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Good morning.

I'm Elise Feebck with the Washington Post and this is the Daily 202 for Wednesday, July 4th.

James is on vacation this week, but I'll be here instead with the day's top headlines.

Number one, the Trump administration revoked guidance issued under President Obama

that sought to help education leaders promote diversity through the use of race in school admissions.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions said the action was meant to restore the rule of law by, quote,

rescinding federal guidance documents that were issued improperly or that were simply inconsistent with current law.

At issue, were seven Obama administration statements from 2011 to 2016.

In one from 2011, the justice and education departments

said they recognized that colleges have a compelling interest in, quote, obtaining the benefits

that flow from achieving a diverse student body. The action by the Trump administration

signals a push to limit affirmative action and instead to emphasize admission and enrollment methods that do not take race into account.

It comes at a pivotal moment in the long-running affirmative action

debate as President Trump weighs a replacement for retiring Supreme Court Justice Anthony

Kennedy.

The President's choice to replace Kennedy, a swing vote in several landmark cases,

could tilt the outcome of future rulings.

Number two of EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt's top aides have provided new details to

...