June 26, 2020 - PBS NewsHour full episode

In our news wrap Friday, city crews in Seattle tried to clear away protesters’ so-called “occupied zone” but were blocked when demonstrators chanted their resistance and lay down in front of heavy equipment. Police stood by but did not intervene. Also, the Minneapolis City Council voted unanimously to dismantle its police department, which could lead to a November ballot measure on a new agency.

The fate of the Affordable Care Act, often referred to as Obamacare, is on the line again. The Trump administration has filed a brief with the Supreme Court arguing the law, through which 23 million Americans get health insurance, is unconstitutional. Judy Woodruff talks to Andy Slavitt, former acting administrator of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, about the law's sweeping reach.

The epicenter of the coronavirus in the U.S. appears to be shifting south and west, with some states that were among the first to reopen, like Arizona, experiencing a surge of cases. As officials renew efforts to slow the virus’ spread, however, they are encountering some resistance. Stephanie Sy reports.

Protests against racial injustice and police violence have dominated the American national conversation in recent weeks, but there are also major concerns about racial disparities in the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. For the White House view on these topics, Yamiche Alcindor turns to Ja’Ron Smith, deputy assistant to President Trump and deputy director of the Office of American Innovation.

The roughly 700,000 residents of Washington, D.C., have no voting representation in Congress -- yet pay more taxes per capita than anyone else in the U.S. On Friday, the House of Representatives voted for the first time ever to turn the nation’s capital into its 51st state. But D.C. statehood is not likely to happen soon, for reasons both constitutional and political. Lisa Desjardins reports.

As the Black Lives Matter movement strengthens nationwide, calls are increasing for equity in all sectors of American life -- including on Broadway. An all-star cast of Black theater artists has launched a new effort, Black Theatre United, that aims to elevate Black voices within the arts and beyond. Jeffrey Brown reports for our ongoing coverage of Race Matters and arts and culture, Canvas.

As the United States approaches another coronavirus milestone, with nearly 125,000 deaths from the disease, we look back at the lives of a few of those lost. Judy Woodruff shares their stories.

Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks join Judy Woodruff to discuss the week in politics, including polling on President Trump’s job performance, the federal response to a surging coronavirus pandemic, the administration’s effort to strike down the Affordable Care Act, congressional divergence on police reform and whether Washington, D.C., will become a state.