Situation even worse. And no apology. I have jokes. He has the launch codes. So a fair fight. Reporter steven come bert dresses his rant about the president expressing only minimal regrets. I would change a few that were cruder than they needed to be. Will that be enough to satisfy his critics. Today, thursday, may 4th, 2017. Good morning. Welcome to today. Its a thursday morning. We have matt on assignment. Craig is here. Happy for Prince Phillip. He deserves to retire. Who was hoping that announcement was going to be a wedding announcement . A lot of folks were harry. Well have to wait for that announcement. Well have more on what the news is about, but lets start with the somehowdown on capitol hill. A vote happening today on the republicans long promised health care overhaul. This is less than two months after similar bill was scrapped over fears it wouldnt pass. Now the House Majority leader says things are different. They have the votes. We have in depth coverage this morning. Well start with Kristen Welker. Reporter good morning. That vote could come in just a few hours. The dramatic developments following a series of false starts after President Trumps initial push for Health Care Reform failed. Gop leaders insisting they have the votes. The white house more measured calling this a positive development. After a period of flatline, the republican push to repeal and replace obamacare suddenly has a pulse. Tomorrow we begin the end of obamacare once and for all. Find votes, theyll vote. Do they have enough to get it past . The breakthrough coming after key Republican Leaders met with President Trump at the white House Wednesday to push a new compromise amendment. The deal would provide 8 billion over five years to reduce payments for living with preexisting conditions resolving concerns the initial bill didnt sufficiently cover that bill. Something the president has promised. Preexisting conditions are in the bill, and i mandate it. Reporter but there is still fierce opposition. Two powerful groups the american medical association, and aarp, saying the fix could increase prices. Democratic House Minority leader nancy pelosi taking aim overnight. Trump care would raise your health cos, coverage of millions of americans and undermine a womans right to choose. Reporter still, these could be steps toward a legislative victory for President Trump who made overhauling health care a key promise. We have to repeal and replace obamacare. Reporter mr. Trump had an embarrassing defeat in march when the initial effort failed. This morning his fight appears to have new life. The bill hasnt been reviewed publicly. The its not clear how much it will cost. Even if it passes the cost, there will be opposition in the senate. Later today President Trump will sign a controversial executive order aimed at easing restrictions on political activity by churches and charities. That move is being cheered by conservatives but opponents warn it could lead to discrimination. Kristen welker at the white house. Lets turn to Nicole Wallace. Here we go again. Everything is on the line for republicans. They campaigned on thi and replace for seven years now. And they really obviously feel like the political idea is we have to try. Thats the politics. But to pick off where the story left off. The final breath of life came from putting 8 billion on the table for preexisting conditions. The good news is this shifted the goal post on covering preexisting conditions. Thats where the Grass Roots Energy was. People were showing up telling terrifying stories about family members. You had jimmy kimmel talking about his son. That obviously had an affect on the politics. The politics are now do or do for republicans. The nonpartisan cbo hasnt scored this legislation. We dont know how many people will lose or gain coverage and we dont know how much its going to cost. One sixth of the american economy. Whats the thinking in not waiting until the cbo can score this . Its not very good i dont think we should skip over the fact that last time the democrats paid a political price because i think it was nancy pelosi that said well read it after we pass it. Republicans are taking the same foolish rush to pass something not everybody has read. And remember the civics. There are two branches of congress who would like to weigh in. The house could pass it but the senate is another calculation. And thats exactly where your point comes in. The shortsightedness of going for the political, spiking the ball in the end zone, of trying to get the votes today in the house, could really sort of bite them in the end when this goes to the senate and theyre the more deliberate body and they take a harder look and obviously the cbo will have scored it. If they find holes in the policy, it could blow up in their face. You say they have the votes . They say they have the v. If they do, were analyzing a political victory because on the stance, they could get tripped up in the senate. The Health Care Vote is not the only thing to watch for on the hill. James comey will be back in the hot seat a day after telling lawmakers he stands by his decision to reopen the investigation into Hillary Clintons emails days before the election. Peter alexander has more on that. Peter, good morning. Reporter good morning to you. Hes welcome a lightning rod for criticism after the role he played in last years election. This morning james comey is speaking out for the first time in terms weve never heard him before. Publicly explaining his decision in last falls october email surprise. Everybody who disagrees with me has to come back to october 2nd with me and stare. Reporter distress but no regrets. It makes me mildly nauseous to think we may have had impact on the election, but it wouldnt change the decision. Reporter james comey defending his decision revealing the fbis discovery of a new batch of Hillary Clinton emails. Potentially relevant to a case that was effectively closed. I stared at speak and conceal. Speak would be really back. Theres an election in 11 days. That would be really bad. Concealing in my view would be catastrophic. Reporter his candid comments hours after clinton blamed comeys in move in part for costing her the presidency. But i was on the way to winning until a combination of jim comeys letter and russian wikileaks raised doubts in the minds of people who were voting for me but not scared off. President trump tweeting comey was the best thing that ever happened to clinton, giving her a free passor deeds. Also revealed the details of that october email surprise. A total of 40,000 Clinton Emails forwarded by her aide to her husband Anthony Weiners laptop so they could be printed for the secretary of state. No one has been charged. Asked why it was appropriate to comment on the clinton case but not the russia investigation including possible ties to the trump campaign, comeys answer . I think i treated both investigations consistency under the same principal. Reporter he declined to answer whether the white house is cooperating with its russia investigation. And on the topic of kwewikileak he blasted it as intention porn suggesting the u. S. Government is preparing to file criminal charges against the founder of wikileaks. One other note, susan rice requested to come and the testify before congress but shes declining. Whats that all about . Reporter thats exactly what President Trump is tweeting about. Well put the tweets on the screen. He wrote susan rice is refusing to testify before a Senate Sub Committee next week on allegations of unmasking trump transition officials. Not good. Unmasking, to be clear, is the requesting of the identities of names and classified documents. Susan rice has repeatedly said she did nothing wrong or improper. This request and weve obtained the letter from her attorney, the request they say she declined because it came only from the Top Republican on that Senate Sub Committee, lindsey graham. Democrats had not joined in. They didnt want it to be a distraction from over witnesses next week, including the acting attorney general. Rice is willing to testify to help in congresss russia investigation at the appropriate time in a classified hearing. We peter, thank you. Now to the flooding emergency thats playing out across parts of the midwest and south. Days of heavy rain leading to evacuations. Hundreds of road closures and high water rescues. This morning new storms are not helping that situation. Blake mccoy west of st. Louis is with us. Good morning. Reporter good morning to you. Right now check this out. Major highways and interstates under water. Homes and businesses have been evacuated. Here in missouri alone at least five deaths have been attributed to this historic flooding. This morning in parts of the midwest and south, torrential rain is adding to already record flooding. This water front cabin no match for arkansass swollen current river. Down river water surging through a levy breach northeast of little rock. Officials washing its a life threatening situation. The black river tent National Guard troops now on alert. 6400 nearby residents told to seek higher ground. This couple left their house monday. Its cold. Its raining. Its bad. Id like to go home. Reporter overnight a new line of severe storms racing across the gulf coast. Up to four inches of rain pounding the area around lake charles, louisiana. Already hit by dangerous hail as the water continues to rise. This terrifying scene in louisiana as a school bus with kids inside comes precariously close to tipping over. The kids all rescued and okay this morning. Everywhere you look, water. All over stories of misery. Stacey robinsons basement flooded in 2015. She just had it redone three weeks ago. Now its under water again. I havent had it much sleep. Ive set my alarm for every 45 and check the road to see however its come up. Im wanting this rain to stop. I hate this. Reporter we have our drone out this morning to give you better perspective of the magnitude of the flooding. This is the Merrimack River outside of st. Louis swallowing all the low lying areas around it. Despite the new rain that weve been getting here, the flood waters are starting to recede. In the next 24 hours folks could be let back in their homes to see the damage left behind. Yblake, thank you. Back to the breaking news from Buckingham Palace. Prince phillip stepping down from his royal duties later this year. Reporter good morning. This is a momentous moment. Prince phillip, 66 years in the b. Initially, but hes the person the queen leans on for support and advice and often a good joke. It will raise questions about her role. From august it will be strange to see the queen without him by her side. The palace making the historic announcement this morning. Prince phillip, the single most important person in the queens life, standing down from royal duties. At 95 he will no longer carry out public engagements this year. The queen in full support. Hes retiring. I think hell be attending major royal events but no 9 00 to 5 00. Reporter this is how the world knows him, a loyal companion, always two steps behind the queen. He has been my strength and stay all these years. I think the queen is going to be moved and affected. Prince phillip has always been by her side. Reporter rumors started overnight reporting that a was called at Buckingham Palace this morning for all senior royal staff members. Initially the palace refused to reveal what the meeting was about, setting off a fire storm of speculation around the world. Media quickly gathering outside Buckingham Palace. The internet melting down. Prince phillip was seen enjoying himself yesterday attending an event at a Cricket Ground in london. Both royals enjoying a day at the zoo last month. Prince phillip was in and out of hospital a few times in the past years and royal duties can be physically demanding. The ball las quick to underscore the queen will carrie out her engagements as usual. She has delegated some duties and cut back on travels. And after fighting a heavy cold last christmas, she missed the Church Service for the first time. Reporter the queen will not abdica b royal duties. Perhaps well begin to see more of william, and Prince Phillip well mishis sense of humor. Yesterday he told people youre about to witness the worlds most experienced clak unveiler. I guess its too much. He has to retire from that. Reporter thats right. Other news, were learning about a tragic accident that happened at an auto auction northwest of boston. At least three people were killed. Nine others hurt after an suv driven by an auction employee accelerated and plowed through the crowded building. The jeep came to a stop when it slammed into a concrete wall. The driver was a man in his seths. He was unarmed. They are trying to figure out what went wrong. Reporte a massive phishing attack has millions of users on edge. Jo lean kent w need to know. Good morning. Reporter good morning. Millions of foogl users on high alert after a sophisticated new scam hit their e mimail inboxe affect more than just their g mail accounts. An email inviting you to view a google document from a trusted contact. But when you click the phony document, it gives hackers access to your g mail account. Phishing is a common tactic. The scammers went a step further sending a worm to your contacts, reproducing itself hundreds of times with one click. Chris got the email on his smart phone. This has me more on edge. Im surprised at how many people were affect bed by this, smart people. Reporter google says about a million were affected. Among the targets, u. S. Senate staffers instructed to delete the message and not click on the link. For those who did click, scammers got email history, including all the personal data sent or received in g mail. They could reset pass words for accounts. Email is a mess, and its not getting any better. People are only getting more sophisticated at hacking it. Reporter in a statement google added we were able to stop the campaign within approximately one hour. While contact was accessed and used by the campaign, our investigations show that no other data was exposed. Experts say although google issued a quick fix, hackers proved theres a new strategy thats effective and lucrative. These user names and pass words are being sold all over the dark web. You can package them and buy them and sell them for not that much money. Reporter there is no word on exactly who is behind this attack. Google says the issue has been fully resolved and users dont need to take any further action. If you did receive the email or youre worried,ou google security checkouts and you can always change your password. Jo kent for us this morning. This is something that happened to you yesterday. I got the email. I didnt click on the link. I thought if i look at it, it will infect my computer. Lots of folks yesterday. Lets check on the weather. Mr. Roker, yesterday Orient Express. Look at you now. Youre in front of the eiffel tower. Good morning. Im actually in another studio in new york city. Im really in new york. We got here early this morning. The venice Orient Express for a story well bring you later. The weather here is nice. But in the east back home . Not so nice. All that heavy rain that has been affecting and plaguing parts of midwest and the gulf coast is now moving east. Were looking at heavy showers and thunderstorms stretching across the gulf making their way into parts of midwest. Again, causing more flooding and then as we heavy thunderstorms push in. Major airport delays from d. C. All the way up to boston. Anywhere from three to five inches of rain in some places but widespread one to three inches. Well get to your local forecast coming up in the next 30 seconds. Off to a cool but sunny start. Its dry. You wont need the umbrella for today. 40s and 50s. Afternoon highs today up into the mid 60s maybe clouds will be increasing during the day. A chance for showers as early as 7 00. Rain chances around town probably waiting until about midnight. For tomorrow rain heaviest in the morning. And then showers in the afternoon and chilly weather for the weekend. Thats your latest weather. Coming up in the next half hour, looking at cooler weather affecting a good part of the country next week. Al, thank you. Coming up, Steven Colbert addresses his jokes. Why he says theres just within thing hes sorry for. And why facebook is hiring thousands of new workers to review what you see on the social network. First this is today on nbc. Narrator to do time is what is right. Ralph northam. Army doctor during the gulf war. Volunteer director of a pediatric hospice. Progressive democrat. In the senate, he passed the smoking ban in restaurants, and stood up to the nra. As lieutenant governor, dr. Northam is fighting to expand access to affordable healthcare. Ralph northam believes in making progress every day. And he wont let donald trump stop us. Just ahead, savanna predictable. The comfort in knowithursday. Predictable is one thing you need in retirement to help protect what youve earned and ensure it lasts. Introducing brighthouse financial. A new company established by metlife to specialize in annuities life insurance. 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