00:00I know that you and Chuck Schumer issued a joint statement a while ago supporting this
00:07Medicaid day of action so there is unity on this, but Mr. Schumer actually was on CBS
00:16this morning and he was talking about his controversial decision to let the continuing
00:22resolution go forward.
00:23And what he said today was sort of interesting in that he said that he was told by a Republican
00:28senator that if they didn't do this bill that there would be a shutdown of government
00:35between six and nine months and that the damage that the Republicans could do in terms of
00:41furloughing people and stopping this economy could be devastating.
00:45So I wonder if now after the dust has cleared and the smoke has cleared if you can somehow
00:51see his logic in the decision that I know you didn't like about his decision to try
00:57to let the government go forward.
00:59Well, you know as House Democrats we stand by our decision to oppose the Republican spending
01:04bill because the partisan Republican spending bill that was not negotiated with Democrats
01:11it was written by Donald Trump and House Republicans would hurt families, hurt veterans, and hurt
01:18seniors.
01:20It would cut health care, cut veterans benefits, and cut nutritional assistance from children
01:25and families all across America including in the communities that Congresswoman Clark
01:29and I represent.
01:31So that was not an acceptable thing for us.
01:34Our view was that the choice was between voting down the partisan, reckless Republican spending
01:44bill and then forcing Republicans to explain why they were unwilling to accept a four-week
01:51spending agreement that would simply allow Democrats and Republicans to try to arrive
01:57at a spending bill that would meet the needs of the American people.
02:02It was the Republicans' choice in our view to potentially shut down the government and
02:06they would have to explain that to the American people.
02:09If I could just follow up, if you could just tell us how you feel about Chuck Schumer's
02:13decision to do what he did and the fact that he continues to take incoming bullets day
02:18after day after day and it hasn't stopped.
02:20Is that right?
02:21Is it wrong?
02:22And do you support his leadership of the Senate?
02:24Yes.
02:25Yes, what?
02:26Yes, I do.
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