Closing summary
We’re closing the US politics blog now after another day dominated by the fallout from the supreme court’s draft ruling upending almost half a century of abortion rights in the US.
Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer set a vote for next Wednesday to codify abortion rights into federal law. Democrats don’t have the numbers for it to pass, but Schumer says the symbolic vote will show the country where every senator stands on the abortion issue.
“America will be watching,” he says.
Here are the day’s other key developments:
- Democrats tore into Republican former vice-president Mike Pence over an anti-abortion speech he was set to deliver at a South Carolina Christian “clinic” that serves to dissuade women from terminating their pregnancies.
- Republican senate leaders indicated a bipartisan deal was close on Joe Biden’s request to Congress for $33bn in aid for Ukraine. Minority whip John Thune suggested the $20bn the president wants for military support could rise.
- Louisiana Republicans advanced an extreme bill that could see women who have an abortion charged with murder.
- Another audio clip released by the New York Times captured House minority leader Kevin McCarthy discussing the 25th amendment as an option to remove then-president Donald Trump from office two days after the 6 January Capitol attack.
- Supreme court justice Samuel Alito canceled an appearance at a conference of senior judges in New Orleans in the wake of the leak of his draft ruling ending abortion rights for women.
Thanks for joining us today. A reminder you can follow live developments in the Ukraine conflict in our 24-hour blog here.
- This post was amended on 6 May 2022. Mike Pence is a former vice-president, not former president as an earlier version said.
Updated
Biden names Karine Jean-Pierre new White House press secretary
Karine Jean-Pierre has been named the new White Press secretary, replacing Jen Psaki who will depart on 13 May, it has just been announced.
Today’s White House briefing, which was scheduled to have begun at 3pm with Psaki at the podium, is not yet under way.
Jean-Pierre, currently the principal deputy press secretary, has filled in for Psaki on several occasions, most recently while her predecessor was quarantining with Covid-19. She is a former political analyst with NBC and MSNBC.
Biden said in his statement:
Karine not only brings the experience, talent and integrity needed for this difficult job, but she will continue to lead the way in communicating about the work of the Biden-Harris administration on behalf of the American people.
Jill and I have known and respected Karine a long time and she will be a strong voice speaking for me and this Administration.
Jen Psaki has set the standard for returning decency, respect and decorum to the White House briefing room. I want to say thank you to Jen for raising the bar, communicating directly and truthfully to the American people, and keeping her sense of humor while doing so.
I thank Jen her service to the country, and wish her the very best as she moves forward.
Lots to say about how grateful I am to @POTUS and @FLOTUS and the Biden family for trusting me to serve as @PressSec and plenty of time before my last day to share, but today is about @KJP46 so a few thoughts on this remarkable woman who will soon be behind the podium every day.
— Jen Psaki (@PressSec) May 5, 2022
Jean-Pierre will become the first Black woman and the first openly LGBTQ+ to serve as press secretary, Psaki said on Twitter after the president issued his statement.
The Guardian reported last month that Psaki, Biden’s press secretary since he took office in January 2021, was lined up for a new job as a host at MSNBC.
The White House also announced the return of Anita Dunn as a senior advisor and assistant to the president.
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