WASHINGTON (OSV News) — The U.S. Supreme Court concluded its term with a major ruling limiting the ability of federal judges to issue nationwide injunctions in a case concerning the Trump administration’s executive order to end birthright citizenship for children born in the U.S. to parents without legal status or temporary visa holders.
The same week in Washington, the Senate continued its deliberations over the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which would enact key provisions of President Donald Trump’s legislative agenda on taxes and immigration, as the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops called for “drastic changes” to the legislation to prevent “provisions that will harm the poor and vulnerable.”
Supreme Court concludes term with several major rulings
The June 27 ruling in Trump v. CASA, Inc. did not address whether an executive order President Donald Trump signed within hours of returning to the Oval Office in January that sought to end the practice of birthright citizenship for those children was constitutional, but said in a 6-3 decision that universal injunctions issued by federal judges to block that order resulting from lawsuits filed over it “likely exceed the equitable authority that Congress has granted to federal courts.”
The same day, the high court also issued five other rulings, including one in favor of an interfaith group of Maryland parents who sought to opt their children out of classroom instruction pertaining to books containing LGBTQ+ themes to which they object on religious grounds, and another upholding a Texas law requiring age verification to view online pornography.
Senate Parliamentarian rejects key Medicaid cuts in ‘Big Beautiful Bill’
Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough June 26 rejected key Medicaid provisions in Senate Republicans’ version of Trump’s megabill, a blow to their effort to meet Trump’s July 4 deadline for its passage.
The Senate’s parliamentarian, a nonpartisan role, serves to ensure legislation in the upper chamber meets its rules and procedures. MacDonough found a key Medicaid provision does not meet the Senate’s rules for passage by a simple majority, rather than its 60-vote threshold.
The provision would have limited states’ ability to use health care provider taxes to collect more federal Medicaid funding, which would have offset an effort to make Trump’s tax cuts permanent.
The same day, 20 U.S. Catholic bishops signed onto an interfaith effort opposing the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, calling it a “moral failure,” in part due to SNAP and Medicaid cuts.
Trump shifts tone on NATO after attending summit
Trump appeared to strike a different tone on NATO after attending its summit in the Netherlands, acknowledging he sees the mutual security organization “differently.”
A longtime skeptic of NATO, Trump has previously suggested that the U.S. might not uphold its commitments to the alliance if member countries don’t meet defense spending targets. But after most member countries committed to invest 5% of their GDP annually on core defense requirements, Trump appeared pleased by the meeting in comments to reporters.
“I left there saying that these people really love their countries. It’s not a ripoff. And we’re here to help them protect their country,” Trump said, adding, “They want to protect their country, and they need the United States, and without the United States, it’s not going to be the same.”
Under the terms of NATO, which was implemented in 1949, the group considers an attack against one or several of its members as an attack against all, and pledges collective defense in the face of such a scenario.
Sen. Cassidy of Louisiana pans new RFK Jr. vaccine panel picks
After Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. fired all 17 members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, replacing them with some individuals seen as vaccine skeptics, Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., the chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, known as HELP, said the new members of that panel lack sufficient experience.
“Although the appointees to ACIP have scientific credentials, many do not have significant experience studying microbiology, epidemiology or immunology,” Cassidy wrote on X. “In particular, some lack experience studying new technologies such as mRNA vaccines, and may even have a preconceived bias against them.”
“Robust and transparent scientific discussion is important, so long as it is rooted in evidence and understanding,” Cassidy continued, arguing their work should be “delayed until the panel is fully staffed with more robust and balanced representation — as required by law — including those with more direct relevant expertise.”
“Otherwise, ACIP’s recommendations could be viewed with skepticism, which will work against the success of this Administration’s efforts,” he said.
Kennedy’s action to replace the panel’s members appeared to break a pledge he made to Cassidy during his confirmation process. Cassidy publicly wavered over whether he would support Kennedy’s confirmation, criticizing his views on vaccines before eventually voting for him. Cassidy said his vote was contingent on what he said was a pledge from Kennedy to maintain that panel without changes. The independent advisory committee has long been viewed as nonpartisan, and its members’ removal is a departure from norms.
State Department rebukes UK’s assisted suicide bill
After an assisted suicide bill was passed in the U.K.’s House of Commons by a narrow majority June 20, the U.S. State Department’s Bureau for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor rebuked the legislation — known as the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill — on social media.
“As the UK Parliament considers support for state-subsidized suicide, euphemistically called a bill for ‘Terminally Ill Adults,’ the United States reaffirms the sanctity of life,” the post said. “The western world should stand for life, vitality and hope over surrender and death.”
It is rare for the State Department to critique foreign legislation in an allied nation of the US.
The bill will proceed to a debate and vote in the House of Lords, the second chamber, before it would become law. Catholic bishops in the U.K. have opposed the legislation.
Kate Scanlon is a national reporter for OSV News covering Washington. Follow her on X @kgscanlon.
