1 00:00:02,360 --> 00:00:06,680 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Audio Studios, podcasts, radio news. 2 00:00:06,880 --> 00:00:10,800 Speaker 2: As we add the voice of Sean Caston, the Democratic 3 00:00:10,960 --> 00:00:14,680 Speaker 2: Congressman from Illinois shares part of Chicago. He was with 4 00:00:14,760 --> 00:00:17,000 Speaker 2: us at the DNC and Congressman, it's great to see 5 00:00:17,000 --> 00:00:19,200 Speaker 2: you here. I hope you had a great holiday. Welcome 6 00:00:19,239 --> 00:00:21,800 Speaker 2: back to Bloomberg TV and Radio. I have a lot 7 00:00:21,840 --> 00:00:23,680 Speaker 2: of questions for you because you've been a busy guy 8 00:00:23,800 --> 00:00:26,639 Speaker 2: lately with regard to government funding, with regard to the 9 00:00:26,680 --> 00:00:28,840 Speaker 2: Ethics Committee report into Matt Gates. But I want to 10 00:00:28,880 --> 00:00:31,040 Speaker 2: start with you on this issue that we're talking about now. 11 00:00:31,040 --> 00:00:34,160 Speaker 2: When you go to Chicago dot gov, your town says 12 00:00:34,159 --> 00:00:37,199 Speaker 2: the city has shouldered the responsibility of caring for more 13 00:00:37,200 --> 00:00:42,120 Speaker 2: than forty nine thousand immigrants new arrivals seeking asylum. Many 14 00:00:42,200 --> 00:00:45,320 Speaker 2: flown to Chicago from states like Texas. What will happen 15 00:00:45,360 --> 00:00:48,200 Speaker 2: to them when Donald Trump takes office. 16 00:00:48,479 --> 00:00:52,440 Speaker 1: Well, it's important to understand where these folks come from. There. 17 00:00:52,520 --> 00:00:54,440 Speaker 1: You know, there were a surge of immigrants when Greg 18 00:00:54,480 --> 00:00:59,000 Speaker 1: Abbott was bussing people up from Texas. But if you 19 00:00:59,080 --> 00:01:02,720 Speaker 1: look nationally in check is no different. The overwhelming majority 20 00:01:02,760 --> 00:01:05,400 Speaker 1: of the undocumented folks in our country are not people 21 00:01:05,560 --> 00:01:08,080 Speaker 1: who snuck across the border, no matter how many, how 22 00:01:08,120 --> 00:01:10,040 Speaker 1: much we might like to sort of fall for that 23 00:01:10,120 --> 00:01:13,640 Speaker 1: lazy stereotype. They're people who came here legally and overstate 24 00:01:13,640 --> 00:01:16,080 Speaker 1: a visa. Maybe it's a student who studied here. Maybe 25 00:01:16,120 --> 00:01:17,920 Speaker 1: they fell in love while they were studying here, it 26 00:01:18,000 --> 00:01:22,000 Speaker 1: had a child. They're people who had temporary work visas 27 00:01:22,040 --> 00:01:24,800 Speaker 1: and then the temporary work visas weren't renewed in many 28 00:01:24,800 --> 00:01:27,440 Speaker 1: cases the prior guestment. Maybe they're less so in Chicago, 29 00:01:27,520 --> 00:01:30,480 Speaker 1: but certainly downstate Illinois. They're farm workers who we depend 30 00:01:30,520 --> 00:01:33,120 Speaker 1: on to grow our food. But our programs have not 31 00:01:33,120 --> 00:01:36,679 Speaker 1: provided support for these people. So to tell those people, 32 00:01:36,880 --> 00:01:39,080 Speaker 1: you know, the average undocumented person in this country has 33 00:01:39,080 --> 00:01:41,319 Speaker 1: been here for twelve years, and again most of that 34 00:01:41,440 --> 00:01:45,039 Speaker 1: is visa overstays. To tell these people who are contributing 35 00:01:45,040 --> 00:01:47,680 Speaker 1: to America, who are paying taxes, who in many cases 36 00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:51,240 Speaker 1: may be married or living with American citizens, that were 37 00:01:51,240 --> 00:01:53,640 Speaker 1: going to break up your family? I mean, you could 38 00:01:53,640 --> 00:01:56,280 Speaker 1: not be more anti family than that. And it's creating 39 00:01:56,280 --> 00:01:58,760 Speaker 1: a lot of nervousness all across the country, not just 40 00:01:58,800 --> 00:01:59,400 Speaker 1: in Chicago. 41 00:02:00,480 --> 00:02:02,960 Speaker 2: Well, so, what will be Democrats posture on the issue 42 00:02:03,000 --> 00:02:06,480 Speaker 2: of Dreamers, then you're describing some of them in this conversation. 43 00:02:07,040 --> 00:02:10,400 Speaker 2: Congress been knowing that Republicans were elected in part Donald 44 00:02:10,400 --> 00:02:14,760 Speaker 2: Trump elected in part due to his approach to the border. 45 00:02:15,680 --> 00:02:19,320 Speaker 2: Dreamers weren't even mentioned in the Senate deal on the 46 00:02:19,360 --> 00:02:22,880 Speaker 2: border that never, of course, became law earlier this year, 47 00:02:22,960 --> 00:02:26,320 Speaker 2: one that Donald Trump did not want to see passed. 48 00:02:26,840 --> 00:02:29,720 Speaker 2: Will they be included in this debate in the new Congress. 49 00:02:30,440 --> 00:02:32,440 Speaker 1: Well, look, let me speak to this from the perspective 50 00:02:32,520 --> 00:02:35,720 Speaker 1: of the House. Yes, Donald Trump won the election. The 51 00:02:35,760 --> 00:02:37,480 Speaker 1: House can seats. We picked up two seats in the 52 00:02:37,520 --> 00:02:39,760 Speaker 1: last election, and so you've got a lot of people 53 00:02:40,120 --> 00:02:42,560 Speaker 1: on my side of the aisle who are pretty confident 54 00:02:42,600 --> 00:02:45,480 Speaker 1: that what the people liked what we were selling, and 55 00:02:46,080 --> 00:02:50,240 Speaker 1: we are in a rapidly growing economy. I have yet 56 00:02:50,280 --> 00:02:52,600 Speaker 1: to meet an employer in the last three years who 57 00:02:52,639 --> 00:02:56,760 Speaker 1: wasn't saying we have a real problem finding qualified people. 58 00:02:57,360 --> 00:02:59,560 Speaker 1: The CBO said that part of the reason why inflation 59 00:02:59,560 --> 00:03:01,600 Speaker 1: of the United Dates came down so much faster than 60 00:03:01,639 --> 00:03:04,560 Speaker 1: other countries is because we have had a growth in 61 00:03:04,600 --> 00:03:08,440 Speaker 1: net immigration to this country. So if you want inflation 62 00:03:08,560 --> 00:03:10,079 Speaker 1: to be down, if you want to make sure that 63 00:03:10,120 --> 00:03:12,600 Speaker 1: employers can find workers. We need to make sure that 64 00:03:12,639 --> 00:03:15,200 Speaker 1: we have a humane, robust immigration system that continues to 65 00:03:15,240 --> 00:03:17,720 Speaker 1: attract the best and brightest. And what I think all 66 00:03:17,720 --> 00:03:19,640 Speaker 1: of us are telling our Republican colleagues is to go 67 00:03:19,639 --> 00:03:22,400 Speaker 1: read Ronald Reagan's farewell speech. He said that I've always 68 00:03:22,400 --> 00:03:24,320 Speaker 1: seen America is a great, shining city on a hill, 69 00:03:24,320 --> 00:03:25,720 Speaker 1: and if it must have walls, make sure it has 70 00:03:25,760 --> 00:03:27,640 Speaker 1: doors and windows so that those with the means and 71 00:03:27,639 --> 00:03:31,160 Speaker 1: ability can come inside. That's the message we need to 72 00:03:31,160 --> 00:03:33,040 Speaker 1: remind people of, because that's the only thing that has 73 00:03:33,040 --> 00:03:34,360 Speaker 1: ever really made America great. 74 00:03:36,600 --> 00:03:39,680 Speaker 2: This is a conversation that will clearly continue in the 75 00:03:39,680 --> 00:03:43,440 Speaker 2: new Congress, as will be the one about government funding. 76 00:03:43,480 --> 00:03:43,760 Speaker 1: Here. 77 00:03:44,000 --> 00:03:48,040 Speaker 2: You barely got this done to avoid a Christmas shutdown, Congressman. 78 00:03:48,360 --> 00:03:51,160 Speaker 2: It was, of course, late Friday, the Continuing Resolution was 79 00:03:51,200 --> 00:03:55,320 Speaker 2: passed to fund the government through the fourteenth of March. 80 00:03:55,360 --> 00:04:01,040 Speaker 2: What happens on March fifteenth when this resolution has expired? 81 00:04:02,080 --> 00:04:04,200 Speaker 1: You know, I joked with one of my Republican colleagues 82 00:04:04,200 --> 00:04:05,600 Speaker 1: in the elevator. He said, he said, what are we 83 00:04:05,600 --> 00:04:07,120 Speaker 1: doing here today? And I said, well, that can doesn't 84 00:04:07,200 --> 00:04:08,920 Speaker 1: kick itself down the road. That's why we had to 85 00:04:09,000 --> 00:04:11,360 Speaker 1: be here today. And it's sort of funny, but it's 86 00:04:11,360 --> 00:04:15,280 Speaker 1: also not funny, right because the over the over the 87 00:04:15,360 --> 00:04:18,960 Speaker 1: last two years of Republican control in Congress, they've never 88 00:04:19,040 --> 00:04:23,440 Speaker 1: really managed to put together an appropriations package other than 89 00:04:23,480 --> 00:04:25,920 Speaker 1: one where the terms were dictated by the Democrats, either 90 00:04:25,960 --> 00:04:28,919 Speaker 1: through a continuing resolution that the Democrats carried across the line, 91 00:04:29,640 --> 00:04:32,240 Speaker 1: or through the deal that McCarthy negotiated with Biden that 92 00:04:32,320 --> 00:04:34,520 Speaker 1: essentially locked in the funding levels we had set in 93 00:04:34,520 --> 00:04:37,560 Speaker 1: the last term with some minor adjustments. And so the 94 00:04:37,640 --> 00:04:42,080 Speaker 1: question will be with a much thinner Republican majority, can 95 00:04:42,240 --> 00:04:45,360 Speaker 1: they get online between their sort of extreme right wing 96 00:04:45,480 --> 00:04:48,479 Speaker 1: that would would happily shut the government down and wants 97 00:04:48,480 --> 00:04:53,000 Speaker 1: to massively cut government services and they're they're more moderate 98 00:04:53,040 --> 00:04:56,839 Speaker 1: and in many cases more numerous reasonable wing who who 99 00:04:56,839 --> 00:04:59,920 Speaker 1: has opposed those tensions, and that that fight has been 100 00:05:00,040 --> 00:05:03,360 Speaker 1: leveled the Republican caucus for this whole term. I think 101 00:05:03,360 --> 00:05:05,840 Speaker 1: you'll continue to find that Democrats are willing to work 102 00:05:05,920 --> 00:05:09,680 Speaker 1: constructively with those Republicans on a bipartisan basis as we have, 103 00:05:10,440 --> 00:05:13,680 Speaker 1: but we'll have to see what they bring together. There's 104 00:05:13,800 --> 00:05:16,120 Speaker 1: you know, I like to remind people that there were 105 00:05:16,120 --> 00:05:18,000 Speaker 1: two fist fights in the House this last term. They 106 00:05:18,040 --> 00:05:20,680 Speaker 1: all involved Republicans, and trying to figure out how they're 107 00:05:20,680 --> 00:05:22,680 Speaker 1: going to get along together is going to be is 108 00:05:22,680 --> 00:05:24,039 Speaker 1: going to be a challenge for this next term, at 109 00:05:24,120 --> 00:05:24,719 Speaker 1: least in the House. 110 00:05:25,880 --> 00:05:28,240 Speaker 2: Well, when we consider what was left out, and you know, 111 00:05:28,360 --> 00:05:30,440 Speaker 2: I know a lot of Democrats were heartened to see 112 00:05:30,960 --> 00:05:37,000 Speaker 2: the request for emergency funding for hurricane relief put back in, 113 00:05:37,560 --> 00:05:41,320 Speaker 2: but we didn't see year round sale of E fifteen gasoline, 114 00:05:41,400 --> 00:05:45,320 Speaker 2: the crackdown on PBMs that we heard about, also restrictions 115 00:05:45,320 --> 00:05:49,320 Speaker 2: on investments in China. Congressmen, some Democrats like Rolson de Laurel, 116 00:05:49,360 --> 00:05:53,400 Speaker 2: like Jim McGovern of Massachusetts said that's the real reason 117 00:05:53,440 --> 00:05:55,839 Speaker 2: Elon Musk opposed this because of the amount of business 118 00:05:56,320 --> 00:05:59,520 Speaker 2: that he does in China through Tesla and other entities. 119 00:05:59,520 --> 00:06:04,240 Speaker 1: Do you agree there's a lot of smoke there, you know, 120 00:06:04,279 --> 00:06:05,800 Speaker 1: whether there's fire. I think we need to do some 121 00:06:05,800 --> 00:06:08,359 Speaker 1: more investigating, but that you know, I serve on the 122 00:06:08,360 --> 00:06:11,960 Speaker 1: Financial Services Committee and Patrick mckennery and Andy Barr were 123 00:06:12,160 --> 00:06:15,960 Speaker 1: really great sponsors figuring out how to manage that outbound investment. 124 00:06:15,960 --> 00:06:19,120 Speaker 1: There's a real concern on the Republican side of the 125 00:06:19,160 --> 00:06:22,680 Speaker 1: aisle with what we are doing to send US technology 126 00:06:22,839 --> 00:06:26,120 Speaker 1: to our adversaries and how are we controlling that, especially 127 00:06:26,600 --> 00:06:30,760 Speaker 1: technology that has national security implications. And yes, there is 128 00:06:31,000 --> 00:06:34,960 Speaker 1: huge concern that mister Musk weighed in so heavily against that, 129 00:06:35,720 --> 00:06:37,960 Speaker 1: and I would you know, I would hope that the 130 00:06:38,000 --> 00:06:40,080 Speaker 1: fact that there was such a bipartisan support for that 131 00:06:40,120 --> 00:06:43,720 Speaker 1: provision will also lead to some bipartisan oversight support to 132 00:06:43,720 --> 00:06:46,360 Speaker 1: ask some questions understand what's going on there. But yes, 133 00:06:46,440 --> 00:06:50,520 Speaker 1: it is a it's concerning. We spend so much time 134 00:06:50,560 --> 00:06:54,719 Speaker 1: in classified and unclassified settings trying to track where US 135 00:06:54,880 --> 00:06:58,680 Speaker 1: generated IP is going, and I'd rather not get in 136 00:06:58,680 --> 00:07:00,320 Speaker 1: a fight with the White House about whether we should 137 00:07:00,320 --> 00:07:02,599 Speaker 1: give me that intellectual property to our adversaries. 138 00:07:03,680 --> 00:07:06,280 Speaker 2: Well, well, I'll tell you last time you were with us, Congressman, 139 00:07:06,920 --> 00:07:08,440 Speaker 2: you were about to go to the floor of the 140 00:07:08,480 --> 00:07:11,960 Speaker 2: House with the privileged resolution to force the release of 141 00:07:11,960 --> 00:07:15,679 Speaker 2: the Ethics Committee report into now former Congressman Matt Gates. 142 00:07:16,720 --> 00:07:20,400 Speaker 2: That report has been released. It came out Monday morning, 143 00:07:21,080 --> 00:07:24,040 Speaker 2: and it is quite a salacious read. I can't say 144 00:07:24,080 --> 00:07:26,720 Speaker 2: some of this stuff even on the air. As I 145 00:07:26,760 --> 00:07:30,000 Speaker 2: read from the report, Gates is now threatening to show 146 00:07:30,080 --> 00:07:33,240 Speaker 2: up next week to claim the seat for which he 147 00:07:33,440 --> 00:07:36,440 Speaker 2: was elected. If that happens, and I don't know if 148 00:07:36,440 --> 00:07:39,200 Speaker 2: you're hearing anything about this congressman, should he be sworn in? 149 00:07:42,040 --> 00:07:45,720 Speaker 1: Gates doesn't have that option. Gates formally submitted his notice 150 00:07:45,960 --> 00:07:48,840 Speaker 1: not to run in one hundred and nineteenth Congress. We call 151 00:07:48,920 --> 00:07:51,920 Speaker 1: Ron DeSantis initiated the special election so that they can 152 00:07:51,960 --> 00:07:54,160 Speaker 1: go through and hold that. The deadline to file to 153 00:07:54,240 --> 00:07:57,520 Speaker 1: run that election has passed and they're printing ballots. So 154 00:07:57,800 --> 00:07:59,800 Speaker 1: I mean, Matt Gates is trying to get on the 155 00:07:59,800 --> 00:08:03,480 Speaker 1: new given as you mentioned, the salacious details in that report. 156 00:08:03,520 --> 00:08:06,120 Speaker 1: If I were met gates issues, I would be trying 157 00:08:06,120 --> 00:08:08,040 Speaker 1: to keep a lower profile and not have people looking 158 00:08:08,120 --> 00:08:10,480 Speaker 1: in to find out that, you know, he had, you know, 159 00:08:10,480 --> 00:08:12,520 Speaker 1: he paid for sex with seventeen year old girls. If 160 00:08:12,520 --> 00:08:14,280 Speaker 1: people want to talk about that, we'll talk about that. 161 00:08:14,360 --> 00:08:16,520 Speaker 1: But he does not have a way to become a 162 00:08:16,560 --> 00:08:18,320 Speaker 1: member of the next Congress. He just has a way 163 00:08:18,360 --> 00:08:19,600 Speaker 1: to talk and get on television. 164 00:08:20,880 --> 00:08:22,640 Speaker 2: You must be glad that it's been released. 165 00:08:23,280 --> 00:08:27,240 Speaker 1: Now that it's public, I mean, I think lad is 166 00:08:27,280 --> 00:08:30,200 Speaker 1: probably the wrong word. I'm glad that the Ethics Committee 167 00:08:30,200 --> 00:08:32,199 Speaker 1: stood up for ethics in Congress. I'm glad that you 168 00:08:32,240 --> 00:08:34,640 Speaker 1: know we're hearing that at least two Republicans on the 169 00:08:34,640 --> 00:08:37,640 Speaker 1: Ethics Committee voted to release that. And it's not because 170 00:08:37,640 --> 00:08:42,000 Speaker 1: we're trying to, you know, hurt one of our former colleagues. 171 00:08:42,840 --> 00:08:45,600 Speaker 1: It's because the House has to comport itself in an 172 00:08:45,640 --> 00:08:48,280 Speaker 1: ethical way that attracts the respect of the American people, 173 00:08:48,320 --> 00:08:52,840 Speaker 1: regardless of how they vote. And when we hold ourselves accountable, 174 00:08:52,960 --> 00:08:55,440 Speaker 1: when we hold members accountable for these sorts of actions, 175 00:08:56,640 --> 00:08:59,200 Speaker 1: we basically send a message to the American people that 176 00:08:59,240 --> 00:09:01,640 Speaker 1: we care about this institution and we love this institution. 177 00:09:01,840 --> 00:09:04,520 Speaker 1: And that's the important thing of releasing this work. 178 00:09:05,440 --> 00:09:07,880 Speaker 2: It's great to have you today, Congressman. I hope you 179 00:09:07,920 --> 00:09:11,280 Speaker 2: had a great holiday. Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah to 180 00:09:11,360 --> 00:09:14,000 Speaker 2: all of your constituents in the Chicago area.