratic presidents, a chiseling away at the Medicaid expansion from Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act, and a pullback of Joe Biden's climate change strategies in the Inflation Reduction Act. Democrats have warned that lives will be lost due to the bill's cuts to Medicaid, which some 80 million Americans rely on. Cutting food stamps that help feed more than 40 million people would 'rip food from the mouths of hungry children, hungry veterans and hungry seniors,' Jeffries said. Republicans say the tax breaks will prevent a tax hike on households and grow the economy. They maintain they are trying to rightsize the safety net programs for the population they were initially designed to serve, mainly pregnant women, the disabled and children, and root out what they describe as waste, fraud, and abuse. Here's why Hakeem Jeffries can speak on the House floor indefinitely — 10:57 a.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By Tal Kopan, Globe Staff House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries spoke for hours on the House floor on Thursday to delay a final vote on Republicans' massive tax and spending cuts legislation, using a privilege known as the 'magic minute.' Unlike in the Senate, rank-and-file House members are unable to delay passage of legislation by holding the floor, as strict time limits apply to any moments of debate. But there is an exception for top leadership of the House: particularly the speaker and the minority leader. For those party leaders, once they begin speaking, they are allowed to speak indefinitely, as long as they do so continuously and do not give up the microphone. Though the policy is not explicitly written into congressional rules, it is a long-established practice that has been repeatedly upheld by House rules referees for important legislative debates. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries speaks in the House chamber as House Democrats stand to applaud him, prior to the final vote for President Trump's signature bill of tax breaks and spending cuts, at the Capitol on Thursday. Rod Lamkey/Associated Press Small business owners get a shout out in Jeffries' speech — 10:43 a.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press The House Minority Leader is shifting from veterans to small business owners, continuing to highlight groups of voters that Republicans often claim are theirs. 'Small business represents the heart and soul of the American economy,' Jeffries said, pointing to entrepreneurs who could see their insurance access compromised. The 2010 Affordable Care Act created exchanges that fostered entrepreneurship by freeing Americans from dependence on employer-based insurance. The Trump-GOP bill adds bureaucratic barriers to health care through the exchanges. Jeffries says the GOP is pushing a 'lie … that the everyday Americans who are participating in, have access to programs like the Affordable Care Act aren't worthy.' Inside the chamber as Jeffries holds up the vote — 10:34 a.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) has been speaking for over 5 hours. Watch LIVE on C-SPAN To date, the longest floor speech in the U.S. House was given by then-Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (8 hrs. and 32 min.) from November 18-19, 2021.… — CSPAN (@cspan) Freedom Caucus still tight-lipped about how they got to yes — 10:25 a.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press Representative Chip Roy, R-Texas, says he and other conservatives got some 'last-minute things' as they withheld support for Trump's big tax bill. But he's not ready, yet, to spill any detail. 'We can talk about it after the final vote,' he said. 'We've got to get thru a few of these last minute things out of deference to the entire team. We got some significant things that we feel pretty good about. Nothing is perfect but — All along this way we get to 'yes,'' Roy said. Representative Chip Roy Allison Robbert/Photographer: Allison Robbert/Bl Jeffries highlights comments from veterans as he continues marathon floor speech — 10:13 a.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press Jeffries says the GOP tax and policy bill's effects is 'an all-out assault' on veterans. He's quoting from veterans who he said sent lawmakers their stories of pending benefit cuts. One man, he says, is recovering from injury and 'needs help … from the American people' only as a bridge to get back to work. 'I have had your backs,' Jeffries says in the veteran's voice. It's time for the country 'to cover my back.' The White House has already fired up the grill for the holiday — 10:04 a.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press Workers are already preparing for the Fourth of July picnic by beginning to grill up to 2,000 burgers Thursday morning. The meat will be served at a Friday evening picnic for military families that the White House will host Friday evening. The White House has already fired up the grill for the holiday — 10:04 a.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press Workers are already preparing for the Fourth of July picnic by beginning to grill up to 2,000 burgers Thursday morning. The meat will be served at a Friday evening picnic for military families that the White House will host Friday evening. Mass. advocates say Trump's bill unravels health safety net — 9:51 a.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press In the state that served as the model for Obamacare, advocates and health care workers fear the Trump administration will dismantle piece-by-piece a popular program providing insurance, preventive care and life-saving medication to hundreds of thousands of people. Provisions contained in both the Senate and House versions of the massive tax and spending cuts bill could strip health insurance from up to a quarter of the roughly 400,000 people enrolled in the Massachusetts Health Connector, according to state estimates. Trump and Republicans in Congress say new documentation requirements and limitations on who can apply for tax credits to help pay for insurance are necessary to root out fraud, waste and abuse. The changes to the Affordable Care Act and massive cuts to Medicaid and other programs would eliminate roughly $1.1 trillion in health care spending nationwide over the next decade, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. Supreme Court will consider new case about which school sports teams transgender students can join — 9:40 a.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press Just two weeks after upholding a ban on gender-affirming care for transgender youth, the Supreme Court said Thursday that justices will hear arguments in the fall about lower court rulings in favor of transgender athletes in Idaho and West Virginia. Democrats united against 'ugly bill' — 9:26 a.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press Democrats say the bill is 'trickle down cruelty,' a tax giveaway to the rich paid for on the backs of the most vulnerable. 'Have you no shame?' said Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn. 'Have the moral courage to oppose this bill.' House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries is still reading from a binder of letters written by people across the country explaining how the health care programs have helped their families — and how devastating cuts would hurt. Billions to fund the military within the United States — 9:17 a.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press The budget bill includes a hefty investment, some $350 billion, in national security and Trump's deportation agenda and to help develop the 'Golden Dome' defensive system over the U.S. To help offset the costs of lost tax revenue, the package includes $1.2 trillion in cutbacks to the Medicaid health care and food stamps, largely by imposing new work requirements, including for some parents and older people, and a massive rollback of green energy investments. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates the package will add $3.3 trillion to the deficit over the decade and 11.8 million more people will go without health coverage. House speaker: 'We will meet our July 4th deadline' — 9:14 a.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press 'Our way is to plow through and get it done,' Mike Johnson said as he emerged in the middle of the night from a series of closed-door meetings on Trump's signature domestic policy package. The package's priority is extending $4.5 trillion in tax breaks enacted in Trump's first term, and adding some new ones, like allowing workers to deduct tips and overtime pay, and a $6,000 deduction for most older adults earning less than $75,000 a year. Democrats say these savings will be wiped out by higher costs for most Americans as safety net benefits are cut. Representative Mike Johnson spoke to reporters outside his office at the Capitol on Thursday. Alex Wong/Getty Wisconsin governor signs budget in early morning to secure Medicaid funds — 9:03 a.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers signed a new two-year budget in the early morning hours Thursday in a race against Congress to ensure the state gets a federal Medicaid match that it would lose under President Trump's tax and spending cuts package. In an extraordinarily rapid succession of events, Evers and Republican lawmakers unveiled a compromise budget deal on Tuesday, the Senate passed it Wednesday night and hours later just before 1 a.m. on Thursday the Assembly passed it. Evers signed it in his conference room minutes later. Democrats who voted against the $111 billion spending bill said it didn't go far enough in meeting their priorities of increasing funding for schools, child care and expanding Medicaid. But Evers, who hasn't decided on whether he will seek a third term, hailed the compromise as the best deal that could be reached. Alaska Democrats dial up pressure on Murkowski after her vote for Trump's bill — 8:58 a.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press Democratic Sen. Ruben Gallego says Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski 'folded like a cheap suit' on Trump's big bill. The newly elected Arizona senator spoke during a virtual town hall Wednesday night organized by the Alaska Democratic Party as it worked to dial up pressure on Murkowski, who faces re-election next year in a race crucial to Democrats in their difficult path to a Senate majority. Senator Lisa Murkowski and Senator John Barrasso walked toward the Senate floor after the Senate stayed in session throughout the night at the Capitol on July 1. Andrew Harnik/Getty White House: The big bill is kind of like the solution to a bad hair day — 8:15 a.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press With Trump's spending and tax cut bill nearing passage, the White House is getting creative in pitching it to Americans who haven't been closely following the debate over the legislation. The White House late Wednesday dropped a tongue-in-cheek video on social media that includes before and after shots of women who transform flat hair to voluminous bouffants as a narrator ticks off aspects of the bill that she says will make Americans' lives better. 'Are you tired of government promises falling flat? Do you go through an outrageous amount of stress just trying to get by?' the narrator intones as a woman screams in frustration over her bad hair day. 'Then bump it up with 'one big, beautiful bill' and get that relief fast and easy.' By the end of the short video, the screaming woman and others are sporting new hairdos that are markedly more voluminous. Hakeem Jeffries has been talking for three hours and counting — 7:55 a.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press Republican leadership spent much of the night and early morning persuading a handful of holdouts to support the Senate-approved tax cuts and spending bill. But now, House Speaker Mike Johnson appears to have the votes, and Democrats are standing in the way. As the House wrapped up its debate over passing Trump's agenda, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries used a tool known as the 'magic minute' that allows leaders unlimited time to speak. He started his address just before 5 a.m. ET. And it's still going. 'I'm going to take my time,' he said, before launching into a speech criticizing Republicans' deference to Trump, reading through personal accounts of people concerned about losing their health care coverage, and recounting American history. Eventually, Jeffries will end his speech, and Republicans will move to final passage of the bill. House GOP clears key hurdle on Trump's big bill, pushing it closer to vote — 4:39 a.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press Up all night, House Republicans voted before dawn Thursday to advance President Trump's tax and spending cuts package after GOP leaders worked almost around the clock trying to persuade skeptical holdouts as they race to send the bill to his desk by the Fourth of July deadline. A roll call that started late Wednesday finally closed almost six hours later, a highly unusual stall on a procedural step. Trump, who had hosted lawmakers at the White House earlier, lashed out at the delay. Once the gavel struck, 219-213, the bill advanced to a last round of debates toward a final vote, which is expected later Thursday morning. South Korea's leader says trade deal with US remains unclear ahead of Trump's deadline — 1:27 a.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said that it remained unclear whether Seoul and Washington could conclude their tariff negotiations by the deadline set by President Trump for next week, noting Thursday that both nations were still working to clarify their positions and identify areas of agreement. Speaking at his first news conference since taking office last month, Lee also reiterated his intentions to improve badly frayed ties with North Korea, though he acknowledged that mutual distrust between the Koreas is too deep to heal anytime soon. House GOP struggles to win over holdouts on Trump's tax bill in late-night session — 1:10 a.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press House Republicans were straining past midnight to advance President Trump's tax and spending cuts package despite GOP leaders having spent the afternoon and evening working furiously to persuade skeptical holdouts to send it to his desk by the Fourth of July deadline. The roll call vote that started late Wednesday was held open for hours as several Republicans refused to give their votes. With few to spare from their slim majority, the outcome was in jeopardy. House Speaker Mike Johnson had recalled lawmakers to Washington, eager to seize on the momentum of the bill's passage the day before in the Senate, and he vowed to press ahead. Trump will kick off a yearlong celebration of America's 250th anniversary with event in Iowa — 12:29 a.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By the Associated Press President Trump campaigned on a promise to deliver a 'spectacular' yearlong birthday party to mark 250 years of American independence. On Thursday, he will be in the US heartland to kick off the patriotic festivities leading up to next year's anniversary. The event at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines will feature 'dazzling' displays of Americana and American history, musical performances and a fireworks show to cap the night, said US Ambassador Monica Crowley, Trump's liaison to the organizing group, America250.
Politico
an hour ago
- Politico
Trump says no progress on Ukraine in call with Putin
The two leaders also discussed Iran in what the U.S. president said was a "long" call. President Donald Trump boards Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, July 3, 2025. | Cliff Owen/AP By Ben Johansen 07/03/2025 07:34 PM EDT President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone Thursday, but neither side reported any breakthrough on efforts to end the war in Ukraine. Trump, who promised on the campaign trail that he could end the war on his first day in office, has been repeatedly frustrated in his efforts to secure an agreement to end the fighting. 'It was a pretty long call. We talked about a lot of things, including Iran. We also talked about the war with Ukraine and I'm not happy about that,' the president said before boarding Air Force One for a trip to Iowa for an event celebrating the nation's 250th anniversary.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Supreme Court takes up transgender school athlete bans
The Supreme Court agreed Thursday to decide whether states can ban transgender athletes from competing on girls and women's school sports teams. The justices said they would hear appeals from Republican leaders in Idaho and West Virginia defending their state bans. A decision is expected by next summer. The move sets up another major dispute over transgender rights before the conservative-majority court that recently upheld Tennessee's ban on gender-affirming care for minors. In the wake of that decision, the justices Monday sent back to lower courts disputes involving Idaho's Medicaid prohibition on transition-related surgeries, North Carolina's similar ban in its state-sponsored health plan and Oklahoma's refusal to change the listed sex on transgender people's birth certificates. But the Supreme Court held onto the transgender athlete cases that had piled up on their docket, weighing requests from Idaho and West Virginia's Republican attorneys general to get involved now. 'It's a great day, as female athletes in West Virginia will have their voices heard,' West Virginia Attorney General JB McCuskey (R) said Thursday. 'We are confident the Supreme Court will uphold the Save Women's Sports Act because it complies with the U.S. Constitution and complies with Title IX. And most importantly: it protects women and girls by ensuring the playing field is safe and fair,' he added. The justices' decision next term stands to impact a wave of laws restricting transgender athletes' participation in 27 states. In 2020, Idaho became the first state in the nation to ban trans students from competing on teams that match their gender identity. In February, President Trump signed an executive order opposing transgender women and girls' participation in female sports. 'Female athletes are losing medals, podium spots, public recognition, and opportunities to compete due to males who insist on participating in women's sports,' Idaho wrote in its petition. 'So much of what women and girls have achieved for themselves over the course of several decades is being stolen from them—all under the guise of 'equality.'' The laws have sparked an array of legal challenges that argue they violate the 14th Amendment's Equal Protection Clause and Title IX, the federal law against sex discrimination in schools. Many of the challenges are spearheaded by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which represents the plaintiffs in both Idaho and West Virginia. 'Like any other educational program, school athletic programs should be accessible for everyone regardless of their sex or transgender status. Trans kids play sports for the same reasons their peers do — to learn perseverance, dedication, teamwork, and to simply have fun with their friends,' said Joshua Block, senior counsel for the ACLU's LGBTQ & HIV Project. 'Categorically excluding kids from school sports just because they are transgender will only make our schools less safe and more hurtful places for all youth. We believe the lower courts were right to block these discriminatory laws, and we will continue to defend the freedom of all kids to play.' In Idaho, the civil rights group represents Lindsay Hecox, a transgender runner who wanted to compete on Boise State University's women's track and cross-country teams. Lower court rulings allowed Hecox to try out for the teams, leading to Idaho's latest appeal. 'Petitioners seek to create a false sense of national emergency when nothing of the sort is presented by this case. This case is about a four-year old injunction against the application of H.B. 500 with respect to one woman, which is allowing her to participate in club running and club soccer in her final year of college,' Hecox's legal team wrote in court filings last year. The ACLU similarly urged the court to turn away the appeal in West Virginia, where a lower court blocked the state from enforcing its ban against Becky Pepper-Jackson, a high school student who throws discus and shot put for her school's girls track-and-field team. When Pepper-Jackson first sued the state over its restrictions on transgender athletes, she was 11 years old and in middle school. Both Idaho and West Virginia's attorneys general brought on Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative Christian legal powerhouse, to defend their bans. Updated at 9:54 a.m. EDT Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
