KUDOS TO YOU SOMEHOW GETTING
WEDDING CRASHERS INTO A
CONVERSATION OVER INFRASTRUCTURE
BILL, IT WAS EXTRAORDINARY.
>> IT HAD TO BE DONE.
>> LETS BRING INTO THE
CONVERSATION, PETE BUTTIGIEG,
AND ALSO WITH US MIKE BARNICLE
AND HOST OF "WAY TOO EARLY"
KASIE HUNT.
MR. SECRETARY GREAT TO HAVE YOU
IN NEW YORK.
>> ITS GOOD TO BE BACK.
>> YOU WERE IN THE RAIL TUNNEL
BETWEEN NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY
BUILT IN 1910, IT WAS STATE OF
THE ART 111 YEARS AGO.
>> EXACTLY.
>> WHAT DID YOU SEE YESTERDAY
AND HOW DOES IT FIT INTO THE
NEGOTIATION WEVE BEEN TALKING
ABOUT.
>> WHAT YOU SEE IN THE TUNNEL,
THEY ARRANGED KIND OF A
TECHNICAL CAR THAT ALLOWED US TO
GET A LOOK AT IT IS A PIECE OF
INFRASTRUCTURE THAT THE WHOLE
REGION RELIES ON.
ITS NOT JUST IMPORTANT TO THIS
REGION, ITS IMPORTANT TO THE
WHOLE COUNTRY.
THE ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES IF THE
TUNNELS GO OUT OF SERVICE WOULD
BE SO SEVERE, YOU WOULD FEEL IT
BACK IN INDIANA WHERE I LIVE
ECONOMICALLY.
THIS IS ONE EXAMPLE OF PIECES OF
INFRASTRUCTURE WE HAVE ACROSS
THE COUNTRY, THEY WERE BUILT,
GLEAMING STATE OF THE ART,
HIGH-TECH AS OF WHENEVER THEY
WERE BUILT BUT WERE RELYING ON
110-YEAR-OLD INFRASTRUCTURE IN
THIS CASE.
AND THE LONGER WE TRY TO DO
THAT, TWO THINGS HAPPEN, ONE THE
LONGER WE WAIT THE MORE IT COSTS
TO REPAIR AND TWO THE LONGER WE
WAIT THE MORE WERE FLIRTING
WITH DISASTER OR FAILURE THAT
MESSES EVERYTHING UP.
THIS IS REPEATED IN WAYS LARGE
AND SMALL, BIG CITIES, SMALL
COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
THATS WHY THIS BIPARTISAN
INFRASTRUCTURE DEAL IS NEEDED.
ITS A GOOD DEAL, A BIG DEAL AND
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WANT IT.
IM DOING A LOT OF THIS TRAVEL
AND PREACHING BUT YOU DONT KNOW
NEED ME TO COME TO A COMMUNITY
FOR PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT OUR
ROADS AND BRIDGES AND AIRPORTS,
RAIL AND TRANSIT, IN NEED A LOT
OF WORK.
THIS IS THE CHANCE TO DO IT.
>> THE BIPARTISAN BILL
$1.2 TRILLION GETS EVERYTHING
YOU NEED, HARD INFRASTRUCTURE,
RAIL TUNNELS, BRIDGES, ROADS,
HIGHWAY --
>> PLUS WATER AND INTERNET.
THATS IMPORTANT TOO.
THERES A GREAT AMERICAN
TRADITION OF EXPANDING OUR SENSE
OF INFRASTRUCTURE.
ITS CLEAR THAT DIGITAL
INFRASTRUCTURE IS PART OF THAT
STORY THATS WHY THE PRESIDENT
INSISTED ON HAVING BROADBAND ACCESS AS PART OF THE DEAL.
ACCESS AS PART OF THE DEAL.
>> THIS 1.2$1.2 TRILLION IN ANOT
TIME WOULD HAVE BEEN AN EYE
POPPING NUMBER FOR PEOPLE.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE IT PASSED
RIGHTAWAY?
>> WERE TALKING ABOUT THE
BIGGEST INVESTMENT IN RAIL SINCE
AMTRAK WAS CREATED.
WERE TALKING ABOUT THE BIGGEST
INVESTMENT IN PUBLIC TRANSIT
ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAN EVER.
WERE DOING MORE THAN HAS BEEN
POSSIBLE IN GENERATIONS.
ITS EXCITING.
ITS GOING TO BE A CHALLENGE TO
IMPLEMENT THIS.
THAT FALLS TO OUR DEPARTMENT TO
MAKE SURE THOSE DOLLARS ARE
SPENT WELL.
>> WOULD IT BE FRUSTRATED TO SEE
THAT BIPARTISAN BILL SLIP AWAY
BECAUSE IT WAS LINKED TO THE
OTHER BILL.
>> WE WANT TO GET THIS THREW.
WE WANT TO GET BOTH THROUGH.
IN PEOPLES LIVES THESE THINGS
ARE LINKED.
YOU DONT THINK ABOUT YOUR COST
OF TRANSPORTATION ONE MONTH AND
THEN THE NEXT MONTH YOU THINK
ABOUT THE COST OF CHILD CARE.
PEOPLE ARE LIVING THESE THINGS
AT THE SAME TIME, AND CONGRESS
IS DEALING WITH THESE THINGS ALL
AT THE SAME TIME.
WE RECOGNIZE THERE ARE SOME
AREAS WE CAN GET REPUBLICANS
WITH US, LIKE ROADS AND BRIDGES.
SOME AREAS WE CANT.
WERE NOT GOING TO STOP BEING
DEMOCRATS WE BELIEVE THAT
CORPORATIONS ARENT PAYING THEIR
FAIR SHARE THESE TAX BREAKS FOR
THE RICH WENT TOO FAR.
THEY BELIEVE THE OPPOSITE.
WE BELIEVE WE NEED TO ACT WITH
POLICY TO MAKE CHILD CARE FOR
AFFORDABLE
AFFORDABLE.
THEY AGREE THE OPPOSITE.
SO BE IT.
>> YOU AGREE THOSE FALL OUTSIDE
THE PURVIEW OF THE SECRETARY OF
TRANSPORTATION.
YOU BELIEVE THIS BILL NEEDS TO
PASS.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
THATS WHY THESE NEGOTIATIONS
HAVE BEEN SO ENCOURAGING.
THERE WERE TWISTS AND TURNS
ALONG THE WAY AND THERE WILL BE.
THE LEGISLATIVE TEXT STILL HAS
TO COME, VOTES HAVE TO COME, A
LOT HAS TO HAPPEN BETWEEN HERE
AND THERE.
WHENS THE LAST TIME YOU SAW
REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS ON AN
ISSUE THIS BIG WALK OUT OF THE
WEST WING AND SAY WERE ON THE
SAME PAGE.
>> JOE HAS A QUESTION FOR YOU.
JOE?
>> SO IS IT THE POSITION OF YOU,
OF THE ADMINISTRATION, THAT
THESE BILLS SHOULD NOT BE
LINKED?
>> WE RECOGNIZE THAT CONGRESS IS
GOING TO HANDLE IT ACCORDING TO
WHATEVER PROCESS AND SEQUENCE
MAKES SENSE TO THEM.
THATS ONE AREA WHERE THE
MINORITY LEADER IS RIGHT.
THE PRESIDENT DOESNT DICTATE
PROCESSES, CONGRESS DOES.
BUT YOULL SEE THIS
ADMINISTRATION IN A FULL
THROATED WAY CONTINUING TO GO TO
BAT FOR BOTH OF THESE THINGS,
THE TRANSPORTATION THAT I WORK
ON AND THE OTHER THINGS IN IN
THE BIPARTISAN PACKAGE.
WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE SOME
REPUBLICANS SUPPORT THAT TOO.
BECAUSE YOU DONT HAVE TO BE A
DEMOCRAT TO BELIEVE CORPORATIONS
ARENT PAYING THEIR SHARE, TO
BELIEVE WE HAVE TO DO MORE ON
CHILD CARE.
WE GET THERES A DIFFERENT LEVEL
OF CARE THERE AND WELL PURSUE
BOTH.
>> WHATS THE ADMINISTRATIONS
CURRENT POSITION BECAUSE ITS
CHANGED OR IT SEEMED TO HAVE
CHANGED FROM WHAT JOE BIDEN SAID
ON SATURDAY, WHAT CEDRIC
RICHMOND SAID ON SUNDAY, IT WAS
MORE AMBIGUOUS.
DO YOU SUPPORT THE PRESIDENTS
STATEMENT ON SATURDAY AND IS IT
STILL THE ADMINISTRATIONS
POLICY THAT THESE BILLS SHOULD
NOT BE LINKED?
THE BIPARTISAN BILL SHOULD BE
VOTED ON AS A STAND ALONE BILL?
>> WHAT WERE SAYING IS BOTH OF
THESE ARE GOOD --
>> I KNOW THEYRE BOTH GOOD.
YEAH, I KNOW.
I KNOW THEYRE BOTH GOOD.
BUT AGAIN, THE QUESTION IN
WASHINGTON D.C. AND THE QUESTION
THAT HAS TO BE ANSWERED FOR
REPUBLICANS TO DECIDE WHETHER
THEYRE GOING TO BE PART OF THE
DEMOCRATIC BILL OR NOT OR THIS
BIPARTISAN BILL IS WHETHER
THERES LINKAGE, IS THERE GOING
TO BE LINKAGE?
>> IM NOT SURE ITS CLEARLY
DEFINED, OTHER THAN PEOPLE
INTERESTED IN THE PROCESS WHAT
THAT MEANS.
IS IT LINKED IN THE SENSE OF
THIS BEING ONE SINGLE PIECE OF
LEGISLATION THAT MOVES ALL AT
ONCE, NO, I DONT THINK IT IS.
IS IT LINKED IN TERMS OF
DIFFERENT MEMBERS OF CONGRESS
CARE ABOUT GETTING IT BOTH DONE,
OF COURSE.
IS IT LINKED FOR US, THEYRE
LINKED IN PEOPLES LIVES.
BUT LOOK, THEYRE IMPORTANT
WEVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT AS
TWO TRACKS.
TWO TRACKS ARE LINKED IN SOME
WAY BUT THEYRE DIFFERENT.
>> IM NOT SURE WHAT IT MEANS,
BUT IT WAS USED PERFECTLY BY THE
SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION.
AND YOUR ANSWER TO MY QUESTION,
NANCY PELOSI SAID THEY BOTH HAD
TO COME TO THE HOUSE FLOOR AT
THE SAME TIME.
YOU DONT THINK ITS POSSIBLE.
ITS NOT POSSIBLE, THANK YOU FOR
CONFIRMING THAT.
>> IM NOT GOING TO ARGUE WITH
THE SPEAKER, BUT WE GET THEYRE
GOING TO MOVE THINGS THE WAY
THEY SEE FIT.
WE WANT BOTH OF THEM TO GET TO
THE PRESIDENTS DESK FOR
SIGNATURE.
>> AND YOU ARE RIGHT, THE
MINORITY LEADER IS RIGHT, ITS
NOT DETERMINED BY THE PRESIDENT
ULTIMATELY ITS DETERMINED BY
THE LEGISLATURE.
LET ME ASK YOU WHILE YOURE IN
NEW YORK CITY, IM SURE WILLIE
IS GOING TO WANT TO CHIME IN.
I DONT LIVE THERE BUT I WORKED
THERE FOR 15 YEARS.
I THOUGHT IT WAS A DISGRACE THAT
THE GATEWAY TO AMERICA WAS AN
AIRPORT LIKE JFK WHERE YOU GOT
IN AND THEN IT TOOK YOU AN HOUR
AND A HALF TO GET INTO THE CITY.
I CAN TELL YOU, MIKA AND I THERE
HAVE BEEN MANY TIMES WE HAD TO
MAKE A CHOICE BETWEEN GOING TO
WASHINGTON OR GOING TO NEW YORK
TO DO A SHOW, AND WE WILL CHOOSE
WASHINGTON BECAUSE WE KNOW WE
CAN LAND AND WE CAN -- WE CAN BE
IN THE CITY DOING BUSINESS IN
LESS THAN AN HOUR AND A HALF.
WHY IS IT SO -- WHY IS NEW
YORKS INFRASTRUCTURE SO
HORRIFIC?
WHY ARE THE AIRPORTS SO
HORRIFIC?
>> OH BOY.
>> WHY IS THE GATE WAY TO
AMERICA -- IT DOESNT AFFECT ME,
IM NOT A NEW YORKER.
BUT IT AFFECTS ME AS AN AMERICAN
THAT THE GATE WAY TO AMERICA IS
JFK FOR THE MOST PART AND THE
INFRASTRUCTURE TO GET FROM JFK
TO THE CITY IS JUST -- ITS JUST
ABSOLUTELY DISMAL.
>> RIGHT.
IF YOU BOOK ME FOR ABOUT THREE
HOURS I CAN WALK YOU THROUGH
SOME REALLY CONVOLUTED -- ITS
ACTUALLY IMPORTANT IF NERD DY.
>> WEVE GOT TIME.
>> GREAT.
HERE WE GO.
THE WAY OUR FUNDING WORKS IT
BREAKS UP TRANSIT FROM AVIATION
FUNDING IN A WAY THATS
DIFFERENT FROM ANY OTHER COUNTRY
WHERE YOU HAVE A SEAMLESS
EXPERIENCE, GET OFF THE PLANE,
INTO SOME KIND OF PUBLIC
TRANSPORTATION DOWNTOWN
RELATIVELY QUICKLY.
THAT DOESNT HAPPEN IN MOST BIG
CITIES IN THE U.S. AND IT
LARGELY HAS TO DO WITH THINGS
THAT I THINK WE COULD EVENTUALLY
ADDRESS AS A MATTER OF POLICY
BUT ITS ALSO THE FACT THAT WE
AS A COUNTRY HAVE NOT DONE WHAT
IT TAKES TO HAVE WORLD CLASS
INFRASTRUCTURE.
AS AN AMERICAN ITS EMBARRASSING
SOMETIMES TO SEE THE STANDARD
THAT CITIZENS OF OTHER COUNTRIES
AROUND THE WORLD GET TO TAKE FOR
GRANTED AND THAT AMERICAN
CITIZENS CANT EXPECT,
ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO
LINKAGES INVOLVING PUBLIC TRAN
RAIL
SIT, RAIL, THIS IS A CHANCE TO
DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT.
WE HAVE TO BE SMARTER ABOUT
CONNECTING TO THE AIRPORTS AND
IMPROVING THE AIRPORTS
OURSELVES.
ONE OF THE LEAST CONTROVERSIAL