Spirit this debate will not be like others. Our candidates join us remotely. After several days of confirmation hearings, miss greenfield is live from altoona. Matt breen anchors the evening news, the chief politics reporter for the Des Moines Register and ron steele is evening news anchor in waterloo. Senator joni ernst running for her second term in u. S. Senate, native of iowa answer for 23 years, normally the first woman in iowa to serve in federal office but the first female veteran elected to serve in the u. S. Senate. Teresa greenfield, raised on a small harmon soda, moved to iowa to attend college, has a background in planning and real estate and development in iowa. In 2018 she briefly ran for congress, she was in the morning with her husband. For the rules of the debate, candidates get 50 seconds to answer a question. Of the candidate is mentioned by name she will get 30 seconds to respond. The yellow light indicates 10 seconds remain. Candidates get 60 seconds for closing statement. Your opponent supports a public option in healthcare, governmentsponsored Health Insurance plan, compete with private Health Insurance plans was republicans typically support competition in the market. Why do you oppose this . The public option my opponent supports is a truckstop on the road to a singlepayer system or government takeover of healthcare. The public option is done by thirdparty independent study could bankrupt up to 52 of our rural Healthcare Systems. I depend on those rural Healthcare Systems, very important to those that live in the rural areas. Was we dont want to see is putting a bureaucrat between our physicians and patientss in the public option, the truckstop on the road to a singlepayer system and we dont need that. Some of those proposals call for higher reimbursement rates to rural hospitals. Couldnt that benefit companies . It could if we could get that done and i would remind folks in the United States senate and in congress there are fewer of us from rural areas and trying to close that gap in medicare reimbursements is extremely difficult. It sounds great to a lot of folks but does provide a pathway into medicare for all situation and that is not what we want to see. We want to provide access to affordable healthcare and do that by lowering Prescription Drug cost and overhead for those Healthcare Systems and certainly allowing that competition. There are ways to achieve this. But a public option or singlepayer medicare for all type option is simply not the solution. We have a question for both of you. What should the federal governments role be in ensuring affordable highQuality Healthcare for all americans . Healthcare that i hear from iowans on, they are struggling with cost, premiums, outofpocket expenses, doesnt matter where i travel in state, they are paying too much in Fayette County and this government sets those rules and i support expanding and strengthening the Affordable Care act. We have a lot of tools in our toolbox and creating a public option that will increase competition in the marketplace. Level the Playing Field and make sure every iowan has access to affordable coverage and make sure we have competition and you dont have to rely on your employer. I talk to entrepreneurs who want to get started with the cost of healthcare kept them from doing that, forcing them to stay in a job instead of building the economy and creativity. What should the federal governments role be in healthcare . Number one, we have to protect preexisting conditions. My brother and sister are type i diabetics. I understand how important this is and theres a way to provide a backstop for those that have the most medically complex situations. In dallas county, a congenital disease that requires a number of surgeries, we have to force Insurance Companies to make sure they are covering folks with preexisting conditions but also make sure those premiums are low for those, since obamacare went into effect, those that are purchasing insurance policies the premiums have doubled, obamacare has driven the cost of premiums. The deductibles have gone up, we have products through obamacare that our iowa families cant afford. We now head to mister greenfield. How would you ensure rural islands have access to the same level of healthcare as those in urban and suburban areas . I wouldnt vote repeatedly to end the Affordable Care act, getting protections for preexisting coverage, for prescription for, Mental Health care, maternity coverage and Medicaid Expansion which is a lifeline to rural hospitals. In eastern woodbury county, driving 25 miles to get to a clinic in a hospital. We have to make sure we are enhancing the Affordable Care act, keeping hospitals and health clinics, making sure everyone has coverage for essential Services Provided in that plan. Senator voted repeatedly to end the Affordable Care act, taking away your healthcare. We now head to senator ernst. You have 30 seconds to respond. The Affordable Care act did absolutely nothing to control the cost of healthcare which is why i worked in a bipartisan manner to make sure those with preexisting conditions are covered providing federal back stop for those with the most medically complex situations. Im a supporter of Community Health centers and rural healthcare system. It is important to support those the public option mister greenfield keeps referencing would drive 52 of our iowa hospitals, rural Healthcare Systems out of business. Lets move on to the economy. The minimum wage of 7. 25 an hour, has been since 2009. Iowa is one of a handful of states that is not increased minimum wage, 7. 25 an hour the average minimum wage worker would make 16, 240 in a year. You both worked minimumwage jobs. The minimum wage when you worked with 4 an hour. Could you have supportive family at that wage . Ive worked a minimum wage job, i worked at hardees when i was in high school and into college i did work my way through college but you could not support a family on a minimum wage job and typically those jobs are intrigue points into our workforce but it is a local issue and there is no reason it could not be addressed by the state or local city or government. The federal government, we should take a look at that. There are ways to do that. But might be right for california or new york may not be right for the Rural Communities in iowa, living wage in San Francisco would be different than a living wage in iowa, or waterloo, iowa. You worked minimumwage, could you have supported a family on minimumwage . You cant support a family on minimumwage or 7. 25 which i support raising the minimum wage. What im really focused on is making sure everyone has a chance to earn a living wage. I am focused on making sure we invest in trade school, technical school. And investments in capital and credit or folks to provide for their families or have a shot at the american dream. We need to raise the minimum wage. I would like to follow up with both candidates, jobs and covid19 in mind. 7. 9 is the Unemployment Rate now, that is down slightly so it is an improvement. The growth in jobs from august to september. Had to lay off some employees because of the ongoing pandemic. With iowa and many states in the covid19 red zone what is your plan to get iowans back to work safely but all importantly increase spending power and give a boost to our economy . Washington has failed us during this crisis and senator ernst has failed us too. She refused to support expanding Unemployment Benefits and providing paid sick leave. It was a fight for her. Ive been traveling for us to me was package from and then you have to focus on health and safety but to your point, workers. We are in a crisis, we need to expand those expanded Unemployment Benefits, talking to bakeries, barbershops, bowling alleys, their cash flow is down 60 or 80 , they are worried about keeping lights on. We need to take care of our workers and expand ppp and make sure Small Businesses know that we and they can get through this together. Im a state of small towns and Small Businesses. Your name came up so you get a 30second rebuttal. Greenfield absolutely. Thank you so much. I remember in 2009 when we went through the economic downturn in the biden obama administration. In my home county we saw the second highest Unemployment Rate across the state of iowa. I understand the difficulties that are out there. Many of my Friends Family members were laid off during that time but certainly supporting the packages such as the cares packages been important and my opponent has opposed every single one of those packages. We have to get that work done. Im working on those packages. Please move on. The economy has regained im sorry, you went pretty long on your rebuttal. Give us 30 seconds on that. I have worked on the covid19 packages that have gone through congress and ppp was a project, to make sure moms and dads get back to work safely, providing ppe to those businesses and hospitals that needed that support all of that is important. We need to continue that. We have a package we will be voting on next week and we hope we can get it done without democrats blocking the way. Moderator concise answer. The economy has regained more than half the jobs it lost during the pandemic but that recovery has been uneven, hispanic men, younger americans and americans without a College Degree struggled to regain unemployment. How do we target its response to benefit all americans . Your response first. You are correct. Communities were hit hardest as part of the Health Pandemic and economic crisis. We have to address the systemic racism throughout our system, healthcare, housing, education, creating opportunities for minority communities to grow and to succeed. We are in a crisis and we need to extend expanded Unemployment Benefits a full 600 and have another round of direct relief for workers and invest in businesses so they can rehire or keep their staff on, keep their lights on and as someone who worked most of my career in Small Business i know how hard it is to keep your lights on and the pride we have providing paychecks. Same question to you. How can the federal government target its recovery effort to ensure all americans prosper. That is really important, something i have been working on but even before the covid19 pandemic, making sure our minority communities, communities of color have that opportunity week. Pass the tax cuts and jobs act which made way for those opportunity zones which benefit our minority communities and investment in those communities. So when they are out of prisoner have opportunity to move right to a career field that will benefit them and their families lowering recidivism. Those are important steps. Ive been a proponent, helps craft the Paycheck Protection Program which does enable Small Businesses to remain up and going during covid19, will allow a second pass for businesses that are harvest it with minority members of the Senate Working together. Moderator we will move to the next question, most people of color in this country have no doubt systemic racism exists here. Do you agree, we will start with you. I believe we have various systems but i would not say broadly we have systemic racism across the board. We have good people working in all career fields and it is important to stress that. My opponent stated she believes Law Enforcement officers in iowa are systemically racist and i dont believe that. I believe in the goodness of people out there protecting and defending our communities. Do we have opportunity to do better absolutely we do. That is why i did sit down with those africanamerican leaders in the city of des moines and listening to those voices across the great state of iowa, understanding those challenges and where we can provide greater opportunity again. It is not a republican or democratic issue. It is an issue we need to work on together. Moderator do you believe systemic racism exists here . Ernst i dont. You will find racist individuals in those systems but i dont believe entire systems of people, of people are racist. There are racists out there. Moderator we will go to miss greenfield, most people of color in this country have no doubt systemic racism exists. Do you agree . Greenfield i want 30 seconds to rebut because senator ernst called me by name. Her comments are misleading. I have not called the police racist and that is rather insulting. Discussing systemic racism does not mean any one individual is a racist but we have to look at the discrimination across our system. Housing, healthcare, education, finance, to ensure we are doing everything we can to end that kind of racism. Black and brown communities have faced discrimination and systemic racism for generations. George floyd, Breonna Taylor and others should be alive today. We need to work on ending that kind of systemic racism in policing. A great job Getting Started on that in iowa led by caucus members, black lives matter leaders and in bipartisan fashion at our state house where they passed a lan plan for more Perfect Union require racial bias training, banning show colds and transparency. These are reforms that support our Law Enforcement system, so we can bring a end to systemic racism and make sure our minority communities can succeed. Ernst my opponent does not require a rebuttal Going Forward and we will head over to matt. Specific was referenced by both candidates, it is clear we need to hear what they said in context and i will ask my question. Senator ernst, you said teresa greenfield stated our Law Enforcement system is systemically racist meaning our Law Enforcement officers are racist. You said in response, quote, we have systemic races in all of our systems and have for generations including our policing system but that is not saying our Police Officers are racist. I want to have that quote clear so i could ask the followup question, where does change start . Greenfield change starts with each of us, it starts with our elected leaders recognizing first and foremost the we have systemic racism. If you are not clear that is part of the system you cant be at the table to lead the change, to listen and take action to end discrimination. It starts to gather. Ive been working with the black caucus in iowa and we will work with anyone to take action to end systemic racism and it is not just in policing. In healthcare im concerned about Maternal Mortality rates. The rate is so much higher than the rest of the state. We need to work in our Healthcare Systems to end that kind of racial bias. Im looking forward to rolling up my sleeves and working with everyone to tackle systemic racism. You mentioned in the aftermath you sat down and listened to communities of color. How do you translate that listening to action . Where does that start for you . Greenfield thank you so much. I started action towards repairing relations long before we started this movement, before we saw the tragic loss of life with george floyd, his murder. There are ways we can do that. I was a coauthor of the ban the box legislation with senator cory booker of new jersey has a good partner to me on a number of these activities but certainly as i said supporting those grant activities in our prison system very important. Not only do we want to provide communities of color with those opportunities but what i find is it comes to the fact of poverty, not necessarily racism in iowa but how do we tackle those issues of poverty, this could be urban or rural, i see it across communities in iowa and we have to provide an opportunity. I have been working in a bipartisan way with friends and other members of the senate to do so. Do you think the summers protests were helpful or harmful in raising awareness in iowa. I will always stand for First Amendment rights including the right to free speech and to protests. Looting, damaging property is not part of protesting. I work with many Small Businesses and i dont like to see damage to storefronts and property. We need to march and protest in a nonviolent and peaceful way to make sure our voices are being heard. I am proud of the black lives matter leaders who predominantly have been making voices heard in a nonviolent way. The phrase defunding the police resurfaced out of those protests. What does that phrase mean to you . Miss greenfield, can you hear me . Greenfield yes. Moderator the phrase defunding the police surface, what does the phrase defunding the police means you . Greenfield i dont support defunding the police. Somebody has to give me that definition. We have to look across all our systems. I come from a long line of Law Enforcement officers. They all talked about serving and protecting and protecting and serving. We have pride in meeting with the kids, kno