CNN "Erin Burnett Outfront" - Transcript: Rep. Lou Correa (D-CA) Discusses About Mike Pence's Comments on The Briefing

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And I want to go OUTFRONT now to Democratic Congressman Lou Correa. He sits on the House Homeland Security Committee and he called for his committee's coronavirus hearing today, also attended a coronavirus briefing from Vice President Mike Pence today.

So, Congressman, what did Vice President Pence say in your briefing today?

REP. LOU CORREA (D-CA): Well, let me start at the beginning, which is this issue should have never been politicized. It should be dealt with by the health officials, by scientists and not be made a political issue. Stop the blame game. Get down to fixing the problem.

This issue of coronavirus started in China in December. What month are we on? We're on early March and now we're finally beginning to say, this is an issue.

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Don't blame Obama. Don't say it's a Democratic hoax. Address it and call it for what it is. This is the new norm in the United States. A little disease that started in China a few months back is now at our doorstep. And it'll continue to happen, so first step and I'm glad Vice President Pence was there to say I'm taking control surrounded by scientists, healthcare officials, that's what you're supposed to do.

Vice President control the bureaucracy in this country and number two, stick to the sciences, and do not cut funding.

BURNETT: And when he briefed you today, you're colleague, David Cicilline, he says that Pence recognized that Cicilline described it as 'mistakes made early in the process with flawed testing as an example'. Did you feel Vice President Pence acknowledged there were mistakes and did you feel that he is truly in control and doing the right thing now?

CORREA: I think we're going in the right direction. I think by him saying I'm in control surrounded by scientists, not yes people, not political people, not spin people, but scientists is the right move. We're investing $8 billion when just a few weeks ago we are cutting Ebola virus research to shift to corona, that is not the way to do it.

Long-term, we owe it to the public, to our people, to United States, to make sure that we are ready to address these issues, long-term, short-term and be ready to be honest with the public.

BURNETT: So about President Trump today talked about how his administration has reacted. Obviously, he referenced something that was not true about President Obama in testing but he also said this, let me play it for you, sir.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) TRUMP: We close the border as you know very, very early to the

troubled areas and that saves a lot of lives. A lot of countries are having big problem, bigger than what we have, frankly. But we close those borders very early against the advice of a lot of professionals and we turned out to be right, took a lot of heat for that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BURNETT: He didn't exactly close the borders, Congressman, but he did restrict travel early on by people who have visited China, foreign national specifically, was he right to do that?

CORREA: I think we need to coordinate with China and other countries around the world because closing a border, stopping a flight is not going to be the answer. Coronavirus has a one to 15-day incubation period.

BURNETT: Yes.

CORREA: And most people, 80 percent of people that are infected don't even know they're infected. So how are you going to stop the spread? The issue is, are you prepared as a nation, as a world to address these issues as they come up on you and you have the equipment, the scientists, the researchers ready to go at a moment's notice.

Again, December when we knew what's happening in China, it's March. Three months have gone by that we know of. Not a good response.

BURNETT: So United Airlines says it's cutting flights in the United States by 10 percent, overseas flights by 20 percent. That's all the way through April and they're saying it's because of coronavirus. There's a hiring freeze at that company as well.

What is the bigger risk right now, Congressman, the coronavirus itself or fear about the coronavirus?

CORREA: I think it's both because we don't have enough information on the coronavirus. Again, 80 percent of individuals that are infected don't even know it. Flu-like symptoms.

And number two, you can't create a panic, address this intelligently, get the healthcare experts out there. We are going to try to contain this issue. Try to contain the virus, because we know 20 percent of those cases primarily the elder, this could be a serious problem, it could be mean death.

So we just want to make sure that we're dealing with the facts. That is what's important. To me what the Vice President did today was start to address the facts. This is not a hoax. This is not a move forward by Democrats. It's actually an issue and it's going to happen over and over again. We need to be ready.

BURNETT: All right. Congressman Correa, I appreciate your time. Thank you very much, sir.

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