Extra! Extra! 5/14 💕
Hi, all, and happy Mother’s Day to anyone who celebrates it.
I’m also sending big hugs to anyone who finds this day, for any reason, bittersweet or even flat-out tough. I know that feeling, and I’m thinking of you, today, too.
For Mother’s Day—and because it’s Sunday, and because you all work so hard and deserve it—here’s a list of everything that went well this week. It may be a bit longer than usual—consider that my extra gift to you!
Enjoy, and thank you, moms and others, for helping us create a world—and country— worth celebrating!
Jess
Read This 📖
Republicans are heading over a generational cliff. 🙌🏼
Also: How Minnesota is becoming a laboratory in pushing progressive policy. The latest from a state where we flipped the State Senate by 171 votes across 1 district. 🙌🏼
Celebrate This! 🎉
The U.S. Department of Energy announced new energy efficiency actions that will save Americans $652 million in utility bills every year.
The White House announced that 17 states have seen the largest private sector investment in their state’s history EVER under the Biden Administration: Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, and South Dakota.
Two more companies announced major clean energy manufacturing investments in the United States: Nel and Electric Hydrogen Co. They will build electrolyzer manufacturing facilities in Michigan and Massachusetts, respectively.
Scholastic tried to censor an author writing about racism in America. The publishing community fought back and won.
The Department of Transportation is launching an effort to set new rules that would guarantee compensation when disruptions occur that are under airlines’ control.
Hungary’s president rejected a bill that would enable citizens to anonymously report same-sex families to authorities, a rare rebuke from an otherwise loyal ally of Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
City Councilman Jalen McKee-Rodriguez, an educator and the first openly gay Black man to hold elected office in Texas, held onto his seat Saturday night. He defeated 9 challengers for the council seat he first won in 2021.
A woman who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6 while wearing a pink beret and was recently identified to the FBI by an ex-romantic partner was charged with four federal counts.
Governor Tim Walz signed a law that brings automatic voter registration into Minnesota.
The Oregon legislature voted to ban polystyrene foam food containers and packing peanuts.
A new poll finds that a 66 percent majority of U.S. adults say mifepristone should remain on the market.
The Texas House advanced a bill to raise the minimum age to buy assault weapons. While it may not ultimately pass, even this advancement is huge progress.
A jury found Donald Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation in a civil lawsuit brought by writer E. Jean Carroll, who alleged that Trump raped her in 1996 in the dressing room of a New York City department store. He must pay Carroll 5M.
Representative George Santos has been charged by federal prosecutors in New York.
CA Governor Gavin Newsom is allocating $8 million for physical and digital security upgrades at abortion clinics. 1
Feinstein is back and voting!
The Washington State Senate passed House Bill 1085 to reduce plastic pollution. It now heads to Governor Inslee to be signed into law.
U.S. inflation cooled for the 10th straight month.
The Environmental Protection Agency proposed the tightest limits ever on power plants’ planet-warming pollution, a policy it must enact to meet President Biden’s pledge to halve U.S. emissions by 2030 compared with 2005 levels.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development announced the availability of nearly $1 billion for low-income multifamily housing to become more energy-efficient, water-efficient and resilient to climate disasters.
After four months of investigation, House Republicans who promised to use their new majority to unearth evidence of wrongdoing by President Biden acknowledged on Wednesday that they had yet to uncover incriminating material about him.
Germany is relaxing its regulations for solar power installations after the country already set a new installation record this year. The country added 2.7 gigawatts of solar power capacity in the first three months of the year, putting it on track to beat its 9-gigawatt target for the year.
Texas’ Fort Hood has been renamed to honor Gen. Richard Edward Cavazos, a Korean and Vietnam War veteran and the U.S. Army’s first Hispanic four-star general.
The unemployment rate for Black Americans fell below 5% for the first time ever in April.
A federal appeals judge in Illinois has put a hold on a lower court judge's ruling that blocked the state from enforcing its strict ban on some assault rifles and high-capacity magazines.
In a unanimous vote, advisors to the FDA recommended the agency approve what could become the first-ever over the counter birth control pill.
The Supreme Court issued a ruling upholding California’s Prop 12. This ruling protects the rights of states to set humane animal treatment and food safety rules.
The Congressional Integrity Project is set to launch a monthslong ad campaign demanding the Oversight Committee open investigations into the Trump family similar to those Comer has initiated against President Joe Biden since taking over as chairman in January.
In Illinois, nearly 45,000 Cook County residents have received letters in the mail telling them that — without even asking for it — their medical debt has been erased.
Ecuador struck a record-setting deal to reduce its debt burden and free up hundreds of millions of dollars for conservation around the Galápagos Islands.
The FDA just officially ended its ban on blood donations from gay and bisexual men. Long seen as discriminatory, the eased restrictions could also help ease blood shortages by opening up blood donation to more people.
A new law in Colorado will prevent utilities from charging customers for funds they’ll use to hire lobbyists to block climate progress.
Climate change was restored to Utah’s supplemental state standards for science and engineering education by one vote late Thursday night.
Daniel Penny was charged with second-degree manslaughter after he was filmed placing Jordan Neely in a fatal chokehold on a New York City subway train earlier this month.
Nevada advanced a resolution to enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution.
Washington’s new budget will include $21 million for abortion infrastructure as the state continues to see an uptick in out-of-state patients seeking reproductive healthcare. 2
The U.S. Department of Energy announced $26 million for eight selected projects to demonstrate how solar, wind, storage, and other clean energy resources can support a reliable and efficient U.S. power grid.
The team behind Netflix’s Don’t Look Up just launched a self-proclaimed “anti-BS” non-profit production studio aimed at combating misinformation from the fossil fuel industry. It's great!3
Ohio voters and the coalition One Person, One Vote filed a lawsuit against a proposed amendment, to be voted on in August, that would make ballot measures more difficult to pass. 4
President Biden published an op-ed announcing new actions the Biden-Harris Administration is taking to implement the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) and maximize the benefits of the law, reducing gun violence and saving lives.
Listen to This! 🎶
My step-father Tom Chapin wrote a song telling the story of Julia Ward Howe and the origin of Mother’s Day. Pretty great. Watch him perform it live below.
Marc Elias, the Daily Docket
I read recently that the Brits call it “Mothering Day” which seems so appropriate and all inclusive. I love gathering in all the true and adopted aunties, the beloved neighbors, the dedicated teachers. It takes a village.
Always appreciate these weekly doses of good news! If I may add one more—the students at New College have a go fund me to hold an alternate commencement after the fuhrer of Florida assigned Scott Atlas to be their official speaker. They have exceeded their original goal and have increased it! https://gofund.me/9d4f0ee4