Transcripts For CSPAN Public Affairs Events 20240712

Advance. Everyone needs a chance to prosper. And broadband, the internet, modern communications is to us what pencil and tablet was to my greatgrandparents 100 years ago. Peter lets bring our guest reporter, gopal ratnam, from cq roll call into our conversation. Gopal thank you for having me, peter. And congressman lucas, thank you for taking this time to speak. I want to ask you about the proposal you have, that you put out in january, asking for an increase in spending on federal r d. Among the things that you called for is a boost in spending on Artificial Intelligence, biotech and quantum computing. But given the pandemic we are amidst now, 120,000 plus americans have died, is there anything that you would change in terms of areas of focus, areas of research where such federal spending to be applied . Could be applied . Rep. Lucas i think what we have seen in recent weeks demonstrates not just the need, but the magnitude of the resources that are necessary. When legislation was being put together, my focus was how do we stay ahead of our International Competitors . How do we make sure we are on the front edge on all of these technologies . Now with the pandemic problems we face, there are extra issues. Its been devastating to many of the Research Universities and private Research Foundations and enterprises, this literal shut down for two or three months we have gone through. How do we restart that . I along with members of the committee have had conversations with various entities out there, public and private universities, across landscapes. Whats going to happen to graduate students, Research Projects . Where are the Doctoral Students in their program . How many people will be available when we do restart . How do we define restart . How much of the Research Done will be lost . Are the deadlines on the grants and programs that these highly skilled and technical people, bright individuals, are there limits to stepping back in . We are trying to work through all of that. I dont know we will truly appreciate the damage perhaps for months or years to come. And that is all subject to addressing the fundamental issue of the pandemic. On the science committee, weve we are very focused on the National Science foundation, cdc and all of those entities that develop the skills and research to create the vaccine. Until we have a way to address the root problem i vaccinate i am a farmer by trade. I vaccinate my cattle for a dozen Different Things and im very sensitive about usda and agate departments of working to keep viruses out of this country. But until we can develop an effective vaccine program, when does this end . Is this like polio in the 1940s and 1950s in the United States . That is before my birth, but i have listen to my parents and grandparents talk about the fear every latesummer about the latest outbreak. That was addressed with a vaccine. We have to have a vaccine or an effective antibody treatment to address covid19. But even then, i suspect this is like the flu, it will be with us every year for the rest of human existence. Which explains the enthusiasm by the pharmaceutical companies. Gopal interesting you mentioned as a farmer, the number of vaccines you have to impart to your animals. In that context, i want to ask you a little bit about the overall science and scientific culture in the country. Because in your proposal, for example, you talk about how china is raising ahead the is racing ahead the United States or trying to get ahead of us in a variety of areas and they have increased their r d spending the last decade or so. It seems as if in the United States, there is a sliding back of scientific culture. There is the growing antivaccine movement. The republican party, for example, back in the mid1990s was advocating for an office of Technology Assessment which is part of congress. How do you place the scientific culture in the country . Is there an antiscience mentality that could potentially be contributing to this slowing of federal expenditure, r d in other areas . Rep. Lucas the focus in congress in my time has been more away from science and defense, more away from brickandmortar, towards Immediate Gratification and social programs. Thats been driven not just by republicans, but by democrats. Things that create an Immediate Response back home amongst the constituency. That is part of the problem. I would suggest part of the problem is the unintended consequences of the wonderful concept of the internet and the constant freeflowing information and discussion. Not all the freeflowing information and discussion is factually accurate. In many ways, the internet is more like a gossip chamber than a thoughtful philosophical debate laboratory. Im not sure how we overcome that. In my town meetings, and i did 32 live meetings a year before the pandemic. I want to go back to live town meetings again. You will be surprised the amount of time in recent years i would spend discussing something that has come off the internet. Sometimes reasonable. Sometimes so outlandish that youd have to think about it for a moment before you could answer it in a logical fashion. But all these things together are producing this. Well know when an effective covid19 vaccine develops and is available in mass distribution who really is willing to take a chance. If you are comfortable enough that by not vaccinating yourself or your loved ones that everyone else in the neighborhood is going to do that and you will be safe, thats beyond selfish. But thats the underlying mentality. We have the safest Health Standards in the world. The most regulated pharmaceutical programs in the world. We have an army of trial lawyers waiting to address any fallout. Im confident in where we are. I just want to make sure that the Scientific Community, whether it is Public Research or private research, has the ability, the resources, and the individual to do that. Theyve got us to where we are. Things like the National Science foundation. Just an amazing accomplishment. Even areas like darpa, the department of defense, their research programs. Sometimes you have to look down the trail, as we say in the Third District of oklahoma, a month or a year or a decade or a century in order to make these investments. This Immediate Gratification, the internet, prioritizing for shortterm spending, it is it has all made it harder. That is why when i became the opportunity to become Ranking Member of the science committee, my focus has been to rebuild the bipartisan nature of the committee. The culture i came from from the agriculture committee. The culture i would like to see on the other committee, financial services. We need to get back to where it is a team effort for the common good. But right now in congress, does not matter who the majority is or who the minority is, that is hard to accomplish. Because Everyone Wants to go to the corner and scream. Well, that guarantees you so much time on television each night with a talking head from the right or the left, but it does not develop a thoughtful policy for the longterm future. Peter that said, how would you describe your relationship with the chair of the science committee, representative Bernice Johnson . Rep. Lucas i have a wonderful relationship with her. Shes oldschool, calm, focused, rational. Willing to work across the line. Now we have some excitable democrats and republicans on the committee. Thats the nature of every committee. The chairwoman and i, i think we have a really Good Relationship and i am comfortable in saying if the roles are reversed someday, and we have reelections every two years, anything can happen, i think i would have just as strong a relationship with her if she were my Ranking Member. Peter gopal ratnam. Gopal one of the things you talk about in your proposal is how china is focused on Artificial Intelligence and has promised to become a Global Leader on that particular front by the end of this decade. Now, what would it take in the United States to keep pace or stay ahead . Is it just more money . Is it attracting more talented people from around the world . Is it sort of improving the scientific culture and the basic k12 . What would it take . Rep. Lucas i think it is a combination of all of those things. As a percentage of gdp, the money we spend on science is not what it once was. That needs to be addressed. That is for the appropriations process. Entities like the National Science foundation. You are entirely correct about stem, recreating the pipeline for the young engineers, those young mathematicians, those young individuals. And making sure in stem programs that we are focused on the brightest with the greatest possible potential, no matter what part of the country you come from, no matter what kind of background you have. If you have the ability, encourage and develop those skills. That is an important part of the process. Also, many of my colleagues on the committee are focused on how do you protect those assets . Protect those assets once they are achieved . Theres a lot of discussion in the committee that are part of a number of competitors efforts around the world not just in developing their own skills, but acquiring as Much Technology as can possibly be acquired through whatever means are available from the rest of us. Property rights matter, intellectual Property Rights matter. How do we balance all those things out . It is a comprehensive package. Unfortunately for most of my lifetime, we have been so successful in this country that the citizens and congress and technically the leadership of many administrations have taken this for granted. Thats not the case anymore. The chinese with their 2025 program. Made in 2025 is the way the reference it. They are bound and determined that the way to jump ahead of us economically and in every other way is to seize the scientific frontier. If you dont have to create the science from scratch, it is cost effective. Those are all issues we have to deal with. Right now, covid19 and the pandemic have the country looking for the scientific enterprise for help, for a response. I think we have to use this opportunity to move us forward. Peter go ahead, gopal. Gopal i was going to ask, one of the strengths of the american scientific enterprise of the last three decades has been the capacity and the ability to attract and retain some of the best talent from around the world. Even today, some of the top Artificial Intelligence experts at stanford are literally firstgeneration immigrants. Now, is the current immigration approach somehow running counter to this idea that the United States will continue to be a scientific leader . Because it seems as if the signals from the United States are sending out is basically saying dont come here. Is that running counter to goals like the ones that you have of increasing more spending on r d and attracting talent . Lucas the attitudes towards immigrants right now across the spectrum makes a variety of things more challenging. I represent 16 native american tribes in my district. 39 different American Indian tribes in oklahoma. I always remind my constituents when we have a discussion about immigration that unless you are an American Indian, you are immigrant or you are the son of an immigrant. That is all the rest of us. We need to be respectable of that. Was the indentured english servants who were the first farmhands on the east coast or my german ancestors or the irish and the chinese who built the railroads, or the italians who built the lines. You have to respectful towards that. I understand the importance of maintaining the integrity of the country with physical and health security, but we have to draw upon the best and brightest possible people. The concept to me is still valid. In Enterprises Like science, or for that matter any form of business, it got us to where we are today. Where we have been without the scientists that fled europe in the 1930s . This would be a different world and it would not be a good world. Gopal would you say maybe the United States needs to keep the door open for some of the brightest to come from around the world to american universities and Research Labs . Rep. Lucas absolutely, but we have to have an orderly process governed by the rule of law. Most of my constituents are excited not so much about people who might come in with scientific skills, but the potential ability to add to the United States the base of knowledge. But they are more concerned about unlimited immigration, on the borders on all directions. Again, the rule of law. There has to be an orderly structure. If you just leave the gates open, i dont know where we would put the extra billion or 2 billion people we would have shortly. And i would not blame them for coming. Again, i am not a native american so i am a descendent of people who came over in some fashion. Peter congressman lucas, we have talked about investments. Were talking to you and you are in rural oklahoma today. What kind of telecommunications availability do you have where you are, and when would you foresee 5g being in your home . Rep. Lucas first off, i am serviced by an independent phone company. They do a really good job considering how far out in the countryside i am. But when i do a little speed check on my equipment, my access is approximately half the speed of my District Office in yukon, oklahoma. That is a percentage of whats available to me when i am in the nations capitol in d. C. I adjust to it, i accommodate it. But clearly, it is not equitable across the countryside and that is what the goal of these various bills are, using things like universal broadband to fund broadband and traditional phone lines. I cant give you an optimistic date. I just know that if the whole of a country has to prosper, we all have to have access. It will be difficult the farther and farther away we get. Right now on broadband development, communities that want to access the money for rural areas, if you take notice, they tend to want to deploy it in the very fringes of the suburbs. The fingers of the rural areas. Again, customers per mile versus miles per customer. I understand that. That is why in the infrastructure bill in a comprehensive package, still we have to continue to push out in the countryside. I promise you the younger generation, for that matter anybody under 40, they are not going to live in an area where they dont have access to modern communications, if they dont have access to broadband with modern ability. That will continue to brain drain rural america. Peter do you think huawei should be part of the development of broadband and 5g in the United States . From the briefing papers i have read and the things i am familiar with and committees i serve on and my colleagues that serve on a variety of other committees, i am still a bit suspicious about huawei. The chinese model is so dramatically different than the western model. They still practice truly political communism. In the bigger resources of the country, they still dominated in a state owned manner. I get inherently suspicious of that. But i depend on my colleagues that have greater access to work on legislation that particularly goes after that point. Peter gopal. Gopal speaking of huawei, one of the things that i think some of the smaller telecom companies, both here in the u. S. And elsewhere have said, the advantage of using the huawei equipment is it is much less expensive. Two, they are providing this 5g bandwidth that is most ideal and can propagate long distances. For example, in rural part of oklahoma, it is probably more costeffective to set up huawei equipment than some of the more pricier ones. Are we doing the right thing here . Are we balancing those two kinds of needs . Or do you think the danger of working with, like you said, a communist partyled company to dangerous to consider that balance . Rep. Lucas if i thought there was going to be dramatic changes in the chinese political model, id probably have a more accommodating attitude. Im old enough to have watched the video clips of tiananmen square. I have a sufficient understanding of the different political models, that i dont see them adopting our western culture in a variety of things. I believe if you simply go with price, ultimately, you may have the greatest for a short period of time. But what happens when you dont have industry anymore to pay for all of those things . You have the cheapest goods if in the most plentiful way. If you dont care how they are made, dont care where they come from, dont care about the net effect on your economy. But at what point do you no longer have anything left in the country to buy those goods and services with . Its a balance. Understand, i am also from the Agricultural Energy area. We sell ag products and Energy Products around the world and in asia in a big way. So i understand the need for a flow of commerce back and forth. I am not a onesided individual. But there are just certain things where you cannot let an entity like the Chinese Government as it now functions to be in total control of critical elements of your society and future. Gopal one of the things that is really, from my reporting, i have seen propelling the chinese advances in Artificial Intelligence is the fact they have access to huge amounts of data. They can basically ask people, even in the context of a pandemic, they can force people to download apps and use them and track them. That a lot of experts believe is one of the reasons why they are able to make the kind of advances they are making now in Artificial Intelligence. But given the privacy concerns and the laws of the United States and how people value their privacy and are very uncomfortable handing over data, do you think the United States and china are on a level Playing Field when it comes to accessing peoples data to develop Artificial Intelligence technologies . Rep. Lucas no, we are not, and it is just unavoidable because the cultural expectations are so different. If you say in the United States there should be one credit card and you do all your transactions on it, and master computer somewhere for the federal government to track everything you do. If your phone and all the other stuff went through the National System so they can track everything you can do, the American Population would not stand for that. That is just so contrary to the founding of the country. While there might be advantages to it, nonetheless, i dont believe we want to be ants ever marching in a Straight Line under someone elses instruction. If we are going to avoid that, then in the Technology Issues and scientific issues, we have to spend the money. We have to make sure that there is competition. Im a great believer in competition. I dont want to have only one product, whether it is u. S. Or chinese or european or whatever. But we cant become so dependent on things that are so critically important from someone who is inherently the leadership. Remember, theres a difference between the Chinese People and the leadership. There is a difference. But where our values and views are so dramatically different from the leadership in china, that just concerns me beyond belief. The pandemic in recent current and recent Current Events have been a wakeup call for that. Peter final question, congressman lucas. You have been around for 14 terms in congress. This is an election year. Do you foresee any legislation regarding broadband, rural broadband, or 5g moving through the congress . Rep. Lucas i would say i expect the year to be concluded with either an omnibus bill or a giant appropriations bill or a cr, continuing resolution, a funding bill. The nature of the bodies, the senate is so much different than the house, the culture, i expect legislation will wind up in one giant kebab in the end. Will there be a window of opportunity . Yes. Does that means we will get to a point where we have a common agreement . Remember, youve got a republican senate, a democrat house, and President Trump. That requires achieving some amazing consensus to get there on anything, on everything. Peter congressman frank lucas is the Top Republican on the science, tech, and space committee. Gopal ratnam covers Technology Issues for cq roll call. Gentlemen, thank you both for being on the communicators. Gopal thank you. Announcer cspan has unfiltered coverage of congress, the white house, the Supreme Court and Public Policy events. You can watch all of cspans Public Affairs programming on television, online or listen on our free radio app and be part of the National Conversation through cspans daily Washington Journal Program or through our social media feeds. Cspan, created by americas Cable Television companies as a Public Service and brought to you today by your television provider. Cspans washington journal every day. Were taking your calls live on the air on the news of the day and discussing policy issues that impact you. Coming up, saturday morning, the White House Historical associations lena mann discusses how the white house has celebrated the fourth of july throughout history. Watch journal washington live on cspan. Book tv on cspan2 has top nonfiction books and authors every weekend. Coming up this july 4th weekend. Senator republican joany ernst to becoming the first veteran in her family. And in depth, a live twohour conversation with retired admiral james defritas author of command at sea. The accidental admiral and sailing true north. Join the conversation with your comments, and email and tweets. And Martha Mcsalley reflects on her military career as the First Female Fighter Pilot to fly in combat. And at 9 00 p. M. Eastern, Washington Post reporter, mary jordan on the life and influence of First Lady Melania Trump from the book the art of her deal. Shes interviewed by Washington Bureau chief susan page. Watch book tv on cspan2, this weekend. Presumptive 2020 president ial nominee joe biden spoke with teachers and officials earlier today about reopening schools in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. He also talked about his plan to boost federal support for Public Schools. Hosted by the National Education association, this is about 40 minutes. Cheers and applause] thank you. Good afternoon, everyone. Im jill bidens husband, joe biden. And lily thanks for bringing us together and for the energy and leadership you brought to this indispensable organization. You know, you all head up a union, an organization that is holds the future of the country in your hands. And what determines to our children determines what happens to this nation. Theyre our children. They lift our National Ambition aa lot of. And you have them in your hands. And your members are lucky to have you. And im absolutely certain of that because i happen to be as i said neither one of you members. Jill and i are truly honored to have your support and i mean that from the bottom of my heart. Replace betsy devos and the opportunity to trust to make a whole lot of progress together because im confident im absolutely confident we can win. This is going to be a teacher oriented department of education. And its not going to come from the top down. Its going to come are the teachers up. I know there are a number of issues. But the immediate challenge is the continual spread of the coronavirus and what it means for the Upcoming School year. Look, we saw this challenge coming. Ive been calling for the president since late january. Donald trump failed to take any action on testing, contact tracing, creating responsible standards, everything we need to do to get this under control and to get educators and students back in the classroom. And you understood what was needed. Frankly, weve always understood. Back in 2009 when i was overseaing the implementation of the recovery act in the face of the worst financial crisis in American History, with knew we we knew we had to stand up for educators. It was almost an 84 billion program that had to get throughout within the matter of 16 probably 18 months. Fraud, less than. 2 of 1 . Heres what it did. To llocated 60 billion local school districts. 400,000 education jobs. We knew it had to be done in the face of the crisis. And the federal government understood that every state has requires to balance their budget. Localities have to balance the budget. Theres a reason why the federal government cant deal with crisis like this. And this time around trump tried to provide support failed tried to support educators. Trump failed to do it. Trump and local government and the state and local government were facing huge short false. Speaker pelosi, a real leader in the house of representatives did their job. They got something done called the heroes act 950 billion for state and local governments. Trump refused to do the job. This is about people. So im making sure educators salary dont get cut and educators dont get fired. We could have kept every educator employed. But instead we lost 900,000 education jobs due to budget cuts. This is absolutely unacceptable. Were already short the number of teachers we need nationally before this crisis. Last month, i put out a plan to reopen safely and sustainably including for our Public Schools. I require steps like one insuring the schools have funding for physical like plexiglas to maximize social distancing, all the things that scientists tell us we need to do. And we need the federal government to give local governments clear guidance. Finallyer we need to prevent further exacerbating inequities system. Ducation with broadband and other technologies so they can participate in learning. You know, theres probably a higher probability that well need to continue to rely on Remote Learning and parts of the country for a while longer. And we see, and all of you know that the students access to technology can cost kids up to a year of learning we need to get this done now. Weve been arguing for a while its only just a part because once we get ahead of this pandemic, were going to have an unprecedented opportunity to make progress. You need to make sure that you and your students get treated with dignity that you deserve. My Education Plan is tripling the funding, one of the first things that just districts are senior to do is insure Higher Learning education money. Higher salaries for educators. That money would eliminate the 23 billion annual gap between majority white and nonwhite districts. Its one of the single best instruments and investments that we can address to address systemic inequality. In addition to getting the raise that you deserve, were going to get you the resources that you need. Were going to double the numbers with social workers in school. Mental health is an enormous issue. And the need is only getting exacerbated by this pandemic on both educators as well as students. Theres a whole lot more in my plan. re going to fix universal yearolds. Ll 3 the bottom line here is when we win this election, were going to get the support you need and the respect you deserve. You dont just have a partner in the white house. Youll have another member in the white house. If i dont listen im going to get a report in the lincoln bedroom were absolutely totally committed to make so much more progress. Theres so much to talk about. I know you have questions. I wish i could talk longer about how passionate i feel about some of these things. Up and r would say hush ill be happy to take some of your questions. Well, we really appreciate you being here. Its an honor to have you here Vice President biden youre the best. Arent i, though . You really are. Yes, thank you so much. Yeah, i know. I know. I wasnt arguing with you. So here [laughter] here is you know that you have received our support in the primary that is almost over. And that part of our process now is for you to make your case to the 8,000 almost 8,000 delegates that are watching you right now. And one of the things that you asked is to listen to some of the questions from our members who asked them, i really appreciate you wanting that. I could is it here and i could read them to you. But we took you up on that. We found some delegates who had asked some of the most frequently asked questions that came to us. We said go up. What do you want to hear from joe biden . And so were going to do that because we had 88 members throughout the country who had the opportunity to submit those questions online. And of the thousands, these are the delegates that were selected. So lets go now to turquoise parker in durham, north carolina. Turquoise is a k5 media specialist. Turquoise, you may now ask your question to Vice President biden turquoise. Hello, president lily and Vice President biden my name is turquoise legume parker. Im a media coordinator. But selfgiven title is racial and social justice teacher. This upcoming year will be my 10th year teaching. We should have had the folks bre ona taylor killed to be charged years ago. But you are curriculum affirms and further the aforementioned. I call my students not students because i believe in their intelligence and their strengthed a their beauty. And i need them to believe in themselves because our world does not make them feel that way. Abolitionist is teaching my duty. Its my duty to structure a curriculum that help thruse all kinds of issues such as police brutality, how to fight it. And how they can come to terms with the possibility that they might be the next victim of White Supremacy at absolutely no fault of their own. Teaching in the resistance is incredibly hard work but we have to do it because we need our kids to know that they are absolutely a part of this movement to smash White Supremacy. So Vice President biden, heres my question for you. You talk a lot about fighting if the soul of this nation. But how will you work with others to change this system that has benefited corrupt souls from day one . Vice President Biden ive been doing this my whole career thats how i got involved. This has to be a wakeup call for the country. Take action. You know, its past time to do that. Inequities, onomic our nation can do that with so many people. It starts off as you do because i spend a lot of time working with young people. But never taught young people. And you know, the first thing is to treat them with respect, treat them with dignity. Tell them about keep holding their head up high. Not only then, but reminding them that they can do anything at all, anything at all except for im going to fight every day for the changes that ive referenced. But im also going to listen. I laid out the initial process so they can lead to take on Real Police Reform for all cops to higher standards. So many know now. You know, one of the things you heard and those Young Students you may have in that circumstance, they find out they have a mom or dad treated unfairly or maybe even fairly but incarcerated. And when they get out of school, what happens when they get out of prison . What happens . Theyre treated as if theyre still in prison. Not like it is punishment. No one should go to jail for drugs. For the abuse of go rehab yourself. Rehabilitating them. We need to do than just reform the police department. We need to address the inequities. After taking care of education, our economy and our healthcare. Im going to fight the deadly healthcare issues including covid19 by expanding the care. So they dont see your parents family and cant go for a test because we cant afford it. Well, im really feeling suck, but im afraid if i go its going to for fastest universal scare expand obamacare and a detailed way to do it. Im going to double the funding for health centers. On the vital front lines. Making all testing and treatment vaccine for anyone and the ight to give every child i really want to know this because in all the universities have come up with so many starting new websites. Youve got 40 of a childs brain is developed by time theyre 3. Providing universal prek increases 58 the chance of them doing well all the way through school. Tripling title one funding to close that gap between the rich and the poor. Making Public Comments free for ery family earning less than 125,000 a year. Propose we get 75 billion through hbc because they dont ave the kind of funding to compete the government contracts. We will provide stimulus money to Small Businesses. You all know better than i do. But i know pretty darn well that a Community Community particularly poor community, in that community they have the local hardware store, the local drugstore, the local supermarket. But whats happening now is under this unfair recovery that trump is running, theyre not doing what they what they want them to do. Provide Small Business money for those with fewer businesses. So they can stay open. Theyre not getting the lones. They should be getting it. In this small Inclusive Community and that it generates selfawareness, generates community. You know, and these are big things. But if everybody was saying its time for big change now, we have to make this at least an action to reverse systemic racism with long overdue concrete change. But we can do it. Ause one thing, we reached and that is that, you know, ere are inflection points in American History where something happens and big changes occur. Whats happening now in this covid virus and so many people affected by it. So many people unnecessarily died because of it because all of a sudden people are realizing, oh, my god, who has been carrying us on our back . Essential workers. Workers. He essential overwhelmingly black, latino. 5, 6,eyre getting paid 7 an hour. Theyre the ones that were not able to stay home. Theyve been carrying us on their back. I think the public is ready. Its like theyve had their blinders taken off. But oh, my god, this really happened . Its really this way . And i think ive met ive pent time with the ford family floyd family. I cant breathe. I cant breathe. Mama. Ama. What happened was, the whole world saw it and they just didnt hear it. They saw it. They saw it. They saw his face smashed up against the curve. They saw him holding there for a eight minutes and 26 seconds. They saw it. And they said oh, my god. Were going to change it. Were going change it in a big way. Last thing ill say, as a kid, i used to stutter a lot. Someone who has been a victim of systemic racism. But i tell you one thing dont do, dont ever talk down to these kids. D they tell me im sorry, dont finish my sentence. These kids are capable of doing anything anybody else can do. Lets not dumb it down. Theyre incredibly capable. Thats why i want to make sure that in those schools they have hese placement course as well. Children tend to turn out to be what you expect of them. Lets show them the love and respect, and and the support. Youve got to give their parents. Ore economic power a lot more emotional support. We can do this. Thank you for you. Thank you. , for quoice for that important question. We got that from a lot of delegates. And thank you for representing the the importance of lifting that up. And thank you Vice President biden our next question comes from one of our Education Support professionals in michigan. Vice President Biden, you know that we are teachers, we are support professionals, we are college staff, and faculty, and so this is one of what we call esps, Education Support professionals. You know, she has firsthand experience dealing with our very unqualified secretary of education betsy devos. I would like to introduce you to Paula Mcconnell who is a para professional in the utica school district. Paula, you now have the ear of the Vice President. What would you like to ask . Thank you, president milly. Good afternoon, Vice President biden my name is Paula Mcconnell. I am from mchome county in the great lake state of michigan. Ive been a para educator for over 30 years in Utica Community schools. In the midst of this pandemic, we as educators have some concerns. Want President Trump see that President Trump pushing through you the immediate opening of schools and the highly unqualify betsy devos either has nothing to say or is giving scarce Public School hours to private education and we face an economic crisis to puts en funding which educators at risk. Vice President Biden, i would like to know what you have to say to educators and parents who are so desperate for leadership on these issues but find none with the presented a ministration. Vice President Biden you know, to parra phrase teddy roosevelt. He said the American People can handle bad news, but you have to give it to them straight. That has never been more important than it is now. This. Ns have seen its come time to get his act together to beat this virus. But he squandered that sacrifice and its all about him. Think about it. He thinks the presidency is about him. It doesnt have a damn thing to do about him. Its about you. Its about the American People. First of all, it would be nice to have a president to tell the truth occasionally. Well do the work. But whos going to lead . We need a plan. Ive outlined the key steps for reopening safely including by opening childcare and schools reopen. Parents have to be able to trust their kids are safe when theyre able to go back to work when that occurs. One of the most important steps to reopening the entire economy. Educators make tremendous sacrifices. Theyve done the hard work to make the shift of online earning. Its not the educators fault because they come from poor families and because many places dont have but the longer the School Closed the classes are remote, the more students especially low income students and students of color fall behind. I would possibly lies the federal government to take the step one, provide for schools to reopen. Make sure states and districts have the funding to keep educators on the job in the idst of this crisis. Boost federal funding to cover the cost of p. P. E. , redesign classroomsings all the things schools are going to need to do to reopen and open with normality. Scale research and how covid affects children. Help understand how the virus affects children and create evidencebased guidance. Build a safer school best practice clearinghouse. And to help school and School Boards and children and childcare providers all across the country and around the world to share information approaches and pause for reopening. Work with childcare providers. Union, community and families on how to reopen safely. The bottom line is we are not 50 different nations in the United States and territories, beyond that territories. We are we are one nation. One nation. Nd we act and and the way the president tries to turn this into all some kind of racial contest about, i think it just its its immoral. We have to have a clear message based on science, based on what the experts tell us. And based on the circumstances that we allow to make sure we get the input and the people who are in the field, in the classroom, in the buildings dealing with the problem. Look, even when you get there, we figure out how to test and trace which doesnt exist very much in the country, how about a president that says, you know, stop the testing, its showing too many people have it . Stop the testing . Youre doing too much. He said slow it down. What in gods this is not about him. This is about the safety and security of our people. And parents including teachers are not going to be able to go back to work until theyre sure and one souln come who is 13 years old are able to be taken care safely. We can do it. The public is ready to pay for it. It will increase productive any this country. It will increase salary and increase the benefits of the whole country. Thank you you so much. Thank you, paula. And thank you, Vice President biden we have one you more question for you. Our final educator comes from enola, pennsylvania just outside of harrisburg. We picked pennsylvania just for you and not because our Vice President becky bringle is standing over here making noise. Yes. All right. All right. Settle down. Settle down. Settle down. Settle down. Settle down. Good grief. Becky bringle, i know you know becky, but she lived in harrisburg for a long, long time. Jimbo lamb, apparently your good friend, i did not know that is a High School Math teacher. Jimbo, you are on with Vice President biden what is your question . Thank you madam president and hello, Vice President biden hey, jimbo. Im a teacher in the Southern Region of the Pennsylvania Education Association for 17 years. I appreciate you providing time for me to ask this question and for listening to educators. Today, were more divided than we have been at any time in my lifetime whether it is about racial justice, Wearing Masks or simply a persons right. As educators, we teach our students to be respectful, kind and to work with others. But our leaders fail to model this behavior. So heres my question, as president , what will you do to hear the voices of all americans not just those that support your agenda . Im a mbo, i pennsylvania guy who married a philly girl. And i was just out in harrisburg. I as anyway, look, when started the campaign over a year ago and i announced. I said one of the things we have to do is unite the country and i got clobbered by everyone running for president , the democrats. They said you cant unite the country. I tell you what, if we cant unite the country, were in deep, deep, deep, deep trouble. This is the most important election of our lifetime. Not because im on it because four more years of donald trump will ruin the character of this nation. And the character of our country is literally on the ballot. Lives an livelihoods as well. I think were facing a serious threat. We have to meet it as one country. This president gives us no direction. And puts us against one another. You cant go on like this in the nation. Half are Wearing Masks. Half of the plan. Half just hoping for the best. This country is crying out for leadership and for healing. Thats part of a president s job to lead, to listen and to heal. And to listen to everyone. Its too personal and too ugly. It weakness us. It distracts us. It divides us. Its not who we are. And i refuse to accept our nation is permanently divided. It is not. Principals must never be compromised. But compromise is not a dirty word. Its how our government was designed to work. Ive done it my whole life. And so ill do this as president. But there are two reasons, jim, i decided to run this time. You know, if every if the perfect president if she or he requires to have 10 great attributes, ive not met one that has more than six. But all the attributes that you have may not be appropriate for that in history. There are two things ive done very well at. One, no one has doubted my word. Ive been able to bring democrats and republicans in the United States congress for the past decades to deal with big issues. Theres a reason for that, jimbo. I never questioned whether a man or womans motives. I question their judgment but not their motives. When i first got elected in 1972, i was only 29 years old. So i had to wait. My birthday didnt come until 17 days after the election. I was in washington. On december 18. Now, i got a phone call from a First Responder who said, i felt so badly for him in retrospect. He said youve got to come home. Theres been an accident. What happened . And the poor kid just blurted out, your wife is dead. Your daughters dead and your two boys may not make it. My wife and my daughter was 18 months old. My son almost 3. The other one almost 4. They were christmas shopping. The tree was on top of the car. They were broadsided by a tractortrailer and they were killed. The two boys made it. So what happened was i decide i didnt want to be United States senator. And my brother jimbo, when i was a kid we called him jimbo. His name is james. Well, jimbo is five and a half years younger. Raised all our money, the kiddie campaign we had. But the state could always get another senator. My kids couldnt get another dad. Senators ppened was and they said youve got to run. Youve got to be sworn in. And in retrospect, they saved my sanity. Just stayed for six months. Just stayed for six months. Ill never forget, the senator saying, only 1702 people have been sworn into the senate. Your wife worked so hard to get you elected. You owe it to your family. So i was supposed to go sworn in. I decided not to go. Well, the next day, i was in the hospital with my son, and they sent up the sex e secretary of the senate who swore me into the sent up the secretary of the senate who swore me in the hospital. One of the things i had to do was i had to meet with majority the r at 2 00 depending on week on tuesday afternoon. And i get an assignment from the leader, mike mass from montana. I thought all senators got assignments. No senators get assignments. Matter of fact im the first senator i ever knew i didnt know any better. Took me about five, six weeks, to take me pulse to the see how i was emotionally. So we walk in. Just before 2 00, walked down from below the senate. Walked out there, there were no eaders and i had my meeting. The next thing that happens is i walk in the door, and two friends of mine, one became a great friend and still is bob dofmente and the other was teddy kennedy. They introduced the disabilities act. And a particular senator got elected who didnt have much of a heart i thought. On the floor just saying theres no requirement that taxpayers should have to pay for lives on the buses. But i had to go off and have my meeting. Had to is it across the desk whats the matter, joe . And i then went off to the story saying there was no social redeeming value, no heart, etc. , etc. Joe, what would you say if i told you that senator and his wife were sitting in your home in december 1970 . This is now may of 1973. 1970. And he was a young man in our statewide newspaper. Hats him embracing me under his arm with two steel crutches. He looked out and said all i want from christmas is for someone to love me and take me home. I said what would you say that i adopted that young man . Ive learned something. He said over my years he said its always property the question of a man or woman. But you dont know what it is. And once you question your motive you can never do that. If i say your in the pock of or thised a that and by the way lets have an education bill, youre not going to work with me. So ive been successful bringing people together. They dont question motive. To ther areas their going inherit a world of in disawry. My whole career its been on National Security. And thats what it is now. And the reason im running thats why i think, you know, im not flying. Many republican senators or Council Members would tell you i think theres a lot we can agree on. With trump out of the way, thats some of the problems out there. Particularly problems in education. That are tough now. Thats why i can get so much done. Look we always have a tremendous opportunity to peel back. We cant afford to open our doors and our ears and our hearts. Ive got to make sure that we need nobody out. They need each of us to do that in our country. Let me ask you something. When is the last time you thanked somebody . , you said last time thank you . Did you you go to him or her and say thank you. When is the last time you looked at each other and said, can i help you . T happen one person at a time. You challenge others. Tried it with my mom and you walk a mile. We can disagree, but we dont have to be disagreeable. Its how together we can do this. But we have to treat concluding comment, my dad used to always say, joey, everybody everybody deserves a second chance. Be treated s to with dignity. Everybody deserves to be treated with dignity. Thank you. Thank you. And thank you, jimbo for that question. Thank you, paula and turquoise, delegates. We want to thank our fellow delegates who were able to channel those questions that came in. Nd we have so much more. But we needed to hear from you, Vice President biden, about what you would bring to this, and we thank you for spending this time with us. Before you go, we want to give you just a few minutes. If you want to make any final comments if you ask these delegates for their support. Thank you. Ive been arguing a long time because ive been listening to my wife. By the way, my deceased wife was a teacher as well. Education should be put more in the hands of educators. We should have more input on what you teach, how you teach it, and when you teach it. You are the ones in the class rooms. You should have more input. And i really mean this, not im not just trying to be nice. You are and you need that more. So first of all, this is going to be a much more teacher centric education system. The vast majority of money comes from the state. But the portion of federal youre going to have a major say on what its spent and where its spent. Next e next thing i want to say one all is that i am angeredat really always me is the way educated people when youre walking in a reception line and someone says and what do you do besides teach i go, oh, ok. What do you do . Oh, i teach. Tell me about what you teach. Or i have a startup company. Or im in sales with such and such. You are and im not joking about this you are the most important profession in the United States. Give them ones that confidence. You let them believe in themselves. You were going that. And i promise you you will never ind an american president with who is more teacher centric and more supportive than me. Joe, any time without educators are going to outcompete fuss. Its time we raised the game to make you the managers. Thank you all for having me. And i appreciate everything youve done for me. I really do. Thank you you so much Vice President joe bind. The pack recommendations to become the next president of the United States. The decision will be made by mailin ballot. It is possible to do mail ballots in a very good way. Yes, it is. We are going to do that. It will come to the home of these almost 8,000 delegates and we will be counting those at the in august. And so Vice President biden, its been an honor to have you in our house today. God bless and be safe. Well, if ient biden cheers and applause] thank you so much. Thank you. This fourth of july weekend, President Trump is at Mount Rushmore, tonight at 10 00 p. M. Eastern. And in washington, saturday at 6 45 eastern for what is built as a salute to america celebration. Watch live on cspan, online at cspan. Org or listen live wherever you are on the free span radio app. The president from Public Affairs available now in paper back and ebook. Presents biography of every president , organized by their rankings by noted historians, from best to worse. And features perspectives into the lives of our nations executives and leadership styles. Isit our website cspan. Org thepresident , to more about the president s. And order your copy today wherever books and e books are old. Announcer President Trump spoke briefly with reporters at joint base andrews on his way to go to Mount Rushmore in south dakota where hes scheduled to speak later tonight. President trump ok. Thank you very much. Were going to Mount Rushmore. Its in great shape. And its going to be in great shape for centuries to come. We are looking forward to it. Ill be making a speech there. Ill be seeing a lot of people, a lot of different people. And i think it will be a fantastic evening. The economy is doing very well. Our job number was the biggest number in the history of our country. Growing by almost double. So a lot of powerful things are happening. And our country is doing very well. I think we will have a vshape if you look at whats going on, if you look at the numbers all over, i think were going to have a very strong vshape. And i will see you on the airplane. Thank you. Ill see you on the airplane. Thank you. The president is heading to south dakota later today for an event including fireworks and a speech at Mount Rushmore. Well have live coverage of the event here on cspan and on cspan radio beginning at 10 00 p. M. Eastern time, 7 00 for those of you on the west , 7 00 for those of you on coast. Us, we have a political from sioux falls. Thank you for joining us. Guest thank you. Host how did this come together . Worked withovernor the interior department and the present to get it started. Concern there any fireworks will do damage to Mount Rushmore . 02 chance is a there could be a wildfire that starts that could damage homes and businesses and there could be an increased chance with abnormally dry conditions, which we have right now. Host what will the clouds look like . How many people are expected to attend . Will they be required to wear a face mask . 7500 at the event. They will not be social distancing. They will not be required to wear a mask, but masks will be available if people want them. Is this playing out in south dakota . This is a big is big visit from the president. Guest yes, theres a lot of concern, especially from the democrats about damage to Mount Rushmore. The headline in the the sioux post, that leaders plan to protest. Guest it will be a couple miles from Mount Rushmore. There was a protest in rapid city, the closest city to Mount Rushmore. Host you say the governor allowing the interior department to allow fireworks. What is the back story . Why was it not allowed in the past . Basically it killed thousands of trees, which created fuel for a wildfire with the fireworks there. That ended in about 2016. As weis there concern, saw in tulsa, where people might get coronavirus . Also, a number of secret service vices in arizona, president pence delaying his visit there . Guest there is a concern that it could cause an increase in hospitalizations in the state. Coronavirus numbers have been pretty steady without a huge increase. They are concerned that the fireworks, coupled with the rally in august really impacted the coronavirus in the states. Host these service rally is what . Guest it is the motorcycle rally that happens every august. And most of the motorcyclists in the country are in South Carolina. Governor mentioned kristi noem, former member of congress. Earlier this week, she appeared on fox news with laura ingraham. Here is what she said. [video clip] noem with this on personal responsibility. Every one of them have the opportunity to make a decision they are comfortable with. We will have a large event july 3. We told people with concerns they can stay home, but those who want to come and join us, we will be giving out free face masks if they choose to wear one. We will not be social distancing. We asked them to come and celebrate, enjoy the freedoms and liberties in this country and talk about our history and what it ought is today with an opportunity to raise our kids in the greatest country in the world. Lisa kaczke, your reaction . Guest its pretty much what she has been saying for the last two months with the coronavirus pandemic, really emphasizing freedom and personal responsibility to wear a mask, to social distance, stay home if you want to. Implemented certain restrictions and things like that, but it has been pretty much along the lines of what she has been saying for months. You did have a hot spot or a number of hotspots of coronavirus in a meatpacking plant. What is the status of that right now . In terms ofy steady increasing numbers. The one in sioux falls kind of died out a little bit. But there are still concerns with some of the other meatpacking plants in the state. Host lisa kaczke this fourth of july weekend, President Trump is at Mount Rushmore tonight at 10 00 p. M. Eastern. And in washington at 6 45 p. M. Eastern as what is built as salute to america celebration. Watch live on cspan, online at cspan. Org or listen live on the free cspan radio app. Cspans washington journal every day, were taking your calls live every day on the air and discussing policy issues that impact you. Coming up saturday morning, the White House Historical association lena mann discusses how the white house has celebrated the fourth of july throughout history. Watch cspans washington journal live at 7 00 eastern saturday morning. And be sure to join your discussion with your phone calls, facebook comments, texas messages and tweets. Facebook messages and tweets. Are this is a crisis. People are losing their lives. With Police Reform taking center stage in congress, watch our live and latest developments. Plus, the governments response to the coronavirus pandemic. Now, we sort of stayed about flat. And now were going up. And briefings from the white house on foreign affairs. Congress on healthcare. Inside from formered a minute tration officials. But i do think theres a line one should not cross where governmental power is used essentially exclusively for personal benefit. We will stand proud and we will stand tall. And the latest from the campaign 2020 trail. Join in the conversation every day on our live callin program, washington journal. And if you missed any of our live coverage, watch any time on demand at cspan. Org or listen on the go with the free cspan radio app. Next on cspan, a conversation with senator Kamala Harris and Washington Post columnist jonathan kapehart. She talks about police and criminal justice reform. His is about 20 minutes. Recording of ve my podcast. Im jonathan kapehart and my guest is returning for the fourth time, senator Kamala Harris of california. Over the past month, senator harris has cosponsored the and ce and policing act, toped introduce a resolution the afford care act and helped whistleblower accountability during the coronavirus pandemic. Harris is a former District Attorney of San Francisco, a former attorney general of california, made a run for the democratic president ial nomination and is now talked about as a possible Vice President ial running mate for joe biden right now, shes front and center in the Senate Debate on Police Reform and she joins me now. Senator harris, welcome back. Senator harris its good to be with you, jonathan and happy birthday. Thank you. Thank you. Before we get to Police Reform. We have to get to intelligence and the russia story paying bounties on the the lives of american soldiers. You were a member of the Senate Intelligence committee. You attended a Briefing Regarding the allegations that russia was involved in this. Is the t you learned, intelligence in doubt . In doubt . Is the intelligence in doubt . I would say that during the course of my threeplus years of being on the Senate Intelligence committee and therefore in regular receipt of classified information about the threat to our National Security and hot spots around the world that i have come to respect, highly respect the Intelligence Community for their professionalism, for the detail and the precision with which they work and the enormity of their responsibility which is to inform us as policymakers to inform the executive branch in a way that we can make smart decisions that are in the best interest of our nations security. Jonathan ok. So given what you learned, is it credible that President Trump did not know about this intelligence about the russian paying taliban bounties on the heads of american soldiers . Representative harris im not in a position to share with you classified information. But i will say this. It is well known and understood that part of the responsibility of the president of the United States is to concern himself or herself with the wellbeing our Service Members who sacrifice and are willing to sacrifice their lives in honor and in protection of our country and our security, and it would be it would be wonderful to have a president who actually cared about those men and women and expresss so level of concern about their wellbeing. But we dont see that with donald trump in any meaningful way. What he wants to do is have a military parade. But the reality is ive been to afghanistan and these hot spots. And our folks need a president and a commander in chief who has their best interest as his or her first priority. And were just frankly not seeing that from donald trump. Jonathan so given what you just said and given the briefings that you just attended, especially given what you just said about President Trump, do you think the president of the United States is a National Security threat . Representive harris in my ways, i think he has not he has not throughout his tenure as president prioritized what is in the best interest of the health and wellbeing of the American People on the homeland or around the world. And you can just look at this most recent threat to the health and wellbeing of our country, which is this pandemic, and from the very beginning, donald trump referred to pandemic, and from e beginning donald trump referred to it as a hoax. He has spent time trying to minimize the seriousness of it, to muzzle Public Health experts and not helping to mitigate the harm. Necessarygs that are to stem the tide of this virus until we get a vaccine. You can talk about it on the issue of the Climate Crisis and the fact he has been basically a science denier. You can look up the fact that our Intelligence Community has been very clear, unanimous in fighting the russian interference in 2016 and he dismissed the significance or the veracity of that. We have many examples that tell Us Donald Trump is not wellequipped to be the mentor in chief. Why wont the president take action against russia . This latest story is the first time russia has done something that goes counter either to or thes interests interests of the nato alliance. Why vote he hold them accountable for some of the egregious things they have done . I cant speculate or get into the mind of donald trump and i am too busy looking at what he is doing to worry about how he is thinking. When you look at his actions and conduct, he has not taken seriously the fact we have a longstanding adversary who has been responsible for threats to our democracy. And donald trump refuses and is clearly incapable of speaking out about the nature of their relationship and the response our country should have when we are attacked in any form. Surprised there has been relative silence from your republican colleagues about the president s conduct when it comes to National Security . Sen. Harris you know, i was elected it is bittersweet on the same evening that donald trump was elected. I have only known one senate. It is while donald trump is president. It is troubling, a source of sadness and frustration to see my colleagues on the republican side not stand up in a way that i believed they would if perhaps i believe they would if perhaps donald trump were not president. I dont understand how we cant feel compelled to put country before party. It is deeply troubling. An understanding that especially on issues of National Security, it should be nonpartisan when we are talking about issues of Public Health crisis where almost 130,000 lives have been lost in the last 100 days. We should look at the need for our country to have leadership that sees the problems we are facing and focus on the solution as opposed to the priorities or threats of a president. Jonathan lets talk about an issue where it seemed like there was going to be bipartisan agreement. That was on Police Reform. Senator tim scott of South Carolina was leading the republican effort on their justice act, but you along with cory booker and others signed a letter to the majority leader saying the justice act is not salvageable. What was wrong with the legislation proposed by senator scott and why wasnt it possible for all of you to get in a room and negotiate a deal, since there is public sentiment behind doing something to reform the police . Sen. Harris it is important to recall the chronology of this. Senator booker and i proposed on the senate side, along with our colleagues in the Congressional Black Caucus on the house side, and it was joint by Senate Democrats and houston address house democrats, a bill. We came up with the justice in policing act which would deal with a number of specific issues that relate to the need of accountability and consequence when Law Enforcement officers break the rules or break the law. Nine days later the republicans submit this bill that essentially dealt with nothing in any substantive way we dealt with in our bill. In our bill we banned chokeholds. Were that in place, george floyd would be alive today. Ock warrants. Kn Breonna Taylor would be alive today. When an officer uses excessive force, the question would not be, was the use of force reasonable, because you can reason away anything. It would be was it necessary . There should be pattern and practice investigations by the United States department of justice and they should be equipped with subpoena power so when you have Law Enforcement agencies that dont to cooperate, they have the tool. The republican bill did not been holds, no or carotid knock warrants, is not speaking as we have to independent investigations and the need for those and instead talks about a lot of studies and bringing people together to have conversations. We have been having these conversations for decades now. That is why people by the hundreds of thousands have taken to the streets, people who have nothing in common, marching together, knowing we cant have two systems of justice in america and we need to reform this in intangible ways, putting teeth into this. Jonathan because almost all policing is not done at the federal level, in some ways you are more powerful as the da of San Francisco than you are now as a United States senator. If you were in either of those positions now, what is the one substantivelyd do to reform the police . Sen. Harris it is a number of things we have talked about. I mentioned creating National Standards. It would regulate federal Law Enforcement and creates a National Standard to support the local activists or the progressive prosecutors or Law Enforcement leaders who know that is where they need to get. It is more reinforcement to get their policies to that standard. There is no question that the majority of criminal justice work is happening at the local level. That does not dissolve a need for absolve a need for National Standards to create a standard by which everyone should be measured. Jonathan this situation we are in now reminds me of the gun control environment in the wake of new town, where it seems like public sentiment and action on capitol hill, it would be possible for something to be done, yet nothing was. I am getting that might be the feet the case here. One solution might be to flip the senate, have democrats take control of the senate. I am asking this question because we have a question from pennsylvania, from kathryn. She asks what are you doing to help lift flip the senate . Sen. Harris you are right, that should be one of the main areas of focus. We as democrats are not in the majority. It is basic about what happens around capital hill and the senate. If you are in majority, you get to write the rules, decide what bills will come up to vote, who will end up serving Lifetime Appointments on the federal courts including the United States Supreme Court. There is a tremendous amount of power in who has the majority in the senate. We are in the minority which means we dont have control, and we need to flip the senate so we can get in the majority and have legislation on the floor that is about meaningful Police Reform and have legislation up for a vote that is about addressing the Climate Crisis and have legislation on the floor for a vote on the passage of creating a pathway to citizenship for immigrants. These are the things we need to do. How do we do it . We need to support the Senate Candidates who are going to turn red states blue. I have a list of who they are. Theve been hosting candidates challenging incumbents as a way to introduce them. The new candidates are having a challenge that they are campaigning without planning for it in the midst of a pandemic, so they cant travel. So it is important to seek them out. We need to take back the white house and elect joe biden president and flip the senate. The combination of the two will allow us to see progress in our country. Two quick questions, what does it say the Trump Administration is still trying to undo the Affordable Care act in the middle of a pandemic . Sen. Harris just speaks to the. Eartless list heartlessness from day one the Trump Administration has been trying to get rid of the Affordable Care act, in large part because they and i think donald trump wants to undo whatever success and accomplishment was achieved by president obama and Vice President biden. They have talked about repeal and replace, but there has been no plan for replace. It is about trying to get rid of a Public Policy initiative that brought health care to 20 Million People. Right now donald trump has bill barr in the Supreme Court trying to get rid of it. If they win, 23 Million People will no longer have the health care they need. Onwill allow the bands preexisting commissions bans on preexisting conditions we had before. It speaks to the heart of business, the motivation, it is about political gain as opposed to the health and wellbeing of the citizens of our country. Jonathan final question. Cameperson was 19 when she to the u. S. In 1958 to get a doctorate at berkeley. She became a Breast Cancer researcher. She died of cancer in 2009 and she was your mother. You wrote in your book you and your sister rarely earned praise for behavioral final question to you, what would she say about all of the talk that her daughter could be runningo be joe bidens mate and possibly the next Vice President of the United States . Sen. Harris my mother was always, and i therefore, you have to focus on what is right in front of you instead of the big open air. The thing in front of you needs your attention. Right now my focus is on what we need to do in addressing the impact of the coronavirus, in terms of health and economic impacts. My focus is on passing the justice and policing act. This is what is causing people to stand in bread lines around the country, causing people to march in the streets. That is what i am focused on. Jonathan the question was, what would your mom was always very proud of you. Sen. Harris and very practical. You have not met a more practical person. She was a fighter and she was practical. She would say focus on what is right in front of you as whatever the next thing that is meant to be will come. [laughter] jonathan all right, senator, let harris, thank you senator Kamala Harris, thank you. Sen. Harris good to see you, jonathan. Livehan Washington Post will be back next week. My colleague will interview aurora james, founder and creative director of brother dailies. Thank you for being here. Happy fourth. This fourth of july weekend, President Trump is at rushmore. And in washington saturday at 6 45 p. M. Eastern for what is billed as a salute to america celebration. Watch on cspan, online at cspan. Org or listen live wherever you are on the free radio app. Sunday night on q and a, a pulitzer prizewinning author on the u. S. Response to the covid19 pandemic and the medical science being used to combat it. I have not seen a level of collaborative spirit in the Scientific Community of this ilk or stature in my life. That is encouraging. [indiscernible] we will have hopefully by the end of this month two to four potential drugs including antibodies that will attack the virus. They are still in studies, so i cant comment whether they work or not. We will also have four to six new modalities to treat the inflammatory phase of the virus. Announcer 1 sunday night at 8 00 eastern on q and a. And now former defense secretary james mattis speaks about citizenship and democracy. He is joined by the former 10th Circuit Court of appeals judge michael mcconnell. This is about 90 minutes. Titledys discussion is the crucible of citizenship and includes a Panel Discussion with participants. General jim mattis is the distinguished fellow. We are happy to have general matters return to hoover after return general mattis to hoover after serving as the secretary of defense. 43 year career as an infantry marine before retiring in 2013, he headed u. S. Central command, directing military operations over 200,000 soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines and allied forces. He is the author of the recent New York Times bestseller learning to lead. Joshua ober is the constantine chair of the college of humanities and sciences. Appointmentondary in the department of classics and courtesy appointment in philosophy. His most recent book is entitled democracy before liberalism. It was published in 2017. His ongoing work focuses on the theory and practice of democracy and politics and knowledge of innovation. Skinner is the Research Fellow and professor of International Relations and politics and director of the institute of politics and strategy at Carnegie Mellon university. Prior to a recent return, he served as director and senior policy advisor for the secretary of state at the u. S. Department of state. InterNational Security. The moderator for todays panel is michael mcconnell, a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution and the professor and director of the Constitutional Law Center at stanford law school. He has served as a circuit judge for the 10th circuit and has held chair professorships at university of chicago and university of utah as well as at harvard and nyu. His decades of work have been cited 15 cases in front of the Supreme Court and served as a law clerk to william j brenner junior and is counsel to the please welcome this esteemed