Transcripts For MSNBCW MSNBC Live With Yasmin Vossoughian 20201219

And i know what those jobs will mean for the planet and those workers and families. Im proud to have been a u. S. Citizen for 40 years. But i arrived here as a Canadian Immigrant at age 4 brought by parents seeking opportunity. My mom is a funny and fierce irishwelsch newfy, born in newfoundland, a fish progress vin fishing province they call the rock. Like many women in her generation, she didnt go to college, but she married a great man, my dad, who passed away earlier this year of a cerebral hemorrhage. My dad was born in rural canada, in a log cabin, with no running water, and extreme poverty. His father, my grandfather, emigrated during the great depression, again, speaking opportunity. But when my grandfather could not find a job to support his young family in desperation, by grandfather shot himself, leaving my grandmother and three Young Children in dire poverty. My mother was three years old when that happened. When he was 11, my dad found work at a sawmill and never stopped working. He married my mom. They came to america for work. And despite not having a college degree, my hardworking, gentle father got the fair chance that he was looking for in america. He had started out as a bank teller and he retired as head of the bank. And its because of my familys journey and my experience in fighting for hardworking michigan families that i have become obsessed, obsessed with creating goodpaying jobs in america in a global economy. Obsessed with seizing the opportunities that a Clean Energy Future will provide for american workers. So we can stand on the sidelines and let other countries beat us to these opportunities or get in the game. And i am so ready and honored, coach, that you are putting me on the field with this amazing team to help create those jobs in every pocket of this country and especially in the hardest hit places and the people that are waiting on the fair chance that they need. Thank you for tapping me to work on their behalf. Mr. President elect, madame Vice President elect, thank you for this opportunity. Growing up as a child, hunting and fishing with my father and grand father in eastern north carolina, i developed a deep love and respect for the outdoors and our Natural Resources. But i also experienced respiratory issues that required me to use an inhaler on days when pollutants and allergens were especially dad. Ive always been curious about the connections between our environment and our health, how the world around us contributes to or detracts from our enjoyment of life. So after completing my education in environmental science, there was one place in particular that i wanted to work the epa. When i started that first summer internship, i never imagined that one day i would be nominated to lead an agency as its administrator. So this opportunity, its a dream come true. Since the start of my career, my goals have been the same, to safeguard our Natural Resources, to improve the quality of our air and our water. To protect our families and our communities, and to help them seize the opportunities of a cleaner, healthier world. Now im honored to pursue those goals with leaders who understand whats at stake. When president elect biden called out the plight of the pence line communities during fence line communities during the campaign, he made it clear we would no longer deal with the issues just up to the fence line of these facilities, but that we would see the people on the other side of those fencelines. Hes backed up that commitment by assembling a team that reflects america. And im proud to join the Vice President elect as a fellow hbcu graduate in this administration. Together, this team will ensure that Environmental Justice are top in mind when we tackle these issues. After nearly a decade at the epa, i know first hand the remarkable dedication and talent of those career stats. As a state official, i understand how actions from epa can help or hurt local efforts. Were going to understand the epa is a Strong Partner for the states, not a roadblock. We will be driven by our convictions that every person in our great country has the right to clean air, clean water, and a healthier life. No matter how much money they have in their pockets, the color of their skin, or the community that they live in. We will move with a sense of urgency on Climate Change, protecting our drinking water, and enact an Environmental Justice from time to time work that empowers people in all communities. We also know that these challenges cant be solved by regulation alone. And we also know that Environmental Protection and economic prosperity, theyre not mutually exclusive. They go hand in hand. We need an all hands on deck approach, from industry to individuals. Finding Common Ground to build back better for workers, for our communities, for our economy, and yes, for our planet. And thats what well pursue, together. I look forward to continuing this work on behalf of the American People. So thank you. Good afternoon. Mr. President elect, madame president elect madame Vice President elect, i am honored by the trust you have placed in me and i look forward to working with this incredible team. Im grateful for the chance to return to Public Service at a time when Agency Personnel are looking for optimism, and so many communities are struggling under the weight of persistent, interwoven crises. I know firsthand the challenges that everyday people face when one unexpected illness or expense can up end the economic stability of a family. I grew up in the working Class Community in connecticut, in a town not so miff from scranton, pennsylvania. I know the faces of the marginalized, and i appreciate the challenges of urban pollution. While the words Climate Change and environmental injustice were not part of the vernacular back then, the evidence of their impacts was all around. This that setting, there was plenty of opportunity to work to make a difference in peoples lives. For my parents, particularly my father, dedication to tackling Community Challenges was vitally important. Service in all its forms was essential. They taught me to be a problem solver. To recognize that each of us is blessed with different talents and we are all called to bring those gifts to bear, in whatever wherever we are to work with anyone and everyone to make things better in communities that we share. This has been the driving force and the guiding principle of my journey. I earned a High School Scholarship that changed the course of my life. I became the first person in my family to go to college. I attended law school. And at each stage, i was aware of how different the world i came from was from the one i was entering. I didnt set out to specialize in environmental issues. Once i started, i was always mirn mindful of the practical indecisions. As a staffer at the commission on human rights, i learned that ensuring the health and wellbeing of all communities had to be reconciled. It is essential that we deploy smart and human humane policy to help communities pull themselves back from the edge and improve the health, security, and prosperity of their of all people. The build back better plan is poised to breathe new life into the council on environmental equality. Ceq will work with a broad range of partners on a broad range of issues, tackle the full breadth of Climate Change. Preserve the natural treasures of our nation. Center Environmental Justice. And help more communities overcome Legacy Environmental impacts. I am grateful to the president elect and Vice President elect for elevating this work and lifting up the communities where it will make the most difference. Thank you for the opportunity to seven. Mr. President elect, madame Vice President elect, thank you so much for this opportunity to serve. And to work beside and with this incredibly talented team. You know, the issues ive been taking on in this role are very personal to me, and they have been for as long as i can remember. As keen listeners, you already guessed that i grew up in and around the city of boston. My dad was a teacher in the Boston School system store more than 40 years, and my mom waitressed at local doughnut shops. You know, looking back, i guess we were a lower middle class family, but we didnt know it. Instead of the expensive vacations, my sisters and i did our adventuring in our own backyards, maying in the woods oopse, ill take that off. Playing around in the woods and ponds around the hometown. A beach day for my family was a swim in Boston Harbor. At that point in time, it meant coming out of the water with oil and other things stuck to our skin. So we would have to dry and clean ourselves all at the same time. That was back in the 60s before the first earth day. But we managed, and Boston Harbor today is terrific. But all i can think of is back when i was in Grammar School and the nuns used to jump up and say run, close the windows, because when the rubber factory across the street started to spew chemical stenches into the air, it would come wafting into our classroom. And that smell kept us from recess more days than i or my teacher ever care to remember. So i figured out early that there was just an intrinsic connection between our environment and our health. And that understanding drew me into a very long career of Public Service. Which i will never regret and always cherish. And i did it because trying to help families and Communities Just like mine. And those who are facing certainly much steeper and more instead use legacies of environmental so they could overcome the challenges that were holding them back. Environmental protection is part of my moral fiber. Its what i live for. And im proud of the progress that weve made across the United States and im proud of the work that i did for many years at local and state governments, as well as at epa to make sure our air and water were cleaner, to make communities safer and more liveable. And to begin to confront the crisis of Climate Change. And im here today because Climate Change is not only a threat to the planet, it is a threat to our health and our wellbeing. Its a threat to people everywhere, and the precious Natural Resources that we depend on. Defeating this threat is the fight of our lifetimes. And our success will require the engagement of every community, every sector in our nation, and every country in the world. But the opportunities to act on Climate Change right now fill me with incredible optimism, with hope, with energy, and with excitement. We not only have the responsibility to meet this moment together, we have the capacity to meet this moment together. The president elect has put together the strongest climate plan ever raised to this level of leadership. It rises to the incredible moment of opportunity we have to build back better, for our health, for jobs, and for communities that have been systematically disadvantaged for years. It will be my incredible honor to help turn this plan into promises kept, by marshaling every part of our government, working directly with communities and harnessing the force of science and the values of Environmental Justice. To build a Better Future for my two very soontobe three little grandchildren. And for generations of americans to come. So thank you for this opportunity to help put americans back to work in innovative, good paying clean energy jobs, to improve the health of our communities, and to help clear the path for people in every hometown in america, to live brighter, cleaner, and more vibrant lives. Thank you. Thank you, president elect biden and Vice President elect harris. I am deeply honored to answer your call to serve this nation that i love, especially at this moment of consequence. For our planet, and for the people who live here, the peril of the Climate Crisis is already evident. But we can also see the promise in the jobs casting and machining, installing and rewiring, pouring new foundations and building new industries. And in the possibility of repairing communities hurt, places where pollution has been heavy, and opportunity has never quite reached. Mr. President elect and madame Vice President elect, you campaigned on delivering that promise by mounting a response equal to the existential threat that we face. Not only by listening to the science, but also by invigorating the economy, revving up manufacturing and innovation. Spurring good paying union jobs. And advancing justice long overdue. Leading by the example of america at its best. When my parents moved from pakistan to pennsylvania, they brought two little kids and a few suitcases of dreams. Dreams their kids are living today. Danish, my brother, a doctor on the frontlines of the covid crisis. And me, moving to the frontlines of the fight against Climate Change. To be healthy, to have purpose, to be able to give back. That is how our parents taught us to define the american dream. I am so grateful to be serving alongside the seem you have assembled. Grateful for gina mccarthy, my good friend. For the inspiring leaders on this stage, and for those with whom well partner all across your administration. This has been a trying year for all americans marked by so much loss. But throughout, you, sir, have been there for us. And when the pandemic hit closer to home, you were there for me. Mr. President elect, that is who you are, a person of faith and family, of decency and goodness. Your leadership gives me hope. My students, scientists imagining and inventing, they give me hope. Young organizers, mobilizing and advocating, they give me hope. And together, i know we will meet this moment. Thank you and god bless you. Good afternoon. A few months ago, as wildfires raged across the west, i traveled home to california. What i saw on that trip and so many others in recent years was heartbreaking. Charred playgrounds, homes and neighborhoods in ashes, firefighters battling fires while their own homes burned to the ground. My brotherinlaw is actually a firefighter in california, as well. Some of the most toxic air anywhere in the world. Two years ago, in 2018, when i visited communities like paradise, california, that had been devastated by wildfires, that years fire season was considered the worst in californias history. This fire season was even worse. The worst in californias history, and americas history. Of course, fires are only one symptom of our growing Climate Crisis. In recent years, families across the midwest have experienced historic flooding, while families all along our coast have endured some of the most active hurricane seasons on record. They only name a storm if its particularly dangerous. This year, we had more named storms than ever before. Our Climate Crisis is not a partisan issue. And it is not a hoax. It is an existential threat to all of us, particularly poor communities and communities of color who bear the greatest risks from polluted air, polluted water, and a failing infrastructure. Many years ago, 15 years ago when i was District Attorney in san francisco, i created the first Environmental Justice unit in the city and one of the first in our country. Because i believed then, as i do now, everyone has a right to breathe clean air and drink clean water. Of course, so does our president elect biden. Part of the season i was so proud to join joe biden as his running mate was because he was proposing one of the most ambitious climate plans in history. A plan to secure Carbon Pollution free electricity by 2035. A plan to achieve net zero emissions no later than 2050. A plan to invest in a Clean Energy Future and create millions of goodpaying, union jobs along the way. And the team that president elect biden and i are announcing today will help make that plan a reality. These are some of our countrys most seasoned Public Servants and climate experts. They have experience mastering the most effective ways to get things done when it comes to Climate Change. They recognize the importance of bringing together the private sector and organized labor, together with government. To meet these challenges and to confront this crisis head on with our allies and partners around the world. And they are compassionate leaders, who understand that ultima ultimately, addressing Climate Change is about building Safer Communities and healthier communities and Thriving Communities for all americans. These Public Servants reflect the very best of america, and they are the team we need to meet this urgent challenge. In his 2015 and cyclical, the holy father pope francis wrote humanity still has the ability to Work Together in building our common home. Starting on january 20th, we will work to heed those words, and come together here in our country and around the world, to build and protect our common home for generations to come. Thank you, mr. President elect, for this day. Thank you. All right, everybody. You have been watching joe biden introducing his energy and climate team, the team that hes tasking with the care of our climate. You just saw each person speak and some reporters were shouting questions at the president elect but he did not answer any of them. I want to go to our reporter now in wilmington, delaware. This group is notable on many fronts. Its historic. If confirmed, we would have the first native american cabinet secretary and the first black man to lead the epa. Can you talk about how significant this team is . Reporter well, with all of these namings, this is really rounding out not just diversity on this particular team, but diversity across the entire cabinet with this now with these nominations, the most diverse cabinet, if approved, in american history. But there was also a real focus on the commonalities between all these nominees. If you noticed with the bios, each spoke in great detail and often personally about their own backgrounds and working class backgrounds. Take a listen. The president elect and Vice President elect are committed to a diverse cabinet, and im honored and humbled to accept their nomination for secretary of the interior. Growing up in my mothers pueblo household made me fierce. My life has not been easy. I struggled with homelessness, i relied on food stamps and raised my child as a single mom. These struggles give me perspectives, though, so that i can help people to succeed. Reporter i think this is a good moment to point out the threat that we are seeing through joe bidens entire cabinet. Hes choosing so many people who have this working class, life experience. That is a real counterpart to what we saw in the Trump Administration when the early articles that were written about just the Record Number of millionaires, billionaires who were being named to his cabinet. Joe biden seems to be going out of his way to find people who have those types of backgrounds, from the working class. He also made clear that hes not going to cede to anyone the argument that you have to choose between jobs and the environment. As a matter of fact, he made clear very many times to note the number of union jobs and great specificity that could be created by transferring to a clean energy economy. He mentioned iron workers, home builders, electric cars and jennifer granholm, the Energy Department nominee, made clear shes all in on that. That is notable that hes including the Energy Department as part of this green team, to demonstrate what a commitment this is going to be. Of course, the position of gina mccarthy, the former epa director, being appointed as essentially a czar to coordinate across all of these agencies in a job that is within the white house with direct access to the president is also a demonstration of the president elects commitment to try and make Climate Change and a Clean Energy Future a real priority in his administration. And shell work hand in hand with john kerry, the special envoy, tasked with thinking about climate issues. Heidi, the same things that stuck out to me, many of these team members were talking about their own experiences with poverty. We know that underserved communities are typically the most affected by some of these climate issues. Heidi, thank you. Right now on capitol hill the announcement of a deal could come any time, as legislators are working on their finishing touches of that 900 billion Coronavirus Relief package. A deadline that is now set for late tomorrow night after they passed a 48hour extension yesterday to keep the government open. Nbcs Leeann Caldwell is on capitol hill. What are the Sticking Points in this relief package, and republicans held a Conference Call earlier today. Do we know what happened today . Reporter when the morning started into late morning, there seemed to be a lot of optimism that a deal was within reach, that they were close to it. But republicans held a Conference Call this afternoon at 1 00 with treasury secretary mnuchin. It was about primarily the main Sticking Point in these negotiations, and that is a provision by senator pat toomey, a republican from pennsylvania. And in that Conference Call, senator Mitch Mcconnell threw his entire support behind toomey and encouraged his members to do so, as well. So that is not necessarily a good sign in these negotiations, especially when Chuck Schumer opened the senate floor this morning saying the toomey provision is just something they cannot agree to. So they are at this deep, teach stalemate at this point, on this one issue. Ill just explain this issue very briefly and quickly. Its a Federal Reserve Lending Program for small and midsized businesses. Its supposed to expire at the end of the year. It was created just for the c. A. R. E. S. Act for the pandemic response. Senator toomey wants to ensure this program cannot get restarted in the new year. Democrats say it ties the hands of the biden administration, and they say that it is just unacceptable. So this seems to be the last remaining issue, lindsey, and it now it seems very difficult on how theyre going to get through it. Nbcs Leeann Caldwell, thank you for that update. Moderna is preparing right now to ship millions of doses of its vaccine nationwide after the fda okayed it for emergency use last night. Shaq brewster is in mississippi. What is the latest on the rollout plan . Reporter workers are inside the facility behind me to essentially turn the vaccine and stockpile of vaccine into individual shipments. We learned this morning from the che chief operating officer of operation warp speed, the plan is to have trucks roll out as soon as tomorrow. Remember, overall, moderna is promising 20 million doses of this newly approved vaccine by the fda to be submitted and get out to providers by the end of the year. They say that number will go up to 100 million by the spring and once you hit the number, they say 200 million doses will be out there. The key difference between this vaccine and the rollout last week with the Pfizer Vaccine is how fast and how many people this can go to. This vaccine does not need to have that super cold storage, those special freezers that weve been seeing all week long. It can be held at a more Industry Standard temperature in terms of freezing. So that means it can go to more locations more quickly. You can expect to see this at pharmacies, doctors offices, nursing homes, Rural Communities far from a Major Hospital that have that expensive freezer. That is good news for people, especially in tennessee, where theyre dealing with the spike in the coronavirus. You heard the governor saying that yes, the vaccine is on its way, but that will not cure the bigger issues in terms of indifference to the virus and the basic refusal to wear a mask. Right now, workers are doing whatever they can to get that vaccine out as fast as they can, now that they have gotten that emergency use authorization from the fda. Lindsey . Not everybody has access to the vaccine right now. Right now we do have the virus here on our door stop. Shaquille brewster, some good news on the vaccine front. Still ahead, more breaking news. President trumps stunning claim about the massive cyber attack on the u. S. Government that has his aides scrambling. This while playing down a historic cyber attack on democracy, drawing criticism from his own party. Oh, oh, oh, ozempic® announcer onceweekly ozempic® is helping many people with type 2 diabetes like emily lower their blood sugar. A majority of adults who took ozempic® reached an a1c under 7 and maintained it. Heres your a1c. Oh my a1c is under 7 announcer and you may lose weight. Adults who took ozempic® lost on average up to 12 pounds. I lost almost 12 pounds oh announcer for those also with known heart disease, ozempic® lowers the risk of major cardiovascular events such as heart attack, stroke, or death. It lowers the risk. Oh and i only have to take it once a week. Oh oh, oh, oh, ozempic® announcer ozempic® is not for people with type 1 diabetes or diabetic ketoacidosis. 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The best dressed assistant locker room manager in the league. Frankie thompson. Im here to help you protect your clothes from getting damaged in the wash. Nah thats why i use new downy defy. It helps stop stretching, fading, and fuzzing. Thats whats up we have an assistant locker room manager . Help protect your clothes with new downy defy damage. Well, audreys expecting. Twins grandparents we want to put money aside for them, so. Change in plans. Alright, lets see what we can adjust. Wed be closer to the twins. Change in plans. Okay. Mom, are you painting again . You could sell these. Lemme guess, change in plans . At fidelity, a change in plans is always part of the plan. Just a short time ago, nbc news learned that white house officials were preparing to formally attribute this weeks massive cyber attack to russia. But were then told to stand down. Today, President Trump is finally speaking out and using claims to describe one of the largest cyber hacks in u. S. History. Nearly a week after the news first broke. In a tweet, he writes but his own secretary of state mike pompeo is blaming the russians. Joining me now is nbcs Josh Letterman from the white house. Josh, were the president s own aides kind of taken aback by this tweet . Reporter they were, lindsay. Within hours of this hack, first coming to light last weekend, u. S. Officials and outside cyber experts were telling us that all signs were pointing to a unit of russias foreign intelligence service. So it was not a surprise when we heard pompeo make those comments. Now were learning from a u. S. Official that yesterday, officials at the white house were actually preparing to go ahead with whats called attribution, which is a critical step when the u. S. Intelligence Community Responds to Something Like this. They were preparing a statement to formally attribute this cyber breach to russias government. But then they were told to hold off and put that statement on ice, and today, the president s tweets suggesting a, that this was not really that big of a deal. And b, that it might be china instead of russia. Caught officials at the white house off guard. They did not know it was coming. It sent them scrambling to figure out how to square what the president is saying on twitter with what u. S. Officials and others have been saying about the extent of this breach and who might have been responsible for it. Now, in response to the questions weve been asking all afternoon about what gives with the president s tweets, were hearing from White House National security counsel who said a few minutes ago, at this time, the nsc is focused on investigating the circumstances surrounding the incidents and working with our partners to mitigate the situation. He goes on to say there will be an appropriate response to those actors behind this conduct. So in that statement, the White House National Security Council not naming russia or china, but in fact, referring to actors in the plural, perhaps trying to give the administration some wiggle room to try to square these various statements. Also important to note that nsc statement does not down play this hack. Josh letterman, thank you. The president s daughterinlaw and Senior Campaign adviser laura trump served on the board of a limited liability company, through which the trump operation has spent 700 million since 2019, according to documents reviewed by the new york times. One of the other Board Members is john pence, the nephew of Vice President mike pence and a senior trump adviser. Joining me now is glenn kirshner. So these records show even more intermingling of trumps political and family interests here. What are the concerns . Well, the concern is, when you hear that Jared Kushner secretly set up a Shell Corporation and ran through that corporation hundreds of millions of dollars in campaign cash, a corporation that apparently had, as its president lara trump, and a nephew of the Vice President , it sounds problematic. Now, people will say, well, did they violate any laws . It frankly is impossible to answer that question. I will say Campaign Finance cash, money, contributions, theyre very heavily regulated. There are tax reporting requirements. So we have no idea if this was on the up and up or just a way to grift some Campaign Contributions for themselves. The only way to answer that question is really to have a full, fair, aggressive, apolitical grand jury investigation opened by the Incoming Department of justice in january, subpoena the records, subpoena the documents. These kind of cases are paper intensive, so there will be records. There will be documents. Of course, theyll interview witnesses and at the end of the process can you declare yes, what they were doing was criminal or no, what they were doing was not criminal, even if it looked pretty shady. You were reporting that Jared Kushners Shell Company that nbc news has not confirmed. A spokesperson for the president said lara trump or john pence were paid for their services as Board Members and resigned in october to focus on the campaign. But they said there would be no ethical or legal reason they couldnt serve on the board. Do you agree . There may be an appearance problem at a minimum. But appearance problems, when you have the appearance of a conflict or an appearance that something they be out of the ordinary or nefarious, that doesnt necessarily mean theres a legal problem. But, you know, especially when you work at the department of justice for decades, appearances mean everything. And thats why, under circumstances like this, when youre dealing with, you know, Campaign Contributions, you really need to Pay Attention to even the appearance of a problem or a conflict or an impropriety. But this one is going to take a lot of digging to see whether there was actual illegality. Theres some reports that President Trump is getting ready to issue a wave of pardons. So my question is, who do you likely think is in the running right now . I mean, who is not in the running, lindsey . There has been a lot of talk about President Trump pardoning himself. Of course, he has said very publicly that he has the power to pardon himself. And i dont know that the courts would ultimately agree with that. I think we all agree that the president ial pardon power is broad. There doesnt seem to be any limitation in the language of the constitution. But i do think there are reasons for a selfpardon to be tested. You know, theres an office of Legal Counsel opinion from the watergate era in 1974, where the department of justice olc offered an opinion that a selfpardon was unconstitutional. If donald trump did it, and i predict theres a good chance he will, theres a really important reason to test it in the courts. If you dont test it in the courts, it will become precedent, not legal precedent, but it will become atmospheric precedent. Everyone will look back and say, well, President Trump did it and nobody channeled it. Therefore, all future president s can do it. Thats a dangerous atmospheric precedent to set. Glenn, quickly before we let you go, because of that legal ambiguity that you mentioned, it led to this oped, if trump pard pardons himself, biden should unpardon himself. Is that possible . The constitution doesnt prohibit the revocation of a selfpardon. A pardon is nothing more than an exec save outive order. And incoming president s off undo, revoke, modify executive orders by their predecessors. So i actually think its not so crazy to at least entertain the notion that joe biden could revoke a selfpardon that President Trump daned to give himself. Glenn, good to talk to you today. Thanks for joining us. Thanks, lindsey. Still ahead, leading by example, dr. April lockly joins me live to discuss her efforts to instill confidence in the vaccine to the black Community Despite a long and disturbing history of distrust. And a programming note, as we go to break, tomorrow on the sunday show, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Dionne Warwick join us at 10 00 a. M. Eastern right here on msnbc. Msnbc. At dell technologies, we started by making the cloud easier to manage. But we didnt stop there. We made a cloud flexible enough to adapt to any size business. No matter what it does, or how it changes. And we kept going. So you only pay for what you use. Because at dell technologies, we stop. At nothing. But today theres a combination of two immunotherapies you can take first. One that could mean. A chance to live longer. Opdivo plus yervoy is for adults newly diagnosed with nonsmall cell lung cancer that has spread and that tests positive for pdl1 and does not have an abnormal egfr or alk gene. Its the first and only approved chemofree combination of two immunotherapies that works together in different ways to harness the power of the immune system. Opdivo plus yervoy equals a chance for more days. More nights. More beautiful weekends. More ugly sweaters. More big hugs. More small outings. Opdivo and yervoy can cause your immune system to attack normal organs and tissues in your body and affect how they work. This may happen during or after treatment has ended and can become serious and lead to death. Some of these problems may happen more often when opdivo is used with yervoy. See your doctor right away if you have a new or worse cough; chest pain; shortness of breath; diarrhea; severe stomach pain; nausea or vomiting; dizziness; fainting; extreme tiredness; weight changes; constipation; excessive thirst; changes in urine or eyesight; rash; itching; confusion; memory problems; muscle pain or weakness; joint pain; flushing; fever; or tingling in hands and feet. These are not all the possible side effects. Tell your doctor about all your medical conditions including immune system problems, or if youve had an organ transplant or lung, breathing, or liver problems. Heres to a chance for more together time. A chance to live longer. Ask your doctor about opdivo plus yervoy. Thank you to all involved in our clinical trials. A short time ago, uk Prime Minister Boris Johnson effectively canceled christmas for millions of people in london and southeast england. Those two areas will go into a twoweek lockdown that bans indoor gatherings and forces all nonessential businesses to close. The new restrictions are in place to try and slow the spread of a new mutated strain of coronavirus. Covid has had a devastating impact on minority communities. When you add that to the federal governments history of experiments and disregard for the health of africanamericans, theres a lot of skepticism surrounding the vaccine. What makes you nervous about the vaccine rollout . Because, one, we dont know if its going to be acceptable to everybodys body, with everybodys immune system being able to take it. Two, like guinea pigs, anything like that. Black doctors are stepping up to show their community the process is safe and could save lives. Im joined by dr. April lockley, who took part in the astrazeneca trial. That vaccine is not authorized for use. Shes a fellow with physicians for reproductive health. Happy to have you with us. I want to talk about this research. A Pew Research Poll shows 57 of black americans say they wont take the vaccine despite the cdc saying black americans are almost three times more likely to die from the virus. Talk to us about why it was so important for you to take part in the astrazeneca trial. Great. Thanks for having me. So, my first thought in regards to being a vaccine trial participant, i thought about the fact that i do believe in science and so i signed up for the vaccine trial back in the summer, and by the time i received a call asking if i was still interested in being in the trial, all the vaccines had gone through phase one and phase two testing and were in phase three, so i felt confident about the safety prospects and that they had no major safety concerns at that time. But also keeping in mind the history of this country, and im sure there is many stories we dont know about, but the stories we do know about such as enslaved black women being used as experiments for gynecological surgeries, Henrietta Lacks cells being used without her consent, black men being withheld treatment when we knew there were a cure. And even today in 2020, black women are getting sterilized and having hysterectomies without their consent. Those are public stories. Patients speak to me, most of my patients are black and people of color, about how they feel as though the medical community doesnt always listen to them or treat them fairly. And so i thought about really all thosefacts, that i do believe science and we think the vaccine is safe and the medical community does need to gain peoples trust, and so due to this history of racism in medicine, i decided it would be an important step for me to take in advancing science, hopefully, as a physician and a black woman. Theres been so much talk about trying to encourage minority communities to get the vaccine. But, doctor, whose job is it to build that trustworthiness . Is the onus on people who are skeptical or rather the institutions that contributed to the skepticism . Right. I completely understand why people have questions and have vaccine hesitancy. I think that we need to meet people where they are, if theyre hesitant. The medical community and the government needs to earn back peoples trust, and really this doesnt happen overnight. And so ive been introducing the vaccine to my patients, just letting them know that i do think its safe, that it is coming, you know, in 2021 for the general public, and that i understand that if there are questions they need to be answered. And so when i speak to my patients in general when they come to me with a question or concern, i take a history, i listen to them, and then we come up with a treatment plan together. If they have questions about those treatment plans i always encourage them to ask those questions. I encourage an open dialogue. And sometimes it take miss appointments, many months for patients to come around to that treatment plan, and i think we need to look at the Covid Vaccine the same way that it might take time to have these conversations with people. Dr. April lockley, thank you for what you do and for taking part in the trial. It is a Public Service. Thanks for your time today. Appreciated talking with you. Thank you. Breaking news, a cdc committee has approved the emergency use of the moderna vaccine. The next step before the expected rollout tomorrow. We will have much more on that ahead. Also coming up, forget 11thhour negotiations. Were on to 12th or 13th by now. And signs of hope early in the day have given way to new problems in the negotiations for a covid relief bill ahead of a weekend deadline to finally get this thing done. The latest from capitol hill next. [ engines revving ] its amazing to see them in the wild like th shhh. [ engine revs ] for those who were born to ride, theres progressive. [ engine revs ] xfiniwith the new hbo max app on xfinity. Watch the greatest collection of shows, movies and new max originals. Enjoy hbo favorites you know and love like game of thrones and the undoing. With exclusive max originals like the flight attendant. And blockbuster movies like dolittle. Just say hbo max into your voice remote to sign into your hbo account or sign up. Tv made simple, easy, awesome. Welcome back. Im lindsey reiser. All eyes on capitol hill where theres late news of a possible wrench in the agreement of a covid relief bill that is long past due. A midnight sunday deadline looms in an i temattempt to get congro actually pass something. The American People cannot feed their families or pay their bills with congress goodfaith discussions. They need us to act. We need to conclude our talks, draft legislation, and land this plan. You can use whatever football analogy you want, were on the 5 yard line or the 1 yard line or whatever. The truth is simple were close to an agreement but we need to finalize it. What is absent from covid relief negotiations, the covid crisis and so much more, a president willing to lead rather than focus on baseless Election Fraud claims. Today President Trump did finally weigh in on a massive cyberattack on the u. S. Government, but it wasnt to confront the country believed responsible