scene. we have a full report at 6:00. >> thank you for joining us. nbc nightly news is coming up next. tonight, the obamacare victory at the supreme court. a resounding ruling as the president's signature law survives again. cheers on the left, anger on the right. tonight, what it means for millions of americans and how it affects the race for the white house. shocking new twists in the manhunt for two inmates on the run. a second prison worker is arresteds investigators say he gave them access to the hidden passage they used to escape. trump gets dumped, a firestorm erupts as a force in spanish language television says it won't air his beauty pageant because of what he said about mexicans. you'll hear from him as trump fires back. and sleep divorce, more and more couples sleeping in separate rooms for their health and for their sanity. why a lot of them say

it's the key to a happy marriage. "nightly news" begins right now. >> announcer: from nbc news world headquarters in new york, this is "nbc nightly news" with lester holt. good evening. claiming victory, president obama today declared his signature health care program widely known as obamacare is here to stay. just hours after the u.s. supreme court upheld a key provision of the affordable care act, the president seen here celebrating the decision with his chief of staff took to a rose garden podium to proclaim obamacare has survived. >> after nearly a century of talk, decades of trying, a year of bipartisan debate, we finally declared that in america, health care is not a privilege for a few but a right for all. >> the case centered on what is essentially the underpinning of the entire law.

the government subsidies make it cheaper for people to buy health insurance. the decision directly affects over 6 million americans and we'll walk you through the ruling who it affects and the political reaction and lots of that. let's start with our justice correspondent pete williams. pete good evening. >> lester good evening to you. this is the second time the u.s. supreme court bailed out obamacare. this time even more decisively than it did three years ago and once again, the decision is written by the court's conservative chief justice, john roberts. >> reporter: outside the court, big cheers for the ruling. victory for the affordable care act, aca. the issue, who is entitled to federal subsidies that make health insurance cheaper. conservative opponents said the subsidies were not for everyone only for people who bought their insurance in one of the 16 states that set up their own marketplaces. millions of other americans that bought insurance on the federal marketplace, healthcare.gov couldn't get the subsidies.

but by a vote of 6-3, the supreme court said that's wrong. the decision by chief justice john roberts joined by another conservative anthony kennedy, and the court's four liberals. the court says the three parts of the law are interlocking. insurance companies cannot deny coverage for preexisting conditions and everybody must get coverage and take away the subsidies make it more affordable. take away the subsidies, the court said, and the system collapses. congress passed the aca so they could afford it. >> today's decision has monumental significance. it means the affordable care act is not just the law of the land, it will remain the law of the land. >> reporter: but in a blistering dissent for himself and justices alito and thomas, he says the decision shows the court favors some laws over the others noting the court saved obamacare twice

this time and three years ago, scalia said we should start calling the low scotus care. though the dissent doesn't mention chief justice roberts personally it was a barbed attack on his ruling. >> the supreme court has somersaulted on traditional rules of statutory interpretation. >> reporter: there's nothing in today's ruling to suggest that obamacare is on thin ice legally or that the court is eager to hear more challenges to it. no big ones are pending anyway. >> the supreme court has said that it is constitutional law and it's told us what it means and that the administration has interpreted it correctly. there's nothing left to fight about on a big scale. >> today's ul radioing leaves the health care law intact so the subsidies remain in effect for the roughly 6 million americans who depend on them to be able to afford health insurance, lester. >> pete you mentioned three years ago the supreme court had a crack at obamacare. what's the difference between the two cases? >> the decision last time was very splintered, justices going off in different directions. this time you don't see any of that and the majority seems to accept the basic premise of obamacare.

and one other thing, last time anthony kennedy was one of those vigorous dissenters. this time he was in the majority, lester. >> pete, thanks. across the country, over 10 million people have now signed up for health insurance under the obamacare law. as the number of americans without insurance creeps lower. it's a result a lot of people didn't expect after that rocky rollout. the obamacare law now directly affecting so many families who say it's been quite literally a life-saver. our senior white house correspondent, chris jansing, reports. >> reporter: after tom tart had open heart surgery in north carolina, he couldn't work and lost his insurance. with no pension and living off their savings, the tarts' health insurance was $1600 a month. >> it's scary because you don't know how long you're going to live and how much money you're going to need. >> reporter: with obamacare care subsidies, their costs have been cut in half. and today's ruling means they won't have to worry about coverage. the tarts are far from alone alone.

the rate of uninsured americans has never been lower, dropping from just under 13% a year with the largest plunge among blacks and latin americans. joe got a rare and aggressive tumor in his jaw. >> we were at a short window of time. we didn't have insurance. >> reporter: and that's when he got diagnosed? >> that's when he got diagnosed. >> reporter: the surgery took 12 hours. joe was hospitalized for 15 days, including four in intensive care. the bill $195,000 and got coverage for a preexisting condition under obamacare. at a neighborhood clinic in alexandria virginia the decision was greeted with relief by doctors and their patients. >> they don't have to make difficult tradeoffs, for example, paying the rent or paying for gas and weighing that against health insurance. >> reporter: joe jackson is recovering well. and while there's a chance the tumor could come back, he knows he's covered. what does it mean to know? >> that we have insurance. you don't have to worry about it.

>> reporter: linda tart still checks her husband when he's sleeping. >> i make sure he's breathing. i watch him until i see his chest rise and fall. >> reporter: but she's no longer scared whether they'll have insurance when they need it. of course, not everyone is happy with the ruling. while studies come up with different numbers, some people have seen their rates go up, others have been forced into better coverage that does cost more, and for those who choose not to be insured, many will pay a fine. white house officials believe that like social security and medicare before this, the longer obamacare is part of people's lives, the more they will like it. lester? >> chris jansing, thanks. as you might imagine, reaction was swift and for republicans. chuck todd joins us now. the moderator of "meet the press." chuck, what themes are you hearing we'll be hearing on the trail? >> look, you hear the political debate firing up among republican candidates for this reason. look opposing obamacare has been a rallying cry for the republican party now

for five years, and it's still to different today. you saw republican presidential candidates from jeb bush to marco rubio and in particular ted cruz all pledging to say that if elected, that this presidential election is now about the last chance you have to stop obamacare or to repeal obamacare. but what is interesting here, lester, is republicans quietly are actually relieved with this ruling. why? because they didn't want to have to deal with the policy fallout of figuring out, well how do you do a makeshift repair to the law before a new president is elected and have this hammering out, republicans were very divided on this. so politically, they're happy to have the issue to rally the base. and they're relieved that the ruling went the way they did because they now don't have to act in congress. >> all right. chuck todd. chuck, thanks very much. the plot thickens in the case of those two dangerous inmates on the run. a second prison worker has now been charged for trading favors with these most-wanted killers.

nbc's stephanie gosk continues to work this story for us. >> reporter: gene palmer, a prison officer for 28 years pled not guilty facing multiple criminal charges in connection with the prison break. the 57-year-old worked on the honor block with the two escapees for years. he told state police and the fbi matt gave him paintings and information about inmates in exchange for favors. palmer allegedly burned and buried the paintings when he discovered the inmates had escaped. he wasn't at home today. his friends and family are in shock. >> what was his reaction to being arrested? >> just kind of surprise. >> reporter: according to court documents, the favors began two years ago. smuggling in paint and paint brushes for matt, acrylics for sweat. palmer told police he allowed sweat access to the catwalk behind the block to alter the wiring so he could cook in his cell. in the last eight months, on four occasions he gave sweat

needle-nose pliers and a flathead screwdriver. matt and sweat would use the catwalk as part of their escape route. on may 29th, joyce mitchell left him a package in the tailor shop freezer and directed him to give it to matt. a green-colored woven cloth bag with one pound of frozen beef and more paint. the next day, palmer gave matt that package through his cell bars. earlier this week, the d.a. said mitchell told him she hid tools in the meat. hacksaw blades a hole punch and a drill bit. what was going on in the honor block? >> complacency sat in, rules that were supposed to be enforced were ignored. >> reporter: jeff spent 22 years working in the prison. >> radios are playing. they can cook, shower, i mean, it's just kind of like a block party. free-for-all. >> reporter: even with two arrests in this case, there remain many unanswered questions including how did matt

and sweat get those power tools. tonight we're learning two summer camps for kids have delayed openings for safety concerns while this intense manhunt continues. lester? >> stephanie gosk, thank you. tomorrow president obama travels to charleston south carolina where he will deliver a eulogy for the reverend and state senator who was one of nine people killed in the mass shooting last week. that service will carry on the moving tributes to the victims that began with funeral services today. our ron allen who is leading our coverage has more. ♪ ♪ you're the best thing ♪ >> reporter: the going-home celebration for ethel lee lance, age 70 mother emanuel's caretaker for 30 years. or at home, her 16 children grandchildren and great-grandchildren said taking care of the family. >> grandma, whatever i do from here on out will be because of you watching over me and holding my hand saying baby girl, you got it. >> reporter: they want her legacy to be a life of love, not her death at the hands

of hate. with state leaders and civil rights activists joining in. also today, they said good-bye to sharonda coleman singleton. 45 teacher, coach minister and mother. >> your mother, don't ever forget, taught our state and our country about what real love looks like. [ applause ] >> reporter: meanwhile, charleston still comes together at the historic church. last night, some 250 worshippers held bible study in the same room where the nine were killed. no evidence of last week's attack, many said. >> i just wanted to sit there. >> reporter: the head of skaurt re >> security revealed a number of threats are directed at other ame sanctuaries. >> reporter: how serious are they? >> i take is serious.

>> reporter: security is tightened, here the street is closed off because of the huge crowd. reverend clementa pinckney's body arrived and there are hundreds of hundreds of people hoping for a chance to walk up the stairs to bid him farewell, lester? >> thanks very much. we'll see you tomorrow when nbc news has special coverage of the president's eulogy. "nightly news" will be live from charleston with coverage from the day's events. fire season is off to a big start in california but rapid response teams are jumping on them even harder than in years past. crews got a handle on a fast-moving brush fire in a residential area outside los angeles. it did scorch 200 acres and forced the evacuation of about 1,000 people, but that order is now lifted and there is minimal damage reported after firefighters managed to quickly douse the flames. we've got a lot more ahead tonight, it's being called sleep divorce, couples going to bed in separate rooms. it's a growing trend. twice as popular as it used to be. why some say it's the key to a happy marriage.

also a firestorm erupts. donald trump and his famous beauty pageant and a power player in american tv saying it won't air it because of what he said about mexicans. now trump is firing back.

>> we're back now with our special series, "sleepless in america." tonight we're taking a closer look at what's being called sleep divorce. this is couples choosing to sleep separately to get a better night's rest.

as nbc's hallie jackson reports, that can make relationships stronger. >> i'm her little sister. >> reporter: every night, nicole gets tucked in ready for sweet dreams. but for her mom, bedtime's a nightmare. >> it's about midnight. >> reporter: joanna is up for hours. her husband is not. snoring so loudly, you can hear him down the hall. >> i would end up waking him up in the middle of the night, and then he was not sleeping. >> reporter: that made for miserable mornings, two kids two jobs and tons of stress and this happily married couple found themselves fighting. >> the arguing would happen when we're not sleeping well. >> yes. >> yes. >> reporter: they needed a solution fast. they found one in the guest room. separate beds like desi and lucy used to do. couples who sleep separately sleep better. it's called sleep

divorce, twice as popular now than it used to be. >> if both partners are sleeping better, they are more likely to behave better in their intimate relationship. >> reporter: studies show people toss and turn more next to someone else but most of us would rather have the company anyway. plus there's the stigma that when you're not sleeping together, you're not sleeping together. >> when people hear couples sleeping in separate beds the first thing they think of is they're not having sex anymore. >> right, and that's the misconception. the kids go to grandma's house on the weekend so we have that couple intimacy time that keeps our marriage strong. >> reporter: it's why experts recommend couples schedule together time before heading to separate beds. talk about the new sleeping arrangements beforehand. and if snoring's the problem, visit a doctor first to make sure it's not a sign of a more serious sleep disorder. do you feel better now that you're actually sleeping? >> yes. >> we do. that's the thing, and we're still together and feel good and it all works. >> reporter: by saying good night, then good-bye, a sleep divorce may help avoid

a real one. hallie jackson, nbc news, orlando. we're back in a moment with a controversy involving donald trump, beautiful women and what many considered ugly remarks.

just nine days after he announced for president, donald dump is in the middle of a donald trump is in the middle of a firestorm after something he said while making the announcement. the fallout not just political but financial and donald trump seems to be thriving on the attention. katy tur has more. >> reporter: no stranger to controversy, donald trump is at it again, and he's not backing down. today threatening to tszyuny vision for dropping the miss usa pageant which it planned to air in spanish-speaking countries around the world next month. >> they have an ironclad contract to broadcast miss usa and miss universe. they have an ironclad, they can't just do this. >> reporter: univision, this country's biggest

spanish language broadcaster said it was severing ties with the tycoon based on his racist remarks about mexican immigrants remarks he made while announcing his run for president last week. >> when mexico sends its people, they are not sending their best. they are bringing drugs. they are bringing crime, their rapists, and some, i assume, are good people. >> reporter: today damage control trump style firing back at univision and telling jose diaz-balart on msnbc he loves mexicans but had no apology for his words or his stance on immigration. >> i would build a wall when necessary. i would build a wall in mexico and pay for it. >> reporter: one of the cohosts bowed out and in mexico trump pinatas are for sale. for the donald, he told "the new york post" unlike a politician, he will not be silent. katy tur, nbc news, new york. >> nbc universal is a partner in the pageant organization with donald trump

and late today nbc issued a statement saying donald trump's opinions do not represent those of nbc and we do not agree with his positions on a number of issues, including his recent comments on immigration. when we come back, the neighborhood where police are trying to replace the sound of gunshots with the sound of home runs.

6: a fire breaks out in the bay area. ===take vo janelle=== one building quickly burned. we'll have a live report from the scene. ===take vo peggy=== plus, the bay area doors that could soon open for the first time since 9/11. ===next close=== next.

finally tonight, at a time marked by when we've seen as so much outrage with police force against young african-americans, a refreshing sight in chicago. cops making a difference by finding common ground with kids on the baseball diamond. here's nbc's kevin tibbles. >> reporter: the crack inglewood police youth baseball league takes the field. here the cops and the kids are safe together because the cops are the coaches. >> we just have to have fun and

be positive. >> reporter: officer angela walks a nearby beat. she volunteers because her passion is these kids. >> we're not always the big, bad police. we're here for them. we're part of them. we are the community. >> reporter: about 100 kids age 9 to 12 signed up. parents cheer them on. [ cheers ] >> reporter: life lessons on and off the field. just ask 11-year-old kelly bryant. that's what you learn here? >> yes. >> reporter: the first baseman is 12. >> everyone needs help once in a while, and that's why the police are here, to help. >> reporter: and you don't want to be afraid of them? >> no. >> reporter: taking it all in proudly is larry watson. he's the district commander but on this day, you can call him commish. >> the longest journey is the first step. this is the first step. >> reporter: using

america's pastime to build trust and make friends. the perfect double play. kevin tibbles, nbc news, chicago. that will do it for us on this thursday night. i'm lester holt. for all of us at nbc news, thank you for watching and good night. happening right now. firefighters battling a brush firat happening right now, firefighters battling a brush fire. it has already destroyed one structure. thank you for joining us. i'm peggy bunker. >> and i'm janelle wang raj and jessica are off tonight. we want to show you live pictures of the fire right now. it's burning on tesla road just outside downtown livermore. as peggy said one structure destroyed, others are still threatened at this time. also cal fire tells us one firefighter has been injured. >> let's take you back to the active scene here. these pictures from about an hour ago. let's take you to some of these

flames that could be seen as it was burning near this ranch. a lot of smoke there. you could see it really from miles away. mark matthews is live at the scene. we'll check in with him in a quick moment but of course the conditions today a big part of this conversation. >> yeah hot and dry, triple digit heat out in livermore. let's get a check of our forecast with jeff ranieri. >> we have seen temperatures beginning to gradually cool off, that's good news but still bone dry air here. humidity at 18%. winds out of the west at 20. i do not anticipate for those winds to get any stronger than that 20-mile-per-hour range. so that's good for the firefighters and the meteorologists with the fire department so they can gauge what they're up against. while they do have a lot of containment here going with this fire they're going to be watching these hot spots tonight with a very mild evening under way. current temperature again of 92 degrees. the humidity is low, as we mentioned. any kind of smoke from this fire would be blowing away from downtown livermore, but if you're near tesla road you still want to watch this situation very carefully.