Amna: House Republicans have had
a busy start to their majority,
from investigations into the
Biden administration to
negotiations around the debt
ceiling.
They turn their focus to the
administration's handling of the
spy balloon.
Here to talk about that is one
Republican congresswoman not shy
about breaking with her party,
Nancy mace of South Carolina.
Thanks for joining us.
Let's begin with the news about
the four flying objects the U.S.
Has been shooting down in recent
days, first the site -- the
Chinese surveillance balloon
shot up down off the south
Carolina coast.
Senators were briefed today.
Do you know when you will be
getting everything?
Rep. Meeks: We did have a
briefing midday this afternoon
but it was with open source
information.
I look forward to another
classified briefing.
I had two last week but that was
before these three new objects
were shot down.
I have more questions and
answers at this point.
Amna: Once the biggest question
you want answered?
>> Either they have been up
there the whole time and we are
only now shooting them down, or
we were not aware they were up
there.
Neither scenario in my opinion
is a good one.
We have radar, satellite, needs
to track classified objects.
Above 18,000 feet you have an
FAA wetland -- flight plan.
My other question is about the
origin of the objects.
I assume they are surveillance
drones likely not from China but
from another country.
You are likely not going to
shoot something down if you
don't know what it is.
Playing cat and mouse with
congress is not healthy for
either side of the aisle.
If you continue to shoot these
things down, I worry there is
going to be fear on the ground,
which is why I am asking for
more transparency.
Amna: I want to ask about the
other big news out of south
Carolina, former governor Nikki
Haley announcing her
presidential run.
She is from your district.
You have said you would like to
see a woman run.
Will you endorse her?
Rep. Mace: I would love to see a
woman on the ticket.
I may have two constituents
running.
It is exciting to see leadership
coming out of South Carolina.
I want to say something about
Nikki.
I wish people could see how hard
she works and how much she
cares.
Nikki was one of only a few
elected officials who returned
my phone call when I was
primaried by the president a
few years ago.
She has been a good friend.
I am excited about her jumping
into the race.
I have not decided on an
endorsement yet but I am
excited.
I believe Republicans need a
woman on the ticket and she is
more than qualified.
Amna: She made a case it is time
for a new generation of leaders,
similar phrasing we heard from
Sarah Huckabee Sanders in her
response to the president's
state of the address.
Do you agree with that?
What would a new generation do
that the old one didn't?
Rep. Mace: We need to look
forward.
Many leaders want to look to the
past, the 2020 and the last
couple of years.
I represent a swing district.
Even though I am in south
Carolina, my district is very
much a swing district.
We have a number of people that
have left the Democrat, left the
Republican party.
They don't feel like they have a
home.
We need leadership that will
embrace independent voices.
After roe V. Wade, Republicans
did not do a very good job of
showing compassion towards
women.
I worked really hard to build
trust with women, constituents
and voters alike, to find middle
ground on that issue because
that issue is not going away.
I am looking for that kind of
leadership out of a nominee.
Amna: Does a new generation mean
moving away from Donald Trump?
Rep. Mace: It certainly means
moving forward.
I want to see a nice field, a
vigorous primary.
By the time candidates get to
South Carolina, I don't want to
see more than 10 or 12 in the
race.
South Carolina will play an
important role in the Democrat
and Republican primary.
Typically whoever wins south
Carolina wins the nomination on
the Republican side.
I expect it to be vigorous.
I am excited about folks coming
to South Carolina and I believe
as a country, especially
Republicans, we have to move
forward and embrace more
independent voices.
Amna: As you well know, congress
needs to raise the debt ceiling
for the U.S. To avoid defaulting
on its debt.
Do you think your party should
be holding up the vote to try to
get spending cuts, as some ball
-- some colleagues have tried to
do?
Rep. Mace: We have a real
problem with spending in this
country.
I would like to see budget
reform as part of the raising
the debt ceiling.
The debt ceiling was started
after World War II to help with
paying for the war.
It is important we understand
that has been used over the
years by Republicans and
Democrats.
$31 trillion in debt, 5 trillion
under the current administration
, 80 trillion under the
previous.
We need serious reforms about
the budget, now rather than
kicking the can down the road.
Amna: Republicans have voted
multiple times to raise the debt
ceiling without tying it to
spending cuts.
Do you feel it undermines the
argument about spending cuts
when that argument only comes up
under democratic
administrations?
Rep. Mace: You can't call
yourself a fiscal conservative
if you don't operate that way.
We do have that problem in our
party.
We have added to the debt by
trillions of dollars
administration after
administration.
I am a fiscal conservative.
I have never voted to raise
taxes on my constituents.
I think that's a bipartisan
issue.
Nobody wants to see taxes raised
in the middle of a potential
recession with taxes as high as
it is.
They want to see the government
act responsibly and do what
every other household or
business has to do, be
responsible with the money they
have.
That's what I am asking for.
Amna: Congresswoman Nancy mace
of South Carolina, thank you for