Politics and views in the United States.

Speaker Johnson commits to avoiding a government shutdown. Republican Senators call for a trial of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. And a Democratic Senator aims to ensure protection for IVF nationwide.

TRANSCRIPT

Welcome to 2024 Talks, where we're following our democracy in historic times.

We believe that we can get to agreement on these issues and prevent a government shutdown, and that's our first responsibility.

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson reportedly committed to trying to avoid a government shutdown at what's being described as an intense Tuesday meeting with President Joe Biden and other congressional leaders.

But there are still questions about how to get there by Friday.

Johnson says the border is a catastrophe and remains a top priority, while Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer wants aid for Ukraine.

But he can't say it won't do Ukraine until we get border.

He's tried to do border for six months and couldn't come up with a single Democratic vote.

The Senate has passed a foreign aid package, including billions for Ukraine, after Republicans killed a bipartisan immigration deal at the instruction of former President Donald Trump.

Johnson has refused to let the House take up the aid package.

In the Alabama Supreme Court's rule that embryos have the rights of children, Senate Democrats are backing nationwide protections for in vitro fertilization.

Illinois' Tammy Duckworth, who has had children via IVF, is sponsoring federal protections for families who want fertility treatments.

After Roe v.

Wade was overturned, actually even before then, when Donald Trump promised to only appoint justices who would overturn it, I warned that red states would come for IVF, and now they have.

Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Whip John Thune are calling for a Senate trial of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

The House passed Mayorkas' impeachment charges by a single vote in spite of objections from Democrats that he committed no high crime or misdemeanor.

Thune insists the Secretary's actions are a miscarriage of the law.

We ought to be conducting a trial in the United States Senate to determine, again, whether or not these are impeachable offenses.

It's expected Trump and Biden will win Michigan's presidential primary, but observers will be watching for protest votes.

A large number of Democrats opposed to White House Gaza policy may vote uncommitted.

Arizona GOP lawmakers want a ballot referendum to tighten immigration verification for independent subcontractors and make it harder for migrants to access public benefits.

Some are drawing parallels with SB 1070, a controversial 2010 law some say led to racial profiling.

Alejandra Gomez with Living United for Change in Arizona says they're ready for a fight at the ballot box.

We are not the Arizona of 2010.

We are the Arizona of 2024, and this coalition is a powerful coalition, and we will not stand for the division and for the hate.

Finally, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre has a harsh reply to recent comments from Donald Trump about African Americans.

The Republican frontrunner recently said Blacks are starting to support him because they know what it's like to face four criminal trials.

Jean-Pierre, who is Black, calls that repugnant and divisive.

It is profane to compare the long, painful history, the long, painful history of abuse and discrimination suffered by Black Americans to something that is totally different.

I'm Alex Gonzalez for Pacific Network and Public News Service.

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