Resolving the conflict. Woodruff all that and more, on tonights pbs newshour. Major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by moving our economy for 160 years. Bnsf, the engine that connects us. Supporting social entrepreneurs and their solutions to the worlds most pressing problems skollfoundation. Org. The lemelson foundation. Committed to improving lives through invention, in the u. S. And developing countries. On the web at lemelson. Org. Supported by the rockefeller supported by the john d. And catherine t. Macarthur foundation. Committed to building a more just, verdant and peaceful world. More information at macfound. Org and with the ongoing support of these institutions this program was made possible by the corporation for public broadcasting. And by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. Thank you. Woodruff a tense time today for the man who runs the federal bureau of investigation. James comey spent hours before the Senate Judiciary committee, rejecting criticism that he has mishandled investigations of Hillary Clinton or donald trump. Lisa desjardins has the story. Ive lived my entire career by the tradition of that, if you can possibly avoid it, you avoid any action in the runup to an election that could have an impact. Whether its a dogcatcher election or president of the united states. Reporter but today, f. B. I. Director james comey faced the charges that he did impact the 2016 president ial election, when he sent this letter to congress on october 28, 11 days before election day, revealing new steps in an investigation into Hillary Clintons email practices. I have one question, and i view it as a most important question. Reporter ranking democrat Dianne Feinstein asked today why he broke normal f. B. I. Protocol. I could see two doors, and they were both actions. One was labeled speak, and the other was labeled conceal. Look, this was terrible. It makes me mildly nauseous to think that we have had some impact on the election. But honestly, it wouldnt change the decision. Everybody who disagrees with me has to come back to october 28 with me, and stare at this and tell me what you would do. You took an enormous gamble. The gamble was that there was something there that would invalidate her candidacy, and there wasnt. Reporter democrats also pointed out that comey had been silent at the time about the Ongoing Investigation into Trump Campaign ties to russia. He argued there was a difference that he had previously told congress the Clinton Probe was closed and needed to reverse that. And, he insisted to hawaii democrat mazie hirono, he was impartial i wasnt thinking of what effect it would have on political campaigns. I find that hard to believe, that you did not think there would be ramifications. I knew there would be ramifications, i just tried not to care about them. Reporter texas republican john cornyn defended comey and pointed back at clinton you were not the one who decided to handle classified information on a private email server. Reporter the hearing was full of other news as well Lindsey Graham of South Carolina pressed comey on russia, which the f. B. I. Is also probing. Is it fair to say the russian government is still involved in american politics . Yes. Well, certainly, in my view, the greatest threat of any nation on earth, given their intention and their capability. Reporter and on issues of privacy, comey said encryption has blocked the f. B. I. From getting data off devices in nearly half its cases. None of us want backdoors. We dont want access built in, in some way. We want to work with manufacturers on how we can address all concerns. Reporter one more hot topic . President trumps proposed ban on immigrants from some muslim countries. Vermont democrat Patrick Leahy does that make america less safe . Senator, thank you. Im not going to comment on the particular statement, but i do agree that a perception or reality of hostility towards any community, but in this particular case the Muslim American community, makes our jobs harder. Reporter as for his own job, comeys tenyear term runs out in 2023. For the pbs newshour, im Lisa Desjardins at the u. S. Capitol. Woodruff in the days other news, the u. S. House easily approved a compromise bill to fund the government through september, the end of the fiscal year. It totals 1. 1 trillion, and includes an increase in defense spending, but ignores several other of President Trumps priorities, including money for a border wall. Leaders on both sides praised the rare example of cooperation between republicans and democrats. This is a bipartisan piece of legislation. And so each side doesnt get everything they want, but we are able to come together and find a package that advances many of our important goals. Democratic members participation is absolutely essential if were going to pass fiscal bills and appropriation bills. And im glad that the Republican Leadership and negotiators came to the conclusion and worked with us to advance this omnibus to the floor. Woodruff the legislation now heads to the senate for approval before this week is out. A revised republican plan to repeal and replace obamacare gained key endorsements in the house today. Moderate republican fred upton and conservative billy long said they will support the bill. They spoke after meeting with President Trump on their amendment to help cover people with preexisting conditions. He said that this bill would be just as strong on pre existing illnesses as obamacare. I want him to keep that pledge. This amendment allows that to happen, and cover those that otherwise might have been excluded. Woodruff the amendment adds 8 billion to the bill over five years. Leaders of the house conservative Freedom Caucus endorsed the proposal, and said the vast majority of their members will support it. But as of the time we went on the air, no vote has been scheduled. In eastern missouri, another wave of heavy rain is adding to a flood emergency thats already claimed five lives. The swollen Meramec River neared an alltime high in suburban st. Louis today, damaging 200 homes and threatening some 1,500 more. Parts of two interstate highways are also under water, and a section of the Mississippi River is closed. The u. S. Justice department confirmed today it will not charge two white policemen in the killing of a black man in baton rouge, louisiana. Cell phone video from last july showed alton sterling pinned, but struggling. One officer yelled that he was reaching for a gun, then shot him. In baton rouge today, u. S. Attorney Corey Amundson said there are no solid grounds for a civil rights violation. After an exhaustive, almost yearlong investigation, all of the prosecutors and agents involved in this case have come to the conclusion that insufficient evidence exists to charge either officer with a federal crime in connection with this incident. Woodruff the attorney general of louisiana says he will now investigate whether state criminal charges should be filed against the officers. North korea confirmed today that it has detained another american citizen. State tv said kim sangdok, an instructor at pyongyang university, was picked up on last month as he tried to leave the country. He is accused of acts aimed at overthrowing the government. Kim is now one of three americans being held by the north. Human rights will not determine u. S. Relations with foreign governments, under President Trump. Secretary of state Rex Tillerson took that message to his departments employees today. He said that in some cases, if you condition our National Security efforts on someone adopting our values, it really does create obstacles. At the same time, he said the President Trump hosted Palestinian LeaderMahmoud Abbas today, and vowed to do whatever is necessary to make peace in the middle east. The white house meeting was their first, and over lunch in the cabinet room, mr. Trump said theres a very, very good chance of getting a peace deal. Its something that i think is, frankly, maybe not as difficult as people have thought over the years. But we need two willing parties. We believe israel is willing. We believe youre willing. And if you both are willing, were going to make a deal. Woodruff President Trump met with the israeli Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu in february. Former president obamas foundation has unveiled the plans for his president ial library and civic center in chicago. The site would cover 225,000 square feet along lake michigan, on chicagos south side. It includes a towerlike museum, and other buildings, and its expected to cost at least 500 million. Wall street made little headway today. The Dow Jones Industrial average gained eight points to close near 20,958. The nasdaq fell almost 23 points, and the s p 500 gave up three. And, boston baseball fans are trying to make amends to an opposing player who had faced racist taunts. Adam jones of the Baltimore Orioles spoke out after mondays game with the red sox. Last night, jones got an extended, standing ovation, when he came to the plate at fenway park for his first atbat. The two teams play again tonight. Still to come on the newshour the latest push by republicans to win support for a replacement to obamacare. In south sudan, rape used as a weapon of war. A free press under threat worldwide, and much more. Woodruff after fits, starts and failure, republicans in Congress Hope a new amendment will win over enough votes to repeal and replace the Affordable Care act. We get two takes now this latest legislative back and forth, from both sides of the aisle. We start with representative mark sanford, republican from South Carolina. Congressman sanford, thank you very much for joining us. So you oppose the first version of obamacare replacement back in march. I believe your argument was that it left too much of the original obamacare in place. You apparently have come around now to this new version. Why . It it in essence split things. It it it left open the possibility of federalism, which is to say, weve historically had a patchwork of different states and different remedies. Our Founding Fathers were so intent on this idea of letting states try Different Things that they built it in, though we had a population of about four Million People when our country started. What i think it does is allows vermont to go to a single pair system if vermont wanted to do so, and South Carolina can go to a more marketbased system if it chooses to do so. Woodruff fred upton and others worked on an amendment, a proposal to further change this new version that would add more money to cover those people with socalled preexisting conditions. Are you confident from what you know, though, that this is going to guarantee everybody with preexisting conditions coverage . Built into the base bill is this issue of guarantee issue so that you cannot be denied, based on a preexisting condition. The question all along has been if a state opted out and they chose to, again, make alterations on that front which this bill does allow what happens to them . And thats why its been important that this issue of a risk pool, as maine has done, was built into the bill. There is about 130 billion built into the bill to that very effect, and what has been talked about here in the 11th hour is an additional 8 billion based on fred upton and a couple of other folks insistence, that a little bit more money be built in as a cushion on this front. Youre talking over 100 billion being built into the highrisk pool to cover somebody in the event the state opted out of this issue of not preexisting condition but the idea of somebody being able to be charged more based on a preexisting condition. Woodruff i know this can get really complicated and im going to try to keep my question as basic as possible. Congressman, im sure you know the American Medical Association has come out today saying they are still opposed. They are worried that millions of people are going to be left out with preexisting conditions. The a. A. R. P. , retired persons association, says theyre still opposed. And the American Cancer Society says theyve taken a look at this, and they say every bit of history for anything that looks anything like this highrisk pool arrangement that congressman upton has included is going to be unaffordable, is still going to leave too many people out. So they cant support it, either . Well, one, i would expect them to say that as advocates. That is what theyre supposed to do. I think that what were trying to include is that vast, unspoken group out there that maybe hadnt gotten the degree of Media CoverageSmall Business people across the state of South Carolina or other states in this country, that have been really struggling with the limitation of coverage and the increase in premiums. In South Carolina last year, premiums went up by about 30 . So what were trying to do is let insurance be insurance for the preponderance of folks in the individual marketplace who have seen their premiums rise dramatically, while at the same time, covering folks that indeed have a preexisting condition or have been seen the consequence of a horrendous accident. And i think thats what this bill does. Fp tries to cover both. It does so imperfectly as any bill does, but i think its the best well see out of this house at this particular moment in time. Woodruff you say it does so imperfectly. Doubters out there say it still leaves too many people with preexisting conditions who cant afford coverage uncovered and people when people who would then be in a vulnerable position, not able to Access Health care. What i would say to that is that is not the experience of what we saw in maine. And i would ask people to look at the risk pool that took place in maine and the degree of coverage it afford people with preexisting conditions while simultaneously bringing down the rates of premiums for the Small Business folks that dont have, again, the kind of Health Challenges that we see there in the risk pool in maine, or frankly, other states. Woodruff congressman, is it the governments responsibility to make sure everybody has Health Care Coverage . I think that thats a debate that will be ongoing. I i i think you know, i guess part and parcel to any open and free society is this debate between freedom on one side and security on the other. And i think that there are a vital tension between those two. So even if this bill makes its way to the senate and passes there, even if it comes back and is signed by the president , based on the conference report that got signed off on, in this house, even that happens, this is a debate that is going to be ongoing, because i think that that tension between security and freedom is one that fits in this debate as it does in so many others here on capitol hill. Woodruff congressman mark sanford, thank you very much. My pleasure, thank you. Woodruff for a democrats perspective we are joined by representative kathy castor. I think you were able to hear what congressman sanford was saying. Do you believe that what the republicans are coming together on does now cover enough americans . No. And the next 24 hours are going to be very important for families all across the country that are concerned about their health coverage. Because what we know about the republican bill is that it will rip coverage away from millions of americans, raise costs, impose a huge age tax on our neighbors who are 50, 55, and older, and not yet in medicare. And then it weakens the life of the medicare tust fund, just at a time we have more baby boomers retiring and going into medicare. But heres the kicker for the vote that could come up in the next 24 hours is the bill has gotten even worse. To round up the votes of the tea party caucus, speaker ryan and want white house agreed to go to the heart of the Affordable Care act, which was a guarantee that no american could be discriminated against because they have a preexisting condition, like cancer or diabetes. Woodruff right. So, apparently, this is going to be a close vote tomorrow. The phones are ringing off the hook all across the capitol because families understand what is at risk higher costs and a fundamental return to the bad old days where Insurance Companies could charge you anything. And if you had a preexisting condition, it was very difficult to get coverage. Woodruff well, let me ask you about what congressman sanford just said. He said there are examples he kept citing the state of maine where they created these socalled highrisk pools that allow money to be put into one pool that people who cant afford coverage, who have preexefting conditions, would be able to access that and get coverage. Well, its very inefficient and very costly, and this socalled upton amendment that has been floated today to provide 8 billion to states that go that direction is would be wholly inadequate. And in fact, in my home state of florida, weve tried highrisk pools