July 9, 2019 - PBS NewsHour full episode

In the 1992 U.S. presidential election, Texas billionaire Ross Perot earned 19 percent of the popular vote, making him the most successful third-party candidate since Teddy Roosevelt in 1912. Perot died Tuesday at age 89 from leukemia. To remember him, Judy Woodruff talks to NewsHour co-founder Jim Lehrer about Perot's authenticity, passion for ideas and desire to use his own resources for good.

Across the country, more state laws are aligning with voter attitudes about recreational use of marijuana. The wave of cannabis legalization has had a significant influence on individuals, communities and governments, and driven the development of a burgeoning commercial industry. William Brangham begins our series on marijuana with a look at what has changed in states that have legalized it.

Two major earthquakes have rocked Southern California in the past week, prompting questions about whether residents and the government are prepared for an even bigger one. Science reporter Jacob Margolis of KPCC public radio examines those questions in his podcast, “The Big One: Your Survival Guide,” and explains to Judy Woodruff how to prepare for a potentially devastating earthquake.

The Affordable Care Act is again facing a critical legal challenge, as a federal appeals court in New Orleans considers a lower court’s ruling that the law is unconstitutional. The Justice Department isn't defending the law, but Democratic lawmakers and officials are. John Yang talks to Axios' Sam Baker about the legal test and how the law's provisions extend beyond individual health insurance.

New charges against billionaire Jeffrey Epstein have brought renewed attention to the problem of sex trafficking in the U.S. What is the scope of this disturbing criminal underground, and how does it prey on marginalized children? Lisa Desjardins talks to Yasmin Vafa of Rights4Girls about how the Epstein case aligns with patterns she sees daily, in which powerful men exploit vulnerable youth.

In our news wrap Tuesday, the Justice Department lost its bid to bring in new lawyers for the battle over adding a citizenship question to the 2020 census. A federal judge in New York called the request “patently deficient.” Also, a federal appeals court says President Trump may not ban critics from his Twitter account on the grounds doing so violates the First Amendment rights of those blocked.