Rep. Escobar on immigration, inflation and key issues addressed by Build Back Better bill

Judy Woodruff:

And for more on what is being debated, I spoke just a short time ago with Democratic Representative Veronica Escobar of Texas.

Congresswoman Escobar, thank you very much for joining us.

You were just telling me you think the Build Back Better bill is just about to pass the House in the next few hours. What has taken it so long? What is — what are the last knots that had to be untied?

Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-TX):

Well, it was a very complicated process.

So, on the one hand, there was the issue of what we could rally around, what provisions we could all actually support that would go into the bill. And by all of us, I mean Democrats, because, of course, we know that this is — this had to be a go-it-alone process.

And we have a very diverse caucus, so there were a lot of different demands. And I know, for the American public, they had to watch the sausage-making. But we were all unified in wanting to get the most possible for the American public. And I could not be more excited about voting on it.

Judy Woodruff:

Well, Congresswoman, we know Democrats are united, at this point, finally, as you approach the vote on passage, but Republicans are united against it.

Just last night on the program, I interviewed a congresswoman, Republican Nicole Malliotakis from New York. She and other Republicans say this is just a lot of socialism in this bill. What do you say to them?

Rep. Veronica Escobar:

You know, I think, Judy, we have got to look at what they have done over the course of the last several months.

Every piece of legislation that we have delivered for the American public, they will vote against it on Capitol Hill, and then they will go into their districts and try to take credit for it.

I have absolutely no doubt that, as these provisions begin to continue to boost our economy and uplift American families, these very same Republicans are going to be doing everything they can to try to take credit for the work that we did and the work that we had to do on our own because they were MIA.

They prefer to focus on very divisive issues. They are fetishizing violence, as Paul Gosar has. They are pushing xenophobia as hard as they can. We're hard at work. And we're not going to let them take credit for the work that we did.

We would love their votes of support. We would love for them to join us in supporting this, and then they can help take credit. But I think you're going to see that, as this benefits their constituents, they're going to be singing a different tune.

Judy Woodruff:

You do represent a border district in the state of Texas.

You wanted more generous language in there now offers work permits, and there's some time limits. You're dealing with criticism from the left and the right on this. The left is saying it's been too watered down. What are you saying to them?

Rep. Veronica Escobar:

I agree with them.

However, there were massive constraints on our ability to get what we wanted done and across the finish line. But what I would say to the American people is that it's about time that we recognize the value that immigrants provide to our country, not just the value in terms of their rich history and the way that they contribute to the fabric of who we are as Americans, but there is a literal fiscal value to immigration and to offering a path to citizenship.

So, while, hopefully, we will get this across the finish line, the work permits and the protections, that's not the end of the work that we need to do on immigration. We have got to open up more legal pathways, especially if we want to see a reduction in irregular migration, some of the things that we're seeing at the border.

The only way we can do that is opening up legal pathways.

Judy Woodruff:

And I should say, when you refer to issues in the Senate, that has to do with how narrow the vote is in the Senate — it's 50/50 — and also with Senate parliamentary rules.

But I do want to ask you further on immigration. If, when it gets — if this language gets to the Senate, and it falls out, because you just don't — you don't have the support or the Senate parliamentarian says it doesn't belong there, are you still going to support this legislation finally?

Rep. Veronica Escobar:

I am still going to support this legislation, even if, unfortunately, we don't meet the guidelines as set out by those Senate rules.

I think those Senate rules are terrible for democracy. I think the filibuster is terrible for democracy. But they are what we have to operate within. I am confident though, Judy, that we are going to get this language in through the Byrd Rule. It is very narrow, very tailored. And it was done specifically so that it can get past those two hurdles.

So I am confident that we will get this done.

Judy Woodruff:

And we will, of course, watch to see what happens.

But very quickly, again, on the right, from Republicans, you have the argument this is no time to be giving special benefits to immigrants, when American citizens are dealing with inflation and other challenges in the work force. How do you answer that?

Rep. Veronica Escobar:

You know, if my Republican colleagues think that there's a labor shortage — and, Judy, what we have — we are seeing unemployment numbers trending and almost at pre-pandemic levels — then they should welcome the ability for migrants, immigrants who've been living in our communities for decades, they should welcome them having access to work permits.

If they're concerned about inflation, as we all are, then we want to get productivity back up. That means that this will help in that capacity as well. At the end of the day, Judy, the unfortunate reality is that most of my Republican colleagues actually prefer chaos over solutions.

And this is why they stand in the way of every solution we bring forward. Thankfully, reconciliation, with that process, we don't need them. We're going to get those solutions to the American public with or without them. We'd prefer it be with them, but we will do it without them.

Judy Woodruff:

Last question.

The House censure of Congressman Gosar of Arizona yesterday for that violent video showing him attacking Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez, what message did you believe that sent, that censure in the House?

Rep. Veronica Escobar:

We have seen — I have been in Congress for three years, Judy, and I will tell you, decorum and dignity among the members and the way that we treat one another, it's really sorely lacking.

And it is terrible. In any other environment, behavior the likes of which we have seen from Paul Gosar, and, frankly, from a number of other Republicans, that would have meant immediate termination. The more that we are silent and allow really egregious behavior, in fact, again, the fetishizing of violence against — frequently, it's women of color in Congress.

The more that we allow it, the more that we normalize it, and we allow that bar to continue to be set lower and lower and lower. We should not allow for that kind of behavior. We need to stand up to it. And, as I said on the floor yesterday, when you give racism and hatred and violence cover, you give it life. Not on our watch.

Judy Woodruff:

Congresswoman Veronica Escobar of Texas, we thank you very much for joining us.

Rep. Veronica Escobar:

Thank you. Appreciate it, Judy.