April 11, 2024 - PBS NewsHour full episode

GEOFF BENNETT: Good evening.

I'm Geoff Bennett.

Amna Nawaz is on assignment.

On the "NewsHour" tonight: The White House announces the largest expansion of background checks for gun purchases in decades.

O.J.

Simpson, the star football player and actor whose arrest and trial for murder captivated the nation, has died of cancer.

And the leaders of Japan and the Philippines meet with President Biden to discuss stepping up security guarantees in Asia.

ZACK COOPER, Senior Fellow, American Enterprise Institute: In both countries, these are going to be well-received, and they signify important progress at a critical moment, when China is pressing hard in the region.

(BREAK) GEOFF BENNETT: Welcome to the "NewsHour."

The Biden White House is issuing a rule designed to close a gap that allows gun buyers to avoid background checks.

Officials are touting the move to end the so-called gun show loophole, one of the most significant steps to crack down on unlicensed dealers in decades.

The rule requires background checks on buyers when dealers sell guns at gun shows, flea markets, social media or other places outside of brick-and-mortar stores.

Attorney General Merrick Garland today praised the effort.

MERRICK GARLAND, U.S. Attorney General: Under this regulation, it will not matter if guns are sold on the Internet, at a gun show or at a brick-and-mortar store.

If you sell guns predominantly to earn a profit, you must be licensed and you must conduct background checks.

This regulation is a historic step in the Justice Department's fight against gun violence.

It will save lives.

GEOFF BENNETT: We're joined now by Kris Brown, president of Brady, the nation's oldest gun violence prevention group.

Thanks so much for coming in.

We appreciate it.

KRIS BROWN, President, Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence: Thanks for having me.

GEOFF BENNETT: So, gun show sellers and online vendors have been subject to much looser federal regulation than vendors who sell from brick-and-mortar stores.

How did we arrive at this two-tier system and what's been the effect of it?

KRIS BROWN: The effect is individuals who are dying in this country at the hands of killers who have far too easy access to firearms.

How did it happen?

Because, when the Brady law was enacted in 1993, there wasn't this thing we call the Internet and gun shows weren't big business.

Fast-forward to today, all of these years later, and they are, right?

The way that the Brady law was worded was really focused on brick-and-mortar dealers of firearms.

As a result of the proliferation of gun shows and Internet sales, estimates show about one in five guns sold today are sold with no background check at all.

This new rule, which was issued pursuant to the bipartisan Safer Communities Act -- so Congress told ATF to issue this rule.

They didn't do it just sua sponte, of nothing, OK?

And 15 Republican senators voted yes on that bill, says that anyone who is actually in the business of selling firearms anywhere, whether it's at a gun show, whether it's over the Internet, has to be a licensed seller.

And this will significantly increase the safety and the efficacy of the Brady background check system.

GEOFF BENNETT: So this rule will be in effect in 30 days.

KRIS BROWN: Correct.

GEOFF BENNETT: And the White House says that more than 20,000 individuals involved in unlicensed dealings could be affected by these changes.

In real terms, what's the impact of that, 20,000 individuals?

KRIS BROWN: Well, actually, what they're talking about is 20,000 sellers.

So let's keep in mind that many of these sellers who are selling today at gun shows or on the Internet may not be selling one or two or three or four.

They may be selling many firearms.

In fact, what the White House noted in its talking points is, these unlicensed sales studies show, and ATF has data recently, a huge proportion of the trafficked firearms that we find committed in crimes come from these unlicensed sellers.

So the lifesaving potential is huge.

Again, hearkening back, one in five guns sold today, 20 percent of firearms, and millions are sold, right, are now potentially subject to this rule.

What's left undone is a universal background check.

We still advocate that.

And what would that mean?

That means, any time you ever do a transfer of a firearm, a background check happens.

This rule focuses on the commercial sale.

We want to ensure that it's a universal check.

GEOFF BENNETT: Well, gun rights advocates say that this rule and expanded background checks will put onerous restrictions on law-abiding citizens and won't actually stop criminals from getting guns.

Here's what Erich Pratt -- he's the senior vice president of Gun Owners of America.

Here's what he told us earlier today.

ERICH PRATT, Senior Vice President, Gun Owners of America: This is a restriction the Second Amendment.

It's not going to make people safer.

This rule will not stop bad guys from getting weapons, for starters.

You don't punish good people or restrict their rights because of what bad guys do.

GEOFF BENNETT: So, what about that, that the overwhelming number of criminals rely on illegal purchases, either from the black market or from straw purchases?

KRIS BROWN: Well, first of all, 15 members of the United States Senate who are Republicans, including John Cornyn from Texas, said that this exact law that was passed that ATF has now adopted here in this regulation struck the right balance and isn't infringing on people's Second Amendment rights.

So I would push back that anyone's Second Amendment rights are actually infringed upon here.

And looking at the rule and the details behind it, we have traffickers and sales that are illegal happening today.

And the harm that's being meted out is on victims of gun violence who are being killed because we allow people who are felons or domestic abusers to easily access guns through this loophole.

Today, that is being closed, and we think the balancing to save lives is the right kind of balance to make.

GEOFF BENNETT: As you mentioned, the Biden administration found a provision in existing law to get this rule done.

They're basically doing a work-around around Congress because of congressional Republicans, for the most part, and a couple of Democrats who have blocked universal background checks.

Are there any other novel ways you think this administration could push forward gun safety policy?

KRIS BROWN: Look, I think this administration has gone about as far as you can go without congressional action.

I think there are additional things that the Office of Gun Violence Prevention, which President Biden created, under the auspice of Vice President Harris, is doing, a whole-of-government approach, for example, thinking through how we procure firearms in this country, and making sure that any federal or state agency that is procuring firearms is only purchasing them from dealers who don't have a single crime gun associated with their business.

There are many things like that that this administration is looking at, and it can do.

But if we, as Americans, want to ensure that every single gun sale is subject to a background check, we're going to have to think about this in this next election and make sure we make that a priority, because only that authority can be provided by Congress.

GEOFF BENNETT: Kris Brown of Brady, thanks so much for your time and for your insights.

We appreciate it.

KRIS BROWN: Thank you.

Thanks for having me.

GEOFF BENNETT: In the day's other headlines: The White House today said it warned Iran not to use a suspected Israeli airstrike on its consulate in Syria as a pretext to escalate tensions in the region.

The U.S. also dispatched a top military commander to Israel to address Iran's repeated threats of retaliation.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hinted today that he would respond to any attack from Iran with force.

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, Israeli Prime Minister (through translator): We are in the middle of the war in Gaza, but we are also preparing for scenarios of challenges from other arenas.

We have a simple principle.

Whoever hurts us, we hurt them.

We are preparing to meet Israel's security needs both in defense and in attack.

GEOFF BENNETT: The White House also said today that it communicated to Iran that it was not involved in that strike in Damascus that killed a top Iranian military commander earlier this month.

Severe weather made its way up through the Southeast today.

At last check, more than 100,000 customers were left without power.

The storms had already hammered the South and Gulf Coast.

Crews surveyed the damage outside New Orleans, which was hit with eight inches of rain.

Tornadoes also tore businesses to shreds in the Houston area.

The weather also delayed the start of the Masters golf tournament in Augusta.

Officials in Russia say nearly 12,000 homes have been flooded and a region bordering Kazakstan as floodwater levels rise even further.

In Orenburg, Russia, drone footage showed rooftops barely holding above the waterline.

An unusual rush of snowmelt has forced more than 120,000 people from their homes across the region.

Today, Russian President Vladimir Putin emphasized the need to rebuild homes, his first public comments on the floods.

Ukraine's Parliament passed a new mobilization law today to boost its military ranks amid recent Russian advances.

It aims to limit draft-dodging in part by requiring men between the ages of 18 and 60 to carry documents showing they have registered with the military.

Protesters in Kyiv today were angry that the law sets no timeline for the demobilization of current troops.

KATERYNA KULIBABA, Ukrainian Protester (through translator): We are seeing a situation where the government is telling active servicemen to serve forever, since we don't know when the war will be over.

Frankly, there is no way the war will end soon.

Our boys and girls in the service are tired.

They have been fighting for two years, and no one is planning to replace them.

GEOFF BENNETT: Meantime, Ukrainian officials say that Russian attacks destroyed a major electricity plant near Kyiv.

Other power facilities were also damaged.

Federal authorities in California charged Shohei Ohtani's former interpreter with bank fraud today.

They say Ippei Mizuhara stole more than $16 million from the baseball star's bank accounts to pay off his own gambling debts.

The U.S. attorney says Ohtani is a victim and that there's no evidence he was involved.

E. MARTIN ESTRADA, U.S. Attorney, Central District of California: Our investigation has revealed that due to the position of trust he occupied with Mr. Ohtani, Mr. Mizuhara had unique access to Mr. Ohtani's finances.

Mr. Mizuhara used and abused that position of trust in order to take advantage of Mr. Ohtani.

GEOFF BENNETT: Ohtani said last month that he was saddened and shocked to learn that his interpreter and de facto manager had been stealing from him.

Mizuhara faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted.

Wall Street digested another reading on inflation today, this time wholesale prices, which rose again last month, though by less than expected.

The Dow Jones industrial average closed virtually flat at 38459.

The Nasdaq added 271 points and the S&P 500 tacked on 38.

And a passing of note.

Hawaii-born sumo legend Akebono Taro has died.

In 1993, the 6'8'', 500-pound wrestler became the first foreign-born grand champion in Japan.

His success and high-profile rivalries helped drive a resurgence in the sport.

Akebono died of heart failure while receiving care in Tokyo, where he lived for much of his life.

He was 54 years old.

Still to come on the NewsHour: right-wing Republicans block reauthorization of controversial foreign surveillance legislation; a look at efforts to develop climate-friendly shipping vessels; and a celebrity chef's controversial trademarking of chili crunch raises questions about food origins and culture.

O.J.

Simpson, whose murder trial captivated international attention for months, died yesterday of cancer.

His case dominated headlines during the '90s and was a prime example of people's fascination with celebrity and crime.

But the trial was about much more than that, highlighting major fissures in America and one whose legacy is still discussed some decades later.

William Brangham has our look.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: He was a football Hall of Famer, one of the greatest running backs of his generation, who suffered a precipitous fall from grace.

O.J.

Simpson's legacy would forever be tarnished by the 1994 murders of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ronald Goldman.

They were repeatedly stabbed to death at her Los Angeles home two years after the Simpsons divorced.

O.J.

Simpson was charged in their killings after blood was found in his home and on his car.

Millions of Americans sat glued to their televisions, watching as Simpson fled in a white Ford Bronco on the Southern California freeway.

Police trailed him for 60 miles.

He was eventually arrested and put on trial.

The country was similarly riveted by the nine-month-long televised proceedings, transfixed by the grisly details, allegations of domestic violence, and what would become iconic closing arguments.

JOHNNIE COCHRAN, Former Attorney For O.J.

Simpson: If it doesn't fit, you must acquit.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: It would eventually be dubbed the trial of the century.

CHRISTOPHER DARDEN, Prosecutor: He was also one hell of a great football player, but he's still a murderer.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: The case also further exposed the racism inside the Los Angeles police force.

All along, Simpson maintained his innocence, and he was ultimately acquitted.

WOMAN: We, the jury, in the above-entitled action, find the Defendant, Orenthal James Simpson, not guilty of the crime of murder in violation of penal code section 187.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Two years later, a civil suit filed by the victims' families found Simpson liable for their deaths.

His assets were seized, and he was ordered to pay over $33 million in damages.

They were never fully paid.

It was all a stark contrast to his younger days.

Hailed as one of the nation's top athletes, in the 1960s, Simpson was a decorated football star, an all-American at the University of Southern California.

He was awarded the Heisman Trophy in 1968.

And the next year, he was the number one draft pick, taken by the Buffalo Bills, where he went on to play nine seasons and was a five-time All-Pro.

Simpson parlayed his fame and trademark charm into a successful career on screen, most famously as the pitchman for Hertz rental cars in the 1970s.

He went on to act on TV and in movies, like in the late 80s slapstick "The Naked Gun."

Well after the murder trials, Simpson had another run-in with the law.

He was convicted of armed robbery and other felonies and served nine years in prison for stealing sports memorabilia in Las Vegas.

He claimed the goods had originally been stolen from him.

O.J.

SIMPSON, Former NFL Player: I have done my time.

I'd just like to get back to my family and friends.

And, believe it or not, I do have some real friends.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Simpson's family said he died Wednesday after battling prostate cancer.

O.J.

Simpson was 76 years old.

O.J.

Simpson's trial and his initial acquittal was an enormous moment of reckoning for many, exposing another stark racial fissure in America, in particular, the chasm between how Black and white Americans saw the police and the justice system.

The trial also underscored glaring issues in how we view domestic violence, interracial marriage and the growing culture of media celebrity.

Dave Zirin wrote about all of this in a piece in "The Nation" today titled: "O.J.

Simpson was a Rorschach test for America."

And he joins me now.

Dave Zirin, great to see you again on the "NewsHour."

You write in your piece -- quote -- "If anyone had illusions that the United States was in fact united, the O.J.

Simpson trial and subsequent verdict quickly put an end to that."

Remind us what the country experienced that day when that not guilty verdict came down.

DAVE ZIRIN, "The Nation": Wow, I remember it like it was yesterday.

That's how powerful a moment it was in the American psyche.

And what it revealed is that this country could have one common experience, watching this trial, and draw entirely different conclusions from it.

And it exposed that when it comes to the United States of America, there really is nothing united about it.

White people experience particularly the criminal justice system and police one way, and Black people experience it in a different way.

And out of that, you get a white opinion out of the O.J.

Simpson verdict that this was one of the great injustices of the 20th century, that someone just got away literally with a double homicide.

And then, on the other side, in Black America, there was an overwhelming belief that the police were corrupt, that O.J.

Simpson was railroaded, and that the entire situation stank so much of racism and tainted testimony that there is no way there should have been a conviction.

And so, therefore, the jury's decision was just.

So, what it really revealed was that you can have a common experience, but, then, at the end of the day it's viewed an entirely different ways based upon the color of your skin.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Going back to that issue of how a lot of white Americans saw it, you write how O.J.

being acquitted, to many, seemed like this is an example of a rich celebrity being able to buy and assemble this dream team that gets him past all of this evidence and gets him acquitted.

Do you think that is how a lot of people saw that?

DAVE ZIRIN: Oh, at the time, the discussion about O.J.

's ability to hire this incredible dream team of attorneys led by the legendary Johnnie Cochran, not to mention people like F. Lee Bailey, Barry Scheck, a group of people who everybody knew in legal circles coming together, people said at the time, a lot of people, this is not justice.

Even Chris Rock had a line in his stand-up act that said, if O.J.

Wasn't a rich celebrity with these lawyers, he'd be known as or Orenthal, the white lady killer.

And that was a stark statement.

But it was once something that was widely seen in the culture that, wow, if O.J.

is found innocent, it'll be because he hired the best that money could buy.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: And yet, as you also document in your piece, that, for so many Black Americans, this happening in Los Angeles, coming a couple of years after Rodney King and all of the revelations of racism in the L.A. Police Department, just seemed like, as you're saying, the culmination, this sort of apex of racial animosity towards Black people.

DAVE ZIRIN: Absolutely.

I mean, and the police chief, the former police chief by 1995, Daryl Gates, there was a very militarized approach to policing in what were called anti-gang initiatives in the Black community.

And that led to a great deal of violence and a great deal of mistrust, which is why, after the Rodney King beating, nobody in L.A. really saw it as just a Rodney King story, but as emblematic of how Black people and brown people were treated by Daryl Gates' police department.

And that's just in 1992.

So the city is actually still rebuilding by 1994, when the trial begins.

And so it's not like it was some distant memory.

It was part of a continuum for many people of a racist and out-of-control police department.

And then when there were revelations in the trial of legitimate police misconduct, that only sealed the deal for a lot of folks who thought to themselves, I'm not sure if O.J.

Simpson can get a fair trial in the city and county of Los Angeles.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Right.

And this all comes, as you also write that it's ironic, in a way, that O.J.

Simpson was the vehicle through which we start to even see this in its sharpest form, because, all throughout his career, he sort of steadfastly refused to talk about what it was like to be a Black man in America.

DAVE ZIRIN: Yes, O.J.

consciously positioned himself commercially as somebody who would be different from civil rights figures at the intersection of sports and Black politics, people like Jim Brown, for example.

O.J.

Simpson was not going to be that.

He was not going to be somebody who raised a fist on the medal stand at any ceremony.

He was going to be O.J.

Simpson.

Like he liked to say to reporters very famously: "I'm not Black.

I'm O.J."

And positioning himself commercially that way meant that there was a great distance between O.J.

Simpson and the Black community.

But as was said quite often in 1995, when O.J.

was arrested and put on trial, that was when he and a lot of other people discovered that he was, in fact, a Black man in the United States.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Dave Zirin of "The Nation," always great to talk to you.

Thank you so much for talking with us.

DAVE ZIRIN: Thank you for having me.

GEOFF BENNETT: Today, President Biden hosted the leaders of Japan and the Philippines and sent a strong message of unity to Beijing.

Nick Schifrin has been following these developments and joins us now.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Geoff, the administration calls it the U.S.' greatest strength, a network of alliances and partnerships.

The U.S.' oldest ally in Asia is the Philippines.

And, today, the relationship is expanding in direct response to actions by China.

With a camera and water cannon, the Chinese Coast Guard takes direct aim at a Philippine supply ship.

For weeks, Beijing's boats have harassed and even bumped Philippine boats trying to resupply a Philippine ship purposely grounded two decades ago inside the Philippines' Exclusive Economic Zone.

The U.S. calls these actions unlawful and coercive and is recommitted to defending its treaty ally, including today at the White House.

JOE BIDEN, President of the United States: Any attack on Philippine aircraft, vessels or armed forces in the South China Sea would invoke our mutual defense treaty.

NICK SCHIFRIN: This was the first ever trilateral summit between the leaders of the U.S., Philippines and Japan.

Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.: FERDINAND MARCOS JR., President of the Philippines: Today's summit is an opportunity to define the future that we want and how we intend to achieve it together.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida: FUMIO KISHIDA, Japanese Prime Minister (through translator): Japan, the U.S. and the Philippines are maritime nations connected by the Pacific Ocean and our natural partners.

NICK SCHIFRIN: This week, the three countries, along with Australia, conducted their first ever joint naval drills.

And, yesterday, the U.S. and Japan announced their most significant military cooperation upgrade in decades.

It's an effort to deter China by creating an arc of military alliances willing to confront Beijing together.

The U.S. had already agreed with Japan and the Philippines to expand U.S. presence on islands that are closer to Taiwan than they are to the capitals Manila and Tokyo.

FUMIO KISHIDA: China's current external stance and military actions present unprecedented and the greatest strategic challenge.

RODRIGO DUTERTE, Former President of the Philippines: We are deeply concerned about the ongoing trade war.

NICK SCHIFRIN: The Philippines' agreements continue to reverse the deterioration of bilateral relations under former President Rodrigo Duterte, and they embrace a legacy of cooperation under Ferdinand Marcos Sr., whose 66-year-old son today is trying to fortify his nation against Beijing.

FERDINAND MARCOS JR.: Facing the complex challenges of our time requires concerted efforts on everyone's part, a dedication to a common purpose, and an unwavering commitment to the rules-based international order.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Today's announcements also included the first Philippines infrastructure investment from a new U.S.-backed initiative designed to counter China's Belt and Road investments.

To discuss this more, I'm joined by Zack Cooper, a senior fellow at the Washington-based think tank the American Enterprise Institute.

Zack Cooper, thanks so much.

Welcome back to the "NewsHour."

How significant are the announcements that we heard not only today from the U.S. and the Philippines, but yesterday from the U.S. and Japan?

ZACK COOPER, Senior Fellow, American Enterprise Institute: These are huge announcements.

In both countries, the United States is making real progress.

I think the U.S. and Japan are announcing 70 initiatives.

But, in my mind, the most important are efforts to make sure that the U.S. and Japan can cooperate together on both capability development -- so, this is building new systems together, maintaining them together -- but also advancing our command-and-control facilities, ensuring that we can fight together more effectively if we end up in a contingency, especially one with China.

And then, in the Philippines, you have got a raft of announcements mostly focused on development in the Philippines, which is critical for people there, and also on cooperating more closely with Manila in the South China Sea.

So, I think, in both countries, these are going to be well-received and are real important progress.

They signify important progress at a critical moment, when China is pressing hard in the region.

NICK SCHIFRIN: And when it comes to what the U.S. gains from this militarily, what does this allow the U.S. military to have in the region that it didn't have a few years ago?

ZACK COOPER: At the moment, in the next couple of months, probably nothing.

But, over the long term, these are the foundational agreements that will allow the United States to be much more effective in how it operates in both the Philippines and in Japan.

In the Philippines, we have learned the U.S. has to have a sustainable presence, which means we have to have support from the people in the Philippines.

We had -- we didn't have that for part of our history, especially if you look back at the 1990s.

And these economic deals are going to have to show that the United States and others can bring real development to the Philippines alongside American forces that will help to protect Philippine interests.

In Japan, we're seeing the United States really build out its infrastructure, not just the people and the places that we're operating from, but also the command infrastructure to make sure that, if we're in a crisis, we can work closely with our Japanese allies.

So, this probably won't result in major changes today, tomorrow, but next year and the years to come, these are going to be really important moves.

NICK SCHIFRIN: I mentioned at the top of the story, and you just mentioned it now, those Chinese actions that the Coast Guards have taken off the Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea.

U.S. officials, as you know, are worried this could become a crisis.

Do you believe this could become a real U.S.-China crisis?

ZACK COOPER: I do.

I have been worried about Second Thomas Shoal for a long time.

If you look back at the recent crises we have had, Second Thomas Shoal has been among the most problematic, in part because China and the Philippines have very different views about what the status quo is and what should happen there.

And it's incredibly important to the United States because the U.S. has a mutual defense treaty with the Philippines, which specifies that an armed attack on a Filipino public vessel would call into question the U.S. treaty alliance guarantee.

And we have gotten very close to this in recent months, with China using water cannons against Philippine ships, with rammings happening almost on a weekly basis.

And so these are very, very serious incidents.

And I think you're seeing the Biden team step up and say, we just can't accept this level of risk forever.

And that's why they're moving now to tie Biden and Marcos more closely together and trying to do it with other countries like Japan and Australia.

NICK SCHIFRIN: I mentioned before the economic investments as part of today's announcement of the Philippines.

You have mentioned them as well.

Given the military progress that we have been discussing, has the U.S. made as much economic progress in the region?

ZACK COOPER: The short answer is no.

We have polling data out recently on this that shows that most countries in the region have actually been more convinced over the last year that the U.S. is losing the level of economic engagement they wanted to see.

The economic efforts by the Biden team, especially something called the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, have fallen flat in much of Southeast Asia.

And so this is probably the missing leg of the U.S. strategy in the region.

The U.S. is doing better in the Philippines than in the rest of Southeast Asia.

But there's a huge amount of work to do for the Biden team to convince Southeast Asian leaders and experts and publics that the U.S. is going to be there for the long haul and that the U.S. is going to continue to invest in the region, the way it has for so long.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Biden administration officials tell me they're trying to institutionalize days like today set on the calendar into the future, things like summits, whether bilateral or trilateral.

How much do we know if Donald Trump would maintain these kinds of minilateral arrangements, as we call them, if he were to become president again?

ZACK COOPER: I think it really depends on the institution that we're talking about.

A group like the Quad, which involves India, Japan, Australia, and the United States, that seems to me to be one that Trump is likely to continue supporting, so too with AUKUS, the Australia, United States, United Kingdom agreement.

I think some of these other trilaterals, especially if they involve countries that Trump isn't particularly supportive of, which -- and, here, I would look towards Europe -- those could be harder.

But I think, in Asia, the logic of these minilateral arrangements is quite clear.

And so I would hope that the Trump administration would do as they did in the first term and maintain these if Trump is elected in November.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Zack Cooper of the American Enterprise Institute, thanks very much.

ZACK COOPER: Thanks, Nick.

GEOFF BENNETT: Republican infighting continues on Capitol Hill, as House Speaker Mike Johnson tries to rally his conference into passing a consequential intelligence bill before the weekend.

A faction of House Republicans have blocked the reauthorization of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, known as FISA.

That's a federal law that allows intelligence officials to spy on communications of foreign nationals.

Let's bring in our congressional correspondent, Lisa Desjardins.

It's always great to see you.

So, where do things stand with this major intelligence program?

LISA DESJARDINS: This is a major program.

In fact, our intelligence agencies say this is one of the things that keeps Americans most safe, and it expires just over a week from tonight.

Last night, 19 Republicans, as you said, blocked a version of this, and there have been talks back and forth all day.

I have been on and off my phone trying to figure out what's going on.

I can report that there is a sort of gentleman's agreement to move forward, to have a do-over.

That process would need to start tonight, but it is tonight.

GEOFF BENNETT: Right.

LISA DESJARDINS: And they haven't actually begun yet.

We will have to keep close tabs on this.

There could be a vote on a new bill tomorrow.

But I want to remind people, as you said, what exactly this bill is, why we're talking about it.

Section 702 is something that allows intelligence agencies to collect the communications of non-American suspects overseas.

Now, this must be approved each time by a FISA court.

Now, as they do this, if they also encounter communications with Americans, they can use those communications.

The FBI does use them.

So there isn't technically a warrant for those communications, and that is the problem that some of these members have.

They think that this is something that is unfettered, and we know that there have been hundreds of thousands of times that this has been used for Americans.

GEOFF BENNETT: And that helps explain why this debate is so critical and yet so difficult.

LISA DESJARDINS: Right.

And one fact was given to me today that astounded me.

Sixty percent, I was told, of all the information going into the presidential daily briefing, the highest level intelligence briefing, 60 percent comes from this program... GEOFF BENNETT: Really?

LISA DESJARDINS: ... FISA 702.

Yes.

GEOFF BENNETT: Wow.

LISA DESJARDINS: And in addition to that, we know that this is something that agents in intelligence divisions are finding great alarm at if it actually expires.

This has prevented several terrorist attacks.

One thing that people should know about who -- and also captured terrorists, one example, notably, Ayman al-Zawahiri.

He was the number two in al-Qaida.

He is someone connected to the 9/11 attacks.

A drone strike took him out in 2022 because of this program, also connected with the bombings in the USS Cole.

We know 17 seamen died in that in 2000.

It's not just about terrorists either.

This exact program is something that sniffed out the hackers who took down the Colonial Pipeline, blocked it for a bit of time, and also retrieved the millions in ransom.

So those who support this, especially national security Republicans, say, for all of the problems that Congress has had, including on spending bills, potential shutdowns, that this is actually one of the most dangerous areas that they see a problem with.

GEOFF BENNETT: So what's the Donald Trump factor in all of this?

Because he is urging Republicans to vote against reauthorizing FISA.

LISA DESJARDINS: That's right.

Donald Trump tweeted out last night, very simple words, or over -- overnight two nights ago.

Simply, as he said, he wanted to kill the FISA bill.

And then he went on to say something else in that tweet.

He went on to say that it was illegally used against him.

Geoff, that's not true.

In fact, the program that was used against former President Trump, as he is claiming, is a different part of FISA.

There were wiretaps against some of the staff.

Carter Page, we have talked about on this program before.

Now, that is not the same as Section 702.

And, in fact, let's look at what then-President Trump tweeted about Section 702 in 2018.

He wrote: "This is not the same FISA law that was so wrongly abused during the election."

Why am I raising this?

When he sent that out in the middle of the night two nights ago, it absolutely affected the way that Republicans voted.

It absolutely affected them taking down this national security program.

We talk about President Trump's influence so often, but here he was influencing and blocking a national security program, whatever you think of it, using false information.

GEOFF BENNETT: So what happens next, Lisa?

LISA DESJARDINS: Right.

So now we have to see exactly what's happening tonight, if the House Rules Committee does meet, if they do move forward.

I wanted to talk to you about the different members of Congress who have problems with this on either side.

So, those members who are concerned about it, national security Republicans, they do say that, take away the shutdowns, take away the other issues, that this is a far more dangerous place to be.

REP. DAN CRENSHAW (R-TX): Yes, I'm concerned.

I have never -- there's a lot of antics up here.

I'm usually not concerned, right?

The world will keep turning.

America will still be -- will keep being awesome.

Yes, shut down the government.

OK, like, it's not the end of the world, let's be honest.

But you know what?

You lose our collection on our adversaries, that's one of the most seriously bad things that I can think of happening.

I have never been worried like I'm worried now.

LISA DESJARDINS: And Congressman Crenshaw there is not prone to hyperbole.

He doesn't say things like that usually.

But on the other side, we have those Republicans who say that this original version of the bill that they opposed and that they feel they didn't get the chance to change went too far and did not have enough protections for Americans here at home.

REP. SCOTT PERRY (R-PA): This reauthorization is not reform.

It is not currently reform.

It might be reform, depending on the amendments available.

But we already know that the one that protects your data from being bought by the FBI is not going to be allowed.

Somebody has to stand up for the Constitution and the rights of the American people.

And if I can't do anything else here in this House of Representatives, you can count me for standing up for that.

LISA DESJARDINS: House Republicans are unique in the way that process in the House is policy.

And those 19 Republicans talking to me say that they had a real problem with the process.

That's what they're trying to work out behind the scenes right now with Speaker Johnson.

However, even if they move forward at the fastest speed, there is a problem in timing, because now the Senate would have to pass a bill that changes tonight.

What's going on next week?

Potential impeachment in the Senate and also potential motion to vacate, also Ukraine.

The funding there could get caught up in this very timing net.

GEOFF BENNETT: All right, Lisa Desjardins, thanks, as always.

LISA DESJARDINS: You're welcome.

MALCOLM BRABANT: A stiff breeze in the southern Atlantic provides optimum conditions for this pioneering ship carrying 200,000 tons of iron ore from Brazil to China.

It's fitted with so-called WindWings, which enable it to maintain speed, while reducing dependency on engine power.

CAPT.

NOLI PARAUNDA, Master, Berge Olympus: In my 15 years as a ship captain, I have never been more excited.

MALCOLM BRABANT: Noli Paraunda from the Philippines skippers the Berge Olympus.

Just as aircraft wings create lift, these devices generate thrust when installed vertically and automatically adjust to wind speed and direction.

CAPT.

NOLI PARAUNDA: I firmly believe that our collective efforts can significantly reduce carbon emissions from ships and eventually realize our goal of zero carbon shipping.

JAMES MARSHALL, CEO, Berge Bulk: I think this is an all-hands-on-deck moment.

It's a critical point, and we all need to really pursue the war against climate change.

MALCOLM BRABANT: Ship owner James Marshall is so impressed, he intends to re-equip much of his 85-strong fleet.

JAMES MARSHALL: We're looking at, in good conditions, around seven tons of fuel that we save every day.

That's around 20 tons of carbon dioxide.

So we're hoping to remove nearly 5,000 tons of CO2 per annum using these wings on board one of our large ships.

MALCOLM BRABANT: So what sort of percentage of saving is that in terms of carbon for the voyages of that ship?

JAMES MARSHALL: It's around about 15 to 20 percent we hope to save.

MAN: Downwind for one final leg for Sir Ben Ainslie and Land Rover BAR.

MALCOLM BRABANT: And this was the inspiration for what may be a wind revolution, Britain's boat in the 2017 America's cup captained by Sir Ben Ainslie.

SIR BEN AINSLIE, Four-Time Olympic Gold Medalist: So, I have been a sailor all my life.

I love being on the water.

It's a great sense of freedom, really, to be powered by the wind.

And it's really amazing that this wing technology can now use the power of Mother Nature, the power of the wind to drive commercial shipping into the future.

MALCOLM BRABANT: We met Sir Ben at the secretive workshop building this year's America's Cup boat.

Are they wings or are they sails?

SIR BEN AINSLIE: They're definitely wings.

So they're not -- if you think of the old clipper ships from centuries ago, soft sails that powered them.

These are solid wings going on these modern-day ships that are really generating a huge amount of thrust.

And they're impressive bits of technology.

MALCOLM BRABANT: Shipping accounts for 3 percent of all the world's CO2 emissions.

Older vessels can sometimes be five times dirtier than newer ones.

There's been a warning from the International Maritime Organization that, unless stringent measures are taken, shipping emissions could rise by 50 percent over the next 25 years.

This ferry to the Isle of Wight off the South Coast of England is part of the necessary change.

KEITH GREENFIELD, CEO, Wightlink: Victoria of Wight's carbon footprint is about 20 percent less than a conventionally powered vessel.

MALCOLM BRABANT: Keith Greenfield's company operates Britain's first hybrid ferry as part of his green commitment.

Not all vessels are suitable for wind power.

KEITH GREENFIELD: She has electric motors, driving propellers, batteries, and then diesel generators that generate the electricity.

MALCOLM BRABANT: But what's the advantage of that?

KEITH GREENFIELD: Firstly, the diesel generators can operate very, very efficiently because they just hum away at the optimum revs, minimum emissions.

They pump up the batteries gradually, and the batteries do all the hard work.

MALCOLM BRABANT: Some of these climate change innovators are based in Portsmouth, home to HMS Warrior that combined wind and steam power nearly two centuries ago.

JOHN COOPER, CEO, BAR Technologies: If we're presenting the wing to a potential customer.... MALCOLM BRABANT: In a building overlooking the harbor, chief executive John Cooper leads a team working to convince owners of conventional cargo vessels like these that they should be sprouting wings.

He says they should pay for themselves in six years.

JOHN COOPER: We want to actually employ WindWings on as many of those fleet out there, because the biggest saving in carbon is not actually building new ships.

MALCOLM BRABANT: At present, only two vessels are using this system.

The other is the Pyxis Ocean, a Singapore-based bulk carrier.

A third, a long-range tanker, has just been ordered.

JOHN COOPER: Two years' time, up to 50 percent of tankers and bulk carriers will be ordered with some sort of wind proportion.

And BAR Tech, we aim to dominate that market.

MALCOLM BRABANT: How can you be so confident that it's going to be that big?

JOHN COOPER: The results.

They can't be ignored.

MALCOLM BRABANT: Yacht designer Simon Rogers is developing a rival system, which it's claimed will be even greener when it's ready in two years' time.

Besides clusters of three wings, solar panels power an electric generator, whose clean exhaust gases drive propellers.

SIMON ROGERS, Technical Director, Windship Technology: With our carbon capture system and heat recovery, we actually achieve true zero, so basically no CO2 and no black soot, basically.

The exhaust fumes that are coming out of the back of the vessel are actually breathable.

MALCOLM BRABANT: After leaving the European Union, the British government pledged to turn the country into an economic powerhouse.

But these British climate change trailblazers are struggling to unlock government support.

And as a result, WindWings are being built in Spain and China.

JOHN COOPER: I would love to build them in the U.K.

There is some hurdles.

The big thing that the U.K. government really needs to think about is import duties on some of these materials.

Here's another chance to actually bring a wind-powered technology to the U.K., and I hope we don't squander it.

MALCOLM BRABANT: The ferry company would like to upgrade to all electric vessels, but that's proving impossible.

KEITH GREENFIELD: The U.K. grid just wasn't really designed for what it now needs to do, which is to deliver power to us and to other businesses around the country in the way that we now need.

Like many businesses, we're clamoring for connections, but we're not being given any clarity as to when that will be.

MALCOLM BRABANT: On our return journey from the Isle of Wight, we had to make way for the Prince of Wales, a $4 billion aircraft carrier which has been an object of derision in Britain after being plagued by breakdowns, including a driveshaft problem.

So is it possible to fit warships with sails?

JOHN COOPER: Yes, of course, we could fit a WindWing to the aircraft carriers, but actually I don't think it's that practical.

The aircraft carriers do actually have a service speed of 30 knots.

And, therefore, actually that would be quite, quite fast for this wind-powered technology.

So we'd love to.

I think it would be more of a publicity stunt, rather than a reality, but, yes, we'd certainly pick up the phone to the Navy, that's for sure.

MALCOLM BRABANT: Warships aside, the future is looking bright, as shipping turns back to the future.

For the "PBS NewsHour," I'm Malcolm Brabant in Portsmouth.

GEOFF BENNETT: A hot debate over the ownership of a spicy Asian condiment has sent social media a frenzy over food, culture, heritage and business.

We're talking about the trademark battle David Chang has been spearheading to protect his brand.

He's the celebrity chef and founder of the Momofuku restaurant group.

And the backlash against what many call a bullying tactic has been swift.

Stephanie Sy picks up the topic in a conversation recorded earlier.

STEPHANIE SY: Whatever you call it, chili crunch, chili crunch, this stuff has been a staple in a lot of Asian kitchens for generations, including my own.

David Chang's Momofuku Chili Crunch is a relatively new player introduced in store shelves just a few years ago.

However, his company acquired the trademark for the name chili crunch.

That means other brands that use chili crunch can be found liable for trademark violations.

And, in fact, some makers of chili crisp have received cease-and-desist letters.

For more on this sizzling topic, I'm joined by James Park, who's written a whole cookbook featuring chili crisp.

James, welcome to the "NewsHour."

I apologize in advance for all the puns that will inevitably come out in this conversation.

Describe the reaction you have been hearing to Momofuku's legal moves here.

Is it fair to say there's an uproar?

JAMES PARK, Author, "Chili Crisp: 50+ Recipes to Satisfy Your Spicy, Crunchy, Garlicky Cravings": Absolutely.

This has been quite a hot topic in the past few days and the backlash since the news broke has been quite intense.

And the community has been a little bit disappointed and also hurt by this action, because Momofuku has been a pioneer and a leader of this Asian food and products in the ever-growing chili crisp category and market.

And because he's going after smaller makers that are often operated by just one or a few people, they're calling him even a trademark bully because they're targeting a smaller people who don't have a capital or team to fight against this action.

STEPHANIE SY: And what impacts are the makers of chili crisp really worried about?

Are they worried Momofuku Chili Crunch will gain too much market share?

Are they worried they will actually be put out of business if they have to change their names or fight a legal fight?

JAMES PARK: Yes, I think it's a little bit of both.

I think they're worried about one particular brand might dominate -- dominate the market, because they have all the money and lawyer team to fight against.

But, also, I think the small makers are feeling a little bit discouraged and intimidated to go against a big company, because they don't know they will be the next target or they don't know their business will be out of the action.

And also they are worried about not having the creative freedom to describe a product that they are really excited.

And naming a product can be crucial for the marketing and the introduction to the category.

STEPHANIE SY: OK, for people who don't use chili crisp -- and you're the expert -- what's a Western equivalent that can illustrate what a pantry staple this is in Asian kitchens?

JAMES PARK: Yes, it's such an important pantry staple, especially in my kitchen and many Asian Americans.

Think of it more as a hot sauce and sriracha.

It's really, really versatile.

And even though it started as a condiment, just only as a finishing touch, they are used more nowadays as a part of cooking and marinating and seasoning.

And in my cookbook, there are so many recipes that are really changing the ideas of chili crisp can be so much more than just a finishing condiment.

And it's an easy way to add spice, flavors, and also textures that's different from hot sauces.

It's really, really unique and very important in many Asian culture and flavors.

STEPHANIE SY: And some might say it would be like trademarking mustard or ketchup.

But Momofuku, David Chang, they do own the trademark.

They have every right, one would say, to enforce their trademark, especially since larger companies like Trader Joe's have created a very similar condiment.

Why isn't David Chang given any allowance here by his critics?

JAMES PARK: Yes, I think it would have been a very different story if they went for much larger businesses.

But I think the reason why the company is getting so much of a bad backlash is because the community felt this level of betrayal from him and his company.

They were creating a path for other Asian entrepreneurs to create a product that's getting more popular.

And just seeing someone that has already created a path targeting their own community, rather than cultivating and try to uplifting this market, is feeling more of a negative and betrayal feeling.

STEPHANIE SY: Now, I did some research, and Chang's company did purchase the trademark rights from a Denver-based company called Chili Colonial, which already owned the name chili crunch.

Some might say at least now an Asian chef owns it.

Do you have any thoughts on that?

JAMES PARK: Yes, so I mean, chili crunch is also -- that brand is also started as a Mexican chili crisp which we call salsa macha.

And as you can see, it's not only just an Asian product.

It also exists in Mexican cuisine.

And it is just a -- it's just a -- it's another evidence that shows how universal this condiment is.

And it should never be really capitalized or dominated by one brand.

STEPHANIE SY: What does this food fight and the ability to trademark a phrase as general and multicultural, you say, as chili crunch portend for other corporate branding battles?

JAMES PARK: Yes, if a general descriptive term like this gets approved, it opens this dangerous Pandora's box of brands and people try to claim their, like, other cultural products.

Jing Gao, who is the CEO of Fly By Jing, recently withdrew their application to trademark their terms sichuan chili crisp because there has been enough awareness and cultural movement that are about creating that product.

And it is -- it doesn't have to work as a way to protect the term.

And I know that, based on this, other terms like Italian chili crisp is also pending for trademark.

And if this action gets approved, who knows whether there will be other fight for Korean chili crisp or Filipino chili crisp, and something that should be used to celebrate the culture is just turning into a battle of who can acquire a term that's going to make more money.

And it's just not a way to celebrate this original marginalized community product that people are creating for passion and their love.

STEPHANIE SY: James Park, author of the cookbook "Chili Crisp," thank you so much for joining us.

JAMES PARK: Thank you for having me.

GEOFF BENNETT: And, as always, there's a lot more online, including a look at how some librarians have been fighting back in the face of book bans across this country.

That's at PBS.org/NewsHour.

And join us again here tomorrow night, as The New York Times' David Brooks and Ruth Marcus of The Washington Post weigh in on the week's political headlines.

And that is the "NewsHour" for tonight.

I'm Geoff Bennett.

For all of us here at the "PBS NewsHour," thanks for joining us, and have a good evening.