December 18, 2019 - PBS NewsHour full episode

More than 300,000 people in the U.S. suffer severe spinal cord injuries -- life-changing events with far-reaching consequences. But at Kentucky’s University of Louisville, new research is giving dozens of paralyzed people hope for potentially regaining some of what they have lost. William Brangham reports.

The House is facing a moment of truth: the looming impeachment of President Trump on charges of abusing his power and obstructing Congress. As lawmakers took up the matter, Democrats argued that they must hold Trump accountable for his handling of Ukraine policy, while Republicans insisted the entire investigation is an unjustified “sham.” Lisa Desjardins reports and joins John Yang to discuss.

Our panel analyzes a momentous day in the House. Third Way managing director and former House Intelligence Subcommittee staff director Mieke Eoyang, former House Intelligence Committee staff director Michael Allen of Beacon Global Strategies and Robert Costa of Washington Week and The Washington Post join Lisa Dejardins, Nick Schifrin and John Yang to discuss the impeachment developments.

For decades, California has been largely an afterthought in Democratic presidential primaries. But this year, the state moved up its contest to Super Tuesday -- thus increasing its level of influence on winnowing a crowded candidate field. Stephanie Sy reports and joins John Yang to discuss how California’s diverse electorate and experimentation with progressive policies could shape the 2020 race.

After a historic turnout from Generation Z in the 2018 midterm elections, Democratic presidential candidates are heavily courting young voters. Our Student Reporting Labs reached out to teenagers around the country to understand what issues they care about and what questions they would like to hear the candidates answer at the NewsHour/Politico debate on Thursday.

In our news wrap Wednesday, a federal appeals court struck down part of the Affordable Care Act but stopped short of throwing out the entire law. The three-judge panel agreed with a lower court that the individual mandate to buy health insurance is unconstitutional. Also, a New York judge dropped state charges of mortgage fraud against former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort.

Wednesday’s House proceedings represent only the third time in U.S. history that the body has debated impeaching a president. What has changed in the decades since previous impeachment processes -- and what hasn't? Yale University professor Beverly Gage joins John Yang to discuss the role of the modern media, varying reliance on the courts and whether impeachment has become a partisan tool.

Our panel analyzes the impeachment of President Trump after a marathon day of debate in the House. Lisa Desjardins reports and joins Third Way managing director and former House Intelligence Subcommittee staff director Mieke Eoyang, former House Intelligence Committee staff director Michael Allen of Beacon Global Strategies, Nick Schifrin and John Yang to discuss a historic day on Capitol Hill.