Today’s edition of quick hits.
* Biden in Arizona: “President Joe Biden on Tuesday highlighted his designation of the latest national monument during remarks in Arizona, a vital swing state that went Democratic by just over 10,000 votes in the 2020 presidential election. The new national monument encompasses nearly 1 million acres of land near the Grand Canyon, conserving and protecting ancestral places significant to Indigenous people in the region, according to a White House fact sheet.”
* A welcome 5-4 vote: “A divided Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed the Biden administration to enforce regulations aimed at clamping down on so-called ghost guns — firearm-making kits available online that people can assemble at home. The court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority, in a brief order put on hold a July 5 ruling by a federal judge in Texas that blocked the regulations nationwide.”
* It’s difficult to remember the last time I saw a major news report related to Wells Fargo that wasn’t bad news: “U.S. regulators on Tuesday announced a combined $549 million in penalties against Wells Fargo and a raft of smaller or non-U.S. firms that failed to maintain electronic records of employee communications.”
* A big move on labor: “Vice President Harris announced a new rule on Tuesday to bolster union requirements for projects paid for by federal funds, as the Biden administration tries to quell fears among organized labor about the push for clean energy. The rule — unveiled by Harris during a trip to Philadelphia — represents one of the most aggressive administration actions to date to give workers a greater share of new federal investments in semiconductors, infrastructure and clean energy.”
* In Antarctica: “Even in Antarctica — one of the most remote and desolate places on Earth — scientists say they are finding shattered temperature records and an increase in the size and number of wacky weather events.” * Plan accordingly: “The fourth criminal case involving Donald J. Trump is likely to come to a head next week, with the district attorney in Atlanta expected to take the findings from her election interference investigation to a grand jury.” * I don’t think I’ll ever really understand why so many prominent American voices on the right publicly root against their own country’s teams: “Conservative media stars and personalities — including former President Donald Trump — are celebrating after the U.S. women’s national soccer team lost to Sweden in the round of 16 on Sunday.” See you tomorrow.
Steve Benen is a producer for "The Rachel Maddow Show," the editor of MaddowBlog and an MS NOW political contributor. He's also the bestselling author of "Ministry of Truth: Democracy, Reality, and the Republicans' War on the Recent Past."
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