Fifteen Senate Republicans joined their Democratic colleagues to approve the first major gun control bill in decades. The bipartisan measure, which passed 65-33, was driven by the mass shooting that killed 19 elementary school children and two teachers in Uvalde, Texas. The bill beefs up background checks, adds incentives for states to enact “red flag” laws, provides major funding for mental health and school safety, and extends to dating partners a law prohibiting domestic abusers from purchasing guns. The House is expected to pass the bill today. President Joe Biden applauded the effort: “Families in Uvalde and Buffalo, and too many tragic shootings before, have demanded action. And tonight, we acted. This bipartisan legislation will help protect Americans.” NY TIMES

The focus of yesterday’s hearing was former President Donald Trump’s attempts to misuse the Justice Department to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Trump-era DOJ officials testified about the relentless pressure the former president put on them to find evidence of election fraud, and when they repeatedly could not, how he refused to believe it. Former Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen testified that “virtually every day” Trump told him the DOJ "had not done enough to investigate election fraud." Former Acting Deputy AG Richard Donoghue testified that Trump wrote in a note to the DOJ, "Just say the election was corrupt and leave the rest to me and a Republican congressman." The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol riot also heard how several Republican members of Congress sought preemptive pardons including Mo Brooks, Matt Gaetz and Marjorie Taylor Greene. CHEDDAR

Ukrainian forces will have to withdraw from Severodonetsk, according to the head of the Luhansk regional military administration, who accused Russia of destroying most of the city’s infrastructure. He said the situation in the strategic city was unsustainable after incessant shelling by Russian forces over several months. “All the infrastructure of the city is completely destroyed,” he said. “More than 90% of houses were fired on, about 80% of houses were critically destroyed.” Meanwhile, the European Union accepted Ukraine’s candidacy for EU membership, a historic decision initiating an extensive process that pulls the war-torn country further from Russian influence, and closer to Western influence. CNN

In another day of rulings, the Supreme Court issued opinions on voter ID laws, the death penalty and open carrying handguns, though no ruling came on abortion rights as the much-anticipated opinion on Roe v. Wade remains on hold. The ruling with perhaps the largest implications was the high court’s decision to overturn a New York law that makes it a crime to carry a concealed firearm without a license. The court ruled that it's a violation of the Second Amendment to require people applying for a concealed-carry license show that they have "proper cause." President Joe Biden said he was “deeply disappointed” by the ruling, which is considered a victory for gun rights activists. The next slate of Supreme Court opinions is scheduled today. CHEDDAR

In an anticipated move, the FDA ordered Juul to pull its electronic cigarettes from the U.S. market. But why is Juul — and not all other e-cig companies — getting banned? To stay on the market, companies must show that their e-cigarettes benefit public health, meaning they must prove that adult smokers who use their product are likely to quit or reduce smoking, and that teens are unlikely to get hooked on them. However, the FDA said that sellers like Juul may have played a “disproportionate″ role in the rise in teen vaping, adding that Juul Labs didn’t have enough evidence to show that marketing its products “would be appropriate for the protection of the public health.” CHEDDAR

Smart to announce the ban just before a potential Juuly 4th sale.

On the 50th anniversary of the Title IX women’s rights rules, the Biden administration proposed sweeping changes that would — among other provisions — for the first time directly address the rights of transgender students. The Department of Education proposed that discrimination based on sex extends to sexual orientation and gender identity, giving landmark protections to transgender students. The proposal would also formally protect LGBTQ students under Title IX, expand the definition of sexual harassment to cover a wider range of misconduct, and eliminate a rule that required colleges to hold live hearings to judge sexual misconduct cases. The public will have 60 days to comment on the changes, which undo Trump-era rules, before the regulations are finalized. NBC NEWS

Title IX — Important for equality, but also for reminding us that we never fully learned Roman numerals.

The Department of Education agreed to cancel an estimated $6 billion in federal student loan debt for students who say they were scammed by their for-profit colleges. The 200,000 borrowers eligible for the relief will get full cancellation of their debt, repair to their credit and refunds for payments already made. Many of the schools included in the settlement are out of business, though some are still operating, including the University of Phoenix, Grand Canyon University and DeVry University. If you’re one of the roughly 43 million Americans who still has federal student loan debt, you’re probably wondering, “Wait, what about us?” President Joe Biden’s decision, where he could forgive $10,000 for all borrowers, is expected by the end of July when the pandemic pause on student loan payments comes to an end. CNN

If being scammed by college warrants a refund, we should all be receiving checks.

Despite housing recent hits like the new season of “Stranger Things” and “Hustle,” Netflix continues to struggle. The streamer announced it was laying off 300 employees, which is about 3% of its total workforce of 11,000. The move comes a month after it laid off another 150 employees. It’s been a slippery slope for Netflix since April, when the company reported it lost subscribers for the first time in more than a decade. That news sent Netflix’s stock in a tailspin, plummeting around 65% in the last year, wiping billions of dollars off its market cap. Despite the apparent financial troubles, Variety reports that Netflix still plans to keep its 2022 budget of $17 billion to spend on shows and films. VARIETY

Going to assume Millie Bobby Brown was not included in the layoffs.

When Amazon purchased Zoox for $1.3 billion in 2020, the e-commerce conglomerate officially bet on the future of autonomous vehicles. What makes Zoox different is that it drifts further from the idea of being driverless. Chief Technology Officer Jesse Levinson says the vehicles are designed so riders don’t have the eerie feeling that they're in a car that’s missing a driver. Zoox consists of three initiatives: a ride hailing app to help people get around, the technology to tell cars how to get around cities without drivers, and the driverless vehicles themselves. Cheddar’s Michele Castillo takes a deep dive into Amazon’s investment into autonomous vehicles, and how Zoox plans to come out on top of a crowded market that has yet to gain traction. CHEDDAR

Did we first think it was an app that drives you to the zoo? Maybe.

The Orlando Magic chose Duke's Paolo Banchero as the surprise top overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft Thursday night at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The Oklahoma City Thunder selected Gonzaga center Chet Holmgren at No. 2, and Auburn forward Jabari Smith Jr., who had been widely expected to be the first to go, finally went third, to the Houston Rockets. Banchero, a 6-foot-10 forward, averaged 17.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 39 games for the Blue Devils. “I didn't find out … that I was actually getting picked until about 20 seconds before the commissioner got on the stage. I didn't even have time to really think about it or anything. It just kind of happened. I can't believe it, but I'm ready. I'm ready,” he said. ESPN

Dedicated members of the Need2Know family know the best part about Friday is … streaming recommendations! Cheddar’s digital team’s picks for this weekend include a film about connecting to your community, a show about the most vile hockey player in existence, a treasure hunt/teen drama, an internet "murder" mystery, and a bit of culture and poetry. CHEDDAR

One thing we love: That today is National Take Your Dog to Work Day. Permission granted to annoy your boss until they allow it.
One thing we hate: When the Wi-Fi goes out in the middle of writing a newslet
One thing we ate: Turkey BLT. A simple summer staple.