And, last week we talked with Wisconsin Republican
Senator Ron Johnson, who told us he was strongly opposed to bipartisan immigration reform measures
that were included in a bill to fund emergency aid to Ukraine and Israel.
That bill ultimately tanked in the Senate.
The aid funding was separated out, and Johnson also voted against that.
This week we hear from Democratic U.S. Representative Gwen Moore from Milwaukee for her take on all
of this.
And, Congresswoman, thanks very much for being here.
Oh, thanks for having me.
So, at this time, as you well know, it hasn't been called to the House floor, but what
is your position on the $95 billion emergency aid bill passed out of the U.S. Senate?
Well, I think that it was a gift-wrapped Republican bill, in my opinion.
The opportunity of the immigration reform advocates were opposed to it, because it was
very, very, uh, strident.
It was, it was very heavily, uh, based on enforcement.
It gave the president, not just President Biden, but any president, a great deal of
enforcement powers, the ability to shut the border down completely after 5,000 folks
had crossed during a, uh, in a day's period of time, and to keep it shut down, uh, it
limited, uh, asylum, um, uh, claims, uh, prohibited people from seeking asylum, uh, a third time.
Um, and it seemed to really disregard the welfare of children, which I thought was quite
disturbing.
And yet, it was a bill that President Biden said he was willing to sign.
It also, uh, re-engaged of the United States and the Mexico, stay in Mexico policy, uh,
and it was, it was a gift, it, you know, it was the reports, I think, of what Republicans
had wanted in their HR2 bill, and yet, and yet, um, they refused to move it forward.
And, and I want to ask you some more.
I want to ask some more about that in a bit, but I also want to get your take on the, uh,
emergency aid bill that would, uh, give 95 billion dollars to, uh, Ukraine, for example,
and Israel and humanitarian aid to Gaza.
What about this matter of giving this funding to Ukraine at this time?
What is your position?
Well, I'll, I'll just say this, the Ukraine was definitely not our NATO partner, but
I can tell you that when, when section five of, of the NATO treaty, uh, was initiated,
when the United States suffered 9-11, Ukraine was one of the countries, even though it wasn't
a NATO ally that came to our defense.
And I think we have already heard, but it wouldn't say that, you know, Poland should
never have seceded from, uh, his, uh, from the Soviet realm, um, at, at Hungary, you see
other countries that are in that sphere, Georgia, we're concerned.
So I think that what's really at stake is preserving democracy, uh, in Europe.
And so I, I think it's really important to fund the initiatives in Ukraine.
They're not a NATO partner, so we don't have any boots on the ground.
And the least we could do is to provide them with that aid.
I, I just don't get it.
Why Senator Johnson, uh, does not see that, uh, and does not lean into that, uh, it's
very puzzling.
What about, and today we just had the Russian opposition leader die, we talked about it
a little bit during break, Rodriguez, it's hard to die of natural causes here for seven
years.
Indeed.
Uh, what about giving money to Israel at this time?
What's your position on that?
Oh, I think it was part of the larger package.
There were, uh, defensive weaponry there.
I mean, uh, Israel is in the middle of a war, uh, and, um, it's being attacked, uh, on all
sides of his borders, uh, by the Houthis and, uh, Hezbollah, ISIS, um, as well as, as Hamas.
And so I think that, uh, that it's very difficult to deny your ally, uh, uh, assistance and
aid while they're at war.
But I do want to say that I think Joe Biden has really, uh, indicated very clearly that
he wants, uh, Benjamin Netanyahu to sort of listen to our council a little bit more.
And if we provide them with weapons, they ought to be used defensively and that we
ought to be more strategic, uh, in seeking out Hamas militants as opposed to carpet
bombing of the entire population.
You know, the situation is a very dire.
Um, all of the, uh, Palestinians been forced into the southern part of, of, uh, of, uh,
Israel, uh, Rafa.
I don't know if people can figure, uh, see the map in their mind.
But there's nowhere else to go except for the Sinai desert.
And of course, Egypt, uh, very, very concerned about their saying that they could possibly
retreat from the day time, uh, that they have had with Israel.
I'm very disturbed that this has turned into a regional war and, um, very, very concerned
as we all ought to be.
So I do think that Israel is our ally.
I, but I don't think they should take our friendship for granted.
I do think that, that Joe Biden is very, very close to, uh, saying the quiet part out loud
that we're really going to start conditioning our support, uh, on your following, um, the
Geneva conventions and really, um, using, you know, we, we proved we could do it.
I think the United States in, in protection of our assets and commercial interest in the Red Sea
hit 85 targets, but, and I'm sure there were cat, there were casualties, but we hit military assets
and minimize the civilian casualties.
The IDF, Israel is, is, they have the greatest, they're purported to have the greatest intelligence,
um, assets in the world.
And we want to see them put that to use, uh, because this should not be a revenge campaign against
the guys.
Turning back, um, domestic congresswoman, we know that Republican congressmen from Wisconsin,
Mike Gallagher, uh, voted against the impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas.
As did you, what's your comment on his house impeachment, the secretaries?
Well, you know, in the light company and on TV, I can't really say what I would like to say.
Um, but I think Mike Gallagher's vote, uh, really is indicative of the pressure
that all of these Republicans are experiencing to do what Donald Trump wants them to do.
Uh, and Mike Gallagher, someone who apparently has ambitions
beyond, uh, the House of Representatives, uh, decided to just take an exit.
Um, he voted, uh, against, um, against the big lie and not certifying the election.
I noted that earlier in the 118th congress.
And, you know, he, um, he's, he's thoughtful and he has courage.
Uh, and I think that it demonstrates that, uh,
that great cowardice that, that we're experiencing here in the house.
All right.
Gwen Moore, thanks very much for joining us.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
Um, I didn't hear you right at the end there after I thanked you. What did you say?
Happy Black History Month.
Thank you. And to you. Yeah. It's almost half over.
Well, it's the shortest month of the year, so.
That adds up, right?
Yeah.
Sorry.
All right. Thank you, congresswoman. Really appreciate it.
Nice to see you.
You too.