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discussion to all the policy issues, nobody does that as well. >> washington washington journal live every morning at 7 am eastern on c-span or online at c-span.org. >> we welcome the producer to the washington journal, a congressional reporter with the associated press. with us this half hour to talk about the week ahead, which is a short week ahead for the u.s. congress. the house and senate are coming in today. in this short week what are the things you're looking at? >> guest: it's a shorter week , ias i begin wednesday but this is the first week after a two week recess. obviously house and senate are catching up on the news of the week especially the ohio train derailment is an

area of focus. members of both parties, both chambers looked into it. obviously with different lenses and different angles but i think that's one thing we're going to stay on. >> host: one of your pieces with your colleague lisa mascaro said house gop casts a wide net in probes in terms of oversight. what of those hearings will we see this week eventhough it is a short week ? >>. >> guest: the main offering is going to be the committee. obviously this is something that started in a bipartisan fashion with 100 democrats voted to create this committee but we're really going to see that test ofthat bipartisanship this week . they're going to have officials come and testify. some chinese dissidents come testify but this will be the first time we will see congress address it and

democrats and republicans will see if they can have a side-by-side vote. >> host: where do you begin with this in the two weeks and the chinese spy balloon a couple weeks ago. the beginning of february than the recent efforts by the chinese to call for a cease-fire in russia. certainly the agenda for that select committee just got a little wider. >> guest: that's going to be a challenge for them. china is a large come country and has s political influence so they're going to focus on both domestically one of the issues that you were showing clips of mike gallagher on face the nation and one of the areas they're going to see how china clamps down on us, people in the us soil. these outposts, these police outposts you have in cities like new york city so you're going to see some of that but we're going to see more of a unified message in the beginning but it's unclear how.

>> you touched on this momentarily in the headline that reflected here in the washington times committee launches probe into ukraine derailment response, house oversight andaccountability and launches a probe into the demonstration's handling of that early on . as they wentoff on the right , the presidents' day break what are you picking up from social media etc. that members are concerned about? >> guest: obviously itdepends on who you're talking to . james palmer has focused his letters on friday to transportation secretary pete buttigieg when did they respond, when were they notified and many people, many republicans believe that buttigieg and the biden administration did not respond as adequately. >> host: power guest is farnoush amiri, she covers congress for the associated press.

we welcome your comments about the week ahead. lines are 202 748 8001 four republicans, 202 748 8004 democrats and 202 heaven for eight 8002 for independence and all others. additional hearings include the attorney generalcoming before congress on wednesday . is this one of the regular schedules or a specific issue ? >> guest: this is regularly y scheduled, he's going to start in the judiciary but this is the first time since 2021 merrick garland has been before congress and a lot has happened, obviously the en classified documents. republicans and democrats have been itching for a classified referring . on what the fbi found in those documents both from the trump administration and from biden and now we know pence.

>> host: that seems like all long time, why didn't he testify in 2023? >> guest: every session the attorney general comes before congress. it just happens in this period time there havebeen several investigations .it will involve the doj and fbi and we will see how it plays out. >> host: there's a homeland security hearing this week. is there still consideration of impeachment of the homeland security secretary mayorkas? >> guest: it's a small but growing faction of house republicans. i think if you talk to leadership that is something there treading carefully on to make sure if they do go that route there is an investigation that goes through.

>> host: and that meeting of the homeland security committee and that is this week. it's a short week because democrats have their policy conference, what's that all about and who are they expected to see here ? >> guest: biden announced he would address house democrats and he will do the same for senate democrats on thursday but this is different than when he came to philadelphia last year . they had full control of congress fand now they're looking at a divided congress, republican control of the house so the message is not going to be the same one of theoptimism of legislative achievements , it's how do we get back the house in 2024 and we're all waiting for him to announce his reelection. >> host: in last year's republicans held similar policy conferences, are they planning to do similar to this year?

>> guest: republicans will be in orlando at the end of the march . they're looking to regain control of the house. they're looking to 2024 and it will be interesting, they haven't announced anyone yet. last year kevin mccarthy and avoided inviting trump and went with speakers like newt gingrich and condoleezza rice we will see what happens. >> what can you tell us about the agenda this week for the house in particular, what legislation or significant legislation should be on the couch. >> this week because of that house democratic retreat it's a lighter legislative week. we're going to see some resolutions in support of aid and helping out the committees in turkey and syria who have suffered from that devastating earthquake but mostly we're going to see d the select committee on china will be their biggest offering this week and wewill see how that plays out .>>

we welcome your calls, 20274 8001 republican line, democrats 202 748-8000 and independence 202 748-8000 two and we welcome your text messages as well, 202748 8003 . we had one from dave in georgia, he writes that what will be the effect in congress this week to release of more january 16 in fox news. >> this is the first time the house will begin sense that news that kevin mccarthy allowed authorizing the release of those documents to fox news to tucker carlson. i expect there could be a lot of questions about is this the security questions about how much access s, carlson has said it's unfettered. that's the last time the last two weeks on the hill don't go into those because they have to do it in a secure room through the heterminal that he set up so he did

preview he's going to start to show some of that. >> host: are these tapes the january 6 committeewould have already gone through ? >> guest: the committee says they've had over 14,000, mi carlson said he has access to 40,000 so i assume this is the last half but the majority of it both investigators and members on the committee have gotten. >> and the sergeant at arms of the house, the speaker asked for those. he basically has to give them the tape. will other media outlets get access to those tapes? >> that's the question and there's been a lot of pushback on why one specific news network is getting access to the other ones. i think the speaker has kind of constitutional power that it's hard to question four but it remains to be seen.

>> let's get to calls,you've got frankfurt first in staten island new york on the independent line . >> caller: i have two questions. one are there any hearings on the snap insurance cancellation for march and the other question was about those objects they shut down. nobody's claiming responsibility if it was for research for weather balloons . odd they can't have any ' information on that so thank you very much . it's. >> guest: i'm not aware of any hearings but on the spiraling will see some of that in china. i would guess s that would touch on that topic and we should expect bipartisan condemnation of china using next five alone but i think we're going to see some of that play out.

whether the select committee is able to garner enough bipartisan support meaningful legislation, that's really able to reign in some of china's power is what we can expect. >> we have the democratic party policy conference this week and certainly next week as well a full legislatively to have this conference which a lot of members, republican measures will members will be speaking out so what's the next big wave of legislation expected to come to the house floor, the next priority, house republican priority in terms of legislation. >> we're all holding our breath for the debt limit conversation . secondary janet yellen has talked about will there still be that timeline for when the government would fail to be able to pay its bills. were going to see some of that play out and do some of these negotiations happen. biden will be submitting his budget and were going to see republicans taking aim at some of the programs. >> host: when do we expectto

get the president's budget ? >> guest: i believe it's the end of this month. >> host: josc says well they finally be addressing the georgetown expulsion and how can we move forward with anything until the liars are gone . it seems open and shop, where does that stand with georgetown ? >> guest: that's the difficult thing for us reporters as an investigation is done behind closed doors. there's information that spells out until that ethics committee finesses their investigation and look for it in their findings so we're all waiting to see what that looks like but obviously they're facing a federal investigation and state and local investigation so it's unclear with his experience at in the house . >> does it make it difficult, i guess the question is has he been given any committee

assignments you and has it made it difficult for him to function as a just with his constituents as a member of congress to your knowledge ? >> guest: he was originally given the small business administration committee. he stepped back. he went and had a meeting with speaker kevin mccarthy and stepped back from those committees and that took off some of the pressureafobviously after that . house republicans removed johan omar so it was kind of a nninteresting timing of when all that played out but he's followed around by a group of reporters on thehill . it's unclear, he doesn't see part of any legislation, he's not part of any committees so it's unclear what his role is . >> host: it seems more like he's in a holding pattern .

not really one place or the other. >> host: the senate will start their day with the reading of george washington's farewell address and of the senator from ohio will be doing that. what else isahead for the u.s. senate ? >> guest: the democrats are expected to have lunch this week so they'll be hearing from him about his plans for whether he i'm sure he will talk about whether he plans to run for reelection again but the senate will be catching up on i expect i believe there is an expectation they will get a briefing on the spy balloon. that there's no date on that. and then also classified documents is something that the house, both senate

democrats and republicans on intel are looking to get. >> guest: >> host: what is the status of john fetterman who entered walter reed for a health evaluation? >> guest: the most recent situation said he's going to take time off and focus on mental health . it will be interesting to see obviously we saw in response to both republicans and democrats talking about the importance of mental health and how the stigma around it often times even people in high-powered positions like federman to not open up, not taking time off so it will be interesting to see what his role will continue to be in the house. but i think it's going to be, obviously the senate democrats recently got a smaller but larger majority with the win of rafael

warnock so any sort of nomination, legislative priority. >> host: i was going to ask about the political consequences of that. senator schumer has to be very aware of he's down one vote the absence of john fetterman. >> and he's also senator kristin sinema came out in attendance. we have not seen what the practicality of that would look like and whether she will be staying on withthe democrats . >> host: farnoush amiri as our guest. 202-748-8000 the democrats line and independents and others 202-748-8000 two. another democrat to be concerned about in the 118 congress is joe manchin who

described himself as a democrat. i identified as an american mister manchin who asked repeatedly during a fox news interview if he considered himself a democrat, i consider myself an american through and through and he's up for election. >> guest: is not taking himself out of the running for president. it's interesting. i think will see obviously some of the ones that democrats are holding their breath for was senator jon tester of miami. that's a seat republicans are looking togain back in 2024 . ohio eric brown, another competitive seat and west virginia is exactly the same. it will be interesting to see whether joe manchin runsfor reelection in 2024 . >> host: during the 118th he

was the focus of democrats. a key vote and now the majority has an extra vote with the whole senate so he's not really the spotlight that he was. >> guest: with kristin sinema , he or any other democrat comes back to the 118 congress. >> host: let's go to brian on the independent linecalling from michigan . >> caller: i'm just wondering on all these cases of post 9/11 with these fisa courts, are we going to review the legality of them concerning the gaconstitution or anything like that and how about tony bob linsky. he seems to be the most credible witness ever. high-level navy, i have the same security clearance as tony. these are the cream of the crop.

these are top notch guys. i was enamored of dealing with annapolis graduates. and they're the best of the best that's the most credible witness i've ever seen in washington dc and he's going to step forward so both of these things they believe that fisa courts is unconstitutional and tony ns bobalinski have you heard anything on that's. >> guest: that's one of the things under the jurisdiction of the cia and it's a controversial topic specifically in the new weaponization committee in the house. obviously republicans are looking to investigate what they see as the weaponization of the federal government against american citizens and the fisa courts has been one of focus for republicans. >> host: that committee had its first hearing before the

break. i'm sure you've covered that specifically or got thechance to see some of that, what does that tell you about the future workings ? >> guest: we've never seen ... such committees are always different than a standing committee it was interesting to see that they brought in senators ron johnson and chuck grassley who are on their own in the senate in investigating what they see as weaponization. the accused the fbi and doj under biden of going after parents during the early days of the gpandemic. it's an interesting committee. obviously democrats are pushing back on this narrative.y, they think the opposite but it started out in a partisan manner so we will see. >> host: let's hear from ted

calling from new jersey. >> caller: my question is to you. can you bring somebody to talk about trial lawyers? they make millions of dollars and whopays for it ? they say on million dollars they win. they win because they raise our rates. >> host: you're talking about trial lawyers? >> caller: can you bring somebody to talk about this? >> host: kind of another topic but thanks for the suggestion. stephen in gladstone, are the republicans going to raise the debt limit? >> guest: that's one of the things we're going to see play out in the next fewweeks . the last update we got from ayden and mccarthy was conversations were continuing between the two men.

after the state of the union address republicans have, there's been a consensus among both republicans that ha medicare and social security is off the table but what ta that means for the other programs, especially ones biden wants to enrich or continue funding, republicans have said they would not do. >> host: this is all expected to come to a head. >> guest: by june. i know that date is still a? but june is when we're expected to see it. >> host: you talk about the challenges democrats have in 2024. melissa's locking, now i'm announcing my to be michigan's next us senator. new generation of leaders that works harder and never forgets that we are public servants, what the landscapelook like in

michigan ? >> guest: michigan is an interesting state. we saw more specifically in 2022 it was always considered a battleground state. it still is but democrats have done exponentially well in michigan. biden started that trend in 2020. i think there is this try from democrats to see what that looks like. obviously that now's locking if she would win she would take over a democratic seat so it's not an added plus for democrats but it would be a continuation a. >> host: you said joe biden speaking to the senate caucus and will the policy conference of house democrats, what's the message to those democrats?

>> guest: were going to see a different tone than last year. last year it was in the wake of a series of legislative achievements including the historical bipartisan infrastructure bill . they were in negotiation to build back better which would then go on to see inflation reduction act. there was this momentum of governing and legislating and they don't have that now because they only have the senate and they're facing republican control of the house though the message is how do we gain back the house and how do we hold tight to the white house in2020 ? >> host: has there been a messaging between house and republican leadership ? >> guest: they met to talk about the debt limit and that was in january. >> and your sense of the relationship between thewhite house any different than it was ?

>> i think we saw a different tone from mccarthy after that debt limit conversation with biden . i think obviously there's a different personality and persona you can have when you're a minority leader and the president is of the opposite party. when you'rethe speaker of the house it's interesting to see kevin mccarthy transition into this role . hothe partisan rhetoric is different than it was. >> host: let's hear from ed in connecticut on the republican line, go ahead. >> caller: how are you doing? i was looking at that majority committee and christopher ray and garland and those people, they're definitely weatherizing against us because as you see , all the phones that were stolen from mike lindell and none of the democrats, some things fishy going on and

they yoshould be more transparent. pull the biden family and see if they are corrupt because china is kind of running our country and i'd like to know your opinion and what you think about that, thank you for your time. >> guest: what you're talking about is the focus for the weaponization committee. they're looking into every aspect of the federal government from the apartment of the interior, the fbi to see what they think is weaponization whether it's against a person on the right or left. whether it's children's school board meetings or a series of different rights that they believe are being infringed right now. >> host: that hearings on hunter biden have not gotten underway yet.

>> guest: chairman comber has talked about the fact that he doesn't want to see this hearing until they are able to include their investigation. he's still sending out subpoenas and letters to the various agencies and individuals that he believes are involved. >> host: that's an investigation that representative comer began when he was ranking member on oversight. >> guest: he spent the last years in the minority repairing to be able to send these. you only have that power once you're the chairman so he's been collecting these documents, keeping track of these individuals and now he's been able to fulfill that. >> host: we will get james rlin charlotte north carolina, democrat line. >> caller: by bone i'm going to pick with you guys today is really the press. and we don't have the

woodward and bernstein's but maybe the goals that would sink their teeth into an investigation and stay there until it's complete. now we've got a lot of new people running for the story of the day to the next hot story and where are you on the truth versus ally rather than real policy anymore and it seems like these young reporters are afraid to say when something is totally ridiculous but we're debating almost ridiculous and it's almost amusing sometimes that the press can't just say that's a lie. >> host: let our guests respond. >> guest: i think this is a conversation that newsrooms have. it's a conversation the public has had about the role of themedia and journalists

in society . i can only speak for myself but for ap it's taking strides to be able to call out lies obviously and be able to give nuanced context to things that lawmakers say and other public officials say but it is a lifelong conversation. >> host: farnoush amiri has been with the ap for four years and he's on twitter. thank you so much. >> live and on-demand, keep up with today's biggest events with live streams of floor proceedings and hearings from the congress, white house,, campaigns and more from the world of politics all at your fingertips and also stay current with the latest episodes of washington journal and live billing information for c-span's networks plus a variety of compelling podcasts.

c-span now is available at the apple store and google play . c-span now, your front row seat to washington anytime, anywhere. >> lawmakers about to begin their legislative work for the day working on the nomination of jabari walker to the us district court judge for eastern virginia. it confirmed he would be virginia's first openly gay federal judge and also oklahoma editor james lankford will be reading george washington's farewell address a tradition that began on washington's birthday in 1896. we take you to the senate floor live here on c-span2.