Fox News "The Story with Martha MacCallum" - Transcript: Interview with Rep. Dan Crenshaw

Interview

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

So also developing tonight, Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib pitching a plan to fight poverty and income inequality with cash. The Democrat -- the freshman Democrat introduced the "Livable Incomes for Families Plus Act." It would give between $3,000 and $6,000 per year to all low income and middle-class Americans including a full cash payout with no -- for those with no income at all.

Here now Republican Congressman Dan Crenshaw, a member of the House Budget Committee. Congressman, welcome, good to have you here this evening. You know, first your reaction to the California plan to cover people who are in their state illegally?

REP. DAN CRENSHAW, R-TEXAS: Well, it's immoral and it's not fair to the taxpayers living there who have been paying their taxes and would like to see their money go to services and good governance from California. I mean it's not a sustainable proposition and also creates a magnet for more illegal immigration.

MACCALLUM: Yes, I mean you wonder if it creates an enticement for people to move out of California, right, and we have seen some movement from California to your home, state of Texas, right?

CRENSHAW: Yes, exactly -- exactly right.

MACCALLUM: Let's talk about Rashida Tlaib and her plan which sounds a little bit -- she says it's not universal basic income which Andrew Yang, who is running for President on the Democratic side is advocating. How do you see her plan?

CRENSHAW: It's a misunderstanding of basic economics and also human nature. OK, so it's a misunderstanding of economics because one, we always have to ask the question how we're going to pay for it? Are we going to put our children in even more debt? Are we going to raise taxes on somebody else? We already have one of the most progressive tax systems in the entire world.

And -- but it also -- it also doesn't make sense because it basically entices people not to work, OK. If you're making $49,000 a year, then you're going to have an incentive not to take that extra job or extra promotion because you're going to lose your benefits. It is not a smart or efficient way to do welfare policy.

A better way is on income tax credits or work requirements for able-bodied people to receive welfare, that encourages them to actually get a job and to keep working and to promote themselves, OK, to actually be self-reliant. That would be the moral thing to do. It's also misunderstands human nature because it's basically making people dependent on government.

You know, we have to ask ourselves the question, why wouldn't she just propose a tax cut? She's not proposing a tax cut because she wants you to be dependent on government. This is deeply immoral, OK, and it's just -- it's not the right thing to do. We don't want another bureaucracy handing out money, we just want people to keep more of their money. So why doesn't she work with us on tax cuts?

MACCALLUM: Yes and it's an interesting point. There are ways to allow people to keep more of their own money and then there's a program that gives people handouts which is what she is in favor of here. I want to ask you about your bill. This is the first bill that you have put forward and it has to do with finding efficiencies in the DHS, can you explain?

CRENSHAW: Sure. So, this puts into law an acquisition review board which basically helps the Department of Homeland Security do a much better job with acquiring projects or other assets they might need and making sure that we're using taxpayer money in a much better, more efficient way. It's bipartisan, it's good governance, it's the kind of thing we should be passing out of Congress.

MACCALLUM: And what happened with it? Is it stalled?

CRENSHAW: It's not stalled right now. We should be on the floor this week and we're hoping for a yes vote and we're hoping for companion bill in the Senate.

MACCALLUM: Are you -- do you believe that there's waste in DHS, is that what the origin of this is?

CRENSHAW: There is waste all over government and I don't think -- I don't think it's ill-intentioned but it happens all the time and we should be doing what we can to make sure it doesn't happen.

MACCALLUM: Congressman Crenshaw, always good to see you sir. Thank you very much.

CRENSHAW: Thank you. Thanks for having me.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source