Hello and welcome. Im steve comments, editor of the hill. Thanks for joining us to a diversity and inclusion. Over the course of the day were going to discuss what it will take for diversity, inclusion, and equity to be more than just buzzwords. Id like to thank our sponsors. International Franchise Association and the association of realtors for the support of todays program. And thank you for supporting this particular session. Under 50 years after its founding, americas more diverse than ever before. However, stereotypes are beginning to fade, significant barrier still exist. Justice, equal opportunity, continue to be out of reach for many black, hispanic, lgbtq and other minority populations. This is a real problem. Were policy initiatives can be put in place to address these gaps and barriers. With politic for the rapper a should have pisces, perceptions, and bigotry in our institutions. Fair and equitable opportunities opening up across the port and across institutions. Were going to discuss all about it more and im going to discuss with some of my colleagues in the hills room. The heel staff writer is keeping me company this hour. Hes a great guy and i look forward to him intervening any way he wants. You can tweet us at at the hill, events using the hashtag, has tug hill diversity. Has to kill diversity were broadcasting live. Well take your questions for the program and if you spurs any problem reflects the, page they say it will be a quick fix, i dont believe it but i hope it will be for. You our first guest is Veronica Escobar who represents shes the first woman elected to the seat and the first latinx to be elected. Good to see you. Congrats on the next round of elections. Youre gonna see that they keep coming way too often. Let me ask you, because i know that youve been working very hard on the National Defense authorization act to get this dimension of diversity, of minority inclusion, refight in the system. And i want to ask you what is on your mind and to believe that our institutions like the pentagon and whatnot are places where essentially discrimination is still running to rampant . First of all, good morning, and thank you so much for including me in the conversation. Its great to see you again stave. I feel like, none of us have connected in any real way except electronically so its always good to see you. So yes, the National Defense authorization act which is a very important tool obviously for creating change inside the National Defense space, this year include some really good work that my colleagues and i did on increasing diversity. You know i just visited a military installation recently, and on that visit i spoke with groups of women. When we think of diversity we frequently think of racial issues, and the racial challenges that exist within institutions. But youve also got to think about women as well of course. So i want to remind everyone that diversity includes the need for you know, pathways to leadership for women as well. Those conversations that i had with met were incredible, about all the blind spots that the military has when it comes to women in service. And really, in many ways, sort of the really significant limitations that are placed on your ability to advance. As a member of the house representatives committee, we have here until all the time. And its so obvious when you have those hearings, of higher level leaders. Leaders, at the absolute height of their career. Height of power. Those at the leadership table. They are frequently white men. And ive asked the question before, of what the military is doing to create a pipeline for leadership that is diverse. Ill give you an example, many of my constituents have wanted to go into the military. Many of them are firsttime members of the military. Theyre children of immigrants. So now they are now part of generations of folks whove been in the military. They dont always know the best route to ascend through that leadership pipeline. So we need mentorship programs, especially for our first Time Military service members. We need to make sure that those mentorship programs are not just, kind of surface, programs. Or there to build relationships so that the people who are committed to the military see that we are committed to their success as well. So very excited about that. And with ask you another question, and then ill turn it over to my colleague, rafael. I want to ask you, helen cooper, a friend of mine at the New York Times to this expose on the command staff of the military services. White guys abound. Very few. We see an exception. A female general or admiral. A person of color in that staff level. The next iterations. Its very clear that this is a structure that has been dominated by white guys. So when they sit in front of you at the committee, what do they say that theyre going to do to change that pattern . Its very clear that nothing has worked at the command staff level at a level to make you know, i would like to see a day when people at that level are not an exception. And they acknowledge that theres a challenge. They all say they want to address this. But its clear whatever were doing that for women and people of color in the military is not working very well. Its not working effectively. And that is why we have to put infrastructure in place. One of the things that i heard from the groups of women that ive spoken to is that when they have had a mentorship program, it has made all the difference in the world. Unless we are actively setting those programs up. Unless we are funding them. Unless we are you know, basically creating a permanency for them, you know, theyre not sustained. Everyone wants to fix the problem. Theres no doubt. But its clear that we need serious intervention in order to fix this. I briefly want to switch over to politics because i have that bad habit. You are in the running to lead the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. This has been a tough election for the caucus. Just in texas you are looking to expand have the first ever latino from texas, and that didnt happen. Its generally, you know, democrats have relied a lot of the try caucus and the unity of sort of the diverse caucuses, to have a lot of their wins over the last two and four years. How is the sea agency and then try caucus is going to change now that you took a beating in this election . We did. We did. You know i was hoping that we would exponentially row that congressional, hispanic caucus. And i was heavily invested in those races. Not just financially, but i was invested in terms of relationships. Trying to help who i thought would and could be new colleagues. So Election Night was pretty depressing when i saw that so many of the, especially latinos, the women, who i was hoping would help grow the caucus would did not make it past the finish line the way we wanted them to. We really have to be far more unified as a caucus. As you mention, im running for Congressional Hispanic Caucus chair. One of the things that i shared with my colleagues is should i be elected, i would want to have Strategic Planning session immediately, before the end of the year, so we can define our priorities. But also, talk through, kind of whatever play will be Going Forward to push our agenda and how best to push that agenda. I think part of demonstrating to the American Public that you know, we clearly are the better leaders that the Democratic Party is by demonstrating that through our legislation, and through the leadership that we provide on the hill. So i want to congressional hispanic offices to be far more strategic and pro active. And thats what im focused on in my work share. Breonna escobar, thank you so much for helping us to launch the set of conversations. Its gonna be three hours. We have people talking about how were going to make diversity and inclusion real. Not just steps. I will come back and continue to talk to us about this. Thanks so much. Thanks. Stay safe. Our next guest is the first woman to serve as a representative of puerto rico. She focuses getting equal treatment to the u. S. Territories protecting health care and education i had the pleasure of speaking to the representative. It is great to see you again. Congratulations. Let me just ask you, the Republican Congress this time has more women than ever. So how is that going down . What do you think is going to happen . What are the future waves . Tell us about it. I think its a great opportunity. First of all, thanks for inviting mid day to this conversation. I think its a wonderful year for women in politics. As you just said, these numbers of republican women elected to congress. I am happy because we were so few here in the house. And now, i think that will bring a lot of diversity. Weve got a lot of new members coming from different backgrounds. Not just from the Public Sector as you can back from florida, was a staffer before but youve got physicians, youve got lawyers, people from the business area, private sector, that brings to the arena at different points of view. I think compromise is not the same thing as surrender. I think there are many views that can reach a compromise on many of the issues. I think that the women elected, that representatives like susan brooks, and many others, we are creating awareness that if we need more voices at the house. So im happy to receive it. Last year, the caucus woman, in the house, i am now more eager to have more views, and i think this will be a great opportunity not just to see one point of view but many, from california, elected to florida. You see a wide range of point of views, that may help them in academics, professionals, former military and Public Servants that were elected as well. Jennifer gonzalez, another question before i bring my colleague in. Rafael. I want to ask for a second, when we spoke last time it was in the drama of the aftermath of the hurricane. Donald trump was using puerto rico as a punching bag. You took some exception to the president s treatment of puerto rico, and framing of puerto rico at that time. And days before the election, President Trump said theres no greater friend to puerto rico than President Trump. The support packages. How does puerto rico as part of the United States feel about that treatment . And you agree with my framing . Today i was actually in florida a few minutes ago, off the boat of puerto rico, it was 52 of why is that . We have been pleading for equal treatment for many, many years. It took us 32 years to be precise. Today is the discovery day of the island. More than 400 years as part of spain. More than 185 as part of the u. S. And priscilla chapter. We are still a colony. I dont have a democratically elected delegation. Im one person representing 3. 2 million american citizens. That means you have to deal with a federal government. We have to do whatever is in your power to get things done. I will say, i dont agree with many of the comments of the president but every bill that i sent in and support, providing resources for the island was approved by the president , all of them. And we were devastated with the disaster, hurricane maria, and earlier this year we receive the highest appropriations funds ever to protect puerto rico. I think we should move on to one of the areas that im working on with the administration, and i hope that a new administration acknowledges the issues as well. In a word, 47 of puerto ricos economy is particles. Medical device industry. And we need to secure our supply chain. Natural supply chain. Medicines. So im pushing for Bipartisan Legislation in the house and the senate, trying to secure that for the whole United States of, course but puerto rico distressed sounds as a matter have tax incentives directly related to lead, creation tax property, and business creations. Again when you are elected to serve the people of the island, you need to do whatever it takes to represent them well. And get things done. Thats what i have been doing, with dealing with discrimination, were dealing with tacit discrimination with governments, with congress, many times, because we dont have senators. You are supposed to be having at least four members of congress. I dont even vote in the four. So i think we should and that kind of discrimination. I think inequality is unsustainable. I think its the right thing to do. People voted in 2012, to this in, 17 now in 2020. Theres a lot of false claims from both sides of the aisle regarding puerto rico state. And i think were part of america. America and United States it is what it is, but Puerto Ricans love government, arts, sports, communities, in every states. Our men and women are being fined across the world, and all of americas words with people all over the states, and were proud of that. Were proud as well to be treated as americans. So whoever is gonna be the president im going to be working with, and i may say that these four years were not easy. We accomplished a lot of resources for the island. And i hope and expect we can continue that. Thank you rafael. I want to stick to the situation because i know you like talking about state coulds. Will stick to that. A lot of things have to happen in this election for statehood, for the push for state had to be a realistic political environment. You had to win your election. Governor elect ruiz he had to win his election. Then there was a lot of thought that democrats would have to take control of the senate, and get rid of the filibuster. I know you probably disagree with that idea. But that didnt happen. And the legislature of puerto rico is not as for statehood as many would expect here in the continental United States. What are the chances of this congress, and this sort of legislature being the one that finally gets that across the finish line . Happy to see you again rafael. Let me say, during the last four years, youve got a governor for state, heard both governors support statehood, you have state and governor puerto rico. In 2017 i was the most devoted elected official. I ran on a state platform. And again in this election and the most voted official in the government. You know what . Statehood is bigger than any other cabinet, statehood, more votes than anybody else. More than 100,000 votes than me. That means that state is bigger than a party. Its bigger than a individual candidate. Even when the house and the senate still decide how big or how small are the minorities. The reality is that people of puerto rico directly wounded, and in a absolute, already more than 52 can pursue a statehood. And when hawaii and alaska were , they werent confronted with preconditions. They werent consulted that they needed to choose among other options. They were granted statehood immediately. Why we need to provide more options . Why we need to delay a decision that Puerto Ricans made in 2012 by 61 into thousand 17, by 97 of the people who voted for them. Now in 2020. I fully understand statehood is going to come. Were talking about the senate. I think theres a lot of misconceptions about puerto rican statehood. Puerto ricans are american citizens. You can see that in florida with more than 1 million Puerto Ricans. Youve got 5 million Puerto Ricans and people of puerto rican descent live on , i can tell you that that movement of citizens in the island is going to continue, unless weve got equal footing. Im not asking for benefits. Im asking for equal footing and rights. I dont think its right to have a territory for more than 120 years without voting for, without senators that can act and react in congress, that are approving all the laws from the air we breathe, to the food we eat, and the lives we live. And i think senators, republicans and democrats, because this is across the aisle. Even the health and senate. Look at whats happened now. House has been democratic, theres been a bipartisan bill since last, year supporting statehood with a range of member supporting it. And the speaker never moved it. So its not just about having democrats in the senate or house, because the bill has been there. Never has it been moved by the leadership. So i think both sides of the aisle need to understand that puerto rico like many others in the past, is reaching to a position. Its clear. It was made on november 3rd, and i think its time to move forward and allow the people of puerto rico to be respected as american citizens in the first class category. Representative, we have a question for the audience for you. This is from louise from the treasury department. For decades, hispanics have been under represented in the u. S. Court in a fulltime court and within a senior position within the u. S. Armed forces. Both sectors have 5 or less of a specs within the ranks. It suspected that within the 2020 consensus is banks will be reaching 20 or more of the total u. S. Population. But ideas to have to significantly increase the hispanic representation on those two critical sectors of influence in the United States society . I think that something that has been happening for many, many years. Its part of discrimination in many ways, for many years. And i think every time we got a hispanic or latino in leadership position, people respect that. And i think we should increase what opportunities are available. And requesting that as part of the leadership. More latinos are being elected to Congress Every year. As part of the womens caucus, we have been talking about that during the last year. And i think now with more women elected, latinos as well, most of that should move. Like in the transfer we got doj, secretary of was latino. We want to have more cabinet members of latino heritage. Not because of that as a requirement, but to open the opportunities in lower career jobs as well. In the case of puerto rico, we dont even have a lot of those posts being open. Weve got a lot of vacancies for federal agents of the island, five to ten. And theyre not even filled. The spaces are there. But they arent recruiting. So sometimes, its about why hiring when the positions are open. So i agree with you. Honestly, i look forward to a par