Midday Roundup: Nation pays last respects to Antonin Scalia

Last respects. Pallbearers carried the casket containing the body of Justice Antonin Scalia up the steps of the Supreme Court this morning, walking through a column of his former colleagues in a somber show of respect. The formal mourning ritual follows a tradition last observed in 2005 following the death of former Chief Justice William Rehnquist. Washington’s elite, including President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama, will pay their respects throughout the day. Scalia’s law clerks will hold vigil over his coffin as it lies on the Lincoln catafalque all day today and through the night. His funeral will be held tomorrow morning. Obama raised eyebrows when aides announced he would not attend the service, instead sending Vice President Joe Biden and his wife Jill.

Direct hit. A U.S. airstrike in Libya targeting a senior Islamic State (ISIS) operative killed more than 40 people, likely including the intended target, according to U.S. officials. Noureddine Chouchane was suspected of masterminding several terror attacks against tourists sites in Tunisia. The militants were gathered at a large farmhouse near the Tunisian border to hear a popular cleric speak. The attack follows President Obama’s pledge earlier this week to step up efforts against ISIS in Libya, where the terror group is gaining ground amid the country’s political turmoil. Sabratha, the town near the site of last night’s attack, is a port city used as a way station for militants moving between Libya and Tunisia. Chouchane’s death has not been independently verified.

European disunion. Divisions among European Union member states continued to grow, with Austria announcing today it would tighten limits on the number of immigrants it accepts through its southern border each day. The original limits restricted entry to 3,200 migrants. But with 11,000 already arriving so far this year, Austrian officials said they would need to lower the limit to stay under the 37,500 migrants the country agreed to absorb in 2016. The timing of the announcement frustrated EU officials, who are trying to strike a deal with Turkey to help manage the flow of people fleeing terrorist violence in the Middle East and Africa.

Marriage license revisions. The Kentucky state Senate passed a bill yesterday that would create two marriage licenses—one for heterosexual couples and one for same-sex couples. The bill is a response to the furor caused last year when Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis refused to sign marriage certificates for same-sex couples, saying her signature amounted to an endorsement for something that violates her sincerely held religious beliefs. The Senate bill creates two forms for couples to fill out when applying for a license. One form includes the terms “bride” and “groom.” The second form uses the terms “first party” and “second party.” Davis spent several days in jail for refusing to comply with a judge’s order to issue licenses to same-sex couples. After his election in November, Gov. Matt Bevin issued an executive order removing clerks’ names from marriage licenses, the accommodation Davis had asked for all along.