1 00:00:01,639 --> 00:00:06,360 Speaker 1: Now from our nation's capital. This is Bloomberg Sound On. 2 00:00:07,520 --> 00:00:10,040 Speaker 1: If people putt the country's on the wrong track and 3 00:00:10,119 --> 00:00:12,879 Speaker 1: are upset, it's usually really bad news to the party 4 00:00:12,880 --> 00:00:16,160 Speaker 1: in Valley that Democrats had a very difficult challenge on 5 00:00:16,280 --> 00:00:18,720 Speaker 1: their hands when it comes to the mid terms. Bloomberg 6 00:00:18,920 --> 00:00:23,280 Speaker 1: Sound On, Politics, Policy and Perspective from DC's Top Names. 7 00:00:23,560 --> 00:00:25,480 Speaker 1: If I think there's a lot of head up demand 8 00:00:25,640 --> 00:00:28,680 Speaker 1: for electing a woman hand, I think two could be 9 00:00:28,720 --> 00:00:30,520 Speaker 1: the year of the world, and I see this demand 10 00:00:30,600 --> 00:00:32,840 Speaker 1: that you have today as the baseline for the future. 11 00:00:32,880 --> 00:00:36,560 Speaker 1: It could means our economy is roaring Bash Bloomberg Sound 12 00:00:36,600 --> 00:00:43,880 Speaker 1: On with Joe Matthew on Bloomberg Radio. President Joe Biden 13 00:00:43,920 --> 00:00:46,519 Speaker 1: laid out a new round of administrative actions to address 14 00:00:46,560 --> 00:00:49,640 Speaker 1: the omicron variant as it sweeps the nation and threatens 15 00:00:49,720 --> 00:00:53,080 Speaker 1: holiday plans, and Democrats are vowing to move forward on 16 00:00:53,120 --> 00:00:56,000 Speaker 1: the social spending and tax bill after sender Joe manson 17 00:00:56,040 --> 00:00:58,600 Speaker 1: and torpedoed their current efforts. Were going to hear more 18 00:00:58,640 --> 00:01:02,440 Speaker 1: about that in a minute with Georgia Democratic Congresswoman Caroline Bordeaux. 19 00:01:02,680 --> 00:01:05,880 Speaker 1: I'm Emily Wilkins filling in for Joe Matthew with my 20 00:01:05,920 --> 00:01:09,960 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Government colleague Jack Fitzpatrick. Well, we are joined now 21 00:01:10,120 --> 00:01:13,880 Speaker 1: by a Congressman, Caroline Bordeaux, a Democrat from Georgia in 22 00:01:13,959 --> 00:01:18,080 Speaker 1: the Atlanta suburbs, one of the few freshman Democrats in 23 00:01:18,200 --> 00:01:21,800 Speaker 1: Congress this year. Congresswoman, thank you so much for joining 24 00:01:21,880 --> 00:01:24,679 Speaker 1: us today. I want to sort of start off with 25 00:01:24,800 --> 00:01:27,639 Speaker 1: the big news of the week, the build back Better 26 00:01:28,000 --> 00:01:30,840 Speaker 1: and Senator Joe Mansion saying that he can't support it. 27 00:01:31,280 --> 00:01:34,000 Speaker 1: You know, you, Congresswoman, you're a member of the financially 28 00:01:34,040 --> 00:01:37,240 Speaker 1: conservative blue dogs. Uh, you've sort of made your case 29 00:01:37,280 --> 00:01:39,200 Speaker 1: from the time that that you've entered Congress that you 30 00:01:39,200 --> 00:01:42,240 Speaker 1: really want to be pragmatic. Does Senator Mansion have a 31 00:01:42,319 --> 00:01:45,560 Speaker 1: point that this big, bigger bill needs to be slimmed 32 00:01:45,560 --> 00:01:50,320 Speaker 1: down to some degree? Well, I did be here, first 33 00:01:50,320 --> 00:01:55,680 Speaker 1: of all. Um, I was pretty disappointed in what he did. Actually, Uh, 34 00:01:55,960 --> 00:01:59,800 Speaker 1: we had worked very hard to try to put together 35 00:01:59,840 --> 00:02:03,000 Speaker 1: a bill that was in alignment with some of the 36 00:02:03,080 --> 00:02:05,960 Speaker 1: criteria that he had laid out on the Senate side. 37 00:02:06,120 --> 00:02:09,320 Speaker 1: Bill was really paid for, um, and it really addressed 38 00:02:09,360 --> 00:02:13,400 Speaker 1: some important me So I'm pretty disappointed at what's happening 39 00:02:13,480 --> 00:02:16,239 Speaker 1: right now that I am not about to give up, Pope. 40 00:02:16,360 --> 00:02:19,280 Speaker 1: I think we disdusted ourselves talk to go back and 41 00:02:19,600 --> 00:02:23,000 Speaker 1: we just start working on this again. So Congresswoman, we 42 00:02:23,080 --> 00:02:26,600 Speaker 1: had the House Budget Chairman John Yarmouth on yesterday and 43 00:02:26,639 --> 00:02:28,720 Speaker 1: he talked a little bit about, all right, if we 44 00:02:28,800 --> 00:02:31,799 Speaker 1: have to go with Mansion's vision of everything being extended 45 00:02:31,800 --> 00:02:35,920 Speaker 1: for ten years, no more than one point seven five trillion, 46 00:02:36,400 --> 00:02:39,320 Speaker 1: then you have to pick a few priorities, probably child 47 00:02:39,360 --> 00:02:41,600 Speaker 1: tax credit, and then what else. What do you think 48 00:02:41,639 --> 00:02:46,840 Speaker 1: you can actually fit into that kind of bill? Well, 49 00:02:46,880 --> 00:02:48,239 Speaker 1: I do think we have to go back into really 50 00:02:48,240 --> 00:02:51,200 Speaker 1: prioritized there. You know, there's a lot in that film 51 00:02:51,280 --> 00:02:56,240 Speaker 1: which I like, a lot um we can uh slimming 52 00:02:56,320 --> 00:02:59,880 Speaker 1: down some. And I think things that are very important 53 00:03:00,000 --> 00:03:04,079 Speaker 1: with people in my district are the health care benefits UH, 54 00:03:04,360 --> 00:03:08,960 Speaker 1: the premium tax UH subsidies and helps the cost of 55 00:03:08,960 --> 00:03:13,320 Speaker 1: health insurance premiums. Medicaid expansion is very important, Universal pre 56 00:03:13,440 --> 00:03:16,760 Speaker 1: k It's very important, of course, and then making some 57 00:03:16,880 --> 00:03:22,120 Speaker 1: down payments on tackling climate change is very important as well. Absolutely, 58 00:03:22,160 --> 00:03:24,400 Speaker 1: And I know that these are a number of things 59 00:03:24,440 --> 00:03:26,880 Speaker 1: that Democrats have really been pushing for, and I think 60 00:03:26,919 --> 00:03:31,120 Speaker 1: it's just worth noting in general that the bill, you know, 61 00:03:31,200 --> 00:03:33,440 Speaker 1: as I think you point out Congresswoman, has already been 62 00:03:33,440 --> 00:03:35,800 Speaker 1: slimmed down quite a bit. I mean a lot of 63 00:03:35,840 --> 00:03:40,600 Speaker 1: this bill, the amount of UH funding that's going toward it, 64 00:03:40,680 --> 00:03:43,440 Speaker 1: that one point seven five trillion number, the fact that 65 00:03:43,440 --> 00:03:45,760 Speaker 1: there are some very key components for climate that are 66 00:03:45,800 --> 00:03:49,080 Speaker 1: not in here. All of that has really been driven 67 00:03:49,600 --> 00:03:52,880 Speaker 1: by Senator Joe Manchin. Yeah, and it's really interesting to 68 00:03:53,040 --> 00:03:56,280 Speaker 1: hear the initial answer that even one of the more 69 00:03:56,320 --> 00:04:00,680 Speaker 1: moderate members, who had expressed some miss things about the 70 00:04:00,720 --> 00:04:03,680 Speaker 1: process of how this bill was put together and you know, 71 00:04:03,800 --> 00:04:07,240 Speaker 1: tying it with the infrastructure bill, says that she's disappointed 72 00:04:07,280 --> 00:04:09,440 Speaker 1: in Senator Mansion because I think one of the key 73 00:04:09,520 --> 00:04:14,040 Speaker 1: questions is is it Senator Mansion and maybe Senator Cinema 74 00:04:14,160 --> 00:04:17,240 Speaker 1: against the whole rest of the Democrats in the House 75 00:04:17,240 --> 00:04:20,599 Speaker 1: and Senate, or are they speaking for some quieter members. 76 00:04:21,279 --> 00:04:25,000 Speaker 1: To hear that from Congressman Bordeaux makes Mansion seem like 77 00:04:25,000 --> 00:04:27,720 Speaker 1: a bit more of a lone wolf than than even 78 00:04:27,760 --> 00:04:31,120 Speaker 1: I expected. I'm wondering, Congressman, I mean, what do you 79 00:04:31,160 --> 00:04:33,560 Speaker 1: see as the path forward at this point? Do you 80 00:04:33,560 --> 00:04:35,599 Speaker 1: think that Democrats are going to be able to get 81 00:04:35,640 --> 00:04:40,920 Speaker 1: something done and when do you expect that? Absolutely? I do. 82 00:04:41,120 --> 00:04:44,000 Speaker 1: And I don't know how many times this bill has 83 00:04:44,040 --> 00:04:46,960 Speaker 1: been declared dead and how many times the infrastructure bill 84 00:04:47,080 --> 00:04:51,880 Speaker 1: was declared dead. And I think it's really it's part 85 00:04:51,880 --> 00:04:54,320 Speaker 1: of the process. These bills have these ups and downs, 86 00:04:54,320 --> 00:04:57,560 Speaker 1: that hit the stalemates, that hit these walls. Of course, 87 00:04:57,560 --> 00:04:59,200 Speaker 1: it happens an awful lot when you're in a really 88 00:04:59,240 --> 00:05:02,040 Speaker 1: closely divide I did body as well, where we're just 89 00:05:02,320 --> 00:05:04,400 Speaker 1: the margins are so narrow, you're just gonna have that 90 00:05:04,480 --> 00:05:07,840 Speaker 1: happen an awful lot. Um. But the real key in 91 00:05:07,839 --> 00:05:11,880 Speaker 1: in politics and in policy making is being very persistent 92 00:05:12,160 --> 00:05:15,480 Speaker 1: and just keep going when you hit the roadblocks. Is 93 00:05:15,760 --> 00:05:18,160 Speaker 1: there a certain time, Congresswoman that you think that this 94 00:05:18,240 --> 00:05:21,000 Speaker 1: needs to wrap up by that Democrats need to either 95 00:05:21,080 --> 00:05:23,719 Speaker 1: have it done or you're getting too close to the 96 00:05:23,800 --> 00:05:28,560 Speaker 1: primary and the in the midterm season. Um. I would 97 00:05:28,600 --> 00:05:31,160 Speaker 1: obviously love to see it done in the three months 98 00:05:31,160 --> 00:05:32,800 Speaker 1: when we get back kind of the first quarter of 99 00:05:32,880 --> 00:05:36,479 Speaker 1: next year. I think that would be optimum. But that 100 00:05:36,600 --> 00:05:38,880 Speaker 1: being said, you know, I'm not I'm not given up 101 00:05:39,440 --> 00:05:43,120 Speaker 1: until I'm just not going to give up on these 102 00:05:43,120 --> 00:05:48,000 Speaker 1: issues at all, regardless of the elections. Um, the deal is, 103 00:05:48,080 --> 00:05:50,240 Speaker 1: this is about Medicaid expansions, bringing down the cost of 104 00:05:50,279 --> 00:05:54,000 Speaker 1: health insurance for people. It's about ensuring really critical investments 105 00:05:54,000 --> 00:05:57,680 Speaker 1: in our children, like universal pre K and that's what 106 00:05:57,720 --> 00:06:02,159 Speaker 1: I was elected to advocate for. And so, uh, sorry, 107 00:06:02,400 --> 00:06:04,920 Speaker 1: mansion is not there yet. We're just going to keep 108 00:06:04,920 --> 00:06:07,600 Speaker 1: working on it. So, so Congress, on one one more 109 00:06:07,640 --> 00:06:10,880 Speaker 1: detail I want to clarify. I believe last week the 110 00:06:10,920 --> 00:06:14,760 Speaker 1: White House Press Secretary mentioned that it looks like the 111 00:06:15,000 --> 00:06:18,000 Speaker 1: January child tax credit payment probably won't be able to 112 00:06:18,000 --> 00:06:20,080 Speaker 1: be made because that expires at the end of the year, 113 00:06:20,400 --> 00:06:25,200 Speaker 1: and they could double up in February whenever this finishes. 114 00:06:25,320 --> 00:06:27,320 Speaker 1: If you can get this kind of bill with the 115 00:06:27,360 --> 00:06:30,800 Speaker 1: child tax credit extended at some point, even if it's 116 00:06:30,839 --> 00:06:35,800 Speaker 1: in the spring, should Americans expect extra payments essentially to 117 00:06:35,920 --> 00:06:40,960 Speaker 1: be back paid whenever that becomes law. Well, we'll see 118 00:06:40,960 --> 00:06:46,360 Speaker 1: what the negotiation is. And UM, I certainly would advocate 119 00:06:46,400 --> 00:06:50,000 Speaker 1: for that. I don't want to underestimate the importance of 120 00:06:50,040 --> 00:06:52,279 Speaker 1: that payment to a lot of families in my district 121 00:06:52,440 --> 00:06:55,600 Speaker 1: who you know, they're working in service sector jobs there. 122 00:06:56,440 --> 00:06:59,120 Speaker 1: It's hard to make ends meet. Uh, in a lot 123 00:06:59,160 --> 00:07:01,720 Speaker 1: of these lower wage jobs these days, and that is 124 00:07:01,760 --> 00:07:05,320 Speaker 1: really important for those families. UM. So I think that's 125 00:07:05,320 --> 00:07:08,039 Speaker 1: certainly an option. UM. I think one thing that is 126 00:07:08,080 --> 00:07:10,960 Speaker 1: also an option is to focus the child tax credit 127 00:07:11,080 --> 00:07:14,160 Speaker 1: more on families in need um as a way of 128 00:07:14,160 --> 00:07:16,320 Speaker 1: bringing down the price tag. And so when I talk 129 00:07:16,400 --> 00:07:19,120 Speaker 1: to my constituents, I point out that I is a 130 00:07:19,120 --> 00:07:21,600 Speaker 1: member of Congress and getting the child tax credit. I've 131 00:07:21,600 --> 00:07:25,400 Speaker 1: got a nine year old son. And while you know, uh, 132 00:07:25,440 --> 00:07:28,840 Speaker 1: that's nice, I don't need it, and lord of people 133 00:07:28,920 --> 00:07:31,840 Speaker 1: in this kind of income bracket need it um. And 134 00:07:31,880 --> 00:07:33,320 Speaker 1: so I think there's a lot that could be done 135 00:07:33,360 --> 00:07:36,040 Speaker 1: to focus it more effectively on people who really do 136 00:07:36,160 --> 00:07:38,800 Speaker 1: need that benefit. Which is interesting because that that's a 137 00:07:38,800 --> 00:07:41,320 Speaker 1: point that Sender Mansion brought up it as well, that 138 00:07:41,320 --> 00:07:44,520 Speaker 1: that benefit could be a little more targeted. Congressman, I 139 00:07:44,520 --> 00:07:46,040 Speaker 1: also wanted to ask a bit. You know, the House 140 00:07:46,080 --> 00:07:48,440 Speaker 1: has already moved on the bill. It's now really in 141 00:07:48,440 --> 00:07:51,240 Speaker 1: the Senate's court, and you were a group, part of 142 00:07:51,240 --> 00:07:54,960 Speaker 1: a group of House lawmakers to ask House leadership if 143 00:07:55,000 --> 00:07:58,000 Speaker 1: they can focus more on legislation that deals with the 144 00:07:58,040 --> 00:08:02,080 Speaker 1: supply chain backlogs. What more does Congress need to do? 145 00:08:02,440 --> 00:08:07,680 Speaker 1: To address some of these bottlenecks absolutely, So you know, 146 00:08:07,880 --> 00:08:10,640 Speaker 1: BBB is one thing. We've handed that off to the Senate. 147 00:08:10,640 --> 00:08:12,280 Speaker 1: It's time for them to chew on it, and clearly 148 00:08:12,280 --> 00:08:14,160 Speaker 1: they're going to do that. But we do have some 149 00:08:14,200 --> 00:08:17,040 Speaker 1: real economic needs and we need to keep it tackling those. 150 00:08:17,360 --> 00:08:21,320 Speaker 1: We have legislation that is in the House, actually passed 151 00:08:21,320 --> 00:08:24,680 Speaker 1: the Senate already and it's been put over in our court, UM, 152 00:08:24,880 --> 00:08:29,920 Speaker 1: which is the Innovation and Competition Act, and that's all 153 00:08:29,920 --> 00:08:34,000 Speaker 1: about supply chains, unsticking them UM and making sure that 154 00:08:34,040 --> 00:08:36,960 Speaker 1: we are mapping our supply chains so we know where 155 00:08:36,960 --> 00:08:42,200 Speaker 1: their breakdowns and we're targeting resources uh two areas where 156 00:08:42,200 --> 00:08:44,319 Speaker 1: we you know, don't want we want to make sure 157 00:08:44,360 --> 00:08:46,960 Speaker 1: we don't have those breakdowns in the future. So I 158 00:08:47,000 --> 00:08:49,199 Speaker 1: think that's going to be really important as well as 159 00:08:49,280 --> 00:08:52,600 Speaker 1: just ongoing efforts to get the sand out of the 160 00:08:52,600 --> 00:08:56,000 Speaker 1: gears of the economy and keep things moving. Congress, someone, 161 00:08:56,000 --> 00:08:58,120 Speaker 1: I also wanted to spend a minute chatting about a 162 00:08:58,160 --> 00:09:00,800 Speaker 1: piece of legislation that you've introduced so that would actually 163 00:09:00,840 --> 00:09:05,000 Speaker 1: revitalize shopping malls across the US. UM. I know that 164 00:09:05,200 --> 00:09:07,640 Speaker 1: some of them have been particularly hard hit, especially in 165 00:09:07,679 --> 00:09:10,960 Speaker 1: the last couple of years. Is this something that you 166 00:09:11,040 --> 00:09:13,120 Speaker 1: expect to be brought up in the near future and 167 00:09:13,400 --> 00:09:16,640 Speaker 1: given a vote on Well, I I hope so. So 168 00:09:16,760 --> 00:09:20,240 Speaker 1: this is a great bill. Everybody all across the country 169 00:09:20,320 --> 00:09:24,720 Speaker 1: has dead malls in their community, and these are vast 170 00:09:24,840 --> 00:09:29,880 Speaker 1: acres of unused or under underutilized land, uh, you know, 171 00:09:29,920 --> 00:09:33,600 Speaker 1: in our suburban and urban areas, and we need to 172 00:09:33,880 --> 00:09:38,680 Speaker 1: renovate those and revitalize them. And this legislation would provide 173 00:09:38,720 --> 00:09:42,880 Speaker 1: a grant two localities that would be matched with a 174 00:09:42,880 --> 00:09:47,000 Speaker 1: guaranteed loan program to provide an extra incentive to developers 175 00:09:47,000 --> 00:09:51,040 Speaker 1: to redevelop Uh. These kind of abandoned areas, and they 176 00:09:51,080 --> 00:09:54,199 Speaker 1: just create this big hole in the fabric of our community, 177 00:09:54,400 --> 00:09:57,320 Speaker 1: and we really need to come up with innovative ideas 178 00:09:57,320 --> 00:10:01,280 Speaker 1: for how to reuse these spaces. So, Congresswoman, I have 179 00:10:01,400 --> 00:10:05,560 Speaker 1: to ask about the redistricting situation and your reelection going 180 00:10:05,600 --> 00:10:10,480 Speaker 1: towards the news being that your colleague, Congresswoman Lucy macbeth 181 00:10:10,840 --> 00:10:13,440 Speaker 1: has said she's going to run in the same district 182 00:10:13,520 --> 00:10:16,360 Speaker 1: as you. I believe this is a district where most 183 00:10:16,400 --> 00:10:20,040 Speaker 1: constituents are currently being represented by you. Obviously, the whole 184 00:10:20,040 --> 00:10:22,240 Speaker 1: map has changed, but she will be moving into the 185 00:10:22,280 --> 00:10:25,560 Speaker 1: district after her district being broken up. Uh. And she 186 00:10:25,720 --> 00:10:27,800 Speaker 1: I noticed a quote that she gave to the Atlanta 187 00:10:27,880 --> 00:10:32,520 Speaker 1: Journal Constitution on her appeal. She said, I have never 188 00:10:32,600 --> 00:10:35,760 Speaker 1: wavered on President Biden's agenda. I don't know if that's 189 00:10:35,760 --> 00:10:42,600 Speaker 1: specifically a a mention of you and other moderates expressing, uh, 190 00:10:42,840 --> 00:10:45,960 Speaker 1: some some misgivings about the process that the Billback Better 191 00:10:45,960 --> 00:10:48,440 Speaker 1: Act has gone through. But can you lay out for 192 00:10:48,520 --> 00:10:50,880 Speaker 1: us what's the what's the debate going to be in 193 00:10:50,920 --> 00:10:53,240 Speaker 1: your primary with one of your colleagues, and is it 194 00:10:53,320 --> 00:10:59,320 Speaker 1: focused on Biden's agenda? You know, I have said this 195 00:10:59,400 --> 00:11:02,840 Speaker 1: many times that I really ground what I advocate for 196 00:11:03,080 --> 00:11:05,840 Speaker 1: in what people in the seventh District need. And I 197 00:11:05,880 --> 00:11:08,080 Speaker 1: spend a lot of time out there talking with people, 198 00:11:08,120 --> 00:11:11,160 Speaker 1: talking with my business community, uh, you know, going to 199 00:11:11,200 --> 00:11:13,560 Speaker 1: the churches, the mosque, the synagogues, the temples. We are 200 00:11:13,679 --> 00:11:16,520 Speaker 1: very diverse community, and really listening to what people are 201 00:11:16,520 --> 00:11:19,800 Speaker 1: concerned about and when I advocate for things. I advocated 202 00:11:19,920 --> 00:11:23,160 Speaker 1: very strongly for the infrastructure bill, and that's because one 203 00:11:23,200 --> 00:11:26,280 Speaker 1: of the number one barriers for economic development in this 204 00:11:26,360 --> 00:11:31,360 Speaker 1: community is transit and congestion, and so I don't know 205 00:11:31,400 --> 00:11:33,120 Speaker 1: if it's a question of the Biden agenda or not. 206 00:11:33,720 --> 00:11:35,679 Speaker 1: I don't know about that. But really what I do 207 00:11:35,760 --> 00:11:38,520 Speaker 1: is I really focus on what we need, and every 208 00:11:38,520 --> 00:11:41,079 Speaker 1: time I'm up there in Washington fighting for something, it's 209 00:11:41,120 --> 00:11:45,560 Speaker 1: because it's grounded in the needs of this community. Congressman Bardot, 210 00:11:45,600 --> 00:11:47,360 Speaker 1: thank you again so much for taking the time to 211 00:11:47,440 --> 00:11:50,960 Speaker 1: join us today. That was Congresswoman Caroline Bordeaux, a Democrat 212 00:11:51,080 --> 00:11:54,800 Speaker 1: representing the Georgia seventh District in the Atlanta suburbs. It's 213 00:11:54,800 --> 00:11:57,640 Speaker 1: going to be a very interesting primary that that's going 214 00:11:57,679 --> 00:12:00,600 Speaker 1: to be coming up there, one of several primaries, said, 215 00:12:00,640 --> 00:12:04,040 Speaker 1: dealing with two incumbent lawmakers thanks to the redistricting process. 216 00:12:04,760 --> 00:12:08,559 Speaker 1: You're listening to Bloomberg you Sound on with Joe Matthew 217 00:12:08,920 --> 00:12:15,080 Speaker 1: on Bloomberg Radio. President Joe Biden outlined a plan earlier 218 00:12:15,120 --> 00:12:19,840 Speaker 1: today to boost hospital testing and vaccine capacity in a 219 00:12:20,000 --> 00:12:23,800 Speaker 1: speech as COVID cases rise due to the O macron variant. 220 00:12:24,120 --> 00:12:25,840 Speaker 1: He did make a point though, to say we're not 221 00:12:25,920 --> 00:12:29,559 Speaker 1: going back to a March style lockdown as two hundred 222 00:12:29,640 --> 00:12:33,800 Speaker 1: million or so Americans have been vaccinated. I'm Jack Fitzpatrick 223 00:12:34,080 --> 00:12:38,040 Speaker 1: co hosting today in Joe's stead with my Bloomberg Government 224 00:12:38,040 --> 00:12:41,199 Speaker 1: colleague Emily Wilkins, and we're bringing in the panel now 225 00:12:42,000 --> 00:12:45,480 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Politics contributors Jeanie she and Zano and Rick Davis 226 00:12:45,559 --> 00:12:48,920 Speaker 1: are with us. Guys. Here's what President Biden had to 227 00:12:48,960 --> 00:12:52,440 Speaker 1: say about the rapid spread of the O Macron variant 228 00:12:52,480 --> 00:12:56,360 Speaker 1: and the difficulties of catching up to it. What happened 229 00:12:56,480 --> 00:13:01,480 Speaker 1: was the O Macron virus spread even more rapidly than 230 00:13:01,559 --> 00:13:05,160 Speaker 1: anybody thought. If I had told you four weeks ago 231 00:13:05,400 --> 00:13:08,480 Speaker 1: that this was spread by a day to day basis, 232 00:13:09,000 --> 00:13:13,800 Speaker 1: it was spread by I think you would have looked 233 00:13:13,800 --> 00:13:16,120 Speaker 1: to me to say, Biden, what are you drinking? But 234 00:13:16,320 --> 00:13:20,120 Speaker 1: that's what it did. So it certainly did happen fast. 235 00:13:20,160 --> 00:13:22,560 Speaker 1: But I've got to ask you, guys, Jeanie, let's start 236 00:13:22,640 --> 00:13:27,120 Speaker 1: with you. Is the federal government behind on this? With 237 00:13:27,160 --> 00:13:30,000 Speaker 1: so many people trying to get tests before the holidays? 238 00:13:30,040 --> 00:13:32,760 Speaker 1: We knew Christmas and New Year's were coming? Uh? Did 239 00:13:32,760 --> 00:13:36,400 Speaker 1: they allow themselves to get behind on testing and hospital 240 00:13:36,400 --> 00:13:39,959 Speaker 1: capacity at all? They did? Um? You know they were 241 00:13:40,040 --> 00:13:43,640 Speaker 1: behind on testing when it came to the delta variant. 242 00:13:44,000 --> 00:13:46,920 Speaker 1: When you're talking about the OH maicron, their way behind, 243 00:13:47,040 --> 00:13:49,240 Speaker 1: and I think this is where we saw the president 244 00:13:49,280 --> 00:13:51,199 Speaker 1: who I thought I who I thought did a good 245 00:13:51,280 --> 00:13:53,679 Speaker 1: job today, But I do think he sounded a bit 246 00:13:53,720 --> 00:13:56,480 Speaker 1: defensive on the issue of testing. It wasn't but a 247 00:13:56,520 --> 00:13:59,360 Speaker 1: couple of weeks ago when your colleagues were asking Jensaki 248 00:13:59,679 --> 00:14:03,000 Speaker 1: about getting tests into the homes of Americans and she 249 00:14:03,160 --> 00:14:06,360 Speaker 1: sort of pooh pooed that idea, laughed it off. And 250 00:14:06,440 --> 00:14:09,479 Speaker 1: yet today that's what they're talking about. So the administration 251 00:14:09,520 --> 00:14:12,440 Speaker 1: behind on testing, but they are trying to catch up. 252 00:14:13,559 --> 00:14:15,800 Speaker 1: And you know, Rick, another thing I noticed about what 253 00:14:15,960 --> 00:14:18,680 Speaker 1: Biden Biden's speech today is that he seemed to spend 254 00:14:19,000 --> 00:14:21,800 Speaker 1: a good bit of it saying that this is not March, 255 00:14:23,040 --> 00:14:25,840 Speaker 1: that things are different, that people are vaccinated, and if 256 00:14:25,840 --> 00:14:29,080 Speaker 1: you're vaccinated and boosted, you can enjoy the holidays per usual. 257 00:14:30,040 --> 00:14:34,520 Speaker 1: What sort of of hit has Biden taken here? Because 258 00:14:34,640 --> 00:14:37,360 Speaker 1: of the how the delta variant and the omicron variant 259 00:14:37,400 --> 00:14:40,720 Speaker 1: have played out, you know, I I get the impression 260 00:14:40,760 --> 00:14:43,480 Speaker 1: that the public are going to embrace this notion that 261 00:14:43,560 --> 00:14:45,920 Speaker 1: they need to be more careful, they need to test more, 262 00:14:46,000 --> 00:14:48,680 Speaker 1: but they don't want to go back to a lockdown, 263 00:14:48,760 --> 00:14:50,840 Speaker 1: and so the fact that he delivered news that was 264 00:14:50,880 --> 00:14:54,680 Speaker 1: not a lockdown is probably in a short term a positive. 265 00:14:54,800 --> 00:14:57,520 Speaker 1: The question is does this have a mid term effect 266 00:14:57,560 --> 00:14:59,880 Speaker 1: on the economy. Is a first quarter of next year 267 00:15:00,440 --> 00:15:02,800 Speaker 1: going to stay on track and continue to grow or 268 00:15:02,920 --> 00:15:06,400 Speaker 1: are we going to see the economy uh shutting down 269 00:15:06,440 --> 00:15:08,520 Speaker 1: to some degree? If it does, I think that's going 270 00:15:08,560 --> 00:15:12,360 Speaker 1: to drive people's anxiety about this. They're used to having 271 00:15:12,480 --> 00:15:15,360 Speaker 1: to live now in a pandemic. We've done it now 272 00:15:15,360 --> 00:15:18,040 Speaker 1: for two years. Question is can we do that and 273 00:15:18,120 --> 00:15:20,520 Speaker 1: still you know, be able to move the economy forward, 274 00:15:20,680 --> 00:15:23,920 Speaker 1: do our jobs, and to enjoy our families. And that 275 00:15:24,000 --> 00:15:27,560 Speaker 1: includes some travel from time to time. So aside from 276 00:15:27,600 --> 00:15:29,760 Speaker 1: the main points that we knew the President was going 277 00:15:29,800 --> 00:15:33,600 Speaker 1: to address, he did say he is considering lifting the 278 00:15:33,680 --> 00:15:38,240 Speaker 1: travel restrictions on people arriving from southern African countries where 279 00:15:38,240 --> 00:15:42,920 Speaker 1: the omicron variant was first identified. Jennie, what do you 280 00:15:43,000 --> 00:15:45,120 Speaker 1: think we should look for? I mean, at this point, 281 00:15:45,720 --> 00:15:49,360 Speaker 1: we learned yesterday that about seventy five of new cases 282 00:15:49,400 --> 00:15:52,040 Speaker 1: are of the omicron variants, So we have not sealed 283 00:15:52,080 --> 00:15:54,640 Speaker 1: ourselves off from the rest of the world. Is there 284 00:15:54,680 --> 00:15:57,280 Speaker 1: a purpose at this point to travel restrictions or should 285 00:15:57,280 --> 00:16:00,400 Speaker 1: those go away very soon? You know? And then health 286 00:16:00,440 --> 00:16:02,920 Speaker 1: experts when that was put into place, and it wasn't 287 00:16:02,960 --> 00:16:05,400 Speaker 1: just the United States, as you know, other nations did 288 00:16:05,440 --> 00:16:08,560 Speaker 1: that as well, they said that that was not good policy. 289 00:16:08,720 --> 00:16:11,040 Speaker 1: It shouldn't have been based on the fact that it 290 00:16:11,160 --> 00:16:14,200 Speaker 1: was from that area that we were given the most 291 00:16:14,360 --> 00:16:17,240 Speaker 1: up to date and the best information about this variant. 292 00:16:17,240 --> 00:16:19,320 Speaker 1: That shouldn't be the cause of putting it in place. 293 00:16:19,680 --> 00:16:23,400 Speaker 1: So I'm not surprised the president is looking at lifting it. 294 00:16:23,480 --> 00:16:26,640 Speaker 1: I think that makes sense. But what you also hear, interestingly, 295 00:16:26,680 --> 00:16:29,320 Speaker 1: as health experts say, if we're going to have testing 296 00:16:29,360 --> 00:16:32,920 Speaker 1: for people traveling internationally, why isn't the president saying to 297 00:16:33,000 --> 00:16:35,240 Speaker 1: travel domestically you have to do the same or the 298 00:16:35,280 --> 00:16:39,120 Speaker 1: administration And that's something we haven't heard the administration really 299 00:16:39,120 --> 00:16:41,880 Speaker 1: grapple with at this point. So, you know, health officials 300 00:16:41,880 --> 00:16:44,600 Speaker 1: saying there's other things they could be doing that they 301 00:16:44,640 --> 00:16:47,360 Speaker 1: haven't done. But I'm not surprised they may lift this ban, 302 00:16:47,600 --> 00:16:49,760 Speaker 1: and that's a big may at this point. Well to 303 00:16:49,880 --> 00:16:51,960 Speaker 1: that point, Rick, what do you think it was the 304 00:16:51,960 --> 00:16:55,920 Speaker 1: travel ban? Is there a political aspect of that? I 305 00:16:55,920 --> 00:16:59,040 Speaker 1: remember President Trump talking a lot about his travel restrictions, 306 00:16:59,560 --> 00:17:01,720 Speaker 1: is it or travel restrictions at this point in this 307 00:17:01,800 --> 00:17:05,200 Speaker 1: kind of pandemic more of a political statement than something 308 00:17:05,240 --> 00:17:07,480 Speaker 1: that really makes a difference for a very long in 309 00:17:07,520 --> 00:17:09,960 Speaker 1: a public health sense. I think in this case it 310 00:17:10,320 --> 00:17:12,320 Speaker 1: potentially could have been. Right, it's one of the very 311 00:17:12,359 --> 00:17:14,399 Speaker 1: few things that the President United States has in his 312 00:17:14,480 --> 00:17:17,000 Speaker 1: toolkit that he can do immediately. Right, Okay, let's stop 313 00:17:17,040 --> 00:17:20,040 Speaker 1: all flights from this one jurisdiction. I do think though, 314 00:17:20,040 --> 00:17:24,120 Speaker 1: in the process, they've learned that this uh A macron 315 00:17:24,640 --> 00:17:28,120 Speaker 1: variant moves very quickly through the population, and today, after 316 00:17:28,200 --> 00:17:32,520 Speaker 1: four weeks in South uh South Africa, it's it's now 317 00:17:32,600 --> 00:17:36,040 Speaker 1: almost shut down, and you know, the variants almost passed 318 00:17:36,080 --> 00:17:39,119 Speaker 1: through the population. So opening it up actually makes some 319 00:17:39,200 --> 00:17:42,000 Speaker 1: sense because we just don't have the threat into our 320 00:17:42,000 --> 00:17:44,359 Speaker 1: public health. We have more of it in our country 321 00:17:44,359 --> 00:17:46,679 Speaker 1: now than they have in there. So it's one of 322 00:17:46,680 --> 00:17:48,760 Speaker 1: these things where, yeah, it's a great tool to use 323 00:17:48,800 --> 00:17:51,200 Speaker 1: as a president politically to make people feel like you're 324 00:17:51,240 --> 00:17:54,840 Speaker 1: doing something quick. But in this case, that policy almost 325 00:17:54,880 --> 00:17:59,000 Speaker 1: got out run by the variant itself. Right, Well, that's 326 00:17:59,160 --> 00:18:02,119 Speaker 1: that's news for us to look for again, as the 327 00:18:02,160 --> 00:18:05,439 Speaker 1: President said he is considering and will decide in the 328 00:18:05,480 --> 00:18:09,480 Speaker 1: near future, lifting travel restrictions from those Southern African countries. 329 00:18:09,720 --> 00:18:11,879 Speaker 1: One other thing to watch, and I noticed in the 330 00:18:11,920 --> 00:18:16,080 Speaker 1: press briefing today White House Press Secretary Jen Saki saying 331 00:18:16,080 --> 00:18:19,240 Speaker 1: that the administration feels they have the resources to back 332 00:18:19,359 --> 00:18:22,560 Speaker 1: up all of this now, but they're in contact with Congress. 333 00:18:22,600 --> 00:18:25,000 Speaker 1: Say it seems like we should be looking for maybe 334 00:18:25,040 --> 00:18:28,160 Speaker 1: Congress to legislate on this at some point. It's gonna 335 00:18:28,240 --> 00:18:30,000 Speaker 1: be hard, though, I mean, there's really not a lot 336 00:18:30,000 --> 00:18:32,639 Speaker 1: of appetite in Congress for big spending at this point. 337 00:18:32,880 --> 00:18:35,959 Speaker 1: There would really need to be a demonstrated need for 338 00:18:35,960 --> 00:18:39,640 Speaker 1: people not going to work, school shutting down something like that. Right, 339 00:18:39,920 --> 00:18:43,560 Speaker 1: It's tough to rely on Congress acting quickly. Certainly Again, 340 00:18:43,600 --> 00:18:47,240 Speaker 1: I'm Jack Fitzpatrick here with Emily Wilkins, and we're joined 341 00:18:47,280 --> 00:18:50,880 Speaker 1: now by Congresswoman Lucille roybal Allard. Really want to get 342 00:18:50,880 --> 00:18:53,119 Speaker 1: her take on a lot of the latest news on 343 00:18:53,200 --> 00:18:57,320 Speaker 1: the Democrats legislative agenda. But I would note also that 344 00:18:57,400 --> 00:19:00,840 Speaker 1: the congresswoman just recently announced she will not be seeking 345 00:19:00,920 --> 00:19:07,040 Speaker 1: re election in two she's served since. Congressman, very grateful 346 00:19:07,080 --> 00:19:09,640 Speaker 1: to have you on with us. I know you were 347 00:19:09,840 --> 00:19:13,439 Speaker 1: the first Mexican American woman elected to Congress, You're the 348 00:19:13,440 --> 00:19:17,920 Speaker 1: first Latina on the House Appropriations Committee. Your you did 349 00:19:18,000 --> 00:19:21,960 Speaker 1: very significant work obviously with the Dream Act. I've covered 350 00:19:22,040 --> 00:19:25,240 Speaker 1: the actions you've done going back and forth on a 351 00:19:25,320 --> 00:19:29,080 Speaker 1: variety of homeland security funding issues, including the border wall 352 00:19:29,200 --> 00:19:32,280 Speaker 1: debates for a while there, I want to start by 353 00:19:32,280 --> 00:19:33,919 Speaker 1: just giving you an opportunity to tell us, you know, 354 00:19:33,960 --> 00:19:36,480 Speaker 1: how do you reflect on the career you've had and 355 00:19:36,840 --> 00:19:39,600 Speaker 1: how do you feel about where the country is going 356 00:19:39,680 --> 00:19:43,840 Speaker 1: in the future. Well, first of all, Jack, thank you 357 00:19:43,880 --> 00:19:49,760 Speaker 1: for for having me on with regards to to the 358 00:19:49,800 --> 00:19:53,800 Speaker 1: work over the last almost thirty years. I'm I'm I'm 359 00:19:53,840 --> 00:19:58,760 Speaker 1: hoping that, uh, that it reflects the fact that I've done, 360 00:19:58,800 --> 00:20:01,640 Speaker 1: you know, everything in my power or two to help 361 00:20:01,680 --> 00:20:04,800 Speaker 1: to improve the quality of life of not just my constituents, 362 00:20:04,840 --> 00:20:09,160 Speaker 1: but you know, Americans, uh and and uh our our 363 00:20:09,280 --> 00:20:13,800 Speaker 1: nation as a whole. And then in terms of where 364 00:20:13,840 --> 00:20:20,280 Speaker 1: we are headed now, I am truly hoping that we'll 365 00:20:20,280 --> 00:20:24,440 Speaker 1: be able, especially to get through this pandemic and that 366 00:20:24,520 --> 00:20:28,879 Speaker 1: we will be able to to start working together. And 367 00:20:28,920 --> 00:20:32,520 Speaker 1: I'm talking both Republicans and Democrats and Independence to start 368 00:20:32,560 --> 00:20:40,320 Speaker 1: working together, uh, towards the betterment and improving the quality 369 00:20:40,359 --> 00:20:44,520 Speaker 1: of life of Americans, because I believe this administration and 370 00:20:44,600 --> 00:20:48,399 Speaker 1: I believe that this President has demonstrated that he has 371 00:20:48,560 --> 00:20:53,120 Speaker 1: totally committed to doing that. And it's really what's happening 372 00:20:53,920 --> 00:20:57,800 Speaker 1: in Congress, primarily in the Senate, because in the House, 373 00:20:58,160 --> 00:21:00,879 Speaker 1: under the leadership of Nancy Pelosi, we have passed some 374 00:21:01,200 --> 00:21:07,359 Speaker 1: very significant legislation that gets held up in the Senate. 375 00:21:07,680 --> 00:21:11,639 Speaker 1: And yeah, I did. I didn't want to ask you, 376 00:21:11,840 --> 00:21:14,160 Speaker 1: I think as to the point that that you're speaking 377 00:21:14,200 --> 00:21:17,320 Speaker 1: to several of your colleagues who are also retiring. Uh. 378 00:21:17,320 --> 00:21:21,640 Speaker 1: Congressman Albio Sierrez uh said yesterday that the whole atmosphere 379 00:21:21,720 --> 00:21:24,240 Speaker 1: in Washington is awful. Uh. He said that you either 380 00:21:24,320 --> 00:21:26,160 Speaker 1: have to be from the left or the extreme right. 381 00:21:26,440 --> 00:21:29,840 Speaker 1: I'm wondering, is that a concern that you have? It was, 382 00:21:29,920 --> 00:21:33,800 Speaker 1: It was not a concern and why I was retiring. Uh, 383 00:21:34,080 --> 00:21:37,760 Speaker 1: if that's what your question is, it's a concern in general, 384 00:21:38,320 --> 00:21:40,600 Speaker 1: because you know, I've been there long enough so that 385 00:21:40,680 --> 00:21:44,240 Speaker 1: I can remember when we all were, you know, working together, 386 00:21:44,320 --> 00:21:46,600 Speaker 1: even if we had differences of opinion of how to 387 00:21:46,720 --> 00:21:50,800 Speaker 1: approach different UH different issues, but it is not a 388 00:21:50,880 --> 00:21:55,800 Speaker 1: pleasant time right now. He's correct in that, but there 389 00:21:55,840 --> 00:21:59,920 Speaker 1: are also what isn't isn't being said that a lot 390 00:22:00,000 --> 00:22:04,879 Speaker 1: of this isn't the public domain but behind the things. 391 00:22:04,920 --> 00:22:08,360 Speaker 1: And I'll just use my own UH subcommittee for example. 392 00:22:08,920 --> 00:22:12,199 Speaker 1: I work very very well with the ranking member. We 393 00:22:12,320 --> 00:22:15,520 Speaker 1: work together. We we try and find common ground as 394 00:22:15,600 --> 00:22:20,280 Speaker 1: much as we possibly can um in terms of crafting 395 00:22:20,480 --> 00:22:23,520 Speaker 1: our our bill. And I know that that is true 396 00:22:23,800 --> 00:22:28,000 Speaker 1: of of other committees chairs and ranking members as well, 397 00:22:28,800 --> 00:22:33,159 Speaker 1: but unfortunately that doesn't always get out into the press, 398 00:22:33,240 --> 00:22:37,119 Speaker 1: and it's usually the all the negativity that is also 399 00:22:37,240 --> 00:22:40,000 Speaker 1: a part of what is happening in Congress. And I 400 00:22:40,040 --> 00:22:44,040 Speaker 1: am hoping that that we'll be able to deal with 401 00:22:44,080 --> 00:22:46,960 Speaker 1: that in in this this this coming year, because my 402 00:22:47,119 --> 00:22:49,639 Speaker 1: concern is that if we don't, it's only going to 403 00:22:49,760 --> 00:22:53,280 Speaker 1: get worse in the in the next in the next 404 00:22:53,280 --> 00:22:57,840 Speaker 1: session and in the nearer future. Congresswoman especially want to 405 00:22:57,880 --> 00:23:00,360 Speaker 1: ask because of your role as a SubCom DA chair 406 00:23:00,400 --> 00:23:04,120 Speaker 1: on Homeland Security appropriations, we heard this list of things 407 00:23:04,160 --> 00:23:08,240 Speaker 1: the the White House wants to do on expanding testing capacity, 408 00:23:08,359 --> 00:23:12,639 Speaker 1: hospital capacity. I saw in their rundown FEMA appear a 409 00:23:12,720 --> 00:23:15,480 Speaker 1: number of times. I don't believe they've sent a request 410 00:23:15,520 --> 00:23:18,520 Speaker 1: for more resources, but do you should we expect Congress 411 00:23:18,600 --> 00:23:21,679 Speaker 1: to act at some point to provide more resources to 412 00:23:21,720 --> 00:23:25,240 Speaker 1: follow up on this on on the omicron variant. Well, now, 413 00:23:25,760 --> 00:23:28,560 Speaker 1: my understanding is right now is that that FEMA has 414 00:23:28,680 --> 00:23:32,400 Speaker 1: enough money to to follow through on what the President 415 00:23:32,560 --> 00:23:35,679 Speaker 1: is requesting. Of course that is gonna, you know, depend 416 00:23:35,720 --> 00:23:38,439 Speaker 1: on how quickly we can deal with this new with 417 00:23:38,560 --> 00:23:42,880 Speaker 1: its new virus. And hopefully given all the efforts sets 418 00:23:42,920 --> 00:23:47,160 Speaker 1: the presidents putting forth to get h you know, testing 419 00:23:47,680 --> 00:23:52,240 Speaker 1: into throughout our country and and get the vaccines out, 420 00:23:52,320 --> 00:23:56,399 Speaker 1: that they won't be necessary to to allocate more money. 421 00:23:56,400 --> 00:23:59,000 Speaker 1: But my understanding is right now that FEMA has what 422 00:23:59,080 --> 00:24:03,639 Speaker 1: it needs to do its job. Congress. I'm also wondering 423 00:24:03,680 --> 00:24:06,160 Speaker 1: that if there's a concern just from what you're seeing 424 00:24:06,160 --> 00:24:09,000 Speaker 1: with your constituents in your districts that there don't seem 425 00:24:09,040 --> 00:24:12,399 Speaker 1: to be enough tests at this point. Is there a 426 00:24:12,400 --> 00:24:15,520 Speaker 1: concern that the Biden administration sort of got behind here 427 00:24:15,600 --> 00:24:18,160 Speaker 1: on making sure there were the resources that Americans need. 428 00:24:19,440 --> 00:24:22,000 Speaker 1: But my you know, my understanding that there haven't been 429 00:24:22,640 --> 00:24:26,840 Speaker 1: enough test kits made available, and I think that's the 430 00:24:26,880 --> 00:24:29,480 Speaker 1: one thing that the President said he will be h 431 00:24:29,640 --> 00:24:34,080 Speaker 1: be addressing in in getting more out. And I don't 432 00:24:34,160 --> 00:24:37,320 Speaker 1: under no, really haven't had an opportunity to talk to 433 00:24:37,359 --> 00:24:41,480 Speaker 1: them as to the reasons why there has been some 434 00:24:41,560 --> 00:24:45,360 Speaker 1: delays in getting these tests out. But based on what 435 00:24:45,400 --> 00:24:48,399 Speaker 1: I do know is whatever it is is, they have 436 00:24:48,520 --> 00:24:52,159 Speaker 1: overcome it and they will be getting a sufficient amount 437 00:24:52,200 --> 00:24:55,119 Speaker 1: of tests uh out. I believe he mentioned somewhere in 438 00:24:55,160 --> 00:24:58,960 Speaker 1: the neighborhood of five million tests will be going into 439 00:24:59,040 --> 00:25:03,480 Speaker 1: American home now. Other than that, Congresswoman, very briefly, you 440 00:25:03,640 --> 00:25:07,040 Speaker 1: all are facing a February eighteenth deadline to fund the government. 441 00:25:07,040 --> 00:25:09,119 Speaker 1: How do you feel about actually coming to a deal 442 00:25:09,640 --> 00:25:11,120 Speaker 1: by that point or are we going to see more 443 00:25:11,160 --> 00:25:18,200 Speaker 1: stop gaps? You know what, our country cannot afford UM 444 00:25:18,240 --> 00:25:22,800 Speaker 1: to shut down the government or to operate on a 445 00:25:22,880 --> 00:25:27,000 Speaker 1: continuing resolution that there is so much at stake right 446 00:25:27,040 --> 00:25:30,199 Speaker 1: now if that were to happen, and I don't know 447 00:25:30,200 --> 00:25:33,640 Speaker 1: if you saw the statement that was sent out by 448 00:25:34,000 --> 00:25:38,320 Speaker 1: UM the command down of the Coastguard alone, we we 449 00:25:38,600 --> 00:25:43,800 Speaker 1: are in in threat uh from from Russia, from China 450 00:25:44,200 --> 00:25:47,400 Speaker 1: up in the Arctic, and we need to provide our 451 00:25:47,440 --> 00:25:50,840 Speaker 1: agencies with the funding um that they need, and the 452 00:25:50,880 --> 00:25:55,639 Speaker 1: Coast Guard is certainly a good example. Congresswoman, thank you 453 00:25:55,720 --> 00:25:58,800 Speaker 1: so much for joining us. That was Congressman Lucille roybal Aller, 454 00:25:58,920 --> 00:26:04,040 Speaker 1: Democrat from Californi, Nia. You're listening to Bloomberg. You sound 455 00:26:04,080 --> 00:26:11,240 Speaker 1: on with Joe Matthew on Bloomberg Radio show is out. 456 00:26:11,560 --> 00:26:15,840 Speaker 1: Jack and Emily are in. Emily Wilkins here with Jack Fitzpatrick. 457 00:26:16,240 --> 00:26:20,400 Speaker 1: We are filling in for Joe today. Well. Democratic senators 458 00:26:20,480 --> 00:26:23,879 Speaker 1: will be meeting tonight virtually to discuss the next step 459 00:26:23,960 --> 00:26:27,440 Speaker 1: forward on President Joe Biden's Social policy and spending bill. 460 00:26:27,920 --> 00:26:31,520 Speaker 1: After Senator Joe Mansion basically blew up the effort over 461 00:26:31,560 --> 00:26:34,680 Speaker 1: the weekend, lawmakers have vow to keep fighting to ensure 462 00:26:34,680 --> 00:26:36,879 Speaker 1: they can bring something to their constituents. Heard that this 463 00:26:36,960 --> 00:26:40,280 Speaker 1: hour from the lawmakers we've had on and this afternoon. 464 00:26:40,560 --> 00:26:43,640 Speaker 1: President Biden was asked about his outlook for the bill 465 00:26:44,000 --> 00:26:48,440 Speaker 1: and his ability to continue working with Mansion. Did Senator 466 00:26:48,480 --> 00:26:52,280 Speaker 1: Mansion break his commitment to you? Senor Mansion, I'm going 467 00:26:52,320 --> 00:26:59,399 Speaker 1: to get something done. Short sweet to the point. We 468 00:26:59,480 --> 00:27:04,000 Speaker 1: are back bringing back the Star panel with Bloomberg Politics 469 00:27:04,040 --> 00:27:08,560 Speaker 1: contributors Genie Chienzano and Rick Davis. Um. I think Record, 470 00:27:08,600 --> 00:27:10,320 Speaker 1: I'll just start with you because I know that you 471 00:27:10,359 --> 00:27:14,679 Speaker 1: obviously have experience working with senators working in the Senate. 472 00:27:15,119 --> 00:27:18,520 Speaker 1: What are you going to be looking for and listening 473 00:27:18,560 --> 00:27:21,240 Speaker 1: for over the next couple of days or weeks that 474 00:27:21,280 --> 00:27:24,480 Speaker 1: will sort of queue you in on exactly how much 475 00:27:24,640 --> 00:27:30,000 Speaker 1: momentum they have to forage something from the current Build 476 00:27:30,000 --> 00:27:32,920 Speaker 1: Back Better framework. Well, first, the way I would read 477 00:27:32,960 --> 00:27:36,320 Speaker 1: it is there is zero momentum for anything that would 478 00:27:36,359 --> 00:27:39,760 Speaker 1: be looking like a rehash of the Build Back Better plan. 479 00:27:39,880 --> 00:27:43,600 Speaker 1: I mean, the president's uh statement just prior to saying 480 00:27:43,600 --> 00:27:47,080 Speaker 1: he thinks he can still get something done with with 481 00:27:47,080 --> 00:27:50,119 Speaker 1: with Mansion, indicated that he was it was going to 482 00:27:50,160 --> 00:27:52,160 Speaker 1: be some version of Bill Back Better. But I think 483 00:27:52,200 --> 00:27:55,480 Speaker 1: Mansion made it completely and totally clear that he's not 484 00:27:55,520 --> 00:27:58,640 Speaker 1: going to be for anything that looks like build Back Better. 485 00:27:58,720 --> 00:28:01,359 Speaker 1: I I can't imagine why the administration isn't looking at 486 00:28:01,400 --> 00:28:03,359 Speaker 1: this and saying, sure, we could probably get something done. 487 00:28:03,880 --> 00:28:06,239 Speaker 1: Let's not call it Bill Back Better anymore. Let's try 488 00:28:06,320 --> 00:28:08,840 Speaker 1: and find ways of piecing something together with him. But 489 00:28:09,560 --> 00:28:11,879 Speaker 1: I must admit, I mean I was dumbfounded when it 490 00:28:11,920 --> 00:28:13,760 Speaker 1: looked like they were going back to the well on 491 00:28:13,840 --> 00:28:16,960 Speaker 1: bill back better. I mean, at some point somebody needs 492 00:28:17,000 --> 00:28:19,439 Speaker 1: to tell the President that Joe Mansion doesn't make a 493 00:28:19,440 --> 00:28:22,439 Speaker 1: habit of backtracking on his positions, and it's unlikely to 494 00:28:22,480 --> 00:28:25,840 Speaker 1: make progress with that bill. It'll be interesting to see 495 00:28:25,880 --> 00:28:29,639 Speaker 1: if they come up with a much smaller version, you know, 496 00:28:29,640 --> 00:28:32,240 Speaker 1: based on what we've heard on this show, probably centered 497 00:28:32,240 --> 00:28:35,080 Speaker 1: around the child tax credit. Uh, And I don't know 498 00:28:35,119 --> 00:28:37,679 Speaker 1: if they have to rename it. Jennie, I'm curious what 499 00:28:37,760 --> 00:28:42,040 Speaker 1: you think going back to the conversation with Congresswoman Bordeaux 500 00:28:42,320 --> 00:28:45,959 Speaker 1: earlier saying that she, even she a moderate Democrat who 501 00:28:46,040 --> 00:28:49,240 Speaker 1: had pushed back at times against her party on this bill, 502 00:28:49,600 --> 00:28:53,239 Speaker 1: was disappointed in Joe Mansion. What are we learning in 503 00:28:53,400 --> 00:28:56,840 Speaker 1: terms of whether Mansion is alone on this or is 504 00:28:56,880 --> 00:28:58,840 Speaker 1: he speaking for others? What do you what do you 505 00:28:58,880 --> 00:29:01,720 Speaker 1: make of that? Genie? Well, you know, I thought it 506 00:29:01,800 --> 00:29:03,960 Speaker 1: was fascinating because one of the things we learned in 507 00:29:04,000 --> 00:29:07,640 Speaker 1: your interview with her was that she too, very much 508 00:29:07,720 --> 00:29:11,840 Speaker 1: like Joe Mansion, was trying to talk about potentially taking 509 00:29:11,840 --> 00:29:15,160 Speaker 1: the child tax credit and focusing it on families in 510 00:29:15,320 --> 00:29:18,600 Speaker 1: need and she differentiated herself from that. So if there 511 00:29:18,680 --> 00:29:22,080 Speaker 1: is a pathway forward with something like that, we may 512 00:29:22,120 --> 00:29:24,280 Speaker 1: see some movement. But I will tell you what I 513 00:29:24,320 --> 00:29:27,400 Speaker 1: am watching for in just the next few hours is 514 00:29:27,480 --> 00:29:31,240 Speaker 1: does Joe Mansion joined this call that they're having around 515 00:29:31,320 --> 00:29:34,120 Speaker 1: eight pm tonight? Or does he go with our Joe 516 00:29:34,160 --> 00:29:38,320 Speaker 1: Matthew and go away on vacation and enjoy himself with 517 00:29:38,360 --> 00:29:41,080 Speaker 1: the Joe's I mean to me, that is a big sign. 518 00:29:41,440 --> 00:29:44,520 Speaker 1: You know, we've already heard a lot of discussions, the 519 00:29:44,640 --> 00:29:48,200 Speaker 1: latest being that Senator at Cornyn texted Mansion and talked 520 00:29:48,240 --> 00:29:51,000 Speaker 1: about potentially joining the GOP. I'm not saying that's going 521 00:29:51,080 --> 00:29:53,680 Speaker 1: to happen, but that is the kind of thing I'm 522 00:29:53,680 --> 00:29:56,600 Speaker 1: going to be watching for. And then beyond that, do 523 00:29:56,760 --> 00:29:59,120 Speaker 1: they keep negotiating as the clip you played with the 524 00:29:59,160 --> 00:30:02,520 Speaker 1: President suggest that they might, And if so, how could 525 00:30:02,520 --> 00:30:05,280 Speaker 1: they sort of negotiate a path forward? Because to Rick's point, 526 00:30:05,280 --> 00:30:07,200 Speaker 1: I think the Build Back Better bill that we've been 527 00:30:07,240 --> 00:30:10,560 Speaker 1: talking about is essentially dead at this point. And then 528 00:30:10,560 --> 00:30:13,000 Speaker 1: the question becomes, if Build Back Better is dead, is 529 00:30:13,040 --> 00:30:15,800 Speaker 1: that really the end for that child tax credit that 530 00:30:15,920 --> 00:30:18,320 Speaker 1: was something that Democrats have run on. They've made a 531 00:30:18,320 --> 00:30:22,000 Speaker 1: big deal about that wasn't stated during the Biden presidency, 532 00:30:22,040 --> 00:30:25,000 Speaker 1: and now it could potentially run out during the Biden 533 00:30:25,040 --> 00:30:27,960 Speaker 1: presidency if if I'm not mistaken about that, Well, the 534 00:30:28,360 --> 00:30:31,640 Speaker 1: ctc IS is said to expire just about now at 535 00:30:31,640 --> 00:30:33,960 Speaker 1: the end of the year. They need to legislate again 536 00:30:34,040 --> 00:30:36,680 Speaker 1: to re up it. Uh And and that's what we 537 00:30:36,720 --> 00:30:39,800 Speaker 1: got at with Congresswoman Bordeaux was are you going to 538 00:30:39,920 --> 00:30:42,480 Speaker 1: make extra payments if and when it comes back, because 539 00:30:42,480 --> 00:30:44,720 Speaker 1: they're going to end up missing at least the January 540 00:30:44,720 --> 00:30:47,280 Speaker 1: payment if not February. Yeah, Rick, is that going to 541 00:30:47,320 --> 00:30:51,640 Speaker 1: wind up really hurting Democrats if this benefit uh is 542 00:30:51,680 --> 00:30:57,240 Speaker 1: completely dropped off, is not continuing? I mean thirties six Yeah, 543 00:30:57,240 --> 00:31:00,760 Speaker 1: thirty six million Americans get this benefit. Is that going 544 00:31:00,800 --> 00:31:03,720 Speaker 1: to have a big impact and how people view the 545 00:31:03,760 --> 00:31:06,680 Speaker 1: Biden administration, you know, it's it's hard to say how 546 00:31:06,720 --> 00:31:09,120 Speaker 1: they pivot from this because as you point out, I mean, 547 00:31:09,160 --> 00:31:11,320 Speaker 1: there are some things that are popular this you know, 548 00:31:11,520 --> 00:31:13,600 Speaker 1: child tax credit is one of those things that they 549 00:31:13,720 --> 00:31:16,480 Speaker 1: choosed it during COVID. You know, it's a significantly more 550 00:31:16,520 --> 00:31:20,720 Speaker 1: expensive plan, gives a lot more credit uh and and 551 00:31:20,880 --> 00:31:24,520 Speaker 1: payments to families with children UH than it ever did before. 552 00:31:24,720 --> 00:31:27,200 Speaker 1: And so the question is do they restructure this to 553 00:31:27,320 --> 00:31:29,920 Speaker 1: something more affordable. I mean, remember the way it was 554 00:31:29,960 --> 00:31:33,920 Speaker 1: currently structured, uh in the proposal from being build back 555 00:31:33,960 --> 00:31:36,120 Speaker 1: Better that if you actually extended it for ten years, 556 00:31:36,120 --> 00:31:38,360 Speaker 1: which would be a normal funding cycle, it would be 557 00:31:38,400 --> 00:31:42,880 Speaker 1: as much as the original build Back Better uh spend. So, Uh, 558 00:31:42,920 --> 00:31:44,920 Speaker 1: there's got to be a lot of thinking going on 559 00:31:44,920 --> 00:31:46,720 Speaker 1: in the Democratic Party right now, is so like, what 560 00:31:46,800 --> 00:31:49,120 Speaker 1: are the things we need to run on in the 561 00:31:49,120 --> 00:31:52,520 Speaker 1: mid term? Do we have enough on the current legislative 562 00:31:52,520 --> 00:31:56,000 Speaker 1: cycle to actually make a political argument for keeping Democrats 563 00:31:56,000 --> 00:31:58,400 Speaker 1: in power? Uh? And they've got to be careful not 564 00:31:58,480 --> 00:32:00,840 Speaker 1: to mix that message because they do have some wins, right. 565 00:32:01,120 --> 00:32:04,680 Speaker 1: They put up fantastic you know, amount of money to work, 566 00:32:04,800 --> 00:32:08,440 Speaker 1: you know, try and battle COVID, uh two billion dollars 567 00:32:08,440 --> 00:32:12,600 Speaker 1: to trillion dollars and then another trillion on infrastructure. These 568 00:32:12,640 --> 00:32:15,120 Speaker 1: are great accomplishments. Do they go to the bank with 569 00:32:15,200 --> 00:32:18,920 Speaker 1: that or do they start risking getting bogged down in 570 00:32:18,920 --> 00:32:23,000 Speaker 1: another congressional fight, you know, within a year of the election. Yeah, 571 00:32:23,040 --> 00:32:27,000 Speaker 1: I'm curious with a fifty fifty Senate and almost barely 572 00:32:27,040 --> 00:32:30,760 Speaker 1: greater than a half and half House. Uh, if Democrats 573 00:32:30,880 --> 00:32:33,040 Speaker 1: end up taking away from some of their I think 574 00:32:33,160 --> 00:32:37,440 Speaker 1: sort of surprising accomplishments given the margins by a high 575 00:32:37,440 --> 00:32:40,200 Speaker 1: profile failure. If this does in fact fail. But Rick, 576 00:32:40,200 --> 00:32:42,200 Speaker 1: I've got to ask you, because Jennie mentioned it, what 577 00:32:42,240 --> 00:32:46,400 Speaker 1: do you make of all the murmurs of oh, could 578 00:32:46,440 --> 00:32:49,440 Speaker 1: Mansion switch parties? Does that make any sense to you? Now? 579 00:32:49,600 --> 00:32:52,120 Speaker 1: I mean, like every time John McCain would do something 580 00:32:52,160 --> 00:32:54,920 Speaker 1: against the Republicans and Congress Schumer would call him up, 581 00:32:55,040 --> 00:32:59,120 Speaker 1: is now the time? And what's never the time? I mean, 582 00:32:59,160 --> 00:33:01,680 Speaker 1: you don't actually have to be fed up with your 583 00:33:01,720 --> 00:33:03,840 Speaker 1: party to want to make a change in it. And 584 00:33:03,880 --> 00:33:07,600 Speaker 1: if anything, I would suspect that uh uh, this actually 585 00:33:07,640 --> 00:33:11,880 Speaker 1: enhances his democratic credentials at home. And why why invite 586 00:33:11,880 --> 00:33:14,360 Speaker 1: a Democrat running against you when the Republicans probably won't 587 00:33:14,400 --> 00:33:16,760 Speaker 1: put anybody against him, you know, when he runs for reelection. 588 00:33:16,840 --> 00:33:20,000 Speaker 1: So uh no, I mean I can't imagine him looking 589 00:33:20,000 --> 00:33:22,360 Speaker 1: at this and saying, you know that, uh, that I 590 00:33:22,400 --> 00:33:24,720 Speaker 1: need to change parties because they made it so intolerable. 591 00:33:24,720 --> 00:33:27,959 Speaker 1: If anything, Biden walking it back today, Uh, we'll make 592 00:33:28,000 --> 00:33:30,240 Speaker 1: it a little more comfortable. And as Genie said, you know, 593 00:33:30,280 --> 00:33:32,640 Speaker 1: I wouldn't be surprised because of that that he doesn't 594 00:33:32,640 --> 00:33:34,480 Speaker 1: hop on the phone with the group tonight and say, 595 00:33:34,640 --> 00:33:36,880 Speaker 1: you know, what can we get done next year? Plus 596 00:33:36,880 --> 00:33:39,560 Speaker 1: I mean if Mansion becomes a Republican, I mean, I 597 00:33:39,560 --> 00:33:42,720 Speaker 1: guess it's still you know, it'd be nine. He would 598 00:33:42,800 --> 00:33:45,160 Speaker 1: kind of lose the amount of power that he really 599 00:33:45,200 --> 00:33:48,120 Speaker 1: has at this point of being in a fifty fifty Senate, 600 00:33:48,200 --> 00:33:52,080 Speaker 1: and he's absolutely used that power to transform the Social 601 00:33:52,120 --> 00:33:54,840 Speaker 1: policy and spending Bill to be much closer to what 602 00:33:55,080 --> 00:33:58,240 Speaker 1: his vision wanted that wanted to be. Then say President 603 00:33:58,280 --> 00:34:01,080 Speaker 1: Biden's Rick, I appalled, Jazz. I know we're picking on 604 00:34:01,160 --> 00:34:03,360 Speaker 1: you a little bit today, but we got just a 605 00:34:03,360 --> 00:34:06,120 Speaker 1: lot of news here from the Senate. We are seeing 606 00:34:06,120 --> 00:34:09,480 Speaker 1: a report from the New York Times saying that John 607 00:34:09,560 --> 00:34:16,120 Speaker 1: Thune uh, Senator number two Senate Republican, is potentially considering retirement, 608 00:34:16,239 --> 00:34:20,000 Speaker 1: which would be surprising because he's considered as a potential 609 00:34:20,520 --> 00:34:25,360 Speaker 1: successor to current Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. Uh. I just 610 00:34:25,400 --> 00:34:27,440 Speaker 1: wanted to see, Rick, if you if you heard anything, 611 00:34:27,520 --> 00:34:29,359 Speaker 1: or if you can weigh in on that, how how 612 00:34:29,400 --> 00:34:31,480 Speaker 1: big of a surprise would a retirement like that be? 613 00:34:31,920 --> 00:34:34,359 Speaker 1: You know it would be a surprise. I mean, John 614 00:34:34,400 --> 00:34:37,359 Speaker 1: Thune is, as you point out in line, he's one 615 00:34:37,440 --> 00:34:40,840 Speaker 1: of the three John's in the leadership who would like 616 00:34:40,920 --> 00:34:44,279 Speaker 1: to become the next leader. Uh and and and it 617 00:34:44,320 --> 00:34:47,480 Speaker 1: would only be because uh, Mitch McConnell has decided to 618 00:34:47,520 --> 00:34:51,680 Speaker 1: stick around and try and break the existing record for leadership, 619 00:34:52,120 --> 00:34:55,200 Speaker 1: which should take another couple of years. And maybe Senator 620 00:34:55,239 --> 00:34:57,800 Speaker 1: Thune decide that he didn't want to stick around to 621 00:34:57,840 --> 00:34:59,920 Speaker 1: do that. But um, I know he's always had his 622 00:35:00,040 --> 00:35:03,239 Speaker 1: I on leadership. He would make a fine leader of 623 00:35:03,280 --> 00:35:06,239 Speaker 1: the Republicans in the Senate, and if if he does 624 00:35:06,480 --> 00:35:08,920 Speaker 1: decide to retire, it will be a big loss for Republicans. 625 00:35:08,960 --> 00:35:12,360 Speaker 1: I'm sure. Broader question I have, Genie, I'm curious what 626 00:35:12,400 --> 00:35:16,080 Speaker 1: you make of this really interesting piece by Mike Dorning 627 00:35:16,680 --> 00:35:19,960 Speaker 1: on Bloomberg dot Com and on the Terminal UH titled 628 00:35:20,000 --> 00:35:24,759 Speaker 1: Biden falters in push to reframe debt debate, thwarting agenda. 629 00:35:24,840 --> 00:35:26,600 Speaker 1: I'm curious, you know, with all the talk of the 630 00:35:26,840 --> 00:35:31,600 Speaker 1: low interest rates, it seemed that Democrats, at least many Democrats, 631 00:35:31,640 --> 00:35:35,000 Speaker 1: mainstream democrats, had very different views on the debt and 632 00:35:35,080 --> 00:35:38,960 Speaker 1: deficit than probably under the Obama administration. What's the big 633 00:35:39,000 --> 00:35:42,640 Speaker 1: picture takeaway of what Mansion maybe appears to be pumping 634 00:35:42,680 --> 00:35:45,640 Speaker 1: the brakes on in terms of where Democrats stand on 635 00:35:45,760 --> 00:35:49,480 Speaker 1: the fiscal agenda. Well, you know, it's fascinating because this 636 00:35:49,560 --> 00:35:51,480 Speaker 1: is one of the things that Mansion has talked a 637 00:35:51,560 --> 00:35:54,680 Speaker 1: good deal about is that he wants Democrats to pay 638 00:35:54,760 --> 00:35:58,040 Speaker 1: more attention to the debt than they have. Of Course, 639 00:35:58,080 --> 00:36:00,480 Speaker 1: you could say the same thing about republic is under 640 00:36:00,520 --> 00:36:03,560 Speaker 1: the Trump administration, very little attention paid to the debt 641 00:36:03,600 --> 00:36:05,880 Speaker 1: at that point. And as you listen to somebody like 642 00:36:05,960 --> 00:36:09,479 Speaker 1: Bernie Sanders over the weekend, he falts Joe Mansion saying, 643 00:36:09,520 --> 00:36:11,920 Speaker 1: you're worried about the debt and now, but you weren't 644 00:36:11,960 --> 00:36:16,040 Speaker 1: so worried about it when you supported the huge military spending. 645 00:36:16,360 --> 00:36:18,520 Speaker 1: So you do see it back and forth there. I 646 00:36:18,560 --> 00:36:21,040 Speaker 1: think one of the questions I have about the Democrats 647 00:36:21,560 --> 00:36:24,719 Speaker 1: ability to communicate on some of this is something that 648 00:36:24,760 --> 00:36:27,640 Speaker 1: the President alluded to today, which is the fact that 649 00:36:27,680 --> 00:36:30,840 Speaker 1: the answer to inflation and to a certain extent, some 650 00:36:30,920 --> 00:36:34,320 Speaker 1: of our economic challenges is an investment by the government 651 00:36:34,400 --> 00:36:37,600 Speaker 1: in the infrastructure and the build back better. They haven't 652 00:36:37,640 --> 00:36:40,320 Speaker 1: been able to make that case, but It's an important 653 00:36:40,320 --> 00:36:43,920 Speaker 1: case to make, and it's supported by many economists not 654 00:36:44,000 --> 00:36:46,839 Speaker 1: only about inflation but also about the debt. So I 655 00:36:46,880 --> 00:36:49,480 Speaker 1: think that's something really important for the Democrats to do 656 00:36:49,520 --> 00:36:51,480 Speaker 1: a better job on. Yeah, I think we saw even 657 00:36:51,480 --> 00:36:55,800 Speaker 1: Golden sacked their lowered their two growth forecast after Mansion 658 00:36:55,840 --> 00:36:58,279 Speaker 1: came out and said that it's definitely something to keep 659 00:36:58,280 --> 00:37:01,160 Speaker 1: an eye on. Jennie Chanzano, Rick Davis, thank you to 660 00:37:01,280 --> 00:37:05,200 Speaker 1: our excellent panel, as well as Congresswoman Lucille roybal Allard 661 00:37:05,200 --> 00:37:08,760 Speaker 1: and Caroline Bordeaux for joining us today. I'm Emily Wilkins 662 00:37:08,880 --> 00:37:12,040 Speaker 1: here with Jack Fitzpatrick. We will see you tomorrow. This 663 00:37:12,520 --> 00:37:13,239 Speaker 1: is Bloomberg