1 00:00:02,520 --> 00:00:08,480 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Audio Studios, Podcasts, Radio News. I'm happy to say 2 00:00:08,480 --> 00:00:12,480 Speaker 1: we can extend the conversation with New York Congressman Michael Ola. Congressman, 3 00:00:12,520 --> 00:00:14,920 Speaker 1: welcome back to the program sir. The good news. The 4 00:00:14,920 --> 00:00:17,239 Speaker 1: military looks like it's getting paid. Can you just walk 5 00:00:17,280 --> 00:00:20,160 Speaker 1: us through how you would characterize current negotiations. 6 00:00:21,000 --> 00:00:25,799 Speaker 2: Well, the Democrats refuse to do their job. You know, 7 00:00:26,600 --> 00:00:31,120 Speaker 2: Jeffries talks about getting permission. The reality here is that 8 00:00:31,280 --> 00:00:35,880 Speaker 2: AOC and Zorn Mandani and the progressive left are who's 9 00:00:36,000 --> 00:00:39,760 Speaker 2: driving the ship here. Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries have 10 00:00:39,920 --> 00:00:43,640 Speaker 2: been petrified to do their jobs, and so they shut 11 00:00:43,640 --> 00:00:48,279 Speaker 2: the government down for fear of a primary challenge from 12 00:00:48,360 --> 00:00:52,320 Speaker 2: the left and to show their progressive base that they're 13 00:00:52,440 --> 00:00:58,120 Speaker 2: quote unquote fighting back, resisting you know, President Trump. And 14 00:00:58,160 --> 00:01:02,680 Speaker 2: it's fundamentally wrong. They are holding the American people hostage. 15 00:01:03,280 --> 00:01:08,240 Speaker 2: House Republicans passed a clean Continuing resolution over three weeks 16 00:01:08,240 --> 00:01:11,320 Speaker 2: ago to keep the government funded, to pay for all 17 00:01:11,400 --> 00:01:15,200 Speaker 2: of these critical programs, to ensure that our troops are paid, 18 00:01:15,240 --> 00:01:19,280 Speaker 2: to ensure that border patrol agents are paid. And yet 19 00:01:19,480 --> 00:01:24,880 Speaker 2: Democrats have voted over eight times against the clean CR 20 00:01:25,319 --> 00:01:28,560 Speaker 2: and We'll see what Chuck Schumer and Senate Democrats do today. 21 00:01:29,240 --> 00:01:33,840 Speaker 2: But it doesn't look good. And when I was in 22 00:01:33,959 --> 00:01:37,760 Speaker 2: Washington last week, I went and confronted Hakeem Jeffries to 23 00:01:37,840 --> 00:01:41,360 Speaker 2: his face and pointed out that if he's serious about 24 00:01:41,480 --> 00:01:45,080 Speaker 2: tackling the healthcare challenges in our country, sign on to 25 00:01:45,200 --> 00:01:49,320 Speaker 2: the bipartisan legislation that would do that. And he refused. 26 00:01:49,680 --> 00:01:52,680 Speaker 2: So this really is not about healthcare. It's not about 27 00:01:52,680 --> 00:01:56,600 Speaker 2: a specific policy outcome. This is about Democrats showing their 28 00:01:56,600 --> 00:02:01,520 Speaker 2: progressive base that they're fighting back against President than Trump. Meanwhile, 29 00:02:01,600 --> 00:02:05,320 Speaker 2: look at the juxtaposition. President Trump on a twenty four 30 00:02:05,320 --> 00:02:09,519 Speaker 2: hour trip to the Middle East secured peace and Democrats 31 00:02:09,520 --> 00:02:13,280 Speaker 2: are playing patty cake here in Washington, DC, shutting the 32 00:02:13,320 --> 00:02:16,280 Speaker 2: government down and holding the American people hostage. 33 00:02:16,320 --> 00:02:19,880 Speaker 3: Well, two weeks, there's going to be some off ramp 34 00:02:19,880 --> 00:02:22,880 Speaker 3: at some point. Would you support structural changes to the 35 00:02:22,880 --> 00:02:26,880 Speaker 3: Affordable Care Act premium subsidies in exchange for an extension 36 00:02:26,960 --> 00:02:29,320 Speaker 3: to get the government back up and working well. 37 00:02:29,560 --> 00:02:31,840 Speaker 2: To be clear, the off ramp is the clean cr 38 00:02:31,960 --> 00:02:34,480 Speaker 2: that's been sitting in the Senate for over three weeks 39 00:02:34,880 --> 00:02:39,200 Speaker 2: with respect to the Affordable Care Act Number one. Since 40 00:02:39,320 --> 00:02:43,800 Speaker 2: Obamacare took effect in twenty ten, you've seen premium skyrocket 41 00:02:43,919 --> 00:02:48,880 Speaker 2: across the country. And Democrats put in place these enhanced 42 00:02:48,919 --> 00:02:53,920 Speaker 2: tax credits during COVID. They were slated to expire at 43 00:02:54,000 --> 00:02:57,600 Speaker 2: the end of this year. Democrats knew that they passed 44 00:02:57,600 --> 00:03:02,400 Speaker 2: it into law, and they knew that they couldn't extend 45 00:03:02,440 --> 00:03:05,840 Speaker 2: it beyond that period because of the cost associated with it. 46 00:03:06,720 --> 00:03:09,760 Speaker 2: I have signed on to legislation to extend it by 47 00:03:09,840 --> 00:03:14,160 Speaker 2: a year because we don't want americans healthcare premiums to spike. 48 00:03:14,240 --> 00:03:18,160 Speaker 2: But it speaks to the fundamental problem with Obamacare, which 49 00:03:18,240 --> 00:03:20,680 Speaker 2: is that it didn't actually do what it was intended 50 00:03:20,720 --> 00:03:24,040 Speaker 2: to do, which is reduce health care cost in America, 51 00:03:24,760 --> 00:03:30,320 Speaker 2: and in fact, it has exploded since its inception. So look, 52 00:03:30,440 --> 00:03:35,880 Speaker 2: I am open to obviously solving the issue both short 53 00:03:35,960 --> 00:03:39,760 Speaker 2: term and long term. We have to address the cost 54 00:03:39,800 --> 00:03:44,600 Speaker 2: of health care in this country. But Democrats just you know, 55 00:03:44,720 --> 00:03:47,320 Speaker 2: pounding their fists on the table, stomping their feet and 56 00:03:47,400 --> 00:03:51,840 Speaker 2: demanding their way is not the way to govern. You 57 00:03:51,880 --> 00:03:54,520 Speaker 2: don't hold the American people hostage. And by the way, 58 00:03:54,520 --> 00:03:56,640 Speaker 2: don't take my word for it. Go look at every 59 00:03:56,720 --> 00:04:01,119 Speaker 2: quote from Chuck Schumer Hakeem Jeffreys, Nancy p and name 60 00:04:01,200 --> 00:04:05,360 Speaker 2: the Democrat. They all previously believed that you don't use 61 00:04:05,440 --> 00:04:10,760 Speaker 2: government shutdowns to exert policy outcomes, and now fundamentally they 62 00:04:10,800 --> 00:04:13,720 Speaker 2: have changed their view because Donald Trump is president. 63 00:04:13,800 --> 00:04:17,640 Speaker 3: Congressman. Also being held hostage right now is data which 64 00:04:17,680 --> 00:04:20,520 Speaker 3: the financial services industry, the FED, we all rely on. 65 00:04:20,600 --> 00:04:23,320 Speaker 3: You are on the Financial Services Committee. Do you think 66 00:04:23,400 --> 00:04:26,280 Speaker 3: the White House should deem the BLS data like the 67 00:04:26,360 --> 00:04:28,400 Speaker 3: jobs report? We're still waiting on essential. 68 00:04:29,240 --> 00:04:33,880 Speaker 2: Look, obviously that information is critically important for the FED 69 00:04:34,000 --> 00:04:38,760 Speaker 2: and others to do the work that is required. But 70 00:04:38,880 --> 00:04:41,920 Speaker 2: this is the fundamental challenge. They're trying to figure out 71 00:04:42,000 --> 00:04:45,680 Speaker 2: how to pay for, for instance, our troops, which is vital. 72 00:04:46,440 --> 00:04:49,360 Speaker 2: They're trying to figure out how to pay for critical 73 00:04:49,400 --> 00:04:53,760 Speaker 2: programs like Wick and Snap and so these are the 74 00:04:53,880 --> 00:04:59,359 Speaker 2: very difficult decisions that any administration is put in because 75 00:04:59,480 --> 00:05:02,640 Speaker 2: of the calc trends of my Democratic colleagues here. Look, 76 00:05:02,960 --> 00:05:06,120 Speaker 2: I've been opposed to government shutdowns, regardless of who has 77 00:05:06,160 --> 00:05:09,720 Speaker 2: tried to do it. I criticized my Republican colleagues last 78 00:05:09,760 --> 00:05:12,040 Speaker 2: Congress when some of them wanted to shut the government 79 00:05:12,080 --> 00:05:16,560 Speaker 2: down over Joe Biden's disastrous open borders. While I agreed 80 00:05:16,600 --> 00:05:19,080 Speaker 2: with them on the merits, the fact is shutting the 81 00:05:19,080 --> 00:05:22,000 Speaker 2: government down wasn't going to solve that problem. And the 82 00:05:22,000 --> 00:05:25,320 Speaker 2: same applies here. What the Democrats are doing is creating 83 00:05:25,400 --> 00:05:28,160 Speaker 2: more problems. The FED, to your point, needs to be 84 00:05:28,240 --> 00:05:30,320 Speaker 2: able to do its job. They need to cut rates. 85 00:05:30,520 --> 00:05:34,479 Speaker 2: They need the information with respect to jobs for instance, 86 00:05:34,800 --> 00:05:37,760 Speaker 2: that is critically important. So yes, we want them to 87 00:05:37,800 --> 00:05:41,280 Speaker 2: be able to get that information. The fastest way for 88 00:05:41,400 --> 00:05:44,279 Speaker 2: all of this to come to an end, the fastest 89 00:05:44,320 --> 00:05:47,320 Speaker 2: way to ensure that government does its job, is for 90 00:05:47,400 --> 00:05:50,920 Speaker 2: my Democratic colleagues to go back to Washington today in 91 00:05:50,960 --> 00:05:53,480 Speaker 2: the Senate and vote yes to open the government up 92 00:05:53,520 --> 00:05:54,600 Speaker 2: and pass the clean. 93 00:05:54,440 --> 00:05:57,040 Speaker 3: Cr The White House has also taken aim on projects 94 00:05:57,160 --> 00:05:59,440 Speaker 3: in New York City, eighteen million dollars worth of New 95 00:05:59,520 --> 00:06:03,560 Speaker 3: York City infrastructure projects. You are in a swing district 96 00:06:03,680 --> 00:06:06,000 Speaker 3: and you are facing a lot of challenges. A lot 97 00:06:06,000 --> 00:06:07,839 Speaker 3: of Democrats are lining up to try to flip that 98 00:06:07,960 --> 00:06:13,479 Speaker 3: seat come the midterms. Are you concerned about potentially the 99 00:06:13,560 --> 00:06:16,400 Speaker 3: pushback you're going to get from things like this? Billions 100 00:06:16,400 --> 00:06:18,640 Speaker 3: of dollars being frozen right here in New York. 101 00:06:19,960 --> 00:06:23,480 Speaker 2: Look I've already spoken out against the freeze on that 102 00:06:23,640 --> 00:06:28,680 Speaker 2: project and have been in touch with the administration to 103 00:06:28,720 --> 00:06:32,880 Speaker 2: get that project back up and running. Are they going 104 00:06:32,920 --> 00:06:35,960 Speaker 2: to But again, the fastest way to do that is 105 00:06:35,960 --> 00:06:38,279 Speaker 2: to pass a clean cr And that's the point that 106 00:06:38,360 --> 00:06:41,480 Speaker 2: I've made over the last week to my New York 107 00:06:41,560 --> 00:06:47,239 Speaker 2: colleagues and to the press that these projects can easily 108 00:06:47,279 --> 00:06:50,600 Speaker 2: come back online when the government is open and running. 109 00:06:51,400 --> 00:06:55,239 Speaker 2: Gateway is a critical project for my district. We don't 110 00:06:55,279 --> 00:06:58,159 Speaker 2: have a one seat ride from Rockland County where I live. 111 00:06:58,839 --> 00:07:03,080 Speaker 2: Gateway will that. So this is a critical infrastructure project, 112 00:07:03,120 --> 00:07:05,840 Speaker 2: not just for New York City or New Jersey, but 113 00:07:06,000 --> 00:07:09,360 Speaker 2: for the region. But you know, this is something that 114 00:07:09,400 --> 00:07:13,080 Speaker 2: I've fully supported in terms of getting the funding for 115 00:07:13,120 --> 00:07:15,720 Speaker 2: that project and will continue to fight to do it. 116 00:07:16,480 --> 00:07:20,760 Speaker 2: But again, based on conversations, it's not that hard to 117 00:07:20,800 --> 00:07:23,160 Speaker 2: figure out if you open up the government, a lot 118 00:07:23,200 --> 00:07:24,840 Speaker 2: of this stuff will be resolved. 119 00:07:25,320 --> 00:07:28,000 Speaker 1: Congressman, we got to go. I appreciate your time as always. 120 00:07:28,000 --> 00:07:29,760 Speaker 1: I'm sure you've got to go to Mike Lauda there, 121 00:07:30,000 --> 00:07:33,040 Speaker 1: the New York Congressman on the latest situation down in Washington, 122 00:07:33,120 --> 00:07:33,320 Speaker 1: d C.