CIRCUMSTANCE TO THE NATION'S
CAPITOL, BUT UNDER VERY
DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES FOR
PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION.
BECAUSE OF COVID-19 AND
EXTRAORDINARY SECURITY MEASURES,
JOE BIDEN WAS SWORN IN AS THE
46TH PRESIDENT WITHOUT THE
CROWDS AND UNDER A MAJORLY
ENHANCED POLICE AND MILITARY
PROTECTION AFTER THE
INSURRECTION AT THE U.S. CAPITOL
TWO WEEKS PRIOR.
HE GOT DOWN TO WORK WITH A RAFT
OF EXECUTIVE ORDERS, INCLUDING
TEN PERTAINING TO COVID-19.
THOSE INCLUDE EASIER ACCESS TO
COVID-19 VACCINES AT LOCAL
PHARMACIES, USING THE DEFENSE
PRODUCTION ACT TO ADDRESS
VACCINE AND PPE SUPPLY
SHORTFALLS, ESTABLISHING A
COVID-19 EQUITY TASK FORCE,
REIMBURSING STATES FOR 100% OF
THE COST OF DEPLOYING NATIONAL
GUARD TROOPS AND BUTTONING DOWN
OSHA GUIDELINES FOR WORKPLACE
SAFETY.
>> THE NEW PRESIDENT SAYS HIS
PRIORITIES ARE COVID-19 AND THE
ECONOMY.
WE CHECK IN WITH U.S. SENATOR
TAMMY BALDWIN WHO ALSO FINDS HER
PARTY IN THE MAJORITY IN THE
SENATE WITH VICE PRESIDENT
KAMALA HARRIS AS THE DEMOCRATIC
TIE-BREAKER.
SENATOR, THANKS VERY MUCH FOR
BEING HERE.
>> IT'S A PLEASURE.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
>> SO BEFORE WE GET DOWN TO
BRASS TAX, WE'RE DOWN IN DAY
THREE OF THE BIDEN
ADMINISTRATION AND THE
DEMOCRATIC SENATE MAJORITY, ALL
ONE NOW GRAPPLING
OVERPOWER-SHARING, BUT HOW DOES
IT FEEL?
>> WELL, IT FEELS HOPEFUL.
IT FEELS LIKE A PAGE HAS TURNED
AND A NEW CHAPTER IS BEGINNING,
ESPECIALLY AS WE FIND OURSELVES
IN SO MANY CRISES AT THE SAME
TIME.
THE OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY GET TO
THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS PANDEMIC
AND GET OUR ECONOMY BACK ON
TRACK, BUT BUILDING IT BACK
BETTER, WITH GREATER EQUITY AND
INCLUSION AND ALL OF THAT FEELS
VERY HOPEFUL TO ME.
>> NOW, THE ARTICLES OF
IMPEACHMENT WILL GO TO THE
SENATE FOR A TRIAL OF DONALD
TRUMP ON MONDAY.
IN YOUR MIND, DOES THIS
TIMETABLE GET IN THE WAY OF
PRESIDENT BIDEN MOVING HIS
AGENDA QUICKLY?
>> I DO THINK THAT WE CAN WORK
HOPEFULLY ACROSS THE AISLE TO
CREATE A SCHEDULE FOR THE
IMPEACHMENT TRIAL AND KEEP A
SCHEDULE FOR ASSISTING PRESIDENT
BIDEN BY CONFIRMING HIS CABINET
NOMINEES AND HELPING HIM SET UP
A FUNCTIONING ADMINISTRATION AND
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
NOW, IT'S BEEN SO HOLLOWED OUT
IN THE WANING DAYS OF THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION WITH SECRETARIES
RESIGNING AND PEOPLE LEAVING THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
AND GIVEN THE CRISES WE FACE,
IT'S REALLY CRITICAL THAT WE BE
ABLE TO DO BOTH OF THOSE
CRITICAL TASKS AT THE SAME TIME.
>> BACK TO THAT DAY OF THE
INSURRECTION, WHAT WAS IT LIKE
FOR YOU?
>> YOU KNOW, I WAS ON THE SENATE
FLOOR.
PRIOR TO WALKING ON THE SENATE
FLOOR, I HAD GAZED OUT ONE OF
THE CAPITOL WINDOWS AND SAW
LARGE CROWDS OF PEOPLE HEADED UP
TO -- FROM THE WHITE HOUSE TO
THE CAPITOL.
BUT THEY WERE ALL OUTSIDE WHEN I
ENTERED THE SENATE CHAMBER.
IT WAS VERY FRIGHTENING TO HAVE
IT LOCKED DOWN AND OUR
PROCEEDINGS INTERRUPTED.
VICE PRESIDENT PENCE WHISKED
AWAY.
VICE PRESIDENT ELECT KAMALA
HARRIS WHISKED AWAY.
WE WERE ALL TOLD THE SAFEST
PLACE FOR US TO BE WOULD BE TO
REMAIN IN THE SENATE CHAMBER
WITH ALL THE DOORS LOCKED.
OF COURSE, SHORTLY THEREAFTER
PLANS CHANGED AGAIN AND WE WERE
ENCOURAGED TO LEAVE AND LEAVE
QUICKLY.
IT WAS ONLY AFTERWARDS WHEN WE
STARTED SEEING IMAGES ON
TELEVISION THAT IT REALLY I
THINK HIT HOME HOW CLOSE WE CAME
TO A DIRECT CONFRONTATION WITH
THE RIOTERS AND THOSE
PARTICIPATING IN THIS
INSURRECTION.
>> TERRIFYING.
WHAT IS YOUR POSITION ON GETTING
RID OF THE FILIBUSTER OR
REFORMING IT TO ALLOW
LEGISLATION TO PASS?
>> YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE THAT WE
WANT TO START OUT, JUST AS THE
PRESIDENT SAID IN HIS INAUGURAL
ADDRESS, WORKING TOGETHER AND
RECOGNIZING THE ENORMITY OF THE
CRISES WE'RE FACING AND
ENDEAVORING TO WORK TOGETHER TO
PASS LEGISLATION TO ADDRESS THE
SUFFERING THAT'S GOING ON RIGHT
NOW, THE PANDEMIC AND THE
ECONOMIC RECOVERY.
IF NOT, WE DO HAVE A TOOL AT OUR
DISPOSAL CALLED RECONCILIATION,
AND IF WE'RE UNABLE TO
ESPECIALLY PASS THIS RESCUE
PLAN, I THINK WE WILL HAVE TO
SERIOUSLY LOOK AT USING THE
RECONCILIATION PROCESS TO PASS
THINGS WITH A SIMPLE MAJORITY.
>> BECAUSE WHAT IS YOUR
EXPECTATION THAT THAT NEARLY $2
TRILLION COVID RESCUE PACKAGE
COULD MOVE FORWARD IN A
BIPARTISAN MANNER WITHOUT GOING
TO GO TO, SAY, RECONCILIATION?
>> WELL, THERE'S CERTAINLY GOING
TO BE KEY ELEMENTS THAT I HOPE
WE CAN ALL AGREE ON.
YOU KNOW, THE EXPIRATION OF
CERTAIN PROGRAMS ON MARCH 14 OF
NEXT YEAR WAS A NUMBER, IT
SEEMS, OR DATE PULLED OUT OF A
HAT.
WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS ALIGN OUR
PROGRAMS AND OUR RELIEF AND OUR
RESCUE TO THE PANDEMIC AND HOW
LONG IT REMAINS GRIPPING THE
UNITED STATES.
AND SO THINGS LIKE THAT, IN MY
MIND, SHOULD BE -- WE SHOULD BE
ABLE TO ACHIEVE AGREEMENT ON
THOSE.
WE ALSO WANT TO GET THE VACCINE
OUT AND IN PEOPLE'S ARMS AS
QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE NOT
ALLOCATED SUFFICIENT FUNDS TO
MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
SO THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT I
HOPE WE CAN COME TOGETHER ON.
SMALL BUSINESSES THAT MAY CLOSE
IF WE DON'T CONTINUE SOME SMALL
BUSINESS RELIEF.
AND GETTING PEOPLE BACK TO WORK.
ALL ARE CRITICAL ELEMENTS THAT
SHOULD HAVE BIPARTISAN SUPPORT.
BUT, AGAIN, IF THEY DON'T, WE'LL
LOOK AT BUDGET RECONCILIATION TO
GET IT DONE.
>> SO ON THE ECONOMY, A PRIORITY
OF YOURS IS AN EXPANDED BUY
AMERICA PROGRAM MINUS KIND OF
THE LOOPHOLES.
WHAT ARE YOU URGING PRESIDENT
BIDEN TO DO ON THIS, WITH ABOUT
A MINUTE LEFT?
>> WELL, TWO THINGS.
FIRST OF ALL, WE SAW HOW
PROBLEMATIC IT WAS AT THE
BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC THAT
WE WERE RELIANT ON MANUFACTURERS
ACROSS THE GLOBE FOR THINGS THAT
WE NO LONGER PRODUCED IN
AMERICA, WHETHER THAT WAS N95
MASKS OR GOWNS AND GLOVES,
TESTS, REAGENTS, SWABS.
WE CAN'T DO THAT ANYMORE.
WE HAVE TO BE SELF-RELIANT,
ESPECIALLY IN A GLOBAL PANDEMIC.
BUT WE SEE THIS ALSO AS WE LOOK
TOWARDS BUILDING BACK BETTER
WITH A RENEWED INVESTMENT IN
INFRASTRUCTURE.
TAXPAYER DOLLARS SHOULD NOT GO
OVERSEAS WHEN WE NEED JOBS HERE
IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
SO TAXPAYER DOLLARS SHOULD BE
SPENT ON AMERICAN WORKERS AND
AMERICAN PRODUCTS AS WE BUILD
BACK OUR NATION BETTER.
>> ALL RIGHT.
WE LEAVE IT THERE.
SENATOR TAMMY BALDWIN, THANKS
VERY MUCH FOR JOINING