lisa desjardins reports. >> congresswoman, i am the acting attorney general. >> desjardins: the temporaryd of the department of justice faced a long-blding barrage from house democrats. >> congresswoman, i have not-- ( cross-talk )) ( gavel >> witness will... witness will answer the question as asked, please. >> desjardins: the focus? n,ecial counsel robert mueller's investigatnd whether the department of justice ever tried to help president trump or tried to target him. >> did you discussivr share your e opinions of the special counsel investigation with the chief of staff, trump d mily members hers? >> did rod rosenstein give the special counsel the authority to investigatspecific americans? >> desjardins: whitaker, who oversees mueller's insisted he has done it by the book. >> there has been no event, no decision, that has required me to take any action, and i have not interfered in any way with the special counsel's investigation. >> desjardins: democrats pressed on whether he's talked to the president... >> it's a "yes" or "no" question: have you communicated anything you learned in

. >> desjardins: front and center on the 2020 democratic campaign trail: widening economic divide. >>reversing this administration's giveaways to big corporations and the top one percent. >> desjardins: it is a two-fold push. candidates' are outlining new plans to reduce poverty, which they argue will only exacerbate economic divides in america, blasting the republican taal cuts, especily the corporate cuts, as a giveaway to the rich. >> it is not moral, it is not acceptable, and it is not sustainable that the top one- tenth of one percent n owns almost as much wealth as the 9 bott. >> desjardins: vermont senator bernie sanders, newly announced as a candidate, sparked this latest drive in his 2016 run. he wants tprovide universal health care as well as fe pre- school and free tuition at public colleges. he'd raise money for that by raising estate taxes, on inheritance over $3.5 million,wi a top rate of 77% tax at over $1 billion.or >> we cannot ato just tinker around the edges with a tax credit he or regulation there, our fight is for big, structur change. >> desjardins: massachusetts

wo>> desjardins: with just days to go before friday's midnight deadline. presiden he doesn't want to see a second government shutdown. >> woodruff: a lisa is here with me along with our white house correspondent yamiche alcindor. so, lisa, what is the best you know, you can tell us about when we'r agoing to see this bi what's in it and what's being negotiatede till? >> i hen just checking with sources, hearing back from them. it looks like they do expect ust to see text tonight. that time keeps slipping back.w i'm old hopefully by midnight, south going to be a very late nig. if we see the text tonight, we also expect votes tomorrow at weast in the house and possibly in the senate asl. cky, judy, tomorrow is tri because there are two funerals for departed members of congress, oneoh fordingell, another for walter jones in north carolina. many members are flying to that funeral. they will go to that funeral and return to washington ay then can the votes begin ton this package. now, as to what's in the package, what have we learned today? a couple of new thing

we have the lieutenant governor. >> desjardins: the right. we were talking long-term thinking.mmediate resignation would be for lieutenant justin fairfax to be governor, who today it came out there were allegations of sexual assault from 2004. fairfax has adamantly denied those, saying this was a consensual relationship. >> and the accusations are anonymous now. >> we don't know the woman's name. "the washington post" does. seems other news organizations does know her name. she has not responded or come forward. so that's the reality there. the other short-term political consequence leer is if northam decides to stay, then he is hobbled by the fact his entire democratic establishment has come out and said we're not behind you. there's a republican majority in the house and the senate already. it's a one-term governorship, so you're already a lame duck before, h heck, the first five minutes of your governorship, and there are legislative elections in 2019. a bunch of democrats hoping to tip what is a very close house and senate to democratic control, obviously, would not like to

>> desjardins: . of it echoing one candidate. >> is health care a human right or is it not?desjardins: vermont senator bernie sders "medicare for all bill" has the support of no less than five other senators and one congresswoman running for president. the sanders bill would create one government-run health care system, ending private health insurance. medicare and medicaid enrollees would transition into the new system. it would not impact the veteran's affairs or indian sealth services coverage. but even as the t democratic contenders so far seem to agree, looking carefully, there is divide over how far to go and hw fast. the day he announc presidential run, new jersey senator cory booker, when asd, said he would not end private health insurance.s >> even countrat have vast access to publicly offered heal care still have private health care, so no. >> desjardins: also in favor of keepg private health insuran are senators kirsten gillibrand of new york and elizabeth warren of massachusetts. that versus california senator kamala harris, who told a cnn town hall in january sh

congressional corresndent lisa desjardins begins, with this report. >> desjardins: in the senate today, a prayer for president trump. >> let's all pray the president will have wisdom to sign the bill so government doesn't shutdown. >> desjardins: all eyes had been on the white house after leaders in congress agreed on a $330 billion spending deal. after hours of waiting, senate majority leader mitch mcconnell came to the floor. >> i've just had an opportunity to speak with president trumpy and he, as alllleagues indicated, he is prepared to sign the bill. >> desjardins: as for border barriers mcconell said the president will take other action.e >>ll also be issuing a national emergency declaration at the same time, and i've indicated to him that i'm going to prepare-- i'm going to support the national emergency esclaration. >> desjardins: minater came the official word from the whuse. clear, the senate then moved quickly to pass the bill. >> the yays are quay, the neighs are 16. >> i it providesl $1.4 bilion fr 55 miles of new barriers in texas' rio grande valley. also funds 45,000 imm

we'll see. >> woodruff: yamiche alcindor, lisa desjardins, thank you both.the day's other news, house democratic leaders condemned freshman congresswoman ilhan omar for a tweet accusing a powerful pro-israel lobbying group of paying members of congress to support israel the democratic leaders said the "use of anti-semitic tropes and prejudicial accusations about israel's supporters is deeply offensive." later, the minnesota democrat took to twitter to "unequivocally apologize." a democratic delegate fromke virginia bdown on his threat to begin impeachment proceedings today against the state's lieutenant gr, justin fairfax. fairfax faces two allegations of sexual assault. he's denied them both. meanwhile, virginia's embattled democratic governor ralph northam acknowledged he considered resigning after a rast photo from his medica school yearbook surfaced. but, he told cbs he'll remain in office to help the state "heal." >> it's been a difficult week, and again i'm fine it'been mainly difficult for virginia and this country. so yes, i have thought about resign

lisa desjardins reports. changing the standard, yes. >> desjardins: this one-minute exchange, with virginia delegate kathy tran defending hered propegislation, sparked a firestorm wednesday. >> how late in the thirdul trimester a physician perform an abortion if he indicated it would ithe mental health of the of the woman? >> or ph oical health. y, okay. i'm talking about the mental health. >> so i mean through the thirde trimester ird trimester goes all the way up to 40 weeks. >> okay. but to the end of the third trimester. >> ye wp, i don't thihave a limit in the bill. >> where it's obvious that a woman is about to give birth, would that still be a point at which she could requf t an abortione was so certified? >> that would be a, you know, a decision that the doctor the physician and the woma >> i understand that. i'm asking if your bill allows that >> my bill would allow that. yes. >> desjardins: president trump reacted to tran's comments in an interview with the daily cdeler, assertincrats want to "rip b

y >> woodruff: aiche joins me now along with our congressional correspondent lisa desjardins. welcome both of you. lisa, i'll start with you. both republicans andclemocrats arming victory here. what do we know about who got what they wanted? >> rig there's a lot of spin and there's some truth to what's going on tonigfi. let's talt of all the big-ticket item was the wall, as yamiche reported, $1.375 billion. democrats like the point out, that's just a little bit morane ancy pelosi said she offered last year, $1.3 billion. let's go to tcoe more mplex matter, that is the detention etaineesthe number of this bill would fund. let's start by explaining this, first of all, what the deal does. as yamiche reported, it ldu fund 45,000 average daily detainees for a year, that's the average populati for a yea democrats say what they got out of that was a decrease from the current number detainees in 4 custody, avera000. they got a shift down. republicans look at it this way actually, it's an increase from what the average daily funding was last year, whi was 40,000 detainees. so it's fun

our lisa desjardins is hthe to help walugh what this all says about the democratic agenda. broadly spesaking, a, you've been looking at what the democrats want to focus on. explain what that is. >> right. nancy pelosi, the house speaker, is kind of e tting thground running on a few fronts. let's look at their overall agenda, what house democrats say they want to do. number one: election and government reform, judy. that's at the torch eir list. they have a sweeping bill that they have recently introduced. number two: we saw a horg this today, bac it's the beginning of what may do further on the idea of more n control. this is what they're doing now. later coming months democrats say they will also tackle infrastructure, health care-- that includes dru price miche mentioned, which of course is where they have oveprrlap with thident. one other item-- climate change. they are in the middle of establishing a new climate ange committee but it doesn't have jurisdiction.ic this is a t area for democrats because some want to go farther than others in their caucus. it's not clear wh

lisa desjardins joins me now to dig into the details. hello, lisa. so another busy day at e capitol after yesterday. what would these two measures do? >> all rht, one pased yesterday and one passed tonight. first, the one that passed yesterday, this bill would basically require bacround checks for almost every gun sale or transfer in america, allowi exceptions for family members, hunting, sporting, if you want go to shooting arrange, and law enforcement, that would not necessarily require background checks. this in the background check bill that passed today would allow 20 days total for a background check. that's a big change, judy, from the current, which is just three days. now, that's considered the charleston loophhee. that'situation in which the massacre in charleston inn which e churchgoers were killed was because e background check did not come back for thr dys. they want to raise that to 20 days. legislators say the 20-day window for a background check is too long for victims of domestic violence, women in particular who may want to get a we

lisa desjardins, thank you for your reporting.e day's other news, the trump administration announced it will bar family planning clinics from referring women for abortions, if the clinics receive federal funds. abortion opponents praised the move. abortions rights supporters condemned it, and are certain to challenge it in court. a california couple who chained and starved many of their 13 children at their home pleaded guilty today to torture and abuse. david turpin appeared stoic as he entered his pleas in riverside. his wife, louise turpin, cried. they will spend at least 25 years in prison. police found the children after one escaped and called for help. they ranged in age from 2 to 29 and were starving and living in filth. the r&b singing star r. kelly will face multiple counts of aggravated sexual abuse involving victims who ranged in age from 13 to 17 years old. he was charged in chicago today, with crimes going back at least as far as 1998. kelly is 52, and a grammy- winning artist, but accusations of sexual misconduct wit

. >> woodruff: our lisa desjardins was in the hring room today.amiche alcindor has been tracking reaction from the white house. hello to both of you. so, lisa, you were there. we were just hearing michael cohen, in essence, warn the eerepublicans on the commiot to do what he was doing-- protect the president, followt. the presid what was the dynamic there? >> well, it was another intense and historic feeling here. and the lineo get in stretched for two city blocks inside this large office building on capitol hill. i think both sides came into it very aware of the akes here, that this is the first time we've seen someone come testify about what may be impeachable offenses if they're proven. and both parties clearly came, as we saw in those clips, with their messages and their scripts. but i think what happened, judy, is actually the tone was set by ,wo people this that room, o the chairman elijah cummings, ran a very tight ship an shut down both sides when they went too long and also when they seemed to get out of hand. the other, michael cohen mse

yamiche alcindor, lisa desjardins, thank you both very much. >> woodruff: in the day's other news, e notorious mexican drug lord joaquin guzman, "el chapo," was found guilty on all counts in his federal drug trafficking trial in new york. he had spent decades smuggling vast quantities of drugs into the u.s. as head of the sinaloa cartel. today, federal prosecutors lauded the verdict after a three-month trial. >> this conviction is a victory o for the american people ve suffered so long and so much whilguzman made billions pouring poison over our southern border. this conviction is a victory to the mexican people who have lost more than a 100,000 lives in drug related violence. >> woodruff: guzman now facesde des in prison. we'll have an in-depth look at the verdict and its implications, later in the program. the u.s. senate has approved a sweeping public lands bill, 92 to eight. the measure would add a million acres of protected wil expand several national parks and create four new national monuments. the bill now goes to the house the man who served longer in congress than anyone in

let's turn now to our sa desjardins at the capitol and yamiche alcindor at the white house. yamiche, to you first. i haveeen talking to folks at the white house, much of it off the record. you've been talking to them, too. what do we know for certain, or what do we think the president will focus on >>night? he president will focus on unifying our nation and unifying both political parties, but some, of course, say there are some credibility issues there because of his political track record of rffeally ending and giving insults to his political opponents. the president is expected to talk about a number of topics, including illegal immigration, healthcare costs, including trade, and wars and foreign policy as well as infrastructure. he's supposed to be at some point pitching and asking congress to come up with some sort ofen fracture plan. the prssident's alsposed to be talking about h.i.v./aids and trying to end the@ of that deadly disease by 203r0. theident is also supposed to be talking about his ideas for a way for it's really important, though, to remind people that the

lisa desjardins, thank you. >> woodruff: stay with us, coming up on the newshour: the second nuclearmit between the s. and north korea is scheduled for the end of the month. and how looking to nature inspires better chnology. but first, in his state of the union last night, president trump made a bold promise: his administration will try to end the spread of h.i.v./aids in america. brangham, who's covered this epidemic extensively for the newshour, reports on what it might take to make that promise a reality.wa >> brangham: ipresident trump's first major pledge to addrs h.i.v./aids in america >> my budget will ask democrats and republicans to make the needed commitment to eliminate the h.i.v. epidemic in the united states within 10 years. >> brangham: president trump didn't specify how much money raticoirmed y ould be new funding, not dollars reallocated from other programs. today, more than 1.1 million americans are living with h.i.v., and there are some 40,000 new infections every year the administration says it's aiming to reduce those newy infections% over five years and by at le

our lisa desjardins is there at the capitol, and yamiche alcind is at the white house. yamiche, the president left the white house, he is just arrived at the capitol, what do we expect him to say? k >> well, ow that president is extremely excited to deliver ddthis state of the unionss in the house chambers important to note that the president at te point was looking ater locations outside washington, d.c. to deliver his state of the unn address, but instead decided that the house was where he wanted to deliver it because of all ofts grndeur and all of its history. we know the president is going to be talking about immigration, he is going to be casting immigration as a mal issue, and saying that the political class of dc that is safe and has gates on their homes, that they are going to deny that same sense of security to working class people, the president easels going to try to deliver a unifying mental and talk about prescription drugs and infrastructure, t the one thing to remember of course is that the president has some credibility issues on that because democrats

our own lisa desjardins has been keeping track of this entire swirl of news today on capitol hill. it doesn't get any busier than this week. let's talk about the emergency declaration. they're talkinabout it in the house. they're about to vote. >> i'm watching my phone. that vote should happen any minute. this is a vote that would terminate this rgency declaration, and congress does have that power. this is first step in trying to brock that declaration. it is believed this will pass.il and itpass easily. the question is how many republicans will be on board, judy, and many republicans are a haviery difficult time with this issue. i spoke tone from kentucky who said he is now going with democrats and saying hthinks this is an overreach by the president, however, i talked to another, fresh denver riggellman of virginia said he walked in thinking he too would agree with democrats then we received a briefing about t situation at the border and after that briefing he felt that it was enough of a crisis that he is struggling but he is now going to vote with the president in trying tkeep

and lisa desjardins here in the studio. we appreciate it. and to you watching, we are going to have more on chael cohen's testimony a little later in the program. >> woodruff: now to our other top story: the second summit between president trump and north korean leader kim jong-un. our nick schifrin is reporting on the summit with a newshour teamand sets the scene on da one from hanoi, vietnam. >> schifrin: in the capital of a former enemy, president trump once again extended his hand to a historic adversary, and said he was making kim jong-un an offer he can't refuse. >>as think that your country tremendous economic potential. unbelievle, unlimited. and i think that you will have a tremendous future with your countr a great leader. and i look forward to watching it happen, and helping it to happen. and we will help it to happen. >> schifrin: the 72-ye-old new yorker and 35-year-old north korean dictator displayed mutual warmth. and kim, whose country has never allowed a free press, told reporters the two leaders' mutual efforts to make this