Reuters US Domestic News Summary

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell has said his caucus will sink the emergency legislation to suspend the $28.4 trillion federal debt ceiling. Police resume search of Florida wilderness for fiance of late Gabby Petito Police and FBI agents resumed their search of a swampy Florida wilderness for Gabby Petito's fiance on Wednesday, one day after a woman's body found in a Wyoming national park was identified as that of the missing 22-year-old travel blogger.

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

U.S. appeals court erases ruling allowing gun sales to people under 21

A U.S. appeals court on Wednesday threw out its recent decision that a federal prohibition on firearms dealers selling guns to young adults under 21 was unconstitutional, deciding the case was now moot because both plaintiffs have reached that age.

A panel of the Richmond, Virginia-based 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals had issued the 2-1 ruling on July 13, authored by Circuit Judge Julius Richardson. But Richardson said it now serves the public interest to vacate the decision, clearing the way for further litigation on the matter.

'Proud Boy' Jan 6 riot defendant seeks release from pre-trial detention

A federal judge set a Friday hearing for a possible ruling on a request to be released from pre-trial detention by a member of the far-right Proud Boy movement facing charges related to the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riot. Lawyers for Dominic Pezzola, 43, of Rochester, N.Y., presently held in a Washington D.C. jail, argued on Wednesday to U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly that restrictive prison conditions make it difficult for them to consult with their client and for him to review potentially relevant evidence, including 7,500 investigative memoranda and 100 days of video.

Under pressure, U.S. donates half billion more COVID-19 vaccine doses to world

The United States on Wednesday promised to buy 500 million more COVID-19 vaccine doses to donate to other countries as it comes under increasing pressure to share its supply with the rest of the world. President Joe Biden made the announcement during a virtual summit aimed at boosting global vaccination rates against the coronavirus and rallying world leaders to do more.

U.S. Senate confirms Batchelder for Treasury tax post

The U.S. Senate on Wednesday confirmed Lily Batchelder to serve as assistant secretary for tax policy at the Treasury Department, where she will play a big role in implementing tax changes sought by President Joe Biden and congressional Democrats. Batchelder won confirmation in a 64-34 vote, with 15 Republicans voting in support of the New York University law professor.

Bill to provide $1 billion for Israel Iron Dome system introduced in U.S. Congress

The leader of the U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee introduced legislation on Wednesday to provide $1 billion to Israel to replenish its "Iron Dome" missile-defense system, a day after the funding was removed from a broader spending bill. Some of the most liberal House Democrats had objected to the provision and said they would vote against the broad spending bill. This threatened its passage because Republicans were lined up against the plan to fund the federal government through Dec. 3 and raise the nation's borrowing limit.

Florida to consider near-ban on abortion similar to Texas' new law

A Florida Republican lawmaker has filed a bill that would ban abortions after six to eight weeks and allow members of the community to sue doctors for terminating pregnancies in what may be the first effort to mirror a similar new law in Texas. The bill by state Representative Webster Barnaby would ban abortions after regular cardiac contractions are detected in an embryo, known as a fetal heartbeat even though the heart has not yet developed, about six to eight weeks into pregnancy. That is before many women know they are pregnant.

Republicans see opportunity in U.S. debt-ceiling standoff

In a high-stakes standoff over the U.S. debt ceiling, congressional Republicans believe they see a chance to scale back President Joe Biden's sweeping domestic agenda while boosting their odds of retaking Congress in 2022. The Republican gambit passed an initial political test on Tuesday, when the House of Representatives voted 220-211 along party lines to approve a measure to suspend the $28.4 trillion debt ceiling and fund the federal government beyond Sept. 30, when the current fiscal year ends.

As debt limit looms, U.S. Senate Democrats see showdown vote next week

The U.S. Senate aims to vote next week on raising Washington's borrowing authority and keeping the government funded, the chamber's No. 2 Democrat said on Wednesday, as a House Democrat warned that Republican opposition could lead to a historic default on the nation's debt. Senator Dick Durbin said the chamber sometime next week would take up the bill passed in a party-line House of Representatives vote. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell has said his caucus will sink the emergency legislation to suspend the $28.4 trillion federal debt ceiling.

Police resume search of Florida wilderness for fiance of late Gabby Petito

Police and FBI agents resumed their search of a swampy Florida wilderness for Gabby Petito's fiance on Wednesday, one day after a woman's body found in a Wyoming national park was identified as that of the missing 22-year-old travel blogger. Police have described the fiance Brian Laundrie, 23, as a "person of interest" in the case, which has captivated Americans since Petito's family reported her missing on Sept. 11. Ten days earlier, Laundrie had returned home to North Port, Florida, without Petito from a cross-country road trip they had embarked on together and documented in social media posts.

As Petito case captivates U.S., missing Native women ignored

Activists lament that the crisis of missing and murdered Native American women doesn't get the attention paid to Gabby Petito. FBI agents found Petito's body in Wyoming on Sunday after she went missing during a road trip with her fiancé. The search for the 22-year-old white woman, who chronicled her trip on social media, became an internet sensation and a lead story for major news outlets.