1 00:00:02,520 --> 00:00:07,000 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Audio Studios, podcasts, radio news. 2 00:00:07,920 --> 00:00:10,800 Speaker 2: We're joined now by Democratic Senator Jean Shaheen of New Hampshire, 3 00:00:10,800 --> 00:00:13,319 Speaker 2: an important voice as she is ranking member of the 4 00:00:13,360 --> 00:00:16,360 Speaker 2: Senate Foreign Relations Committee and also serves on the Senate 5 00:00:16,360 --> 00:00:18,960 Speaker 2: Appropriations Committee. I should mention the Senator is joining us 6 00:00:18,960 --> 00:00:22,160 Speaker 2: from a rare Earth's processing plan run by Phoenix Tailings 7 00:00:22,160 --> 00:00:24,960 Speaker 2: at Exeter, New Hampshire, and Senator, we're looking forward to 8 00:00:25,000 --> 00:00:27,240 Speaker 2: hearing more about why you're there. I want to ask you, though, 9 00:00:27,280 --> 00:00:29,960 Speaker 2: first about this situation with Iran, as the State Department 10 00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:34,239 Speaker 2: calls on American citizens to leave the country immediately. Is 11 00:00:34,320 --> 00:00:36,320 Speaker 2: this the prelude to war? 12 00:00:37,960 --> 00:00:40,000 Speaker 3: Well, I hope not. I think the talks and Aman 13 00:00:40,360 --> 00:00:43,960 Speaker 3: are a very good sign. I think there is great 14 00:00:44,080 --> 00:00:49,120 Speaker 3: concern about Iran, both their attempt to get a nuclear 15 00:00:49,159 --> 00:00:52,520 Speaker 3: weapon and they're very close to that, as well as 16 00:00:52,720 --> 00:00:55,280 Speaker 3: all of the support that they provide to terrorist groups 17 00:00:55,320 --> 00:01:00,640 Speaker 3: across the Middle East. So negotiations are always better than fighting, 18 00:01:01,080 --> 00:01:03,920 Speaker 3: and I hope that these negotiations will lead to something. 19 00:01:05,920 --> 00:01:09,080 Speaker 2: Well, I do hear you on that, but the President 20 00:01:09,120 --> 00:01:12,160 Speaker 2: of course has kept military options on the table. We 21 00:01:12,240 --> 00:01:15,839 Speaker 2: have a massive armada, as he likes to call it off. 22 00:01:15,840 --> 00:01:19,160 Speaker 2: The coast of Iran prepared to strike. The USS Lincoln 23 00:01:19,200 --> 00:01:21,320 Speaker 2: Carrier strike Group is there, and we've put a number 24 00:01:21,319 --> 00:01:25,919 Speaker 2: of other assets in the region. The President has repeatedly 25 00:01:26,000 --> 00:01:29,000 Speaker 2: said things like help is on the way to protesters. 26 00:01:29,000 --> 00:01:32,080 Speaker 2: He said this week that Iran should be very worried. 27 00:01:32,800 --> 00:01:35,640 Speaker 2: Some have suggested that every time the President has assembled 28 00:01:36,319 --> 00:01:39,560 Speaker 2: this much hardware, he has intended to use it. How 29 00:01:39,560 --> 00:01:40,640 Speaker 2: about this time. 30 00:01:41,720 --> 00:01:44,119 Speaker 3: Well, we don't know. I don't have any insights into 31 00:01:44,200 --> 00:01:49,400 Speaker 3: the presidents thinking about this. But again, that's why these 32 00:01:49,440 --> 00:01:52,200 Speaker 3: talks are so important. If we can reach some agreement 33 00:01:52,320 --> 00:01:56,240 Speaker 3: around around support for terrorist groups in the region, if 34 00:01:56,280 --> 00:02:00,800 Speaker 3: we can reach some support around slowing down their effort 35 00:02:00,840 --> 00:02:03,560 Speaker 3: to get a nuclear weapon, that will be positive not 36 00:02:03,720 --> 00:02:07,920 Speaker 3: just for the region, but for global security. So there's 37 00:02:07,960 --> 00:02:10,160 Speaker 3: a lot writing on these talks. I hope they're going 38 00:02:10,240 --> 00:02:12,760 Speaker 3: to stay at the table and come to an agreement. 39 00:02:14,000 --> 00:02:16,960 Speaker 2: Can I ask what you think about who's at the table? 40 00:02:16,960 --> 00:02:20,040 Speaker 2: These are being framed as indirect talk, Senator, but we 41 00:02:20,160 --> 00:02:23,080 Speaker 2: once again see the President, Special Envoy Steve Whitdcoff and 42 00:02:23,080 --> 00:02:26,120 Speaker 2: his son in law Jared Kushner speaking for the United States. 43 00:02:26,120 --> 00:02:29,440 Speaker 2: So those the two people who should be in the room. 44 00:02:30,080 --> 00:02:32,480 Speaker 3: Well, I hope they've got some backup from the State 45 00:02:32,520 --> 00:02:36,000 Speaker 3: Department as well. But the fact is it's important to 46 00:02:36,000 --> 00:02:39,280 Speaker 3: have somebody who can speak for the president, who's close 47 00:02:39,280 --> 00:02:43,440 Speaker 3: to the president, so that they have some credibility as 48 00:02:43,440 --> 00:02:45,760 Speaker 3: they go into talks. And I think both Steve wood 49 00:02:45,800 --> 00:02:47,919 Speaker 3: Coff and Jared Kushner have that credibility. 50 00:02:49,320 --> 00:02:51,919 Speaker 2: Well, in the spirit of national security, we've been talking 51 00:02:51,919 --> 00:02:54,760 Speaker 2: a lot about critical minerals in rare earths here in Washington. 52 00:02:54,800 --> 00:02:57,760 Speaker 2: This week, the President gathered a number of countries in fact, 53 00:02:57,760 --> 00:03:00,560 Speaker 2: to start work on what is at least beginning as 54 00:03:00,600 --> 00:03:04,960 Speaker 2: a twelve billion dollar critical minerals stockpile. And it's something 55 00:03:04,960 --> 00:03:08,440 Speaker 2: that you've been leaning into as well with your Secure 56 00:03:08,720 --> 00:03:12,359 Speaker 2: Minerals Act. I'd like to ask you what you're looking 57 00:03:12,440 --> 00:03:15,000 Speaker 2: at here. It's a bipartisan piece of legislation as you 58 00:03:15,120 --> 00:03:17,960 Speaker 2: join us, as I mentioned from Phoenix Trailings, a rare 59 00:03:18,000 --> 00:03:23,679 Speaker 2: earth's processing plant with its eyes on American minerals and 60 00:03:23,800 --> 00:03:26,640 Speaker 2: processed here in the United States, what would your legislation 61 00:03:26,760 --> 00:03:28,440 Speaker 2: do to add to what the President's up to. 62 00:03:29,600 --> 00:03:33,040 Speaker 3: Well, Phoenix Tailings is a company here in Exeter, New 63 00:03:33,040 --> 00:03:35,480 Speaker 3: Hampshire where I am. As you can see from my 64 00:03:35,520 --> 00:03:39,760 Speaker 3: backdrop right now, I've had a great opportunity to talk 65 00:03:39,800 --> 00:03:42,440 Speaker 3: to the folks here. They're one of just a handful, 66 00:03:43,160 --> 00:03:46,240 Speaker 3: a very small, less than five companies in the United 67 00:03:46,280 --> 00:03:51,360 Speaker 3: States that are actually doing the processing of rare earth minerals. 68 00:03:51,440 --> 00:03:54,200 Speaker 3: And why that's so important, as you know and so 69 00:03:54,240 --> 00:03:58,520 Speaker 3: many of your viewers understand, is because those are elements 70 00:03:58,560 --> 00:04:02,880 Speaker 3: that are in everything from our appliances to our cars, 71 00:04:03,000 --> 00:04:07,560 Speaker 3: to our missiles and our aircraft. So they are critical 72 00:04:07,600 --> 00:04:10,960 Speaker 3: to everything we do. And right now, ninety percent of 73 00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:14,560 Speaker 3: the processing of those elements is being done in China, 74 00:04:15,240 --> 00:04:19,680 Speaker 3: and so we are subject to whatever China's whims are 75 00:04:20,000 --> 00:04:22,960 Speaker 3: about whether they're going to continue to sell us those 76 00:04:23,120 --> 00:04:28,600 Speaker 3: rare earth elements. And that's why companies like Phoenix Tailings 77 00:04:28,880 --> 00:04:32,039 Speaker 3: are so important, and what our legislation is designed to 78 00:04:32,080 --> 00:04:35,640 Speaker 3: do is to try and support that domestic industry in 79 00:04:35,680 --> 00:04:42,160 Speaker 3: the United States. What Phoenix does is to take mine tailings, 80 00:04:42,279 --> 00:04:46,600 Speaker 3: so what's left over when mining is done, and they 81 00:04:46,600 --> 00:04:51,840 Speaker 3: have a process here to develop those into one of 82 00:04:51,839 --> 00:04:56,560 Speaker 3: this some of the seventeen rare earth minerals that are 83 00:04:56,600 --> 00:05:02,520 Speaker 3: so important in all of those appliance's everything appliances to 84 00:05:02,600 --> 00:05:06,720 Speaker 3: missiles to everything else that we use computers in the 85 00:05:06,760 --> 00:05:11,080 Speaker 3: modern world. So it's really important for us to develop 86 00:05:11,120 --> 00:05:14,040 Speaker 3: that domestic industry, and that's what our legislation does. 87 00:05:15,080 --> 00:05:18,280 Speaker 2: Well, the way you frame that is really important, Senator, 88 00:05:18,320 --> 00:05:21,719 Speaker 2: because as we're constantly reminded in this conversation about finding 89 00:05:22,000 --> 00:05:25,039 Speaker 2: rare Earth's critical minerals for anything from data centers to 90 00:05:25,160 --> 00:05:28,680 Speaker 2: weapons to cars, as you put it, or even our 91 00:05:28,800 --> 00:05:31,880 Speaker 2: cell phones, it's not so much finding the minerals, it's 92 00:05:32,000 --> 00:05:36,960 Speaker 2: processing them. How will your legislation go to enhancing processing 93 00:05:37,000 --> 00:05:38,880 Speaker 2: here in the United States. 94 00:05:39,680 --> 00:05:43,880 Speaker 3: Well, it sets up strategic Resilience Reserve we call it. 95 00:05:43,920 --> 00:05:47,320 Speaker 3: That's sort of based on the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and 96 00:05:48,080 --> 00:05:51,560 Speaker 3: very much like what the president's proposing in terms of 97 00:05:51,600 --> 00:05:55,000 Speaker 3: his policies this week as part of this critical Mineral 98 00:05:55,839 --> 00:05:59,000 Speaker 3: summit that he had in Washington, and so I think 99 00:05:59,080 --> 00:06:04,720 Speaker 3: they complemented other But our legislation doesn't just set up 100 00:06:04,760 --> 00:06:10,240 Speaker 3: that reserve that takes allows us to stockpile those critical minerals. 101 00:06:10,279 --> 00:06:14,640 Speaker 3: What it also does is to support a domestic industry 102 00:06:14,680 --> 00:06:20,760 Speaker 3: here so that small businesses can develop the industry that 103 00:06:20,800 --> 00:06:25,720 Speaker 3: they can engage helps them with access to capital markets with. 104 00:06:27,600 --> 00:06:28,080 Speaker 4: Funding. 105 00:06:28,839 --> 00:06:32,520 Speaker 3: We would authorize two and a half billion dollars for 106 00:06:33,080 --> 00:06:36,240 Speaker 3: the proposal, and we're working in a bipartisan way. It 107 00:06:36,279 --> 00:06:39,640 Speaker 3: would create a seven member board that would function sort 108 00:06:39,680 --> 00:06:44,640 Speaker 3: of like the Federal Reserve Board over banking and be 109 00:06:44,839 --> 00:06:49,960 Speaker 3: independent and make recommendations for how we could continue to 110 00:06:50,000 --> 00:06:51,680 Speaker 3: support this industry. 111 00:06:52,760 --> 00:06:55,320 Speaker 2: Spending time with Senator Jean Shaheen of New Hampshire, and 112 00:06:55,400 --> 00:06:57,440 Speaker 2: I have to ask you, Senator, about what's happening on 113 00:06:57,480 --> 00:07:00,440 Speaker 2: Capitol Hill right now. And I know that makers are 114 00:07:00,480 --> 00:07:02,520 Speaker 2: out of town at the moment, but we've got another deadline. 115 00:07:02,520 --> 00:07:04,200 Speaker 2: We're going to be sitting here a week from tonight, 116 00:07:04,279 --> 00:07:08,000 Speaker 2: possibly talking about the shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security. 117 00:07:08,040 --> 00:07:11,680 Speaker 2: And I know you're familiar with the list of demands 118 00:07:11,440 --> 00:07:16,000 Speaker 2: that Senator Schumer and Democratic Leader Jeffries have sent to 119 00:07:16,040 --> 00:07:21,160 Speaker 2: Republican leaders. Demasking is a big part of this body cameras, 120 00:07:21,280 --> 00:07:24,040 Speaker 2: as noted already by the Department of Homeland Security, but 121 00:07:24,080 --> 00:07:27,200 Speaker 2: also restrictions on the use of warrants, for instance, and 122 00:07:27,240 --> 00:07:30,200 Speaker 2: some other training ideas that have been rejected out of 123 00:07:30,240 --> 00:07:33,240 Speaker 2: hand by a number of your Republican colleagues in the Senate. 124 00:07:33,480 --> 00:07:36,400 Speaker 2: We've talked to several of them this week's Senator, including 125 00:07:36,480 --> 00:07:40,320 Speaker 2: John Cornyn, Ted Budd and Ted Cruz. Let's listen to 126 00:07:40,360 --> 00:07:40,920 Speaker 2: what they said. 127 00:07:42,560 --> 00:07:45,080 Speaker 1: The reason that I say ages are having to wear 128 00:07:45,120 --> 00:07:48,720 Speaker 1: masks is because the Left is deliberately dosing them. They 129 00:07:48,720 --> 00:07:51,360 Speaker 1: are targeting them if they find out their identities. They 130 00:07:51,400 --> 00:07:55,320 Speaker 1: are sending violent protesters to their homes, They're threatening their families. 131 00:07:55,400 --> 00:07:58,840 Speaker 1: We've got them using body cams for their operations right now. 132 00:07:59,000 --> 00:07:59,840 Speaker 2: I think that's a bypart. 133 00:08:00,000 --> 00:08:00,520 Speaker 1: That's an idea. 134 00:08:00,720 --> 00:08:04,080 Speaker 4: These ICE agents are being targeted by some of the 135 00:08:04,240 --> 00:08:08,800 Speaker 4: anti ICE instigators, and I think in some instances their 136 00:08:09,160 --> 00:08:12,200 Speaker 4: identity should be protected. But this is just to me, 137 00:08:12,920 --> 00:08:14,880 Speaker 4: just a ridiculous request. 138 00:08:16,640 --> 00:08:18,400 Speaker 2: Senator. I don't know how much of this is bluster 139 00:08:18,680 --> 00:08:23,600 Speaker 2: at the outset of a controversial or difficult negotiation, but 140 00:08:23,680 --> 00:08:26,960 Speaker 2: it sounds like Democrats and Republicans are oceans apart on 141 00:08:27,040 --> 00:08:31,200 Speaker 2: these ideas. Does DHS shut down next week? 142 00:08:32,320 --> 00:08:36,280 Speaker 3: Well, that's what the negotiation is about. And with respect 143 00:08:36,280 --> 00:08:39,080 Speaker 3: to masking, obviously there would need to be a waiver 144 00:08:39,160 --> 00:08:44,760 Speaker 3: to address any particular concerns about doxing. But I was 145 00:08:44,960 --> 00:08:48,079 Speaker 3: governor in New Hampshire for three terms. The state Police 146 00:08:48,080 --> 00:08:51,120 Speaker 3: in New Hampshire. Local law enforcement in New Hampshire never 147 00:08:51,160 --> 00:08:54,559 Speaker 3: wore masks when they were going to a crime scene 148 00:08:54,600 --> 00:08:57,360 Speaker 3: or going to arrest people. The fact is the American 149 00:08:57,400 --> 00:09:02,960 Speaker 3: people are not only outraged, but many are afraid about 150 00:09:03,120 --> 00:09:06,040 Speaker 3: the behavior of ICE. When ICE is able to kill 151 00:09:06,400 --> 00:09:11,440 Speaker 3: American citizens with impunity on America streets, there is a problem, 152 00:09:11,800 --> 00:09:15,800 Speaker 3: and what we need is reform that addresses the concerns 153 00:09:15,880 --> 00:09:19,600 Speaker 3: about how ICE is operating. It seems to me that's 154 00:09:19,640 --> 00:09:22,880 Speaker 3: in everybody's interest. It's in the population's interest, it's in 155 00:09:23,280 --> 00:09:27,280 Speaker 3: Republican and democratic interests to try and reach some accommodation. 156 00:09:27,400 --> 00:09:29,600 Speaker 3: I hope that's what these negotiations are going to be 157 00:09:29,600 --> 00:09:30,280 Speaker 3: able to achieve. 158 00:09:31,600 --> 00:09:34,920 Speaker 2: We've seen ICE deployed in the state of Maine, one 159 00:09:34,920 --> 00:09:36,960 Speaker 2: of your neighbors, Senator, do you have any reason to 160 00:09:36,960 --> 00:09:39,679 Speaker 2: believe that they would be deployed in New Hampshire. 161 00:09:40,840 --> 00:09:44,080 Speaker 3: Well, We've had ICE agents here arresting people. I've been 162 00:09:44,160 --> 00:09:48,280 Speaker 3: to facilities where I talk to child care center where 163 00:09:48,720 --> 00:09:51,280 Speaker 3: I hear from those who are working there that they 164 00:09:51,280 --> 00:09:54,720 Speaker 3: have parents who are afraid to come and drop their 165 00:09:54,800 --> 00:09:59,320 Speaker 3: children off because they're worried about ice agents. There are 166 00:09:59,320 --> 00:10:02,320 Speaker 3: people in school rules in New Hampshire who are worried 167 00:10:02,320 --> 00:10:07,920 Speaker 3: about agents. Know that's not making our community safer, that's 168 00:10:07,960 --> 00:10:13,080 Speaker 3: making people afraid. I don't think that's Most New Hampshire 169 00:10:13,640 --> 00:10:17,360 Speaker 3: constituents that I talk to want a secure border. They 170 00:10:17,400 --> 00:10:21,959 Speaker 3: want to send back the criminals who are here illegally. 171 00:10:22,520 --> 00:10:25,960 Speaker 3: But what they don't want is people coming into their communities, 172 00:10:26,320 --> 00:10:31,679 Speaker 3: disrupting their schools, disrupting their hospitals, disrupting their childcare centers. 173 00:10:32,679 --> 00:10:35,319 Speaker 3: So we need to pass some reforms. We ought to 174 00:10:35,320 --> 00:10:39,600 Speaker 3: be able to sit down like adults responsibly and get 175 00:10:39,640 --> 00:10:42,120 Speaker 3: something done and stop the name calling. 176 00:10:43,960 --> 00:10:47,560 Speaker 2: Joining us live from Exeter, New Hampshire, Democratic Senator Jean Shaheen, 177 00:10:47,960 --> 00:10:49,760 Speaker 2: it's great to have you back, Senator. Good luck to 178 00:10:49,800 --> 00:10:50,880 Speaker 2: your patriots this weekend.