By Dan Donahue, NBC Nightly News |
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Good Thursday afternoon. The Supreme Court issued a major ruling on Obamacare, the U.S. is investing billions to develop pills to fight Covid, and Juneteenth is now a national holiday. |
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Here is what’s in our Nightly Rundown. |
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Supreme Court upholds Obamacare in 7-2 ruling |
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In a 7-2 ruling, the justices rejected a claim by Republican-led states that recent changes to the law, better known as Obamacare, made it unconstitutional. |
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The court said the 18 states, led by Texas, did not have legal standing because they did not make a strong enough showing that the law harmed them. |
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Two of former President Donald Trump’s appointees, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett, joined the majority opinion, while the third, Neil Gorsuch, dissented. |
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President Biden called the decision a “major victory for all Americans benefitting from this groundbreaking and life-changing law,” in a statement. |
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“After more than a decade of attacks on the Affordable Care Act through the Congress and the courts, today’s decision – the third major challenge to the law that the U.S. Supreme Court has rejected – it is time move forward and keep building on this landmark law,” Biden said. |
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The decision marks the third time the Court has upheld the healthcare law since it was enacted in 2010. |
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Former President Barack Obama also reacted to the ruling preserving his signature legislative achievement. |
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“This ruling reaffirms what we have long known to be true: the Affordable Care Act is here to stay,” he said a statement. |
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More on the Supreme Court: |
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The court ruled in favor of a Catholic foster care agency that refused to allow same-sex couples become foster parents.In a third decision, the court ruled that former child slaves can't sue U.S. chocolate companies Nestlé USA and Cargill over child labor in West Africa. |
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U.S. to invest $3.2 billion in Covid antiviral pills |
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The Department of Health and Human Services hopes make to pills to treat Covid available to the public by the end of the year. |
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“New antivirals that prevent serious Covid-19 illness and death, especially oral drugs that could be taken at home early in the course of disease, would be powerful tools for battling the pandemic and saving lives,” Dr. Anthony Fauci said in a statement |
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The U.K. reported over 10,000 daily cases for the first time in nearly four months, as the highly contagious Delta variant continues to spread.Jobless claims showed a surprise increase last week, rising to 412,000, the highest level in a month.There is a growing push in Washington to establish a 9/11-style commission to investigate the origins of Covid and the government’s response.The U.S. embassy in Afghanistan ordered a lockdown Thursday due to a rash of Covid cases among employees.More than 350 doctors and health care workers in Indonesia have contracted Covid despite receiving China’s Sinovac vaccine, raising questions about the shot’s effectiveness. |
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Heat dome raises temperatures over 120 degrees in the West |
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The dangerous heat wave in the West has entered its sixth day of record-shattering temperatures. |
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About 40 million people are under heat advisories, watches, and warnings, as a hot air mass known as a heat dome pushes highs into the 90s and triple digits in much of the region. |
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Records are expected to be broken today in Las Vegas, Phoenix, and Tucson, where highs are expected to rise above 110 degrees. |
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Denver and Grand Junction, Colorado, will also likely break their previous records of 98 and 100, respectively. Records could also topple today in Kansas City, St. Louis, Tulsa, and Omaha. |
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The heat was so intense on Wednesday, the National Weather Service tweeted it’s “quite likely that nearly every square inch of Arizona set a record.” |
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Relief won’t arrive until next week, when temperatures are expected to return to near average, or even below average, in some areas. |
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Tropical depression expected to bring heavy rain to Gulf Coast |
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Heavy rain is expected to impact the Gulf Coast beginning tomorrow. |
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The region from Louisiana up through northern Georgia could see 4 to 8 inches, with isolated amounts up to 15 inches. Isolated tornadoes are also possible. |
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Flash Flood Watches will likely be issued today along the Gulf Coast. |
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Biden signs law making Juneteenth a federal holiday |
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President Biden signed a law making Juneteenth a national federal holiday, in a ceremony at the White House this afternoon. |
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The June 19 celebration, commemorating the end of slavery in the United States, is now the country’s 11th federal holiday. |
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“Juneteenth marks both a long, hard night of slavery and subjugation and a promise, of a brighter morning to come,” Biden said. |
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“This is a day of profound weight and profound power. A day which we remember the moral stain and terrible toll that slavery took on the country,” he added. |
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The House voted 415-14 in favor of the bill on Wednesday, with all 14 no votes coming from Republicans. The Senate passed the measure by unanimous consent on Tuesday. |
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Most federal employees will get tomorrow off, since Juneteenth falls on a Saturday this year, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management said. |
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What else we’re watching: |
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A murder hornet was discovered north of Seattle. It’s the first one discovered in the U.S. this year, according to federal and state investigators.A Georgia police officer died after being dragged by a suspect’s car during a traffic stop, investigators said.Rafael Nadal has pulled out of Wimbledon and the Tokyo Olympics. “The goal is to prolong my career and continue to do what makes me happy,” he said. |
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Watch us this evening at 6:30 p.m. ET / 5:30 p.m. CT on NBC, or check your local NBC station listing. After the broadcast, access Nightly News video on NBCNightlyNews.com or the NBC News app. |
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