QUESTIONS.
WE WILL START WITH PANEL -- WITH A PANEL.
JEAN: GOOD EVENING TO BOTH OF YOU.
FOR MONTHS, CONGRESS HAS BEEN DEBATING A SECOND ROUND OF STIMULUS AND -- IN RESPONSE TO THE COVID CRISIS.
THE PRESIDENT SAID HE WAS DONE NEGOTIATING AND IT SHOULD WAIT UNTIL AFTER THE ELECTION.
BUT OF COURSE HE HAS SINCE CHANGED HIS MIND.
SENATOR SHAHEEN, HOURS AGO, YOU VOTED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A TARGETED BILL ALLOWING FOR ANOTHER ROUND OF PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM LOANS.
BUT THE STALEMATE CONTINUES ON THE LARGER MORE COME BRANDS OF PACKAGES.
THERE ARE NEGOTIATIONS HAPPENING AMONG THE DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP, REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP IN THE WHITE HOUSE.
WHY HAVE THE DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS STILL BEEN UNABLE TO MEET IN THE MIDDLE?
SEN. SHAHEEN: WELL, WE DO NEED TO CONTINUE TO NEGOTIATE.
BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE HURTING.
THEY DO NEED MORE HELP.
SMALL BUSINESSES NEED HELP.
THAT IS ONE REASON I SUPPORTED MOVING FORWARD WITH THE SECOND ROUND OF PPP THIS AFTERNOON.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAVE NOT SEEN MITCH MCCONNELL AND THE REPUBLICANS IN THE SENATE BE WILLING TO COME TO THE TABLE.
NEGOTIATING SO FAR HAS BEEN DONE WITH SECRETARY MNUCHIN ON BEHALF OF THE WHITE HOUSE AND NANCY PELOSI.
WE NEED A MITCH MCCONNELL TO COME TO THE TABLE.
WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER TO GET A NEW PACKAGE DONE.
JUST LIKE WE DID WITH THE CARES ACT.
I WAS REALLY PROUD OF THE BIPARTISAN WORK ON THAT PACK -- ON THE PACKAGE.
WE WERE ABLE TO GET 1.2 $5 BILLION FOR NEW HAMPSHIRE, EXTENDED UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS, HELP FOR HOSPITALS AND FRONTLINE HEALTH CARE WORKERS, HELP FOR COMMUNITIES, AND THE PPP
PROGRAM.
DOUBLE THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WAS FIRST PROPOSED.
WE NEED ADDITIONAL HELP AND IT NEEDS TO BE A BIG PACKAGE THAT CAN PROVIDE THE HELP PEOPLE NEED.
JOHN: MR. MESSNER, WAS THE PRESIDENT’S INCONSISTENCY ABOUT THIS A MISTAKE?
AND WHAT IS -- WHAT SPECIFIC PROGRAM DO YOU THINK NEEDS TO BE FUNDED RIGHT NOW AND WHY?
MR. MESSNER: I THINK SIX WEEKS AGO, THE SENATE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO PASS A $500 BILLION PACKAGE TO HELP PEOPLE WITH ENHANCED UNEMPLOYMENT ON MORE PPP LOANS.
AND SENATOR SHAHEEN FOLLOWED THE LEAD OF CHUCK SCHUMER AND NANCY PELOSI AND DID NOTHING.
VOTED NO.
THAT WAS SIX WEEKS AGO.
RIGHT NOW, THERE COULD BE MORE MONEY FOR SMALL BUSINESSES.
RIGHT NOW, THERE COULD BE MORE MONEY FOR ENHANCED UNEMPLOYMENT.
AND THE SENATE COULD BE NEGOTIATING THESE OTHER THINGS NOW WHILE PEOPLE ARE RECEIVING HELP.
THAT IS WHY WE NEED NEW LEADERSHIP IN THE SENATE.
THIS IDEA OF ALLOWING PEOPLE TO SUFFER FOR SIX WEEKS, SIX WEEKS, BECAUSE OF INSIDE THE BELTWAY, NEGOTIATIONS ON HOLDING OUT WHILE PEOPLE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE ARE SUFFERING.
AND THAT IS WHY WE NEED NEW LEADERSHIP IN THE U.S. SENATE.
GET IT DONE.
YOU CAN THEN HAVE BEEN NEGOTIATING THESE OTHER ITEMS RIGHT NOW.
ALEX: WERE INVOKED.
30 SECONDS TO RESPOND.
SEN. SHAHEEN: I AGREE.
IT IS UNFORTUNATE MITCH MCCONNELL TOOK SIX WEEKS FROM THE TIME THE HEROES ACT GOT TO THE SENATE BEFORE HE WAS ABLE TO CONSIDER THAT THE BILL THAT MITCH MCCONNELL PUT ON THE FLOOR
AT THE END OF JULY DOES NOT PROVIDE A -- PROVIDE THE HELP PEOPLE NEED.
WE HAVE A HOSPITAL IN NEW HAMPSHIRE THAT WENT BANKRUPT.
I WAS AT CATHOLIC MEDICAL CENTER LAST WEEK.
THEY NEED FINANCIAL HELP.
WE HAVE GOT TO HELP HOSPITALS AND SCHOOLS AND BUSINESSES AND EVERYONE WHO IS HURTING AS A RESULT OF THIS PANDEMIC.
MITCH MCCONNELL HAS NOT BEEN WILLING TO COME TO THE TABLE.
MY OPPONENT IS JUST ANOTHER RUBBERSTAMP FOR MITCH MCCONNELL.
ALEX: MR. MESSNER, 15 SECONDS ON THE RUBBERSTAMP.
MR. MESSNER: YOU’VE GOT TO LEAD, SENATOR SHAHEEN.
YOU SHOULD HAVE PROPOSED MONEY FOR THOSE HOSPITALS IN THAT $500 BILLION PACKAGE.
PEOPLE COULD BE RECEIVING -- SEN. SHAHEEN: WE DID BUT THEY DO NOT ACCEPT IT.
MR. MESSNER: PEOPLE WOULD BE RECEIVING HELP RIGHT NOW.
SEN. SHAHEEN: WE PROPOSED ON REPUBLICAN SAID NO.
MR. MESSNER: IT SHOULD HAVE PASSED O