Biden delivers State of the Union address amidst war, inflation
President Biden delivered the annual State of the Union address on March 1, which had been recently revised to reflect the invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces. In his speech, Biden started by addressing the ongoing pandemic briefly and expressed gratitude for being able to gather in person for the address this year. He continued by speaking about the Russia-Ukraine war, condemning Putin’s actions of invasion and pledging to support Ukraine’s fight for freedom through America’s place in the NATO alliance, announcing in addition that for the time being the United States would not be sending troops to Ukraine to assist in combat. Following this, he acknowledged the rising U.S. gas, housing and grocery prices and urged the passing of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to invest in America’s economy and future. He also touched on his administration’s successes as well as their goals: to continue creating new jobs, tackling the climate crisis and lowering the cost of life-saving medication such as insulin.
U.S. Senate fails to codify Roe v. Wade
The U.S. Senate failed to codify Roe vs. Wade after the Women’s Health Protection Act did not garner the 60 votes it needed to overcome the ongoing filibuster and had seemingly failed to get the 50 votes needed to continue the passage of the bill into law after Senator Joe Manchin joined Republicans in opposition of the bill. Codifying Roe vs. Wade and passing the Women’s Health Protection Act would have ensured safe abortions remained accessible in all 50 states even if the Supreme Court decided to overturn or roll back Roe v. Wade, which has been a prominent topic of discussion since the Court announced they would hear a number of cases on abortion laws.
Florida students protest against ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill
Students across Florida have organized in protest against the Parents Education Rights bill, dubbed the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill, which would make discussing gender identity and sexual orientation illegal in K-12 schools. High school students in cities throughout Florida walked out of their classrooms on March 3 holding signs and chanting “we say gay” in support of LGBTQ+ students’ rights to privacy and safety. While many have taken to social media to express support for the students, one student at Flagler Palm Coast High School said that he had been suspended “indefinitely” for organizing his school’s protest and handing out 200 pride flags during the walkout.
