September 22, 2023 - PBS NewsHour full episode

On Capitol Hill, the fact that Congress is facing a looming government shutdown was perhaps not Friday’s biggest news headline; New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez, a Democrat and powerful committee chair, was indicted on federal corruption charges. William Brangham talks to congressional correspondent Lisa Desjardins about that case, as well as how lawmakers got around a block on military promotions.

President Joe Biden on Friday announced the creation of the first-ever federal office of gun violence prevention, which will be overseen by Vice President Kamala Harris and aimed at curbing the national epidemic of firearm violence. William Brangham talks to White House correspondent Laura Barrón-López about why this issue means so much to young voters, and what the office is designed to do.

The husband-and-wife creative duo behind the 12-member Tedeschi Trucks Band have been called two of the best roots musicians of their generation. But after a decade of success and touring, they hit a rough period after the death of a bandmate. Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks sit down with William Brangham to explain how the COVID lockdown helped them reset creatively and write new albums.

New York Times columnist David Brooks and Washington Post associate editor Jonathan Capehart join William Brangham to discuss the week in politics, including House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s scramble to avoid a government shutdown, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s visit to Washington and more.

After Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with U.S. leaders this week to urge them to continue sending aid to help fight the war against Russia, Nick Schifrin sat down in Kyiv with Oleksiy Danilov, National Security and Defense Council secretary, to discuss the state of the counter-offensive and the possibility that Congress might not approve a vital aid package.

The United Auto Workers expanded its strike to 38 more facilities in 20 different states on Friday. PBS NewsHour’s Ali Rogin reports on why more workers are joining the picket line, what they’re seeking and how it might affect consumers.