>>> PELOSI TOLD HER DEMOCRATIC
CONFERENCE MEMBERS THERE AINT
NO INFRASTRUCTURE BILL WITHOUT
THE RECONCILIATION BILL.
THAT WOULD INCLUDE MORE MONEY
FOR EDUCATION, CHILD POVERTY AND
MONEY TO FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE
AND DEAL WITH THE ECONOMY, ALL
PAID FOR BY TAX HIKES BY THE
WEALTHY.
JOINING ME NOW IS CONGRESSWOMAN
ALEXANDER OCASIO-CORTEZ.
WELL
WELCOME BACK TO "MEET THE
PRESS."
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
>> PRESIDENT BIDEN -- WHY WHY WE
CALL THIS STAPLE A WALK BACK OR
NOT?
HIS CLARIFICATION WAS IT A VETO
THREAT OR WAS IT NOT?
WHAT HE SAID ON THURSDAY SEEMS
TO CHEER PROGRESSIVES?
ARE YOU A LITTLE UPSET BY THE
WALK BACK HE MADE YESTERDAY OR
DO YOU CONSIDER IT A WALK BACK
AT YOU WILL.
>> YOU KNOW I THINK REGARDLESS
OF THE PRESIDENTS STAPLESTEMENT
THERE ARE THREE KEY CHESS PIECES
THAT WE HAVE TO ALIGN, THE
SENATE, HOUSE AND THE WHITE
HOUSE OF THE PRESIDENCY.
I BELIEVE THAT THE PRESIDENT IS
MORE THAN ABLE TO TAKE HIS OWN
APPROACH.
I HAVE WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THE
MISSING PIECE WHICH IS THE
HOUSE.
I BELIEVE THAT IN THE HOUSE AND
HOUSE DEMOCRATS ARE VERY
COMMITTED TO MAKING SURE THAT
YOU KNOW SENATOR CASSIDYS WORD
OF INFRASTRUCTURE IS CENTERED ON
WOMEN AND IN ADDITION TO A
BRIDGE YOU NEED A BABYSITTER, IT
IS IMPORTANT THAT WE PASS
RECONCILIATION BILL AND A
FAMILYS PLAN THAT EXPANDS CHILD
CARE THAT LOWERS THE COST OF
MEDICARE THAT SUPPORTS FAMILIES
IN THE ECONOMY.
>> WOULD YOU LIKE THE PRESIDENT
TO BE ISSUING A VETO THREAT ON
THE BIPARTISAN DEAL IF THE
RECONCILIATION PACKAGE DOES NOT
COME THROUGH?
>> WELL, I THINK WHATS REALLY
IMPORTANT IS THAT IT IS VERY
IMPORTANT FOR THE PRESIDENT TO
KNOW THAT HOW PROGRESSIVES AND I
BELIEVE THE DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS IS
HERE TO ENSURE HE DOES NOT FAIL.
WE ARE HERE TO MAKE SURE HES
SUCCESSFUL AND MAKING SURE WE DO
HAVE LARGER INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN.
2 FACT THE MATTER
THE FEEDBACK THE MATTER IS WHERE
WE CAN WELCOME REPUBLICANS IN 2
AGREEMENT.
THEY ARE WELCOME TO JOIN.
THAT DOES NOT MEAN IT SHOULD BE
LIMITED BY REPUBLICANS.
WE HAVE A HOUSE MAJORITY AND THE
WHITE HOUSE AND I BELIEVE THAT
WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT HES
SUCCESSFUL IN EXECUTING A STRONG
AGENDA FOR WORKING FAMILIES.
>> THE DEMOCRATIC MAJORITY ARE
PRECARIOUS, THEY ARE NARROW IN
THE HOUSE.
AND EXTRAORDINARY NARROW IN THE
SENATE.
WHAT I THINK OF THE MAKEUP OF
THE COALITION, WE DAN MAKE A CASE 50% OR A SLIGHT MAJORITY IS
CASE 50% OR A SLIGHT MAJORITY IS
PROGRESS SIFS.
BUT IT
PROGRESSIVES.
I HEARD FROM MORE CONSERVATIVE
DEMOCRATS IN THE HOUSE WHO
THINKS $3 TRILLION IS TOO MUCH.
IS THERE A BASELINE NUMBER THAT
YOU CAN TOLERATE BEFORE YOU COME
OUT AGAINST THE DEAL?
>> WELL, TO ME IT IS NOT JUST
ABOUT A PRICE TAG, RIGHT? >> YOU CAN HAVE AN ENORMOUS
>> YOU CAN HAVE AN ENORMOUS
PRICE TAG THATS CHAK FULLLK-FUE
LIKE WISE YOU CAN ALSO HAVE AN
INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN THATS TOO
SMALL AND IT IS SO SMALL THAT IT
DOES NOT INVEST IN ANY
MEANINGFUL WAY THAT PEOPLE CAN
FEEL POSITIVE IMPACTS IN THEIR
EVERYDAY LIVES.
>> IT IS NOT ABOUT A PRICE TAG.
ALTHOUGH I DO THINK THERE IS A
LEVEL WHERE WE GO TOO SMALL.
IT IS REALLY ABOUT WHAT IMPACT
ARE WE MAKING?
>> I BELIEVE THAT IT IS
IMPORTANT THAT WE TALK ABOUT AND
THREE TRILLION DOLLARS.
THAIFR
THEYRE SPREAD OUT OVER TEN
YEARS.
>> WE ARESO WHEN YOU BREAK IT DO
INTO A PER-YEAR COST IT IS MUCH
SMALLER.
WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS
IS OUR ONE BIG SHOT, NOT JUST IN
TERMS OF FAMILY, MEDICARE AND
CHILD CARIBOU ON CLIMATE CHANGE.
>> THE ICC REPORT JUST CAME OUT
THIS WEEK SHOWS US WELL BE IN
DEVASTATED CONSEQUENCES IF WE
ARE
ARE.
WE NEED TO HAVE REAL DEAL, REAL
INVESTMENT THAT WILL HELP
ACTUALLY ELECTRIFY IN TRANSITION
TRANSITIONING A LOT OF FOCUS SO
THAT THEY HAVE THE OPTION TO
TAKE THE RAIL WHERE EVER THEY
NEED TO TAKE IT.
>> OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF THIS
DEPENDS ON THE SENATE DEMOCRATS
HOLDING TOGETHER.
I KNOW WHERE YOU STAND ON THE
FILIBUSTER.
I AM CURIOUS OF WHAT YOU THOUGHT
OF SENATOR SINEMA WHERE SHE MADE
THIS DEFENSE IN KEEPING THE
FILIBUSTER.
WOULD IT BE GOOD FOR OUR COUNTRY IF WE DID THIS, DPETINGGETTING R
IF WE DID THIS, DPETINGGETTING R
THE FILIBUSTER.
LOOK, THE ARGUMENT SHES MAKING
IS LETS SAY GET RID OF THE
FILIBUSTER AND GET ALL OF THESE
PROGRESSIVE CHANGES THAT YOU
WOULD LIKE TO SEE AND THE ROLES
ARE REVERSED AND EVERYTHING GETS
ROLLED BACK.
>> IS THAT GOOD ENOUGH DEFENSE
TO USE FOR THE FILIBUSTER?
>>.
NO, IT IS AN ARGUMENT OF SAYING
WELL, WHY DO ANYTHING AT ALL BUT
IN CASE SOMETHING IN OUR FUTURE
MAY HAVE CHANGED IT.
>> PAST LEGISLATION WITH
MAJORITY AND THEY ARE FINE AND
HERE IS THE THING.
DEMOCRATIC LEGISLATION WANTS ENACTED IS POPULAR.
ENACTED IS POPULAR.
>> PRPS HAVE TRYPERHAPS -- THEY
CLAW BACK ON LEGISLATION THAT
HAS PASSED BY SIMPLE MAJORITY IN
THE SENATE.
THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO
BECAUSE DEMOCRATIC POLICIES ARE
POPULAR.
AND, ONCE THEY ARE ENACTED, THEY
ARE POLITICALLY DIFFICULT TO
UNDO.
>> SO I DO NOT BELIEVER IN THE
DEFEATISM OF SAYING WELL LOSE
THE FUTURE.
THIS WILL AUTOMATICALLY MEAN
THAT ANYTHING WE DO NOW IS GOING
TO BE REVERSE SO WELL NOT DO
ANYTHING NOW.
>> OUR JOB IS TO LEGISLATIVE AND
HELP PEOPLE.
EVEN IF THATS THE CASE, WOULD
IT BE BETTER TO DPET PEOPLE AND
VOTING RIGHTS FOR THREE YEARS
INSTEAD OF ZERO YEARS.
EVEN YOU CAN SEE THE POINT THAT
I DONT THINK IT IS TRUE IN THE
FIRST PLACE.
BEYOND THAT THE ARGUMENT IS
OKAY, WHY 60 VOTES AND WHY NOT
STOP AT 70 VOTES OR 80 VOTES TO
PASS ANY LEGISLATION.
>> WHY DEFEND THE 50-VOTE WHEN
THE SENATE AMPLIFIES MINORITY
POWER.
THE 50 DEMOCRATIC SENATORS
ALREADY REPRESENTING.
MILLIONS MORE AMERICANS.
AND SO I WOULD ARGUE THAT 50
REPUBLICAN SENATORS IS ALREADY A
BILL IN KIND OF FILIBUSTER AS
FIREWALL.
>> ALL RIGHT, CONGRESSWOMAN
OCASIO-CORTEZ, APPRECIATE YOU
APPRECIATE YOU COMING ON.