>> >>PEGGY PICO: CONGRESSMAN JUAN VARGAS IS THE FIRST LATINO TO REPRESENT SAN DIEGO'S
51ST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT, ALONG THE US MEXICO BORDER OUT TO THE IMPERIAL VALLEY.
CONGRESSMAN VARGAS, WELCOME.
NOW, WE'RE GOING TO START WITH SYRIA, IT'S BEEN IN THE NEWS A LOT LATELY AND THE WHITE
HOUSE REPORTS THAT SYRIA'S GOVERNMENT USED CHEMICAL WEAPONS AGAINST ITS OWN CITIZENS.
THE PRESIDENT HASN'T MADE A DECISION ON WHAT TO DO ABOUT THIS YET; BUT WHAT ARE YOUR CONCERNS?
>> >>JUAN VARGAS: IF IN FACT IT IS THE CASE, IF SYRIA GASSED ITS OWN PEOPLE, THERE HAS
TO BE A RESPONSE AND THE RESPONSE HAS TO BE VERY SERIOUS IN NATURE.
I SUSPECT WE WILL HAVE FOO ACT IN A WAY THAT SENDS A VERY STRONG MESSAGE.
>> >>PEGGY PICO: WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE A VOTE BY CONGRESS BEFORE ANY STRIKES AGAINST SYRIA
OCCURS?
>> >>JUAN VARGAS: IT DEPEND ONS THE LEVEL OF STRIKES.
IF WE'RE GOING TO GET DEEPLY INVOLVED I THINK THERE HAS TO BE AUTHORIZATIONS.
IF THERE ARE GOING TO BE STRIKES TO KNOCK OUT SOME OF THEIR PLANES SO THEY CAN'T DELIVER
THESE WEAPONS NO.
I THINK THE PRESIDENT HAS THE ABILITY TO DO THIS AND I THINK HE SHOULD.
>> >>PEGGY PICO: THE SENATE HAS PASSED THE IMMIGRATION REFORM BILL IN JUNE, WHEN DO YOU
THINK THE HOUSE MIGHT VOTE ON IT?
>> >>JUAN VARGAS: WE'RE NEVER GOING VOTE ON THAT BILL.
MY UNDERSTANDING FROM REPUBLICANS IS HOPEFULLY THEY'LL GET TO SOME COMPREHENSIVE DEAL THEY'LL
COME BACK AND VOTE FOR THAT.
>> >>PEGGY PICO: DO YOU THINK IT HAS A BETTER CHNS OF PASSING IF IT IS SPLIT UP A BIT?
>> >>JUAN VARGAS: I THINK IT HAS TO BE UNFORTUNATELY UNIN THE CONGRESS BECAUSE THEY SAID THE REPUBLICANS
SAID THAT'S THE ONLY WAY IT WILL PASS.
>> >>PEGGY PICO: OKAY.
PART OF YOUR DISTRICT IMPERIAL VALLEY HAS A VERY HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT RATE AT 24%.
THAT'S DOWN FROM ITS ALL TIME HIGH OF 30%.
WHAT'S BOOING DONE TO HELP BRING MORE JOBS TO THE RESIDENTS?
>> >>JUAN VARGAS: ONE O THE THINGS THAT HAS BROUGHT IT DOWN HAS BEEN THE ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
FEE, THE SOLAR FARMS WE'VE PLACED DOWN THERE, THE GEO THERMAL PLANTS AS WELL AS SOME OF
THE BIG WIND MILLS.
THESE ARE THINGS WE'RE TRYING TO PROMOTE THESE ARE.
QUICK BYPRODUCT WHICH IS THE ENERGY WE NEED SO WE CAN WEAN OURSELVES OFF OF MIDDLE EASTERN
OIL.
>> >>PEGGY PICO: WHAT DO YOU WANT TO TELL THE FOLKS THERE?
ARE JOBS ACTUALLY DO YOU SEE SEQUESTRATION LOCKING THEM OR DO YOU SEE JOBS CONTINUE TO
GROW?
>> >>JUAN VARGAS: JOBS ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO JOB.
SEQUESTRATION IS HURTING AND IT'S HURTING OUR ECONOMY.
I WISH THE REPUBLICANS WOULD UNDERSTAND THAT SEQUESTRATION, YOU KNOW, IT'S A SMALL CUT
IN THE BUDGET BUT IT'S A HUGE NEGATIVE IMPACT ON OUR ECONOMY WHICH THEN DOESN'T ALLOW US
TO GET THE TAXES THAT WE NEED.
>> >>PEGGY PICO: WHAT ABOUT TRADE IN CALEX CO?
IS THAT HELPING ANY WAY AS FAR AS JOBS?
>> >>JUAN VARGAS: ONE OF THE THINGS YOU DO SEE ON THE MEXICAN SIDE IN MEXICALI, THERE'S
A LOT OF TRADE GOING ON RIGHT NOW.
A LOT OF THE JOBS THAT LEFT OUR REGION FOR CHINA ARE COMING BACK TO.
THEY GET BOTTLE NECKED AT THE BORDER.
WE'VE GOT TO IMPROVE OUR BORDER CROSSINGS AND THAT'S WHERE WE SHOULD BE SPENDING THIS
MONEY, NOT FOO PUT A LOT MORE FEDERAL AGENTS TO TRY TO PROTECT THE BORDER.
>> >>PEGGY PICO: OKAY, I WANT TO BRING THIS A LITTLE BIT CLOSER TO HOME, OUR BIG NEWS
OF COURSE HERE IN SAN DIEGO IS THE RESIGNATION OF MAYOR BOB FILNER.
WHAT IS YOUR REACTION TO THIS?
>> >>JUAN VARGAS: WELL, BOB AND I ARE NOT AMIGOS.
I RAN AGAINST HIM THREE TIMES FOR THIS POSITION.
I SUPPORTED HIM IN THIS LAST RACE BECAUSE HE IS A PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRAT.
I WAS HOPING HE WOULD MAKE SOME VERY POSITIVE CHANGES SSMENTS.
IT'S BEEN A TRAGEDY TO SEE AND WHAT.
EVERYBODY SAYS YOU DEMOCRATS KNEW.
IF I DID I WOULD HAVE USED THAT.
I DIDN'T KNOW.
IT'S SHOCKING TO ALL OF US, IT'S A HUGE BLACK EYE FOR THIS HUGE N.
THERE'S SOME GREAT CANDIDATES, I LOVE NATHAN FLETCHER AND HOPE HE GOES ALL THE WAY.
>> >>PEGGY PICO: I WAS GOING TO ASK IF YOU MIGHT BE ENDORSING SOMEONE, THAT SOUNDS LIKE
AN ENDORSEMENT TO ME.
CONGRESSMAN JUAN VARGAS, THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.
>> >>JUAN VARGAS: IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE.