It's been a week of "big announcements," historic legislation, and groundbreaking discoveries. Here's a recap of this week.
1. Pres. Biden on Tue. signed the Respect for Marriage Act into law, enshrining federal protections for same-sex marriages.
Tue.'s signing marked the end of a months-long fight in Congress to pass protections for same-sex marriages.
Democrats in Congress introduced the bill this summer in wake of the Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade.
What does the bill do? The bill requires all states in the U.S. to recognize marriages performed in other states. (CNBC)
2. Scientists at Lawrence Livermore Nat. Lab. made history this week after producing energy from a nuclear fusion reaction.
LLNL scientists announced the breakthrough Tue. in a press conference with the U.S. Department of Energy.
According to CNN, the discovery was made on Dec. 5 after LLNL scientists created net energy from a nuclear fusion reaction.
What does this mean for us? Well, the LLNL's discovery could pave the wave for a "clean, limitless" energy source.
3. Legislators on Capitol Hill marked the 10th anniversary of the Sandy Hook massacre Wed. with calls to end gun violence.
This year marks 10 years since a gunman murdered 20 first graders and six teachers at Sandy Hook Elementary School.
Connecticut Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy took to the Senate floor Wed. to call for gun reform measures.
4. Former Speaker John Boehner made headlines this week after he teared up at Speaker Pelosi's portrait unveiling Wed..
Boehner choked up during his tribute to Pelosi: "You’ve been unfailingly gracious to me, to my family and...my team."
Pelosi remarked after Boehner's tribute: "I would have been a little disappointed if he did not get emotional."
5. The House on Thu. voted to allow Puerto Rico to hold its first-ever binding referendum vote on its governing status.
The House voted to pass the bill by a bipartisan 233–191 vote; 16 Republicans voted with Democrats to pass the bill. (WP)
What would the bill do? It would pave the way for Puerto Rico to become either a state or an independent nation. (WP)