SIDE.
>> I DO THAT TO MY MOM.
I CANT HEAR YOU.
CLICK.
HERE WE GO.
NANCY PELOSI AND BERNIE SANDERS.
WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT
THIS.
DO YOU BELIEVE THEY NEED TO DROP
THEIR DEMANDS?
THEYRE SAYING WITHOUT A BIG
PACKAGE THAT THEY WANT, THEYRE
NOT GOING TO PLAY BALL ON YOURS.
>> LETS LOOK AT THIS.
THIS IS THE LARGEST
INFRASTRUCTURE PACKAGE IN THE
HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES.
I TRULY BELIEVE THESE ARE PEOPLE
THAT UNDERSTAND PUBLIC POLICY,
THEY UNDERSTAND YOU HAVE TO TAKE
THE WIN WHEN YOU CAN GET IT,
THAT THIS MAMMOTH PIECE OF
LEGISLATION, LITTLE OVER A
TRILLION DOLLARS WE HAVENT
DONE, BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT HOW
MANY YEARS NOW THROUGH HOW MANY
PAST ADMINISTRATIONS, THE
COUNTRY NEEDS THE INFRASTRUCTURE
WERE DOING.
ROADS AND BRIDGES.
THERE ARE MORE BRIDGES HERE THAN
SINCE WE BUILT THE INTERSTATE
HIGHWAY SYSTEM.
TALKING ABOUT THE LARGEST
INFRASTRUCTURE GRID SYSTEM,
CLEAN ENERGY TECHNOLOGY,
EVERYTHING WERE DOING IN THIS.
MY PART OF IT IN THE ENERGY
COMMITTEE IS CLOSE TO $95
BILLION.
WE ARE WORKING ON THAT NOW.
I WOULD HOPE EVERYONE WILL LOOK
AT THIS AS SOMETHING WE CAN DO.
IT IS DOABLE IN A BIPARTISAN
WAY.
TAKE THAT VICTORY AND LETS --
DO WE KNOW THEYRE NOT GOING TO
THE HUMAN INFRASTRUCTURE BECAUSE
OF AADJUSTMENTS OF TAX CODE.
I HAVE KNOWN THAT FROM DAY ONE.
WE CAN STILL GO THROUGH THE
PROCESS, KNOWING WE PROBABLY
HAVE TO GO TO RECONCILIATION AND
DO WHAT WE CAN AFFORD TO DO.
>> THE CONCERN IS, PROGRESSIVES
CONCERN, IF THEY GET ON BOARD,
SIGN ONTO THE BIPARTISAN BILL,
SENATORS LIKE YOU WILL LOSE YOUR
APPETITE FOR ANOTHER BIG
ECONOMIC PACKAGE.
WHATS YOUR RESPONSE?
>> NO, I DONT THINK THAT AT
ALL.
THERES A NEED IN BOTH.
SOCIAL ADJUSTMENTS TO HELP
WORKING FAMILIES SURVIVE,
PROSPER, MAYBE ATTAIN THE
AMERICAN DREAM, IT SHOULD NEVER
BE A DREAM THAT DIED AND GONE
AWAY, THE AMERICAN DREAM GETS US
UP AND WORKS EVERY DAY, HARD AS
WE DO.
GIVE THEM A CHANCE.
WE KNOW WE NEED ADJUSTMENTS.
SAYING I AM NOT VOTING FOR THE
OTHER BECAUSE YOU HAVENT
GUARANTEED A VOTE, WE HAVE NEVER
DONE LEGISLATION THAT WAY, NEVER
BEEN PART OF IT IN TEN YEARS I
HAVE BEEN IN THE SENATE, LETS
WORK THE LEGISLATION THE WAY IT
WILL BE PRESENTED.
LETS MAKE SURE IT GOES THROUGH
THE PROCESS, MAKE SURE IT GOES
TO THE COMMITTEES, COMES BACK TO
THE FLOOR AND WORK IT.
IF NO REPUBLICANS WHICH I DONT
THINK WE WILL HAVE ON THE SECOND
ONE, NOT ASSUMING THAT, BUT I
HEARD THEM SPEAK, THEN WE HAVE
TO WORK IT THROUGH
RECONCILIATION, WHICH I AGREED
THAT CAN BE DONE.
I HAVENT AGREED ON THE AMOUNT
BECAUSE I HAVENT SEEN
EVERYTHING EVERYBODY WANTS TO
PUT INTO THE BILL.
>> LETS GO BACK TO THE FIRST
ONE.
YOURE WORKING WITH REPUBLICAN
SENATORS.
ARE YOU CONCERNED THE LIKES OF
MITCH McCONNELL WILL PULL THE
RUG OUT FROM UNDER YOU AND BLOCK
THIS?
IT IS WHAT HE IS GOOD AT.
>> NO ONE HAS GIVEN CREDIT FOR
WHAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO
BIPARTISAN WAY TO DATE.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT WE HAVE
BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH,
PRESIDENT BIDEN HAS ACCOMPLISHED
MORE IN FIVE MONTHS THAN ANY
PRESIDENT I KNOW IN MODERN
HISTORY.
NEVER SEEN THIS MUCH
ACCOMPLISHMENT, TALKING ABOUT
AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN, 1.9, AND
SO MANY PIECES OF LEGISLATION
THAT HAVE GONE THROUGH THE
PROCESS.
I GIVE CHUCK SCHUMER WHO IS
CONTROLLING THE CALENDAR ALL THE
CREDIT FOR ALLOWING IT TO GO
BACK INTO THE COMMITTEES, BEING
WORKED THE WAY IT IS SUPPOSED
TO, COME TO THE FLOOR WITH
AMENDMENTS, AND REPUBLICANS HAVE
A CHANCE TO PUT THEIR AMENDMENTS
ON THE FLOOR, MITCH NEVER GAVE
US THAT SITUATION TO WORK A BILL
THROUGH A PROCESS WE CALLED WHAT
NEEDS TO BE DONE AND WHAT WE
HOPED FOR.
WE HAVE THAT CHANCE NOW.
LETS CONTINUE ON.
I KNOW I DONT AGREE WITH WHAT
MITCH DID ON JANUARY 6, THE
COMMISSION, IT NEEDED TO GET
DONE.
I HOPE IT CAN GET DONE.
NANCY IS DOING A COMMISSION IN
THE HOUSE.
I RESPECT THAT, I THINK SHE
NEEDS TO.
I HOPE IT IS BALANCED.
WELL SEE WHAT COMES OUT.
THERE ARE A LOT OF COMMISSIONS
GOING ON.
I HOPE WE DO ONE OVERALL.
THE OTHER THING, THERE ARE
THINGS WITH THE HATE CRIME BILL,
94-1.
REPUBLICANS HAD AMENDMENTS, THE
AMENDMENTS THEY HAD WOULD CHANGE
THE BILL, THEY LOST THE
AMENDMENTS, STILL VOTED FOR THE
BILL.
THATS WHAT YOU NEED TO DO.
GIVE EVERYBODY A CHANCE.
>> IF YOU HAD A SAY, WHO WOULD
YOU PUT ON SPEAKER PELOSIS
SELECT COMMITTEE?
YOU REPRESENT A STATE WHERE A
LOT OF PEOPLE FROM WEST VIRGINIA
DONT BELIEVE JANUARY 6 WAS AN
INSURRECTION, THEY DONT BELIEVE
IT WAS A VIOLENT ATTACK.
IF YOU WERE TO INFLUENCE HER,
GIVE HER SUGGESTIONS WHO TO PUT
ON THE COMMITTEE, PEOPLE OF WEST
VIRGINIA MIGHT LISTEN TO, WHO
WOULD BE ON IT.
>> STEPHANIE, I AM NOT ABOUT TO
RECOMMEND TO SPEAKER PELOSI WITH
ALL THE EXPERTISE SHE HAS ABOUT
WHO SHE SHOULD SELECT AND WHY
AND HER ARRANGEMENT.
I CAN TELL YOU THIS, BENGHAZI
COMMISSION WENT ON TWO YEARS,
NOTHING CAME OUT OF THAT EXCEPT
A LOT OF MONEY SPENT AND
INVESTED, AND DIDNT CHANGE
ANYBODYS MIND.
THOSE ARE HARD.
THATS WHY WE NEEDED A
JANUARY 6th COMMISSION FROM
PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT SITTING IN
CONGRESS IN THE HOUSE AND
SENATE, PEOPLE THAT ARE WELL
RESPECTED, SAM NUNNS OF THE
WORLD, IRSKIN BOWLS, ALLEN
SIMPSON, PEOPLE WITH TOTAL
RESPECT AND COMMITMENT TO THE
GOVERNMENT AND TO OUR COUNTRY
AND TO THE RULE OF LAW.
THATS WHAT WE NEED.
I HOPE WE GET TO THAT.
>> ON THE INFRASTRUCTURE BILL
YOU WERE SAYING YOURE NOT
GETTING RECOGNIZED FOR THE
ACHIEVEMENTS THUS FAR.
FRIDAY, I SPOKE TO THE WHITE
HOUSE AND THEY WERE SORT OF
TALKING ABOUT THIS LIKE IT IS A
DONE DEAL.
IT IS OBVIOUSLY NOT A DONE DEAL.
IF THIS WERE A BASEBALL GAME,
WHAT INNING WOULD YOU SAY WERE
IN?
>> IS THIS THE SEVENTH INNING
STRETCH?
IM NOT SURE.
SEVENTH INNING TOLD YOU WHAT THE
GAME WAS GOING TO GO, IT WAS A
TIGHT GAME AT THAT TIME.
ANYTHING COULD HAPPEN THE LAST
TWO INNINGS.
I WOULD SAY WERE IN A SITUATION
WE KNOW WE HAVE A TEMPLATE, A
BIPARTISAN AGREEMENT, THE
AMOUNTS AND HOW IT WILL BE
SPENT.
AND WE KNOW HOW WERE GOING TO
PAY FOR IT WITH NO DEBT.
NO ADDITIONAL DEBT.
THATS UNBELIEVABLE.
>> WHEN IS THE LAST TIME YOU
SPOKE TO BERNIE SANDERS,
ELIZABETH WARREN, PROGRESSIVE
MEMBERS OF THE SENATE TO WORK ON
THIS?
>> WE SPEAK, WE GO IN ON
MONDAYS.
WE HAVE A LEADERSHIP TEAM CALL
AT 4:45 EVERY MONDAY.
THEN WE EXCHANGE IDEAS BACK AND
FORTH.
EVERYBODY KNOWS WHERE EVERYBODY
IS ON THIS.
I RESPECT THEM.
I KNOW WHERE THEYRE COMING
FROM.
I WOULD HOPE THEY RESPECT ME,
BECAUSE THEY KNOW WHERE IM
COMING FROM.
I AM NOT A LIBERAL BY ANY
STRETCH OF THE IMAGINATION, AND
NOT A CONSERVATIVE, ULTRA
CONSERVATIVE.
I TELL PEOPLE, I AM FISCALLY
RESPONSIBLE, SOCIALLY
COMPASSIONATE.
PUT ME ANYWHERE YOU WANT IN THE
POLITICAL SPECTRUM, I AM
CENTRIST IN THE MIDDLE WHERE
MOST ARE, PRAGMATIC ENOUGH TO
FIGURE I UNDERSTAND, YOU
IDENTIFIED THE NEED ON THIS
SIDE.
WE ALREADY SPENT HOW MANY
TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS ATTENDING
TO A LOT OF THE NEEDS.
HOW MUCH MORE CAN WE AFFORD.
YOU WANT MORE DEBT.
I LOOKED THIS MORNING, WERE AT
$28.5 TRILLION OF DEBT.
HOW MUCH MORE CAN WE ADD ON AND
PASS ONTO YOUR CHILDREN, THE
NEXT GENERATION?
WEVE ALWAYS SAID, WERE WRITING
CHECKS OUR KIDS CANT CASH AND
IT IS A SHAME TO PUT THE BURDEN.
LETS CONSIDER THAT.
>> SIR, YOU GET ATTACKED EVERY
DAY BY FELLOW DEMOCRATS.
THEY ASSUME YOU AND SENATOR
SINEMA ARE THE ONLY TWO PEOPLE
STANDING IN THE WAY OF PRESIDENT
BIDENS AGENDA.
IS IT JUST THE TWO OF YOU OR ARE
YOU REPRESENTING A BIGGER GROUP
OF DEMOCRATS WE DONT HEAR FROM
AND YOURE THE HUMAN SHIELD FOR
THEM?
>> WELL, I HEAR FROM LIKE YOU
SAID, I HEAR FROM EVERYBODY, I
GET ATTACKED FROM DIFFERENT
SIDES.
ALSO WE GET SOME PRAISE FROM
DIFFERENT SIDES TRYING TO TAKE A
PRAGMATIC, CENTRIST APPROACH.
PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE
DEBT, NOBODY IS SPEAKING ABOUT
THE DEBT.
WE HAVE TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF
DEBT THAT COULD CAUSE INFLATION.
YOU UNDERSTAND THE FINANCIAL
MARKET AND UNDERSTAND IT AS WELL
AS ANYBODY, WHAT WE ARE
TEETERING WITH HERE.
LETS GET THIS RIGHT.
WE ALREADY PUT CLOSE TO $6
TRILLION OUT TO PEOPLE.
OUR ECONOMY IS COMING BACK,
COMES ROARING BACK.
NOW WERE NOT ABLE TO MEET
DEMAND BY SUPPLYING WHAT THE
ECONOMY WANTS.
THE DEMAND SAYS GIVE ME MORE
WORKERS, MORE PRODUCTS.
WERE HAVING A HARD TIME.
IF YOU DO ANOTHER 2, 3, $4
TRILLION, WE MAY HAVE A HARD
TIME WITH TAX CODE, ADJUSTMENTS
I BELIEVE NEED TO BE MADE.
I DIDNT VOTE IN 2017 FOR THE
TAX CODE, I THOUGHT IT WAS
WEIGHTED FOR THE WEALTHY.
I DIDNT THINK THE AVERAGE
WORKING PERSON GOT THEIR DUE
SHARE.
LETS MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS.
ON THE OTHER HAND, WERE IN A
GLOBAL MARKET, NOT ISOLATIONIST,
NEVER GOING TO BE ISOLATIONIST.
WE HAVE TO BE IN THE GLOBAL
MARKET AND LEAD THE WORLD.
IF YOURE GOING TO DO THAT, YOU
BETTER BE COMPETITIVE.
CANT BE OUT OF THE REALM OF NOT
BEING COMPETITIVE, PEOPLE WANT
TO INVEST OR COME TO YOUR
COUNTRY OR MANUFACTURE HERE.
>> YOU HEAR POLITICS ARE LOCAL
BUT THERE ARE MORE AND MORE
EXPECTATIONS FOR LAWMAKERS LIKE
YOU TO VOTE WITH THE REST OF
YOUR PARTY.
HELP US UNDERSTAND YOUR
CONSTITUENTS.
TAKE US TO WEST VIRGINIA.
WHAT DO THEY WANT IN TERMS OF
VOTING RIGHTS AND
INFRASTRUCTURE?
WHAT DO THEY TELL YOU?
>> WELL, THE VOTING RIGHTS, I
WAS SECRETARY OF STATE, I HAVE
BEEN GOVERNOR TWO TERMS, I
ALWAYS KNEW WEST VIRGINIANS FELT
STRONGLY, WE WERE AGGRESSIVE HOW
TO GET MORE PEOPLE TO THE POLLS.
AS SECRETARY OF STATES, WE USED
TO HAVE COMPETITION WHO HAD THE
BIGGEST TURNOUT.
HOW DID YOU GET SO MANY PEOPLE,
WHAT DID YOU DO DIFFERENTLY.
HOW DID YOU GET PEOPLE COMING TO
THE POLLS.
THATS WHAT IT WAS ALL ABOUT.
THAT WAS OUR POSITION AND OUR
RESPONSIBILITY.
I PUT IN EARLY VOTING WHEN I WAS
SECRETARY OF STATE BECAUSE WE
HAD PEOPLE WORKING THAT COULDNT
GET OFF.
WHEN I CONSIDERED WHAT CHANGES
SHOULD BE MADE, WHY IS TUESDAY A
WORKING DAY AND MAIN VOTING DAY
FOR THE COUNTRY.
SOMETHING IS GOING WRONG.
LOOK AT A NATIONAL HOLIDAY,
MAKES SENSE TO ME AND A LOT OF
PEOPLE.
>> ARE ANY OF THE CHANGES THAT
YOU WANTED THAT ARE ADDED TO THE
VOTING RIGHTS BILL, DO YOU THINK
ANY OF THIS IS SUPPORTED BY ANY
REPUBLICAN OUT THERE?
>> NO, IM JUST SAYING NO, I HAD
PEOPLE.
I HAVE SPOKEN TO EVERYBODY I
COULD, ALL OF THE PEOPLE ON THE
PROGRESSIVE SIDE, I HAVE SPOKEN
TO THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE
AND ALL OF THE PEOPLE, DIALOGUE
BACK AND FORTH.
I CALLED STACEY ABRAMS WHO IS
OUT THERE, DOING A MAGNIFICENT
JOB, TRYING TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE
HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY.
EVERY ELECTION SHOULD BE
ACCESSIBLE, FAIR, AND BASICALLY
SECURED.
I TOLD HER, I SAID THEY DONT
AGREE ON VOTER ID.
I THINK IT WOULD BE AT THIS
POINT IN TIME WITH ALL OF THE
UNCERTAINTY ABOUT THE ELECTIONS
BEING VALID OR NOT NOT TO HAVE
AN ID THROWS DPAS LEANGASOLINE O
FIRE.
I WANT PEOPLE TO HAVE
ACCESSIBILITY, SECURED, AND
THEIR VOTE.
WHAT I AM CONCERNED ABOUT IS
CANVASSING OF THE VOTE AND FINAL
COUNT OF THE VOTE, MAKING SURE
THATS DONE IN THE MOST PROPER
WAY.
THATS WHAT PEOPLE CARE ABOUT.