THANK YOU FOR THAT VERY, VERY
MUCH.
AISHAH HASNIE ON CAPITOL HILL
WITH ALL OF THAT.
DELIGHTED TO HAVE WITH US RIGHT
NOW, ELAINE CHAO FORMER
SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION FOR
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
GOOD TO HAVE YOU.
>> THANKS SO MUCH.
I WAS ALSO THE SECRETARY OF
LABOR.
IT WILL BE CENTRAL FLORIDA
HAVEN’T TO WHAT WE’RE TALKING
ABOUT -- RELEVANT.
NEIL: REGARDLESS WHAT YOUR
POSITION, LABOR SECRETARY OR
TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY, THIS
IS LOT OF MONEY NO MATTER WHAT
DEPARTMENT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT.
I WONDER WHAT YOU MAKE OF THE
LATEST SPENDING INITIATIVES WITH
THE CHIPS MEASURE WHICH YOU
MIGHT OR MIGHT NOT SUPPORT, THIS
ONE YOU’RE GETTING PAST TRILLION
DOLLAR RANGE.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
>> WELL YOU KNOW, THE DEMOCRATS
OWN EXPERTS, YOU HAVE, YOU HAVE IS.
>> SON FUHRMAN AND OTHERS SAID
ALL THE SPENDING WOULD INCREASE
INFLATION.
LARRY SUMMERS, FORMER TREASURY
SECRETARY, FORMER DIRECTOR OF
THE DOMESTIC POLICY COUNCIL,
NATIONAL ECONOMIC COUNCIL, HE
ALSO WARNED AGAINST ALL OF THIS
GOVERNMENT SPENDING WHICH IS
GOING TO BE SUCH A STIMULUS TO
INCREASING THE CONDITIONS THAT
WE HAVE NOW.
NEIL: SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT
THE ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN
SAYING OF LATE, POINTING TO THE
FACT THAT GASOLINE PRICES HAVE
GONE DOWN I THINK FOR 44 DAYS
NOW STRAIGHT, SECRETARY?
>> STILL VERY HIGH.
NEIL: QUITE RIGHT, BUT THE WORSE
MIGHT BEHIND US, THAT THE TREND
I THINK THEY’RE SAYING THE TREND
IS THEIR FRIEND, WHAT DO YOU
SAY?
>> I LOOK AT THE GAS STATION OUT
OUTSIDE OF MY HOUSE, THE CURRENT
GAS PRICE IS $5.99.
THAT IS DEVASTATING TO ORDINARY
FOLKS WHO HAVE TO DRIVE, WHO
HAVE TO GET TO WORK.
YOU KNOW, THAT IS DEVASTATING
FOR THEIR LIFESTYLE.
AND ALSO MY DAD AND I GO TO
BURGER KING.
USED TO BE A DOUBLE WHOPPER WAS
TWO FOR $10.
ONE IS $11.
SO CONSUMERS, AMERICANS, ARE I
SEEING THESE INCREDIBLE PRICES
INCREASE ALL ACROSS THE SECTORS
IN THEIR DAILY OR WEEKLY
SHOPPING.
AT THE GROCERY STORE AT YOU
KNOW, STORES ALL AROUND.
IT IS DEVASTATING.
INFLATION IS REALLY TAKING A
BITE OUT OF THE QUALITY OF LIFE
OF WORKERS.
THAT IS WHAT WE ALL SHOULD BE
CONCERNED ABOUT.
NEIL: I DON’T WANT TO GIVE AWAY
WHERE YOU LIVE, SECRETARY, WHERE
ARE YOU GAS IS COSTING ALMOST 6
BUCKS A GALLON?
>> ON CAPITOL HILL.
I’M IN WASHINGTON NOW.
I LIVE IN LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.
I WORKED IN WASHINGTON.
NEIL: THAT IS WAY ABOVE THE
NATIONAL AVERAGE.
YOU’RE QUITE RIGHT, DIFFERENT
CITIES AND DIFFERENT FOLKS.
THIS INFLATION THING, SECRETARY,
COMES BACK TO HOW MUCH AMERICANS
ARE WILLING TO SPEND.
SOME OF THAT, THEY HAVE NO
CONTROL OVER BUT THEY CAN DECIDE
WHETHER THAT ANNOYING TRIP THIS
HARKENS BACK TO THE
TRANSPORTATION DAYS IS WORTH IT.
HASSLES WITH DELAYS AND FLIGHT
CANCELLATIONS IT IS OUT OF
CONTROL, YET WE’RE TOLD BY SOME
MAJOR AIRLINES THAT DEMAND IS
STILL ROBUST.
AMERICAN EXPRESS SAYING STILL
ROBUST.
EVEN WITH THESE HAS SILLS.
WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THAT?
>> EVERY SUMMER WE SEE CONCERN.
SUMMER STORMS PRESENT QUITE A
CHALLENGE TO SMOOTH AIRLINE
TRAVEL.
WE SEE ALL THE DELAYS AND
CONGESTION ALL THE TIME EVERY
SUMMER BUT THE DIFFERENCE THIS
YEAR WE’RE COMING OUT OF THE
PANDEMIC AND THERE IS SUCH
PENT-UP CONSUMER PASSENGER
DEMAND FOR TRAVEL.
PEOPLE ARE SICK OF STAYING HOME.
THEY HAVE CABIN FEVER.
THEY WANT TO GET OUT AND TRAVEL
AND RESUME THEIR LIVES.
SO ON TOP OF THAT, WHAT WE ARE
SEEING IS A TREMENDOUS SHORTAGE
OF WORKERS.
ALL THE WORKERS ACROSS ALL
SECTORS OF OUR ECONOMY, BUT
SINCE YOU BROUGHT UP
TRANSPORTATION, LET’S TALK ABOUT
THE TRANSPORTATION SECTOR.
WE’RE SEEING A SHORTAGE OF
PILOTS, OF FLIGHT ATTENDANTS, OF
BAGGAGE HANDLERS.
WE’VE SEEN THOUSANDS OF BAGS
STRANDED IN LONDON AIRPORT, FOR
EXAMPLE.
WE’RE ALSO SEEING A SHORTAGE IN
TSA SECURITY AGENTS, GATE
AGENTS.
WE TALK A LOT ABOUT THE LABOR
SHORTAGE.
WELL NOW, IT IS REALLY COMING TO
THE FOREFRONT.
WE’RE SEEING THE LACK OF A
SHORTAGE OF THE WORKFORCE HAVING
AN ACTUAL IMPACT ON OUR QUALITY
OF LIFE AND ALSO THE RECOVERY OF
THE ECONOMY.
NEIL: YOU KNOW, YOUR SUCCESSOR
HAS BEEN TALKING INCREASINGLY
ABOUT HOLDING AIRLINES
ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE DELAYS AND
CANCELLATIONS, EVEN FINING THEM
THEM.
A NUMBER OF U.S. SENATORS,
SECRETARY CAUGHT UP IN THE
MAELSTROM AND PROMISED ACTION ON
THIS.
WOULD YOU SUPPORT PUNISHING
AIRLINES, FINING AIRLINES, FOR
THIS SORT OF THING?
>> I REALLY DON’T AND I COULDN’T
SAY THAT TOO MUCH AS SECRETARY
OF TRANSPORTATION BECAUSE YOU
HAVE TO BE VERY BALANCED, VERY
JUDICIOUS THE WAY YOU TALK.
AIRLINES DON’T WANT TO SEE THIS
HAPPEN.
THEY HAVE JUST SUFFERED THROUGH
TWO DEVASTATING YEARS IN WHICH
THEY LOST MONEY.
THEY ARE SO GLAD TO SEE THE END
OF COVID, THEY WANT TO SEE AIR
TRAVEL COME BACK.
SO THAT THEY CAN ONCE AGAIN
RETURN TO THEIR FORMER
PROFITABILITY SO THAT THEY CAN
GIVE BETTER JOBS TO THEIR
EMPLOYEES AND THEY CAN HAVE YOU
KNOW, A BETTER OPTIONS FOR THEIR
INVESTORS AND ALSO A BETTER
EXPERIENCE FOR THE TRAVELING
PUBLIC.
NEIL: BUT THEY’RE NOT, RIGHT?
THEY’RE NOT GETTING THAT.
I’M NOT SAYING THAT IS THEIR
FAULT, SECRETARY, BUT I AM
SAYING THERE IS FRUSTRATION HERE
THAT CONSUMERS ARE THE ONES
STUCK.
>> OF COURSE.
NEIL: SOMETIMES THEY’RE MAROONED
AT THESE AIRPORTS.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
NEIL: THEY CAN’T EVEN GET THEIR
THEIR AIR FARE TICKET BACK.
I AM WONDERING WHAT IS THE
ACCEPTABLE RESPONSE.
>> I’M NOT GOING TO, I’M NOT A
DEFENDER, OR A APOLOGIST FOR THE
AIRLINE INDUSTRY BUT IT IS A
TOUGH INDUSTRY AND THEY ACTUALLY
MAKE VERY LITTLE MONEY AS AN
INDUSTRY.
THEY UNDERSTAND THE DIFFICULTIES
AND THE CHALLENGES.
NEIL: BUT WE HAVE GIVEN THEM
OVER $60 BILLION, RIGHT,
SECRETARY, NOT YOU SPECIFICALLY.
>> THE MONEY WENT TO THE
WORKERS.
THE MONEY, THEY WERE JUST A
PASS-THROUGH.
THE MONEY WENT THROUGH THEM --
NEIL: THAT IS A LOT OF MONEY.
THAT IS A LOT OF MONEY.
WHERE DID IT GO?
>> $2 TRILLION WAS GIVEN OUT IN
MARCH OF 2020, IN AN EFFORT TO
REVITALIZE OUR ECONOMY AND TO
GIVE PEOPLE, TO GIVE COMPANIES
THE MONIES WITH WHICH THEY CAN
PAY THEIR WORKERS, SO THAT
PEOPLE --
NEIL: IT DIDN’T WORK.
NOW THEY CAN’T FIND WORKERS.
THAT WAS MONEY WASTED.
>> WHAT HAPPENED THEY LET OFF
ALL THE WORKERS A LITTLE TOO
QUICKLY.
THEY HAVE FOUND IT IS HARDER TO
BRING THEM BACK BECAUSE YOU JUST
CAN’T REINSTATE A PILOT.
YOU HAVE TO, THESE PILOTS HAVE
TO GO THROUGH TRAINING.
THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH --
NEIL: BY THE WAY, ARE YOU FOR,
SECRETARY, ARE YOU FOR RAISING
THE RETIREMENT AGE TO 67 FROM
65, WOULD YOU BE FOR THAT?
>> SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM HAS A
PROPOSAL TO INCREASE THE
RETIREMENT AGE OF PILOTS FROM 65
TO 67.
NEIL: RIGHT.
>> WE’RE LIVING LONGER THESE
DAYS.
WE’RE HEALTHIER THAN EVER
BEFORE.
I THINK THAT IS A PROPOSAL WE
SHOULD BE LOOKING AT.
NEIL: I’M JUST SAYING BECAUSE
PETE BUTTIGIEG DOESN’T SEEM KEEN
TO THE IDEA.
WHEN I HAD HIM ON, REALLY THERE
IS A REASON FOR THAT, MORE OR
LESS SAYING NOT OPEN TO THAT.
>> I THINK ALL OFFICEHOLDERS,
THOSE WHO ARE IN OFFICE ARE
TERRIFIED OF BEING ACCUSED OF
COMPROMISING SAFETY ANYWAY.
THERE ARE SO MANY STAKEHOLDERS
OUT THERE AND WE ARE A
DEMOCRACY.
SO THERE IS A CACCOPHONY OF
VOICES ABOUT WHAT TO DO BUT
CLEARLY OUR AIRLINE INDUSTRY
NEEDS HELP AND THE MAJOR PROBLEM
WITH ALL OF THE DELAYS AND THE
CONGESTION ARE THE LACK OF
SKILLED WORKERS.
WE HAVE SEEN A TREMENDOUS
DECREASE IN THE WORKFORCE IN
TERMS OF AVAILABILITY OF
WORKERS.
THERE ARE 11 MILLION JOBS THAT
ARE SAY CAN’T AND I DISPUTE THE
PREVIOUS SPEAKER, THERE ARE
CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW IN MAY, AT
LEAST ABOUT 11 MILLION JOBS.
NEIL: TO YOUR POINT THEY’RE
GROWING BEGGING.
COULD I SWITCH GEARS IF YOU
DON’T MIND, SECRETARY.
>> ONE MORE THING, THE LABOR
PARTICIPATION RATE IS VERY LOW.
IT IS ONLY 62.2%.
THAT IS LOWER THAN MARCH OF
2020.
WHEN I WAS SECRETARY OF LABOR
THE LABOR PARTICIPATION RATE WAS
66.4 ON AVERAGE OVER EIGHT
YEARS.
MANY TIMES IT WAS OVER 67%.
SO WHERE DO ALL THESE WORKERS
GO?
WE’RE MISSING MILLIONS OF
WORKERS WHO OTHERWISE WOULD HAVE
COME BACK INTO THE WORKFORCE.
NEIL: YOU WONDER WHERE THEY’RE
GOING, WHAT THEY’RE WAITING FOR.
YOU’RE QUITE RIGHT ABOUT THAT.
I WOULD BE REMISS, SECRETARY, A
LOT OF PEOPLE DIDN’T KNOW THIS
AFTER THE JANUARY 6th
INSURRECTION ON CAPITOL HILL YOU
RESIGNED AS DID EDUCATION
SECRETARY, BETSY DEVOS.
I’M HEARING THE JANUARY 6
COMMITTEE WANT TO POTENTIALLY
TALK TO YOU AND MISS DEVOS, ARE
YOU OPEN TO TALKING TO THEM?
>> OF COURSE.
NEIL: HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT
THOSE WHO SAID THAT DONALD TRUMP
BROUGHT IN ON AND SHOULD BE HELD
ACCOUNTABLE?
>> WELL THAT SOMETHING I WOULD
BE OBVIOUSLY TALKING TO THE
COMMITTEE ABOUT.
NEIL: YOU OBVIOUSLY RESIGNED.
SO YOU WERE FRUSTRATED BY THAT.
THE FORMER PRESIDENT HAS BEEN
CRITICAL OF YOUR HUSBAND,
MITCH McCONNELL, THE SENATE
MAJORITY LEADER.
DO YOU --
>> MITCH IS VERY CALM, VERY
STEADY.
NEIL: HE IS.
HOW IS HE HANDLING THAT, THE
SENATE REPUBLICAN LEADER I
SHOULD SAY, HOW IS HE HANDLING
THAT?
HOW DO YOU FEEL WHEN YOU HEAR
THESE COMMENTS FROM THE FORMER
PRESIDENT, NOT ONLY ABOUT BUT
MORE TO THE POINT THESE DAYS
ABOUT YOUR HUSBAND?
>> WELL YOU KNOW AS I SAID MANY
TIMES BEFORE WE HAVE OUR JOBS.
MITCH IS VERY CALM AND VERY
STEADY.
I THINK HE IS A GREAT LEADER FOR
OUR COUNTRY.
AND HE HAS A TASK AND A MISSION
TO ACCOMPLISH AND THAT IS WHAT
HE IS FOCUSED ON.
WORKING FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
NEIL: HE HAS ALSO SAID, I DON’T
KNOW HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THIS
SECRETARY, IF DONALD TRUMP TURNS
OUT TO BE THE REPUBLICAN NOMINEE
FOR PRESIDENT IN 2024 HE WOULD
SUPPORT HIM.
WOULD YOU?
>> THAT IS KIND OF HIS, YOU KNOW
HIS JOB.
NEIL: RIGHT.
>> MITCH IS THE SENATE LEADER
AND AS SUCH HE HAS TO SUPPORT
HIS PARTY’S NOMINEE.
BUT I THINK YOU SHOULD ASK THESE
QUESTIONS OF HIM.
I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING ON
ISSUES I’M CONCERNED ABOUT.
WHEN I WAS IN OFFICE I WAS
REALLY INTO TRANSPORTATION,
TECHNOLOGIES THAT WILL TRANSFORM
THE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM OF THE
FUTURE AND SO I’M REALLY
INTERESTED AND WORKING ON AV,
AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES, EV CHARGING
STATIONS, HYBRID POWER TRAINS
AND INTERNET OF THINGS AND HOW
DO ALL OF THAT IMPROVE THE
QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OUR
RESIDENTS AND CITIZENS AND ALSO
CREATE THE NEW TRANSPORTATION
SYSTEM OF TOMORROW.
NEIL: SO JUST TO BACK ON THE
JANUARY 6 THING, IF YOU DON’T
MIND MY SAYING SECRETARY, SOUNDS
LIKE YOU’RE OPEN TO TALKING TO
THE JANUARY 6 COMMITTEE.
WE’RE TOLD SEPARATELY THE
COMMITTEE IS READY OR POISED
WHEN ALL OF THIS IS DONE TO
RECOMMEND CRIMINAL CHARGES
AGAINST THE PRESIDENT, FORMER
PRESIDENT.
THAT IS OBVIOUSLY UP TO THE
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT, ATTORNEY
GENERAL TO PURSUE.
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT?
>> WE’RE A NATION OF LAW AND IT
WILL LEAD TO WHAT IT LEADS TO.
I HAVE TREMENDOUS RESPECT FOR
THE LAW.
AND AS A PATRIOT, I WORKED IN
THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION
BECAUSE I BELIEVED THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE SHOULD HAVE A FUNCTIONING
GOVERNMENT.
I’M AN IMMIGRANT TO THIS
COUNTRY.
MY LOVE FOR THIS COUNTRY IS
OBVIOUSLY QUITE EVIDENT.
MY FAMILY AND I HAVE LIVED THE
AMERICAN DREAM.
WE’RE SO PROUD TO BE AMERICANS,
THAT IS THE MOST, ONE OF THE
MOST IMPORTANT TITLES THAT WE
TAKE GREAT PRIDE IN HAVING.
NEIL: SECRETARY, THANK YOU VERY
MUCH.
GOOD CATCHING UP WITH YOU.