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| TUESDAY, JULY 17 |
| TRUMP-PUTIN SUMMIT Republican and Democratic lawmakers were nearly united in criticizing President Trump for not rebuking Russian leader Vladimir Putin on election meddling. But most Republicans avoided direct criticism of Trump. “I’ve said a number of times and I’ll say it again,” said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. “The Russians are not our friends and I entirely believe the assessment of our intelligence community.” READ |
| PUTIN INTERVIEW Fox News Sunday anchor Chris Wallace grilled Vladimir Putin in an exclusive interview. At one point, Putin quipped: “Well, first of all, all of us have plenty of political rivals. I’m pretty sure President Trump has plenty of political rivals.” Wallace shot back: “But they don’t end up dead.” READ |
| KAVANAUGH, CHURCH, AND STATE Matt Archbold asks: What could a Justice Kavanaugh mean for Catholic education? Will the Supreme Court take a case and consider the constitutionality of the Blaine Amendments? (Don’t know what the Blaine Amendments are? Then definitely click this article.) READ |
| NOTRE DAME LAWSUIT The federal government had settled with the University of Notre Dame to end the HHS contrceptive mandate against the school. But now, left-wing groups are suing Notre Dame and the federal government, stating that the settlement was “unconstitutional.” READ |
| REINING IN THE IRS Social-welfare organizations like the National Rifle Association and CatholicVote.org will no longer have to disclose to the IRS the names of donors who give over $5,000, according to new guidelines by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. The names and addresses of donors is supposed to be kept private, but this information has improperly been made public in the past, notably in the case of the socially conservative National Organization for Marriage in 2012. READ |
| THE SPRAWLING STATE Decades of ceaseless expansion of the size and scope of the federal government have created a bloated and inefficient federal bureaucracy, replete with agencies and offices with overlapping functions. But Sen. James Lankford, R-OK, introduced legislation with Sen. Ron Johnson, R-WI, that would give President Donald Trump wide latitude to restructure executive agencies. READ |
| LIFE BATTLE Jahi McMath dies four years after being declared brain-dead. The teen’s life seemed to defy the medical definition of brain death. READ |
| RECORD JUDICIAL NOMINATIONS The Senate is set to vote on Andrew Oldham for the 5th Circuit and Ryan Bounds for the 9th Circuit. Confirming either would give President Trump his 23rd appeals court judge — a record for a president’s first two years in office. READ |
| PRIESTS AND MARRIAGE PREP Father Roger Landry says: “Rather than being an insurmountable handicap, my priesthood is actually an asset.” READ |
| SAINT OF THE DAY Saint Francis Solano asked to be sent to Africa as a missionary. Instead he was sent to South America, where he spent the rest of his life working. After years of ministering in Argentina, Bolivia, and Paraguay, he died in the city of Lima, Peru. READ |
| DAILY READINGS “God upholds his city for ever.” (Ps 48:2) READ |
| TRUTH |