Between 95,000 and 100,000 Russian troops have amassed on the border between Russia and Ukraine, leading to warnings from the Biden administration that the Russian military may be planning to invade Ukraine as soon as 2022. United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the U.S. plans to react to potential Russian hostility against Ukraine with unspecified “economic measures.”
President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin scheduled a video call to discuss the troop buildup on Dec. 7. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Biden will emphasize U.S. commitment to Ukrainian sovereignty and express concerns about Russia’s increased military presence along the border.
SUPREME COURT ABORTION CASE
On Dec. 6, the Supreme Court heard arguments about a Mississippi abortion law to outlaw nearly all abortions following 15 weeks of pregnancy. The Jackson Woman’s Health Organization, the sole abortion facility in the state, challenged a Mississippi state law that prohibits abortion past 15 weeks of pregnancy. Both pro-abortion and pro-life advocates rallied in front of the U.S. Supreme Court.
The state presented arguments for the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade—the 1973 case that ruled the 14th Amendment protects the right to privacy, and therefore a pregnant woman’s right to an abortion. If the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, it would permit states to pass their own abortion laws and trigger bans and restrictions on abortion in 21 states.
DEATH OF BOB DOLE
Former Senate majority leader and presidential nominee Bob Dole died at 98 in his sleep, 10 months after a diagnosis of stage 4 lung cancer. Dole’s political career lasted over three decades, during which he served as a committee chairman and Republican leader in the Senate. Dole ran for president in 1996 and secured the Republican nomination, but lost the election to incumbent Bill Clinton. Following his time in office, Dole went on to star in commercials and lobby for the rights of the disabled.
Dole served in the military during World War II and survived a life-threatening spinal and shoulder injury that cost him the use of his right arm. Dole received several awards for his service in the Army and in politics, including two Purple Hearts, a Congressional Gold Medal and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
