PBS News Hour - Politics

As they return to Washington from their summer break, congressional Democrats want to make new gun safety legislation one of their top priorities. The House has already passed a law expanding background checks to private gun sales, but the GOP-led Senate has never voted on it. In the aftermath of three deadly August mass shootings, will the outcome be different now? Lisa Desjardins reports.

As Congress returns to Washington, three deadly mass shootings in August have reignited the debate over gun regulation. Meanwhile, some House Democrats are feeling pressure to step up impeachment inquiries. And with federal spending at record-high levels, settling on a funding bill to avoid another government shutdown will be critical. Lisa Desjardins and Yamiche Alcindor join Judy Woodruff.

NPR's Tamara Keith and Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report join Lisa Desjardins to discuss the latest political news, including what's at stake in North Carolina's special congressional election on Tuesday, former Rep. Mark Sanford's announcement that he'll challenge President Trump in the GOP primary and the outlook for Congress, newly back from recess, to pass gun legislation.

Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks join Judy Woodruff to discuss the week in politics, including whether Democrats are taking a "politically risky" approach to climate change policy, President Trump's fixation with Alabama being hit by Hurricane Dorian, Trump's diversion of Defense Department funds for border security and "Trump fatigue" in the GOP.

President Trump is diverting some money for Defense Department infrastructure to instead construct or repair additional barrier sections on the U.S.-Mexico border. The 127 projects losing funding include Hurricane Maria recovery efforts in Puerto Rico and education and health services at military bases at home and overseas. Lisa Desjardins talks to Judy Woodruff about the details and the reaction.

Catastrophic damage from Hurricane Dorian is putting natural disasters, and their potential connection to climate change, front and center in the U.S., but gun safety and a flood of Republican congressional retirements are also occupying public attention. Chris Buskirk of American Greatness and Colleen Nelson of the Kansas City Star join Judy Woodruff to discuss the politics of the three topics.

This Labor Day, several 2020 Democratic presidential candidates appeared more focused on gun safety than the holiday's typical topics of unions, wages and jobs. Former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Amy Klobuchar blasted Republicans for lack of action on guns two days after Texas' second mass shooting in a month. And on CNN Sunday, Beto O'Rourke slammed U.S. gun laws. Lisa Desjardins reports.

NPR's Tamara Keith and Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report join Lisa Desjardins to discuss the latest political news, including President Trump's attacks on unions and how 2020 Democrats are courting this crucial voting bloc, the status of gun safety legislation after another mass shooting, and what a trend of retirements and resignations among House Republicans says about minority politics.

Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks join Judy Woodruff to discuss the week in politics, including whether impeachment will have any momentum when Congress resumes, President Trump's performance at the G-7 summit, Joe Biden's stories, the rules governing eligibility for the 2020 Democratic debates and the candidates' latest poll numbers.

The Trump administration's latest move on immigration sparked outrage and confusion when it was announced, but Ken Cuccinelli, acting director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, says the reaction was unwarranted and that "all the same people still become citizens." Cuccinelli talks to Judy Woodruff about the motivation behind that change and other recent immigration policy updates