Promising to meet with intel officials next week. Last hour, the ranking democrat on the House Intelligence Committee telling msnbc more sanctions from congress are necessary. What really gets the russians attention isnt the expulsion of diplomats or people masquerading as diplomats but economic sanctions like those imposed over ukraine that hurt the russian economy. Thats the only thing that puts putin in jeopardy and the only thing putin caring about. Just in the last 30 minutes we are getting new information on how president obama and democrats in Congress Plan to defend his Signature Health care law from republicans come 2017. We have all of it covered with reporters around the world. We start with the sanctions against russia. Hans nichols is in the washington bureau. Lucy kavanov in moscow. Kelly odonnell is here with me in west palm beach. Hans, whats happening this hour . The closure. The punishments in place at the russian compounds. People basically getting out, right . We havent seen anyone leave out. They are clearly closed. There is surprise in some quarters in the u. S. Administration that putin decided not to retaliate. Speaking to a u. S. Administration official who was saying, look, this could be an acknowledgment by russia that they did, indeed cross the line. Heres where we are now. This is the statement from putin from a couple of hours ago explaining his decision. He said, although we have the right to retaliate, we will not resort to irresponsible kitchen diplomacy, a reference to the kruschev era. Well plan our further steps to restore russianu. S. Relations based on the policies of the Trump Administration. Thats the russian president thinking he can wait out the next three weeks. Then well have a new administration. One note, they put out an invite on twitter inviting the children of american diplomats there legitimately to a party at the kremlin. I wonder if anyone will show up. Let me ask lucy about this. Number one, how unusual is that kind of invitation from Vladimir Putin to the kids of u. S. Diplomats . And talk to me about the sense on the ground from russians and folks in moscow about the nonretaliation from president putin. Reporter president putin is enjoying his moment. He nows how to play the media. The news is russia allegedly hacked. The Obama Administration is looking to under mine russia, the Incoming Trump administration and that its blaming russia for domestic pros. To give you a sense of the tone from the high ranking russian officials the Foreign Ministry spokeswoman called the entire Obama Administration a group of Foreign Policy failures. The Obama Administration, it is sad that the Obama Administration that began its life by restoring u. S. Russian cooperation is ending it on antirussian agony. Then you have putin coming in essentially declining to retaliate. Looking domestically it is a bold move playing well here. It makes putin look above the fray like hes not suck coming to the back and forth. As hans said earlier, what the kremlin and putin are doing and what russians on the streets are doing is waiting for president elect donald trump to take office on january 20. The kremlin believes Trump Wants Better relations and they are not willing to antagonize that administration by retaliating at this stage. Tough words from Vladimir Putin, ron, for president obama and the administration. Are we expecting a response from the white house . Whats your sense . I think the white house is sitting back waiting to see what the russians do when they are prepared and planned for retaliation. The fact that the russians wont expel diplomats is a surprise. That was the obvious response. Its something thats happened over the years on many occasions. More significant is the threat by president obama that this is just the beginning, not the sum total of the response to the russian hacking. We think there are covert operations going on or that may have been executed already in the weeks after the election that we are not aware of and we will become aware of only sometime down the road. People ask why now . Why do this . Time is running out. Now trying to save obamacare. They say thats number one to repeal it. The president will try to salvage what he can of one of his signature accomplishments. Hallie . I want to talk more about the health care meeting. The Health Care Law meeting in a second. When we talk about russia it is important to know this is not the last well hear of this. There is a full review before the incoming inauguration. Thats essential here, too. Reporter its a big review thatsack to the election of 28 when there was malicious activity. It takes a broad look at what americas cyber defenses are, what the offensive capabilities are, how to protect the election system. You are aware there were reports during the final days of the campaign that there were attempts to get into state voter rolls. There is discussion of what was done to counteract that. What people will be looking for in the report is more proof that the administration has of what they feel the russians are guilty of. They say they will make it as public as possible. They know there is a feeling that people want to see the truth, exactly what the russians were doing. The administration released a manual for computer experts of what you can do to Block Russian hacking. That revealed some of the evidence of what they found. This review, we expect it to be a broad statement before the president leaves office. Talk about people wanting to see proof. Some of them are republicans on capitol hill and elsewhere. Kelly odonnell, donald trump has not spoken with Vladimir Putin according to a transition official who says the priority is to get the intel briefing done next week. Why wait until next week if youre president elect trump. What are his options come january 20 when it comes to reversing the sanctions or not . Whats your sense of what he might do . It is striking that president elect trump isnt acting instantly. That might be a political decision to allow these events generated by president obama to play out, to get the response from putin. We are on the verge of a Holiday Weekend and perhaps just pure scheduling. They want to have a meeting with the Intelligence Community on tuesday. Then i think well be waiting for a greater response from the president elect. So far what hes said is it is time to move on which is a very different note being struck than the white house and a number of republicans on capitol hill. As we know, john mccain is going to call a hearing next week which will be the new congress, but not the true gnu administration. To deal with cyber attacks. Hell hear from the director of National Intelligence and other top officials on not only this specific threat but others posed by other countries. For the Trump Administration in waiting it continues to be allowing people to think they have a friendlier relationship toward russia than the current administration. Its also notable that they believe that an additional briefing is needed. That raises in my mind the question of what more does donald trump need to learn from the Intelligence Community to resolve specifics about these events that brought on the sanctions and, as ron indicated, any covert activity because the president elect would be allowed to hear that information. So why hasnt he already heard it . I think thats a question that deserves to be answered. Is it because hes not taking the Daily Briefing as frequently . Would it be a separate briefing . There is another act if not more than that to play out involving the president elect. Perhaps he needs time to assess his position. Most americans would expect him to say more when he fully has all the facts. Hallie . Thanks, kelly. Ron, before i let you go from the white house, i want to switch to what you were talking about. The meeting happening next week between president obama, folks on capitol hill about the Affordable Care act. Is this a last ditch legacysaving move by the president . Reporter yes. This is one of the issues president obama brought up at the meeting by donald trump in the oval office after the election. Obamacare is probably one of the certainly one of the most important things president obama feels hes accomplished during his time in office. The aspect of the Affordable Care act like preexisting conditions, like the fact there is no lifetime cap on benefits, no discrimination against women and other groups in pricing that those aspects should be saved. Of course, the republicans claim that the prices are soaring, the premiums are too high and there is a better way to do this. Thats a big battle shaping up. Something president obama will fight to the finish before he leaves here. After a slow holiday week. A very busy start to 2017. Ron allen, hans nichols, lucy kafanov, kelly odonnell. We are joined by a democratic congressman from rhode island. Thanks for being with us. My pleasure. Good to be with you. One of your colleagues at the top of the show talked about tougher sanctions needed against russia than whats already put in place. Talk to me about the conversations you have had with democrats in the house about the sanctions. The steps the president took are an important first step. We have to make it clear to the russians and anyone else interfering with the elections is something we wont tolerate. They are Actions Congress must take to make it clear we wont permit this and will hold them accountable. We need a Bipartisan Commission to do a full analysis of how it happened and take step to prevent it happening ever again. We need to impose sanctions on those responsible, ratchet up the sanctions, particularly economic sanctions. The president s action was an important first step. This is something we have to take seriously. Its not a republican or democratic issue. It is about making sure Foreign Governments dont interfere with our elections. Before the Electoral College vote this month you were vocal about how strongly you felt about the subject. Youre now calling it an important step by president obama. Are you disappointed he didnt go further . Is the expulsion of a few dozen Russian Diplomats enough . No. Again, this is the first step and an important one. The executive branch has authorities. The president exercised those upon receipt of the report from the department of Homeland Security and the fbi. There is more work to be done that congress has a responsibility to undertake. We should do that. We have to make it clear to the russians and any other country that could contemplate this well take necessary steps to preserve the integrity of the democracy. The functioning of the government is at stake in this matter. We have to make it clear we will not permit the hacking that occurred here in an effort to influence the outcome of the american president ial election to occur in this country, period. The reaction from president elect trumps team has been one of essentially president obama is playing politics. You have heard this charge made publically and privately that president obama is trying to box in donald trump. Why didnt the president announce sanctions before the election when he wouldnt have opened himself up to this charge necessarily . I think he would have opened himself up to the charge no matter when. You think hes playing politics . He wants to be careful and conscientious, make sure the review is completed. He did it as soon as the review is completed by the department of Homeland Security and the fbi. We want him to be thorough but act quickly which he did. This is an important issue. I think in many ways it will be the first real test of the Trump Administration. Is President Trump going to stand with the American People and make sure those who attempted to interfere with the president ial election are held accountable or will he sta with Vladimir Putin. This will be an important test. The sanctions the president put in place and what will follow from congress, additional sanctions will be protected by the incoming president because hell recognize the American People have confidence that our elections are secure. And the integrity of the process is protected. Talk about the test. If donald trump comes in january 20 and reverses the sanctions, what do Congressional Democrats do . What can you do in a chamber controlled by paul ryan . I dont think he will do that. I dont think hell want to be responsible for allowing 35 russian agents, russian spies to come back into the United States and under mine the National Security interests of america. I dont think the president will do that. Well work hard to make sure he doesnt and the American People wont allow that. Congress has a responsibility here, too, to hold hearings, have a Bipartisan Commission like the 9 11 commission to get at how do we prevent this from happening in the future and be sure we are imposing additional punishment on the russians for the activities they have engaged in. Everyone has a responsibility here. Im hopeful a new president will understand that when he finally takes time to have the briefings and learn the facts. He hasnt done that yet which is disturbing. He said hell do it next week. Lets hope when he learns the fact hell understand he has a responsibility to protect american democracy and hold the russians accountable. Before i let you go one of your republican colleagues was on the program yesterday. 24 hours ago. Trent franks from arizona. He said if russia succeeded in giving the American People information that was accurate then they merely did what the media should have done. It was a comment that raised eyebrows. I want to know if you agree with congressman franks. I think it is an outrageous statement that you would celebrate the interference of a Foreign Government in our elections. We can have spirited campaigns but we should never invite or condone foreign interference in our elections, particularly an adversary country ruled by a brutal dictator, a thug that engaged in actions against political opponents, journalists. Thats a disgraceful statement trent franks made. Thank you very much for being with us. Time for the last microsoft pulse question of the year. Vladimir putin refuses to retaliate after president obama expelled 35 Russian Diplomats instead inviting u. S. Diplomats kids to a kremlin party. Did putin outfox president obama . Tell us what you think. Head over to pulse. Msnbc. Com. We have an update later in the show. Also, much more on the russian sanctions three weeks before president elect trumps inauguration. Are the aides right . Is he being boxed in . First, the brutal storm slamming six states up north, some with as much as two feet of snow. Live to New Hampshire for the latest conditions and what it means for Holiday Travel plans. A little chilly and windy in palm beach. Thats nothing compared to what people are dealing with up north. More than 4 million folks under Winter Weather advisories after a noreaster dropped a ton of snow in new england. Morgan is in New Hampshire. Is the worst over . Reporter thats what it looks like now. We got about 17 1 2 inches of snow in parts of New Hampshire. In maine they saw up to 25 inches. About 100,000 people there without power. If you look around you can see people are out, running, taking pictures. Things are starting to return back to normal. This is part of the area where they rely on the ski industry and tourism. Some say this is what they need. Listen. Beyond excited. Im shaking right now. Reporter how does it compare to last year . Last year sucked. Fantastic. Wonderful. We need it. We didnt get any last year. This is a gift. It keeps on giving. Reporter what do you recommend to people traveling . Go slow. Take your time. Reporter so even though the falling snow ended later on this morning into this evening you will feel some of the effects because this wind gust is moving up in some places up to 75 Miles Per Hour. So that kicks up the snow. People are advised to be careful if they are getting on the roads. Its not only the packed snow on the roads but the layer of ice once the temperature starts to drop. Morgan radford in concord, New Hampshire. Thank you very much. Snk jo joining me now, Bonnie Schneider. Talk about the storm. Whats on your radar . The lake effect snow and the wind this afternoon. You can see the snow coming in now to cleveland, buffalo. We have colder air over the warmer waters of the great lakes. That kicks up the intense snow bands. Thats something im concerned with throughout the day. Heavy snow into northern maine. Watch for lake effect snow going forward. Lets look at what we can expect over the weekend. There