>>> 33 PAST THE HOUR.
THE SNEED SENATE WILL VOTE TODAY
ON THE COVID HATE CRIMES ACT.
THE BILL IS MEANT TO TARGET THE
SPIKE IN ANTI-ASIAN-AMERICAN
HATE CRIME SINCE THE START OF
THE PANDEMIC.
SENATE MAJORITY LEADER CHUCK
SCHUMER SAID THERE WILL BE VOTES
ON THREE REPUBLICAN AMENDMENTS
BEFORE A FINAL TALLY ON THE BILL
THIS AFTERNOON.
>>> ALSO HAPPENING ON THE HILL
TODAY, AN EXPECTED HOUSE VOTE ON
HR 51, A BILL TO MAKE THE
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA THE 51st
STATE.
HERE IS SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI
YESTERDAY.
>> WASHINGTONIANS, AS THE
CONGRESSWOMAN SAID, PAY TAXES,
FIGHT IN OUR WARS, CONTRIBUTE TO
THE ECONOMIC MIGHT OF ON OUR
COUNTRY.
BUT FOR CENTURIES, THEY HAVE
BEEN DENIED THEIR RIGHT TO
REPRESENTATION.
WHAT DOES THE LICENSE PLATE SAY?
TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION
IS ONE OF THE MANIFESTATIONS.
IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE CORRECT
THIS INJUSTICE, WHICH IS ALSO A
MATTER OF CIVIL RIGHTS AND
SECURITY.
AS LAST SUMMERS PROTESTS IN THE
JANUARY 6th INSURRECTION MADE
CLEAR, D.C. MUST BE EMPOWERED TO
PROTECT ITSELF PEOPLE.
IF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA WERE
A STATE, THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE
WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CALL OUT
THE NATIONAL GUARD.
>> ALL RIGHT.
JOINING US NOW, MAJORITY LEADER
STENY HOYER OF MARYLAND.
STENY, A LOT TO TALK TO YOU
ABOUT TODAY.
BUT WHY DONT WE START THERE.
WHAT IS THE POSSIBILITY OF THIS
HAPPENING?
>> WELL, ITS GOING TO PASS THE
HOUSE, NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT.
WE PASSED IT LAST CONGRESS, AS
YOU KNOW, MIKA.
AND WELL PASS IT THIS CONGRESS.
I DOUBT THAT WERE GOING TO LOSE
A DEMOCRAT.
CLEARLY, 712,000 PEOPLE, LARGER
THAN TWO STATES WITH PAYING A
SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TAXES TO
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
THERE IS NO REASON WHY THE
RESIDENTS OF THE DISTRICT OF
COLUMBIA SHOULD NOT BE EQUAL
CITIZENS WITH EVERY OTHER
CITIZEN AND, THEREFORE, ADMITTED
AS A STATE.
WE ALL KNOW THAT THE PROBLEM IS
GOING TO BE WHEN IT GETS TO THE
UNITED STATES SENATE ITS GOING
TO NEED 60 VOTES AND WE ALL KNOW
THAT OF ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
THE UNITED STATES SENATE,
PARTICULARLY THE REPUBLICAN
PARTY IS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT IS
ANYBODY HAVING ADDITIONAL TWO
SENATORS FROM A JURISDICTION OR
A STATE THAT MAY ELECT
DEMOCRATS.
I DONT THINK ITS PRINCIPAL.
I THINK ITS A POLITICAL
POSITION.
THERE IS NO PRINCIPLED REASON
WHY THE RESIDENTS OF THE
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA SHOULD NOT
HAVE A VOTING MEMBER IN
PARLIAMENT OF THEIR COUNTRY AS
EVERY OTHER PRENATION IN THE
WORLD HAS.
ONLY AMERICA HAS ITS NATIONS
CAPITAL UNREPRESENTED BY A
VOTING MEMBER IN ITS PARLIAMENT
AND IN OUR CASE THE CONGRESS OF
THE UNITED STATES.
SO I AM HOPEFUL, HOWEVER, THAT
WE HAVE A DIFFERENT SITUATION
THAN WE HAD LAST CONGRESS.
FIRST OF ALL, WE HAVE MAJORITY
LEADER CHUCK SCHUMER WHO IS FOR
THIS.
SECONDLY, WE HAVE THE PRESIDENT
OF THE UNITED STATES WHO IS FOR
THIS AND HE WILL SIGN IT.
SO THE ONLY IMPEDIMENT IS HAVING
THE NUMBER OF SENATE REPUBLICANS
VOTE ON PRINCIPLE AS OPPOSED TO
VOTING ON POLITICS.
HAVING SAID THAT, WE ALL KNOW
THAT HISTORICALLY, STATES HAVE
BEEN ADMITTED VERY MUCH ON
POLITICAL RATIONALE RATHER THAN
PRINCIPLED RATIONALE.
>> SO SPEAKING OF POLITICS, ARE
THERE ANY -- IF YOU LOOK AT THE
INFRASTRUCTURE BILL, POTENTIAL
OF POLICE REFORM LEGISLATION,
WHERE -- WHERE ARE THE BILLS
BEING WORKED ON WHERE THERE IS
GOING TO BE REAL SYNERGY WITH
REPUBLICANS WHERE THERE COULD BE
A BIPARTISAN OUTCOME?
>> WELL, I THINK CERTAINLY THE
INFRASTRUCTURE BILL IS ONE OF
THOSE.
OF COURSE, DONALD TRUMP SAID
WHEN HE RAN FOR PRESIDENT HE
WANTED TO SEE A TRILLION DOLLAR
INFRASTRUCTURE BILL.
WE MET WITH HIM TU WHITE HOUSE
DURING THE COURSE OF HIS
PRESIDENCY.
HE SAID HE WANTED TO SEE A $2
TRILLION INFRASTRUCTURE BILL.
HE NEVER TOOK ANY STEPS TO DO
THAT.
THE REPUBLICANS NEVER TOOK ANY
STEPS TO PUT SUCH A BILL ON THE
FLOOR AND MOVE IT FORWARD.
HOWEVER, THEY HAVE SAID THEYRE
FOR INFRASTRUCTURE.
THE PRESIDENTS BUILD BACK
BETTER PROGRAM IS ONE THAT I
THINK SHOULD GARNER BIPARTISAN
SUPPORT AND HAS BIPARTISAN
SUPPORT AMONG REPUBLICANS,
DEMOCRATS AND INDEPENDENTS IN
THE COUNTRY.
SO THE FACT THAT IT IS NOT
REPRESENTED IN CONGRESS OF THE
UNITED STATES, EITHER IN THE
SENATE OR THE HOUSE, WE GOT NO
VOTES ON THE RESCUE PLAN THAT IS
GOING TO MAKE SUCH A POSITIVE
DIFFERENCE, WHICH WE DID PASS
THROUGH RECONCILIATION.
WE DIDNT NEED 60 VOTES IN THE
SENATE.
WE ONLY NEEDED 51 AND WE GOT
THOSE IN THE PAST.
AND ITS GOING TO MAKE A REAL
DIFFERENCE.
AND I WOULD HOPE THAT AT SOME
POINT IN TIME, WERE GOING TO
GET REPUBLICANS LISTENING TO THE
PEOPLE.
BECAUSE THE BILLS THAT WEVE
PASSED, INCLUDING THE JUSTICE IN
POLICING ACT, HR-1, THE CLINICAL
REFORM, REDISTRICTING REFORM,
VOTING RIGHTS REFORM, ARE
SUPPORTED BY AN OVERWHELMING
MAJORITY OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
AND THAT OUGHT TO BE REFLECTED
IN THE UNITED STATES SENATE.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY, OUR FRIENDS
SEE OPPOSITION TO BIDEN BEFORE
THEY SEE MERITS IN LEGISLATION
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WANT.
ITS A SHAME.
THE REALITY, ON JUSTICE AND
POLICING ACT, CLEARLY, I THINK
SENATOR BOOKER IS TRYING TO WORK
WITH SENATOR SCOTT, THE
REPUBLICAN FROM SOUTH CAROLINA,
TO TRY TO COME UP WITH A
COMPROMISE.
AND IF THEY DO, WE WILL
CERTAINLY BE GLAD TO CONSIDER
THAT BECAUSE WE NEED TO PASS
LEGISLATION TO RESPOND TO THIS
PANDEMIC OF VIOLENCE BEING
PERPETRATED AGAINST PEOPLE OF
COLOR IN OUR COUNTRY.
>> MR. MAJORITY LEADER, YOU
BEGAN TO ANSWER MY QUESTION
ABOUT THE POLICE REFORM ACT.
AND THERE HAS BEEN CAUTIOUS
OPTIMISM.
WEVE HEARD IT ON THIS SHOW THIS
MORNING FROM THE UNITED STATES
SENATOR.
WEVE BEEN HEARING IT OVER THE
LAST 24 HOURS THAT THERE MAY BE
BIPARTISAN EFFORT IN THE SENATE
TO COME TO A DEAL THAT WOULD
PASS WITH 60 VOTES IN THE
SENATE, SOMETHING WERE NOT
SEEING MUCH OF THESE DAYS.
WHAT DOES THAT KIND OF
LEGISLATION LOOK LIKE TO YOU?
WE HEAR REPUBLICANS DONT WANT
QUALIFIED IMMUNITY FOR AN
INDIVIDUAL OFFICER, MAYBE FOR A
POLICE DEPARTMENT.
IS THERE ANY ROOM TO NEGOTIATE
FROM WHERE YOU SIT?
>> WE SENT A BILL OVER THAT WE
THINK IS A GOOD BILL.
AND WE THINK IT PROVIDES FOR
ACCOUNTABILITY.
WE DID THAT LAST YEAR AND WEVE
DONE IT AGAIN THIS YEAR.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS
CONCERN ABOUT LIABILITY FOR
INDIVIDUAL OFFICERS AND IM SURE
THAT IS GOING TO BE PART OF THE
DISCUSSION, CERTAINLY SENATOR
SCOTT HAS BROUGHT THAT UP,
SENATOR BOOKER HAS ACKNOWLEDGED
IT AND HOPEFULLY THEY CAN COME
TO AN AGREEMENT, WHICH WILL KEEP
INTACT THE ABILITY TO HOLD
ACCOUNTABLE THOSE WHO OPERATE
OUTSIDE OF THE POLICE AUTHORITY
AND WARRANTED CIRCUMSTANCES.
BUT THAT WILL NOT -- AND WILL BE
ABLE TO GARNER 60 VOTES IN THE
UNITED STATES SENATE.
IM HOPEFUL THAT THEY CAN DO
THAT.
THIS EVERY DAY -- THIS DAILY
TRAGEDY THAT WE SEE ON THE
STREETS OF OUR COUNTRY, BOTH IN
RURAL AREAS AND IN URBAN AREAS,
PEOPLE OF COLOR LOSING THEIR
LIVES, CLEARLY THE EDUCATION WE
JUST SAW WAS SO SELF-EVIDENT AS
THE PROSECUTOR SAID BELIEVE YOUR
EYES.
BUT THIS IS HAPPENING SO MANY
TIMES, IT CALL US OUT FOR THE
SENATE AND THE HOUSE AND THE
CONGRESS AND THE PRESIDENT TO
PASS LEGISLATION.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE, AS YOU KNOW,
BACKGROUND CHECKS THAT HAVE BEEN
PASSED A NUMBER OF TIMES BY US,
PASSED GENL THIS YEAR.
THAT ALSO CALLS OUT FOR ACTION
AND SADLY, TRAGICALLY, WE HAVE
NOT SEEN ANY ACTION IN THE
UNITED STATES SNEED SENATE TO
MOVE THAT BILL.
BUT HOPEFULLY SENATOR BOOKER CAN
MAKE SOME PROGRESS WITH SENATOR
SCOTT AND WE CAN GET A BILL
DONE.
>> WELL BE WATCHING.