>>> IF YOU LOOK BACK OVER THE
LAST 40 YEARS, AS MINIMUM WAGE
HAS INCREASED, PEOPLE HAVEN’T --
THE END RESULT OF NET EMPLOYMENT
HASN’T CHANGED.
HERE IS THE DEAL, IT’S ABOUT
DOING IT GRADUALLY.
WE’RE AT $7.25 AN HOUR.
NO ONE SHOULD WORK 40 HOURS A
WEEK AND LIVE IN POVERTY.
NO ONE SHOULD WORK 40 HOURS A
WEEK AND LIVE IN POVERTY, BUT
IT’S TOTALLY LEGITIMATE FOR
SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS TO BE
CONCERNED ABOUT HOW THAT
CHANGES.
>> PRESIDENT BIDEN AT LAST
NIGHT’S TOWN HALL INDICATING
HE’S OPEN TO NEGOTIATIONS ON THE
PROPOSED MINIMUM WAGE INCREASE
TO $15 AN HOUR THAT’S CURRENTLY
IN THE DEMOCRAT’S COVID RELIEF
BILL.
MEANWHILE, REPUBLICAN SENATORS
MITT ROMNEY AND TOM COTTON ARE
WORKING ON A SEPARATE BILL TO
INCREASE THE MINIMUM WAGE WHILE,
QUOTE, ENSURING BUSINESSES
CANNOT HIRE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS.
THE PROPOSAL ALSO INCLUDES A
PROVISION FOR THE MINIMUM WAGE
TO INCREASE AUTOMATICALLY WITH
INFLATION.
JOINING US NOW FROM THE WHITE
HOUSE PRINCIPLE DEPUTY PRESS
SECRETARY FOR PRESIDENT JOE
BIDEN KARINE JEAN-PIERRE.
GREAT TO SEE YOU.
>> GOOD TO SEE YOU, MIKA.
>> HOW MUCH ROOM IS THERE FOR
NEGOTIATION OR FOR GIVE TO
REPUBLICANS IN THIS MASSIVE
STIMULUS BILL?
AND IS THE MINIMUM WAGE WHERE
IT’S GOING TO END UP?
>> SO AS YOU HEARD WE JUST
PLAYED IT, MIKA, THE PRESIDENT
IS VERY COMMITTED TO INCREASING
THE MINIMUM WAGE.
THIS IS WHY HE PUT IT IN THIS
LEGISLATIVE PACKAGE, AMERICAN
RESCUE PLAN, AND HE UNDERSTANDS
HOW CRITICAL IT IS ESPECIALLY
FOR RONT LINE WORK ESERS WHO ARE
PUTTING THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE
AS HE JUST EXPLAINED AND THEY
CAN’T AFFORD TO PUT FOOD ON THE
TABLE.
THEY’RE LIVING IN THE POVERTY
LINE, THAT SHOULD BE NOT BE
ACCEPTABLE.
HE UNDERSTANDS THE PROCESS.
HE UNDERSTANDS THERE’S
PARLIAMENTARY PROCESS AND THAT
THERE’S GOING TO BE
CONVERSATIONS AND DISCUSSIONS
ABOUT THIS, BUT HE STILL STANDS
FIRM IN MAKING SURE THAT WE
INCREASE THE MINIMUM WAGE.
>> MIKE BARNICLE.
>> KARINE, LAST NIGHT THE
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
SPOKE TO PEOPLE, SPOKE TO THE
NATION.
AND HE MENTIONED THE 100 DAY
MARK OF HIS ADMINISTRATION THAT
SCHOOLS WOULD BE OPEN.
THE 100 DAY MARK WILL BE APRIL
21st.
CAN YOU TELL US ON APRIL 21st, I
BELIEVE HE REFERENCED IT IN
TERMS OF K THROUGH 8 SCHOOLS,
ARE WE TALKING ABOUT FULL-TIME,
FULLY OPENED SCHOOLS IN PERSON
ATTENDANCE AND SCHOOLS ON APRIL
21st?
>> HEY, MIKE.
LET ME FIRST SAY THAT LAST NIGHT
THE PRESIDENT TOOK PRIDE -- HE
TAKES PRIDE AND JOY TALKING AND
SPEAKING DIRECTLY TO THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE.
YOU SAW THAT.
AND IT WASN’T JUST ABOUT
REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS.
IT WAS ALL AMERICANS.
HE HAS SAID THAT.
HE’S A PRESIDENT NOT JUST FOR
PEOPLE WHO VOTED FOR HIM BUT
ALSO FOR THE PEOPLE WHO DIDN’T.
THAT IS CLEAR.
HE WANTED TO SPEAK DIRECTLY AND
SEND HIS MESSAGE DIRECTLY TO THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE ABOUT WHAT
THEY’RE DEALING WITH RIGHT NOW,
THE CHALLENGES, THE ECONOMIC
TALKING ABOUT HOW THE AMERICAN
RESCUE PLAN IS GOING TO BRING
ECONOMIC RELIEF.
HOW THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN IS
GOING TO HOPEFULLY OPEN UP THE
SCHOOLS AS YOU JUST LAID OUT.
THERE’S $130 BILLION IN THIS
PLAN FOR SCHOOLS.
AND IT’S FOCUSSED ON THE
IMMEDIATE RELIEF BUT ALSO
LONG-TERM RELIEF LIKE SUMMER
SCHOOL AND LEARNING GAP.
AND SO, IT IS IMPORTANT TO ALSO
THINK ABOUT THE PPE AND THE
TESTING THAT’S GOING TO BE
NEEDED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE
A VENTILATION SYSTEM THAT’S
GOING TO BE NEEDED AND SO THE
PRESIDENT WAS REALLY CLEAR.
HE SAID HIS GOAL IS FIVE DAYS A
WEEK IN 100 DAYS.
THAT IS THE GOAL.
THAT IS THE MARKER THAT HE HAS
SET FOR HIMSELF.
SO HE WILL DO EVERYTHING THAT HE
CAN AND WE WILL DO EVERYTHING
THAT WE CAN TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN,
BUT WE GOT TO GET THIS AMERICAN
RESCUE PLAN PASSED.
AND ONE MORE THING THAT NEEDS TO
HAPPEN, WE HAVE TO CONFIRM THE
SECRETARY OF EDUCATION, WHICH IS
SECRETARY CARDONA.
HE HAS TO GET CONFIRMED SO HE
CAN WORK DIRECTLY WITH THE
SCHOOLS AND DISTRICTS ACROSS THE
COUNTRY TO MAKE SURE THIS
HAPPENS.
>> KARENE, IT’S JONATHAN LEMIRE.
GOOD MORNING.
GREAT TO SEE YOU.
>> GOOD MORNING.
>> WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT
THE SITUATION IN TEXAS WITH THIS
TERRIBLE WINTER STORM.
MILLIONS OF CUSTOMERS WITHOUT
POWER.
SOME REALLY DANGEROUS CONDITIONS
AND DOZENS OF PEOPLE ALREADY
LOST THEIR LIVES.
CAN YOU JUST SORT OF DETAIL TO
US WHAT THE FEDERAL RESPONSE IS,
AS FAR AS WE’RE SEEING RIGHT NOW
THE BLAME GAME AND REPUBLICAN
POLITICIANS, GOVERNOR IN
PARTICULAR, SUGGESTING
ERRONEOUSLY THE SOURCE OF THE
POWER OUTAGES THERE.
WHAT’S THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
DOING NOW?
WHAT SORT OF RESOURCES ARE BEING
DEPLOYED?
HOW IS THE PRESIDENT MONITORING
THE SITUATION.
>> YEAH.
SO THE PRESIDENT IS CERTAINLY
MONITORING THE SITUATION,
TALKING TO GOVERNORS.
OVER THE WEEKEND WE HEARD FROM
GOVERNOR ABBOTT ASKING FOR SOME
FEDERAL RELIEF HELP.
ALICIA RANDAL CONNECTED WITH HIM
AND HIS OFFICE TO MAKE SURE THAT
WE PROVIDED THAT.
AND WE’VE ALSO -- SHE’S BEEN IN
CONVERSATION WITH OTHER
GOVERNORS BEEN IN THIS PATH OF
THIS STORM.
SO WE ARE KEEPING AN EYE ON
THIS.
WE ARE SENDING OUR PRAYERS TO
THE FAMILIES OUT THERE WHO ARE
SUFFERING THROUGH THIS TIME BUT
WE AS A GOVERNMENT ARE DOING