joining us now is democratic congresswoman ayanna pressley, of massachusetts.g us tonight. we have reports indicating that the president said today, in that discussion, that the target is going to end up being a 1.9 trillion, to 2.2 trillion. that would be a compromise down from the biden 3.5 trillion. what is your reaction to that? >> well lawrence, i think it's important to note that that's not an arbitrary number. that number is in line with the priorities with the president laid out before congress, and it's really responded to the needs of the people. and meeting the moment. i remain focused on what i've always been, and that is substance, and impacts, and making sure that we leave no one behind. i simply reject these often, unjust, by nary, false choices. that are hoisted upon. as i will choose between a union worker, who lays down road, or a child care worker who takes care of our babies, so that union worker can do that. we know we need these robust investments when it comes to housing. i have a large public housing footprint in my district. much of tha

. >>> plus representative ayanna pressley is with us to discuss spending bills. get ready because another hour of "velshi" begins right now. >>> good morning. it's sunday, october 1st. i'm ali velshi. it's halloween and we begin this hour with some breaking news. we have brand new nbc news polling that may scare president biden and democrats, especially heading into key local and statewide elections on tuesday. the president's approval rating has dropped to 42% among american adults with a 54% disapproval. he's 12 points underwater. it's a 7% drop since august and 11-point drop since the spring. biden's approval rate at this point in his presidency is the lowest of any modern president with the very clear exception of donald trump. some more devastating data of deep concern for democrats, just 37% of american adults gave high marks, good or very good, for being competent and a good president, against 50% who gave biden poor and very poor marks. on several notable issues, you can see republicans hold a significant advantage on border security, inflation, crime, na

. >>> coming up, ayanna pressley, member of the house progressive caucus will join us next. with access the house progressive caucus will join us next. onayan pressley, member of the house progressive caucus will join us next. gayanna pressley, member of the house progressive caucus will join us next. reayanna pressley, member of the house progressive caucus will join us next. sayanna pressley, member of the house progressive caucus will join us next. sayanna pressley, member of the house progressive caucus will join us next. wayanna pressley, member of the house progressive caucus will join us next. oayanna pressley, member of the house progressive caucus will join us next. congresswomaayanna pressle member of the house progressive (music) ♪ i think to myself ♪ ♪ what a wonderful world ♪ (music) ♪ i think to myself ♪ ♪ what a wonderful world ♪ >>> after president biden's virtual meeting with the house caucus today, congressman ro khanna said this. >> the message to the president was simple we have to get this done. there are three things i've observed. one, this is a president who's on

now, i would like to recognize congresswoman ayanna pressley for an opening statement. congresswoman pressley serves ap chair of the abortion rights and access task force on therv pro-choice caucus, and she is a champion for equitable abortion access, and a kinder, less stigmatizing world for abortion patients. ms. pressley, you are now recognized for three minutes.u s hearing today. abortion care is a constitutional right and this pro-choice democratic majority house-senate and what house can and must do everything possible to protect and guarantee it as such. we find ourselves in the midst of an unprecedented wave of coordinated attacks on our reproductive freedom and bottle it on me. texas is horrendous and extreme abortion been underscores the urgency of this moment. the year 2021 has been the most devastating for abortion rights good in the midst of an ongoing pandemic that robbed us of almost seven hundred thousand lives and disproportionately impacted our most vulnerable black and brown communities, antiabortion legislators in 47 states focused on hurt unharmed t

. >>> ayanna pressley will be in and tell us how to get the transformational change. >> the latest nbc news polling is out. it has disconcerting data from democrats and the president. >>> we head across the pond to glasgow, scotland. you are watching velshi. ♪ limu emu & doug ♪ got a couple of bogeys on your six, limu. they need customized car insurance from liberty mutual so they only pay for what they need. what do you say we see what this bird can do? woooooooooooooo... we are not getting you a helicopter. looks like we're walking, kid. only pay for what you need. ♪ liberty. liberty. liberty. liberty. ♪ ♪ this little light of mine ♪ - [narrator] in the world's poorest places, children with cleft conditions live in darkness and shame. they're shunned, outcasts living in pain. >>> 9 world's attention is at the climate crisis. let's listen in. >> i'm not going to take any questions but i will head back downstairs. right now i'm here with european commission vanderline who has been a great partner. we have reached a major break through that will address the existential threat of climate

out of our 13 member council we had one woman serving, then councilor ayanna pressley.een a rapid transform makes to see the impact on policy making, on connection with our communities when we have a reflective, representative government. boston is ready. we feel the energy and it's about making sure we are connecting that to voting and being involved in government. >> you mentioned ayanna pressley. she is now a member of congress and she endorsed you on friday, right? >> that's right. >> so how important -- how important is it to have her endorsement? >> i am so deeply honored and thrilled that we keep continuing to build our governing coalition to reflect the city of boston and the possibility that boston holds to reshape our systems. i've had the chance to serve alongside ayanna when we were both on the city council for a number of years together and to at this point partnering as she breaks down barriers and builds that pipeline of activism, organizing and truly shifting what's possible in government. so we are thrilled and we are excited to be in this home stretch

i know that a house bill to prohibit capital punishment was introduced this week by ayanna pressley. by democracy, i mean the congressional black caucus, since you and congresswoman bush both drew the line from jim crow to what happened this week, congresswoman. >> absolutely. the congressional black caucus -- hopefully the progressive caucus will join in with us, and the hispanic congressional caucus. we all need to join forces in this because what happens is, if you study or look at the capital punishment situation, if an african-american or a brown person kills an african-american or brown person, they stand a very, very small chance of getting the death penalty. it is when you kill someone white that the death penalty is very likely going to be your sentence. and killing this gentleman, this man, earnest johnson, is like killing a 6-year-old. reverend, i don't even believe he understood when they told him he was going to be put into an electric chair. i don't think he had any knowledge of understanding of what was even happening to him. >> wow. well, congressman, thank you. i rem

massachusetts rep ayanna pressley's office phone has been sent to voice mail for the last 18 months. and one of the things she says as she listens to her constituents? i hope her constituents haven't needed anything for the last 18 months like, i don't know, answers on why the groceries are so expensive. gas is double, and a whole lot more like the supply chain and christmas. instead presley' sights set on something entirely different. >> care is infrastructure. house something infrastructure. climate justice is infrastructure. paid leave is infrastructure. disability justice is infrastructure. let's pass the build back better act. >> brian: all right. you got the gist. she doesn't care what the people who actually elected her have to say or even f. they even have a road to drive to. instead following the lead of aoc and other squad members, progressives as they try to push through this massive spending bill reads more like a progressive wish list which they currently can't even approve because there is not enough of their wishes granted on that list. which is over 1600 pages. it see

in our community, to be shoulder to shoulder with leaders like mayor kim janey, congresswoman ayanna pressleywho are standing with our campaign because we have a track record of working together and getting things done. not just being in community, but ensuring that we are doing the work, passing legislation, delivering on equity in city contracting, ensuring that boston is leading the way on climate justice, housing, affordability, public transportation, the foundation of what our families need. moderator: i'm still not hearing a distinction between the two of you. >> i will draw a quick distinction if i might. the important piece of leading the city of boston and doing this work, which i want to do this work every single day running the city of boston doing , in partnership with the people of the city of boston, you only do that by being in community with the people. talking to them, working with them, leading with them. the voices of the people of boston are the most important in this conversation. we need to put people over politics. the people of boston have to be center to the work that