1 00:00:02,520 --> 00:00:07,040 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Audio Studios, podcasts, radio news. 2 00:00:07,800 --> 00:00:10,120 Speaker 2: Joining us now, as we promised, live from Capitol Hill 3 00:00:10,200 --> 00:00:13,920 Speaker 2: is the US Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson. Welcome 4 00:00:13,920 --> 00:00:16,319 Speaker 2: back to Bloomberg TV and Radio, mister Speaker. But looking 5 00:00:16,320 --> 00:00:19,279 Speaker 2: forward to the conversation, and I appreciate your time this evening. 6 00:00:19,360 --> 00:00:21,080 Speaker 2: I'm sure you're having a ball and you don't want 7 00:00:21,079 --> 00:00:23,400 Speaker 2: this to end anytime soon. But I'm just wondering what 8 00:00:23,440 --> 00:00:25,160 Speaker 2: your gut check is here and how long you think 9 00:00:25,200 --> 00:00:25,960 Speaker 2: this is going to go on. 10 00:00:27,080 --> 00:00:30,240 Speaker 1: This is a very frustrating exercise for us. It's no 11 00:00:30,320 --> 00:00:33,199 Speaker 1: fun at all, Joe. And that's because real Americans are 12 00:00:33,200 --> 00:00:36,240 Speaker 1: feeling real harm because of this. It's political games being 13 00:00:36,240 --> 00:00:39,000 Speaker 1: played by Democrats in the Senate. There is one reason, 14 00:00:39,040 --> 00:00:41,960 Speaker 1: and one reason alone, that they've all just magically changed 15 00:00:41,960 --> 00:00:43,800 Speaker 1: their tune. I mean, they've done one hundred to eighty 16 00:00:44,200 --> 00:00:47,240 Speaker 1: degree turn. And what they have always said and done 17 00:00:47,680 --> 00:00:50,680 Speaker 1: emphatically in keeping the government open. They said as recently 18 00:00:50,760 --> 00:00:52,960 Speaker 1: as March of this year. We're playing the highlight reel 19 00:00:53,040 --> 00:00:55,640 Speaker 1: tape outside the Speaker's office right now. They all said, 20 00:00:55,640 --> 00:00:57,560 Speaker 1: in their own words, you can't shut the government down. 21 00:00:57,600 --> 00:01:01,360 Speaker 1: It's too painful. Something change. What changed was the political calculation. 22 00:01:01,560 --> 00:01:04,679 Speaker 1: Chuck Shermer is worried about, as was just said, an 23 00:01:04,720 --> 00:01:07,880 Speaker 1: attack or a challenge from his left flank. He's afraid 24 00:01:08,120 --> 00:01:10,160 Speaker 1: that the Marxist wave in New York is going to 25 00:01:10,200 --> 00:01:12,479 Speaker 1: take him over as well, because he represents that state, 26 00:01:12,760 --> 00:01:14,880 Speaker 1: and so he's got to pick a fight with Trump 27 00:01:14,959 --> 00:01:17,479 Speaker 1: and show that he's fighting. Well, they picked a fight 28 00:01:17,560 --> 00:01:20,320 Speaker 1: that has nothing to do with stop gut funding. They're 29 00:01:20,360 --> 00:01:23,640 Speaker 1: talking about the Obamacare subsidies, for example. That's a December 30 00:01:23,680 --> 00:01:26,759 Speaker 1: thirty one policy issue. We were always going to negotiate 31 00:01:26,800 --> 00:01:30,240 Speaker 1: that and debate it and deliberate over it in October November. 32 00:01:30,280 --> 00:01:32,440 Speaker 1: That always has been on the schedule and they know that. 33 00:01:32,480 --> 00:01:34,280 Speaker 1: But they're trying to pretend that's the issue of the day. 34 00:01:34,319 --> 00:01:34,640 Speaker 3: It's not. 35 00:01:34,920 --> 00:01:37,520 Speaker 1: It's a red herring. It's a distraction. They're not doing 36 00:01:37,520 --> 00:01:39,160 Speaker 1: their jobs and real Americans are getting hurt. 37 00:01:40,080 --> 00:01:42,479 Speaker 2: Well, we spoke just a few moments ago with Congresswoman 38 00:01:42,560 --> 00:01:45,759 Speaker 2: Catherine Clark who said, we just want to gesture, mister speaker, 39 00:01:46,240 --> 00:01:50,040 Speaker 2: would you consider a promise to bring that negotiated legislation 40 00:01:50,160 --> 00:01:51,960 Speaker 2: to a floor vote up or down. We'll make sure 41 00:01:52,000 --> 00:01:53,560 Speaker 2: that happens before the end of the year. 42 00:01:54,480 --> 00:01:56,440 Speaker 1: Well, the Speaker of the House is in no position 43 00:01:56,520 --> 00:01:59,080 Speaker 1: to project forward what the outcome of a big policy 44 00:01:59,120 --> 00:02:02,080 Speaker 1: debate is going to be. That'd be unprecedented for anyone 45 00:02:02,080 --> 00:02:03,600 Speaker 1: to do that, and I won't. 46 00:02:03,800 --> 00:02:05,160 Speaker 3: What we have told them. 47 00:02:05,120 --> 00:02:08,560 Speaker 1: Is the obvious fact that there are ongoing negotiations and 48 00:02:08,560 --> 00:02:12,440 Speaker 1: discussions going on today between Republicans and Democrats, and certainly 49 00:02:12,520 --> 00:02:15,520 Speaker 1: within our own caucuses about how some of that would 50 00:02:15,560 --> 00:02:18,040 Speaker 1: need to be reformed. Look, there's a lot of conservatives 51 00:02:18,040 --> 00:02:21,359 Speaker 1: who have real problems with the Obamacare subsidy. Okay, when 52 00:02:21,360 --> 00:02:24,720 Speaker 1: the government subsidizes something, it means it's not working. It's 53 00:02:24,760 --> 00:02:26,799 Speaker 1: like the ev mandates. You know, people didn't want to 54 00:02:26,800 --> 00:02:29,040 Speaker 1: buy electric vehicles. The government said we'll give you seventy 55 00:02:29,040 --> 00:02:30,839 Speaker 1: five hundred dollars cash if you do, and they still 56 00:02:30,840 --> 00:02:34,040 Speaker 1: didn't buy enough of them. Right, when the government subsidizes something, 57 00:02:34,280 --> 00:02:36,519 Speaker 1: it means the market's not working. Obamacare was supposed to 58 00:02:36,520 --> 00:02:39,760 Speaker 1: bring down the cost of health care. Premiums of skyrocketed 59 00:02:39,800 --> 00:02:41,399 Speaker 1: since it was created in two thousand and ten. They're 60 00:02:41,440 --> 00:02:44,119 Speaker 1: up like sixty percent, So something's not working. There's real 61 00:02:44,200 --> 00:02:47,000 Speaker 1: reforms that are needed, but it's a complex issue that 62 00:02:47,080 --> 00:02:49,360 Speaker 1: takes a lot of time for members on both sides 63 00:02:49,360 --> 00:02:51,799 Speaker 1: of the island, in both chambers to negotiate. They're trying 64 00:02:51,800 --> 00:02:54,000 Speaker 1: to search short circuit all that. Right now, that's not 65 00:02:54,040 --> 00:02:57,360 Speaker 1: how this process works. The clean cr is so simple, 66 00:02:57,520 --> 00:03:00,640 Speaker 1: Joe is twenty four pages in length. It has exactly 67 00:03:00,840 --> 00:03:02,960 Speaker 1: zero Republican policy writers on it. 68 00:03:03,000 --> 00:03:05,120 Speaker 3: We made it so simple. We just said, do what 69 00:03:05,160 --> 00:03:05,760 Speaker 3: you've always done. 70 00:03:05,840 --> 00:03:08,480 Speaker 1: Let's keep the lights on and keep the appropriations and 71 00:03:08,520 --> 00:03:11,519 Speaker 1: the negotiation process going. They refuse to do it because 72 00:03:11,600 --> 00:03:14,200 Speaker 1: again they want to show a fight because they can't 73 00:03:14,200 --> 00:03:15,120 Speaker 1: stand President Trump. 74 00:03:15,160 --> 00:03:15,840 Speaker 3: That's what this is. 75 00:03:15,880 --> 00:03:18,800 Speaker 1: And in the meantime, American people are being used as 76 00:03:18,880 --> 00:03:22,200 Speaker 1: pawns in this game, and it is so frustrating to us. 77 00:03:22,360 --> 00:03:24,359 Speaker 1: I think it's shameful. I think it's immoral for them 78 00:03:24,360 --> 00:03:25,440 Speaker 1: to do what they're doing right now. 79 00:03:26,400 --> 00:03:28,760 Speaker 2: Well, I know your position on that, and you we 80 00:03:28,800 --> 00:03:31,160 Speaker 2: hear about the Schumer shut down a lot around here. 81 00:03:31,280 --> 00:03:33,600 Speaker 2: Tom Emmer was with us just a couple of days 82 00:03:33,639 --> 00:03:35,360 Speaker 2: ago making the point that we've heard this over the 83 00:03:35,400 --> 00:03:38,840 Speaker 2: past couple of weeks, but what happens if Chuck Schumer 84 00:03:38,880 --> 00:03:42,160 Speaker 2: doesn't come around for you? What happens if weeks go by. 85 00:03:42,200 --> 00:03:44,760 Speaker 2: If members of the military are not being paid, are 86 00:03:44,760 --> 00:03:47,640 Speaker 2: there off ramps here for you? Mister Speaker, Will you 87 00:03:47,680 --> 00:03:50,200 Speaker 2: start reaching out directly to Democrats? Do we need another 88 00:03:50,240 --> 00:03:51,560 Speaker 2: meeting in the Oval office. 89 00:03:52,280 --> 00:03:55,240 Speaker 1: Look, I am a good faith operator. I am a negotiator. 90 00:03:55,280 --> 00:03:58,200 Speaker 1: I like to find common ground. Here's the problem, because 91 00:03:58,240 --> 00:04:00,520 Speaker 1: we were operating in good faith and doing the most 92 00:04:00,560 --> 00:04:03,440 Speaker 1: basic simple thing, I mean, the bare minimum piece of 93 00:04:03,480 --> 00:04:06,320 Speaker 1: legislation to keep the lights on. I literally don't have 94 00:04:06,400 --> 00:04:08,560 Speaker 1: anything to negotiate on the CR. I can't go into 95 00:04:08,640 --> 00:04:11,040 Speaker 1: that document then say, oh, let me pull off these 96 00:04:11,040 --> 00:04:12,960 Speaker 1: Republican priorities and see if we can get some more 97 00:04:13,000 --> 00:04:13,520 Speaker 1: Democrats to. 98 00:04:13,560 --> 00:04:15,280 Speaker 3: Vote on it. I don't have anything to pull off 99 00:04:15,280 --> 00:04:15,560 Speaker 3: of it. 100 00:04:15,600 --> 00:04:19,039 Speaker 1: I sent over a clean continued resolution, and by the way, 101 00:04:19,200 --> 00:04:23,480 Speaker 1: very important. It continues Biden era policies and spending, which 102 00:04:23,520 --> 00:04:26,120 Speaker 1: we conservatives don't like. We're trying to change that, but 103 00:04:26,160 --> 00:04:28,599 Speaker 1: we need the appropriations process to finish it. All we 104 00:04:28,640 --> 00:04:30,680 Speaker 1: needed was seven more weeks on the clock to finish 105 00:04:30,680 --> 00:04:34,240 Speaker 1: the process. And the Republicans and Democrats who are appropriators 106 00:04:34,279 --> 00:04:37,080 Speaker 1: are the ones that decided that date and decided it 107 00:04:37,080 --> 00:04:40,360 Speaker 1: should be clean. And everything was going smoothly until Chuck 108 00:04:40,360 --> 00:04:42,599 Speaker 1: Schimmer decided to blow it up. Is he going to fold? 109 00:04:42,640 --> 00:04:44,359 Speaker 1: I don't know, but I'll tell you what needs to happen. 110 00:04:44,760 --> 00:04:47,080 Speaker 1: Some other Senate Democrats need to come to their senses 111 00:04:47,120 --> 00:04:50,000 Speaker 1: and realize they should not be blamed for the pain 112 00:04:50,000 --> 00:04:52,080 Speaker 1: that's being inflicted on the people. Make it stop as 113 00:04:52,080 --> 00:04:54,240 Speaker 1: soon as possible, do the right thing and join your 114 00:04:54,279 --> 00:04:56,200 Speaker 1: Republican colleagues and open the government back up. 115 00:04:57,000 --> 00:04:58,800 Speaker 2: That's why I ask if you're reaching out to some 116 00:04:58,839 --> 00:05:01,360 Speaker 2: of the Democratic senators, mister speaker, have you talked to 117 00:05:01,440 --> 00:05:03,320 Speaker 2: Chuck Schumer since your Oval Office meeting? 118 00:05:05,160 --> 00:05:06,880 Speaker 3: No? Not since the Oval Office meeting. But I'll tell 119 00:05:06,880 --> 00:05:07,120 Speaker 3: you what. 120 00:05:07,160 --> 00:05:09,400 Speaker 1: The President made an impassioned plea while we were there 121 00:05:09,440 --> 00:05:12,159 Speaker 1: to please not do this, Please don't shut the government down, Chuck, 122 00:05:12,480 --> 00:05:15,799 Speaker 1: and he was spurned, and Chuck Schumer and HACKEM. Jeffreys 123 00:05:15,839 --> 00:05:18,520 Speaker 1: walked out defiantly. You know they wanted to pick this fight. 124 00:05:18,600 --> 00:05:21,280 Speaker 1: It's very clear. The question everybody's asking is how long 125 00:05:21,600 --> 00:05:25,160 Speaker 1: October fifteenth troops begin to lose a real paycheck, and 126 00:05:25,240 --> 00:05:27,479 Speaker 1: you've got TSA agents and Border patrol agents and all 127 00:05:27,520 --> 00:05:30,680 Speaker 1: these people sacrificing their own safety. To protect everyone else, 128 00:05:30,720 --> 00:05:33,479 Speaker 1: and they won't be paid. You've got nutrition programs and 129 00:05:33,520 --> 00:05:36,680 Speaker 1: health services and femous services and all sorts of other 130 00:05:36,760 --> 00:05:40,839 Speaker 1: things stalled, and half the civilian workforce of the federal 131 00:05:40,880 --> 00:05:44,320 Speaker 1: government is now furloughed. This is dangerous stuff. Real people 132 00:05:44,320 --> 00:05:47,440 Speaker 1: are being hurt. Air traffic controllers are falling back on 133 00:05:47,480 --> 00:05:49,680 Speaker 1: the job because they don't have enough personnel. It's a 134 00:05:49,800 --> 00:05:53,200 Speaker 1: serious stuff, and we need the Democrats to come to 135 00:05:53,279 --> 00:05:54,360 Speaker 1: their senses and do the right thing. 136 00:05:55,440 --> 00:05:56,479 Speaker 3: Well, of course there's. 137 00:05:56,279 --> 00:05:58,479 Speaker 2: A thread of mass layoffs coming from the president. He 138 00:05:58,520 --> 00:06:00,680 Speaker 2: said maybe four or five days he would make a 139 00:06:00,720 --> 00:06:02,719 Speaker 2: decision on that. But there's also been a conversation and 140 00:06:02,720 --> 00:06:05,440 Speaker 2: I heard you speaking earlier in your briefing about back 141 00:06:05,520 --> 00:06:08,320 Speaker 2: pay for federal workers who have been furloughed. There's, of 142 00:06:08,360 --> 00:06:10,920 Speaker 2: course a law on the books around furloughed workers getting 143 00:06:10,960 --> 00:06:14,520 Speaker 2: back bay today, and I know that you have been 144 00:06:14,560 --> 00:06:16,679 Speaker 2: speaking to the letter of a law. The President yesterday 145 00:06:16,839 --> 00:06:19,839 Speaker 2: yesterday said though that there are some federal workers who 146 00:06:19,920 --> 00:06:22,760 Speaker 2: do not deserve the quote was to be taken care of. 147 00:06:23,560 --> 00:06:26,719 Speaker 2: Is this issue the purview of Congress? Do you plan 148 00:06:26,800 --> 00:06:29,400 Speaker 2: to follow this law or is this somehow up to 149 00:06:29,440 --> 00:06:30,240 Speaker 2: russ vote. Now. 150 00:06:31,640 --> 00:06:35,119 Speaker 1: Well, look, there's different legal analyzes that are floating around 151 00:06:35,160 --> 00:06:36,600 Speaker 1: right now, and I've been so busy with this i 152 00:06:36,600 --> 00:06:37,839 Speaker 1: haven't had a chance to dig into it. 153 00:06:37,880 --> 00:06:38,520 Speaker 3: I am a lawyer. 154 00:06:38,640 --> 00:06:40,680 Speaker 1: I'm looking forward to reading through that because I kind 155 00:06:40,680 --> 00:06:42,640 Speaker 1: of get into all the scholarship side of this. It 156 00:06:42,680 --> 00:06:45,280 Speaker 1: has always been my understanding that the law requires furloughed 157 00:06:45,560 --> 00:06:47,760 Speaker 1: workers to receive back pay, and of course that's been 158 00:06:47,760 --> 00:06:50,200 Speaker 1: the tradition. And I'm not sure exactly what the President 159 00:06:50,279 --> 00:06:52,120 Speaker 1: is referring to there there. I haven't had a chance 160 00:06:52,120 --> 00:06:54,760 Speaker 1: to talk to him about that specific issue yet, but 161 00:06:54,880 --> 00:06:57,120 Speaker 1: we will. I can tell you this though, the view 162 00:06:57,120 --> 00:06:59,240 Speaker 1: of the White House, the view of the President himself, 163 00:06:59,320 --> 00:07:01,440 Speaker 1: is that he doesn't want federal workers to be used 164 00:07:01,440 --> 00:07:02,039 Speaker 1: as ponds. 165 00:07:02,040 --> 00:07:02,280 Speaker 3: Here. 166 00:07:02,480 --> 00:07:04,919 Speaker 1: We've got some great patriotic Americans who work for our 167 00:07:04,960 --> 00:07:08,159 Speaker 1: agencies and provide essential services to the people. They should 168 00:07:08,200 --> 00:07:10,680 Speaker 1: not suffer the harms of people who want to pay 169 00:07:10,680 --> 00:07:13,360 Speaker 1: political games. And I think this really important principle for 170 00:07:13,440 --> 00:07:14,080 Speaker 1: us to advance. 171 00:07:15,320 --> 00:07:18,280 Speaker 2: Do you worry about mass layoffs coming as early as 172 00:07:18,320 --> 00:07:21,280 Speaker 2: next week and that actually poisoning the well even more 173 00:07:21,840 --> 00:07:24,840 Speaker 2: between Republicans and Democrats? What would be the impact of a. 174 00:07:24,800 --> 00:07:27,440 Speaker 1: Move like that, well, look, I'm worried about all sorts 175 00:07:27,440 --> 00:07:30,120 Speaker 1: of adverse effects because of how it affects the American people. 176 00:07:30,160 --> 00:07:33,240 Speaker 1: We had some analysis today that every week that the 177 00:07:33,280 --> 00:07:37,080 Speaker 1: Democrats shut down continues, we could lose fifteen billion dollars 178 00:07:37,160 --> 00:07:39,600 Speaker 1: in gross domestic product. I mean, it's a real hit 179 00:07:39,960 --> 00:07:42,240 Speaker 1: for real people, and it has a reverberating effect. And 180 00:07:42,280 --> 00:07:45,240 Speaker 1: if you keep it closed for a month, then one 181 00:07:45,240 --> 00:07:47,160 Speaker 1: of the estimates I saw today is you lose forty 182 00:07:47,200 --> 00:07:50,200 Speaker 1: three thousand civilian employees. You know, because it has a 183 00:07:50,280 --> 00:07:52,920 Speaker 1: ripple effect throughout the economy. We can't afford to do that. 184 00:07:53,000 --> 00:07:53,400 Speaker 2: Right now. 185 00:07:53,520 --> 00:07:55,840 Speaker 1: Things were going in the right direction and this is 186 00:07:56,240 --> 00:07:59,280 Speaker 1: a terrible setback for the country. It also has implications 187 00:07:59,320 --> 00:08:01,440 Speaker 1: for national secure I mean, you look at things like 188 00:08:01,520 --> 00:08:05,520 Speaker 1: nuclear deterrence. Those programs are stalled right now, right and 189 00:08:05,600 --> 00:08:08,680 Speaker 1: every day you do that, it has real world consequences 190 00:08:08,680 --> 00:08:10,680 Speaker 1: for us. Not a game, and we need to end 191 00:08:10,680 --> 00:08:11,320 Speaker 1: it right now. 192 00:08:12,440 --> 00:08:15,600 Speaker 2: I know that you've said it to House Republicans at 193 00:08:15,680 --> 00:08:17,920 Speaker 2: least reportedly, that you would give them forty eight hours 194 00:08:17,960 --> 00:08:19,680 Speaker 2: notice if they had to come back into town. When 195 00:08:20,240 --> 00:08:23,960 Speaker 2: folks left following the vote on the CR in the House, 196 00:08:24,560 --> 00:08:26,800 Speaker 2: if they're talking next door in the Senate, if some 197 00:08:26,840 --> 00:08:30,000 Speaker 2: sort of deal is broker that might alter the CR 198 00:08:30,120 --> 00:08:32,000 Speaker 2: as it stands. Now, do you plan to call your 199 00:08:32,000 --> 00:08:32,600 Speaker 2: members back? 200 00:08:34,120 --> 00:08:36,079 Speaker 1: Look, the devil's in the details, but I don't know 201 00:08:36,080 --> 00:08:38,360 Speaker 1: how they could possibly alter it. We made it so 202 00:08:38,640 --> 00:08:40,920 Speaker 1: simple there Again, there is nothing to take off of that. 203 00:08:41,280 --> 00:08:45,200 Speaker 1: It is virtually identical to what Chuck Schumer himself championed 204 00:08:45,240 --> 00:08:47,720 Speaker 1: in March of this year. And so we're not going 205 00:08:47,760 --> 00:08:50,800 Speaker 1: to strap on extraneous policy issues and all of that. 206 00:08:50,800 --> 00:08:52,679 Speaker 1: That would take a long time. Because the government's now 207 00:08:52,679 --> 00:08:55,360 Speaker 1: closed down, they need to pass the clean CR, turn 208 00:08:55,400 --> 00:08:57,360 Speaker 1: the lights back on, and get everybody back to work. 209 00:08:57,720 --> 00:09:00,680 Speaker 1: I'm just so frustrated with the nonsense around this, and 210 00:09:00,720 --> 00:09:02,600 Speaker 1: I think more and more people at Homer as well. 211 00:09:02,720 --> 00:09:04,360 Speaker 1: I saw a rass must and poll that came out 212 00:09:04,400 --> 00:09:07,200 Speaker 1: a couple of hours ago. Forty nine percent of the 213 00:09:07,200 --> 00:09:10,200 Speaker 1: American people were polled. So that Democrats did this to 214 00:09:10,240 --> 00:09:11,800 Speaker 1: give benefits to illegal aliens. 215 00:09:11,840 --> 00:09:12,560 Speaker 3: They are not wrong. 216 00:09:12,720 --> 00:09:15,840 Speaker 1: Two hundred billion dollars in their counter proposal would pay 217 00:09:15,920 --> 00:09:21,240 Speaker 1: illegal aliens the benefits that hard earned, hardworking American taxpayers provide. 218 00:09:21,240 --> 00:09:21,960 Speaker 3: We're not doing that. 219 00:09:22,200 --> 00:09:23,920 Speaker 1: We're not going to add a trillion and a half 220 00:09:23,920 --> 00:09:28,600 Speaker 1: new dollars to spending. We're not taking Chuck Schumer's ridiculous counterproposal. 221 00:09:28,720 --> 00:09:30,240 Speaker 1: We're going to do the right thing for the people, 222 00:09:30,480 --> 00:09:32,080 Speaker 1: and the Republicans are on the job to do it. 223 00:09:33,120 --> 00:09:34,640 Speaker 2: I know you had a couple of visitors at your 224 00:09:34,640 --> 00:09:37,400 Speaker 2: office today, mister Speaker, a couple of Democratic Senators. I 225 00:09:37,440 --> 00:09:40,160 Speaker 2: believe Kelly and Diego had a lot of things to 226 00:09:40,160 --> 00:09:43,280 Speaker 2: say about the swearing in of a new member of 227 00:09:43,320 --> 00:09:46,360 Speaker 2: Congress from Arizona. I also saw Congress with Mike Lawler 228 00:09:46,360 --> 00:09:50,439 Speaker 2: from New York get into an altercation with HAKEM. Jefferies 229 00:09:50,440 --> 00:09:52,720 Speaker 2: as he was coming out of his office here. I 230 00:09:52,800 --> 00:09:57,080 Speaker 2: know that elbows can be sharp on Capitol Hill, But 231 00:09:57,120 --> 00:09:59,160 Speaker 2: mister Speaker, what's happened to decorum? 232 00:09:59,400 --> 00:10:01,360 Speaker 3: Is this a new law? Oh? 233 00:10:01,480 --> 00:10:03,640 Speaker 1: Look, I work on decorum around here all the time. 234 00:10:03,679 --> 00:10:05,840 Speaker 1: Everybody knows that's my record. I started it when I 235 00:10:05,880 --> 00:10:08,600 Speaker 1: came to Washington in January twenty seventeen. I authored the 236 00:10:09,040 --> 00:10:12,480 Speaker 1: Honor and Civility Caucus Pledge and the Commitment to Civility. 237 00:10:12,480 --> 00:10:14,640 Speaker 3: I mean, we have to maintain this. 238 00:10:14,720 --> 00:10:17,760 Speaker 1: There fights about policy, but it shouldn't be personal. I 239 00:10:17,800 --> 00:10:20,760 Speaker 1: try to model that myself. I try to encourage colleagues 240 00:10:20,800 --> 00:10:22,439 Speaker 1: to do it. But I would tell you the tension 241 00:10:22,440 --> 00:10:25,160 Speaker 1: here is very high because it's high because the stakes 242 00:10:25,160 --> 00:10:28,199 Speaker 1: are so high, and you get real Americans, real constituents 243 00:10:28,400 --> 00:10:30,760 Speaker 1: back home who are really suffering because of the nonsense, 244 00:10:31,080 --> 00:10:34,520 Speaker 1: and it gets as upset here sometimes, you know, I 245 00:10:34,559 --> 00:10:36,760 Speaker 1: understand that emotion. We've got to keep it in check. 246 00:10:36,800 --> 00:10:38,520 Speaker 1: We've got to get everybody working together, and we've got to. 247 00:10:38,480 --> 00:10:39,240 Speaker 3: Get the lights back on. 248 00:10:40,440 --> 00:10:42,720 Speaker 2: I want to ask you about that new member Grihalva, 249 00:10:42,920 --> 00:10:46,480 Speaker 2: the congress woman elects from Arizona. The senators were asking 250 00:10:46,520 --> 00:10:48,600 Speaker 2: you to swear her in, or I guess they were 251 00:10:48,679 --> 00:10:50,880 Speaker 2: urging you to swear her in, which I know you've 252 00:10:50,880 --> 00:10:54,000 Speaker 2: done a couple of times for Republican members in pro 253 00:10:54,040 --> 00:10:57,080 Speaker 2: forma sessions. These two senators were yelling about Jeffrey Epstein, 254 00:10:57,480 --> 00:10:59,160 Speaker 2: I think to make a point here, and they did 255 00:10:59,160 --> 00:11:02,040 Speaker 2: get some on that. Mister speaker, Is this an Epsteine 256 00:11:02,080 --> 00:11:03,800 Speaker 2: issue or is this a process issue? 257 00:11:04,400 --> 00:11:06,600 Speaker 1: They're master's at distraction. To go back and watch the 258 00:11:06,679 --> 00:11:09,840 Speaker 1: video of Senator Reuben Gego. These are the two Democrat 259 00:11:10,040 --> 00:11:13,080 Speaker 1: senators from Arizona, Mark Kelly and Gayego, and they're voting 260 00:11:13,160 --> 00:11:14,760 Speaker 1: to keep the government closed. I told them, if you 261 00:11:14,800 --> 00:11:17,959 Speaker 1: want to get your House colleague from your state, take 262 00:11:18,000 --> 00:11:19,679 Speaker 1: the oath of office, then open the government so we 263 00:11:19,760 --> 00:11:23,440 Speaker 1: get back to regular session. They claim everything's about Epstein. 264 00:11:23,760 --> 00:11:27,600 Speaker 1: It's a joke, master's a distraction. We did. This is 265 00:11:27,800 --> 00:11:31,320 Speaker 1: a long standing tradition in the Congress when you administer 266 00:11:31,400 --> 00:11:34,160 Speaker 1: the oath after a special election, you do it the 267 00:11:34,160 --> 00:11:36,600 Speaker 1: first time that the Congress is back in session. After that, 268 00:11:36,880 --> 00:11:40,520 Speaker 1: we did change that modify it earlier this year. On 269 00:11:40,520 --> 00:11:43,120 Speaker 1: one occasion, we had two Floridians who came in on 270 00:11:43,120 --> 00:11:45,640 Speaker 1: the same special election, but it was a very different 271 00:11:45,640 --> 00:11:48,480 Speaker 1: set of circumstances. I explained to them very quickly. We 272 00:11:48,559 --> 00:11:51,360 Speaker 1: had a scheduled date for the oath office ceremony. The 273 00:11:51,440 --> 00:11:53,880 Speaker 1: House went out of session unexpectedly. They already had their 274 00:11:53,920 --> 00:11:56,400 Speaker 1: family and friends here and it was already pre arranged. 275 00:11:56,520 --> 00:11:58,040 Speaker 1: So we just went ahead and went through the motion. 276 00:11:58,320 --> 00:12:01,800 Speaker 1: We're going to recollect Grihalba. We'll be sworn in as 277 00:12:01,800 --> 00:12:04,000 Speaker 1: soon as we get back to regular session. She never 278 00:12:04,040 --> 00:12:06,400 Speaker 1: had a scheduled date because you got elected after the 279 00:12:06,440 --> 00:12:08,640 Speaker 1: House went out of session. This is real simple. We're 280 00:12:08,679 --> 00:12:09,960 Speaker 1: going to do that as soon as we get back. 281 00:12:10,000 --> 00:12:12,480 Speaker 1: But they are in charge of turning the lights on 282 00:12:12,559 --> 00:12:13,760 Speaker 1: so Congress can get back to work. 283 00:12:14,679 --> 00:12:17,640 Speaker 2: Well, I appreciate your answering that for us, mister Speaker. Lastly, 284 00:12:17,679 --> 00:12:20,400 Speaker 2: if you were to join me, say next Wednesday, would 285 00:12:20,440 --> 00:12:22,760 Speaker 2: we be having the same conversation about a shutdown. 286 00:12:23,920 --> 00:12:26,160 Speaker 1: I am on my knees praying that we would not be. 287 00:12:26,600 --> 00:12:28,520 Speaker 1: We have got to get the government operated again. It's 288 00:12:28,559 --> 00:12:31,080 Speaker 1: the most basic function of the federal government is to 289 00:12:31,080 --> 00:12:34,120 Speaker 1: serve the people, keep the people safe, and keep the 290 00:12:34,160 --> 00:12:36,320 Speaker 1: lights on. And we need the Democrats that we're here 291 00:12:36,360 --> 00:12:37,240 Speaker 1: to see the light and do that. 292 00:12:38,800 --> 00:12:41,640 Speaker 2: We appreciate the conversation. House Speaker, Mike Johnson, thank you. 293 00:12:41,840 --> 00:12:43,920 Speaker 2: You're always welcome on Bloomberg TV and radio.