and the $15 minimum wage that the house voted to include in the covid relief bill. but even with democrats in control, the possibility of any of this becoming law is nowhere near guaranteed. and without a change to the filibuster, much of this progressive to-do list will die. joining me now is senate majority leader chuck schumer of the great state of new york. leader schumer, thank you very much for coming to "the sunday show." >> good to be with you, jonathan. >> the old days back in gotham. so, listen, you were able to get the senate to pass the covid relief package, and as a result it became law. how do you hold your razor-thin majority? how did you hold it in order for all of these progressive to-do list items to get through passage? >> well, first, it's such a major piece of legislation. it's the most significant change for middle-class people, for poor people, people trying to get into the middle class in decades in a very long time. and it has amazing things in it. the checks are going to start arriving today. new yorkers should start receiving the checks today, and many of them will get them this week. we promise that. republicans blocked it. we said put us in power, we'll get it done. the vaccination process is moving far more quickly than people imagined. and hopefully as the president said, there will be enough vaccines for everyone by may 1st, by july 4th, maybe we're getting back to normal. taking children out of poverty. half the kids in america out of poverty. that's in generations old. getting the schools open quickly and safely. how did we do all this? plus so much more. we had democratic unity. i think -- look, i have a diverse caucus from bernie sanders to joe manchin. and we have no margin for error with 50 votes. but every member of our caucus to each of his or her credit realized that we had to get this done. and not everyone would get everything they wanted. we tried to incorporate as many things as people wanted. but everyone realized that if you put in something that you really wanted but it would push the other people to vote, no, we couldn't get it done. and i believe that kind of unity will continue. look, this time we couldn't work with republicans. we'd like to work with republicans. but our number one goal is big, bold action. and we have to get that done. there's a moral imperative from the people. if we don't show people that government can work, which we began to do in a very real way this time, they could elect another demagogic person or even trump. they want to see hope. they want to see government work. that's our economic, political, and moral obligation. >> so, leader schumer, you mentioned how child poverty will be cut in half as a result of this package. and that's because, among many things, the childcare tax credits. but they are not permanent. they will only be around for a year. are you going to push to make them permanent? >> absolutely. that's one of the most important things we can do. we can change america if we make them permanent. look, when a child is born into poverty, they don't adequate nutrition, they don't get adequate health care, housing, or adequate education. and by the time they're 18, they're many steps behind. if we can eradicate child poverty, it will be so good for these kids, their families, but for all of america and our economy. it's a very important goal, we want to make it permanent. i'll do everything i can to make it permanent. >> leader schumer, in today's "new york times," there's a story, among all the things in that covid relief package. $1.75 billion that you pushed into the bill for private funding. why do private schools need federal funding? >> let me say first, public schools come first. this package has more money than the first two packages put together, $160 billion. but, look, kids in private schools, especially minority kids, especially poor kids, and there's a provision in there that says that's where it's got to be aimed, public and private, are suffering too. and during this covid crisis, we shouldn't exclude them. senator kennedy had the wisdom during katrina to say that private schools should get some help there as well. so it didn't take any money away from the public schools. but to help these kids, there's 125 billion for public schools, 2.75 billion for private schools. i think it was the right thing to do. >> leader schumer, i listed off a litany of bills that are coming over from the house. a lot of reporting about infrastructure being the next big bill that's going to make its way from congress to the president's desk. is that what you see as the next big priority infrastructure? >> well, it's one of the big priorities. we have three large, grand priorities as the senate democrats. one is climate. one is economic inequality and racial inequality. and the third is democracy. in that category, infrastructure, especially the way it can be structured in build back better and in the drive agenda, deals with not only climate, which it does, but also large amounts of new jobs that infrastructure creates, and we want to train people who have never had these jobs before to have them. they're good-paying jobs and can put them in a good pass for decades to come. and there is also racial equality. we say that we should make sure that minority communities, communities that have been left out come first. we've done that with the vaccines. we've done that with education. we've done that across the board. it's a recognition by this party that minority communities, communities of color have been left out, and we have to move them to the top of the list, not to the bottom of the list. >> right. leader schumer, let me get you on the issue of the filibuster and whether it should stay or go. have a listen to what senate minority leader mitch mcconnell had to say on that score. >> it should not be changed. senator manchin made it clear they do not favor changing it. and we are counting on them to stand up for the institution. the status quo of this issue is exactly where we ought to be. >> leader schumer, do you agree with your republican colleague leader mcconnell on that score? >> let me say this. first, when he wanted to change the filibuster for the supreme court, he did like that. you can't just say, oh, i'll do it for the things i want. we need big bold change, jonathan. that's what america needs, the kind of change we began to do in the arp, the american rescue plan, has to continue in the many ways that it has and in many other ways, infrastructure, democracy, things that we have talked about a little bit here, child poverty. we would like to work with our republican colleagues to bring that big bold change, no question about it. that's our preference. and we will try. but if they vote no on everything in terms of the kinds of change that america needs, then our caucus will have to get together and figure out how to get it done. everything will be on the table. and failure is not an option. we cannot turn away from the big bold change that is needed. >> right. and i hear you on that, leader schumer. and you've been very consistent on that message since i asked you that very same question on a call last week. but what's the tripwire? is there a particular piece of legislation where that will be when you and the democratic caucus say, okay, that's it, we're going to change the rules? >> look, i'm not going to speculate on the future as to what is the tripwire. i'm going to say in a number of ways we need big bold change. again, we welcome our republican colleagues to join us, even in this arp bill we put on the floor, first amendment, you know, majority leader has the power to put things on the floor, was a bipartisan bill by sirnt sinema of democrat, senator wicker of mississippi, a republican. for restaurants to get a six-month grant program. so we're going to try to be bipartisan. but if we can't, we have to move forward, and everything will be on the table. i can't tell you it'll be for this, this, this. let's first see where our republican colleagues are. but then we will move forward. and our caucus, i think every member of our caucus understands the need for big bold change. >> i find it interesting you mentioned senator wicker who voted against the bill but is out there touting the fact that, you know, money is coming to his state. but let me get you on -- >> jonathan, maybe next time he'll vote with us because he saw that we didn't exclude something that he wanted when we thought it was a good idea. but, bold change, job number one. >> let's talk about governor andrew cuomo and the political trouble he finds himself in. earlier last week you put out a statement saying that the new york state attorney general should, the process that she is involved in should, you know, run its course. but then on friday you and senator kirsten gillibrand issued a statement saying governor cuomo should resign. you were among a whole slough of democratic elected officials you see there on the screen who have called on governor cuomo to resign. why do you think he's hanging on? and at what point do you think push will have to come to shove, and he'll have to leave? >> well, here's the bottom line, jonathan. this is an awful crisis in new york and elsewhere. and we need sure and steady leadership. now, i salute the brave women who came forward with serious allegations of misconduct, of abuse. and there are multiple serious, credible allegations of abuse. so that governor cuomo has lost the confidence of his governing partners and of so many new yorkers. so for the good of the state he should resign. >> and at what point -- who in the congressional delegation or in the new york state delegation, who is the person with the stature, someone that governor cuomo will listen to who, as the "new york times" has on its front page, is someone who holds himself in very high regard? >> look, i'm not going to speculate on the future. he should resign. he should resign. >> and with that we are going to leave it there. senate majority leader chuck schumer of new york, thank you very much for coming to "the sunday show." >> thank you, jonathan. good to be with you. hope to be back. >> all right. up next, can the american rescue plan rescue america? stay with us. ♪ taking you back... ...since way back. freshness and softness you never forget, with downy. one of the worst things about a cold sore is how it can make you feel. but, when used at the first sign, abreva can get you back to being you in just 2 and a half days. be kinder to yourself and tougher on your cold sores. there are many reasons for waiting to visit your doctor right now. but if you're experiencing irregular heartbeat, heart racing, chest pain, shortness of breath, fatigue or light-headedness, don't wait to contact your doctor. because these symptoms could be signs of a serious condition like atrial fibrillation. which could make you about five times more likely to have a stroke. your symptoms could mean something serious, so this is no time to wait. talk to a doctor, by phone, online, or in-person. not everybody wants the same thing. that's why i go with so thisliberty mutual wait. — they customize my car insurance so i only pay for what i need. 'cause i do things a bit differently. wet teddy bears! wet teddy bears here! only pay for what you need. ♪ liberty. liberty. liberty. liberty. ♪ when you switch to xfinity mobile, you're choosing to get connected to the most reliable network nationwide, now with 5g included. discover how to save up to $300 a year with shared data starting at $15 a month, or get the lowest price for one line of unlimited. come into your local xfinity store to make the most of your mobile experience. you can shop the latest phones, bring your own device, or trade in for extra savings. stop in or book an appointment to shop safely with peace of mind at your local xfinity store. see yourself. welcome back to the mirror. and know you're not alone. because this... come on jesse, one more! ...is a reflection of an unstoppable community. in the mirror. the biden american rescue plan is about the children, their health, their education, the economic security of their families. it includes the refundable tax credit which will lift 50% of children out of poverty. how do you say no to lifting 50% of impoverished children in america out of poverty? >> lifting millions of children out of poverty. free health care coverage for people who just lost their jobs, debt relief for thousands of black farmers after decades of discrimination. these are just a few of the provisions of the american rescue plan which the "new york times" called the biggest anti-poverty effort in a generation. joining me now is congresswoman pramila jayapal, democrat from washington state, and mark shriver, senior vice president of save the children and author of "ten hidden heroes." congresswoman, forgive me, i'm going to start with mr. shriver. mark, you have a report out, the disproportionate burden of covid-19 among the findings nationwide 69% of families are having difficulty making ends meet. children of color are twice as likely as white kids to face hunger. black and hispanic children are about 1.5 times as likely as white kids to lack remote learning tools. two-thirds of black and hispanic families -- how confident are you that the covid relief package will make a dent in all of these issues? >> thanks for having me on, jonathan. those statistics are amazing, aren't they? the fact that so many kids are going to bed hungry in this country, that kids are struggling with long-distance learning. and this piece of legislation signed by president biden and spearheaded by speaker pelosi, by rosa de laura in the house, steny hoyer, congressman clyburn and others i think is the most major piece of legislation in 50 years. and this is the biggest step to try to eradicate poverty in this country. half of the children living in poverty in america are going to rise out of poverty. and it's really important particularly for childcare. we've heard from leader schumer talking about k-12 system. and it's really important. early childhood learning, what happens to kids up to five? and this plan puts forward strong steps to try to address early childhood poverty and early childhood education with an increased funding for headstart, with a childcare tax credit. these are really important steps to lift children out of poverty. and it's very exciting, and they get a lot of credit. >> congresswoman, you're not only the congresswoman from washington state, but you're also the chair of the progressive caucus. as a progressive and as a chair of the progressive caucus, are you satisfied with what's in that bill? and is there anything that wasn't done that needs to be done? >> jonathan, it's great to be with you and to be with mr. shriver as well. i completely agree with him. this is landmark legislation. when you look at where the benefits are going to flow, the bottom quintisle of americans will get a 20% increase of americans and the top 1% will get zero. that is how we should be crafting legislation if we want to reduce the income inequality in this country, address racial disproportionate, all of those things. and there are so many pieces in addition to what mr. shriver has laid out. we also have a hundred million that will go to addressing air pollution and health disparities in minority communities. we have money that's going to go to black farmers to deal with the discrimination over the last century that they have faced. and we have of course unemployment insurance. we have money in people's pockets. so, to me, this is an incredibly bold piece of legislation. i give credit to president biden for coming out strong and for senate majority leader schumer. but i also give credit to the progressive movement and to progressives who have fought for these ideas and in this bill fought so hard to work with speaker pelosi to make this the most progressive bill. are there still things we need to do? you've heard me on the $15 minimum wage. >> i was about to go there. where is the $15 minimum wage? so where are you going to make the push to make that law? >> well, i've already been making the push in case you haven't been watching. but i spoke to president biden. he called to thank me for the work we had done as progressives on the bill. and i asked him about the $15 minimum wage, made it clear that this is a top priority for us. he did recommit again to passing it. but we are going to have to push. and i think senator schumer said this. we need to pass bold legislation around voting rights, around a $15 minimum wage, democracy reform. and we need to reform or eliminate the filibuster if we're going to do that because i don't see republicans coming along. so we are pushing very hard, and we will have a meeting with the president and the progressive caucus shortly to really think through strategy for how we do this. >> mark, how important -- well, obviously it's important to raise the minimum wage, whether it's to $15 or $14. but clearly $15 is the goal. but what else do you think needs to be done in order to make more of a dent in child poverty? >> jonathan, these ideas that president biden put forth need to be made permanent. i mean, it's pretty much that basic. these are great ideas, but they are temporary. and we have to push forward to make sure that the child tax credit, for instance, is made permanent. we have to make sure that the investment in early childhood education, which save the children has been spearheading and pushing for so long, is an investment that's made permanent. i mean, 90% of the workforce in childcare centers are women. 40% are women of color. and 10% of that population is living on minimum wage or below wages. and that is just an outrageous investment in our children. so we have to invest in the first five years of life as well as k-12. there's no question about it. but we need to make sure that these gestures, that this bill and really law now is made permanent. and that's the next big push. >> and, mark, let me get you on this question, since you're not an elected official here, so you wouldn't have to take a vote. but when it comes to eliminating the filibuster in the senate as a means of getting legislation passed, to your mind, is that something that senate democrats absolutely should do? and do you think there is broader support for that among the american people? or do they even care about that issue? >> i think there's broad support for the government to do something big and bold. i think there is broad support. we know what works in eradicating poverty in this country. we've talked about it. but the political leadership in this country, for one reason or another, hasn't been able to step forward and do it. president biden has done that. the leaders in congress have done that. we need more of that. we need to make it permanent. i mean, the fact that the richest country in the history of the world has so many children living in poverty is outrageous. and this law will cut that number in half. the american people want something like that. they want to cut back adult poverty rates by a third. i mean, come on. this is the united states of america. we put a man on the moon. we've won world wars. can't we do something for our children, for our families across this country? it's not for the entrenched advocates, the power and special interests to get out of the way for us to make an investment. >> congresswoman, we are out of time. but i want to give you the last word and just get your reaction to republican members of congress who voted against the bill who are out there taking credit for pieces of it. >> well, it just shows how popular this is, how in republican districts, independent and moderates, want this package not just progressives. and so republicans are having to go