February 3, 2021 - PBS NewsHour full episode

Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives are roiling Wednesday over the fate of two members -- and perhaps, of the party itself. At the same time, Republicans and Democrats in the Senate made a bipartisan move forward at the Capitol. Congressional correspondent Lisa Desjardins reports.

John Danforth, a former Republican senator, garnered attention last month when he denounced Sen. Josh Hawley's role in the Capitol attacks and expressed regret over his previous support for the Missouri lawmaker. He joins Judy Woodruff to discuss his views on the modern-day Republican Party, former President Trump's impeachment, and the impact of questioning the legitimacy of the election.

In our news wrap Wednesday, police in Myanmar charged ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi with possessing illegally imported "walkie-talkies, the U.S. passed 450,000 deaths from COVID-19, President Biden voiced openness to lowering the price of his $1.9 trillion aid plan, and a coalition of 180 groups calls for an international boycott of next year’s winter Olympics in Beijing.

The U.S. and Russia on Wednesday extended the only remaining treaty that limits the deployment of nuclear weapons. But did the agreement go far enough? Rose Gottemoeller, a distinguished lecturer at Stanford University who served as undersecretary of state for arms control and international security during the Obama administration, joins Nick Schifrin to discuss the New START treaty.

In Arizona, people are feeling the impact of President Biden's order to halt border wall construction. While the wall's presence has already had a profound impact on border communities, its enduring legacy under a new president remains unclear. Amna Nawaz reports.

In late January, a handful of unlikely Wall Street stocks began skyrocketing in value, which has led to big market volatility. The spike was driven by an unconventional group of traders who had banded together on a buying spree, determined to take on the market. Paul Solman reports as part of our economic series, "Making Sense."

The questions around when to re-open more schools for in-person classes remains front and center for millions of Americans. Data show about 42 percent of all students between kindergarten and high school are in virtual-only schooling right now. Christopher Morphew, dean of the School of Education at Johns Hopkins University, joins Stephanie Sy to discuss.