"CLOSE-UP." ON CAPITOL HILL, THEY’RE TRYING TO HAMMER OUT THE NEXT ROUND OF FINANCIAL RELIEF TO DEFRAY SOME OF THE ECONOMIC TOLL TAKEN BY THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, BUT THERE
ARE DISAGREEMENTS OVER JUST HOW FAR IT SHOULD GO.
HERE THIS MORNING TO DISCUSS THAT AND MUCH MORE IS CONGRESSWOMAN ANNIE KUSTER.
CONGRESSWOMAN, THANKS FOR JOINING US.
>> GOOD MORNING GREAT TO BE WITH YOU.
ADAM: WHEN YOU ARE LAST WITH US THREE MONTHS AGO, WE DISCUSSED WHAT YOU’D LIKE TO SEE IN A SECOND RELIEF PACKAGE.
THAT WORK IS STILL ONGOING.
THE WHITE HOUSE JUST THAT IT DOES WANT A BILL.
IS THIS TURNING INTO AN IMPASSE BETWEEN THE HOUSE AND SENATE?
>> NEGOTIATIONS ARE GOING ON BEHIND THE SCENES.
WHAT IS IMPORTANT, AND I HAVE TALKED TO THE GOVERNOR ABOUT THIS, HE HAS BEEN TRYING TO TALK TO THE REPUBLICAN SENATORS.
THE HEROES ACT THAT PASSED IN THE HOUSE IS PLANNING TO REIMBURSE THE STATES AND LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES NOT JUST THE COST OF RESPONDING TO THE COVID VIRUS BUT ALSO THE LOST REVENUE.
THINK ABOUT IT HERE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE.
DRAMATIC CUTS TO THE HOSPITALITY AND TOWARDS HIM INDUSTRY, SO WE HAVE LOST A LOT IN REVENUE FROM OUR MEALS TAX, AND LOCAL PROPERTY TAXES.
PEOPLE HAVE BEEN OUT OF WORK.
I HAVE HEARD THE GOVERNOR TALK ABOUT OVER $500 MILLION HERE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, AND THAT IS 20% OF OUR STATE BUDGET.
OUR HEROES ACT THAT WE PASSED IN THE HOUSE AND ARE WAITING TO SEE IN THE SENATE HAS FUNDING TO REIMBURSE CITIES AND TOWNS AND MORE FUNDING FOR TESTING, TRACING, AND ISOLATION OF CASES.
WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, AND WE NEED TO SEE MORE OF THAT ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO ERADICATE COVID-19.
ADAM: THERE ARE A LOT OF BUSINESS OWNERS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE SAYING THEY CAN’T GET BACK UP ERRANI BECAUSE THE WORKFORCE IS NOT THERE.
THEIR EMPLOYEES ARE STICKING WITH THE $600 A WEEK UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS.
DO YOU THINK UNEMPLOYMENT SHOULD CONTINUE AT THAT LEVEL BEYOND THE END OF THIS MONTH, WHEN IT’S SET TO REVERT BACK TO THE STANDARD I THINK $378 PER WEEK?
>> WHAT WE ARE SO FORTUNATE ABOUT HERE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE IS THAT, BECAUSE WE TOOK IT SERIOUSLY, WE TRACKED DOWN EVERY SINGLE POSITIVE TEST AND ALL THE PEOPLE THEY HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH
WITH, 100% CONTACT TRACING HERE, WE ARE DOWN TO ONLY 24 PEOPLE HOSPITALIZED IN THE STATE AND ABOUT 20 NEW CASES A DAY.
THAT IS A DRAMATIC RESULT.
FRANKLY, ONE OF THE BEST IN THE COUNTRY.
VERMONT AND NEW HAMPSHIRE ARE THE TWO BEST STATES RIGHT NOW.
MOST PEOPLE ARE READY TO GET BACK TO WORK.
IF THEY HAVE THE SAFETY PROTOCOLS IN PLACE, THEY CAN WORK SAFELY.
I THINK THEY WOULD LIKE TO GO BACK TO WORK.
WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE PARTS OF THE COUNTRY WHERE COVID-19 IS RAGING, IN FLORIDA, IN TEXAS, IN ARIZONA.
IN THAT PART OF THE COUNTRY, IT IS NOT SAFE FOR PEOPLE TO GO BACK TO WORK AND WE MAY NEED TO DO UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS UNTIL THEY GET INTO A BETTER SITUATION.
ADAM: WHAT ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO ESSENTIALLY LIVE IN FEAR OF THE VIRUS?
IF THEY ARE A YOUNG, HEALTHY PERSON IN THEIR 20’S, SHOULD THEY BE ABLE TO COLLECT FEDERAL BENEFITS TO NOT WORK?
>> THIS IS WHY I HAVE BEEN FOCUSED ON ACTUAL SAFETY PROTOCOLS.
I HAVE BEEN DISAPPOINTED BY THIS ADMINISTRATION, THAT WE HAVE NOT HAD MORE FEDERAL LEADERSHIP.
WE DO HAVE PEOPLE WORKING AT THE CDC AND OSHA, BUT WE OUGHT TO HAVE A FEDERAL STANDARD FOR SAFETY IN THE WORKPLACE SO PEOPLE CAN BE REASSURED.
PEOPLE WOULD PREFER A JOB AND GOING TO A JOB THEN STAYING HOME.
I HAVE HEARD SO MANY PEOPLE, INCLUDING MY OWN STAFF, THAT WILL -- WOULD RATHER BE TOGETHER IN THE WORKPLACE.
THEY MISS THE SOCIALIZATION.
UNTIL WE KNOW THAT WE CAN KEEP PEOPLE SAFE, SO MANY PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO WORK FOR -- FROM HOMECARE AND FOR THOSE THAT ARE NOT, LET’S FOCUS ON A SAFE WORKPLACE SO THAT NOT ONLY THE
WORKERS BUT THE CONSUMERS, THE CUSTOMERS THEMSELVES CAN BE SAFE TO GET OUT AND ABOUT AND GET THE ECONOMY BACK ON AGAIN.
ADAM: SO MUCH OF THE PANDEMIC HAS ENTERED A POLITICAL PART OF THE CONVERSATION.
I KNOW YOU HAVE BEEN FOCUSED ON THE VACCINE AND MAKING SURE THAT CAN GET OUT TO THE PUBLIC.
ARE YOU WORRIED ABOUT THAT VACCINE -- THAT PEOPLE MIGHT DECIDE NOT TO TAKE THE VACCINE WHEN IT COMES?
>> IT HAS BEEN A TRAGIC MISTAKE FOR THE PRESIDENT TO POLITICIZE THE MASK.
THE TRUTH IS THE MASK, THE PHYSICAL DISTANCING, THE HANDWASHING AND HYGIENE ARE THE NUMBER ONE WAY TO STOP THE SPREAD OF COVID-19.
WE KNOW IT IS SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE WE DO IT IN NEW HAMPSHIRE AND WE HAVE SHOWN THE SUCCESS.
ONE OF THE REASONS I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT HIS PLAN TO COME WITH THE RALLY TO NEW HAMPSHIRE THAT HAS NOW BEEN CANCELED WAS BECAUSE DOWN IN TULSA, OKLAHOMA, WHERE HE HAD A RALLY, WE ENDED
UP WITH 500 NEW CASES.
I AM HOPING THE VACCINE WILL NOT BE POLITICIZED IN THE SAME WAY.
WE HAVE TO FOLLOW THE SCIENCE.
I AM EXCITED.
I WAS ON A CALL LAST WEEK.
PFIZER IS TALKING ABOUT BEING ABLE TO MANUFACTURE 100 MILLION DOSES BY THE END OF 2020 AND 200 MILLION DOSES IN 2021.
MODERNA IS ANOTHER COMPANY.
SEVEN ARE BEING CHOSEN FOR VERY PROMISING RESULTS FOR THE VACCINE TO STOP COVID-19 IN ITS TRACKS.
ONCE WE HAVE THAT, WE NEED TO FOCUS ON EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION.
I HAVE LEGISLATION THAT WILL ENSURE EVERYONE HAS ACCESS, INCLUDING SENIORS, PEOPLE IN RURAL COMMUNITIES, URBAN COMMUNITIES, COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.
EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE ACCESS AND I HOPE IT DOES NOT BECOME POLITICIZED BECAUSE THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER, WITH A VIRUS AS CONTAGIOUS AS COVID-19, NONE OF US ARE SAFE UNLESS EVERYONE IS
SAFE.
WE HAVE TO ERADICATE THE VIRUS.
ADAM: IN THE WAKE OF THE KILLING OF GEORGE FLOYD, THERE IS A PUSH FOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM.
JUST CURIOUS WHERE YOU STAND ON THIS CONCEPT OF DEFUNDING THE POLICE.
>> WHAT I BELIEVE IN IS THE REEVALUTION OF OUR BUDGETS.
IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, THIS IS LESS OF AN ISSUE.
WE HAVE A LOT OF CONTACT WITH THE POLICE.
I DID A WONDERFUL VIRTUAL EVENT WITH THE POLICE IN NASHUA.
THEY HAVE A WONDERFUL CONVERSATION THEY HAVE HAD GOING FOR AT LEAST FIVE YEARS WITH THE COMMUNITY, WITH AFRICAN-AMERICANS, PEOPLE OF COLOR, HAVING A CONVERSATION
ABOUT WHAT THEIR EXPECTATIONS ARE AND HOW THEY CAN WORK WELL TOGETHER.
WE DO HAVE ONE COMMUNITY I’M CONCERNED ABOUT.
THE AG’S OFFICE HAS BEEN INVESTIGATING RACIAL BIAS.
FOR THE MOST PART, THAT IS NOT THE ISSUE HERE, BUT I DO UNDERSTAND FROM MY COLLEAGUES AROUND THE COUNTRY THAT THERE ARE BIG CITY BUDGETS WERE POLICE HAVE BEEN ESSENTIALLY
MILITARIZED AND LOTS OF MONEY IS GOING INTO POLICING THAT SHOULD BE GOING INTO SOCIAL SERVICE.
THINK ABOUT HOMELESSNESS, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, INCIDENCES IN THE COMMUNITY THAT SOCIAL WORKERS AND OTHERS COULD BE RESPONDING TO TO CALM THE WATERS.
ONE OF THE ISSUES I AM FOCUSED ON IS TO OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, PARTICULARLY WITH REGARDS TO WHAT I HAVE LEARNED FROM THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC IN NEW HAMPSHIRE.
IT IS A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE.
PEOPLE NEED TREATMENT AND LONG-TERM RECOVERY.
INSTEAD, WE HAVE BEEN LOCKING PEOPLE UP WITHOUT TREATMENT.
THAT IS THE FOCUS I HAVE.
WE CAN SAVE TAX DOLLARS, LIVES, AND DE-ESCALATE SOME OF THE TENSION AROUND OUR COUNTRY.
ADAM: WE ARE HEADING INTO A REDISTRICTING YEAR.
YOU HAVE BEEN IN CONGRESS FOR A WHILE NOW.
DO YOU SUPPORT CHANGES, IF YOU WIN IN 2020, TO YOUR DISTRICT?
>> THAT IS REALLY A STATE ISSUE.
I HAVE NEVER GOTTEN INVOLVED IN THAT BEFORE.
I HAVE HAD A COUPLE CHANGES.
A FEW TOWNS HAVE COME AND GONE FROM MY DISTRICT ALONG THE MARGINS.
MY FEELING ABOUT THIS IS WE HAVE TWO PRETTY EQUAL DISTRICTS IN TERMS OF REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRAT.
THEY ARE TOUGH FOR THE DEMOCRATS, BUT I AM PROUD TO HAVE HELD THE SEAT.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE STATE LEGISLATURE WILL MAKE THE DECISION THAT I AM HAPPY TO LIVE WITH.
ADAM: CONGRESSWOMAN KUSTER, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.