The US government enters the Texas abortion battle

THE BIG STORY

The Department of Justice is suing Texas over the state's 6-week abortion ban

In a lawsuit against Texas law SB 8, the Justice Department argues that the federal government has the "authority and responsibility" to ensure states cannot deprive citizens of their constitutional rights.

Because people often don't realize they're pregnant before the sixth week, Texas's ban effectively halts nearly all abortions in the state. (Early-term state abortion bans are often referred to as "heartbeat" laws, but the term is misleading, since a fetus's heart valves haven't formed yet. At that stage of pregnancy, an ultrasound is detecting electrical activity.)

The Justice Department also asserts that SB 8 turns private citizens into "state actors" by giving them authority that would normally be left to law enforcement. SB 8 authorizes private individuals — and gives them a financial incentive — to file civil claims against anyone they believe performed an abortion, as well as anyone who they suspect helped a pregnant person obtain the procedure.

"The act is clearly unconstitutional," said Attorney General Merrick Garland.

It varies for every person when and how they learn they are pregnant. But now that Texas has implemented a 6-week abortion ban, the exact timing of that moment could mean a world of difference.

So we want to know: When did you find out you were pregnant? We want to paint a picture of the range of experiences that pregnant people have — and the effects SB 8 and potential copycat laws in other states could have. Let us know in this form, and a BuzzFeed News reporter might reach out to you for a future story.

STAYING ON TOP OF THIS

Biden is mandating COVID vaccines for all federal workers and large employers

Biden speaks about combating the pandemic on Sept. 9 in Washington, DC. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

As part of a desperate bid to stop the spreading Delta variant that is killing over 2,000 Americans per day, all federal government workers will have to be vaccinated, according to a plan released by the Biden administration on Thursday.

Under an emergency rule issued by the Department of Labor, all employers with 100 or more employees will also have to ensure their workers are fully vaccinated or tested weekly. The new requirement is expected to impact over 80 million people.

Roughly 25% of people eligible for the vaccine remain unvaccinated, President Biden said in an address to the nation.

"This is a pandemic of the unvaccinated," Biden said. "And it is caused by the fact that despite having an unprecedented and successful vaccination program, despite the fact that for the past five months free vaccines have been available in 80,000 different locations, we still have nearly 80 million Americans who have failed to get the shot. This is unacceptable."

SNAPSHOTS

Students ages 12 and up will have to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to attend LA public schools. Los Angeles is the first major school district in the nation to issue such a mandate.

Pennsylvania Republicans' attempts at a 2020 election "audit" are off to an awkward start. Responding to questions from Democrats at the hearing, the only witness present repeatedly testified that the audit had found nothing wrong with the election. "Nothing was found," he told senators.

Meet the street photographer who chronicles New York City's evolving style. "There was a darkness to what people were wearing at the beginning of the pandemic ... Now it's more open, colorful, bright, mesh, handmade, fun."

THE BIGGEST LEGISLATIVE BATTLE OF 2021

The fight for paid parental and medical leave has officially begun

This week, five House committees returned from summer break to put together the Democrats' $3.5 trillion policy bill, the Build Back Better Act. Some highlights of the bill in its current state include:

Universal paid parental and medical leave
Medicaid expansion to include hearing, vision, and dental care, as well as coverage for more people
A permanent $300-per-month tax credit to parents of young children. As it stands, the child tax credit has an expiration date.
More investment into green energy

During a congressional session on Thursday, Republicans homed in on the bill's $3.5 trillion price tag, arguing that the country cannot afford it. Rep. Kevin Brady said it would "usher in a new era of government dependency with the greatest expansion of the welfare state in our lifetimes." Rep. Devin Nunes called it "a $3.5 trillion spending orgy."

But the real political fight for this bill will be within the Democratic party itself: Democrats plan to use a process called budget reconciliation to pass the bill with their narrow majorities in the House and Senate. They won't need a single Republican vote, but they will need every single Democratic senator on board and almost every member of their House caucus. That slim margin for error means moderate Democrats could shrink ambitions for the bill, or slow down its passage even further.

CUFFING SEASON

Megan Fox said her and Machine Gun Kelly's souls are "intertwined on that higher plane" and "handled" by their ancestors after sparking engagement rumors

Megan Fox and Colson Baker (Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for iHeartMedia)

It's been a long week. Hell, it's been a long month, and it's only Sept. 10. In our hour of need, Megan Fox has graced us with news of her and Machine Gun Kelly's intense compatibility — and sparked more rumors of a potential engagement. I needed this. We needed this.

Speaking with CR Fashion Book this week, Fox opened up about her "karmic" relationship with Machine Gun Kelly.

"I think part [of our connection] comes naturally because our relationship is so karmic that our spirit, our souls, are so intertwined on that higher plane," she said. "A lot of it is handled for us by our ancestors and the spirits and energies that are watching over us."

Her comments follow recent speculation that the couple are actually engaged after Fox was reportedly spotted wearing a ring. Fox and Colson Baker (yes, that's Machine Gun Kelly's real name) have yet to publicly respond to the rumors.

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE WEEKND"

Stories that will shift how you see the world

I couldn't tell my family about my abortion. Texas's ban targets the support system I relied on. "The most Texas thing about the abortion I had is probably the fact that, beyond my boyfriend, no one else knows I ever had one. ... The beliefs that led to the Texas abortion ban fuel a stigma strong enough to cut me off from people I love. But that's the point."

School districts are implementing mask mandates but letting thousands of students get exemptions. While some parents have expressed concern about leaving such a decision to families instead of doctors, others said it is their right to choose what's best for their child.

Facebook is making camera glasses, ha ha oh no. The privacy features for the glasses wearer are decent. Privacy features for the rest of the world? Not so much. The implications for our souls? Hopelessly unclear.

What this week's Bachelor in Paradise debacle should teach everyone about how the influencer economy actually works. If you're not a fan of the show, this latest scandal is a glimpse into the hazy, uncomfortable relationship between "authenticity" and Instagram fame. If you are a fan, is Brendan the worst or what?!

Indulge in what makes you happy,

Alexa

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