THE BILL HAS ONE BIG STICKING
POINT TO THE TUNE OF $15 AN
HOUR.
JOINING ME NOW IS WHITE HOUSE
COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR KATE
BEDINGFIELD.
KATE, THANK YOU FOR COMING TO
"THE SUNDAY SHOW."
>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME,
JONATHAN.
>> ALL RIGHT.
THE COVID RELIEF BILL IS NOW
HEADED OVER TO THE SENATE.
WHAT ARE THE PROSPECTS OF THAT
BILL IN THE SENATE AND MORE
SPECIFICALLY, THERE HAVE BEEN
COMPLAINTS AMONG REPUBLICANS IN
THE SENATE THAT THE $1.9
TRILLION FIGURE PRICE TAG IS TOO
HIGH.
IS THE PRESIDENT READY TO DEAL,
MAYBE COME DOWN A LITTLE BIT OFF
THAT $1.9 TRILLION PRICE TAG TO
GET IT THROUGH THE SENATE FOR
PASSAGE?
>> WELL, JONATHAN, THE PRESIDENT
HAS MET WITH REPUBLICANS
THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS.
HE HOSTED REPUBLICAN SENATORS IN
THE OVAL OFFICE EARLY ON AS WE
WERE BEGINNING THE WORK OF
GETTING THIS BILL PASSED.
HE’S OPEN TO HEARING REPUBLICAN
IDEAS AND THOUGHTS AND IDEAS ON
HOW WE CAN MOVE FORWARD.
WHAT HE’S NOT WILLING TO DO IS
TO BRING DOWN THE MAGNITUDE OF
THE PACKAGE BECAUSE HE
UNDERSTANDS THAT IT ADDRESSES
THE CRISES WE’RE FACING.
WHICH HIS QUESTION WOULD BE,
WHICH PIECE OF THIS PACKAGE DO
YOU WANT TO CUT?
DO YOU WANT TO CUT THE DIRECT
CHECKS TO FAMILIES WHO NEED IT
THE MOST?
DO YOU WANT TO CUT THE MONEY TO
GET SCHOOLS REOPENED?
DO YOU WANT TO CUT THE MONEY TO
GET VACCINES IN THE ARMS OF
AMERICANS AROUND THE COUNTRY?
SO HE BELIEVES THIS PACKAGE IS
TAILORED TO MEET THE CRITICAL
NEEDS WE’RE FACING RIGHT NOW IN
THIS MOMENT OF CRISIS IN THIS
COUNTRY AND HE’S NOT WILLING TO
COMPROMISE ON THE THINGS THAT WE
NEED TO GET THE VIRUS UNDER
CONTROL AND GET THE ECONOMY BACK
ON TRACK.
AND, YOU KNOW, THE LATEST PUBLIC
POLLING SHOWS THAT 76% OF
AMERICANS AGREE WITH HIM,
INCLUDING A MAJORITY OF
REPUBLICANS.
SO WE’RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE
BILL MOVING QUICKLY THROUGH THE
SENATE ON MARCH 14th.
WE’RE GOING TO HIT THE
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE CLIFF AND
PEOPLE WHO ARE CURRENTLY
UTILIZING UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE
ARE GOING TO SEE THAT DISAPPEAR
IF WE DON’T GET THIS BILL
PASSED.
THERE’S URGENCY TO MOVING THIS
BILL FORWARD IN THE SENATE.
>> ONE THING THAT HAPPENED WITH
THE COVID RELIEF BILL IS THE
PARLIAMENTARIAN SAID THE $15
MINIMUM WAGE INCREASE HAD TO
COME OUT.
THE PRESIDENT HAS SAID, THE
WHITE HOUSE HAS SAID AND CORRECT
ME IF I’M WRONG, THAT YOU’RE NOT
GOING TO CHALLENGE THE
PARLIAMENTARIAN’S DECISION BUT
NOW WE HAVE A LOT OF PROPOSALS
OUT THERE FOR RAISING THE
MINIMUM WAGE.
SENATORS WYDEN AND SANDERS TO
IMPOSE TAX FACILITIES ON
CORPORATIONS OF A CERTAIN SIZE
THAT DON’T RAISE THEIR MINIMUM
WAGE TO $15 AN HOUR.
WHAT IS THE WHITE HOUSE’S
POSITION ON THAT PARTICULAR
PROPOSAL?
>> WELL, THE PRESIDENT WAS
DISAPPOINTED IN THE OUTCOME FROM
THE PARLIAMENTARIAN.
HE, OBVIOUSLY, PROPOSED
INCLUDING RAISING THE MINIMUM
WAGE TO $15 IN THE INITIAL
PACKAGE BECAUSE HE WANTS TO SEE
IT DONE.
IT’S SOMETHING HE SUPPORTED FOR
A LONG TIME.
HE BELIEVES THAT NOBODY IN THIS
COUNTRY SHOULD WORK FULL TIME
AND LIVE IN POVERTY.
SO HE WANTS TO SEE THE MINIMUM
WAGE INCREASED TO $15.
HE WAS DISAPPOINTED IN THE
PARLIAMENTARIAN’S DISCUSSION BUT
RESPECTS THAT PROCESS.
WE DO NOT INTEND TO WORK TO TRY
TO OVERRULE THE PARLIAMENTARIAN.
THAT’S A MAJOR STEP.
IT WOULD IN AND OF ITSELF
REQUIRE 50 VOTES.
SO THAT’S NOT SOMETHING WE’RE
LOOKING AT DOING.
HOWEVER, WE ARE GOING TO WORK
WITH THE SENATE TO DETERMINE THE
BEST WAY FORWARD ON GETTING A
MINIMUM WAGE INCREASE PASSED.
WE’LL LET THE SENATE AND THE
CONGRESS WORK THROUGH SOME OF
THOSE DETAILS.
BUT THE PRESIDENT REMAINS
COMMITTED TO GETTING A $15
MINIMUM WAGE PASSED, AND WE LOOK
FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE
CONGRESS TO DO IT AS QUICKLY AS
POSSIBLE.
>> KATE, TO THAT POINT, THERE
ARE TWOROPOSALS ON THE TABLE.
SENATORS MITT ROMNEY AND TOM
COTTON WITH THE PROPOSAL TO
RAISE THE MINIMUM WAGE TO $10 AN
HOUR BY 2025 AND CONNECTING THAT
TO EVERIFY.
SENATOR JOE MANCHIN OF WEST
VIRGINIA WANTS TO RAISE THE
MINIMUM WAGE TO $11 AN HOUR.
GIVEN WHAT YOU JUST SAID, ARE
THOSE TWO PROPOSALS JUST
NONSTARTERS FOR THE WHITE HOUSE?
>> WHAT I WILL SAY IS PRESIDENT
BIDEN BELIEVES THE MINIMUM WAGE
SHOULD BE $15.
HE BELIEVES THAT THAT SHOULD BE
THE LEVEL ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
SO, YOU KNOW, I WON’T GET AHEAD
OF THE PROCESS.
OBVIOUSLY, THIS HAS TO WORK ITS
WAY THROUGH THE SENATE AND THERE
WILL BE DISCUSSIONS,
NEGOTIATIONS, THIS IS DEMOCRACY
IN ACTION.
THIS IS HOW THE PROCESS WORKS.
I WON’T GET AHEAD OF THAT
PROCESS BUT PRESIDENT BIDEN IS
COMMITTED TO RAISING THE MINIMUM
WAGE TO $15 AN HOUR IN THIS
COUNTRY.
>> LET’S TALK ABOUT THE AIR
STRIKES IN SYRIA.
THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE ON
BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE
CONCERNED BY WHAT PRESIDENT
BIDEN DID.
SENATOR TIM KAINE AMONG THEM.
HE PUT OUT A STATEMENT WHERE HE
SAID THE AMERICAN PEOPLE DESERVE
TO HEAR THE ADMINISTRATION’S
RATIONALE FOR THESE STRIKES AND
ITS LEGAL JUSTIFICATION FOR
ACTING WITHOUT COMING TO
CONGRESS.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THE WHITE
HOUSE PUT OUT -- THE PRESIDENT
PUT OUT A LETTER THAT IT SENT TO
SPEAKER PELOSI AND THE PRESIDENT
PRO TEM EXPLAINING WHY HE DID
WHAT HE DID.
IS HE GOING TO DO MORE?
FOR INSTANCE, WILL HE GO TO
CONGRESS AND PURSUE A NEW
AUTHORIZATION FOR THE USE OF
MILITARY FORCE?
>> WELL, I THINK IT’S IMPORTANT,
FIRST, TO NOTE THIS WAS A
PROPORTIONATE RESPONSE.
THIS WAS THE PRESIDENT USING HIS
ARTICLE 2 AUTHORITY TO PROTECT
AMERICAN RESOURCES, COALITION
RESOURCES AND TROOPS.
THIS WAS A RESPONSIVE ACTION.
AND WE NOTIFIED -- WE DID
NOTIFICATIONS ON THE ACTION
BEFORE IT HAPPENED.
YOU SAW THE LETTER IN WHICH THE
PRESIDENT LAID OUT HIS
JUSTIFICATION.
BUT THIS WAS -- THIS SENT A
SIGNAL AS YOU HEARD THE
PRESIDENT SAY.
THIS SENT A SIGNAL TO IRAN THAT
YOU CAN’T ACT WITH IMPUNITY AND
HE’S GOING TO PROTECT --
PRESIDENT BIDEN IS GOING TO
PROTECT AMERICAN AND COALITION
TROOPS AND RESOURCES.
SO THIS WAS A PROPORTIONATE
DEFENSIVE RESPONSE, AND ONE THAT
WAS ENTIRELY APPROPRIATE UNDER
THE PRESIDENT’S ARTICLE 2
AUTHORITY.
>> AND WHAT I NOTICE IN THAT
LETTER IS THAT THERE WAS NO
MENTION OF THE AUMF, THE
AUTHORIZATION FOR THE USE OF
MILITARY FORCE.
SO I’M WONDERING, AGAIN, YOU
KNOW, OUR NEXT GUEST, SENATOR
TIM KAINE HAS BEEN PUSHING SINCE
THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION FOR A
NEW AUMF.
WOULD THE PRESIDENT BE OPEN TO
OR PURSUE A NEW AUMF TO COVER
MILITARY ACTIONS NOW THAT WOULD
BE HAPPENING UNDER HIS WATCH?
>> WELL, AGAIN, I CAN SPEAK TO
THE ACTIONS THAT THE
ADMINISTRATION TOOK OVER THE
WEEKEND.
THOSE FELL SQUARELY WITHIN THE
PRESIDENT’S AUTHORITY.
CONVERSATION ABOUT AN ADDITIONAL
AUMF IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD
COME DOWN THE LINE.
BUT IN TERMS OF THE ACTIONS THE
MILITARY TOOK THEY FELL SQUARELY
UNDER THE PRESIDENT’S AUTHORITY.
THEY WERE INTENDED TO DEFEND