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Supreme Court Overturns Roe, Leaving States Free To Ban Abortion; Soon: Biden Expected To Sign Bipartisan Gun Safety Package; Biden Signs Historic Gun Reform Bill Into Law; Biden To Meet With Global Leaders At G7 Summit This Weekend. Aired 8-9a ET

Aired June 25, 2022 - 08:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:00:30]

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: Buenos dias, good morning, and thank you so much for joining us this Saturday, June 25. We're thrilled to have you. I'm Boris Sanchez.

CHRISTI PAUL, CNN ANCHOR: Waking up in Atlanta.

SANCHEZ: That's right.

PAUL: It's good to have you here. I'm Christi Paul.

We are talking about the women across the country who are waking up to this new reality. There's no longer a constitutional right to an abortion after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the landmark Roe vs. Wade decision.

SANCHEZ: For anti abortion activists, it's a victory that's been decades in the making. But for supporters of abortion rights, it is a devastating setback. At the White House, President Joe Biden lashed out at the court's decision.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN (D) PRESIDENT OF UNITED STATES: It's a sad day for the court and for the country. Now with Roe gone, let's be very clear, the health and life of women in this nation are now at risk. It was three justices named by one President Donald Trump are the core of today's decision to upend the scales of justice and eliminate a fundamental right for women in this country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PAUL: So top Democrats also blasted the bill, including Senator Elizabeth Warren and Vice President Kamala Harris.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KAMALA HARRIS (D) VICE PRESIDENT OF UNITED STATES: For nearly 50 years, we have talked about what Roe v. Wade protects. Today, as of right now, as of this minute, we can only talk about what Roe v. Wade protected. Past tense.

SEN. ELIZABETH WARREN (D-MA): Roe is dead. But the Supreme Court extremists do not get the last word. We are here because we will make Roe alive again.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: Many Republican lawmakers applauded the court's decision calling it a victory.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. JULIA LETLOW (R-LA): Today's ruling is an answer to prayers and a shining beacon of hope for the American people. We are here because of nearly five decades, our strong pro life advocates never wavered in their commitment for life.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PAUL: But the case at the center of the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe vs. Wade came out of Mississippi. Mississippi is one of 13 states with so called trigger laws. In some of those states abortion bans went into effect as soon as the Supreme Court issued its ruling.

SANCHEZ: Let's taken out of Jackson, Mississippi and CNN national correspondent Nadia Romero who's there for us.

Nadia, give us a sense of how this is playing out where you are where there was some tension this morning.

NADIA ROMERO, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Boris bright and early at about 4:00 a.m. local time, these guys came out and they have the right to protest. They have the right to speak their minds about their thoughts over the overturning of Roe v. Wade, but they came out very hostile and intimidating. There were the police that were called out because of their actions. And unfortunately, you can't hear their side of it, because they've decided to be violent and be threatening and intimidating. And that's unfortunate because both sides of this Roe v. Wade overturning, the Supreme Court ruling should be heard and have the right to be heard in the U.S. And that's unfortunately not what's happening here because it is turned so confrontational.

What's happening right now behind me as that this is the pink house. This is the last standing abortion clinic in the state of Mississippi. On the other side of the building, that's where patients are starting to arrive. So we've moved over here to be able to give them that privacy for their health care. Unfortunately, they are being bombarded with people as they come in who the organizers call religious extremists or religious terrorists.

I want you to listen from one of the organizers here, one of the leaders of this abortion clinic talk about what happens next.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: -- is funding all over the country. So, we know how to put her in touch with those individuals and figure out which is the closest clinic, you know there'll be women who are able to afford a plane ticket and if they can hop a plane and get into Las Cruces or Baltimore, Maryland or wherever Chicago, Illinois wherever is the easiest to get her in because her needs have to come first.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[08:05:12]

ROMERO: Unfortunately, Mississippi is surrounded by other states have trigger law. So if there is someone who wants to have an abortion, they're going to have to go several hours away. But fortunately, that's what we're hearing from people who support this law. They believe that's the right thing that women should not be allowed to have an abortion, even if it's rape or incest. They are enthusiastic about this new ruling. They say they've been waiting for this for decades. And it is finally here.

Boris.

SANCHEZ: Nadia Romero from Jackson, Mississippi, where we hear demonstrators behind you with a megaphone likely a lot of demonstrations throughout the country today. Thanks Nadia.

Legal experts say the Supreme Court's conservative bloc has been quote chomping at the bit to overturn Roe vs. Wade and that this ruling is going to have far reaching consequences.

PAUL: Yes, I spoke to former federal prosecutor Shan Wu. He called the courts reasoning behind the reverse a week saying that it ignores how the majority of the country feels about reproductive rights. And he also suggested this ruling alongside Justice Thomas's concurrence will lead to more attacks on Americans privacy rights.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHAN WU, FMR FEDERAL PROSECUTOR: Alito has to reach back literally into the 17th century, for a lot of his support in notorious jurist named Matthew Hale, who supported women being executed for witchcraft, supported the idea that women could not possibly be raped if it was their husband, who was the rapist. That's the sort of historical precedent that will it'll reach back to for this. And what that means is it's obviously ignoring the fact that modern America in the 21st century is in the majority of supporting abortion rights.

But Alito wants to lead us backwards in time towards that older, kind of misogynistic era. And that's what's happened in this opinion.

A lot of legal analysts and scholars had speculated that overturning Roe would indeed endanger many other rights of privacy, because those started with Griswold and Thomas has been quite blatant about it.

(END VIDEO CLIP) SANCHEZ: No matter where you fall on this issue, there's no question that overturning Roe vs. Wade stands to have a disproportionate impact on women of color.

To focus on that aspect of this decision, we have an expert, Washington Post journalist Akilah Johnson is with us. She has reported extensively on this dynamic.

Akilah, thank you so much for being with us this morning. We appreciate your time. Help our viewers understand what is at stake for black women with this decision.

AKILAH JOHNSON, REPORTER, WASHINGTON POST: Thanks for having me. Well, you know, this country is in the middle of a stepper and increasing maternal mortality crisis. And so, for women who are 15 to 44, of childbearing age, pregnancy related death is one of the leading -- pregnancy and childbirth is one of the leading causes of death. And for black women, they're three times more likely to die of pregnancy related deaths than white women. And for Native American women, they're more than twice as likely to die.

So, just in terms of, you know, childbirth, we are in an ever growing and increasing crisis. And then when you look at who is accessing abortion services, black women are more likely to access abortion services. And, you know, one of the things that folks have really been pointing out to me since the decision, the Supreme Court decision came in yesterday has been that more than half of the population lives in the south or lives in states where you really are going to have these restrictive abortion bans on the books.

SANCHEZ: Akilah, I do want to take a second just to recognize I'm in awe of your ability to concentrate with some of the decorative issues that you had going on behind you, your ability to answer that question. Well, help us understand some of the messaging on the political right, that you have focused on that black women are victims of a predatory abortion industry.

JOHNSON: Well, you know, a lot of this comes down and it comes down to agency, right? And so if you think about centuries -- the centuries of history in our country, and were black women and the agency that black women have had over their bodies going back to the 1800s when it comes to, you know, black women enslaved, black women who were subjected to torturous experiments to further gynecological sciences and reproductive science to forced sterilization in the '70s and '60s, you know, that is all part of what has created divergent views in the black community when it comes to abortion rights and abortion access.

And so, this bodily autonomy for some folks, Roe says, you know, the reversal of Roe is an extension of the lack of bodily autonomy. But for other folks, Roe had been seen as a form of genocide, it hadn't been seen as an extension of some of those earlier moments of were women didn't have control over their body and the exploitation of black women's reproductive health.

[08:10:16] SANCHEZ: So Akilah, what could potentially be a solution to fix that disparity or to at least allow for those disparities to be alleviated in the black community specifically?

JOHNSON: Well, I mean, when, you know, when it comes to maternal health, maternal, you know, the maternal mortality crisis, there's a lot of conversation that's been happening about that, on the federal level at state levels, activists have been really pushing to do more than just bring awareness to the issue, but bring action to it. So, there have been conversations about, you know, extending postpartum Medicaid for up to 12 months, because a lot of maternal mortality happens, post childbirth, you know, after a woman has given birth. So those are some of the things that have been done.

But also, like you've heard, you know, from the folks down in Mississippi, folks have been planning for this, this decision to comment. So there are networks that are being formed in terms of how to get women the health care access that they need, because this, you know, this is a health care issue for a lot of folks, not religious issue, not a moral issue, but this is about health and the health of women.

SANCHEZ: Akilah Johnson, thank you so much for taking the time today. We appreciate your perspective.

JOHNSON: Thank you for having me.

SANCHEZ: Of course.

PAUL: So later this hour, President Biden is expected to sign the first piece of federal legislation tackling gun control in nearly three decades. The bipartisan bill includes $750 million for Crisis Intervention Programs, it expands background checks for people between 18 and 21. It closes that boyfriend loophole hole and it requires more gun sellers to register as federally licensed firearm dealers, and we're going to bring that event to you live when it happens. Again, that is expected a little bit later this hour.

Here's the question, why did these six Republican lawmakers request presidential pardons after the insurrection? And what can we expect from this next round of public hearings?

Also, President Biden leaving for the G7 summit in Germany this morning. The question is will the world leaders agree to take any new actions against Russian President Vladimir Putin in his war in Ukraine? That's coming up. Stay close.

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[08:16:40]

SANCHEZ: So minutes from now, President Biden is expected to sign a bipartisan gun safety package into law.

PAUL: Yes, now this is weeks after negotiations on Capitol Hill and it marks the first major federal gun bill in nearly three decades. We're going to bring that to you live of course as soon as it begins.

SANCHEZ: That is going to be a historic moment.

Notably this week, during the latest public hearings from the January 6 committee, we heard from three high ranking Department of Justice officials who shed new light on a former President Trump's attempts to weaponize the Department of Justice to overturn the 2020 election.

PAUL: Also new details on Trump's intense efforts to get former Justice official Jeffrey Clark, who played a central role in pushing the Trump election fraud claims installed as acting Attorney General.

So want to talk about this with former U.S. Attorney for the Middle District, Georgia. Michael Moore is with us. Michael, always good to have you here in person.

MICHAEL MOORE, FMR U.S. ATTORNEY, MIDDLE DISTRICT OF GEORGIA: I'm glad to be with you. Absolutely. It's glad -- I'm glad to be back.

PAUL: Yes. It's a monumental morning for us at this point, honestly.

(CROSSTALK)

PAUL: OK. So I want to talk to you about this testimony from three top DOJ officials. They were -- these are all presidential -- President Trump appointees, I should point out. Talk to us about the personal indictment of Trump that we seem to be seeing here? And how much does that personal indictment matter?

MOORE: You know, the committee has done a good job and sort of tracing back the direction that was going on about some of the January 6 movements and the challenges to the election. There was a legitimate way to challenge the election. But the former president just kept pushing it in another way. And once he had lost in court, and he decided to sort of move in another direction that is pressuring people who were in that apartment.

I applaud the men who were in the room there because they really did follow through on their oath, that apartment needs to be separate. It needs to be able to make independent decisions without the pressure from a president. You're not going to get a lot of tears from me about people doing their job, though, either. You know, I think we've done a little bit of a canonization of people who now we say what they stood up to the pressure and they backed where they did all this stuff. That's what they're supposed to do.

And you know, really a lot of the sort of acquiescence over the preceding four years. And some of the nonsense whether it was the lying about the crowd size, lying about the accusers, the talk that he did that, you know, the repeated, repeated lies, I don't know why we're really surprised that he was trying to push a lie about the election, you know, and you can't sort of create and feed the monster, and then complain on the other side when it scares you a little bit or attacks you.

So, they did a good thing. They did the right move to keep the department's independence in place. And I do applaud that. And I think this is, this really will go with the end of the day into sort of it while the pressure itself may not ultimately be the criminal charges they can move forward on. I think it tells a little bit of a story about who was controlling and pulling some of the strings.

SANCHEZ: Michael, I wanted to get your perspective on somebody who likely was watching these hearings very closely. And that's the DA of Fulton County.

MOORE: Right.

SANCHEZ: Not far from here. Fannie Willis. She's got a case that she's building. How does what we have seen over these last few weeks bolster the work that she's doing?

MOORE: You know, I think anytime a prosecutor can get information, it's good. And so she's happy to hear what she can from the January 6 committee and likewise they'll be glad to hear I'm sure at the end of the day what she finds out from a special Grand Jury.

[08:20:06]

But her case is unique and that it we're talking about Georgia law, we're talking about Georgia statutes. And she's got a pretty clear case. So if she wants to try to move forward on an attempt to influence an election or election fraud, and also the pressure gets Raffensperger, she's got this tight. The question will be at the end of that, can she use the tape, you know, we have this issue of the consent in the recording and that type of thing. But she's getting testimony, I'm sure about how, what the circumstances were.

But if she hears it, it probably validate some of the thoughts that there might be a larger group of people in play. They were trying to do some nefarious acts to overturn the election.

PAUL: So, the special purpose Grand Jury here in Georgia, has heard from at least four witnesses who have testified regarding Rudy Giuliani, what is what do you pretend is in the future for him?

MOORE: You know, not always are going to have bar license issues, as we well know. But he may face some charges about presenting false information or false documents or being behind that. I mean, we know about the electric -- the false electric scheme. And if they link him to anything there, that's that, I wouldn't be surprised. It is a little bit unique, though, because in a position as an attorney, and whether or not he's advocating for a client, it may be like a masterful stroke of camouflage, you know, that you had behind when I was doing this on behalf of a client as I was pushing for putting the best case forward. And, you know, you hear this every day in courtrooms, right? They may have a ridiculous defense to a case, but they still have a right to advocate for it.

So that's going to be the question Is it -- was a criminal? Was it being a zealous advocate? Was it trying to commit some fraud on the state of Georgia? And I think if they link him to some direction to do some fraudulent acts, then sort of the cloak that he may otherwise be shielded with, because he's a lawyer. I think that goes away.

SANCHEZ: Michael, so the committee originally had planned to do seven hearings. Now it looks like they may add more. We know that the focus of at least two of them, they want to look at the role that extremist organizations played on January 6, and former President Trump's response when all the violence was unfolding, what he said to people around him and his response. I'm wondering what else you think they need to focus on, to make the case to the American people that this is something to pay attention to?

MOORE: I think probably some of the best evidence they've gotten has been from his inside circle about what he was saying and what he was doing. And I say that because I don't ever want us to get into a situation where we're prosecuting people just because of something they tweet. You know, I mean, that's a little scary to me, we talk about the First Amendment and other things. And you don't ever really, you're not able to remove him from his role as a candidate at the time, even though he was acting, is the President too.

So I think when they're talking to people who are inside the White House, they're hearing sort of what he was saying and what strings he was pulling the machinations that he had in place to perpetuate the big law. I think that tells a deeper story. And maybe that's going to be the more extreme part because remember, this -- a lot of this is political, and it should have been handled when we talked about impeachment. It had it been we may not be at this place. The Senate did not decide to move in that direction.

And so you know, here, we are now trying to say we're going to take some of this content, we might otherwise call political, then move it over to the criminal side.

PAUL: Before I let you go, I want to ask you about Jeffrey Clark. We know, you know, federal agents raided his home this week. When you look at that aspect of this, what charges do you think, you know, he could be facing and what's the consequence?

MOORE: You know, I thought the idea that he had crafted this letter that was to essentially legitimize the claims of voting irregularities in a big investigation in Georgia may be the ultimate undoing of him. It's telling me when you see a president who just wants to put somebody in place who only touts their position in the Department of Justice. Here, Mr. Clark, basically, most of send a bogus letter to the state of Georgia saying that the department is doing something that that's so against the history and the tradition of the department. You don't talk about investigations, you don't let things out. And you certainly don't do things to influence the political or the elective process.

And so, you know, it may in fact, be the letter that will cause him the greatest problem and whether or not they decide that that's some kind of false writing, whether or not they decide he abused his position in some way, violate his oath. But the idea that they were able to get a search warrant to go into his house?

PAUL: Yes. MOORE: That means that some judge somewhere has found some probable cause that something was afoot. And if that's the case, then he's, he may (INAUDIBLE).

PAUL: In other words, they don't just hand those out like.

MOORE: You don't hand them out. And it's tough to get judges sometimes especially on lawyers, and especially lawyers who were high ranking with the department at the time. If you get an a judge to sign off on a search warrant there, then they had to put forth some evidence that they found some, something.

PAUL: They got something.

MOORE: Right.

PAUL: Good point, good point. Michael Moore, so good to have you here with.

MOORE: I'm great to be with you. It's glad to be back really am.

PAUL: Thank you.

MOORE: (INAUDIBLE).

PAUL: OK. We'll see you soon.

[08:25:05]

So, in just a couple of moments we do expect to see President Biden sign this first major federal gun safety bill. It's the first one in decades it was bipartisan. We're going to tell you what measures made the final cut and what lawmakers literally could not agree on they could still bubble up somewhere.

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[08:30:00]

PAUL: Well, in just a few moments, President Biden is expected to sign this historic bipartisan gun safety bill.

SANCHEZ: There were 14 House Republicans and 15 Senate Republicans that join Democrats to pass this sweeping legislation. And this is historic, because once it's signed, it's got to be the first set of gun reform laws passed by Congress and signed off on by a president in nearly three decades.

Let's take you to the White House now. And CNN Correspondent Arlette Saenz was there for us. Arlette, walk us through the significance of this moment for President Biden?

ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Boris, President Biden is about to celebrate what has to become a rarity in Washington, and that is bipartisan action on the issues of guns. Yesterday, Congress passing that bill exactly one month to the day of that horrific massacre that occurred in Uvalde, Texas that took the lives of 19 young children and two teachers.

The President will be signing this bill a close to 30 years after that 1994 ban on the assault weapons, something that Biden himself had worked towards as a senator. Now, the Congress put together this package that will enact some new measures that includes enhanced background checks on gun purchases for those under the age of 21. It also closes the so-called boyfriend loophole that ensures that those who have committed acts of domestic violence against non-spouses cannot purchase guns.

Additionally, it provides funding for states to implement red flag laws as well as other prevention programs. And it also includes funding for mental health and school safety. But still, even as they are making some progress when it comes to gun reform, this measure falls far short of what President Biden and what many Democrats had hoped to see.

One of those things that the President had really pushed for, in addition to an assault weapons ban was that if that could not pass that they raised the age for purchasing such type of weapons from 18 to 21. That is something that simply did not have the votes up on Capitol Hill. But still, the White House has said that they welcome any type of progress on this issue.

Now President Biden himself largely stayed out of these negotiations. He was in close contact with one of the lead Democratic Senate negotiators, Senator Chris Murphy, but the White House and members of Congress felt that they needed the space to try to negotiate amongst themselves to get this path. And that is part of how they were able to get those 15 Republican senators and 14 Republicans in the House to sign on to this measure.

But right now, the White House had really just been looking for some type of action to address this issue of gun violence in the country. I was in Uvalde, Texas when President Biden traveled there just a few weeks ago, and the frustration in the community was palpable. As the President went from event to event, you had onlookers there shouting to him, do something. And that is simply what Congress has now done. And the President will be touting that as he signs that bill in the Roosevelt Room in just a few moments.

SANCHEZ: Now, we do have that live image of the Roosevelt Room where President Biden is expected at any moment to sign this historic bipartisan gun safety package. We want to pivot quickly as we await President Biden's entrance and take you to Capitol Hill.

CNN's Daniella Diaz is there live for us. Daniella, as Arlette noted, this is a rare moment of bipartisanship. It is a surprise to many that lawmakers managed to get this pass.

DANIELLA DIAZ, CNN CONGRESSIONAL REPORTER: That's right, Boris. The first gun safety legislation that passed in Congress in nearly 30 years. Huge, huge moment this week as the Senate was able to pass that package and receive -- have 60 votes to break that filibuster to advance that legislation for final passage. Remember, you need at least 60 votes to break the filibuster, 50 Democrats and at least 10 Republicans would have needed to sign on to pass that bill.

That's exactly what happened as this bipartisan group spent the last couple of weeks negotiating on this legislation in the wake of that horrific Uvalde shooting where after that shooting, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell gave his blessing to Senator John Cornyn of Texas to negotiate with Democrats on this legislation.

Now what's in this bill will millions of dollars for mental health, school safety, crisis intervention programs and incentives for states to include juvenile records in the National Instant Criminal Background Check System. It also makes significant changes to the process when someone ages 18 to 21 goes to buy a firearm and it also closes that so called boyfriend loophole major win for Democrats in these negotiations.

However, as our lead noted, it falls short of what Democrats and many activists wanted to see in gun safety legislation, of course, an assault weapons ban of raising that age from 18 to 21 to purchase a firearm, an assault weapon.

[08:35:00]

But, of course, incremental change was OK, that is what they wanted. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer repeated that again and again. And take a listen to what a Republican senator who supported this legislation said on the Senate floor a few days ago praising this very, very -- excuse me -- we don't have this oath (ph). But I do want to say, we did see a lot of bipartisanships between the Democrats and Republicans.

15 Republican senators voted with the Democrats in the Senate, and 14 House Republicans voted against leadership to support that legislation, those -- including Adam Kinzinger and Liz Cheney who voted with Democrats to support that legislation yesterday. So huge, huge news out of Capitol Hill with this very bipartisan bill. And we will see President Joe Biden sign that bill in moments. Just in moments.

PAUL: All right. Daniella Diaz, thank you so much.

Yes, we believe he's coming out in just a couple of minutes here. I want to bring in former U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia, Michael Moore real quickly. Also joining us, Managing Editor for Axios, Margaret Talev watching with us this historic moment.

Michael, I want to ask you real quickly, the assault weapons ban is so hard to find common ground on. Why is that do you think at this point, especially when you're talking about what we all witnessed in Uvalde?

MICHAEL MOORE, FORMER U.S. ATTORNEY, MIDDLE DISTRICT OF GEORGIA: You know, I really think it's just the influence of money and lobbying in Washington and the idea that somehow, we've taken common sense, gun reform and gun safety legislation and turn that into the pariah and made this argument. We hear it that somehow this is going to erode the Second Amendment. So, you know, this is a great move forward. It's good to see some action. It -- people have been hungry for this for a long time, at least some action on guns. It might not be a five-course meal, but sometimes you'll make do with a ham sandwich, you know, to get you through to the next thing. And I think that's really where we're at.

SANCHEZ: Michael, I think you finished your thought there. Appreciate that great timing, because President Biden is walking to the microphone right now. Let's listen in.

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Yesterday, I spoke about the Supreme Court shocking decision striking down Roe v. Wade. We've had a lot of discussion about that in our whole household. Do you think -- anyway. Jill and I know how painful and devastating decision is for so many Americans. And I mean, so many Americans.

A decision is implemented by states. My administration is going to focus on how they administer and whether or not they violate other laws, like deciding to not allow people across state lines in public health services. And we're going to take actions to protect women's rights and reproductive health.

This morning, though, I'm here, we're here to on a critical issue of gun violence. And, you know, I'm about to sign into law, bipartisan safety measures, gun safety legislation, and time is of the essence. Lives will be saved. When we return from Europe, Jill and I will be hosting an event in the White House on July 11th to mark this historic achievement.

With members who voted for these families and the families who, in fact, were victimized by a gun shooting, and we've seen this. So it's essentially incredible, you see so much of it of late. And advocates have worked really hard to do something about it.

I've been at this work for a long, long time. And I know how hard it is, and I know what it takes to get it done. It was there -- I was there 30 years ago, the last time this nation passed meaningful gun safety laws. And I'm here today for the most significant law to be passed since then, for the last 30 years.

I'd like to thank the leaders and members of the House and Senate for working together to get this done. I most especially want to thank the families and Jill and I had many of them we sat with for hours on end across the country. So many we've gotten to know who lost their souls and -- to an epidemic of gun violence and lost their child or husband or wife.

Nothing is going to fill that void in their hearts. But they lead the way, so other families will not have the experience and the pain and trauma that they had to live through. From Columbine to Sandy Hook to Charleston, Orlando, Las Vegas, Parkland, El Paso, Atlanta, Buffalo, Uvalde, and for the shootings that happen every day in the streets that are mass shootings, and we don't even hear about them. The number of people killed every day in the streets.

Their message to us was do something. How many times you heard that? Just do something. For God's sake, just do something. Well, today, we did. Well this bill didn't do everything I want. It does include actions I've long call for that are going to save lives. It funds crisis intervention, including red flag laws.

It keeps guns out of the hands of people who are a danger to themselves and to others. And finally closes what is known as the boyfriend loophole. So if you assault your boyfriend or girlfriend, you can't buy a gun or own a gun. It requires young people aged 18 to 21 to undergo enhanced background checks and includes the first ever federal law that makes gun trafficking and straw purchases distinct federal crimes for the first time.

[08:40:15]

It clarifies who needs to register as a federally licensed gun dealer and run background checks before selling a single weapon. You know, this is also provides historic funding to address youth mental health crisis in this country, especially, especially in trauma experienced by the survivors of this gun violence.

Look, you know, invest in anti-violence programs that work directly with the people who are most likely to commit these crimes and become victims of gun crime. Today, we say more than enough, we say more than enough. It's time when this seems impossible to get anything done in Washington, we are doing something consequential.

We can reach compromise on guns. We want to be able to reach compromise and other critical issues from veterans' health care to cutting edge American innovation and so much more. I know there's much more work to do. And I'm never going to give up. But this is a monumental day.

God bless us with the strength to continue to work to get the workers left undone done, in the lives lost that can't be saved at, obviously, are gone, but will be an inspiration for us to do more. I'm now going to sign this bill in law.

God willing. This is going to save a lot of lives. Thank you all so very much.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. President, can you take our questions?

BIDEN: No. No. I have a helicopter waiting for me to take off. We're going to have plenty of time to talk about a lot of things.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you think the Supreme Court is broken, in your view?

BIDEN: I think the Supreme Court has made some terrible decisions.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And do you think they should --

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE) from the Supreme Court.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Will you reconsider your opinion --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE) expanding the court, sir?

SANCHEZ: We've just watched President Biden sign a historic piece of gun reform into law. The President only taking one question on the Supreme Court as he departs for the G7 in Germany. President Biden saying it is a monumental day, referencing the lives of -- have been lost in Uvalde and Buffalo and a series of other massacres.

The President alluding to the fact that there is logjam in Congress and saying that despite so many years of difficulty to pass any kind of bipartisan legislation, we got something done.

PAUL: For the first time in 30 years.

SANCHEZ: Right.

PAUL: Which is key. There are people that are watching this, and I'm wondering if people in Uvalde are watching this this morning. And what this means to them, specifically.

Managing Editor for Axios, Margaret Talev is with us now. Margaret, you watched this with us from the President, what stood out to you?

MARGARET TALEV, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, good morning, Christi. You know, the President said that the public's message to politicians was do something, just do something and that they had done that. And I think that pretty aptly describes this here, it is the most important legislation in nearly three decades, and yet it doesn't actually ban any weapons or do most of the things that gun control advocates have asked for.

Those enhanced background checks for children 18 to 21 are important in closing that domestic abuser loophole are important steps. But this -- there are two problems going on in America and one is the Congress can't get anything done. And the other is the gun violence is a huge problem. And this legislation certainly addresses the first issue and takes small steps to begin addressing the second issue.

But as you both know, the Supreme Court earlier this week had a six- three ruling that struck down New York's law on concealed carry permits. And that decision may actually have had a bigger impact on dialing back what gun safety advocates had -- have been seeking than this does in terms of a victory. So I think it is -- the Supreme Court has overshadowed this legislation, not just in terms of yesterday's decision on Roe, but in terms of decision earlier this week that sets a new standard, a new precedent for interpretation of gun laws.

SANCHEZ: Margaret, I want to stay with you because recently Mitch McConnell was very candid about the reason that Republicans came to the table. The reason he gave his blessing to Senator John Cornyn of Texas to have these deliberations about sweeping gun safety legislation and he specifically mentioned suburban voters.

[08:45:12]

So what do you think is his calculus for bringing Republicans to the table on this issue? TALEV: Wide majorities of Americans across -- it's not just what people in cities who are Democrats, wide majorities of Americans, including independents, and some Republicans want more gun safety legislation. The devil is certainly in the details. And the question is what, but there are two considerations.

Number one, suburban women in particular, are demanding this, and Republicans don't want to lose votes. And number two, Republicans want to be talking about inflation and the economy. And every minute they're talking about gun safety is a minute, they're not talking about inflation in the economy.

And so the passage of this legislation -- and it is important legislation, it is a big deal. But it is certainly much smaller than what some advocates have been set out to do and have been pushing for. But this does now take this issue, at least for now off the table, allow the conversation to return politically to ground where Republicans are much more comfortable.

And John Cornyn, who was the Senate appointment on this has taken a tremendous amount of political flack inside his own party, and it may very much have tested his future quest for leadership for having held the line on this issue.

PAUL: Michael, this is a big win for the President --

DAVIS: Sure.

PAUL: -- for one thing. I want to -- one of the things that Margaret said is very notable that this is a win for now --

DAVIS: Right.

PAUL: -- essentially. We see this before, the pass legislation, it'll get backed up again. How lasting do you believe this could be?

DAVIS: I think any movement on gun safety is a good movement. And I think that it's a step and it might -- we might be getting to the end of the race in small steps as opposed to big strides here. I also think politically was a smart move for them to take it off the table. And I think that's really what you're seeing. And that may be sort of this little moment of bipartisanship and attack, but really, you can't even vote at the sun comes up in the east, you know, anymore.

So I hope it'll be lasting. I worry about how the states are going to enforce it. But when you're having states all over the country now say, people can carry a gun anywhere and do anything except notably around where these legislators work, you know, you -- but everybody else can -- has free access and free rein without much there then, you know, the question will be, what does it mean?

It's always good to have the funding coming in. It's good to have mental health programs. It's certainly good to have teaching. I'm glad that we close the boyfriend loophole, or things like that that I think are good moves forward. But we'll see know how it's enforced throughout the states. PAUL: Michael Moore, we appreciate you being here. Margaret Talev, you as well. We always are grateful for your insight. Thank you both. We'll be right back.

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[08:51:12]

SANCHEZ: President Joe Biden is headed to Germany this morning where he's set to meet with dozens of world leaders at the G7 summit at the top of the agenda Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

PAUL: Yes, joining us now CNN Global Affairs Analyst and Time Magazine Contributor Kim Dozier. Kim, always good to have you with us. Let's talk first about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He's expected to address the leaders virtually, I understand, in his attempt to reinforce some of this western support.

I know that at this point, the G7 is probably more united than it has ever been based on what's happening in Ukraine. What is the potential you think that they will -- these leaders will make some lasting decisions regarding Ukraine and Russia?

KIM DOZIER, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS ANALYST: While they're probably going to ratchet up the tension a little bit more, each one of these meetings is another chance to turn the pressure up on Russia economically, militarily. But it's also a chance to discuss behind closed doors the pressure that each of these leaders is facing domestically because of rising fuel costs, because of rising food costs. Because Russia is, at this point, blockading Ukrainian wheat from leaving the country, which is really consequential when it comes to the world food supply.

So yes, it's a chance to show unity and send a message both to Moscow and China. But it's also, well, time to discuss, all right, what can we do and how long can we keep doing it.

SANCHEZ: And Kim, that is significant in part because Ukrainian forces have moved out of portions of the eastern part of the country where Russia has made significant gains, specifically in Donbas. Is the West doing enough to stop Russia from taking more territory?

DOZIER: Well, I did just come through Kyiv a couple of weeks back and the Ukrainian officials I spoke to then that I keep in touch with now say it feels like the West, the White House are always running a month to six weeks behind what they are experiencing on the ground. They are happy that heavy artillery is starting to arrive.

But from their perspective, they are still firing only a 10th of what Russia is lobbing at them every day. They're losing between 100 to 200 troops a day, who are being killed more than that, being injured, and they can't sustain those casualties. They really want the West to understand this is urgent, they need more, and they need it faster. I think that's what you're going to hear from President Zelenskyy.

PAUL: But what can he say that would make a difference? And really what could -- between all the sanctions and everything we've seen thus far, what else could anybody do?

DOZIER: The numbers that the Ukrainians are seeing on the ground are stark. And what I've been finding is that Ukrainian officials will tell me in private how bad things are, but they'll try to keep it to themselves, because they don't want the public in their own country and in the wider world to lose confidence in their fighting efforts. However, when Zelenskyy decides we need help, and they need to understand how bad it is, that is when he usually decides to declassify something and say it in a speech.

So stay tuned. We might be hearing some really grim news from him during his G7 address.

SANCHEZ: Kim, do you anticipate that at any point during the G7, there's going to be a discussion about what other countries can do to put more pressure on Russia, specifically Saudi Arabia, the Gulf countries, India, China?

DOZIER: Discussions, but this is also a horse trading event because those Gulf countries, some of them, you know, Saudi Arabia, yes, is going to get a visit from President Biden but they felt slighted by him. So in all cases, when all these leaders get together, it's a chance to see, all right, you want this from us, we know you want it badly, what are you going to give us?

[08:55:11]

SANCHEZ: Kim Dozier, thanks so much for joining us this morning. Always appreciate your insight.

PAUL: Thank you, Kim.

SANCHEZ: And thank you so much for being with us here in person together. This is wonderful.

PAUL: Yes, this is nice.

Smerconish is up next. We're going to see you back here in one hour. Go make some great memories today.

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