Guest on in depth to take your calls on goveren and legal reform in america. Heas written six books including the collapse of the common good, life without lawyers, and his bestseller the death of common sense. His latest book not accountable is a critique of publicsector unions. Joined a live conversation with attorney and author Philip Howard sunday at noon eastern on booktv on cspan2. Senators Amy Klobuchar and rob portman have been awarded the madison prize for constitutional excellence from American University school of Public Affairs for their bipartisan cooperation on capitol hill. Following the awards ceremony both senators spoke indepth about their experiences working across the aisle to pass legislation. [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] welcome everyone. Thank you for being with us this evening. I am vicky wilkins, the dean of the school ofth Public Affairs t American University, and i am pleased to welcome me to tonight madison prize for constitutional excellence. We are honored to recognize our winners of this year, senator Amy Klobuchar and former senator rob portman. None of this [applause] yep. None of this would be possible without the efforts of david and lawrence who established the madison prize in 2017. David served ass a member of the United States house of representatives from 19871999. He represented 1999. He represented the Second District of colorado. One of his most notable achievements during his time in congress was his environmental record the colorado wilderness act of 1993 and cosponsoring the energy act of 1992. He was also proud to be a cosponsor of the americans with disability act in 1990. His dedication to democracy and Public Service is rendered in his experience as a marine officer who served in vietnam, was the first marine division. He is married to loris and their three children and six grandchildren. David is a staunch believer in the value of compromise and democracy. Which he sees as a center for any legislature, legislator. Remains optimistic about the ideas of the future of american democracy despite the challenges we face. Unfortunately, david and laura could not be with us tonight. However, davidson remarks for me to read on his behalf, and im happy to do so. Good evening, everyone. Thank you for attending this event to award the madison prizes for the 100 70th congress. David has a newly implanted titanium hip joint. He fell planting strawberries in his garden last week. He said let let me think the folks who put tonight visit together. I know there are others, forgive me for not calling out. Let me think my old and dear friend who initially welcomed the proposal. Its an honor to recognize two outstanding u. S. Senators. Ive never met them but i was privileged to serve in the house before he went over. Many thanks to president w will shortly all whats is supposed to be about . I rise to germany establishing this endowment and since her regret and often accuses me of being more at home thanat the 21st century. I suspect most of you attending have marveled at the genius of our founders. For me, the virtues and successes will always out there that use. Madisons contribution to the philosophical underpinnings of americans representatives democracy were coupled for what it takes for democracy to work. For me, the statement that marys political theory and has special for those of us in business for the higher purposes of politics. Delegates terms our system of government depends fundamentally on the willingness and ability legislators to compromise. The differences to make deals. Despite the term during campaign season, compromise remains the Central Business of legislative body. Federal, state and local. Prices are given to honor members of the senate or house of each party to exemplify the practice of compromise and remind us working out compromises for these differences in diverse Action Society is very important especially these days. Thanks to senators having courage to seek compromise is one way. I know you will join me in doing our very best and our thanks to them. At the Public AffairsAmerican University rdna promote compromise and civil discourse. These are all at the core of our democracy and necessary elements for students and partners. Its my pleasure to introduce the 15th president of American University and first went to serve as president. [applause] and experienced leader who spent the past six years helping a you so as a leading Student CenterResearch University more than doubling the organization, delivering unique learning opportunity in washington d. C. Is a growing community. Under her leadership a you has become the first urban university in the United States urban neutrality and flushed research and policy center as well as ar, new stateoftheart science building. The institute for policy and politics incubator for policy innovation and has led the university for pandemic, started 500 Campaign Fund new efforts which is 100 million, 97 million from article as well as copperheads of Strategy Change makers are changing. Prior to a you president held two positions in the United States government serving as secretary of health and Human Services and director of the office of management and budget. Managed the trillion Dollar Department with 12 divisions including nih, fda and medicaid and medicare program. She worked as congress in the budget deal following the 2013 Government Shutdown shes nosing as at leader worked successfully across the aisle and focus on delivery American People. She held leadership positions at two of the largest foundations in the world, bill and Melinda Gates foundation. Proud parents of teenagers. Please join me in welcoming sylvia. [applause] thank you so much. I do want to begin by thanking david and laura for their support in the concept and for the senators today to do this. We are joined today for constitutional excellence, had the privilege of working with both which is a wonderful thing. Before i introduced the senators, i want to take a moment to thank you because having had the opportunity spending time on the hill, it takes credible commitment and i want to begin with thanking you. [applause] thankk you for the work and your incredible work for our country. Career Public Service mentioned in terms of the house and served in two administrations as director of omb and u. S. Trade representative elected in the senate. He retired from the senate in january served as being a senior fellow Enterprise Institute and found the Brooklyn Center for policy solutions at the university, my mothers alma mater. Director of omb. The former directors, it is like above and we do help support each other so i benefited many times from collaboration on many issues so thank you for that. Senator Amy Klobuchar is the first woman to be elected to represent the state of minnesota in the u. S. Senate. Before serving in the senate she led the Largest Office in minnesota for eight years. She currently serves as the chairwoman of the rules committee and democratic ruoutreach committee and memberf the Senate JudiciaryCommittee Science and transportation committee, the agricultural nutrition and Forestry Committee and joint economic committee. The last congress she led the most bills with a bipartisan cosponsor and also had opportunity to work with senator klobuchar on any number of things in the Obama Administration including a memorable visit to the state and very special when youre secretary of health and Human Services clinic so i know rob and amy to be doers. People who wrote the their sleep and get the real work done and they do that with a willingness to reach out to others and listen to the view of others even when they disagree. Over the years theyve collaborated with each other on a number of w issues from the wharton ukraine to Affordable Housing to clamping down on internal and they both firmly believe in reaching out across the aisle to listen, to engage and comeis together to build solutions for the American People. We are honored to be joined by you all today and would you please stepy. Up and we could present you with yourpr reward back [inaudible conversations] [applause] [inaudible] now we are going to have a little bit of a conversation when we have. Because the theme of the award is this idea of working together bipartisan compromise of the aisle, i would love for each of you to give an example of what worked, when you work across the aisle and it worked and give an example, we got a lot in our community here when it didnt and lessons you learned when that happened so start with an example that worked. I see a bunch of my staff here, they are. The past 12 years how am i doing . Working with amy but the one i want to talk about, everybody knew about that at the time even now, this is Something Congress talked about for 40 years to the highway system in 1960 had infrastructure weeks for this is it, were going to do it. I remember President Trump went to the white house when they and they were going to do infrastructure together and i remember coming back and they said President Trump what he said trillion dollars in infrastructure, voter, were going to do it this way. Year after year after year talk about the publicans and the like could never figure it outde the reason is it was hard so we did this to us and then congress will putting it together and it was sort ofam insideout so congress is all about controversy, this is an example where theres not any leadership involvement. The white house was helpful biden was dead on arrival because of the researcher spending, roads and bridges take out the structure and the taxes in the past this thing, the past with 69 go to a majority of democrats and republican so it was a very bipartisan bill. I would say at least a dozen times. That is not going anywhere because we had skirmishes betweene ourselves but we kept focusing on and get this done and reach Common Ground. First off, thank you every time sylvia came into her room, we knew things would get done and her job, she had respect on both sides of the aisle so its a pleasure to be here with you and the dean. I was thinking of my friend rob, many stories to tell but in example persuasiveness, outside of the u. S. Senate was when my daughter started college and his son, will where was at the same school but rob was going to speak to Residential College and i said shes a brandnew freshman and she gets invited and personally sent her a note and she decides, introduces, the senior and junior there called me up and says i really like senator a lot. During the Affordable Care act she goes mom, senator portman was talking about, the president obama should do something and maybe there should be some negotiations about this, very reminiscent, why are they . I explained the whole thing and she was Something Else i say honey, you have just been with rob portman for one hour. The answer was llama but senator portman has such a nice manner. [laughter] its a true story. Things that i thought republican. [laughter] okay, so big things we got done and then i will do a little one but maybe not what you think of first. At the end of the year rob was involved, a big deal and by the way, about the president when i walked in here because if anyone heard the speech at the white house correspondentswa dinner, s very serious, he did this whole thing about the First Amendment and all of a sudden he says constitution really important to me Jimmy Madison and i were friends way back. [laughter] all right so the big think when we got back and drop knows, we chair the rules committee and joe manchin and susan were working but we were kind of hoping to guide it through so we not only had to work with the house, we had a more aggressive manner with things i would have liked to do and we had to work with ms. Cheney but we also had to get strong support because as you know theres no protestants and i was really proud of the rules committee with the exception of one person, okay ted cruz. [laughter] republicans voted for the bill which im not going to go into details but cant just hold up the world of the people on the day we are supposed to count the ballot because that memory of walking at 4 00 a. M. Forever etched into my workk throughout the years walking over broken glass and filler spray paint in the morning was a celebration, it was something that meant to me we cant let this happen again so that was a big bipartisan moment. Maybe smaller but simply that was fun was when senator cornyn and i teamed up because the venues, theater, art in museums the first to closing the pandemic and we knew they would last because you cant stand in a mosh pit in middle of a pandemic which ive said quite a few times but thank god for countrywestern fans in texas because senator cornyn was great to work on and we will and ended up making the biggest investment in the history of america with that bill and i got to start on first avenue is alice cooper. [laughter] the iconic one for prince got his start so i was the whole career. Those are some of the victories and we all get the benefit from those contributions and the economic benefit here, the idea that it will be protected. Can you give an example where you tried and it didnt work and therefore what did you learn . Thats what i hope can share in terms of people in this room, your staff tried to make it happen everything. A lot of exampless of. One thing that might be worth talking about, very involved in healthcare, their successes and even with a single effort and its e unusual. We are able to get it done on the the one i will mention is timely because 2011 were facing a debt limit crisis. Sounds familiar so i understand it may come up sooner than expected. June 1 is the date. So here we are. In this case you recall failure to the agreement to the Vice President of the United States and republican leader in the senate got together and came up with a proposal by all leaderste say the Committee Establishment extraordinary ability back to the house and senate which was focus on the entire spectrum specifically mandatory spending in the new york system so the Super Committee was formed. I was honored to be part of it and excited, ive spent a lot of workings weekends on thinking it could work and thats how it was really it. Extend the debt limit which is what we have to do but we would put in place a bipartisan proposalpo and what people has o be done autopilot, mandatory spending. And at the end of the day we were not able to come up with a solution and we can talk about the reasons why but its the fundamental difference republicans not wanting to do enough on brother and we just couldnt find Common Ground so it was a big disappointment to me in the country because we ourselves deeper in debt and the bigger problem, a deeper and deeper hole to dig out of so i wish wed been successful but we are not. However, almost all of our suggested changes on the spending side, 30 spending appropriate every year and mandatory changes in augmented overtime resulted in some savings in the budget and the ability to reduce the deficit a little bit to move us forward butt here we are again and pleae this time will be a way forward. I think we need leaders to step up and say lets do it again but maybe include outside experts and more time and maybe have a report right after the election and come up with this approach that has statutory grounding with the people who could be involved want to get something done and bring it back to congressman and ultimately they will have a say but we have to solve this problem and it might be the right context to do it. By far my number one feeling is Christmas Eve your holding up a candle Immigration Reform. I think about it are many reasons, people in limbo in ths country, specifically afghan refugees right now trying to get done lindseyey graham and we stl want able to get it on a larger bill, 80000 people in the country right now and half of them have letters in the u. S. Military fauci for them yet they are in level, its a travesty. The Immigration Reform we tried it once under president bush and we really wanted to get it done. As i look at the lessons from those threehe stories im abouto tell, none of which have a happy ending, george bush wanted to get it done, he put it all in, it was at the end of his term he tried to take it on so they got into the privatization issue is harder for him on immigration and lameduck last few years but he really did get it done. Talk radio the beginning of the pushback on the far right and the second time was t under oba, again he waited until second term but this time we were ablet to get through the u. S. Senate and grassley was chair of the Judiciary Committee and we still got it done. My mind this is whats happening, lowest Unemployment Rate in the country and rural areas we dont have enough workers and tourism in these things and you look at the medical professional, Nursing Homes and no great nation has the shrinking workforce. I think were going to find a rude awakening so for me its not just some issue of morality of whats going on, it is economically imperative we get this done. We just lost in the house even though we passed on a bipartisan basis in the senate and the third time its not company has of during trump when a group of 15 of us which included john mccain and tim kaine13 and i ana number of people and we had enough republican votes for that, ten to 15 were able to beat them and get them done and he basically got punched. That would have been creamers, the temporary status people, there millions here, it would have been visas and thing of the work which is what we need right now it would have been moreat money that was ready to go through in the house would have passed it. I am ready to try a fourth but at the least we need to do something about work permits and visas because there are certain areas of the country right now with is not going to be a place to bring grandma and grandpa because we dont have enough workers and with more and more people wanting to go remote looking for that flexibility, its even harder to get people who want to work in hospitals or Nursing Homes or be a Police Officer we a need those jobs so accommodation of apprenticeship for college and the like and what we do to get people jobs with workers right here in Immigration Reform it is an extraordinary number of people from the u. S. Who are immigrants. We have which in 500 ceos, it just goes on and on, america is, we dont diminish america. Thank you and i have a Second Generation immigrant so i am one of those in terms of what we look at bookgr four of my grandparents emigrated. Something both of you said that i would like to ask about, there is this question when youre in the executive branch, theres always the question of when you move from big to small . You describe the parts from the big got done and you describe moving immigration and the question i would ask, what you think about that judgment went to move big to the small and how do you think about the question when you move big to the small or you move and youve given the ability to do the big and im sure hugh can imagine negotiating medicaid, how do you think about this big to the small . How do you think about when to compromise . You just have to decide if what youre doing is worth it could make it worse. With broadband, people didnt did everything they wanted in that bill and rob showed tremendous leadership on that. Heres one example, the gun bill. Obviously i wouldve done a lot more in that. Joe manchin announced he was for banning assault weapons purchases for 1821 in that bill because those perpetrators in you all the deranged young men in uvalde andnd in buffalo both waited until they turn 18 and bought them on t the internet, bought assault weapons. To me theres no explaining it. However, we were unable to get that. We were not able to get the assault weapon ban and that and were not able to get universal background checks, something 80 of people people are for. The question is an light of what we saw in louisville and what we saw in nashville, is it worth the . I would argue itt was worth doig what we did. When we finally took on the nra and the republicans willing to say okay, im going to do this, its worth it and they voted for it and to think that mean something and paves wayi for something in the future. Number two, we we got significant funding for mental health, think hell take a while to work their way through but are good, close the boyfriend loophole in domestic cases. The biggest thing that happened was we finally made some movement. That sets the pace in my mind for that moment that magic moment where we can do something that actually matters. I will end with this story i was in nashville a few weeks ago about a week after the shooting. I went to a bookstore, and padgett who i like because i like her writing and went there for fun. Sometimes it is things for fun. I had gone to the school that morning and i met with a bunch of elected officials and then i was in there and his mom walked by and she was sobbing and she had these books in this back into new who and was and she knew who i was. She had a daughter in the third grade class who was best friends of the two also get killed. She had a picture from a week week before and then she pulled out her phone and it was the text message of the moms and the morning of the shooting, the two moms of the kids who were killed. They were talking about a jazz festival, normal text, what if we did this . What if we did this . All of a sudden one of the moms, the mama eva who was killed, theres life shooting, cant be right. This is ade lie on the internet. No, its right. I hear the, sirens, hear the sirens. The next text is were going to be at the fire hall were going there now and the next text is hallelujah, theyhe found haley, they found this, they found that. The very last text is the mom that started even as mom saying we lost eva. So you saw it in realtime as it happened and it just makes you see we have to do more but then i dont at all look back at what we did and think oh what a disaster. I think it was a start. Those other decisions in that case it wasth chris murphy and john cornyn and a few of the rest of us to work on it. You just have to make those hard decisions and then decide will fight this another day but we have made a difference. Rob, for you. First of all, as republican who was a cosponsor of the bill, part of it, i agree with amy. It was worth doing. You and i had a lot of grandiose ideas and a lot of grandiose members of the cabinet but even more grandiose ideas. Why cant Congress Just do this . You know, change america. Thats not how it works. You have to rely on incremental reform and sometimes its frustrating when youre an executive side pick it was for me. It was for you. But i got to tell you, the gun safety bill is an example. We lost our muscle memory as to how to do any of this. My greatest worry after 30 years of Public Service and working for a few different administrations in the house and senate jobs, and doing a lot of bipartisan work is i think that most of them is needed now more than ever. Its true in my view that every forces looking the other way. Almost like centrifugal force, pushing people out more to the extremes. Its politics. Its easy to raise money on internet now than it is to go to major donors and thats what people do for the most part. Most money is being raised 30, 40, 50 increments. The way you raise that money is you go hard to the right or hard to the left. I can say that because when i was thinking of running against my consultant came to me and said you had to change a whole Internet Funding raising approach because you wont say these things. You have to say if you want to get these people excited. I sit on the running again. Not the onlyn. Reason but its just hard to do it if you really are trying to get things done because youre to take on one other side. When you were saying i dont know, nancy pelosi is a devil and jessica work with her, its a little hard. Or Mitch Mcconnell is and when he shows up, he seemed that email you sent out. The media side of this, you think of the cable shows, some of you probably watch on occasion, fortunately most americans dont, but they thrive on controversy whether its msnbc or fox. Whether you want to go on and talk about the issues, i will say there are some exceptions. We were ukraine, thats right. Those are rare. The media pushes you. The Central Forces if you want to get standing and exposure youve got to be willing to be controversial and i would say media in general isre true with regard to the online influence on politics which is people tend to look online to reinforce their views and sometimes go down this rabbit holes that can get dangerous. The final one is how our primary system has become the priority rather than the general election. People dont vote in primaries like they should. Thats one of the problems and the people make thee decision often. So i worry about this notion that if we dont figure out what dean wilkins talked about earlier, you talked about, which is how you train a new generation of students to think about politics differently thats not afe zerosum game, tt you are your ways to find that elusive Common Ground ultimately. The silverware and look at it is in your own family, in your business, in whatever profession, youve got to compromise unless you want these hightech ceos who can tell everybody what to do. You really have to learn how to do this also in politics begin. To your question, do you do incremental change argued to the big picture . We just have to get back to making a difference. The gun safety for me to difference, its not being ace permitted jet and when it is fundamental outside, in your state take advantage of the centers we provided to the socalled red flag falls with the due process. That would make a big difference all these cases may be with the exception of one recently i think those wouldve been very helpful. En even if a structure bill takes a little time to the implement it. Thats frustrating but they are making a difference and we got to keep at it. Thank you and what to circle back to a topic you raised and it turns out i plan to talk about and it turns at today is quite relevant, but that is te debtng ceiling. As you mention in terms of history, i actually was the fewest Treasury Department when secretary rubin that was his chief of staff when actual intimated the extraordinary measures that are not extraordinary anymore because we actually passed the debt limit and were using measures to make sure that were not defaulting at this point. I wanted to talk about do you see a path to getting there in terms of the nation that going into default, which would be if we think svb and what happened with the bank in terms of liquidity in the system, that is nothing compared to i dont think people really focused on and recognize what happens when thehe federal government stops making payments but more than that it will lock up the entire system most likely in terms of there wont be liquidity. It would be nice, you may have axis is something but you wont have access. This is really important one, and how do you think about how to get a deal so we dont have what would be a crisis . I mean,si of great magnitude for the nation. The second part of this question is should we get rid of the debt limit in terms of what it is . Rob, why dont we start with you as an omb director. You know what it does and doesnt do. We will start here. How do we get a deal and should we just get rid of the thing as part of the disparate . I have been part of a number of these including going back to the First Bush Administration when 1992 as he and his air force deal and i was there during that period i was director of legislative affairs in the first bush white house. We were right up to the edge. We thought 250 billion deficit was a horrible thing and is what president bush was willing to raise taxes which some say it led to his defeat in his reelection effortss because remember pat roberts, pat buchanan took it up and then George Mitchell took it up. So theres political danger in all this. Heres what ihe think. We have to get to a point where we are talking to each other. Of course we owe it to the American People to have a conversation and its crazy to me that we cant sit down and talk. Some democrats totally disagree with that and say there could be no negotiation which is what president obama took asnn his position the third or fourth time, not the first few times when we made some progress. Im not going to put amy on the spot because she will put herself on the spot as usual does, but ive heard her in the last week say you know what we should talk. I agree totally that what we actually come up with may not be nearly enough for some House Republicans who have sent a strong message by passing legislation, good for them, passed legislation delayed up with the conditions would be for extending the debt limit. It wont be all of that made could some of that. I go back to what i said which is if people would embrace this idea we know we have to do something here. By the way, the vastt majority f American People agree with that. Then that couldth be part of it, which is a process. I know that may sound to some like youre kicking the can down the road but if its statutory and it can come back for an up or down vote it would really have teeth. And again give it a little time, maybe reporting in november 2024, magic date, date, uganda 2024, but that would be i think i mentioned earlier incremental reform, the ability for us to find Common Ground. That would be, a very positive result rather than just saying were not going to negotiate, which is a dont think thats aa reasonable position, or wee are going to cut domestic Discretionary Spending by 30, 40 which is not going to happen. There must be some good middle ground and onego business proces id to get sit down, republicans and democrats, and figure out what do we do going forward. So i believe they are going to meet in the next, given this new date that we just literally found out about, june 1. I think a lot of people thought it was originally between june and august. I think that expedites things so there will be discussions now. I was actually arguing and still argue that time for that negotiation is on the budget because were operating under budget that 18 Senate Republicans voted for, and that if i could wave a magic wand to do think we should do general reform of how the process works. Its crazy. I am for to your budgeting. Thats the change, instead of one year. I think that overall would help our country to be on on a mon keel. It does mean you cant still respond to emergencies and do things and haveoe funds set asie but i think the way we do this all the time just it doesnt help us in our competitiveness around the world. We just got out of a pandemicc and we were all in millions of different silos in our economy is finally come back and we still have supply chain issues. I think defaulting on america defaulting on our debt would be the very worst thing we could do right now. And that budget to me whatever which the discussions belong on the budget not on the debt, what they passed is i think youve seen what is out just based on discretionary, 22 cut and yet discussions like this should be on the budget. I hope when they meet, the leaders with the president , that one, they discuss the consequences of this, the stock market, when in 2011 in the threat of it brought our Credit Ratings down, then they go on to discuss process honestly how this could be worked into a discussion on the budget. That may be too much of a train but to me thats a rational way to do it. There are other things by the way that are worth talking about that they could discuss at the time, permitting reform. Its something that both democrats i voted for joe manchin bill, a little more than half our caucus voted for. It was a mess on republican side for other reasons but yeah, you voted, of course he did. That would help with Energy Projects of all kinds that would really need right now. That is something hanging out there that is f fiscally related but honestly isnt. There are manyno other things tt we could be talking about right now that need to be done immediately but could be rolled into the same time. A discussion. Otherwise which is going to sit here, the other thing i would change there to meet people that have to be confirmed by the senate. I would love, theyve added more people as time goes on. I would love to change that for a new president when you dont even kno who the president is, something senator lankford is been interested in for a while. The assistant, the assistant to the assistant to the deputy, that maybe we should let a president whether it is more quickly get in their people. Im not talking about changing debate on cabinet members or anything like that. And any other thing we could do which ise more small ball, we n block them and vote on them all at once. Not all off them but ten defense nominees if a vote on them all at once after v four hours a debate or whatever it is, cabinet under own, you can move those faster. There are many things we should be doing in this World Economy that were in to make us more productive, more efficient more leader and the way you do that is just these reforms the we were doing things economically but also how we are working in the senate. I have a book coming out this is a lot of this. You know, come on. Next monday. 1880. Its called the joy of politics. Really good timing and it was announced the same day as bernies book. My book is the joy of politics and his book is called its okay to be angry at capitalism. [laughing][l but one of the segments i have in this book is ideas for reform which i think really need. Can we talk about debt limit for a second . One thing they could slow sometimes in the discussion is we do have a crisis in terms of our fiscal condition. We cant forget about it because for so long economy was so good, even though that was building up but now were looking at a debt as a percent of our economy which bob hale ought to look at it. Which is i would argue by far worse than its ever been. R there was one year after world war ii where it was this high but we didnt have medicare then as an example. We have just been a lot on the war we reduced so its an entirely different context. This is really frightening for not just futureur generations ce for this generation. Why . Because you get every economic repercussions if we dont deal with this. We have to get back to the 32 trillion and say this is a our country and its current economy, not just the future. Second, you just realize as operative as a debt limit is as much as some people like to force it to go away as an issue, it does force congress to act. Since the mid1980s with the grammrudman was done during a debt crisis there been a production since been. N. Has he been adequate . No. Super committed was not adequate but they did something to all a came out of what process, the debt limit discussion. The only time we been able to get asked this been in asia is been in the context of debt limit. Is it scary . Yes, and it is very scary for me right now because not only is it time frame beenn sped up but theres no negotiation and we have to have an alternative. We cant go over the limit. We will have downgrades this time and will affect all of us and all the people who we all represent. Or represented. I just wanted to throw that out there because sometimes that gets lost in the whole discussion is we really do have a crisis. Second, at least historically for the last 30 years all thats really work to get congress to Pay Attention to this has been the debt limitit discussion. Which calls into question what forces thegr congress to a . Actually my senior thesis in college was on deregulation of the thrift industry. For those of you want a good night read here glaad but that was the hypothesis. Banking regulation will only occur in the u. S. Come you only have reform. That was hypothesis of a senior thesis in college which was about the thrift industry. You only have reform if you have a crisis . Like the doddfrank a thing. You wind up and thats what youre suggesting the regular budget cycle wont force it. Is what ire think you are suggesting, senator portman. You know were not going k to get your big reform done in two weeks, thats the issue, or change the tax system, tax cuts. What i think youre suggesting process to reform. I wouldnt even speak im going to bring you back here. We could have a good policy discussion. The three of us would support a twoyear budget. Before Lamar Alexander left he and i thought about doing one of the commissions on getting people confirmed because you cant run, you just cant run. Its way too hard to run the government. We did pass a rule to reduce the amount by about 20 . We did. But there were more last question. And its interesting because it relates to something you said rob about the media and all these things. One of your colleagues, amy image and his colleague, chris murphy. He wrote a piece i think coauthored with an academic, and it was about how our nation has swung and this gets to the founding fathers. It wasnt federalist number ten, sorry david im not going use that but it was alexis de tocqueville in democracy in america. It is on the way from the community to the individual, that one ofe the biggest probls that we have that gets expressed through the form of some of the immediate issues you were talking about, that we had a nation that focuses more on we all focus on individualism, more than focus on community. Its the liberty democracy kind of think thing. I would love to hear as we close out how you all think about that concept andce its important for so many of our students that are here toar hear you thinking abot it. I found it verynt interesting. So i think that people have been shook up recently, and maybe its the error of donald trump and the insurrection and thed like, but people have stepped back. Its understandable that in todays world where everyone is looking at pictures of himselfry on instagram, and the way that all has become so internalized, the forces of the pandemic and as rob was point out how people have been pushed not just politically two different stations and Different Streaming Services but even in the culture and what they are watching. That all leads to individual focus and separate focus as opposed to what we have in common. So what are the signs that we could swing back the other way . I think that the first sign was american push back after trump, honestly, and the pushback even in the midterms where when election deniers were on the ballot you actually saw moderate republicans, independents and democrats voting the most in minnesota this was true, for he secretary of state candidate that most people did know as well as say the other candidates that had the highest voter turnout because of running against an election deniers. You saw that in some other states as welll or in arizona or other places where they really matter to people, be it assault on speaker pelosis husband. People just thought oh, my god what are we turning into . This is someone again another derangedge person whos reading all the stuff a again and believing it. So to me there is american push back on the extremes and that is really important. Liz cheney his role and adding kins under and the january 6th committee Adam Kenzinger all of that was accepting think people thought why do we care about this . They do care about that. The other thing is just actually a warar in ukraine. I know theres a lot of questions come our republican still there and all that . Man, people stood up for that in a big way and they are Still Standing up for that. Thatat simple moment when president zelensky went to the streetcorner when everyone had come out except maybe rob and me and a few other people, the whole worldhe thought, are all these people at the munich security a council . He went down there and said the simpleen words, we are here. We are here. And he got his country to go with him and he got the world to go with him. If you wouldnt have done it Vladimir Putin would not just invaded ukraine. Us theree was no stopping him. So it is a hard slog, that war, i know but remember wohl and Mohammad Reza pahlavi people in bright blue from their slumber about what itat means to be a democracy. I still think as hard as it is that is still there in our psyche. And so those kinds of things, and people having moments of kindness and reaching out and seeing see each other again, whether its High School Sporting events or parades and being at banks now were icy tons of people, thats going to change things. That makes people see each other and police have an opportunity to civilly debate and see someone you really didnt think he wanted to see again but maybe they are okay. Those kinds of things we had to get back into that if were going to have any kind of a democracy in a civil society. Those are the things that give me hope as a look at whats going on. The final thing that gives me hope is people like rob portman who are willing to show courage and a lot of difficult circumstances politically. Well, amy gave me hope went after a 12 hour train ride on a mattress a soft as his wooden table, she emerged from the train. We went to ukraine together and was in a good mood to meet president zelensky spur i will note, desha ihe told rob at present i took the Orient Express was likees velvet curtas and he and i were on the chicken express. Like people were literally had baskets of cheese and chickens. Continue on. Say that one but i convinced amy to join on the trip was to tell her that there would be food t served in the dining car and there were showers, which somebody had told me. [laughing] false. Ere totally there was a big platter achieves delivered to us i think i see the person. [laughing] good job. I think that was maxwell. [laughing] let me get back your question for just a second. Seriously, amy and i worked a lot together. We still stay in touch and thank goodness she is a very. I read chriss piece and it was sort of academic. Chris f is a friend. Weve done a lot together. We did legislations now i think quite effective and needed to push back against this information and propaganda, which is growing, particularly from russia and china. We are way behind on that. Hes a guy also, and on the gun safety bill willing to work across the aisle. On this onewi ihe mean what de tocqueville talked about in terms of what makes America Special continues today relative to other countries which is civic participation. In my hometown of cincinnati where im livingic a fulltime t always have kept her home and jane is here, people are really involved in the community as a are in your communities. In washington or whatever youre from and thats a good thing about america but theres a creeping loneliness and thats why i agree with what that paper talked about. It wasas already there precovid but it exacerbated it. It made more people feel more lonely. There was a stat over the weekend that he read about 30 of young women, girls who were in high school have contemplated suicide. 30 . And my daughter sally is here somewhere. Shes no longer in high school but i but i just think about that. This is a whole generation that feels the loneliness and the sense of despair. We talk about the depths of despair, the increases had coe the increase overdoses to many of which arech caused by people medicating. Amy and i work a lot any area of opioids and it is shifted. These horrible feels now that people dont need to take. They think its Something Else but there is this trend in a country that is very disturbing. To that degree i found it helpful to read that. Whats the solution . That connectivity, the ability to connect with her family and friends and her neighbors and some club, remember bowling alone . That was one of the first indications that i i became me aware of that this is a national phenomenon. Its gotten worse not better. I gave a commencement address yesterday and talk about this. Doing another one next weekend saying i mean i think amy and i cant play ae huge role here. Its got to be something that truly in our culture, deeper but we can play role in telling people get engaged, get involved come be with people, join a sportsed team. Do what it takes to connect with people because that to me is what i took out of the article is the biggest issue. Its not a political issue but it is totally bipartisan. Its not just republicans or democrats are white people like people. And ifross the board they get it makes it a lot worse. Thats going to be with us and Artificial Intelligence isnt going to make it n any better. It could make it worse. Thank you. Thank you. On that happy note were going to bring it back up. Were going to bring it back up. Thank you both, bowling alone by bob putnam, the concept is weighted ball to a nation where we dont bolt together as example but there areep many, my more in the book. This loneliness concept that you touched on theg wrist another interesting piece by ezra klein, a podcast come up we design for bowling was that i if youre interested in these topics. Want to close with deep appreciation were i began. You all do and you just continue doing and other ways is so important. And it is the answer. It is thepe hope. There are two things in this room are for hope and the ad one is that there are Amy Klobuchar is and rob portman that in the United States senate, that are mayors of cities, that our state legislators, and that does exist and we dont always hear about that but it does exist and as part of thee second things l the students that are here today in this room in terms of the hope, and thats what we do at the school, is and why you all are here is because we believe that isto the way this is goingo work. That is this next generation sing the models, learning from people like you in terms of learning from a place that makes you listen to others, that talks about the facts, that teaches Critical Thinking so we can get to the place where we have more. So that is hope im going to in with. And deep appreciation and i think vicki youre going to close this out. Join me in thanking the senators and our president. [applause] for this excellent conversation i just wanted bypr everyone to join us up on the roof, beautiful views, great food and drink so please make your way there. Theres an elevator and hope to see you there but thank you for attending, and again thanks for all you do. [applause] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] the u. S. Senate now in recess for the weekly caucus meetings in the 118th congress photo. Today lawmakers are considering the president o nominees to service used dish a court judges for new jersey and new york. Throughout the week senators will continue work on judicial and executive nominations including Colleen Shogan to t archivist of the United States. Watch live coverage of the senate when lawmakers return here on cspan2. Now yesterday treasury secretary janet yellen released a letter warning that the u. S. Government will likely default on its obligations as soon as june 1, only 30 days away. Rather than listen to reason, Speaker Mccarthy has caved to extremists bypassing the default on america act come hes handed the keys over to the House Freedom caucus pick many of whom are more than happy to let the u. S. Default if d they dont get every last cut, and every last unrelated hard right policy that has been added to this bill. Everyone of them they want. As one House Freedom caucus member said plainly, Speaker Mccarthy cannot get to 218 with changes to this deal. Let me read that again. So everyone hears it. This is where were at. A Freedom House caucus member, each of them as we know has great power in the house because they didnt change the rules. As oneed Freedom Caucus member s said plainly, quote, Speaker Mccarthy now heres the court. Speaker mccarthy quote, cannot get to 218 with changes to this deal, unquote. But as is obvious to just about anyone who looks at this, the default on america act has been future in the senate. Consequently Speaker Mccarthy has cleared a situation where he knowingly passed an extreme bill, has beenue boxed by his republican colleagues into a corner, and now has little room to maneuver, lest he provoked the ire of the House Freedom caucus. Mccarthy is giving us two terrible oxygens. Either default on the debt or default on our country options whiskey severe devastating cuts, to things like Law Enforcement, veterans, families, teachers, kids, even cancer research. The only real option that does not hurt the American People is a clean, bipartisan bill to avert default. As americans look into the default on america act that the house has passed, they will discover that it reads like a plan, they will discover that it reads, as americans look at the default on america act, which the house just passed, they will discover it reads less like a plan for averting default and more like a House Freedom caucus manifesto. The default on america act would tear at the fabric of american society, impose dramatic cuts to our public security, cutting Law Enforcement dramatically at a time when we need help from them. The cruel abandonmenton of veterans when we should be defending our veterans. Terrible job losses at a time when this last congress under democratic control started bringing jobs back from overseas to america, on chips, manufacture, on batteries and on so many other things. Blocking access to affordable healthcare over 21 million americans could lose the healthcare gains we have made over the last while, and brutal attacks on working families. Across the board. In fact, nothing about the default on america act has been onn the level. Let me quote something that Speaker Mccarthy said right after becoming speaker. This is a quote from Kevin Mccarthy your quote, i want to give all americans a personal invitation. You are welcome to see this body at work. No longer with the doors be closed but thees debates will be open from the Committee Rooms to this for we commit to pursue the true passion and embraced debate. Well, lets goe over that one. No more closed doors . Give me a break. The default on america bill was written entirely behind closed doors without a shred of transparency. Thisd bill would so dramatically and deeply and harmfully hurts america was done entirely behind closed doors. Debates will be in the open . How manye Committee Debates did the house gop hold on their default on american actress how many expert witnesses were invited . How many amendments from the democratic side were allowed to be presented . Again, the truth is default on america is an extremist bill that would never have a shot at passing muster with the American Public on its own. As such, everything about this bill was rushed, was secret, was the antithesis of open and transparent. Mccarthys words ring hollow. The American People deserve better. Now if republicans refused to love with the American People about their bill, Senate Democrats are more than happy to do it. We will show the American People have default on america act will decimate federal Law Enforcement in