ohio representative bill johnson joins us to talk about the biden administration agenda, government spending, and energy costs. later, democratic representative suzanne bonamici of oregon talks about the covid-19 response and climate change. ♪ host: this is "washington journal" for december the third. president biden has a new strategy for dealing with covid, and supreme court heard a case that could impact the current law on a woman's right to choose. although stop stories, and once you also deem important, up for comment and our first hour. here is how you can call with your top story of the week, (202)-748-8001 for republicans. free democrats, (202)-748-8000 -- for democrats, (202)-748-8000 . independents, (202)-748-8002.

perhaps you want to text, you can do so at (202)-748-8003. if you want to post on facebook, facebook.com/c-span. you can also post on our twitter feed at --@cspanwj. towards the middle and latter part of the week, a lot happening, particularly yesterday in congress with the passage of that continuing resolution that keeps the government funded until mid february. the house doing that in the later afternoon hours. the senate following suit after talk of some senators possibly holding that process up because of the president's vaccine mandate. overall, that took place yesterday on capitol hill. you can see that debate on c-span. also, the president unveiled a new strategy going into the winter months, particularly on covid-19 with testing, boosters and other aspects being focused in the following weeks and responding to comments on omicron and cases found in the u.s.. earlier this week, you can find

oral arguments on our website on the mississippi abortion case. that is still available. you can choose those as your top story of the week and comment as you wish. perhaps you are following what is important to you in the world of politics and public policy. call us at (202)-748-8001 for republicans. (202)-748-8000 for democrats. independents, (202)-748-8002. when it comes to the passage of that continued resolution, it was in the house yesterday, the appropriations chair, a democrat in new york, talked about concerns over possibly holding back. here are some comments from yesterday. [video clip] >> i will be frank, instead of discussing another continuing resolution, i wish we were here to present a bipartisan, bicameral appropriations agreement, continuing resolutions are not the way to govern. they are a short-term pass that leaves american people behind,

but we are here today because my colleagues across the aisle have refused time and time again to begin negotiations or even offer a proposal of their own. for government funding, that delivers for the american people. house and senate democrats have put forward their proposals, but republicans have not presented an offer of their own. there is not one piece of paper describing what republicans want. it has been 30-days since i brought together a bipartisan, bicameral, four corners meeting on november 2. today, we have not heard one word from them. not one word. now, our republican counterparts want more time, something that they have had since we came to this floor to pass the last funding extension 62 days ago. which means we now have no choice but to pursue a short-term extension. make no mistake, a vote against

this continued resolution is a vote to shut the government down. [end video clip] host: "washington journal" highlighting that extending that current federal spending set under the trump administration through mid-february, will give lawmakers more time to pass a new set of funding bills. republicans have october serve the current funding bill for as long as possible, while democrats are pushing for more funding for both care, education and research. democrats are pushing for the governors -- governments borrowing limit and defense bill. they are also hoping to finish the climate pact before the end of the month. when it comes to spending issues, it was the appropriations ranking manager yesterday, kay granger, republican from texas, talking about the democratic proposal and their emphasis here is a portion of that from yesterday. [video clip] >> the house and senate bills

were drafted for topline spending levels that did not reflect the bipartisan consensus . the majority of people also focused funding on their own priorities with nondefense spending increasing at a much higher rate than defense spending. last but not least, the policies and the bills are the most extreme i have seen since i became a member of the appropriations committee. during 2019 2020, there were also strong difference in opinions, but we had an agreement that allowed us to negotiate final bills quickly. the terms are rather simple. the party leaders in the white house reached early agreement on the spending framework. everyone agreed to drop controversial linkage and restore long-standing provisions unless all sides agree to changes. i am concerned we cannot have meaningful discussions on full-year appropriations without a similar understanding before we start.

i wish you would have focused on the essential elements of government long before now. instead, to which time has been spent focusing on extreme partisan and costly bills being sent to the president's desk, and there could be another bill on the way before the end of the year. it is unrealistic for republicans to negotiate on appropriations bills while this massive reconciliation package is still under discussion. our constituents are demanding that we take a comprehensive look at all the spending this year with our debt skyrocketing and inflation at the highest level in 30 years, we cannot afford to think about appropriations bills and isolation. [end video clip] host: more of that available at c-span.org. this is derek from seattle, washington, starting us off on your top story of the week on the independent line. good morning. caller: yes, my top issue is why the republicans are voting to shut down the government again? they voted for the infrastructure bill.

they do not want to pay for nothing. while the republicans voting for this? they are getting those loans, they got the ppp loans. trump spent over $7 trillion when he was in office. joe manchin and kyrsten sinema [indiscernible] because what they are doing is nothing. we want to build back better plan. we don't care about no infrastructure bill. we want better childcare. republicans are fitting to cut it out. host: you think it is not going to get out of the senate? caller: i don't think it is going to get out of the senate. this is what i want you to ask republicans. why do they think they should get any funds in their district, and do they think that people who are supporting them? host: that was derek in seattle, washington. the build back better plan going

for consideration after passage in the house now to the senate. cliff in san angelo, texas. we were next. caller: can you hear me good? host: i can. caller: it was kind of choppy in the beginning when the producer answer. you know, my top story is not a top story, actually, but i think it should be. it has to do with the virus, and i have been an 18 month sufferer of long-haul. it is not talked about. it is hard to get treatment. nobody really knows about it or wants to talk about it, but i have had 18 months of being externally tired, fatigued, and all the symptoms you hear about, but there does not seem to be a treatment. nobody talks about it. by good estimates by experts, there are as many as 20 million long-haulers.

i was so sick the last 18 months, i had a hard time getting out of the house. i think, number one, we need treatment. we need to talk about it. number two, i think nobody talks about where have all the workers gone? i do not know if they consider that some of the problem with finding workers other long-haulers that are running out of money -- are the long-haulers that are running out of money and they are too sick to work. host: doubts cliff in texas. at 8:30 this morning, a release of jobs numbers, so you can see that. we will report that when that is put out. ricardo in oakdale, california, independent, hi. caller: hi. i have been watching everything going on since trump was in office, and he even got the virus. i have a suspicion that the laboratories in africa, the republicans with trump and them are creating the virus and using

that as a diversionary tactic to slow down the democrats and to keep biden busy with the virus. they are trying to be dictators. that is like trump went to russia, north korea, and saudi arabia. he is in bed with all these dictators. host: when you make that claim, how do you base that claim? what do you used to back it up? caller: because i have been watching since day one what is going on. host: but give me some reasons why you think that is taking place specifically. caller: first of all, my grandpa was an apache scout in new mexico in the calvary. there is something wrong with what is going on because we are experts at tracking people. host: that is ricardo in california. that's hear from loretta in cleveland, ohio, independent line. caller: well, i guess the topic

would be my issue of why the republicans are holding everything up? like we can't see they are the ones holding everything up. what is wrong with them? host: give me an example of what they are holding up. caller: holding up the build back better bill. they do not want to pay for the $8 trillion trump debt. i really want to know what is in that package, pedro. how do you spend $8 trillion in four years? i really want to know, and like they said, it is our tax dollars, and we have the right to know. and they want to know about all this other stuff that don't even matter. you know, we are going to need some bridges and some roads,

but, right now, -- host: that also passed in the house and senate republicans voted along with that, too. caller: yeah, that is part one, pedro. i am talking about the total package. they were not supposed to be broken apart, but they were. after they were broke apart, the bridges on the roads were passed . republicans said forget the people. ain't that funny, pedro, how republicans say forget the people? host: that is loretta in cleveland. let's go to california, democrat's line, hi. caller: i was a republican and then trump came along, so now democrat. host: so you truly are a democrat and calling on this line accurately? caller: yes. host: go ahead. caller: i see the struggle we are going through because i watched the fentanyl committees and the witnesses broadcasting

like 2, 3 hours ago. host: the hearing from earlier this week. caller: yes. that was amazing. we are so undermanned and understaffed. there is no way that we are going to feel safe. oh, it is just the mexican border, and it is also coming to canada. this is like telling your kids to drink bleach to cure covid where we just go, we are not going to do anything. we are in dire straits, and they are intently looking to schedule one, schedule two narcotics or medications. they want to make fentanyl into a medication when it is currently killing hundreds of thousands of americans. that cannot happen. host: scott in roseville, california, talking about some thing of importance to him. that fentanyl hearing with witnesses and from lawmakers, you can find that online at c-span.org.

maybe that is a top story of the week. many of you mention legislative action, supreme court hearing on the case on abortion this weekend other things. call us at (202)-748-8001 for republicans. democrats, (202)-748-8000. independents (202)-748-8002. text us at (202)-748-8003. if you are on the line, go ahead and keep calling. if you are waiting a few more minutes, we would appreciate it. joining us to talk about that senate action on the cr, the extension of funding, is our guest from national journal, zach cohen. he has a story out taking a look on the senate pulled back from shutdown rate. guest: morning. host: talk to us a little about this effort that we heard from earlier, the potential for stopping the process or voting on this bill, and the three senators involved with that. guest: right.

congress had come to a head. today, it should've been a potential shutdown deadline basically september 30, or the week of that, congress said that they would punt to this friday, december 3, as a new deadline to come up with an agreement on how to fund the government for the full fiscal year. however, a couple of conservatives, like ted cruz, basically said we are not going to vote for, let alone, allow a vote in a timely process any spending bill as long as there is not action to try to stop the biden administration's efforts to mandate the vaccination regular testing of private employees. it is not yet fully in effect, but this is something that conservatives, especially in congress, worked up about and interested in doing something about. because a final deal on another stopgap spending bill has not

been reached until a couple of hours yesterday before the deadline, the senate had little time to take up this bill or to bring up the bill, even though it had come over from the house and has support over 60 senators in the final vote. what ended up happening was sanded up getting a vote on an amendment that would have failed and defunded the vaccine mandate by osha as the bill is now going to president biden, where he is expected to sign it. host: because the amendment failed yesterday, does that mean the issue regarding the senators' efforts on faxing mandates is over at this point? guest: far from it, good question. senator macron from indiana has a resolution that he can force a vote on as soon as next week that would basically pullback the osha regulation. a power that congress gave itself on an expedited basis and usually takes a couple of weeks to rollback any regulation they

disagree with. and that should be successful. senator joe manchin, the democrat from west virginia', said he would -- virginia, said he would prefer that others also said they supported. what mansion and other democrats did not want to do was -- manchin and other democrats did not want to do was add this repeal of a regulation to a funding bill, jeopardizing the passing in the house, and with president biden, and potentially cause a shutdown. that resolution could come to the senate next week. then it would go over to the house, where if it is not killed there, then biden would veto it, and it seems unlikely there would be eight majority in either congressional chamber to overturn the veto. so the vaccine mandate law is going to stay, even though, as i said earlier, the court has put a pause on actually implanting it. host: what was appetitive the minority leader mitch mcconnell and going along with the efforts by the senators? guest: he was opposed to it.

tuesday he was telling reporters were not going to shutdown the government. sort of no questionable terms, and that he was on fox news on thursday, basically saying that this gambit by people like marshall, lee, cruz was a bad idea, not getting outcome. that it could cause a shutdown. that it would be an outlet for senators for addressing the vaccine mandate and that was to extend the measure i mentioned from senator braun, which is supported by all 50 senate republicans and now joe manchin. he worked to sort of get a final agreement, and what they decided to do was have this vote with their understanding with all 50 democrats close to it and the absence of two republican senators out of town to family commitments, that that amendment was going to fail, and that gave both the conservatives who had pushed for this, and then the vote they had been asking for, a 50 vote threshold, a normal 60 vote, but at the lower 50 vote

threshold, but also allow the spending bill to move and avoid the shutdown later today. host: when it comes to other issues, zach cohen, first the senate when it comes to considering the build back better act? guest: this is a long to do list, and avoiding the shutdown was the first item on it. they have got to find a way to avert a default on the national debt by raising the debt ceiling as soon as two weeks from now, december 15 is the earliest janet yellen has said is possible that the u.s. government would run out of money to be able to pay, make its payments in full and on time. majority leader chuck schumer has talked about wanting to pass the boat back better act before christmas. they would likely still have to go back to the house wants the senate makes changes because the changes that democratic senators want to make in the bill or that the senate parler terrien that budget rules would preclude from including the final package. that is always another big priority. the annual military policy bill.

the national defense authorization act is stalled at the moment as an amendment from senator marco rubio that would crackdown on labor camps in a province of china that rubio and others would like to see included in the defense policy bill, but it is having trouble in the house and could potentially do it over there. that though, which has passed -- that bill, which has passed in the past, may fall through the wayside. there is a lot on their plate, and it is likely that some late nights, weekends, and maybe holiday work is in store. host: the story by zach cohen can be found at national journal. it covers congress, regularly the senate. thank you for your time. guest: thanks, pedro. host: thank you for those on the phone waiting period patricia in atlantic city -- phone waiting period patricia in atlanta --

phone waiting. patricia in atlantic city. caller: i was a stunningly yesterday to the roe v. wade discussion. i wanted to change my comment. in the early 1990's, i worked in women's clinic that performed procedures, the abortion procedure for women. the one image -- there are a lot -- but the one image that sticks in my mind, and people should know how difficult it is for women. a 12-year-old little girl was assaulted by a family member, and she was there for an abortion. the entire time she was there, she was clutching her teddy bear. that image of that little girl so frightened and scared, clutching the teddy bear, is why, one of the reasons why i feel that it is so

important for people to understand the pain-and-suffering that women have to go through, and that there is nothing bigger in government than the state telling a woman what to do with her body. roe v. wade must stand, or women will die because i could tell you from first-hand from working in the clinic that when a young woman is pregnant and is not want to be, for whatever reason, she will go to great mea ns to terminate her pregnancy. host: that was patricia in atlantic city, new jersey, on the supreme court case on mississippi's abortion law, available at c-span.org if you want to listen to the oral arguments. one of the people speaking about the topic was house speaker nancy pelosi, talking about the court hearing. her concerns, and also what congress, in her opinion, should do about the issue. [video clip]

>> so we have a situation where for asked, we believe the strongest weapon that we have here is to pass the roe v. wade codification. we did that already. in the house. it establishes statutory rights for health care providers to provide, and women to avail themselves to receive abortion care, free from medical unnecessary restrictions, the doj, and providers, by restrictions, made unlawful under the act, could go to court to enforce those rights. it made the law of women's health detection act would protect access determination of a pregnancy across the country. the codification of roe, again, the codification of roe, is the strongest weapon we have a blunt these restrictive anti-women

state laws. we do not know what the decision will be from the court. from what they have said about not respecting precedents is troubling, and what they have said about -- sometimes i think they need a session on the birds and the bees for some of the kinds of statements that they make. [end video clip] host: if you want to see more of that press conference from speaker pelosi, you can see that at our website at c-span.org. the minority leader later this morning will offer his own comments on a variety of issues on his weekly press briefing. president biden also expected to make comments on the economy. house leader mccarthy will be at 11:30 on c-span, c-span.org, and rc spano video app, and in jobs report comments from the president at 10:15 this morning. from twitter, this is aztec

saying that the court ruling putting the vaccine mandate on temporary hold, the government kicks the can down the road again, adding meeting budget reform and removing wasteful government treat tina rivera off of facebook this morning -- government. tina rivera off of facebook says top stories of the supreme court and roe. evelyn from facebook saying that stacey abrams in georgia announcing she will make another run to become the governor of that state. and then stephen saying the climate crisis is still threatening our extinction, just saying. facebook is the way you can express your thoughts on top stories. text us at (202)-748-8003 and tweet us at --@cspanwj. silver spring, maryland, mark. caller: good morning. thank you for take michael. i would like to talk about the supreme court oral argument. we cannot ignore joseph sotomayor -- justice sotomayor

[indiscernible] there is an hypocrisy here. on one hand, the court defends exemptions or religious exemptions for any factors for people who do not practice social distancing, and will the same conservative judges provide exemptions for those who need abortions passed with the court considers their own deadline? host: why do you think religious exemptions are coming into the court's thinking on this? caller: the court did not talk about religious exemptions to allow people to get abortions. trust me, most people do not consider a blast this is a human being. most religions defend the mother's life over the fetus's

life. yet, the court is allowing for religious exemptions before vaccination but not for those whose religion require certain practice that necessitates abortion. host: ok, that is marking maryland. let's hear from miguel from gambrell, maryland, republican line. caller: how's it going? things for having me. if you do not mind, i would like to talk about two things. one is roe v. wade. i'm not that worried about it. the woman in that trial, i guess, she had come back on even one team, going back on what she had said all those years ago. she did not want to have that, but they kept the law anyways. something else i wanted to say was, you know, with the vaccine mandates, they are just

absolutely ridiculous. i think it is crazy to try and force this poison on people. i will never take it or give it to my family. i think it is one of the most disgusting things are government is backing. thanks for your time. host: the president making another purse yesterday, talking about the new variant that is been discovered in the united states, as well as the ongoing issues when it comes to covid-19. vaccinations being part of that push. "the washington post" reporting for everything that the president laid out yesterday, which you can find that c-span.org, that it was unclear whether such plans would spur significant movement on vaccinations at a time when the new shots have slowed and attitudes have appeared to have hardened. 58% of americans were considered "fully vaccinated against the coronavirus," as of november 1. a great climbed 59.4% as of

december 1, according to "the washington post" vaccination tracker. there is emerging evidence of a widening partisan gap among americans choosing to get a booster shot. the kaiser family foundation on thursday reported that 32% of vaccinated democrats received a booster shot compared with 21% of independents, and a 2% of republicans. 31% of fully vaccinated republicans say they probably would not get a booster shot. let's hear from carolyn in ohio. democrat's line. hi. caller: hi. i just have a side note. i live on the border of west virginia and ohio. recently on a local west virginia broadcasting service, they have commercials with senator manchin over and over again. it says that he is for the paid leave and i'm confused because i

see those commercials in here on the television that he is not. i thought it was an interesting side note. i thought you all would want to know. it is wtap out of parkersburg, west virginia, that i have been seeing all those commercials for joe manchin. that is it. host: ok. al is next in plymouth, massachusetts, hi. caller: good morning. i am going to bring up something we have not heard in a while and got buried with jimmy hoffa. i have not heard a word about afghanistan. not a word from the left-wing media complex. they have moved us onto the britney spears update, so that is very important, but the bbc is reporting that over 100 former government officials were murdered. you know, and this is why we do not trust the left-wing media complex. they move the ball down. host: what is important to know about afghanistan now, in your

opinion? caller: part of your job, what is going on in afghanistan? what is the result of the fall of afghanistan? host: we have seen several weeks since the pullouts, so what is important about it now in your mind? caller: what is the status of afghanistan? why isn't the media covering that? host: why do you think it is important? caller: because it is news that impacts people, and that is what you and others in the media went to school for, and went to college, to come and be a part of the media. host: he said it impacts people. why do you think people should still care about afghanistan in your opinion? why? caller: because a country fell to a group where we don't know what they are doing now. we don't know every american is out of their. why is it off the news loop? have you heard a word about afghanistan the last two months?

host: caller, there have been various stories in various publications, i am sure, maybe not as of. the date caller: did you know that -- maybe not as of today. caller: did you know that allegedly by the bbc reporting that over 100 former officials have been killed? host: no, i did not. caller: can you do a story on that? can you bring in some experts on that? host: i tell you what, i will find the story, but thank you for your opinion as far as tennis why you think it is your top story -- as far as why you think it is your top story. delever that and for calling and telling us what you think -- thank you for calling and telling us why you think it is important. we have another 30 minutes to go. you can talk about the stock funding bill that was passed, the abortion case of the supreme court, which you heard others talk about this morning, the

variants from covid, you can post on twitter at --@cspanwj, and if you want, facebook.com/c-span, and texting as from your phone or device, (202)-748-8003. independent online, from tennessee, james. caller: hello. host: you are on, go ahead. caller: yeah. supreme court. talking about women, women's bodies, and how they have these babies if they get raped, incest. i would like to see some of these men get pregnant or get raped. host: we will leave there. let's go to chris, santa clarita california, democrat' lines. caller: going?

thanks for being independent and letting everyone talk it out. i am democratic. i like to watch both news. i just have got to say that they really dig deep and get the other side. it is good to hear both sides. so far, those conservative networks, not really been wrong on any stories. the biden story, the whole laptop was true. the whole russian thing that came out with trump was true and it was a hoax and no collusion print i want to give a shout out to the other newsgroups that i hope people back and watch the conservatives in the leftist newsgroups. we have to admit that msnbc and cnn are pretty left. host: since you called in, and this is a top story of the week segment, do you have a particular one that six out in your mind? -- that sticks out in your mind? caller: i have been watching the

government shutdown, watching it go back and forth, and watching them talk kate about each other. i have to agree with the republican side. it seems we want to throw money out there, and it does not seem to help many people. i think they need to stop calling each other names and discuss what will of the people and it is really not helping anybody. host: carolyn, baltimore, maryland, democrats line. caller: good morning. thanks for c-span. i wanted t talk about the supreme -- i wanted to talk about the supreme court abortion issue. i think it is a distraction and they want people to fight for no reason at all. it keeps coming up. i had an abortion when i was 15, and that was the best decision i made. if someone forced me to carry a child at 15 that i knew i was incapable of raising, i would

have been really ticked off. and i would have raised a child not ready for society i can -- society. i do not see why anybody should be forced, especially teenagers, not aware of what is going on in life -- i was young and should not have brought life into this world. you have to think of the quality of life and not just the life itself. i would have challenged anyone who said they should have made me have the baby anyway to look at the foster care system. the foster care system and the kids in the system are messed up. this is not a game. these are lives. it is amazing to me that the people say they should not be forced to wear a mask would force me to carry a child in my stomach that i do not want. that should have been my choice. host: carolynin baltimore, maryland, likely democrats. the story that the previous

caller mentioned on the death of those afghan security forces came from a group known as human rights watch and a report dated no forgiveness for people like you, executions and afghanistan under the taliban, saying that group, according to the report, had more than 100 killings were at least 47 disappearances and four provinces. if you want to check that out, you can do so at the website part michelle in lockport, new york, democrats line. caller: thank you. i appreciate the opportunity to have my voice heard. i am glad the supreme court is able to have -- i'm sorry. i'm nervous. or you can hear what the supreme court justices are saying.

i was upset that justice roberts was saying women should be held to the standard of north korea and china's health care system. i just think that they think we should be held as women to a dictators standard of what a woman, what her hopes should be attainable just to a north korea dictator standard and everything. let's not forget that he put people up against the system, and had them arrested from their homes and where they work and stuff, and they were never seen again. so for justice roberts to see that women -- to say that women should be held to some kind of health-care standard is very wrong. i think you should actually step down. i think every american woman, whether or not you are

republican, democrat, aggressive, or liberal, should ask for his resignation. host: that is michelle in lockport, new york. let's hear from john in pennsylvania. republican line. caller: thank you for having me on. i wanted to go back a couple, i cannot understand is people that call in. you can't be that ignorant. one guy says can't we have exemptions for religion to kill your kid? what religion out there is going to give you exemption for you to kill your kid? you know what i mean? unless you are a part of the church of satan, ok? i don't care with this sotomayor is saying that she thinks that these kids are brain-dead after so many weeks when they are in the fetal or after 15 or 20 weeks that they are considered brain-dead. what makes her some kind of scientist that knows these children are brain-dead? you know what i mean? this is ridiculous.

they are not trying to abolish abortion. their are try to tell you that you have a point that you can act after so many weeks. so the media is out there saying that they are holding them over with a gun and lie about everything. only a couple of countries allow abortion after certain weeks for you know a country singer? -- certain weeks. you know what country they are? china, north korea, and the united states. that is good company, is in it? host: that is john in pennsylvania.when it comes the omicron variant, "the new york times" with one of their stories on why it was not detected earlier in the united states, adding that it was on wednesday that american officials announced scientists found a california patient that recently returned from south africa. by then, california --canada identified more than six cases. in minnesota, colorado, new

york, and hawaii had a second case and also found in california, indicating there are more almost certainly looking in the u.s., according to science, asking why the variance was not detected sooner, adding that there are various potential explanations, including travel patterns and entrance requirements that may have delayed the variants introduction to the u.s., but there are blind spots in the surveillance system. the lab is conducting a targeted search now for the variant and detection could quickly pick up from "new york times." that was yesterday that the president announced a new effort, not only on this variant, but covid overall. one of the things he talked about according to a headline from cnbc, not wanting lockdowns, expanding vaccine mandates read one of the things he did talk about was the vaccination process, you can only when it comes to the booster shot. here is part of the portion from the president yesterday.

>> we are expanding our booster campaign to expand boosters to all adults. our doctors and scientists believe that people who get a booster shot are more protected than ever from covid-19. i was just told with a question i was asked whether or not it just increases the resistance to the variant that it is being dealt with, but it also is stronger. in not only raises the total but is stronger and makes things more powerful in terms of resisting. in the center for disease control, the cdc, the food and drug administration, and top public officials recommend all of those get a booster shot when it is time. more than about 100 million are eligible for boosters, but have not gotten booster shots yet. folks, if you're over the age of

18 and you got vaccinated before june 2, six months has gone by. go get your booster now. host: more of that available on our website at c-span.org. temporarily on our app, c-span now, which offer streaming video that you can see on various networks. they are for a short amount of time. download that app, that c-span no video app. let's hear from henry on our independent line, maryland. good morning. henry from dunkirk, maryland, hello. one more time. ok. we will go to john in warwick, new york, republican line. caller: good morning. i am calling in reference to the plight of the disabled american veterans. host: john, are you there?

caller: yes, hello? host: i think i may be having transmission problem if you want to put the speaker up so i can hear the calls, but let me try one more time, john, hello? caller: good morning. this is john in bullet, can you hear me? host: are you there, john? caller: yes. host: go ahead. caller: i'm calling about the plight of the disabled american veteran, of which i am one, and the field hospital system. i for one can attest to the fact that there model, delay, deny, and hope you guys an actual truth. the women and men who are waiting for elective -- hope you die is an actual truth. the women and men who are waiting for elective surgery are thousands and thousands. to try to get through to any of these hospitals nationwide. i think the last one that was built down in west palm beach is

a nightmare, and on the other hand, i could watch over 10,000 criminal illegal aliens coming to my country every single day, a quarter of a million a month, and they are being flown to the cities of their choice. these moneys should be rerouted to the american veteran. the men and women who serve this country. it is a disgrace. the choice program, which was limited, is not being followed, and it is time that america wakes up to this problem. the men who fought in world war ii, korea, vietnam, iraq, afghanistan, haiti, panama, and all those on any given day to put their lives at risk at any station, are not being taken care of. that is john new york. "the wall street journal" following up on the president' is called yesterday looking at

the fda and omicron and other issues, saying they are laying the groundwork for rapid review of those targeted vaccines and drugs. they established earlier this year to assess shock and estimating with drugmakers and setting guidelines for data needed to swiftly evaluate products targeting omicron, the covid-19 variant. the fda wants to make sure that shots and therapies work safely and can be made correctly before authorizing their use while moving as quickly as it can to conduct assessment to eight efforts to stay ahead of the variant, according to people familiar with the matter. "the wall street journal" has that story if you want to read it. from janet in dayton, ohio, independent line. caller: thank you for taking my call. my top story for the week was the human rights story, roe v. wade. this is not just about abortion. this is about human rights. how you can legally require

somebody to physically keep someone else alive is just totally beyond me, and if you require that of someone, it would be as if you require someone to give up a kidney to keep someone else alive. it is a human rights story that is only targeted to women, and roe v. wade, if it is overturned, that means women are not equal, they do not have the autonomy of their own body to decide who they choose to get their physical to enter not. the seem to forget there is a physical cost a woman to have a child. host: that is janet in dayton, ohio. "washington times" takes a look at a decision by the biden administration and it comes to immigration related matters, saying exit go will allow the restart of trump era border policies that send illegal immigrants back across the boundary after the department of homeland security announced it would speed at court hearings,

offer ask nations, and help improve conditions for the migrants. the biden administration made clear they were not happy about the move, and reviving the program is to remain a mexico program. mpp helped resolve the border search by discouraging bogus claims. the biden administration called accrual to immigration -- immigrants and halted it on inauguration day. host: lucille and the democrat's line. caller: good morning. my top story has been the supreme court hearing for the roe v. wade case i do not think i have heard anyone mention the fact that the cause of death -- the most common cause of death for pregnant women is homicide. some women lose their lives by

the hands of others simply because they are carrying out a pregnancy. it is the most common cause of death. host: how does it relate to the hearings earlier this week? caller: because i do not think that was mentioned for consideration. host: why do you think it is important to consider? caller: because it is the most common cause of death. if someone is in the situation where they choose to have an abortion, they are weighing out various factors in their lives, and we do not know what they are, but for some people, they could lose their lives. you know there are a lot of men that are married that impregnate women, a lot of men -- i do not think i need to say anymore if you look at the scott peterson and lacey peterson case, that is where i learned it. host: that is lucille in los

angeles. one of the consideration of extension of the funding for the federal government to avoid is set down happened on the senate side -- shutdown happened on the senate side. earlier, a reporter talked about senator lee's possible role of holding up the process because of a possible vaccine mandate. he gave in a slow nation of his thinking on what he would consider that on the senate floor, still available at c-span.org. here is a portion from yesterday. [video clip] >> each of us did square notes in the constitution, and it did not bring the federal government the authority to implement a mandate. it just is not. you can search it and will not find it. the constitution currently does not grant the president of the united states the united states the authority to implement such a mandate without the explicit authorization of the people's elected lawmakers in congress. make no mistake, this mandate is not only immoral

unconstitutional. for that reason alone, i must oppose it. mr. president, it certainly does not stop with the damage that is being done to our constitutional order. millions of americans are losing their jobs due to this mandate. while court orders are offering at least a temporary protection, these americans are still anxiously awaiting lasting protection from congress, and, currently, could receive at a moments notice the final ultimatum to be vaccinated or lose their jobs. in fact, in fear of the huge fines at the biden administration is threatening against businesses that do not comply once the mandate is enforced, many companies are already imposing these requirements on their workers. countless businesses and

hundreds are at risk of closure or dismissal have reached out to me. their stories are heart-wrenching. these are good people. there are friends -- they are our friends and neighbors, neighborhood is this is messes and american manufacturers. mothers and fathers time to get by in increasingly difficult economic times. there are millions of them across the country. over half a million workers in utah alone are at risk of unemployment to the mandate. as i have said each time i have spoken on this, i am not against the vaccine. in fact, i have gotten the vaccine, my family is getting the vaccine. i am against the mandate. i recognize that these vaccines are protecting americans from the harms of covid-19.

and that the government has no is this, authority or justification to make millions of americans second-class unemployable. [end video clip] host: from very in new york -- barry in new york. independent line. caller: my story is a story of not necessarily, shipment omission. that is the suppression of the news of the side effects from the vaccine. if you were to go to the cdc's reporting system, you would see that there are thousands and thousands of foot tallies -- fatalities in the first days of getting the vaccine. there are hundreds of thousands adverse reactions. when you see commercials for medicine, you always see half the commercial devoted to all

the side effects. i have yet to see a mainstream media, one commercial, that talks about the side effects. as citizens, we are supposed to have informed consent. how can we have informed consent if we do not know and were not told about the side effects from the vaccine? i mean, this is happening in europe, also. europe has tens of thousands of fatalities within five days of getting the vaccine. wouldn't it be advisable for people to understand that there would be a significant risk when you take the vaccine? host: let's go to james in georgia, republican line. caller: yes sir. my top story is i don't find the covid shot safe. you look at all these people dying from covid-19, but you go

back years ago when you had the swine flu, how many people died from swine flu? then they had the swine flu shots. well, there are a bunch of people dying from this. i don't think it is safe and that is what i have to say. host: that is james in georgia. telling us his top story of the week. you are invited to the same the last five minutes of the segment. joining us, we will hear from two legislators about issues on capitol hill. the house is expected to come in for a short pro forma session to do any business, but they will take about a few minutes, and then once that finishes, we will resume with your call. from danny in yuma, arizona, republican line. caller: how are you? good morning. you know something, i have something to say. there is a lot to unravel, but the one main thing is i looked down he -- live down here in

-- yuma, arizona, on the border of mexico and the united states. what joe and the democrats have done, open up the borders, has made it dangerous for my father and me to live down here because not only are illegal aliens coming in, but the drugs coming in, the cartels are running the borders. it is so bad. why did joe do this, sir? host: what danger have you found from that specifically? caller: ok, i just said the drugs, and not only that. illegal aliens are coming in and we don't know what they have what they don't have. they are not being tested for covid. there are some variables coming on here that are extremely

dangerous. host: danny in yuma, arizona. "the wall street journal" reporting opec and russia announcing a slight boost in oil output, saying the allied producers led by russia said they would raise their collective production by another 400,000 barrels a day in january. the group agreed to boost output and such increments each month until production levels reach pre-pandemic levels. the white house put pressure on the group to accelerate the pace. many market watchers expected a group called opec+ deposit opening wider. that came amid the uncertain economic impact of new travel bans going up to curb the omicron variant. europe is suffering through another wave of the older delta variant. rita is next in virginia. independent line. caller: yeah, i have to tell

you, i think you own apology to john who called in about the veterans -- owe an apology to john who called in about the veterans who have the internal waiting list for the hospitals. i cannot believe your nonresponse to him. i hope you still listening and he know some people care. it has me dumbfounded. i think he deserved at least an acknowledgment of the problem. host: he had a chance to fully explain the problem. that is the role we play here, but go ahead. caller: ok. someone with ice water in their veins is someone with ice water in their veins. goodbye. host: democrats line, diane in dallas, iowa, good morning. caller: hi. i wanted to respond to the guy that said about the side effects . when you go in to get your shot, you do get a couple pieces of

paper of what might happen. so he does not know about that. host: ok. caller: i just wanted to say that. i hope your holidays are pleasant, federal. host: thank you. diane in dallas, iowa, finishing off this hour of your top story of the week. if you do not have a chance to call in, come in at our third hour at 9:00 eastern standard until the house comes in for their pro forma session. before that, we will talk to members of congress about various issues. joining as next, bill johnson talking about deadlines and the like, including energy costs. later, representative suzanne bonamici, democrat from oregon, talking about those issues and the issue of climate change. those conversations coming up on "washington journal." ♪

♪ >> book tv, every sunday on c-span2, features authors discussing their latest nonfiction books. at noon eastern on "in-depth," victor davis hanson will be our guest. join our conversation as he talks about his books and thoughts on war, politics and citizenship in the united states. 10:00 p.m. on "afterwards," doug collins reflect on the events leading up to the first impeachment of former president donald trump in his book, "the clock on the calendar." he is interviewed by congressman ken buck. watch book tv every sunday on c-span 2. find a full schedule on your

program guide, or watch online anytime at booktv.org. ♪ >> "washington journal" continues. host: our first guest this morning is bill johnson, republican of ohio. thank you for giving us your time today, sir. guest: thanks are having me on. host: how did you vote on the issues that extended funding to

keep the government from shutting down? guest: i voted no. this is no way to govern. continuing to govern with continuing resolutions rather than passing the appropriations bill that had been debated in congress. that is not the way to govern. besides that, voting for this bill would essentially be voting to support the ongoing reckless spending and intrusion into the american people's lives with these vaccine mandates. no, i did not support it. host: we saw some of the senate side contemplating holding up the process over the mandates. was not aware the adventure as far as -- was that a worthy venture? guest: this is a very serious

issue. the administration has crossed the line. the courts have said so. these vaccine mandates are unconstitutional. let me say from the outset that i believe the vaccines work. i am fully vaccinated. i have the booster shot. my wife is vaccinated. my son has begun the eight vaccination -- the vaccination process. i believe they are effective keeping you out of the hospital, that of the icu and on a ventilator, and out of the grave. minimizing your symptoms. i also believe strongly it is not the prerogative of the federal government, the president or anyone else to try to tell the american people they have to get a vaccine. that should be an individual choice between a person and their doctor. host: only to the extent of private businesses under these

mandates? what about the federal workers? guest: i don't think federal workers should have -- should be told to get the mandate either. or the vaccine either. that's an individual right. host: when it comes to this omicron variant, what is your level of concern as far as cases in the u.s.? guest: from what we have heard from the medical community the omicron variant has mild symptoms. here is what we have to come to terms with. we have got to realize that this virus is here to stay, just like the flu, like the measles, the mumps, rubella, meningitis. this virus is here to stay. we have got to learn to live with it and deal with it without shutting our economy down every time it morphs.

be prudent. talk to your doctor. get vaccinated, but i'm not thinking we should take extreme shutdown measures because of the omicron variant. host: you talked about mandates from the federal level. does the same type of thinking if a state wanted to mandate a locality, would you accept that as well or that the localities decide on their own? guest: i believe most decisions are best made by states and local governments rather than unelected bureaucrats in washington that have no clue how normal american people live day-to-day. again, i don't think it is a government authority or right under our constitution to mandate people get a vaccine

they don't want. host: our guest is with us until about 8:30. if you want to ask questions, you can call (202) 748-8001 for republicans. (202) 748-8000 for democrats. independents, (202) 748-8002. you can text us questions or comments that (202) 748-8003 -- at (202) 748-8003. the senate now has the build back better act. it was passed out of the house. could come back based on what the senate does. tell us what you support it or not. guest: i don't know what it is going to look like when it comes back from the senate. we have heard, and i'm sure you for the same thing, senator sinema and senator manchin said this will not be voted on before the end of the year and the senate -- in the senate. it is likely to look different than it did when he went over from the house.

i can tell you the biden administration, with the help of nancy pelosi and chuck schumer have already spent $4 trillion since they came into office. we just cannot continue this reckless spending spree. certainly not one that assaults the fossil fuel industry, oil and gas and coal, the energy sources that have lifted more people, including americans, out of poverty than any energy source on the planet. and a steeper illegal immigrants, taxpayer funding for abortion, you name it. 80,000 new irs agents despite an americans' bank accounts. i don't think any other republicans will support that either. host: cnn reporting senator

sinema will not commit us far supporting the package you talked about. there is a piece in the "washington post." they talked about the child tax credit portion of it. when it comes to the enhanced child tax credit, "it provided a lifeline to millions of families. about $.50 more for a gallon of milk. gasoline over three dollars. hamburger nearing five dollars a pound. the analysis approaches the question backward. no child the size of the parent works. this is a child tax credit, not a parental workforce credit. policymakers face a choice. do you stand by and let one court of black and hispanic children continue to live in poverty." it makes other arguments. as far as supporting or not for the child tax credit, what you think of the argument? guest: if you think this

extended child tax credit is going to get into the hands of children and they are going to have the decision on whether or not they buy groceries without money or not, you have another thing coming. that is not the case. what is amazing to me is that the child tax credit was a republican idea, by the way. remember, when republicans first enacted the child tax credit we did so with work requirements. that is the problem with this extended child tax credit. we don't have a problem. republicans do not have a problem raising children out of poverty. we want to do that every way we possibly can. what we have a problem with our the parents that are simply taking that child tax credit and refusing to come back to work. we have one of the lowest labor participation rates we have had

in a long time. contrast that with a few short months ago when we had the lowest unemployment in 50 years, the highest wages, the lowest taxes in five decades under the previous administration. this child tax credit without work requirements are incentivizing people to not come back to work. we need americans to come back to work. i hear it from employers every single day. it is not about providing for children. it is about getting parents to be responsible. host: representative bill johnson of ohio, cochair of the house natural gas caucus, here to take your calls. lewis and saulsberry, north carolina, democrats line. go ahead with your question or comment. caller: thank you. top of the morning. it is ironic when you hear a republican talk in a manner that

they do. everything is for the people. they have something to say about it. when it comes to giving tax breaks for their 1%, they are all for it. not only do they give tax breaks to the 1% indefinitely, they only give the american people tax breaks for two years. here is my question. what do you think about january 6? when you saw those white republicans in maga hats chanting "hang mike pence" and put a bullet in nancy pelosi's head? guest: i don't know any of my constituents involved in criminal activity. if you know who they are, i would appreciate it if you tell me because i have not heard that. number two, i came out immediately and still stand by it.

i think anyone who violated the law and participated in violence and invaded our nation's capitol should be prosecuted to the fullest dissent of the law. it is simply that -- fullest extent of the law. the rule of law should apply to everyone. does not matter the color of your skin or what your ethnic or nationality is. if you invaded the u.s. capitol and violated the law, you should be prosecuted. i hope they get prosecuted quickly. host: representative johnson, there's a report today that 250 interviews done by the select committee looking at the affairs of january 6, including subpoenaing 40 people. what is your level of support for this effort? guest: there were already investigations going on. this selectivity is not really a select committee. all the members were chosen by

nancy pelosi. very little republican input. i think we all know, and we can go into that if you want to -- we know where representative liz cheney and representative adam kinzinger stand on the issues. they are entitled to their opinion. this is pretty much a one-sided investigation over the top of doj investigations, senate investigations, arrests. justice is underway with people that violated the law. that should continue until we get them all. no, i'm not in for a one-sided, democrat-led, partisan witchhunt that this appears to be. host: minority member mccarthy put nevers on the panel? guest: again, we made the case

and we made it firmly that there were already investigations going on and the doj and the senate, the intel committee as well as the government oversight and regulations committee also had looked into these issues. these are criminal investigations. that is the way they should be handled. they should not be turned into partisan politics, which is what the democrats are trying to do with this select committee. host: john and herndon, virginia. independent line. caller: good morning, pedro. my question to you -- good morning. my question to you is asked someone who has voted for the cares act, $1 trillion to $2 trillion in cost, along with republicans and democrats, my question is, as someone who has talked about reckless spending

earlier in the show, under what circumstances do you think it is ok for congress to pass bills that are chileans of dollars in size? -- trillions of dollars in size? guest: you said under what conditions should congress pass legislation that is trillions of dollars in cost, that i understand that correctly? -- did i understand that correctly? caller: that's correct. guest: the national debt now sits at nearly $29 trillion roughly. it is the biggest national security threat we have. you ask any of our current and former chairman of the joint chiefs of staff. they will tell you that. there has been, as i mentioned, over $4 trillion already spent by the biden administration. there is $1 trillion.

$1 trillion sitting in the federal government that is supposed to be going out to the states for covid relief that has not even made it out of washington yet. why? many of the states do not have a process to be able to handle that volume, that amount of federal dollars. i travel up and down the longest district east of the mississippi, eastern and southeastern ohio. i hear from mayors and county commissioners and township trustees all the time. don't send us any more money. we cannot handle the money you spent -- that have already sent. by the way, on top of that you have got the infrastructure bill. another $1.2 trillion that will be coming their way. now this social reengineering reconciliation so-called build back better.

i call it let me take you higher. what is that going to do? it is going to cause inflation to go higher. it will cause utility prices and electricity costs for average americans, for all americans to go higher. it will cause the cost of virtually everything from gas at the pumps to the grocery store to go higher. it is not going to build a better economy. it is going to build a far more expensive economy, costs that rural americans i represent simply do not have. we have got the stuff this reckless, out-of-control spending. there is no question about that. host: the president announced he will release oil from the strategic petroleum reserve. what do you think about that decision and what it means for the larger decisions made about energy in the united states? guest: at the height of our energy independence in the previous administration america was producing some 13 million

barrels of oil a day. we did not have to rely on opec, russia, venezuela or saudi arabia or anyone else for our energy resources. now under the biden administration that number has plummeted in the event of production we had. they are shutting down pipelines that would transfer that oil from the field to refineries, as well as from the refineries to the gas pump and he people's homes -- heat people's homes. i'm concerned that you have the administration saying they want to protect what we have at the same time they are trying to throttle the development and production of oil and gas domestically, begging opec and russia to pick up the slack. now they want to take oil out of the strategic stockpile.

that strategic stockpile is supposed to be there for an emergency, not for mismanagement. that is what this is. divide into administration has mismanaged -- the biden administration has mismanaged our energy portfolio. we are looking at upwards of 54% increase in utility costs this cold winter. look at what's happened in europe. europe has tried many of these measures, this rush to green. you cannot fuel america's energy grid with wind in solar -- and solar and biofuel alternative energy sources alone. fossil fuels, oil and gas and coal and nuclear are the triad of the base load for america's energy grid. to deny that is to deny us, the american people, the right to a

healthy economy. i think it is wrong. i want to make this final point. this taking oil out of the national strategic stockpile is just another part of the formula to eliminate america's reliance and resilience on fossil fuels. who was going to replace that amount of oil taken out of the strategic stockpile? at the same time we are dampening domestic production? are we going to go out and buy the oil now from opec or the russians or venezuela? what an irresponsible move to make. host: let's hear from jennifer in katy, texas, republican line. caller: good morning. i have a question about early treatment.

there is a 71-year-old man who was in the hospital, in the icu with covid. the daughter had to go to court to get treatment. i was wondering why republicans are not working harder to allow early treatment. will you be able to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate the fda, the cdc, and why they are blocking these treatments? guest: as you may know, it is not congress that appoints special prosecutors. that is something the president through the department of justice has to do. we can certainly call for one. i have had this question a lot. i think treatment for covid needs to be a decision between the patient and their doctor.

we have one of the most -- we have the most, best medical scientific communities on the planet. we are the ones that developed the vaccine in record time. when you consider that 90% of the people in hospitals today from covid are unvaccinated, that 95% of those in icus and on ventilators are unvaccinated, and 98% of those that have died from covid since the vaccines came out were unvaccinated, i think that is pretty compelling proof that the vaccines work, that they are effective in minimizing symptoms and keeping you out of the hospital, off the ventilator, and certainly out of the grave. this issue of not being able to get treatment, some states -- i don't know about your state

specifically -- but it's an issue with the state licensing boards. some state health associations have told her licensing boards not to allow doctors to prescribe certain remedies for covid. things like ivermectin and remdesivir. nothing has come out of congress that has placed those restrictions on treatment. so, i do believe people within those states need to go to their state officials and find out why they are not being able to get the treatments that they need and deserve. that is a state-by-state issue. i don't believe that is a federal issue restricting treatment. host: lizzie on the democrats line. caller: good morning, c-span.

good morning, representative bill johnson. one of the questions, why don't you support the mandates? the situation in indiana and a lot of the republican states, most of them, there are more dead people in the republican states because of the disinformation being told to them. i think it goes on fox and their social media and other things. our government needs to do something about that. and, i think the ag should have an independent investigation on our own former president who inflicted this, you know, problem we had on the 6th, the

insurrection. a bunch of the people in our government are part of it. that is why we need an ag to get into this and find out who has done this. host: thank you. guest: let me answer your second question first. the doj has investigated. i think they ought to charge anybody that violated the law and they need to prosecute anybody and everybody that violated the law. that has been my position all along. i don't think you and i disagree with that. the question is how it is done and whether it is done under the rule of law or whether it is turned into a political witchhunt. that is the problem i have with it. back to your question about the vaccine mandates, look, i made

it very clear. i have said it several times on the show this morning. i believe the vaccines are effective. i believe if you can't get the vaccine -- if you can get the vaccine, you should get the vaccine. i believe they minimize symptoms, they keep you out of the hospital and off the ventilator. i believe they keep you out of the grave. i do not believe that it is within the authority of the president of the united states or any other elected official to mandate a requirement that a person get a shot that they might not want to get. i believe personally there are better ways to entice the american people and incentivize the american people to get these vaccines. i spent 27 years in the air force. i have had dozens of vaccinations over my lifetime. i believe we have the best scientific medical community and

the world. i believe we are effective in fighting off diseases and viruses like covid with a vaccines we have. but we cannot determine day-to-day and oscillate back and forth about which parts of the constitution of the united states we want to support and which ones we don't. it is not just my opinion. federal judges that are steeped in their knowledge of the constitution have also said that the mandates by president biden are unconstitutional. they have placed stays on them. let me go a step further and tell you this. i believe employers have rights under the constitution just like individuals do. employers sign a paycheck on the

front side. they can tell you what time to come to work. they can tell you how to wear your hair. they can tell you to wear uniform or not. they tell you how much you will get paid. they will tell you how many vacation days a year and how many sick days you get. employers have rights under the constitution as well. if an employer wants to require their employees get a vaccine in order to work at their company, i think that is a very different question. i think the employer then takes the risk. if you lose employees, you might want to rethink that. we have a workforce problem. we have people walking off the job simply on principle, making emotional decisions because they are not going to be told by an elected official, whether it is the president of the united states or anybody else, they have to get a vaccine. host: one more question before

we let you go. we saw representative johnson and a sharp back-and-forth between marjorie taylor greene and nancy mace over various issues. what did you think of the back-and-forth? is this a bad look for the republican party in the house? guest: you have to look across the spectrum. we have seen the same kind of thing on the democrats side. i personally believe interparty squabbles and much of the squabbles across the aisle are beneath the integrity of this institution. i did not come here to fight with my colleagues. i came here to debate with my colleagues about the policies that are good for the people i represent and for the country we are so honored and humbled to live in. to protect the liberties we have been blessed with.

hi don't believe this is a right way to govern. i think it is a distraction. i would urge everybody, no matter what party you are in, step back, take a deep breath and ask yourself, is this how i want to be remembered having been elected to the house of representatives? the most powerful legislative body on the planet. i think it might give people cause to stop and think. host: representative bill johnson of ohio, thank you for giving us your time this morning. we will continue our conversation of next with representative suzanne bonamici. she will discuss the agenda of the biden administration and other issues. she joins us next on "washington journal." ♪

♪ >> american history tv, saturdays on c-span2, exploring the people and events that tell the american story. 2:00 p.m. eastern, we look back at herbert hoover's 1964 funeral when he was buried near his childhood home in west branch, iowa. at 8:00 p.m., pepperdine university professor loretta honeycutt on baseball during the great depression. she discusses the role of baseball and american culture and the origins of sports journalism. watch american history tv saturdays on c-span2, and find a full schedule on your program guide or watch online anytime at c-span.org/history. ♪ >> sunday on in-depth, victor

davis hanson joins us live to talk about war, politics and citizenship in the united states. his book titles include "the father of us all." he says american citizenship is disappearing. join the conversation with your phone calls, facebook comments, tax and tweets for victor davis -- texts and tweets for victor davis hanson. visit c-span shop.org to get your copies of victor davis hanson's books. >> "washington journal" continues. host: suzanne bonamici joins us. thank you for giving us your time this morning. guest: glad to be with you. good morning. host: with the build back better act in the senate and maybe undergoing changes, how much of

those changes do you think would impact the climate provisions within it? guest: i hope we can keep the strong provisions of the build back better act. as a member of the committee on science and technology and as a member of the select committee on climate crisis i have been listening for a long time to scientists. we know it is with us now. we need to listen to the red alert the scientists are telling us. i'm hopeful the provisions stay in the senate bill. people are feeling the effects of climate change across the country. host: our previous guest talked about fossil fuels. as of now the main force for america's energy needs. what would you say about the alternatives that can replace what fossil fuels currently do? guest: that's a great question.

there is no question anymore the greenhouse gas emissions are causing climate change. we need to transition to a clean energy economy. renewables are becoming more cost-effective, particularly when you consider the health effects and the impacts of climate change. as we increase the use of renewable energy, whether it is solar, wind, wave energy, there is a lot of potential. we will see costs go down but households will improve. we are spending tremendous amount of money dealing with extreme weather events, which we know are exacerbated by climate change. you see more frequent and intense severe weather events. it is taking lives and costing money. we need to make the transition to clean energy economy. i want to say i was thrilled when i heard president biden he

think of climate change and he things of jobs. there's an in norma opportunity between the infrastructure built that was signed into law and with our transition to clean energy. wonderful potential for people to be able to scale up and get good living wage jobs to support their families. host: you attended the u.n. climate change conference in scotland. you saw the promises made by the other countries. can countries actually meet those promises? what is your level of confidence in that? guest: i was thrilled to be able to attend the conference in glasgow this year. what is encouraging is to see the presence of the biden administration there. we are all in on this. we had president biden there, former president obama, the secretaries of energy, transportation. so many administration officials

with a commitment to address climate change. former senator, secretary john kerry is really leading the effort. with the united states showing that leadership i am optimistic we will be able to make those commitments and also work with other countries. we know climate change is something we need to address globally. i was encouraged to see u.s. leadership. we had some great meetings at the conference and look forward to continuing to do the work to make the transition and help people get these good jobs in clean energy as we transition from fossil fuels. host: the house at the coming at 9:00. our guest when guest until that time. (202) 748-8001 for republicans. (202) 748-8000 for democrats. independents, (202) 748-8002. you can text us your questions

or comments for our guest at (202) 748-8003. representative bonamici, we saw the extension to government funding. what about the use of the short-term extension to fund government? guest: obviously i would prefer to do long-term appropriations and not have to do a last-minute continuing resolution. however, that being said, i'm grateful we were able to keep the government open. it is our responsibility to do that. government shutdowns don't help anyone. we will continue to do our work. we have until february to pass these appropriations bills and continuing to operate government. i was encouraged to see everyone come together. unfortunately it was at the last minute but we were able to do that. we will continue to do our work to keep the government open and functioning and meeting the needs of the american people. host: when it comes to the

last-minute issues, the debt ceiling being one of them, what is the best result for that issue? guest: everyone is working on it. the debt limit is to pay the bills that are already incurred. we don't default on u.s. debt. it would be devastating to our country and the economy. i'm optimistic we will be able to come together and find a way to meet that requirement and not default on debt. host: this is jerry from minnesota. rogers, minnesota. republican line for our guest suzanne bonamici of oregon. caller: good morning. i have a question. i think the major concern is when the largest pollution producer in the world, china and russia don't attend and have

no interest in abiding by the rules put forward, what good is it really do? secondly, i think transitioning to better forms of energy is great. right now you can't -- i can't heat my home with potential energy. i think the policy the biden administer ration took of attacking the fossil fuel industry before we were ready to be up and running on a better way of doing it was foolish. it was full hearty. it is what happens when you get zealots and extremists trying to force an issue before you are ready to do it. thank you. guest: thanks for your question. i am very aware of the role of china and russia. this is a global issue and we absolutely need to address it, the transition to clean energy economies. towards the end of the conference there was a

conversation and negotiations between the u.s. and china. i hope we can have those global conversations. in some ways china is ahead of us on things like electric buses. there needs to be a commitment globally. the u.s. can show that leadership and show we can make that commitment to not only transition to a clean energy economy but create jobs that come along with it and make sure everyone has access to energy. we will absolutely doing that as we transition. there is not going to be an abrupt change. it will be a transition. i had the opportunity to write in electric freight truck. -- ride in an electric freight truck. it's a partnership between daimler and general electric. there was a charging station right there for trucks and school buses.

we are working on making sure there is reliable energy for everyone as we transition. a lot of the transition away from coal, that is market driven and voluntary. renewables are lowering -- lower in cost. there is also how savings and the savings that come with making sure we are not cleaning up after this huge extreme weather events we have seen increase infrequently. take care. host: ron, west chesterfield, new hampshire. guest: good morning. caller: good morning. . i have two comments. one for c-span, "washington journal" in particular. pedro, the moderators, some people, congratulations on another great year. i love this show. for your guest, which i'm

honored to speak with, i have a question and a comment. it's about bipartisanship. with the republicans, the moderate republicans. the far right is way to wacko. there is a lot of areas we can work with moderate republicans and democrats. the roe v. wade, the border wall. we do need a solid border on the southern border or we are not a sovereign country. we also need to reform our immigration system. roe v. wade, unless rape, inc sest, the possibility of the month -- incest, the possibility of them being killed from the pregnancy, the mom should have a baby. that life should come to the world. but i don't want to just forget about it.

have a grope in a drug infested, gang infested area. the child tax credit, things like that, would help ensure those things would not happen. i would be for some more things towards trying to get the mom to want to have a baby. things like that would not be used as an excuse anymore. i can understand a mom's hesitance to bring another child into a situation like that where the father is in prison and they are growing up in a drug infested, gang infested, inner-city, nastiness. for the next 18 years they are part of the problem. host: ron, thank you for that call. representative? guest: so many thoughts in there. the way i approach my work in

congress is when i look at a piece of policy or legislation, i asked myself, will this create a better future for the people i represent? a lot of the thoughts you had relate to that. will this create a better future? i stride to be bipartisan and have done that since i joined congress. i have several pieces of bipartisan legislation i'm working on now. one is to help kids in childcare get an extra meal. it's a bipartisan piece of legislation. legislation to help anti-party agencies -- anti-party agencies -- anti-poverty agencies. providing headstart for kids, a low energy assistance program, and truly anti-poverty issues. i have bipartisan legislation to

address the climate crisis. blue carbon. we restore habitats. that act as a carbon -- to protect natural habitats. we strive to create a better future. i see more optimism. women's rights, it's up to the person who is pregnant to make that decision with her unconscious and health care provider -- with her own conscience and health care provider. i strive to be bipartisan without sacrificing values, but also understand we need to move forward on many of these pieces of legislation and create the better future. thank you for your question. host: during the debate over build back better we saw the progressives have a voice as far

as the way things played out. do they have a stronger voice now within the house caucus? what does that mean as far as getting the president to go along with the things they would want? guest: thanks for the question. the progressive caucus is almost 100 people. i am a member of the caucus. it's important to have those values. we pushed hard for making sure we have affordable childcare. right now i have spoken with parents in oregon. they can't go back to work because they cannot find childcare. if they find childcare, they cannot afford it. making sure childcare is affordable, we pushed hard to make sure people are not paying more than 7% of the income. we have pushed hard to make sure there is funding for affordable housing. this is something i hear about all across oregon.

not just urban areas but also rural areas on the coast. people cannot afford housing. we have pushed hard to make sure there is funding for affordable housing. the progressive caucus has a significant voice. with about 100 members, it's important for those voices to be heard. we compromised along the way to get the deal done. it is important to have this voices as well. host: the president compromised on the programs. does he still have your ear as far as the ability to influence the president? guest: i don't look at it as influencing the president. he is working together with the administration to make sure we have the best policy and help the people we represent and we are rebuilding our economy in a way that works for everyone. host: the jobs numbers have come up. the un-implement rate is 4.2%, but only 210,000 jobs added.

will this be a continuing issue? guest: the pandemic has been incredibly challenging over the last almost two years. if you told me a year ago we would still be in the pandemic, i don't know if i would have believed it. the administration is doing what they can right now to help make sure people get vaccinated and boosted and make tests more available. we must address the pandemic. as we begin to see that light at the end of the tunnel, things are getting better but now there is a new variant. you have to be ready for that. not panic but be ready for it. increased access to vaccination but also testing so we can stay safe. as we get to the light at the end of the tunnel and we see more people able to go back to work, more jobs created, the upper structure built we passed and transitioning to clean energy, we will create a

tremendous amount of jobs. that will make the economy grow and be more robust. when you look at the economic fairness of it, it's been a real concern that too many people are struggling. i have worked hard to get workforce provisions and to build back better. we will continue to make sure everyone has a path to a good job and a path to get the skills to get the good jobs. we updated the national print and ship act. -- apprenticeship act. host: charles from albuquerque, new mexico. independent line. caller: good morning. just a basic observation. i have listened to all these policy positions the democratic party has and what they are wanting to put into the social spending bill. a simple way to frame it is this.

you can do anything you want in your life and you can expect the federal government to always step in and take care of you. which is insane. the reason why we have so many people in poverty is because they are making poor decisions. whenever talk about the decisions and actions people make that put them into poverty. one of the biggest is having children when you don't have any money and you were not married. then democrats say, that's a family. it used to be considered shameful for unmarried women to have children. now it is no big deal. you can do whatever you want and the government has to take care of you. that is the rubicon we have crossed in politics. it's insane for people they don't know it, the population of the world will hit 8 billion people in a few years. the democrats say we can let

everybody immigrate to the united states. there is never any discussion of limits and reality. let's hear some reality. host: thanks for calling. guest: thanks for calling in. when i started my legal career, i put myself through community college and then i spent time looking at legally to help low income families. i discovered people are not struggling by choice. they have either had lost a job, had health care bills they could not pay, down on their luck. oftentimes because of health care. with those lessons i learned, people need a hand up getting through tough times. i appreciate your perspective. i don't agree with it because of my experience talking to people that are struggling. i want to talk about how investing in our children is

such a good thing for our economy and community. economists support it. when we have universal pre-k and childcare, that's a good investment that pays off later in life. we will find that when kids get a good start in life, being in charlie -- quality childcare and a good pre-k program, they will be more successful when they entered the k-12 system and as they move on. we will need fewer safety networks. investing in children, investing in education are good investments. host: debra in west chester, ohio. guest:guest: republican line. good morning, deborah. caller: it's a privilege to speak with you. guest: thank you. caller: my parents owned a daycare for 25 years. i ran the cacfp program for children. what we found is it's an

excellent program. it is mandated in the code of federal regulations. the state administers the program. what we tell our children in this program and tell our parents is that sweets are fine on occasion but we don't need them everyday. snap coming on the other hand, -- snap allows any food sourse. we spent 5% of snap dollars on sugary soft rings. what i cannot understand is why we don't change snap to match the cacfp program. we spent five years with her children encouraging a healthy pallet. what happens is we don't and should not control what their parents feed the children, but our tax dollars are paying for snap. it seems to me, without being disrespectful, we are pandering

to the vote of the parent and outputting the child first when we don't change snap to meet the code of federal regulations. host: we will let you go but thank you. guest: i appreciate that perspective. thank you for understanding the importance of the cacfp program that i am working to strengthen. snap does have nutrition education components to it. i am a big believer in nutrition education and healthy food for students. thank you for your perspective. host: representative, your thoughts on your colleague from your state peter defazio announcing his retirement and becoming the 19th house democrats to do so. guest: peter defazio is such a remarkable legislator and friend. he will be greatly missed. he served more than 35 years here in the u.s. house of representatives. he is beloved at home by his constituents.

he will be sorely missed. i do thank him for his decades of service for being a friend and mentor and a fierce advocate for the people of southwest oregon. i wish him the very best in his retirement. he will definitely be missed, this specially with issues like chance rotation and infrastructure, which he had the honor of leading the effort for that very important committee. also i worked with him on natural resilience issues. he has been a wonderful colleague. i wish him well. host: 19th democrat to do so. what is your confidence after the midterms the democrats will remain in power in the house of representatives? guest: we will do everything we can to remain in the majority. we will see what happens. when you look at the policies and the values we stand for, a

better future, really looking out for the rights of people, the rights of people to make reproductive health care decisions, voting rights which are critical, as we know. i want to note in oregon we have a vote by mail system we had for 20 years that is safe, secure, and make sure everyone who is eligible to vote has a safe and secure way to vote. the system that works across the country. i am very concerned about the voter suppression efforts across the country. i strongly support the voting rights act and making sure everyone is eligible to vote has the right to vote. getting voting rights, there is a lot at stake and we will make sure -- we will work hard to make sure the democrats stay in the majority. host: steve from indiana, democrats line.

straightaway with your question or comment. caller: hello. guest: good morning. caller: the thing that gets me is the republicans don't want to do this build back better. but if you turn around and you say you want to give the rich more money, every one of them will vote for it. i just don't understand that. it is a bunch of baloney. guest: we saw that with the tax-cut bill passed in 2017 that helped those who were already doing well and did not help those that were still struggling. with the build back better act we will see opportunities for those who are struggling to get a path to a good job, to be able to afford childcare and have a better future. i appreciate you calling in. host: anne from lake city,

tennessee. caller: all the handouts in this bill, like this universal preschool, we've had that in this area. this is a very low income area. these underprivileged parents will not get out of bed and bring their kids to this free prekindergarten school. they lose in advantage by second grade because they go back come to the same parents. there are no work requirements on this bill. it is more people, 11 million people not working. they have discovered the joys of sitting home on the couch and the government will send them a check. that is what will happen with all these free things you are giving out. it doesn't help the children. host: we will leave it there. guest: i support the universal pre-k and the affordable childcare. as i mentioned earlier, giving kids a good start in life with good quality childcare and pre-k

is a good investment in our children and our future. host: should there be more of a means test on some of these programs to make sure the most benefit is given to those most in need? guest: some of them are. we don't have the test for k-12 education. the way the bill is structured, the people will not pay more than 7% of their income. it will not help people doing well. they are not paying 7% of the income for child care. it is designed to have a sliding scale to help those people. host: representative suzanne bonamici, on the select committee for the climate crisis. democrat from oregon joining us this morning. thank you for your time today. host: guest: thank you so much. host: we will take calls. if you want to start calling now, you can do so. (202) 748-8001 republicans.

(202) 748-8000 per democrats. independents, (202) 748-8002. you can text us at (202) 748-8003. the house just about to come in for its pro forma session. when a gavels out, we will go back to your calls. we take you to the house of representatives. [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2021] -- please stand by -- the speaker: the house will be in order. the prayer will be offered by chaplain cribben. chaplain kibben: would you pray with me. lord, find reason to delight in your people.