Range to the other. The Dixie Fire is about a Hour Northwest of the Camp Fire. Remember when the Camp Fire burned multiple towns to ground in 2018 and that felt like the worst it could get . Dixie is, has already burned 1,400 square miles of land. Dixie has destroyed nearly 600 homes. It is only about half contained at the moment, and the second largest fire in california history. The Caldor Fire just outside of Lake Tahoe has destroyed more homes and at least 622 homes and counting. It is raging right now towards even more populated areas, and only 25 of the Caldor Fire is contained. Both of those fires have multiple Evacuation Warnings in place, but the Fire Season is just unrelenting and merciless. The firefighters are working in inhumane conditions for weeks on end and fighting unprecedented fire after unpres dencedented resources, human and otherwise, so far no end in sight. In the northeast, we have watched all day as the Death Toll has climbed, from the floods, that Left Behind by the trailing ends of Hurricane Ida Last Night. This is Hurricane Idas remnants hitting the most densely populated part of the country, as it stands right now we are at a Death Toll of 42 people, in the northeast, many of them unable to leave Ground Leveller Basement apartments when the storm, Hit Lots of people trapped in their cars as water On The roads became reverse. Thats a huge Death Toll already. 42 already and that will continue to climb. The State Of Pennsylvania reports doing thousands of Water Rescues Last Night. The new York City Fire Department reported doing hundreds of Water Rescues, just within new York City itself. Buses and subway platforms flooded to the point that public transit shut down, that left people stranded on flooded platforms. And on subway cars, wherever they were. Central park in new York City set a record Last Night, for the most rain Central Park has ever recorded, in a single hour. The previous record was set last month. But over three inches per hour. In Central Park . They call them Flash Floods for a reason. People who were going about their lives in the northeast, they were really not expecting this Last Night. And as i, say the Death Toll continues to climb. In the south, Ida Hit On Sunday as a category four hurricane. And the impact was bad enough from the initial Sledgehammer Blow of that storm. Including its very high winds. But the danger to human life, and the misery, in the wake of eta, has actually gotten worse with each passing day since the storm left. Some power is being restored in the state of louisiana, but we are still at nearly 1 Million homes and businesses without, power that is a huge number of americans, coping and very difficult conditions. Some parts of louisiana are still looking at a month before the lights come back on. We have talked to perish officials in to Southeast Louisiana counties and the past couple andites On The, show both from st. Johns parish and are bluntly uninhabitable. Without power, fuel has become all the more important, even hospitals are still relying on generators for power. That is not a long term solution. That is a stopgap. Nearly two thirds of gas stations, in Baton Rouge and New Orleans were out of fuel today. You need fuel to par your generator. The line at one costco in New Orleans which still hadfield today, that line was two miles long. All this while the national Weather Service is issued a Heat Advisory where the Heat Index of 107 Degrees Today in New Orleans. Again, i Cant Stress this enough, and i dont want you to glide past it. This is a disaster in louisiana, and its getting worse by the day now, not better. Even as the federal government and the state, just pours resources, into trying to get basic infrastructure back up and running, the scale of the devastation means it is really slow going. And this means our fellow americans, thousands and thousands of our fellow americans, are right now in day four of increasingly unlivable conditions, in Big Parts Of Southeastern Louisiana right now. President biden is headed to louisiana tomorrow. Today he did not mince words about whats happening with these concurrent and compounding disasters, and what we need to do to get more resilient against these kinds of things. The past few days of Hurricane Ida, the wildfires in the west, in the unprecedented Flash Floods in new york in New Jersey, it is yet another reminder, that these extreme storms, and the crime It Places are here. We need to be much better prepared. We need to act. When congress returns this month, i am going to press further action on my build back better plan. The build back better plan hes referencing there, is the President S two part multi trillion dollar infrastructure package. A huge part of which is funding and getting our roads and bridges and electrical grids all prepared for these kinds of disasters. But yes, about that. Today democratic senator Joe Manchin published an oped On The conservative Editorial Page On The Wall Street general, explaining why he doesnt feel and voting for the climate part of the package. Good timing senator. With or without that funding, we do still have the multiple ongoing crises, we are facing right now, to take, caravan that all takes a ton of resources and a ton of coordination. Theres a lot of damage, and i made clear to the governors, that my team at the federal emergency management agency, fema, is On The ground, and ready to provide all the systems thats needed, in fact our fema director administrator, diana grew as well, was the chief federal response officer, after Super Storm Sandy in 2012. She knows what to do. The name President Biden sort of coughed over there, was diane cruz, well shes the fema administrator, shes the head of, fema in charge of federal disaster response, in the midst of all of, this of all these overlapping and compounding disasters right now. She joins us now live. Administrator crew as well, you have 1 Million things to do right now. Thank you for taking time. Thanks rachel, thanks for taking the time to have me. How much harder is it to get any one of these Disaster Responses right . When you have so many to respond to all the same time . As you were just stating, the impacts that we are seeing from these severe storms, continues to grow, we are seeing these storms intensify rapidly, in Hurricane Ida, she caused destruction across four of our regions. In nine states. We have a good force. And they have been working hard to support covid response, and we are prepared to support all of the needs that will come out of the disaster. And the damages that Hurricane Ida has left. With your experience, with hurricane sandy, in the northeast, which we just heard President Biden referenced theyre talking about you today, i just have to ask, you baste and looking at what happened last, night and as you say the speed at which i had a came upOn The northeast right, now surprising many people, particularly in the tristate area. How do you think this sort of walloping by Hurricane Ida compares to what we saw with sandy . No two storms are alike, and theres a lot of differences between sandy and, Ida Sandy had a lot of warning. More warning of watching the Storm Approach from the atlantic, we knew that this storm was going to bring severe rain and thunderstorms and tornadoes, we just didnt know where that was going to happen. Until it moved over the northeast. So were seeing damages, were certainly seeing a lot of destruction right now. In New Jersey and new york, but also philadelphia and maryland. And we are going to be able to support the state, as they find their needs, and we will bring in the resources to help them with their recovery. Ive been looking at the release is from Fema Tonight but the Management Teams that have been fanning out, all five of them in louisiana, two of them in mississippi, but now, New Jersey, new york, pennsylvania. I know that fema has got i think more than 1000 employees, in Louisiana And Mississippi alone, supporting the Hurricane Aftermath there. I have to tell you though, as this week has gone on, looking at the conditions On The ground, it does not feel like enough, i am worried about how long hospitals in Louisiana Constand Generator power. Particularly given the fact theres no slack in this system, and it took a huge surge of very sick covid patients. How long can people live in the dark in the heat . I know theres no estimate, and a lot of places as to when the powers coming back on. What else can be done . We are prepared, and planning for the power to be out for several weeks. With the thousand employees that fema has On The ground, fema is just one part of the team. We also have resources and from all of the federal agencies that are supporting this. From the u. S. Coast guard, the department of defense, the Army Corps of engineers, and they are also providing support to the critical infrastructure needs, to help them with that. Hospitals are the priority. I was with the governor few days ago, and he has made it very clear, that supporting the hospitals is the priority, and while they are on generators, we also have additional resources, additional generators that can come in and support if we do find any trouble with the ones the hospitals have. Tell me honestly here. Is there anything youre asking for, the fema thinks it needs, particularly for the louisiana team, that im still so worried about. Is there anything youre asking for that youve been told no . Any resources that youve requested that youve been turned down . For now. We have the full force, the full support of the entire federal family, President Biden has been very clear, that whatever louisiana, needs for its response and recovery, that we will be able to provide. I know you are heading to louisiana tomorrow with President Biden. What is your top Priority Tomorrow for . That why is it important to get the president himself down there to see there with his own . Eyes i think its always important for leaders to see exactly whats going on On The, ground so they can, if they do find struggles, they can relate to the people, and have that understanding of what theyre struggling with. So we can keep pushing those resources in. Having President Biden go see for himself, is just a demonstration of the leadership that he wants to provide. That the government is behind. That and we are going to bring what they need to help with their recovery. Fema administrator deanne criswell, this is an offer i made to officials dealing with the covid crisis early on in the administration, ill make it here to you as, well if you get told, know if Theres Something that you need, for response, and you run into bottlenecks, please tell the public. Please tell us and let us tell the country, because there is so much support for what you need to do, if you have bottlenecks, Public Pressure can help. I understand and i appreciate that offer rachel. All right, thank you. Good luck. Good luck. Thank you. Deanne criswell is the administrator of the federal emergency management agency, under President Biden. At times like this it is sometimes helpful to remember that the News Gods, just do this to us sometimes. They give us too much to handle. I think they enjoy it. Its too much to handle, too much to follow, too much to absorb, certainly too much to report on in any sort of humanly fashion, i can prove it to you, today we went back and looked up in the archives, the broadcast from nbc nightly news, the night that roe v. Wade was first decided by the Supreme Court in january 1973. And its not like we know now that roe was a big deal, but at the time they didnt recognize it. No. At the time they knew it was a huge deal. Abortion was a very controversial thing that is it is now. In 1973 abortion was illegal in most states in the country. But the Road Decision came down like a lightning bolt, and roma all of the sudden, overnight, legal abortion everywhere, for all american women, it was a huge deal. And they knew it was a huge deal when it happened. I was expecting one thing when i went back and looked in the archives as to Nbc News was like that night. I was wrong. Given one a big deal it was, and how big the deal they knew it was at the time, i will tell, you i was shocked to learn, that that supreme Court Decision, january 1973, did not come up in that Nights Neck were news broadcast, until 11 minutes in. 11 minutes into their 30minute broadcast. And then, even when they tried to bring it, up it got pushed down by further Breaking News. Now, what was going on. Is this was two days after nixon had just been inaugurated for a second term. The first 11 minutes of the newscast, that night, was about the Paris Peace talks. Two supposedly and the vietnam war. That takes them through the first 11 minutes of the broadcast. In the minute of minute 11, they try to get to the roe v. Wade decision, but more Breaking News comes in On The phone. On th phone. We have just received a bulletin from the Associated Press from texas. It reports that former president Lyndon Johnson is dead. Lyndon johnson has died. According to the bulletin, former president Lyndon Johnson, who was 64 years old, has died according to his Press Secretary. The report only says that johnson was stricken at his ranch in texas, he died this afternoon at brooke general hospital. Repeating that bulletin. Former President Johnson is dead of a Heart Attack at the age of 64. We will have more details as we get them. The other major story today, aside from the death of Lyndon Johnson, the hopes for peace in vietnam, is the decision of the United States Supreme Court. It handed down a supreme Court Decision about abortion that is historic. In the first three months of pregnancy, only the woman and her physician may decide whether she may have an abortion. In the second three months, all the state may do is regulate abortion procedures. And only the final three months of pregnancy can the state forbidden portion. The court ruled in cases from texas to georgia that all 50 states are affected whatever their laws. Todays decision came as a shock to both anti and pro abortion forces. 1973 will stand down as one of the days for freedom and free choice. This allows a woman free choice as well as to not remain pregnant. For someone women this will mean the difference between not having an abortion or not. For others it will mean not having to travel to another state. This new york clinic, for example, reports that 48 of the patients are from out of the state. From the beginning, Pro Abortionist forces have seen this as a matter of choice. The freedom to have an abortion is now illegal in every state. But basically the fight is not over. Well, it was over. From then, 1973, until yesterday. Its amazing to see, though. Thats Nbc Reporter betty rollins, almost having her Front Page Top of the Broadcast Story kicked entirely out of news. Because the day that roe v. Wade was decided also included the death of former president Lyndon Johnson. And also maybe The End of the vietnam war, and also day three of a new presidency and also everything else. The News Gods sometimes do this. I can empathize. Because 48 years down the road, we get the other bookend on that shelf. Now we get The End of roe v. Wade, The End of legal Abortion Access being guaranteed in america, arriving simultaneously with the overdue end of the afghanistan war. While also fires like No One has ever seen raging in california, while a hurricane kills dozens of people in the northeast. After that same storm swamped over 1 Million americans in two days, if not weeks, of extreme heat and without running water. While also an out of pandemic races towards 700,000 americans dead, with well over 1000 americans dying every day now. Again. Its enough to make you question your life choices, to wish the country had taken a harder line for those trying to make government is derided and undermined in its abilities to tackle serious problems. Its enough to make you think. Today, in response to the Supreme Courts ruling, late Last Night, not just letting the Texas Abortion Bill stand, but now saying, we are letting it stand. Ending the protection of roe v. Wade. Today President Biden made a substantive statement. Not just criticizing the decision but saying what is wrong with the decision and what he plans to do about it. You may have heard, he made a statement about this today. Check what he said here. Quote, the Supreme Courts ruling overnight is an unprecedented assault on a womans constitutional right under roe v. Wade, which has been the law of the land. By allowing the law to go into effect that empowers private citizens in texas to sue Health Care providers, Family Members supporting a woman exercising her right, it unleashes unconstitutional chaos and empower self anointed in forces to have devastating impacts. Complete strangers will now be empowered to inject themselves in private and personal Health Decisions face by women. This law is extreme and does not allow for exceptions. It not only empowers complete strangers to inject themselves into private decisions, it actually incentivizes them to do so, with the prospect of a 10,000dollar bounty if they win their case. For the majority of the Supreme Court to do this without a herring, without the benefit of an opinion from a court below, insults the Rule Of Law and the rights of all americans to seek redress from the courts. The impact of last Nights Decision will be immediate and it requires an immediate response. The President Says i am directing my Gender Policy Council and the white House Counsel Office to launch a whole of Government Effort to respond to this decision, looking specifically into Government Departments to see what steps the federal government can take to ensure that women in texas have access to safe and legal abortions as protected by roe. And what legal tools we have to insulate women and providers from the impact of texas is bizarre scheme of out forced in source mint. President biden saying he wants a whole of Government Response to this catastrophe. In womens rights in texas. I have questions. First of all, what can the federal government actually do . What can those agencies President Biden singled out, the Justice Department for example, what can they do that might make a difference . Also, what does it mean . What should we infer from the fact that President Biden has put, interesting lee, his white House Counsel, in charge of leading this Government Effort. What does that say about how he intends to fight and what resources he can bring . Also, now that texas has been allowed to ban abortion in the specific way, should we now expect that all the Red States in the country will just xerox the Texas Law . Put their own Copycat Bans in place as well . It is the Supreme Court giving republican controlled states the right to ban abortion that way . The south Dakota Governor has also said today that he plans to do just that. Here is a related question. The ruling Last Night says explicitly that the justices are not saying one way or the other, whether texas is banned is constitutional or not. The ruling says they are letting it go into effect regardless of its constitutionality. Does that mean that Texass Ban is only going to stand temporarily . Or should we expect it to stand for the foreseeable future . Here is another practical question . In the prerow era, like you saw from 1973, women who could afford to, women would leave their Home State and travel to a place like new york or california because it was legal in those states. We see that starting again already. Clinics nearby to texas, including oklahoma, said that they are getting a influx of texas women patients. But as the vigilante Bounty Hunter Part of this law also put that at risk . Will the vigilante snitch on your neighbor, to your neighbor over her medical procedures . Will that be used to target people who donate money, or otherwise help women to leave their state to get an abortion elsewhere . Practical question. A washington question. Democrats and the White House responded to the Supreme Court saying that they plan to Codify Roe into law, and will pass a law so that biden can sign it. Even if they do that, Senator Manchin notwithstanding, would it help . Or with the court undo roe and undo a law like that . And here is one last question. It does now feel inevitable that the same Supreme Court will go the full nine yards and formally Repeal Roe this fall. With the Mississippi Case they will hear. Beyond what they did yesterday, which was to got roe, without admitting it. I used to think if that happens but now i am thinking when that happens, when they formally formally under turn roe. What should we do, expecting that, to prepare . Questions, you can see, i have a lot. Answers we will have the next. Stay with us. Stay with us introducing Aleve X. Its fast, powerful longlasting relief with a revolutionary, rollerball design. Because with the right pain reliever. Life opens up. Aleve it, and see whats possible. Omega3 from Fish Oil is an important nutrient for heart health. Qunols Ultra Purified omega3, is sourced only from wild caught ocean fish, not farm raised and comes in an easy to swallow mini pill. The brand i trust is qunol. You need an ecolab scientific clean here. And you need it here. And here. And here. Which is why the scientific expertise that helps Operating Rooms stay clean is now helping the places you go every day too. Seek a commitment to clean. Look for the Ecolab Science certified seal. Can we put those questions back up On The screen . We have the ability to do that . Thank you i am not a lawyer, i do not even pretend to be one on tv, but i do have questions about the law, about the United States Supreme Court putting us back in the days of abortion being illegal in this country. And it least for right now, that list of questions includes these. President biden says he will mount a whole of Government Response. To defend womens rights, what does that mean . What could he do . Is it important that hes putting his white House Counsel in charge of that effort . Is that significant . Also should we had specks all the Red States do now copy the Texas Ban . Since the Supreme Court has allowed it to become law . Will this be true in every other Red State now . House the Supreme Court only legalize the Texas Ban, or allowed the texas panda stand, on a temporary basis . Or should we expect it to stay in place indefinitely . Also, since were now back in the world where some states ban abortion, its one now, but im guessing it will be more soon. Can women get help, to leave Abortion Ban states . So they can travel to a state that will let them get an abortion. Or does the Bounty Hunter vigilante parts of this Texas Law, could that be used against any of us . Who would donate money or otherwise provide help to cross State Lines . Could a new federal law on abortion Rights Help democrats say thats what they plan to do. Even if they can do, that wouldnt help . And is worse coming . If so how do you prepare for . Joining us now is someone who has talked me off many a legal ledge over the years, tonight i think we might possibly be standing on that ledge together however. Dahlia lithwick is slate Senior Editor, dalia its nice to see. You thanks for being. Here hi rachel thanks for having. Me first, let me give you the option, you have a special privileges here On The show. Do you want to throw all these questions out . Are these at least close to the right ones to be asking . Are they not . I will tell you, when you threw them up On The screen again, i had the most wicked flashback to my exams and first year of law school. In my heart started pounding. And i was like im in law school. I can do. So lets power through. I will say, the questions about the Womens Health Protection act, and potential legislation, and what can be done, i know that thats what Nancy Pelosi is pushing. I know thats what biden is talking about. President biden im sorry, but i think we should be really clear, it does not seem that that has support in the senate. I think you said Joe Manchin notwithstanding. And i think theres a larger question buried somewhere and one of your questions, about whether the Supreme Court will just turn around and strike it down. We can certainly talk about which has been the answer to this. But its not at all clear to me, a that that happens in the senate, and be that the Supreme Court tolerates. Have to respeak with you tonight, we will be speaking with the sponsor of the Womens Health Protection, act to get her take on that. Congresswoman Judy Chu, has been introducing this proposed Law Year after year. I want to talk to her about those exact points. Because she thinks this is a beach. Had in this is the way to do it. We will get back to that later on in the show. But let me ask you about the federal Government Part of. It President Biden said today, he didnt just condemn with the Supreme Court, did he said he wants a whole of Government Response. He specifically called out the department of health and human services, and the Justice Department, and he put his white House Counsel in charge of it. Do any of those raise your interest . In terms of something the federal government might be able to do that they havent previously done . I am absolutely delighted, if Joe Biden wants to put together a whole Government Response. My sense is what should have been happening from inauguration day. That we had clinics in louisiana, mississippi, places where women were all but losing access, these are protections that are long overdue. And by the way, that goes back to the obama administration. So absolutely anything that can be done, robust protections for womens reproductive care, you are not going to get me to veto. I am going to say the things ive been saying to you for years. Which is, this is a court problem. And in my view, where the rubber hits the road. It has to be taken very very seriously, about structural court reform, about what we do about courts that take it upOn Themselves to nullify row. In the dark of night. I dont think these problems can be solved, as a whole Government Response, and then say well will kick it over to the Core Commission and hope that they make a recommendation, that in 27 years we can do something about. It could the Court Commission take something more seriously, for what you know about President Biden, once again for those of you have not been following this closely. There is been a serious proposal that has been promoted with increasing urgency. That the Supreme Court. Should be expanded. And that other potential reforms to the way the Supreme Court operates, and the way its constituted, ought to be seriously considered. Because of the way republicans in particular have really stacked the deck to make that court their own plea thing. President biden formed a Court Commission to study the matter. And as you say, some more facetiously, we cant wait to hear. Them we are going to do something different 27. Years if you could wave a Magic Wand and be the new convenor of that Court Commissioned, what would you have them to . Rachel i want to be super clear, i have so much respect for so many of the people on that commission. But the time to fix the courts was yesterday. Its not ten years ago. And i just think that having a Court Commission that is not seriously looking at court expansion, that is doing a kind of quasiacademic exercise, trying to think about other versions of structural court reform. I think the urgency, that we are facing, in terms of whats this court can do, and will, do not just in terms of reproductive rights, but in terms of dismantling the administrative state, in terms of voting, writes which we are not going to have a chance to talk about, but this court, i dont think can be handled with a late chin stroking, lets wait some proposals and think about it. I think every single day we are not talking seriously about court reform, is a day that is absolutely lost. In the short term, do you expect that we will have a lot of Red States to copycat laws, that looks just like this, law and will those effective we just, with those go into effect as soon as they pass . Then we will have Abortion Bans in multiple states . It certainly looks like it. John roberts the chief justice, one of the dissenters from the order that came down Last Night, The Point He Made was that, we could have enjoying this, we couldve got into the merits eventually, let this thing play out. The court does that all the time. By failing to enjoin, at the court has invited more. And as you noted, we are seeing it all over the country. Florida falling over itself, to pass a copycat statute, and why wouldnt they. Theyve now had the doors open. So without a doubt, i think we will see very soon, a checkerboard of states in which for all intensive purposes, there is no right to abortion. Roe v. Wade is a right that exists on paper, and not as a matter of fact. Briefly, and practically. For people who are thinking about funding efforts, and detaining efforts, and contributing personally efforts, volunteering, to help women in Abortion Ban states, get to states where abortion is still legal, so they can have the procedure done elsewhere. Are these laws designed to target people who provide that kind of help . Ive seen that answered both in the affirmative in the negative. Today npr is reporting earlier today that the law will not reach out and get you, if you are simply writing a check to help somebody get out of state. It will not cut you if you are in fact, treating someone out of state, but a writing in the Guardian Today suggested otherwise. And i think the truth, is that the law is vague. That we are going to have to test. It and tested. And find out. And one of the points, the very purpose of this law, is to chill people, not just Abortion Providers in texas, but to chill the entire community of people who want to help women right now. Into second guessing whether it will be On The hook. That was the purpose of the law. That was the law the Supreme Court let go into effect. I can see a proverbial Mushroom Cloud of rage, rising above you. Over the United States of america, as people everywhere hear those words. From you my friend. Dahlia lithwick, Senior Editor at slate. Com. Keep writing, keep giving them hell, we need you more than ever. Thanks rachel. Thanks for having. Me ok much more, ahead stay with us. Ok much more, ahead stay with us. We are the next. The next generation of visionaries. Rule breakers. Game changers. And world beaters. We were built to perform On The biggest stages. But we certainly arent here to do whats been done before. And neither are we. At Palo Alto networks, we are ready to secure our digital future. As companies innovate to transform, we innovate to outpace cyberthreats. So you can embrace technology with confidence and make the next day safer than the one before. Weve got next. As someone who resembles Someone Else. I appreciate that Liberty Mutual knows everyones unique. Thats why they customize your car insurance, so you only pay for what you need. [ nautical Horn Blows ] i mean just because you look like Someone Else doesnt mean you eat off the floor, or yell at the vacuum, or need flea medication. Oh, yeah. Thats the spot. Only pay for what you need. Liberty, liberty, liberty, liberty in summing up todays decision, Justice Harry blackmon, author of the roe, now just when so many expected the darkness to fall, the flame has grown bright. That lame can be extinguished by one more vote. Congressional leaders said they would try to go around the Supreme Court by making abortion legal once and for all. The congress muchs act to ensure that the fundamental right of american women to choose for themselves is not lost. That was june, 1992. That was the first big supreme Court Test of roe v. Wade and row survived, but the ruling was close. One vote in the other Direction And Roe would have been overturned. You heard George Mitchell say that that is too close for comfort. Its time to take the fate of roe, the whole issue of Abortion Rights out of the hands of the Supreme Court. Its too dangerous there. He said in june, 1992, that rather than leaving it up to the court, congress should macon and round around the court. Congress should pass a law that would protect the womens rights in all 50 states to an abortion. He promised he would bring the senate to a vote On The freedom of choice act, which would enshrine and boorish and rights. He did not follow through with a promise in The End. But the idea of doing that, the promise, has stuck around in democratic politics ever since. In a weird and frustrating way. Go back to the 2008 president ial campaign, Barack Obama promised there would be a vote On The freedom of choice act. Signing that bill, he said, would be the first thing i do as president. He was elected but that did not happen. As recently as 2020, almost every 2020 democratic primary candidate, said the same thing. Codify roe v. Wade into law if they became president. Everyone promises they will do it. It somehow seems to never happen. On the congressional level, democratic congresswomen Judy Chu of california has taken this very seriously and has taken pen to paper. Four years. In 2013 she introduced legislation to protect Abortion Rights. She did the same during her next term, 2015, then again heres after. Multiple times. Shes actually trying to do it. Other than that relentless, effort by Judy Chu democratic support on a law has just been a lot of Lip Service, dating back to the early 1990s. They have all promised they were going to do it, particularly around elections, but they actually never do. I think thats about to change. Today White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki says that President Biden is committed to his Campaign Promise to codify the four technicians established by roe. That he will speak with Speaker Pelosi for legislation on his Desk And Leader schumer. Speaker pelosi said that she would bring Judy Chus legislation to the floor and pass it as soon as the house reconvenes. Congresswoman Judy Chu is the only person trying to get this done while everyone else has just been flapping about it for years, for decades. Well now that the case has been overturned, it is Congresswoman Judy chus. She joins us next. E joins us next. Tide Pods Childguard Pack helps keep your Laundry Pacs in a safe place and your child safer. To close, twist until it clicks. Tide Pods Childguard Packaging. One of my favorite supplements is qunol turmeric. Turmeric helps with healthy joints and inflammation support. Unlike regular turmeric supplements qunols Superior Absorption helps me get the full benefits of turmeric. The brand i trust is qunol. upbeat music [narrator] this is kate. She always wanted her smile to shine. Now, she uses a capful of therabreath healthy smile oral rinse to give her the healthy, sparkly smile she always wanted. Crowd Cheering therabreath, its a better mouthwash. At walmart, target and other fine stores. Energy is everywhere. Even in a little seedling. Which, when turned into fuel, can help power a plane. At chevrons el segundo refinery, were looking to turn plantbased oil into renewable gasoline, Jet And Diesel fuels. Our planet offers countless sources of energy. But its only human to find the ones that could power a better future. [relaxed summer themed music playing] summer is a state of mind, you can visit anytime. Savor your summer with lincoln. Nevertheless, she has persisted. 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, now 2021. For her last five terms in congress, california democratic Congresswoman Judy chu has introduced the same bill. A simple bill which has been promoted by democratic politicians, including President S, for a generation. A bill to codify the protections supposedly enshrinement by roe v. Wade, which the Supreme Court has now garrisoned. Before now, Judy Chu has been introducing this every two years, but it has not been going anywhere. Now, everyone is paying attention to whats Judy Chu has been trying to do for the better part of a decade. Better late than never . Joining us now is Judy Chu, democrat of california, lead sponsor of the bill to protect Abortion Rights, a bill that Speaker Pelosi has promised that the house will take up and pass. Congresswoman, thank you for being here, i know this is an intense time. Thank you for having me. Tell us about your determination to try to get his passed. You have been pursuing this in a singleminded way for years now, even as you have had so many democratic cosponsors and so much Lip Service support, that this is an important thing, but no effort, no momentum to actually get it done before now. First of all, let me say that there is a very dedicated group of members of congress that have been pushing for this law as well. So it certainly is not just me. I just have the privilege of being able to lead this effort. It has been important, because starting in 2011, we saw these states doing these anti Abortion Laws that were restricting access by requiring a certain width of doors or doctors to be admitted in hospitals where it is irrelevant. Or requiring two separate visits or ultrasounds. And we knew we had to have an overall solution, that would indeed make the protections of roe v. Wade into law. By establishing a federal statutory right for patients to receive and providers to provide abortion care, free from these medically unnecessary restrictions that single out abortion and impede access. This bill will indeed do this. I have to say, though, that we have gotten more and more cosponsors and actually in this last congress we had the greatest number of cosponsors. 216 members of congress that supported it. And in fact we actually had the most prochoice congress in history. And we did this bill knowing that the day would come when there would be a draconian bill like s. B. 8 that the Supreme Court would let go into law, and undermine roe v. Wade, so i am so grateful that finally we are bringing it to the floor. Im grateful to Speaker Pelosi and im grateful that President Biden is indeed supporting the right for a statutory kind of improvement to the Hero Roe v. Wade debate. With 216 cosponsors and with Speaker Pelosi now backing this effort and her Commitment Today to get it done, i have i believe that this can pass the house. Democratic majority and Speaker Pelosi behind it, those kinds of numbers, you will get there. Are you also working on a Buy Camera Strategy . There are a few, maybe two, democratic senators who are explicitly anti choice, Joe Manchin and senator hawley casey. There are others, i cant speak to their positions. There are also offensively republican senators who say theyre for upholding the protections of roe v. Wade. Setting aside the filibuster and whether it will survive this challenging time in our nations history, do you believe that its possible that you can cobble together a 50 Vote Majority in the senate to pass it . I do believe that it is possible. Let me say that since the beginning of the introduction of the bill, we have had an incredible partner and champion, and that is senator richard blumenthal, who introduced the Senate Version of this bill since the beginning. And he has been working to get the cosponsors. He has 48 cosponsors On The senate side. We also know there are two republicans that are prochoice. And so we have the ability to get somewhere on this. Besides the fact that the country is more galvanized than ever, because of this disturbing and chilling bill that would turn private citizens into vigilante Bounty Hunters against anybody who helps a woman who wants to have an abortion. Doctors, staff members, counselors, people who help pay for the procedure, even an Uber Driver taking the patient to an abortion clinic, could be subject to this 10,000 dollar fine. A private citizen could go after all of them and make quite a living, actually. Congresswoman Judy Chu, lead sponsor of the bill to protect Abortion Access which Speaker Pelosi has promised to take up in the house. She has been leading this effort for years and it is now going to move. Congresswoman, thank you for speaking with us, i imagine we will be speaking with you as the bill moves forward. Thank you. And as Judy Chu, we saying, 216 cosponsors in the house. A couple of republicans who say they are for it. If nothing happens with the filibuster, nothing can happen, but if the senate was willing to revise the filibuster, willing to change that law, one of the things that could happen would be that roe v. Wade can be codified. But for the filibuster. We will be right back. We will be right back. Battling sensitive skin, we switched to Tide Hygienic clean free. Its gentle on her skin, and out cleans our old free detergent. Tide hygienic clean free. Hypoallergenic and safe for sensitive skin. You need an ecolab scientific clean here. And you need it here. And here. And here. Which is why the scientific expertise that helps Operating Rooms stay clean is now helping the places you go every day too. Seek a commitment to clean. Look for the Ecolab Science certified seal. Introducing Aleve X. Its fast, powerful longlasting relief with a revolutionary, rollerball design. Because with the right pain reliever. Life opens up. Aleve it, and see whats possible. Every single day, were all getting a little bit better. Were better cooks. Better neighbors. Hi. Ive got this until you get back. Better parents. And better friends. No no thats why comcast works around the clock constantly improving americas largest gigspeed broadband network. And just doubled the capacity here. How do things look on your end . Perfect okay, that is going to do it because were building a better network every single day. For us tonight. This fine friday eve. Now it is time for the last word with the great lawrence odonnell. Good evening lawrence. Good evening rachel, ive decided today why i would be a terrible Supreme Court justice. And that is, i would struggle with the muted language, that they use. Like for example, the word unprecedented. Which they use repeatedly, in their reaction to this texas abortion law,