CNN "The Lead with Jake Tapper" - Transcript: Interview with Gregory Meeks

Interview

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TAPPER: The chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Democratic Congressman Gregory Meeks joins us now.

Chairman Meeks, thanks so much for joining us.

So, President Biden says the DNI report on the origins of COVID will be released in a declassified version. If it is proven that the virus did start in a lab in Wuhan. What would be the appropriate step for the U.S. to take?

REP. GREGORY MEEKS, (D-NY) FOREIGN AFFAIRS CHAIRMAN: Number one, thanks for having me. Jake, it is good to be on with you.

I believe that what the President is doing is a very good thing. Let's get to the essence of what it is and what happened and how it happened to the degree that we can. Let it be declassified when, you know, I've had classified and meetings, which I can't discuss.

But I think what the President is doing to give it so that it becomes very apparent to the American people to agree that we will know what takes place if the intelligence agency can let us know. And I think then we can take the appropriate actions as well as making sure that we're prepared to prevent and analyze the deficiencies in our response to the pandemic, which took place, and what we need to do to make sure that it never happens again. And working in coordination, for example, with the World Health Organization and making sure that happens. I think that -- and then -- and holding folks accountable as a result of that.

TAPPER: Let me ask you another question related to China, some American companies such as Coca-Cola, Nike, they're suspected of directly benefiting from Chinese forced labor of Uyghur Muslims who are being held in concentration camps in China. As you know, the U.S. State Department has labeled what the Chinese government is doing to Uyghurs is genocide.

Right now there are two bills in Congress that would ban the import of goods made with forced labor from the region. Do you think they will pass and does more need to be done even?

MEEKS: Absolutely. Well, they will pass out of by committee. And in fact, just this last week, we -- I introduced a bill called the Ensuring American Global Leadership and Engagement Act, or the EAGLE Act. And what we put in that bill, which we will be marking up in our committee, and hopefully we'll get it passed before the end of this summer.

You know, bolstering our diplomacy, having cooperation, because we've got to do this with our partners and our allies. Also putting America in the lead today, we can hold China accountable for what's happening with the Uyghurs. And we've got to stand up for human rights and what our values are.

So we made sure that human rights and climate and the holding China accountable is included in the EAGLE Act so that we're standing up for what our true values are. So yes, Jake, this specific answer to your question, I think that those bills will pass the House. And yes, we are coming forward with a strong bill that specifically deals with China and some of the challenges of China that we're calling the EAGLE Act. We'll begin working on that on the Foreign Affairs Committee starting in the beginning of June.

TAPPER: The Pentagon is in the early stages right now of planning for the potential evacuation of the Afghan nationals who's worked for the U.S. translators, et cetera. Who's worked for the U.S. could make them Taliban targets, after the U.S. has completely withdrawn from Afghanistan.

How can we ensure their protection? Where should they go? Is the U.S. government operating as if this is the emergency that it truly is?

MEEKS: Yes, I think that we're looking right now at several members of Congress, folks on the committee at what we could do to expedite some individuals who might be in danger as a result of them cooperating with us and lifting certain visa requirements to get them here, like quick and timely fashion. For example, I know I've seen one where we just talked about lifting maybe the requirement to get a health requirement initially, and they can get examined once they're here.

So, I think that we're looking at it. I mean, we -- I believe that the Biden administration has done the right thing because we're not going to have a military solution to Afghanistan. We've been there for over 30 years. I don't think there's anything else to do there.

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We've got to look at it in a diplomatic form. Make sure that we know how we're going to protect our diplomat, and also get those that were -- that are in jeopardy that we're supporting the (INAUDIBLE) see that we can give them some refuge right here in the United States.

TAPPER: Lastly sir, I want to ask you Secretary of State Blinken told Axios, that when he was in the region, he warned Israeli leaders that further evictions of Palestinians in East Jerusalem or further unrest on the Temple Mount could spark renewed tension, conflict and war. Do you think that that is the right step, the right warning for Blinken to be giving to the Israelis and what more needs to be done to bring more peace to the region?

MEEKS: Well I think that what has to be done, we've got to sit back to the table and get both sides to the table so that we can negotiate a two-state solution so that they can live and work collecting together. I've had some great hope when I started looking at the Abraham accords. Here are other countries, Muslim countries who are now acknowledging Israel's right to exist and they are talking about how they can exist, work, trade, benefit from the technology together. We need that kind of dialogue and conversation.

Now, I agree with the Secretary Blinken and that I do not think that the way to go is to have further annexation of property. And I think that we've got to see -- I agree with the Biden administration, when they're looking at making sure there's humanitarian assistance for the Palestinians in the area and we look how to rebuild (ph). I also agree that Israel has the right to defend itself and shooting for Hamas, shooting 4,000 rockets at Israel. Thank God, we did have the dome defense mechanism that was there to protect Israel.

So -- but I think that we've got to look at it. And looking at it means that, yes, I don't believe that we need -- annexation of land is not the appropriate way to go, and that needs to come to a halt.

TAPPER: The Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Congressman Gregory Meeks, thank you so much, sir. Good to see you today.

MEEKS: Thank you. Good -- thank you for having me, Jake.

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