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You may be wondering how we’re doing on gun control. Joe Biden promised to tackle it on “my first day in office,” which he didn’t. Give the man a break — he’s got to get his Covid relief bill through Congress, and you can appreciate that he’s rather distracted. But absolutely no reason we shouldn’t start to nag. (Gail Collins, 2/24)

We’ve been telling readers about the progressive policy priorities hitching a ride on Congress’s “Covid relief” bill. That includes shoveling billions into the Affordable Care Act, with the goal of making government insurance a middle-class entitlement on the way to Medicare for All. (2/24)

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention made headlines last week when it announced that Covid-19 had reduced the average life expectancy of Americans in 2020 by a full year. The news seemed to starkly illustrate the devastation wrought by our nation’s worst public health crisis in 100 years. But there was a problem. (Peter B. Bach, 2/25)

The year is 2021. Watches record our steps, cars park themselves, helicopters fly on Mars. Yet, despite all of these advancements, when it comes to human decency, the nation still reeks of the Dark Ages. This week the House is expected to vote on the Equality Act, a bill that would make it illegal to discriminate based on someone’s sexual orientation and/or gender identity. Believe it or not, it is still legal to fire or refuse housing to someone simply for being LGBTQ in 27 states. The bill was also introduced in the Senate this week and if passed, President Biden is expected to sign it into law. (Lz Granderson, 2/25) N

Drug developers see Food and Drug Administration approval as a difficult uphill climb, requiring large investments of resources and time. But when it comes to new drug applications and biologics license applications, it’s usually not the FDA that slows down the process. The main reason for delays and extensions is that sponsors submit their applications too soon. (William Feehery and Julie Bullock, 2/24)