Moving our economy for 160 years. Bnsf, the engine that connects us. Patagonia. Xq institute. The ford foundation. Working with visionaries on the frontlines of social change worldwide. And with the ongoing support of these institutions and friends of the newshour. 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 President Trump is warning that Congress Must act on a Republican Health care bill, to head off a crisis with obamacare. He called in Key House Committee chairs today to praise their work, despite opposition from democrats, medical groups and some conservatives. We must act now to save americans from the imploding obamacare disaster. Premiums have skyrocketed by double digits, and triple digits in some cases. This is the time were going to get it done. Were working together, we have some great results. We have tremendous spirit and i think its something thats just going to happen very shortly. Sreenivasan joining me to discuss the American Health care act are newshours White House Correspondent john yang, and Congressional Correspondent lisa desjardins. Lets start with the resistance in congress. The president in his tweet says everything is going smoothly but on capitol hill not so much. Its real and significant. Right now, the house can spare 21 republican votes and still pass this. But by my count there are 40 republicans who are unsure or expressed clear doubts or even no votes. They have a lot of reasons for concern. One of the tax credits weve talked on the show before to some conservatives, thats just another government Entitlement Program. Theyre hoping there are negotiations ahead but its not clear if there are. Sreenivasan what does the white house do to make sure the 40 republicans stay in line . The president said, in meeting with the house whips the other day, he pointed out his margins of victory in the districts of the recalcitrant House Republicans. Hes going to go out on a fullcourt press to sell this, but what hes selling is repealing the current law. Thats what he hs tight make this vote, not a vote for the so much for the proposal that theyve got on the table now, but a vote for repealing obamacare. So the question is do you want to go home and say you voted against repealing for obamacare. Sreenivasan besides the tax credits, whats making the republicans hesitant . Another matter for moderate republicans. The republican from pennsylvania who has many constituents on the medicaid expansion, theyre worried about coornlg and whether many constituents are going to lose coverage. This is a wild moment where people are deciding which way will the wind go. Cbo will have an effect on that. Sreenivasan the white house went out of its way to discredit the cbo. Theyre already preparing for a bad score. Sean spicer said if youre looking for accuracy, the cbo is the wrong place to look. So theyre already discrediting it before it comes out. Sreenivasan mixed messages. We see paul ryan saying this is the final thing. Sometimes we also hear from other people that this is open to negotiation, this is a process. Which is it . Curious. Behind closed doors, conservatives say the president told them in meetings this week with people like jim jordan that he is listening and willing to change some things they dont like, but publicly thats not what the message is. Paul ryan used an important word yesterday, he said this is a binary decision. Translation, ultimatum. Just like john was saying, if you vote for this or no is a vote for obamacare. That drives conservatives a crazy because they dont see things that way. Sean spicer said in his briefings its not so much the details the president is looking at. He laid out five principles in his speech to congress. As long as the five prince becomes are met, he doesnt care what the details are. Sreenivasan john yang, lisa desjardins, thank you both. Woodruff in the days other news, the u. S. Economy cranked out more jobs in february. The Labor Department reports that u. S. Employers added a net of 235,000 new positions. The Unemployment Rate dipped slightly to 4. 7 as more people began looking for work. During the campaign, then candidate trump dismissed the jobs data as phony. Today, a white house spokesman said, they may have been phony in the past, but theyre very real now. Sreenivasan it turns out lawyers for former National Security advisor Michael Flynn told the Trump Transition Team before the inauguration that he might have to register as a foreign agent. Thats because flynn had lobbied for the turkish government during the campaign, before he joined the trump administration. White House Press Secretary sean spicer said today that flynns lawyers spoke to transition lawyers, and he defended the vetting process. He was also the head of the department the Defense Intelligence agency. Unbelievably qualified, 40 years in the military with impeccable credentials. So, what is it, that he what is exactly are you getting at . Because so far, he has impeccable credentials, he had a stellar career in the military, widely respected. Sreenivasan flynn was fired last month, when it came out that he had had contacts with the Russian Ambassador to the u. S. , but misled the Vice President and others about it. Woodruff native americans and their supporters rallied outside the white house today against the Dakota Access oil pipeline. Their march started at the army corps of engineers headquarters and culminated with a gathering next to the executive mansion. Theyve also been staging protests on the National Mall this week. The final phase of the pipeline is under construction in north dakota. Sreenivasan volkswagen has pleaded guilty to conspiracy and obstruction of justice, in its emissions cheating scandal. The german automaker entered the plea in federal court in detroit. It agreed to pay 4. 3 billion in penalties. The case involved nearly 600,000 diesel vehicles sold in the u. S. Woodruff in south korea, President Park geunhye was officially ousted today, by the nations highest court. Chief Foreign Affairs correspondent Margaret Warner has the story. Reporter the constitutional courts verdict, announced in seoul, was unanimous. Upholding the impeachment of south koreas President Park, it removed her from office a stunning fall from power. Streets overflowed with demonstrators, many celebrating the ouster of the countrys first female leader. translated the people gave her the power to serve. But she filled her own pocket, disrupted social order and undermined democracy. Reporter others protested the verdict, saying parks removal leaves south korea at risk. translated we should be thankful to President Park for protecting our nation. Young people these days dont know that. Its only been 67 years since the korean war erupted. We could soon see another similar tragedy happen. Reporter two people died during todays protests, and at least 30 were hurt. All of this follows parks suspension from office in december. Now, she may Face Criminal Charges of conspiring to let childhood friend choi soonsil meddle in state affairs, and extort money from businesses, including samsung, whose own chief is now on trial for bribery. The political turmoil in south korea comes at a moment of high tensions in the region. North korea testfired a barrage of longrange missiles this week, as the u. S. And south korea conducted annual joint military exercises. And, china is protesting u. S. Plans to deploy a new Missile Defense system in the south. The pentagon shipped components of the socalled thaad Defense System to south korea this week. Washington says its designed to protect against a north korean attack not to threaten china. Secretary of state Rex Tillerson is likely to reinforce that message, as he visits south korea next week. Meanwhile, a caretaker president is in place while the country gets ready to hold elections in the next 60 days. For the pbs newshour, im Margaret Warner. Woodruff the white house said today the u. S. Expects to continue to work with south korea as a friend and ally. Sreenivasan the president of guatemala called today for reforms after a deadly fire at a crowded shelter for abused teens. Meanwhile, the death toll in wednesdays deadly blaze rose to 37. Police say some of the girls set fire to mattresses to protest abuses. Families of victims held a candlelight vigil and protest last night to call for an investigation. They also demanded the president s resignation. Woodruff the u. N. Human Rights Office accused turkey today of widespread killings and other abuses, mostly against minority kurds. Investigators said roughly 2,000 people died during Security Operations in southeastern turkey, over 18 months. The u. N. Told of entire neighborhoods destroyed, displacing several hundred thousand people. In geneva, a u. N. Spokesman said turkey is hindering a thorough investigation. It appears that not a single suspect was apprehended and not a single individual was prosecuted for violations that occurred during this period. The government of turkey has repeatedly failed to grant us access, but has nevertheless contested the veracity of the very serious allegations made in this report. Woodruff the turkish government says that 800 of the dead were troops, and that many others were kurdish rebels. Sreenivasan pope francis has now signaled that hed consider letting some married men become priests but within strict limits. He told a german newspaper the men would have to be older, with proven character. And, theyd serve only where theres a shortage of clergy. Woodruff back in this country, theres word that the death of russias u. N. Ambassador was due to a heart attack. Vitaly churkin collapsed in his office last month. The Associated Press cites a senior new york city official who says there was no sign of foul play. The state department has asked the city not to release the autopsy results, in accordance with diplomatic protocol. Sreenivasan House Republicans pushed through legislation today to sanction lawyers and others who file frivolous lawsuits in federal courts. It does not change the standard for determining whether a suit is frivolous, but it does require judges to impose penalties. And on wall street today, the Dow Jones Industrial average gained 44 points to close near 20,903. The nasdaq rose almost 23 points, and the s p 500 added seven. For the week, all three indexes were down slightly. Sreenivasan still to come on the newshour perspective on the replacement Healthcare Plan from a key g. O. P. Committee chair; conduct unbecoming in the u. S. Armed forces; mark shields and Michael Gerson take on the weeks political news, and much more. Woodruff before the Congressional RepublicansHealth Care Plan can get a final vote in the house of representatives, it needs to clear one more hurdle the house Budget Committee. We turn now to the chairman of that committee, representative diane black. She was among a handful of Republican Leaders who met with the president at the white house today, and she joins us from nashville, tennessee. Chairman black, thank you very much for talking with us. So when this bill went through the other two committees in the house ways and means, energy and commerce, vote was along party lines, all voted for it. Is that going to happen on the Budget Committee next week . I think well see a similar thing. I dont anticipate well have democrat votes with us, but well continue to move along in the process and give them the opportunity to vote with us. Woodruff do you expect defections from republicans . I anticipate well have good conversation as we have in the ways and means smitty as i am a member after 18 hours of good dialogue and making a lot of good points, i anticipate well have all members of our Committee Supporting this measure. Woodruff what is your answer to the conservative complaint or concern at this point that what you have in this legislation, among other things, is what they call a new Entitlement Program with these refundable tax credits . Well, this is a way in which we can give people an opportunity, its a very small portion of our popation, you knw most people have their insurance through their employer. But weve got about 4 to 5 of our population who doesnt have that opportunity, so this gives them, as those who have insurance through their employer, that is a taxfree benefit that they have, and for those who arent as fortunate to have an imhoir that provides that insurance, this gives them an opportunity to be in the marketplace. The important part of this is they are in the marketplace where they can make a decision about who it is they would like to get their insurance through so we believe this is a fairness issue. Woodruff as you know your conservative colleagues are saying they see its a government guarantee and they dont like it. Well, they have that opportunity to make those comments and make their points. Thats what the whole process is about. Thats the great thing about being in the legislature is a lot of good discussion and sometimes really heavy conversations, but i think at the end of the day that youre going to see that this bill is going to be successful, and thats because our healthcare gym right now is failing. Here in the state of tennessee, my great state, we actually have parts of our state that have no insurers left in the marketplace. We have to rescue people. We have calls in our office about premiums going up, copays and people saying i cant afford this anymore, please help us out. So were attempting to rescue people so they can get patient care or patientcentered Health Insurance that will be what they want at a price they can afford. Woodruff let me ask you about the complaints on the other side from democrats and moderates in your own party saying people who can barely afford Health Coverage now wont be able to afford it, with the medicaid changes, changing the way medicaid is handled, by year 2020, there is even conversation about moving that earlier in your own state of tennessee. There was a state today from the Hospital Association saying theyre concerned about what they say are 230,000 tennesseans who depend on the kind of coverage and the existing law. How will you deal with that . Well, first of all, we want to make sure everyone knows that were not going to pull the rug out from underneath of them. But what we want to to is open the marketplace back up again and allow more competition. Insurance companies, and look at the coopens, out of 23, 18 are gone, which meant, here in my state whrks enwe lost that coop, over 20,000 people that were in that healthcare policy lost their insurance because you just cant afford it when it is governmentrun, and there are so many requirements put on it, it drives the cost of the policy up. Woodruff what about the 30,0030,000 tennesseans cited be Hospital Association in your state as standing to lose coverage . Well, theyre not going to lose coverage. Thats what i want people to know. I want people to understand we are not pulling the rug out. We are still going to have medicaid there for them, but it is going to be changed in the way its done where its more patientcentered. Were also going to give states an opportunity to make the decision about how they best can use those dollars. Whats good for new york around california is not necessarily whats good for here in the state of tennessee, and well allow the governor here in our state to make the decision about how best to spend those dollars sent down from washington for medicaid and for those that are in that space. Woodruff quick final question, chairman black, and that is on the Congressional Budget Office expected to put out its projections on how many people will be covered, how many will lose coverage. Will your committee look at that information, take it seriously, or, tas white house is suggesting, that it really doesnt matter what the Congressional Budget Office says . We always take what the Congressional Budget Office gives us very seriously and we will look at that. It may be when we get the scores back that we tweak things one way or another. It will not be done in the house Budget Committee. It will be done through another process once it gets into the rules, but we do take that seriously and we will be looking at that and i making decisions about whether there needs to be some adjustments. Woodruff chairman diane black, chairman of the house Budget Committee, thank you for talking with us. Youre welcome, thank you for having me. Sreenivasan we turn now to a growing scandal in the u. S. Marine corps, where male marines have been caught sharing sexually explicit photos of female marines, without t