CNN "Newsroom" - Transcript: Interview with Adriano Espaillat

Interview

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

I want to bring in New York Congressman Adriano Espaillat. He's a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and serves as deputy whip.

Congressman, good to have you with us.

REP. ADRIANO ESPAILLAT (D-NY): Thank you, Ana.

CABRERA: So, the counteroffer, as we understand it here, in terms of a compromise, potentially, that's on the table is $2.1 trillion. We don't know if moderate Senators Manchin and Sinema will accept that number. But is that getting any positive traction in your caucus?

ESPAILLAT: Well, look, we had a very productive caucus meeting this afternoon. Of course, we have to see the details.

As you know, the devils in the detail. I fought very hard to include public transportation money in the package and monies to connect the communities that have been disenfranchised because of the building of, for example, the Cross Bronx Expressway.

So we have to see how that 2.1 number affects those particular projects. But, really, for me...

CABRERA: I'm sorry. Forgive me for a moment.

Isn't what you just described in the bipartisan infrastructure bill that has also been up for debate here that's already passed the Senate when you're talking about transportation projects and so forth?

ESPAILLAT: That's correct. But we have got to take a look at the infrastructure project to see where the cuts are going to be, because, if you have a reduction in the funding, obviously, there's going to be some cuts.

But, for me, the deal-breaker is really leaving immigrants behind in the reconciliation bill. And I have been assured by the speaker today that there will be some version of immigration reform in the reconciliation package.

And I think that's very encouraging for me. I don't want to leave the immigrants behind.

CABRERA: But I thought the parliamentarian said that couldn't happen.

In fact, I know that Democrats have gone back to the parliamentarian a couple times to try to weave some kind of immigration reform into that, and it's been shot down.

ESPAILLAT: That's correct. There are two versions that have been shut down. But we have five versions. We predicted that the parliamentarian may shoot down a couple of the versions that we presented. But there are three other versions.

And I have been assured by Speaker Pelosi that she's considering some of them to be included in that reconciliation bill.

CABRERA: So, that obviously is an example of the details that everybody needs to work out, your priority being, one, immigration.

Other priorities for other members are climate, and others want to make sure there aren't tax cuts for certain groups and so forth. So I guess one big question I have is, why aren't key progressives and key moderates all sitting at a table right now hammering this out?

ESPAILLAT: I think we are. That's called the Democratic Caucus. And that's where we just were.

And I think that we heard from progressives and moderates. They have different priorities, obviously. But I think there could be a consensus built. And I think Speaker Pelosi is doing a fantastic job at bringing us all together.

I think we're getting there. When we get there is another matter, but I think that we will get there. And it's really a manifestation of who we are as a caucus. We're very diverse. And that's our strength, because we have different points of views. But we always have the ability to come together. CABRERA: But is the communication efficient right now? Just this

morning, Congresswoman Debbie Dingell said Speaker Pelosi learned of Manchin's $1.5 trillion ceiling only last week.

I mean, how can that possibly be true?

ESPAILLAT: Well, there must be better communications between the Senate and the House. That's correct. I'm all for better communications.

But I tell you, this is never an easy task. As I said, you have different folks from different walks of life that have different priorities. But that's exactly what makes the Democratic Caucus a strong caucus, that I'm able to hear from somebody whose main interest is agriculture or tax reform.

And, for me, for example, it's public transportation, it's help for day care and immigration rights. That's what makes our party strong. We will come together and we will make sure that we have a successful meeting of the minds and pass both of these bills.

CABRERA: My understanding is, just as we have been speaking, we got word that President Biden is heading to Capitol Hill this afternoon to have conversations with key lawmakers to try to bridge this divide.

What do you need to hear from the president? What does he need to do and how can he be more helpful than he perhaps already has been?

ESPAILLAT: This is his plan. This is his vision. And we are supportive of his plan and his vision.

The question is, how bold will we be? How expansive we will be? We want to bring in as many people as possible. I talked about the food delivery people that used to bring Chinese food. And I used to tip them under the door right in the middle of a pandemic, because we were all afraid to get out there, the young women working, the cashiers at supermarkets, and even the people right here in the Capitol that clean our offices and work in our cafeteria.

[13:10:11]

We cannot leave them behind.

CABRERA: We do know Senator Manchin has put out some key elements of the bigger Biden plan that he agrees with, higher taxes on the rich, reduction in drug prices, expansions of pre-K, home health care, child tax credits.

Is that at this point common ground for all Democrats?

ESPAILLAT: Well, we have to see the details of what Senator Manchin is proposing.

Those are the things that certainly I will support. But I want to hear from him as to -- as it pertains to, for example, public transportation. I have the second phase of the Second Avenue subway in my district. I also have, obviously, a great need for day care.

Women were disproportionately hurt by the pandemic. Now they got to go back to work. They cannot do it unless they have day care. I want to hear about free community colleges, so we can train that work force, and they will be able to get prevailing wage jobs for this transportation infrastructure investment.

So there's a lot to be discussed. I think our leader, President Biden, is a visionary, and this is his plan. And I'm glad he's coming to the Capitol to discuss this today.

CABRERA: Do you think he can make the difference? Can he speed up the process?

ESPAILLAT: I believe he will make the difference.

I think that he will come here, and he will lay out his vision. We will hear about what these cuts mean, what does the reduction in the infrastructure plan mean in very precise details. We will hear about the reconciliation package.

CABRERA: Forgive me. Forgive me.

But I guess I'm confused. When you say reduction in the infrastructure package, are you talking about reducing the number that was already voted on, the amount that was voted on in the Senate that passed with bipartisan support, the $1.2 trillion infrastructure package? That right now is under consideration to be changed?

ESPAILLAT: No, I'm talking about the difference in the numbers that are being floated by Manchin and that we are proposing and putting on the table, both transportation infrastructure, and, of course, the human infrastructure proposal.

CABRERA: So you're talking about the combination?

And that -- your understanding then is that $2.1 trillion compromise that's been floated out there now would be -- it would incorporate both of those?

ESPAILLAT: Well, I hope that it is as broad as possible, and that it would include as many proposals as possible, so that it will have the ability to bring all of us together, whether the moderates or the Progressive Caucus members that actually have to go back home and show their constituency that this is a recovery for everybody.

CABRERA: OK, Congressman Adriano Espaillat, I really appreciate you taking the time.

ESPAILLAT: Thank you.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source