>> brennan: welcome back the "face the nation." we turn now to iowa senator joni ernst, who has joined the republican leadership team as the conference vice-chairwoman in the new congress. good the see you in person. >> thank you, margaret. it's great to be with you.çó >> brennan: the president gave an interview this morning to fox's chris wallace. he said that homeland security secreta@y"kristjen nielsen needs to be much tougher on the border. done a good job. i think the president is just very frustrated, of course, with what we see at the border. we do have a large number of immigrants that are trying toçó get over the borderñi illegally. and we do need to make sure thad we've gotñi ple surveillance, that we have plenty of officers ready to respond. i think her response has been well so far. we as congress need to step forward and do the next step.

>> brennan: she should continue in the role? >> i think she's done a good job, but, of course, any of our secretaries or cap it in members serveed atñr the pleasure of the president.ñr it's entirely up to them who serves in thoseçó positions. >> brennan: you're a vet. is deploying 6,000 troops to the border a good use of resources? >> again, up to th and, of course, those governors thatñrñf >> brennan: you're on armed á$e service, it does provide them an opportunity for real, live training in their roles.ñiñiñr many of them, if they serve in logistics-type positions, theyçe missions on the border,çó so its a very good skill as bothñr in peace time and in wartime, to make sure that they keep their skills sharp, and so when they do deploy, they are in harm's way overseas. they know exactly how to support the men and women on the front lines. >> brennan: that's how you see it. i know general mattis, secretary mattis has said they won't have

any contact with people coming across the border. >> exactly, but they will be utilized in roles. like i said, many of them may be logistics professionals serving in our armed services, and then it gives them greater opportunity to respond quickly in those types of situations, whether they are supporting with food or body armor, whatever it might be, for a border patrol agent. it allows those border patrol agents to actually focus on the law enforcement duties. >> brennan: as we introduce you, you are first female senator to be in a leadership position with g.o.p. in a decade.ñiçó butñr the number ofñilj2 women, republican women in the house is at a 24-year low. we have never seen a republican woman in the house or senate in the whip, leader, or speaker positions. now from these midterm results we're seeing female voters breaking from the party. does the republican party have a problem with women? >> well, i think we need to encourage more women to run for office. i think we really can do much

better in that area. and then encourage them to seek responsibilities as leaders. so i was really, really honored to be elected into our republican leadership in the senate. we have to have quality candidates out there, and again, encourage them to run. we need to -- >> brennan: is that the problem in the primaries, where some women were run, but not winning? >> well -- >> brennan: or is the issue with republican men not voting for republican women? >> i would say part of that really is that we need to connect with our constituencies. we need to make sure that our voices are being heard, so whether it is focusing on health care priorities, whether it is focusing on a national paid family leave opportunity for men and for women, whatever those messages are, we need to communicate those and make sure that we are being heard when our constituents go to the polls. >> brennan: will you be doing anything to recruit more women?

>> i do visit with a number of women, and i talk to republican women. i see democratic women when i'm in iowa, as well. if they have passion, if they believe in public service, i always encourage them to run. if that's their desire to serve the people of their potential district, we want them to step up and make their voices heard. >> brennan: you don't think the president's rhetoric or what happened during the 2016 will election is turning away women from the party overall, voters or candidates? >> i think we could do a better job of communicating clearly that we support women, and that's something that i try and do. i try and set a very strong example for women that want to run for office, women that wish to serve in the military, whatever it might be. we need to set a good example. women primarily, men secondarily, we need to step up and make sure that we are supporting the needs of our constituents. >> brennan: i want to ask you about something that really impacts your home state. the vice president said today, and he's in asia, but the u.s.

is not in a russia to end this trade dispute with china, suggesting that things might not get resolved when president xi and trump sit down in just a few weeks. there is a $12 billion bailout for farmers to help alleviate some of this pain. will you need another one? >> i am hopeful that we will not need another subsidy program for our farmers. our farmers would much rather grow their goods and make sure that they are getting out to the resting of the world, absolutely. but i've done a number of farmer roundtables all across the state of iowa. at the last one i held, the very last speaker, a middle-aged farmer, he stood up and said, "i understand why president trump is doing this, however, what i don't understand is why someone didn't do it sooner." so they understand. >> brennan: the pain is tolerable for now? >> the pain is tolerable for now. i want to see these trade deals done. i would rather see them done sooner rather than later, but we have to get a good deal with with china or it's all for

nought. >> brennan: senator, thank you for joining us. >> thank you, pleasure. >> brennan: we'll be back with a panel of some of the new house members. freezing away fat cells with coolsculpting? now that's cool! coolsculpting safely freezes and removes fat cells with little or no downtime. and no surgery. results and patient experience may vary. some common side effects include temporary numbness, discomfort, and swelling. ask your doctor if coolsculpting is right for you. and visit coolsculpting.com today for your chance to win a free treatment. (burke) so we know how to cover almost anything. even a huge drag. nothing worth losing sleep over, because we covered it. talk to farmers. we know a thing or two because we've seen a thing or two.

♪ we are farmers. bum-pa-dum, bum-bum-bum-bum ♪ a moment of joy. a source of inspiration. an act of kindness. an old friend. a new beginning. some welcome relief... or a cause for celebration. ♪ what's inside? ♪ [laughter] possibilities. what we deliver by delivering. >> brennan: there will be dozens of new faces on capitol hill next year when congress convene, including our next four guests. all incoming members of the house of representatives who each bring a unique perspective here to washington. democrat joe neguse is colorado's first black congressman. his parents came to this country from eritrea as refugees more

than 35 years ago. he's also a new father of a baby girl. congrats on that. democrat deb haaland of new mexico is one of the first two native women elected to congress. she's also a single mother. republican dan crenshaw of texas is a retired navy seal who fought in afghanistan. he may also be first representative elect to appear on "saturday night live." and democrat chrissy houlahan of pennsylvania is a former captain in the air force, a former chemistry teacher, and she is also a mother of two. so you ladies know something about multitasking here. a lot of americans when you talk to them seem to have lost faith in congress. in fact, the approval rating cbs news just took was at 19%. what made you run? >> you know, look, i was very concerned about the direction that our country was taking. as you mentioned, my parents were eritreanmgrants to this country. we have been able to live the american dream. the freedoms and opportunities that have enabled us to live the

american dream for us i felt like were slipping away for other americans. i decided to try to do something about it and threw my hat in the ring. >> brennan: congresswoman-elect. >> thank you, thank you. well, of course, this is an important job. it's an important job for my district in new mexico. i wanted to feel like i could help more people. the constituent services program that we're all responsible for i think is extremely important for our district and that's absolutely one of the reasons that i decided to run. >> brennan: what about you, congressman-elect? >> well, i was in the military for ten years. i took an oath to the constitution 12 years ago that. oath has not ended. it's really about service and impact. how can i impact the issues that matter to my constituents. you know, we're still reeling from hurricane harvey. we want more individual freedom. we want less government in our lives. we want the live that american dream.

those are things we can actually agree on. and that's what i'll be fighting for. >> brennan: so when you hear that there's an approval rating of just 19%, you think you can do wetter -- better than that? >> i hope some that might be an improvement. i thought it was lower at one point. i understand that's the case. 2 military has long brought a lot of credibility to american institutions. i hope to bring system of that credibility to congress. you know, the way we do that is we talk to each other like we're actually people. let's not attack each other's intent, let's not attack each other as a person, let's attack ideas. we can debate ideas. we can guess agree on ideas all day long. >> brennan: are you equally as optimistic? >> i share a lot of commonalities. i am third generation military. my dad and grandfather served careers and i did, as well. i served as a captain in the air force. i am deeply concerned about the democracy right now. i'm worried about the direction

we're heading as a people. i'm sicularly -- similarly interested in making sure we maintain civility and decency in the way we treat each other and the way our government works. and personally my motivation for running is one of service. i want to continue the service i've done both in the military and also growing good and strong businesses and most recently in education as a teacher and also as a non-profit leader in early childhood literacy. >> brennan: the district that you were elected in, you flipped it. >> brennan: >> yes. >> brennan: to blue. you've described it as more purple. >> yes. >> brennan: it's a mix of people of different convictions here. how do you balance those forces and does that mean that as a democrat you're willing to work with president trump. >> absolutely. we are a district that's 40% democrat, 40% public, 20% independent. i call us purple peop becae i believe that we are. i believe largely that we sit in the middle. what we're looking for is head and heart issues. >> brennan: one of the more divisive issues is immigration.

it's also what president trump says he wants the tackle. obviously there are different views on how to do that. congresswoman elect, you're in a very knew inning position as one of only two native american women elected to congress. how do you think that affects your approach on things like immigration? >> sure, sure. well, new mexico is a border state. so we actually feel confident about the security of our borders in new mexico. new mexico as a whole was appalled when the policy to separate children from their parents happened on the border. it made me immediately think about governmental policies back when my grandmother was a child and she was separated from her family and taken to indian boarding school. atur historylike at some point and stop doing the things that are harmful to our children and work toward finding solutions that are absolutely humane.

>> brennan: you would work with president trump? >> well, i think we all have to do it together. the democrats won back the house. we didn't win back the senate or the presidency yet. so we do have to work across the aisle to make sure that we can get things passed, yes. >> brennan: congressman-elect, you are a vet. you mentioned your service. how do you feel about the deployment of u.s. troops, u.s. personnel to the border? is that the right wa using the u.s. military? >> they're using them for logistical support. they're not down there as combat troops stopping people. that's not what's actually happening. what's actually happeningning is they're reinforcing the law enforcement that is there to do their job. the reality is what i want -- the question i always have for democrats is do we agree that our borders should be secure: yes or. no i understand you don't like the wall. i understand that, but can we agree that the borders should be secured. if you have other ideas to secure that border, especially in texas, we're willing to listen, because we have a river

along the border. we can't always put a wall. there we get that. we have other option, as well, so will you work with us. >> brennan: but in terms of using the u.s. military in that role, essentially, you know, we have a border patrol that has the job that you just laid out that the military is now doing. >> but there were also thousands and thousands of people coming up to the boarder in a caravan. you have to take different measures to do that. >> brennan: you see that as a threat even though they are on foot and not at the border yet? >> what's the other option, to just let them cross? because we don't have enough law enforcement officials to deal with that possibly. we're not putting combat troops on the border. that's not what's happening. we're dealing with this in a very humane way. we can all agree on that. none of us like seeing families separated. i've said that all along. threas thing we want to see. republicans tried to put legislation forward that would stop that. we would continue to do that. but, yes, if it's between letting people across and not letting people across, we have to secure our border, and i hear that we agree on that a lot.

i do. and i understand the democrats don't like the rhetoric and don't like the wall. i absolutely get that. but i want to see other options on the table on what we can do to actually secure it. >> brennan: are you comfortable with using u.s. troops in that way? >> new york i think it's the wrong approach. i disagree. i think the other option is to follow existing law and let folks go through the asylum process, and to the extent theyi are successfully claim asylum. i say this as the son of refugees. i think immigrants to this country have so much to give, and it's important we get this right. >> brennan: will the democrats at the table vote for any kind of immigration reform that includes funding for a border wall? >> i wouldn't. >> no, i don't supported a wall. >> i wouldn't, as well, and i'm also the daughter of a refugee. my dad was a survivor of the holocaust and came here with his mom as a very small child, as a five-year-old. this is a very personal issue to me. >> brennan: let me take a break here and come back. we talked about finding agreement. we have already found a disagreement. let's see what else we can do.

we got there pretty quick. after this shorted break, we'll be back in a moment with more from our panel.

>> brennan: we're back with our new-member panel. let's pick up the conversation. the two of you, both vets, hdve made a vow the try to find at least one point of agreement that you can legislate around. do you know what's that's going to be? >> there are multiple points, opens, infrastructure issues, different infrastructure issues around the country, but for us it's flood mitigation. opioid epidemic is terrible. more people died of opioids last year than the entire vietnam war. that's the reality. >> brennan: is there anything that you particularly want to shepherd here? >> i agree, infrastructure. opioids is an enormous problem in our community, as well. pharmaceutical prescription prices i think is someatwe have. >> another thin bring up is workforce training issues. seven million job openings. we need middle-skill labor the fill those jobs. >> brennan: i want to ask democrats about your own leadership, your own party'dtism i know you, congresswoman-elect,

have said you will support nancy pelosi to be speaker. the two of you, did you learn anything this week? did she earn your vote and your support? >> well, one quick tan gent, criminal justice reform. >> brennan: you're deflecting. >> i will answer the question, but it's a really important issue where there's some emerging bipartisan consensus between republicans and democrats. i'm passionate about that. it's fascinating to me that the question we got most often, at there's democrats did during orientn,is interesting since there is no other candidate that i'm aware of that's running against leader pelosi. i intend to support her. i think it's important that we have steady leadership right now. and i found it pretty heartening over the course of the last week some of the developments around it becoming clear that this leadership team is going to work to try to make sure that everyone has a seat at at the table. you saw a message from leader pelosi's office by way of example by making sure there is progressive representation on key committees in the congress

and the congressional progressive caucus leaders endorsing her shortly thereafter. that's where i am. >> brennan: is that what changed your mind? >> that among many other things. i wanted to have conversations with the existing leadership and also with my fellow freshman, fellow classmates to talk to them about their vision for the future and the caucus. ultimately that's where i landed. >> brennan: do you know how you'll vote yet? >> right now she's the only person that's voting. that's where my vote will go. right now i believe she's an effective person in that job. >> brennan: but you're open to being swayed? >> i believe it looks as it's headed in the direction she will be our speaker, and i think she's a pretty powerful and capable person. >> brennan: congressman elect, during your run, you were backed by bernie sanders. do you think he represents the future of your party? >> i think we're a big tent party. >> brennan: but he's a more progressive voice within it. >> of course. there are also many other voices and many of our freshman that we

spent this week with come from different areas of the country, different regions of the country. i am a progressive democrat and believe we should be bold in pushing for some really comprehensive solutions around some of the pressing public policy challenges we face. climate change being the best example perhaps. but we are a big tent party. we are inclusive. we areçó diverse. i think that's a goodç!"!%9]rj as i do the voice of many,ñr may otherñi leaders in the party who are all stepping up to the plate atñi a really critical time for our democracy. >> brennan: but republicans learned this when they had sort party, that it can while being partzv the bigger tent sa's problems for leadershipñr or at least, you know,çó try toñi cree ou that happening forñe@&c @&ces do progressives become the problem for nancy pelosi rather than the part of the caucus. >> brennan: >> i don't think that's the case. i have only been in washington

for five days, but my experience thus far, and i think deb can touch on this, as well, as a member of the progressive caucus, but i don't think that's the case. içóok&>j i think we're all workg together in theñ trying to save our democracy. >> brennan: why do you say "save ourñi democracy"? >> look, i think right now it's important for this majority in the house to engage in some really critical oversight of an administration that is undermining a lot of critical freedoms for folks in our country. so when i say "save our democracy," i mean precisely that. i think some of freedoms have be under attack for a few years. >> brennan: do you want to respond to that? >> i always ask the question: what democratic freedoms have been undermined? we had an where we switched power in the house. democracy is at work. people are voting in record numbers. i always ask, for examples, then we can hit those examples one by one.

if it's worth criticizing, it's worth kris sizing, but this broad brush criticism that the president is somehow undermining our democracy, i always wonder, what exactly we're talking about? >> i'll be happy to answer that. >> i'll bb happy to respond. >> the free press, the judiciary, the c.i.a., f.b.i., the vote progress s.e.c. >> obama indicted -- had the press under investigation. trump is not. >> just last week the largest media publications in the united states had to go to a federal court in order to essentially regain access. >> one reporter. not the whole organization. >> brennan: cbs did file am cuss briefs in support. >> gainl i think -- >> that was one reporter. because heñi was disruptive. >> i would argue that our president is consistently disruptive in those very same press conference, and i would argue that -- >> how is that an attack on the press? >> because it's literally an attack. >> i have literally been

attacked. so let's choose our words carefully. >> his language is an attack. >> so why is he not allowed to use his own language and freedom of speech? >> because you talked about this actually. it's important that we lead by example, that we lead from the top. the way our president is -- >> i agree with you there. style is one thing. if you want the criticize style, i'm with you. but to say it's an take on the freedom of the press, that's a very bold statement. >> by calling the press the enemy of the people? >>ñiñi i cone like that languag. i d]n%t like that language. >> fake news.ñi andñr i'll give you another example, his rhetoric about erasing transpeople in our country. that is -- >> he's never said that. >> well, it appears that he is discriminating against the l.g.b.t.q. community and i think that's troublesome. i think it's worrisome. we all have our communities across this country, and

ripping children away from their parents arms. those are all things that worry me that i absolutely feel that we have to address. >> how about the c.i.a. and f.b.i. and the state department and allñi those important institutions that are fundamental to how or democracyó works that are undermined. >> if you don'tçó like what heñi says and --ñi you're saying undermining democracy. i want the caution us, because those are very bold words.çóñi=ñ if we have policy disagreements. i'll be happy to discuss those. we tend to go right at the jugular. we're saying, you're undermining democracy. you're a bad person fundamentally. that's not always true. we have policy disagreements on a lot of these things. >> i think it's interesting that we talked about some of the most divisive issues including immigration, but the thing that set all of you off was the president. we have to leavewwork new yorurd

we'll be right back. >> thank you. every road in the world is now an information superhighway. and the car has become an accessory to the smartphone. ride hailing, car sharing, carpooling... ...mobility services are proliferating. and there's a new generation who don't seem to want to own cars in the first place. it all means massive disruption to the car industry, cities, businesses and investors. ♪ ♪

>> brennan: that's it for us today. thanks for watching. until next week, for "face the nation," i'm margaret brennan. captioning sponsored by cbs captioned by media access group at wgbh access.wgbh.org more. "cbs ove

news" for this monday. "cbs ove i'm elaine quijano. the death toll and desperate search for the missing. . nearly 80 are confirmed dead and 1200 unaccounted tr in the worst wildfire in california hus ri. more than 9,000 homes are destroyed. the latest on the dangerous air and possible relief from rain. also tonight president trump on the recorded murder of jushl i'ist jamal khashoggi. what will the president do if the hit was ordered by the saudi crown prince. . the midterm elections are finalfinal ly winding