PBS News Hour - Politics

Nearly eight weeks have passed since President Joe Biden lifted one of the Trump administration's most controversial policies -- the "Muslim ban." Still, some critics believe that Biden has not moved quickly enough to reverse all of his predecessors' policies as families continue to be separated at the border and are blocked from entering the U.S. Special correspondent James Fox has the story. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

This week marked the 52nd straight week of high unemployment claims, with numbers rising as more than a million people filed for state and emergency federal unemployment benefits across the country. One state, Rhode Island, is working to reverse that trend by matching several thousand job-seeking residents with potential employers. Paul Solman has the story for our series, "Work Shift." PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Economic aid from the new COVID relief law is already flowing to Americans, but the political debate continues. Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, a doctor and the third-ranking Republican in the Senate, joins Judy Woodruff to discuss COVID aid, Medicaid expansion, President Biden's approach to immigration, and some Republican voters' unwillingness to receive a COVID vaccine. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

President Biden is on the road, aiming to sell his COVID relief law to the American public. His first stop Tuesday was in Pennsylvania with a visit to a Black-owned flooring business near Philadelphia, highlighting the aid that his administration is providing through small business loans and stimulus checks. Yamiche Alcindor joins Judy Woodruff to discuss.

PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The Biden administration had promised a humane approach to immigration but is now facing upheaval at the southern border, as illegal migrant crossings have skyrocketed in the past few months and authorities struggle to find proper housing for thousands of unaccompanied minors. Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar, whose Texas district is located on the southern border, joins Judy Woodruff to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The COVID relief and economic package is a massive bill that has a far-reaching impact in ways that many Americans don't know about yet. One provision calls for debt relief for Black farmers, who have long been denied access to government funding. John Boyd, a fourth-generation farmer in Virginia and president of the National Black Farmers Association, joins Lisa Desjardins to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

A new wave of economic relief for Americans struggling amid the coronavirus pandemic is on its way, with stimulus checks beginning to hit Americans bank accounts over the weekend as part of the American Rescue Plan. Cecilia Rouse, chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, joins Judy Woodruff to discuss the aid rollout and the state of the economy. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

In our news wrap Monday, President Biden voiced hope of reaching COVID vaccine skeptics among former President Trump's supporters, Myanmar's military imposed martial law on much of Yangon, the Vatican formally declared the Roman Catholic Church will not bless same-sex marriages, and tens of thousands of women marched in Australia demanding justice for victims of sexual assault. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Debra Haaland's confirmation in the U.S. Senate Monday as secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior makes her the first-ever Native American to serve as a Cabinet secretary. She'll oversee energy and climate policy on millions of acres of public land, as well as the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Timothy Nuvangyaoma, chairman of the Hopi Tribe in Arizona, joins Lisa Desjardins to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

NPR's Tamara Keith and Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report join Judy Woodruff to discuss the latest political news, including the rollout of the American Rescue Plan Act, President Biden's address to the nation and the pace of COVID vaccinations, and the humanitarian crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders