so again, i think we're in a good place right now. we're make progress. i can't stay here too long, because i have to deal with step by step with this, but i'm only envisioning taking it up and winning it. >> madame speaker, i don't have to tell you, you've got a senate problem on your hands. joe manchin said last night the reconciliation bill is the definition of insanity. he talked about vengeful taxes. does that sound like someone open to fwoerks? >> yes. yes. >> reporter: how do you move forward with that on the other side of the democratic party? >> we're talking about substance. not rhetoric and not dollars. we're talking about what is important in the legislation. where can we find our common ground? if i paid attention to everybody's public states, oh my goodness, even some you inadvertently make that are not quite on point.

but he says some other things after that that said i'm for reconciliation. did you see that? >> reporter: is he saying something privately to you or the president that gives you more hope that can move forward? >> you think i'm going to talk to you about my conversations with joe manchin in here? if you promise not to tell anyone. >> reporter: have you had a conversation -- >> look, i think joe manchin is a great member of the senate. we're friends. we're americans. we get along. catholic. we have shared values. i have enormous respect for him. i have one of the joys of my service in congress was to work with him to make sure we had the health pension benefits for our mine workers. not that i think clean coal is anything but, you know, well, nonetheless about that. but i do believe in the workers, their needs, and the rest. and we did that at the end of last year, working together. so we have our common ground.

>> reporter: to clarify your intentions on this vote today. are you planning on delaying this vote if you do not have enough votes to pass? >> i do not plan on not doing anything. i plan on moving forward in a positive way. and everybody has to think this is the path we're on. it's not a fork in the road maybe here, maybe there. it's a path that we're on. and i -- right now i -- as i've said, we had a great morning. lots of conversations. as we come to the -- let me tell you about negotiationing at the end. that's when you really have to weigh in. you cannot tire. you cannot concede. it's -- this is the fun part. >> reporter: is there a problem negotiating the september 27th

date, was that a mistake? >> no. we could agree to that because in the bill all the reauthorization for highway programs and the rest of that. it's our best gres interest served by passing this bill today. okay. okay. what have you got? >> reporter: thank you. >> don't take blue, any mistake for the dodgers. okay? >> reporter: dodger blue. >> no. >> reporter: will you talk about these concerns? and i know they're going to ask about senator manchin, but when senator sanders says they'll blow up the bill. what do you say those left of the caucus and the moderate centrists in your caucus who both feel things haven't gone the way they want? >> we're on a path to have something that i can say to my colleagues with integrity and certainty is the path we're on. and in terms of timing and the

rest, i wish we had more time. i will say that. in terms of we only found out a week and a half ago. over 95% of my caucus supports the 3.5. a week and a half ago it was all systems go. the president, the leader and the senate. so we're having to compress a lot of our discussion. the president, the senate, we have to have an agreement together. i think that the path here is leading to that agreement. >> reporter: the follow up on the question, are you committed to having a vote on infrastructure today? >> yes. >> reporter: regardless of whether you have the votes? >> i intend to -- i don't -- we're on a path to win the vote. i don't want to even consider any options other than that. that's just the way it is. and that's our culture.

you don't understand that culture, you don't understand that culture. we go in to win it. >> reporter: yesterday you told us the democratic caucus is not a rubber stamp. >> that's right. >> reporter: you guys have such a narrow majority, eight seats. you're going to pass the two biggest spending bills of this congress possibly. have you bit off more than you can chew at this point? are you confident you can get this across the -- >> no. do you think when we came in with that majority that we have, well, we have -- we had more, but we had the secretary of hud. we're waiting for her replacement to come in in another four weeks. we had -- i'll see hasting who passed away. we're waiting for that replacement. but from what i infer from what you say is that we should adjust -- done nothing because we had a slim majority?

that's not who we are. that's what you said. you think you shouldn't do these things because you have a slim majority. no. it will be a compromise. but it is -- let's recall our president, president biden has put forth. he put forth the rescue package. for us it was a great victory because it had the essence of the heros act that we tried to get through with president -- the former president, and now it's in that package with, of course, imbued with vaccinations, vaccinations, vaccinations. it made a difference in it. and now we have a couple hundred million vaccinations in people's arms. people back to work. children back to school. money in people's pockets because of that bill. state and local governments reinforced to do their job. honoring our heros who work there, the ones who provide our

health care, food service, or transportation. police and fire. our teachers. our teachers. our teachers. would we not do that because we only had a few votes? no, we did. and then we go to legislation now. the bif with the bipartisan support in the senate. i don't know if we'll have bipartisan support in the house. they say there may be a few. i understand there's some dynamic going on on the other side. but i don't know it and can't speak to it. but maybe we'll have some republican votes. i hope it is as bipartisan as it was in the senate. and then we go to the reconciliation, that which is the build back better. build back better with women. just build back better. not -- and addressing with many of our members have concerns about this. every time people build, our people suffered in our neighborhoods. well, that's exactly what president biden wants to change.

and we will. and no, it's not too ambitious, because we're meeting the needs of the american people, and what that is is what our agenda will be. oh, you. >> reporter: yes, me. >> i recognize you. >> reporter: i just -- you said this is the culmination of your time in congress. you tried -- culmination means the end of an experience. you said it, not me. >> the care act was remarkable. and i take some proprietary interest on this. but in terms of finally seeing a time where we can think in a large way about our children, our people with disabilities, our moms. i mean, i'm a mom with five children. when i was young and was raising my children, people don't know, this is a challenging job. even one child or two. i didn't even wash my face some

days. in fact, i liked it that way, but the fact is, is that we have to -- if we're going to be really building back better, we have to give women the opportunity to work in the workplace, and that's about child care, home health care, universal pre-k. family medical leave. and like that, in other countries most developed countries have that. we don't. we will. and that is -- each one of those is something we fought over the years for. and now it's coming together in a way that is transformative. not incremental but transformative to what we're doing on the infrastructure side of things. they go together very well. and then when we talk about the planet. when i was speaker the first time, climate was my issue when i came in, and president bush was president, and we did not -- with him, we passed the biggest energy bill in the history of our country.

the energy bill of 2007. he wanted nuclear. i wanted renewables. we had a big celebration to sign the bill, and president obama used that as authorities in that bill for some of his executive orders. so that we take it to this place now in this legislation, it's about jobs. good, green jobs. preimminent in the world, and green technologies. addressing the health issues of clean air, clean water for our children. the issues of, as i've said to you before, about national security. the security globally where migrations occur because of drought and famine and natural disasters. so people are competing for habitat and resources and, of course, our moral responsibility for our children. so it has so many. we have that. and then health care, the affordable care act. i take great pride in the courage of the house democrats for -- and senate for passing that legislation. and we will strengthen it in this bill, and part of the

affordable care act was the expansion of medicaid which we will have in this bill. so this is -- i mean, it's so much, and that's why i said that. yeah. >> madame speaker -- >> the event -- perhaps i'll see you along the way. hi. see you along the way. think positively. okay? and a good thursday morning to you. craig melvin here from msnbc world head quarters in new york city. you just heard from the woman of the hour there on this mammoth day on capitol hill. president biden's domestic agenda, and a vote to avoid a government shutdown coming down to the wire. the house speaker touched on all of it. the pedline? she says the house plans to vote on the bipartisan infrastructure bill today. the big question, though, does she have the votes to pass it 2 speaker talked about the

$3.5 trillion spending bill in the house. the house is considering it in reconciliation. she called it the culmination of her time in congress. and the speaker stressed on that. there will also be a vote. let's jump into the action. msnbc's senior capitol hill correspondent garrett haake in the briefing room where pelosi just wrapped. mike memoli is there in his post at 1600 pennsylvania. and also donna edwards. she's also an msnbc analyst. and garrett, we'll start with you since you managed to get in that first question to the speaker just a few minutes ago. it sounds like she's still planning on the infrastructure bill vote. does she have the votes to pass it? >> well, craig, it doesn't appear she does right now. speaker pelosi is not one to put something on the floor until she has the votes. but you heard a very optimistic sounding speaker here saying the plan would move forward. that she believes she can get the votes. she's going to continue working on this. and that you heard a commitment

from her. there will be a reconciliation bill as well. she said put that thought out of your mind. calling it as you pointed out, a culmination of her work here which had a lot of us long-time pelosi watchers kind of lifting our eyebrows up a little bit wondering if perhaps she was eluding to an end of her service in the not too distant future. i will say also resolutely not exactly committing here. talking about the plan to move forward is still that vote. some kind of clever use of a double negative. and then also notable that her answer to my question, finding green chutes, some positive things to focus on in that statement from joe manchin last night really kind of skaitingly going after this recken silluation bill and suggesting that he's been more positive in private conversations either with her or the president. despite my best efforts, she didn't want to characterize the conversations any further. >> she wasn't having any of that

nonsense there. garrett, while we've been having this conversation, up thor chamber started their vote on the other big item. they voted -- a series of votes. the live look on the floor of the senate as the vote is underway. the speaker just said a few moments ago the house is going to vote on that today as well. will that wrap up before tonight's midnight deadline? is that a done deal? >> it should. there's always a risk when the chambers wait until this late in the game to finish this legislation. the technical issues could trip them up. trouble making senator could cause a delay, but every indication is both parties are on board to do this funding bridge to december. and we're not expecting any trouble with that passing and being signed with the president before midnight tonight. >> mike, it's a make or break day for president biden. as of now apparently nothing on his public schedule. do we know how the president is getting involved in these

negotiations on both infrastructure and reconciliation? is he working the phones right now? >> you can bet he is. that's the line from white house officials about -- the readings they tell us he's having but also that there are many, many more that he is having privately, and really, it's interesting. as we're in a moment like this, they're making decisions sort of on a moment by moment basis. they'll see where there's a need and then he'll make a call. we saw a significant development yesterday when we saw the president both convene a meeting at the white house with speaker pelosi and leader schumer. typically those calls have been happening by phone remotely. but also what we saw last night as you see the pictures at nationals park last night. there have been a lot of complaints from democrats. those who aren't the squeak question wheels, the manchins and cinemas of the world who feels like the white house has not been doing enough to reach out to frank and file democrats. that's why we saw this coming. the white house saw an opportunity for the president to

literally get in the trenches of the dugout at nats park with house democrats primarily, speak with them about where things stand. it was an important signal. i heard from members, they thought it was a good idea for the president to do. after the meeting the president had at the white house with the congressional leadership, the white house said he would continue to have a strategy sessions with his staff. meetings and calls throughout the day. and i think when the time is right, we'll hear from the president publicly when they think it's a time to close the deal here. but as of now, it doesn't appear we're there yet. >> congresswoman, this entire debate really does continue at least, seem like it boils down to one tension point. progressive democrats want to and moderate democrats who want to pass the infrastructure bill. neither group of these publicly seems to be budging. how does the speaker of the house find the solution? >> well, i think she finds it as she described, vote by vote. i mean, i could see her last

night working the phones even as she was at the congressional baseball game. but what i can tell you is that you know, today is a long -- is going to be a long day. and i think while we should assume that the speaker is not going to put the infrastructure bill on the floor unless she knows she has the votes and those locked in. she described a path. but i also hear from progressives that you know, the reality is that they will lose their leverage if that infrastructure bill passes and then there will be pressure to send it on to the president for his signature. and i think progressives are understandably really concerned about that. and so i think it's going to be a long haul and a long day, vote by vote, to get the votes that are needed to pass the infrastructure bill or frankly, there could be a strategy of putting it out there and showing moderates that the bill simply can't pass unless it has that

reconciliation bill alongside it. so we're going to -- we're up for a long day to see what happens at the end of it in terms of where this goes forward. but you know, they're on a path. and as the speaker described, so i wouldn't count it out until the day is over. >> garrett, i want to just -- to the congresswoman's point, this idea that progressives lose all of their lerchg if they vote on the infrastructure package without the reconciliation bill. is that entirely true? >> well, house and senate progressives certainly believe it to be true. there's just a huge trust deficit. they do not believe mamplgen and cinema and the small group of house moderates, although really it's a senate issue. they're not convinced that these democratic senators are going to be with them for anything as close to as big of a reconciliation bill as they want. and kiersten cinema and joe manchin were primary authors of

that infrastructure bill. so it's hostage taking in a certain sense, but it's working both ways here. neither side is giving up the other priority. there's just a total lack of trust among house progressives in the senate moderates. i think that's something where president biden is -- has to or would be the referee to vouch for manchin or the progressives say and say we're going to be in this together or they're not. >> let's listen to senator manchin speaking now. >> you have a good piece of legislation. don't let the ufrt be the enemy of the good. take this one. let's sit down and get where we can get. >> democrats say they need a bottom line from you. they just need a number. why can't you give them a number? >> reporter: we're going to give -- >> we're in different places but we want something to be done. we both want to help the people in need. our seniors on the back end and children on the front end. a tax code. we all agree we voted against a

2017 tax cut. don't you think that ought to be the uniting part to start to fix the tax code? >> reporter: congresswoman alexandria ocasio-cortez a short time ago said that infrastructure should be paused. as you know that vote may or may not come up today. you're calling for a pause on reconciliation. >> first, you've got a bipartisan bill that came over with 69 votes. you've got something that's been needed for 30 years. the other they have is aspiration. we like to help everybody. we need to look at that. i'm concerned about inflation. right now the dollar is strong. if you saw that today, breaking news on that, the dollar is not going to be the dollar anymore. it's going to be a dollar and a quarter, a dollar 50. a lot of people in west virginia shop in the dollar store. that's an increase, a lot. we're saying listen, let's do what we can. there's a lot of good things we can do. and next year if they want to

come -- >> >> reporter: what if the vote goes down today? >> then they voted it down. i voted for it. they have to go back and explain. i don't think we need bridges fixed in my state or roads fixed or internet. water, rail, transportation. we need all that in west virginia. i voted for it. if they can explain it, they're going to use one hostage over the other. i've never done that and i will never. >> reporter: you said a number is going to -- >> hold on. >> reporter: what happens to negotiations today if bipartisan infrastructure does not come up? >> it makes it more challenging. i'm rational. i work and talk with people, but it makes it hard. then people get more dug in, and you don't need to. you've got a piece of legislation that's gone through the total process over here. they've looked at that. and it's a piece of legislation that helps america. it sends a strong signal. it makes our economy healthy. it gives full work with good paying jobs for eight years. that's -- we haven't done anything like this.

and i'm willing to talk and work on the other. i've said that in good faith. >> reporter: reforming the 2017 tax cuts to be basically the nuts and bolts of the reconciliation, and then you want the social programs and all of that to be kind of negotiated out separately from there. zblouf got to pick your priorities like in your life. you figure the restourss you have and the things you want. you can't get everything. so you take the highest needs you have. our children need help. okay? families that want to go to work and should be at work, i think means testing means that you are targeting the 350e78 that need it are getting it. the people getting it may be could do without. and they're in pretty good shape. i say means testing. i say work requirements. those are very important in these things. that way you target children. so you have the beginning of life, our children. pre-k? yes. and the end, senior citizens who want to live in the dignity and

respect of their own homes. some can pay. some can pay a little bit. some can't pay any. means testing. i cannot accept our economy or basically our society moving toward an entitlement mentality meaning you're entitled. i can help those that really need help. if those who can help themselves do so. >> you said -- >> reporter: you said the number is going to come out -- >> okay. there you have it. senator joe manchin talking about what we were just talking about. the reconciliation bill. talking about the infrastructure bill as well. he appears to once again be drawing a line in the sand. let's go back to our panel here and garrett, i saw you watching and listening to the senior center from . it sounds like with entitlement, he wants to break it into two

parts. you fix the tax code and have the social programs component. that's part of the reconciliation bill. with regards to infrastructure, it sounds like the senator is saying if they vote it down, then he probably won't be able to come around on reconciliation. is that what you heard? >> reporter: i don't think so. i heard i think something perhaps a little bit more useful for democrats. although, maybe less than entirely helpful. you heard joe margin say he's a reasonable person. the idea he would continue to talk and it would be up to those who voted against infrastructure to go home and explain it. i think what we also heard from him that -- i think our colleague asked him about a top line number. he said you're not going to get that, but you're going to get more of his priorities and he talked about means testing some of these programs. well, okay. that's useful to know. it's not being done in the current bill. he talked about reforming the tax code here, referencing the tax cuts passed by republicans earlier in the trump administration. that could potentially be something that gives you a

bucket of money to work with. that's useful. these are things he's not been saying in public. what i think would probably alarm democrats who heard the senator there was talking about getting this done next year. getting anything done in an election year, in a closely divided congress much less a bill this big and already this divisive becomes enormously challenging. and so if he's comfortable tooling his heels until january of 2022, this could be a very long slog toward passing either of the pieces of legislation. >> and the senator from west virginia is acutely aware of the calendar and he is fully aware if he punts until next year, it doesn't get done. >> reporter: i think that's a fair assumption, craig. >> congresswoman, progressives not just watching senator manchin obviously. senator cinema from arizona as well. in fact, our capitol hill producer tweeted this exchange that the senator had with reporters. she was asked, quote, what do

you say to progressives who are frustrated you don't know where you are. >> she responded i'm in the senate. progressives in the senate that are frustrated they don't know where you are. >> the response, i'm clearly right in front of the elevator. what's her play here? >> reporter: you're asking the wrong person. i think unfortunately for the people of arizona and across the country, they don't need that kind of flippancy from the senator from arizona, given the needs in the country for child care, for making sure that health care is affordable for dealing with climate change, and is such a serious as much as. i think it's unfortunate that senator cinema is treating this like it's a game. it's not a game for the american people, and when i listen to senator manchin, he's offering some constructive ways to move forward. but i think it's unacceptable to put this on the heels of

overhauling the tax code in order to get reconciliation done so it can be done aligned with the infrastructure, the hard infrastructure package. i mean, the reality is that these two things can proceed at the same time. and that they are paid for. so you don't need an overhaul of the tax code to pay for the president's agenda. >> really quickly, garrett, just -- we heard from senator manchin, some specifics. things he would like to see in the reconciliation bill. some lines in the sand, if you will. what have we heard from senator cinema? what is she holding out for? >> almost nothing, craig. it's been to the great frustration of the capitol hill press corps. she doesn't want to reporters at all. when she does, she doesn't get into the specifics. we know that she's interested in the climate provisions in that bill. ironically enough senator manchin is not. that's another challenging point on this. but beyond that, she has been resolute in saying she's only going to negotiate behind closed

doors with the president, with congressional leaders and not with us in the press. we're very much waiting to see what is on senator cinema's wish list for the bill. >> a big thanks to all of you on this thursday. thank you so much. we're going to keep an eye on everything happening this morning on capitol hill including the vote that's happening in the senate right now to avoid a government shutdown tonight. also right now, house lawmakers testifying about their very personal stories on abortion in a hearing about the wave of new laws restricting abortion access. what they're saying and why they're speaking out now. >> i know what that back alley looked like. i know what that dark light looked like. >> i see it right now. you know? like i said, i was one of the fortunate ones. ection, but we also bundle outdoor vehicles with home and auto to help people save more! [ laughs ] ♪♪

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this morning we are watching an emotional hearing on the hill. the house oversight committee holding that hearing on abortion rights. this is something that we don't often see. female members of congress opening up to their colleagues in front of the world about their own personal abortion experiences, and here's some of the emotional testimony that we just heard. >> today i sit before you as that nurse, as that pastor, as that pastor, as that activist that survive voi, that single mom that congresswoman to testify that in the summer of 1994, i was raped. i became pregnant, and i chose

to have an abortion. >> with her decision, we were able to go as the daughter of a single mother from homeless to the house of representatives. that is only possible in america, and that is only possible in america that values life. >> i want you to know that there are so many different situations that people face in making these choices. whether the choice to have an abortion is easy or hard, whether there are traumatic situations or not, none of that should be the issue. it is simply nobody's business what choices we as pregnant people make about our own bodies. >> we are on the hill following the hearing closely. again, it's a rare moment that congresswomen are doing something like this, but -- they're hoping that this shifts the debate in this country over abortion access. take us through what else we've heard and who else is going to be testifying. >> craig, you're right to underscore that these are not

stories that we often hear from sitting lawmakers on capitol hill. that's something that was palpable when i spoke with these congresswomen before their testimony. they talked with me about how hard it is to tell these stories and why they're opening up to do it now. they see across the country states like texas, florida, mississippi, passing restrictions on abortion access for women like congresswomen barbara lee who had her abortion before the row vs. wade decision. she wants to speak out so women don't have to go back to accessing abortions in a dangerous way. listen to what she said when we spoke to her before she testified in our exclusive interview. listen to congresswoman lee. >> i was terrified. i didn't know what was taking place, and, in fact, you know, i survived. and why it's so important now for me to tell this story is i don't want any woman to ever

have to go through that. i know what that back alley looked like. i know what that dark light looked like. i see it right now. you know? like i say, i was one of the fortunate ones. >> reporter: congresswoman lee among those women who shared their personal stories of abortion today. but we also got to see on the committee a really stark contrast in terms of the three democratic lawmakers testifying about the choices that they made, and a republican congresswoman who was -- who was testifying herself about her mother's choice to go forward with a high risk pregnancy that resulted in the congresswoman being born. the central theme in this hearing and it's still ongoing now is the word choice being central to both democratic and republican issues. this one word meaning two different things to each side of the debate. i would also tell you that in my interview with these congresswomen, it have clear ahead of their testimonies that there was a lot of apprehension

to share the stories. for congresswoman bush, this is only the second time today she has told this story on camera. these are fresh memories for her that she's clearly working through and sharing now in realtime. but there was a moment in our interview after everyone had told their stories and spoken about why they felt it was important to share that they all hugged each other. it was a real moment of solidarity. they all expressed that they were happy not to be doing this alone. that's a solidarity we also saw in the hearing room. we did the interview in the same place they testified this morning. and frankly, this hearing is really just a moment in time that's going to kick off to a larger continuing national conversation, because we're going to see the supreme court take up some of those restrictive voting laws. democrats and advocates will continue to keep this at the forefront. >> all right. thank you. i'm joined now by the co-chair of the american bridge and former president of planned

parenthood federation of america. let's start with ali left off. we have lawmakers testifying publicly about their personal experiences with abortion. do you think that moves the needle at all? >> absolutely. there's nothing i can say to underscore the courage and leadership of these women. it's why elections and representations matter. through my years at planned parenthood, i thought if we can get to a place where half of congress could get pregnant, maybe we'd be having a different conversation. finally having women being able to be telling their own stories and representing the real-lived experiences of people, and if there were ever an example of why people who are pregnant need to be able to make their own

decisions, this is case example. and even the republican member of congress, look, the point was her mom had the opportunity to make that decision, and she did make her own decision, and everyone should have the right to make their own decision. unfortunately the republican party as we no texas and around the country is trying to overturn a constitutional right that we've had for more than 50 years. and i think we are beginning to see out of texas the real danger it is when people put politics ahead of the health and well being of people. >> you just mentioned that florida congresswoman that republican who testified before the committee. i want to play what she said for our viewers and our listeners on sirius satellite raid know. >> the majority members of this committee who have direct oversight over the issues i mentioned have chosen to spend valuable time normalizing and glorifying abortion instead of doing what this committee should. there's been a lot of talk about

justice here today. what about the justice for those unborn? all the little girls that never had a shot? where was their choice? it's because this body is saying that they don't get a choice. they don't get a shot at life. >> again, this idea that people's minds can be changed on abortion rights or access to abortion in this country. what makes you optimistic that minds can be changed? that this is not one of those political issues where everyone is so dug in that that's that? well, actually, it's interesting, craig. because the people's feeling about this issue has actually been very consistent over many, many decades. and because people don't see it as a political issue. it's actually a fundamental

issue of making your own decisions about pregnancy. that doesn't mean that people might not make different decisions. it means the government shouldn't be telling people what to do about pregnancy. look at the case in texas. literally now it is virtually impossible to get access to a safe and legal abortion. so the state is now taking that decision making ability away from every single person. and most americans understand that you can make abortion illegal, but that doesn't mean there isn't abortion. it simply means it's unsafe and illegal. when roe was passed and you still here from doctors. some -- one wrote recently in the washington post. before abortion was legal, women had abortions, but young women routinely died. young, healthy women in emergency rooms across this country. and we can never go back to that place again. >> texas is a state you know well. for folks who don't know, your mother was the governor there.

that state now has the most restrictive abortion laws in the country. they're designed to be hard, to fight in courts. supreme court even just a few weeks ago as you know declined to block the law. what can be done in texas to fighting it at this point, or is it just settled law? >> no. of course it's not settled law, and it's such a good point. i mean, there will be a hearing tomorrow. the department of justice is taking action. i think this case will come back to the supreme court. it is clearly an unconstitutional law in addition to being extremely cruel. i was just back in texas and hearing the stories of young people, of women in rural areas who have literally no access anymore to an abortion provider. the stories are going to come out, and i think it's important the people who are in office, and particularly the republican legislators and the governor of texas who enacted this for

political purposes, not because it was for the well being for the people of texas or because they wanted it. it is incredibly important that people vote in these states. that they know where their legislators stand on these issues. and that some of these folks have to lose their jobs. some of these elected officials have to lose their jobs over taking away a fundamental right of people in the state of texas to make their own decisions about their pregnancy. >> we'll have to leave it there. thank you. thanks as always for your time. i want to turn back to the other major story unfolding in the kip toll. we heard from speaker pelosi at the top of the hour. saying she still plans to hold the vote on the bipartisan infrastructure bill today. a few moments ago steny hoyer was asked if he was confident that it will pass. his answer? nope. i'm joined now by the democratic congresswoman from new jersey. thank you for your time as well. do you know at this point when this vote is going to happen?

and do you think it will pass? >> as we heard from the speaker, it sounds like the vote is still on today. i'm hopeful it's going to pass. as you know, these are critical items we have to deliver for the american people. i'm hearing from so many people in my district about this bill. the president's bill which he got bipartisan support for, and one of the most partisan times in our nation's history. to build things like infrastructure resilience. to remediate lead pipes and for my district, to make sure we get shovels in the ground on the gateway tunnel project. >> well, obviously you're in favor of the infrastructure bill. what's the holdup there in the house? >> well, i think there are a lot of things that we also have to do in the reconciliation bill. and people want very badly to understand the pathway forward. but i think what the speaker said earlier, when she said this was a career defining piece of legislation for her, should help

some people, i hope, come to the table to vote on the bipartisan bill with the realization and the understanding that she will put the full force and support of her office behind passing the reconciliation bill. and that would be considerable. and make no mistake, there are critical items in that bill as well. the speaker said 95% of the caucus is behind the reconciliation bill. i would argue maybe a few more. we are talking about things like child care. when we have had covid devastate women in the work force, and they still are not returning. we're talking about making sure we do investment in some of the clean power economy which will not only help support us through the environmental devastation we've been facing like after hurricane ida in new jersey with the fatalities and flooding, but also making sure that we're competing for the green powered jobs into the future against places like china and against places like europe which are developing some of the technologies. so these are all critical needs. and we have to pass both. but really, i think to the

extent we could get this passed today, that would be such a huge impact across the country. especially in districts like mine. >> we know house democrats huddled this morning on a critical day. what was the discussion? what did you talk about? >> well, you know, i think everyone is working toward getting to yes. what is the pathway forward? because i think we know that -- >> yes on what? what, congresswoman? >> yes on both, quite frankly. yes on this infrastructure bill today. that is the first piece of the puzzle. and then what is the pathway forward for the reconciliation bill in the future? but we've really -- i think to have the best chance going forward of passing the reconciliation bill, we've got to get the infrastructure bill passed today. that would be i think something that would really move the whole process forward in a positive way. >> the mood of that meeting was it tense at all? was it pretty laid back? >> we're not a laid back caucus.

that's not how we roll. i'm from new jersey. i'm comfortable with that. we have a lot of people who are very passionate about how they can deliver for their districts. and i think that's critical and important. the discussions that we're having now, the policies that we're discussing now, we are all really working hard to deliver in the best way possible for the american people. and some of us have different views of what that might look like. but make no mistake, that is very different from what is going on on the other side of the aisle where they're having discussions about how best to sweep january 6th under the rug, for example. so these are important conversations we're having. i very much hope we can get to a yes right now on this infrastructure bill. >> where do talks stand on the debt ceiling? >> so the debt ceiling, we are talking about that now. how to best pass that as you know. we're passing the continuing resolution today. very different from when i came into congress under the longest

government shutdown that the former administration president trump and the republican house and senate started. so we are keeping the doors open and the lights on. and now we will start to address how we are going to lift the debt ceiling. >> okay. congresswoman, who is hopeful the infrastructure bill can pass today, congresswoman, just to clarify? >> today. >> okay. we'll be watching. thank you, congresswoman. >> thank you so much. one of the biggest challenges in getting kids back to school this fall? finding enough teachers to work in their classrooms. why the pandemic has made the national teacher shortage so bad, and what one virginia school district is trying to do about it. next. g to do about it next

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busy may be an under statement in describing capitol hill this morning. here is a hearing that is focusing on the reopening of schools during the pandemic. they're addressing concerns over how the federal government is supporting and assisting educators, families, and

students in a hearing that comes as school districts across the country are facing massive teacher shortages and that problem is expected to worsen in the coming months. many districts offering sign on incentives but much of those are still not helping teachers get back in the classroom. so antonia, i know you talked to the superintendent of the school district there, talk about the challenges he is facing. >> it is really becoming something of a crisis here. teachers have longfelt under paid and under apriortive and this is being made worse over the pandemic. teachers are put at the center of troefrss around covid, masking, and protocols and

parents criticizing them for how they teach in the classroom right now and it is creating a mounting pressure making it difficult for school districts to attract and maintain talent. that means is that the teachers that are here are in some cases pulling double duty. they are teaching extra courses and it is creating burnout and it is exhausting. take a listen to our conversation with david jackson who has been raising the alarm about this. >> i think part of the reason they're not entering the profession is they're looking at what is happening to teachers, how they're being treated in some instances, and it's just not that appealing to them. it is a huge problem, it will not suddenly get better. >> the district here says they

are putting immense resources and effort and they're sending people out to virtual and inperson recruiting fairs, but to put this in context, the effect of covid, they say they normally have 1,000 people applying for open positions. now they only have about 400, but many of those folks don't have college degrees, they don't have education experience. so they can't get people ready and able to do this job and for people who are qualiied their looking at the situation. >> antonia, thank you so much. before we get out of here this morning i wanted to share part of my conversation with amy grant, an executive producer on a new documentary called "the

jesus music." we talked about her faith, and what e defines christian music. >> it is hip hop, it is country, at one point heavy methle, all of these generas under an umbrella, but one thing combines them. what is that? >> the message of faith and the faith journey. this is why i started writing. we should have muk that we like that is not just church music to talk about this amazing thing that happened to me, and to me it is just another color in the rainbow. >> the new documentary, the jesus music, is in theaters tomorrow. "andrea mitchell reports" starts next. next

good day, erin, on a beautiful day in washington. i'm andrea mitchell, this is andrea mitchell reporting on capitol hill where the senate is in the middle of voting, the final votes to keep the government open. the house is expected to take up and pass a stopgap measure this afternoon. now nancy pelosi faces her hardest test. a house divided, a senate balking, and a lot on the line. >> we are bringing it up to do so in a way that can win and so far so good for today. it is goingings in a positive direction. it is positive to persuade people to vote without the reassurances of the reconciliation bill. i can't stay too long because