senate. it's a very different environment politically for senate democrats than it was about a month or six weeks ago. >> there's obviously some optimism. i spoke to some senators on the area today amidst the passage. along with all of the got done over the last couple of, months the momentum leading into the midterms hoping they are going to change the narrative that has been put out there, that they were likely to lose control of congress. seeing this as possibly a shift, both to the biden administration and house democrats. they want to bring in a more one -- if you to, both julia and, bob withstand by as we're watching the votes coming in. morrow, talk to me about what you're hearing from inside the white house? i know the president has been following this closely. he's gonna be notching this as a win, as he should be. and whether or not we're gonna be hearing from him today, as he left the white house earlier, going to delaware. >> yasmin, we've been talking for weeks about how the infla

senator romney, senator murkowski, senator capito, senator young, senator graham, senator king and allf the cosponsors. i will be among the first to acknowledge that the bill is not perfect but represents many months of hard work and compromise and would serve as a tremendous improvement over the current eca. the bill addresses what the bipartisan group identified as the most concerning problems with the eca. it ambiguously clarifies the vice president is prohibited -- i repeat that it clarifies the vice president is prohibited from interfering with electoral votes. it raises the objection threshold by 20%. 87 house members from one. it also improves on only one member of the senate to 20 must ratify. it sets a hard deadline for state governors to certify their respective state's electoral result. they cannot wait until after the election and then make changes. if they fail to do so or submit a slate that does not match, it creates an expedited judicial process to resolve. on the last point, the expedited judicial procedure, i would like to take a moment to discuss the reform and expla

when i wrote the last great senate, i subsequently had said may be the only great senate.aybe there was an exceptional confluence of events that front about the possibility the world virtue great generation of senators who had come back from the war. and also the threat of the cold war right after world war ii. and the parties not being so l far apart we had liberal and moderate republicans and conservative democrats. the parties were not that far apart. so the senate worked but she make a difference by large as difficult as they would have been our politics are affected disproportionately by a couple of bad actors the two that had the most impact our newt gingrich and mitch mcconnell. it's a combination of things. everyone talks about two senators from each state it is baked into the constitution. we know that. we never thought about that in the earlier years because there were so many good small state senators soon had to be senators and what they were therefore. that's also what is missing. >> that is very important on both sides of the aisle. went to go across the aisl

the senate worked when it worked. and how the senate was a source of inspiration at one time not just frustration and disappointment. and i kind of thought as you point out i was always looking for green shoots of evidence that things were getting better. many of the senators actually wanted the senate to work better and so there'd be some moments when it appeared that things were going to get better. but inevitably i would be my hopes would be dashed. mcconnell would step forward and regular order regular legislative process would fail and the senate which spiral downward again. and that has been the sequence of events i believe where the senators would like it to be better, but the leader has insisted that it not be. so um, joe biden when he campaigning for president and upon his own inauguration. pitch that he was the bipartisan former senator who could bring everyone together and overcome the polarization that you so eloquently write about my question is was he being naive or just political? great question and it

senate.it was steeped in it. he loves to make bipartisan deals. he likes to think or liked to think he was a friend of mitch mcconnell's, even. i think the answer is complicated. i think that the president has a way that he believes politics should be and he's made every effort to have it that way. but at the same time i think he was under no illusions anymore about mcconnell because he saw him close up in eight years of the obama presidency. so i think he knew, you make the effort, maybe you can bring some of the other republicans along. but i think he was under no illusions about it by the time he was president. >> my question goes beyond mitch mcconnell which is that this age of comedy that you look back wistfully at. is that based on tradition as opposed to foundational? i ask that because we have this ... i don't know how that phrase is. majoritarian foundational rule, giving each one of the senators that it would work out fine and now you have this situation where wyoming with 690,000 p

senator romney, senator murkowski, senator capito, senator young, senator graham, senator king and all of the cosponsors. i will be among the first to acknowledge that the bill is not perfect but represents many months of hard work and compromise and would serve as a tremendous improvement over the current eca. the bill addresses what the bipartisan group identified as the most concerning problems with the eca. it ambiguously clarifies the vice president is prohibited -- i repeat that it clarifies the vice president is prohibited from interfering with electoral votes. it raises the objection threshold by 20%. 87 house members from one. it also improves on only one member of the senate to 20 must ratify. it sets a hard deadline for state governors to certify their respective state's electoral result. they cannot wait until after the election and then make changes. if they fail to do so or submit a slate that does not match, it creates an expedited judicial process to resolve. on the last point, the expedited judicial procedure, i would like to take a moment to discuss the reform and exp

we know that as soon as this evening, the senate is expected to vote on senator manchin's and senator schumer's massive tax hike on middle-class families. you could call it the manchin-schumer tax hike of 2022. it sprung to life unbeknownst, i believe, to virtually all the democratic senators except nor senator manchin and senator schumer. and no one has seen what we will purportedly be voting on later today, even our democratic colleagues. no one has seen the final product once the so-called byrd bath has been undertaken by the parliamentarian, this will be a substitute bill that senator schumer will lay down, but nobody has seen it. when the senior senator from west virginia announced this bill last week -- or this agreement, every republican was shocked from my view most democrats were as well. my private conversations with many of my democratic colleagues said, boy, that does not look good to be working so closely together on a bipartisan bill only to spring this on everybody by surprise. looks like they were trying to pull a fast one. after all, senator manchin had put the kibosh

the senate. in 2012 the last great senate courage and statesmanship and times of crisis and in 20 team broken, can the senate save itself in the country? ira latest book is called "betrayal" how mitch mcconnell and the senate republicans abandoned america. interviewing mr. shapiro will be eugene meyer and award-winning journalist with passion for history and travel, real estate and the chesapeake bay. widely published in magazines he has authored four books and was for many years of reporter and editor of the "washingtonon pos" since leaving the post in 2004 mr. meyer has7 received 17 awars for his work and more than 50 bylines in "the new york times." his firstal journalism job was s a washington are laboring for the old new york he wrote tribune where you got to tag along with a white house reporter who watch lbg -- lbj signed the 1964 civil rights act into law. pretty cool. [applause] it's hard to avoid partisanship when discussing his book or just look at that title. and as i tried to tie his

senate resolutions introduced earlier today, senate res. 744, senate res. 745, senate res. 746. the presiding officer: without objection, the senate will proceed en bloc. mr. schumer: i ask unanimous consent that the resolutions be agreed to, the preambles be agreed to, and the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, all en bloc. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. schumer: i ask unanimous consent that the senate veterans affair committee be discharged from further consideration of s. 3606, and the senate proceed to its immediate consideration. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: s. 3606, a bill to amend title 38, united states code, and so forth and for other purposes. the presiding officer: without objection, the committee is discharged. the senate will proceed. mr. schumer: i ask unanimous consent that the bill be considered read a third time. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. schumer: i know of no further debate on the bill. the presiding officer: if there's no further debate, the question is on passage of

senate. one reason i was working on this with we can rally around solving difficult challenges together across political aisles and across political philosophies and this housing affordability crisis is striking how it impacts various demographic and geographic areas and it doesn't seem to discriminate a lot did the problem is that falls on a diverse population and it's so important to support programs and ideas that meet the needs of these communities so ms. lee ohanian you talk about how the light or grams helps a grams helps arrange a people? thank you very much senator and thank you for your support of affordable housing. rest we write the problem of the lack of supply and affordable housing hits everyone unfortunately and one of the things that we see is the light program is very effective at people coming up the streets in the housing one of the only programs that has done so. we see a range of types of individuals and families living in supported family. 10% of our home was population

maria: coming up, texas senator ted cruz on the bill moving through the senate this morning and freshhis committee testimony of fbi director christopher wray. >> so do you agree the allegation of secret collusion between president trump and russia was a hoax? yes or no? >> i, i don't think that's the terminology i would use. >> do you agree that the hunter biden laptop was not russia disinformation? >> now you're asking about an ongoing investigation that i expect our folks to pursue aggressively, and i can't comment on that. >> okay. maria: yes, a fake russia collusion investigation, a potential made-up attack on michigan's governor while putting ordinary, honest americans many jail. what happened to the nbi? -- fbi? plus, more buses are moving illegal migrants right to washington d.c. now you're catching ire from the mayor of new york, mayor of d.c. they want federal funding, they want the national guard. tell us about that. >> it's making my day. it's pure hypocrisy. i've got news for hem, they haven't yet seen the fullness of what we're busing up there. we're going to be adding th

iowa and america need four more years of senator grassley in the united states senate. incredibly grateful that he stepped forward to run again. he will serve the people of the hawkeye state. i am excited about the support he is getting all over the state, the support and enthusiasm that republicans all across iowa and others are receiving all across this country. i think we have a great day coming. i think the american people are ready to win back the congress, win back the senate, and win back statehouses across the country, and in two years, we will win back america. senator grassley, it is great to be back here with you in this great tradition of the iowa state fair. thank you all for coming out. thank you all for coming out. >> have you heard from the january 6 committee about whether you're going to testify or whether they'll ask you? >> january 6 was a tragic day in the life of our nation. but thanks to the efforts of law enforcement personnel we questioned the violence. we reconvened the congress and we completed the people's work. peaceful transfer of power. >>

, senator paul up to ten minutes, senator sullivan for up to a minute, and senator menendez for up to ten minutes. the presiding officer: without objection. ms. collins: madam president, i ask unanimous consent that heidi zizzleman, a fellow in my office, be granted floor privileges through august 4, 2022. the presiding officer: without objection. ms. collins: thank you, madam president. madam president, i rise in strong support of the accession of finland and sweden into the nato alliance. in may, i visited helsinki and stockholm as part of the senate delegation to encourage the finnish and swedish efforts to join the alliance. our trip, however, started in ukraine. there, after a long secret journey under cover of darkness, our contingent of four senators met with president zelenskyy for two hours. we discussed the military, humanitarian, economic, and security consequences of russia's unprovoked, brutal war against ukraine. i asked president zelenskyy whether he thought vladimir putin's attack on his country had had the opposite effect of what he had intended. for example, the russ

serving in the senate. i'm excited about the support he's getting all across the state and i'm excited about the support and enthusiasm that republicans all across iowa and others are receiving all across the country. i think we have a great day country. i think the american people are ready to win back the congress, win back the senate, and elections across america and in two years we'll be in the white house again. thank you all for coming out. >> have you heard from the january 6 committee about whether you're going to testify or whether they'll ask you? >> january 6 was a tragic day in the life of our nation. but thanks to the efforts of law enforcement personnel we questioned the violence. we reconvened the congress and we completed the people's work. peaceful transfer of power. >> have they asked you to testify? >> the january 6 committee was formed in such a partisan way and i think that's been a missed opportunity for the northwestern people. when speaker pelosi made a decision early on to deny seat

you arrive in the senate 20 years ago it was a 50-50 senate as well. what about you set the stage for us by contrasting those two moments. what's different about 50-50 senate today versus 50 years ago? >> i'm not sure there's a difference in terms of how it would work. having 50-50 means that at least in terms of the numbers, you have to get somebody to switch over across the i from the other party to vote for something you want or the vice president is thetiebreaker . i think the senate back 20 years ago was less divided than it is today. a hyper- partisanship again somewhere between 20 years ago and today, roughly maybe 10 years ago in earnest. so it's a hyper- partisanship i think that is different today than it was back then. the other thing that occurred is that 9/11 united it, united the country which may have accounted for more or less partisanship and more bipartisanship in thinking of finding solutions but the same thing could be the case today with the outside influence on the united states right now by foreign interests of being discussed fr

and when you arrived in the senate, 20 years ago it was a 50/50 senate as well. how about you set the stage for us by contrasting those two moments. what is different about a 50/50 senate today versus a 50/50 set it. >> are not sure there's a real difference in terms of how it would work. having 50/50 means at least in terms of the numbers, you havein to get somebody to put you over across the aisle from the other party to vote for something you want. or the vice president is the tiebreaker. i think the senate back 20 years ago was less divided than itay s nstoday. hyper partisanship began somewhere between 20 years ago and today. roughly maybe ten years ago in earnest. so it is a hyper partisanship that is different today than it was back then. the other thing that occurred is 911, united the country which may haveve counted for less partisanship and more bipartisanship in the thinking of finding solutions. but the same thing could be the case of today with outside influence on the united states right now by foreign interests being discussed from time to time. i

there will be a big loss in the senate when you lose people like senator toomey and senator portman. i'm from tennessee and we had bipartisan senators working across the aisle, james baker, lamar alexander, who retired, and bob corker. these were people that were beloved in the senate because they worked across the aisle. there should be collegiality among colleagues. even if mitch mcconnell, if they win back the senate, andrew is right on this, he is staring at more republicans like john hawley and ted cruz, and how does he keep them in line because he already has these rabble-rousers and he could get more. that is his frustration, too. he knows that these are not the best candidates. but even if they managed to get dragged across because there is a wave, which i expect things to tie post a labor day when the campaign really kicks in, they will not work across the aisle. they will want to investigate joe biden. they will want to -- everything. it is driven by how much cable-tv time can i get. rather than who can i work together with. martin: is there any chance to overcome the divis

republican senator lindsey graham and democratic senator richard blum

he came to the senate and was immediately included in senate leadership. one of the things that people are all saying it's senator blunt, we are so sorry you're retiring, because we know you want a life, but we surely enjoy what you have added to the lives of the senate and to the life of the historical society. so, maybe those four children and six grandchildren will get more time with you, but today, talk to us about president grant. [applause] >> well, thank you, jane. in terms of having a life, i'm an incredibly fortunate man. one of the great opportunities i've had is to serve in public office, particularly to serve in the house and then the senate, to be in leadership in both places and i intend to make the most of every day of the rest of this year, and see what happens after that. just like ron white's book, i'm always ready for the next chapter. i did that as i read the american ulysses and ron white was one of, i think, one of three historians that really have restored general grant to his place in history. ron white's book, h. w. grant's book, t

i just walked into the senate chamber. senators appear surprisingly energetic. we expect this to wrap up probably some time early afternoon. because of the procedure they are employing here, democrats are trying to pass this bill along straight party lines. cannot be filibustered because they're using the budget process. that same process gives senators an endless amount of amendments and essentially they can offer amendments until they decide to give up, essentially here. now, republicans have offered a series of amendments targeting immigration, the irs enforcement as well as energy provisions. democrats have banded together, they have stuck together and rejected all of the republican attempts. they have even voted down one of their own. senator bernie sanders has tried to expand the child tax credit. democrats voted that down, too, because of their concerns if this bill is changed in any way, it could upset this delicate compromise and cause some moderates in their caucus to revolt. this bill, though, dana, significant in size and scope, dealing with health c

i want to thank senator rosen, senator lujan and senator padilla. as well as my colleague, representative schrier who is leading the legislation in the house. this is a simple bill to address a threat we know is far too real. the let doctors provide reproductive health care act will protect doctors providing legal abortion care and make sure they can practice medicine and save lives without fear of legal threats and intimidation. it will make clear the attacks we have seen on doctors are unacceptable, that politicians should not be harassing or scaring or investigating or threatening or punishing doctors for providing care that is perfectly legal, that patients want, and that in many cases is even necessary to save lives. democrats are going to try to pass this bill right now because we believe no doctor should be punished for caring for patients and providing legal abortion care. and for republicans who claim they don't want to punish doctors actually mean it, if those words are more than an empty talking point, more than another broken promise, th

colleagues -- senator sinema, senator collins, senator murkowski -- the reproductive freedom for all act, taking the supreme court up on the challenge that what we need to do to protect reproductive freedom is to legislate to do so. let me describe the origin of the bill. beginning in february, the senate has had two votes on a bill that i have cosponsored, women's health protection act, which was designed, written before the dobbs case but designed to protect reproductive freedom by disabling state legislatures from putting schemes and obstacles in the way of women making reproductive decisions. the first time we had a vote on that bill, i voted yes. it was in february. it received 49 votes. we were scheduled to have a second vote on women's health protection act in may and it occurred to me that we would like lay have the same result, we would get 49 votes. and i had a strong feeling before that vote that if that was the case, we would be leaving votes on the table. by that i understood from talking to my colleagues that there were more than 49 members of this chamber who wanted to

for the united states senate. we are in a unique position. we have the only replica of the u.s. senate chamber in the world. obviously, there is only one other, that is in washington, d.c. it is symbolic of our commitment to the united states senate to making the senate to be as productive as humanly possible, to teach about the workings of the senate. what we want to do is be part of this solution and demonstrate the power of the institution. like our mission itself, this effort is a partnership. it is a partnership between the hatch foundation and the bipartisan policy center in washington, and us. our focus has been and continues to be providing civic education for young people. however, we have a bigger role now. the country has changed and our challenges are bigger, our problems are bigger, and it is up to us to step up and do something. ♪ [applause] >> that was as spirited as bernie and lindsay. >> sorry. [laughter] nikole: i want to thank you again. now we will move to the conversation portion of our debate

it was senator hawley -- senator hawley wrong to vote no?the same time. what you're looking at with nato, it has been one of the strongest alliances in history and what i want to share with americans is that you are looking at an alliance that has been incredibly strong. finland and sweden make that alliance even stronger. finland is very strong militarily, but think about this: we have never had to defend a nato country in the history of its alliance. the only time they've ever had to use their defense forces was after 9/11 when we asked them to, and all of nato went to afghanistan in defense of us. so there's a reason that when you look at who russia has invaded in the past, they've invaded georgia, they've invaded moldova. it they've invaded ukraine. all countries outside of nato, because that's where they go after. they go after countries of weakness. this alliance is strong. this alliance needs to stay strong. that is why russia is staying away from it. we have to also remember we never take our eyes off of china. china is right now try

those two senators, democratic senators, just left thune's office. thune confirmed the discussions are still ongoing. now, even as they're making potential changes to that, there have been also big change that happened recently. that was republicans succeeded in pulling out a $35 cap on insulin that people could provide -- purchase -- insulin purchased through your private insurance. that cap was initially in the democratic plan. but because it violated budget rules, republicans succeeded in stripping that $35 provision from the private insurance. now that $35 cap on insulin will still remain through if you purchase through medicare, but private insurance, that is now gone. nevertheless, though, dana, this bill has remained largely in tact through this marathon series of amendments that started at 11:30 p.m. eastern time last night. in which democrats have fended off amendments dealing with immigration, dealing with energy, dealing with the irs enforcement, new irs agents, they have stayed united and there are probably about eight or so amendment vot

senate. the second goal is to demonstrate the influence -- we are in a unique position. we have the only replica of the u.s. senate chamber in the world. obviously, there is only one other, that is in washington, d.c.. it is symbolic, making the senate as productive as humanly possible, to teach about the workings of the senate. what we want to do is be a part of the solution and demonstrate the power of the institution. like our mission itself, this effort as a partnership. it's a partnership. our focus continues to be providing civics education for young people. however, we have a big role. the company has changed, our problems are bigger, and it's up to us to do something. ♪ [applause] >> i want to thank you again. we will move to the conversation portion of our debate, and i want to start this portion off with some of the breaking news we are learning about at this hour, president biden address the nation with respect to the counterterrorism operation that killed an al qaeda operative. i

senator cornyn, the republican from texas said that unveiling this agreement between you and senator schumer was a declaration of particular warfare. >> it is such a shame, john cornyn is a good friend of mine, such a good man. and for the politics to be so toxic right now, first of all, i never thought this would come to fruition. i never spoke with anybody about any of my colleagues because they were frustrated that nothing happened for so long. on the other, i could never get to build back better, $3.5 trillion spending bill th. everything my republicans talked about, reducing the amount of debt that we have, we're paying down $300 billion first time in 25 years, they have got to like that. and next of all, they wanted more energy, i want more energy, we're going to be producing more energy. there is an agreement that we're going to be drilling and doing more we can to bring more energy to the market, that reduces prices, they like that. and there is going to be a streamlining of permitting, john, they got to like that. i'm hoping they cool off, take a good look at the bill. their

i think with the senate race smoke clears work and have a very, very close senate still. really painting it like a big red wave or more. let's bring in our panel "washington post" panelists and a fox news analyst. as i we took from that josh? kind of looking at the landscape of come of these races that maybe they are underwater or didn't think that they were gonna be? >> the big headline is that they are leaving the option that democrats might actually holder senate majority. there is a really lowering of expectation specifically on the senate side because of mitch mcconnell and a whole lot of republican officials are worried about the caliber of the senate candidates dr. oz in pennsylvania when the denomination in arizona. herschel walker in georgia, these are battle grab states that republican should win given that it's so favorable, but boy if you move races all of a sudden the majority looks a lot more prepared. >> bret: i asked him about the changing face of the republicans in the senate elegant of these candidates are not the rob portman's of old. they are trumpian.

well, thank you senator mcconnell. the leaders too close to sort of central or eastern europe type thing but this has been this is truly an honor. i'm not gonna go on long. you all have have had a long day and you know i convinced i tell my clerks often. i'm tired of talking about me so they should talk about me and and i think they have been talking about me. so oh my goodness this it is. so embarrassing. i just the i i but i have to thank you all. i thank you for being here this evening. i know you have other things to do. i thank jen mascot whose idea this was and is simply delightful and as well as the grace center. sure, there's a ton of hard work involved in this in details. and convincing people to participate but i also thank heritage foundation for hosting this and all the work that they've done to make this all possible. and of course, i'd like to thank senator mcconnell for not only the work he has done that. that don spoke of but just being the gentleman he is and the courage that he has shown. over the yea

i got the chance to serve with senator hatch but not senator kennedy.hey set a model for the senate both spirited partisans. they had convictions that they held firm to, but they knew that their job was to argue their case and sit down and try to find a path forward. i'm glad that rob made the suggestion to bring me on the stage with him today. it is true. we have often very different ideologies, different approaches to problems. but we are often close collaborators. we have worked together on significant foreign policy matters. we have written legislation together on domestic manufacturing policies. i was proud to support his leadership in making the the biggest commitment to infrastructure spending. i was proud to have him as a supporter in our recent effort to change america's gun laws and invest in mental health. i hope you will see both sides of the senate here today, spirited argument. but, also an effort to find common ground. on the economy, there are two sides of the story. this is an economy that is admittedly on fire. we have 3.6% unemploymen

this is the veterans community senator. they don't stand behind you, in fact, you won't let them stand in front of you. cowards, all of them. cowards, all of them. and now they say this will get done. maybe after we get back from some of -- from our summer recess, because they are on senate time. senate time is ridiculous. these guys live to 200. they are tortoises. they live for ever and they never lose their jobs and they never lose their benefits and they never lose anything. they are not on senate time, they are on human time, cancer time. don't you have families? don't you have people? people who are deciding how to live their last moments? they spent the remaining time advocating so that other soldiers did not have to face the indignities and the depravity and the desperation they faced and none of them will hear it and none of them care. but table tweets. can't wait to see what they come up with. on veterans day, on memorial day. this is the reality of it. i don't even know what to say anymore. but we need your help

which means senator manchin, and senator shoe -- schumer. schumer said they had to make those changes to get cinemas vote key to that as well. take a listen to what warren said to my colleague. >> look, we're going to keep it together. we have to get 50 votes to get this thing across the finish line. that's where we're going to do. look, i wanted so much more. i want universal child care. i want us to do more on health care. of course i want there's a ton where i want to do. but you know wet, this is a big deal. so let's book the win, and they get right back in the fight. >> look, democrats, many of them progressives are admitting, there is sucking it up. they're sucking it up for the fact that they don't have these provisions that they wanted in build back better, but they still might bring them up. senator bernie sanders bringing up for amendments. jeff merkley just told me he plans to bring up pieces of preschool childcare, community college. all these things that they try to get passed in build back better, of course they couldn't. at th

of the senate. our keynote speaker is such a figure. he has always had an eye on the endgame, he was born in alabama, and his family moved to georgia, then kentucky. he graduated from the university with honors, then he went to washington, to see, to attend the mauve intend for jobs and freedom, where martin luther king day liver it is i have a dream see. he interned a senator, graduated from the university of -- president of the student bar association. he became a lawyer and work for another senator. back in kentucky practice law and political science at the university of louisville, he served as deputy attorney general under president ford. serving with the now household legendary names of gore, silverman, and scalia. after a few electoral victories, he ran and was elected to the united states senate in 1984, where he served with distinction ever sense. both as majority leader, and often in fortunate occasion a minority leader. distinction does not capture the impact he's had not only on the sena

senator grassley did as well. i was told by. senator grassley referred to four. you have said how difficult it is to really make a case even when they have the evidence we described this way. tell me the dilemma we face here. people don't want to work supervising elections and follow the law if they're going to be harassed and intimidated i don't want them to be harassed and intimidated but it is happening. so what is your task force doing about it? >> first of all let me just say i certainly show the department, shares the concerns related to the election community that have been raised in the video from ms. freeman in particular. it's very powerful testimony. the number of cases of the task force is charged to date is five. in addition there been a number of state prosecutions, i believe the number is three at the state level. what i can tell you is that the task force over the last year has been committed and, in fact, has conducted a review of every referral of a harassing and offensive communication that members have received. that number is over 1000. and a

house and senate.ew each other and we knew the facts and we knew everybody would keep their word. we worked it out. we went back to the leadership in both parties and said if you are satisfied, we're satisfied. and two days later the government opened back up. >> bret: i want to ask you -- >> -- that's the way it used to be done. >> bret: yeah. what are the chances of a government shutdown coming up? you are operating on this continuing resolution. >> we will get it done. it's probably not going to have the appropriations bill necessarily before the election, i wish we would. but we both know we have to get it done. we are going to have a new chair and new vice chair n appropriations. one will be a republican, one will be a democrat. transfer way the elections go. both senator shelby and i want to give them a clean slate. we want all of the appropriations bills done and then it's up to them. >> bret: i want to ask you about another current news event student loan forgiveness that the white house may be

welcome to you senator. first, i'm wondering can you give us a sense of what's -- when americans are going to feel the effects of this bill, because i'm claiming it's going to pass, and whatever democrats doing to get the message out? >> i think this is one of the most significant pieces of legislation we've had, not only in this congress, i've been in the senate for ten years, this might be the most important bill that we've passed. we're going to reduce the cost of prescription medicine for tens of millions of americans. with a -- annual cap on co-pays, after 20 or 30 years of talking about it, having medicare negotiate the price with a pharmaceutical companies. for me, the reason i came to the united states senate, was for climate action. this gets us 40% emission reductions in eight years. that's extraordinary, we're going to see that almost immediately. the investment tax credit, the production tax credit, the work on environmental justice, the work on climate smart agriculture. really a bill that we ca

>> senator romney: we are not. things for advantage of politics, and i look back at those things now with great regret, and so i say at this stage in my life i'm not doing that anymore. i'm going to be straight and honest to the extent that humanly can and i'm not going to worry about what the consequence might be for me politically or otherwise. >> bret: in an age of social media where it can get dark sometimes. >> senator romney: oh, yeah. >> bret: it's tough to pull out of that. >> senator romney: i wonder how people who read the comments actually make it day-to-day. i don't know that i've ever read comments on twitter. i follow twitter pretty carefully to see what's going on. i find, you know, getting instant news is interesting and compelling and helps me do my job. but reading comments people have about things i might say -- look, i recognize a lot of this is just bots coming from the chinese and the russians, others is coming from disaffected people. others from, if you will, a person of living in the baseme