The Gang of 8’s immigration bill cleared the Senate on Thursday in a 68-32 vote — and its future is now in the hands of the House of Representatives. The House could be a tough hurdle for the bill as Speaker John Boehner insists he won’t bring it to the floor without support from a majority of Republicans. Rep. Blake Farenthold, R-Texas, will discuss why he and his fellow House Republicans oppose the bill.
It’s been a year since the Supreme Court ruling that upheld President Obama’s signature legislative achievement, the Affordable Care Act, and on October 1 the health care exchanges are scheduled to open. The University of Pennsylvania’s Vice Provost for Global Initiatives, Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, will discuss on Jansing & Co.
The George Zimmerman trial continues on Friday, a day after the prosecution’s key witness, Rachel Jeantel, took the stand.
And debate over a controversial Texas bill restricting abortion is getting personal: Governor Rick Perry brought up the family background of the bill’s chief opponent Texas state Sen. Wendy Davis while defending the bill on Thursday. Davis rose to national prominence after her 11 hour filibuster of the bill led to its initial defeat. We’ll have have the latest on this bill as a special session reconvenes for a second vote.
The campaign for same-sex marriage continues to pick up steam and advocates have shifted their focus to the state level. A rally was held Thursday outside the New Jersey Capitol urging Governor Chris Christie to change his stance on gay marriage. Freedom to Marry President Evan Wolfson will talk about the marriage equality movement’s future after the Supreme Court’s historic decisions.
And just how happy are Americans? Time Magazine’s Jeffrey Kluger talks about his publication’s cover story on why Americans are wired to be happy and how it affects our lifestyle.
John Axelrod