>> COMING UP IN THE NEXT HOUR OF LOCAL NEWS ON ARIZONA PBS.... ON "ARIZONA HORIZON" WE HEAR FROM CONGRESSWOMAN DEBBIE LESKO ON WHY SHE AND HER FELLOW REPUBLICANS VOTED AGAINST THE NEW STIMULUS PACKAGE.

ON "CRONKITE NEWS" - WHAT'S BEING DONE TO HELP THE THOUSANDS OF MIGRANT CHILDREN STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BORDER CRISIS.

AND ON "BREAK IT DOWN": THE DIFFERENT ATTITUDES TOWARD SPEAKING SPANISH.

THAT'S ALL IN THE NEXT HOUR ON ARIZONA PBS.

GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO "ARIZONA HORIZON".

I'M TED SIMONS.

ARIZONA SAW A JUMP IN NEW CASES OF COVID-19 TODAY.

MORE THAN 1800 NEW CASES REPORTED.

THAT BREAKS A 3-DAY STRING OF FEWER THAN A THOUSAND NEW CASES.

BUT MOST OF TODAY'S NUMBERS ARE ADDITIONS FROM AT LEAST 2.5 MONTHS AGO.

SO THERE'S THAT TO BE CONSIDERED.

AND THERE WERE 60-COVID-RELATED "FATALITIES" RECORDED TODAY.

ALL THIS AS ASU'S BIO-DESIGN INSTITUTE IS REPORTING A STEADY INCREASE IN THE UK VARIANT OF THE VIRUS IN ARIZONA.

IT WAS 1-YEAR AGO TODAY THAT GOVERNOR DUCEY ISSUED AN EMERGENCY HEALTH DECLARATION REGARDING COVID-19.

THE GOVERNOR TOOK THE ACTION AFTER COVID WAS DECLARED A PANDEMIC BY THE WORLD HEALTH ASSOCIATION.

AT THE TIME, THERE WERE NINE CASES OF THE VIRUS REPORTED IN THE STATE.

SINCE THEN, MORE THAN 830,000 CASES HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED IN ARIZONA, WITH MORE THAN 16,000 FATALITIES.

THE U.S.

OVERALL HAS RECORDED MORE THAN 529,000 COVID DEATHS, THAT'S MORE THAN THE NUMBER OF AMERICANS KILLED IN WORLD WARS I AND II COMBINED.

SOME BIG ECONOMIC NEWS FOR NOTHERN ARIZONA, UACJ WHITE-HALL, A MAKER OF ELECTRIC VEHICLE PARTS, ANNOUNCED TODAY THAT IT PLANS TO OPEN A NEW MANUFACTURING FACILITY IN FLAGSTAFF.

IT'S A $60-MILLION PLANT THAT THE COMPANY SAYS WILL BRING UP 350 JOBS OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.

AND PRESIDENT BIDEN TODAY SIGNED THE COVID-19 RELIEF BILL INTO LAW.

THE PRESIDENT SAID THE $1.9 TRILLION PACKAGE WILL HELP DEFEAT COVID-19 AND HELP THE ECONOMY RECOVER, WITH STIMULUS CHECKS TO BEGIN HITTING BANK ACCOUNTS THIS WEEKEND.

THE BILL WAS EXPECTED TO BE SIGNED TOMORROW, BUT IT WAS MOVED UP TO TODAY SO THAT IT WOULD BE SIGNED "PRIOR" TO THE PRESIDENT'S SCHEDULED PRIME-TIME ADDRESS ABOUT THE PANDEMIC SET FOR TONIGHT.

THAT STIMULUS PACKAGE THAT THE PRESIDENT SIGNED TODAY WAS APPROVED BY CONGRESS WITHOUT A SINGLE REPUBLICAN VOTE.

ARIZONA CONGRESSWOMAN DEBBIE LESKO WAS AMONG THOSE REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS WHO VOTED AGAINST THE BILL AND EARLIER TODAY WE ASKED HER ABOUT THAT AND OTHER THINGS.

>> CONGRESSWOMAN, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US, THE $1.9 TRILLION STIMULUS BILL - IT'S A DONE DEAL HERE.

YOU VOTED AGAINST THIS.

NATIONAL POLLS SHOW 60-75% OF AMERICANS WANT THIS.

YOU SAY NO.

WHY?

>> I JOINED EVERY SINGLE REPUBLICAN, PLUS ONE DEMOCRAT IN THE HOUSE IN VOTING NO AGAINST THIS.

I THINK IT A DEBACLE.

OF THE $1.9 TRILLION, ONLY 9% OF IT ACTUALLY WENT DIRECTLY TO HEALTH-RELATED COVID THINGS LIKE VACCINATIONS, SO THAT MEANS 91% OF IT DID NOT.

THERE WAS STILL LEFT OVER $1 TRILLION INTEREST THE LAST FIVE COVID RELIEF PACKAGES, THAT WERE BIPARTISAN BY THE WAY THAT HAVE NOT BEEN SPENT.

AND HALF OF THE 1.9 TRILLION WON'T BE SPENT UNTIL 2022 OR 2024.

WHICH IS AFTER THE COVID CRISIS IS DONE.

IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME.

IT WAS TOO MUCH SPENDING, TOO MUCH NATIONAL DEBT AND WE HAVE TO BE MORE RESPONSIBLE AND MORE TARGETED IN OUR HELP FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.

>> WHERE WAS THE CONCERN FROM REPUBLICANS OVER THE NATIONAL DEBT WHEN THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION WAS IN CHARGE, AND THE DEFICIT WAS SKY ROCKETING.

>> THERE WAS A CONCERN ABOUT THAT AS WELL.

AT LEAST WE HAD BIPARTISAN SUPPORT AND TRIED TO WORK TOGETHER TO BE A LITTLE MORE TARGET.

AS YOU KNOW, THE OTHER BILLS WERE BIPARTISAN, THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION REACHED OUT TO DEMOCRATS AND NEGOTIATED.

BUT I WAS CONCERNED THEN, AND I CONTINUE TO BE CONCERNED.

THEN, AS YOU KNOW, SPECIALLY AT THE BEGINNING - I MEAN, WE REALLY NEEDED THE RELIEF.

BUSINESSES WERE OUT OF THE - YOU KNOW, GOING OUT OF THE BUSINESS.

THEY WERE SHUT DOWN BY THE GOVERNMENT.

WE WERE SCRAMBLING TO GET VACCINES.

IT'S EVIDENT IF OVER 1 TRILLION OF THE LAST FIVE COVID PACKAGES HAVEN'T BEEN SPENT YET, WE DIDN'T NEED TO SPEND ANOTHER 1.9 TRILLION, AND WE SAW THAT ARIZONA IS GOING GET 16 BILLION, THAT'S MORE THAN OUR STATE BUDGET.

I MEAN, THAT'S LIKE - THAT IS JUST ASTOUNDING TO ME.

>> SO YOU DON'T THINK THIS MONEY IS NEEDED.

>> WELL, SOME OF TV IS NEEDED.

AND THAT'S WHY I THOUGHT IT SHOULD BE MORE TARGETED.

AND THAT'S WHY REPUBLICANS THOUGHT IT SHOULD BE MORE TARGETED.

WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO VACCINATIONS, GIVING VACCINATIONS, I HAVE A LOT OF SENIOR CITIZENS THAT ARE NOT ABLE TO GET VACCINATIONS, THEY CAN'T GET APPOINTMENTS.

THINGS LIKE THAT, REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS CAN AGREE THAT WE SHOULD SPEND MONEY ON THAT.

IF THERE ARE BUSINESSES OUT THERE THAT ARE SHUT DOWN BY THE GOVERNMENT, I'M SUPPORTIVE OF HELPING THEM.

1.9 TRILLION, WHEN 1 TRILLION OF THE LAST FIVE COVID PACKAGES HASN'T BEEN SPENT.

THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY TO PUT ON, YOU KNOW, THE FUTURE DEBT OF OUR CHILDREN, GRANDCHILDREN AND KIDS THAT ARE NOT BORN YET, QUIET FRANKLY.

>> BEFORE WE GO, WE HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO SPEAK.

YOU OBJECTED TO ARIZONA'S ELECTORS LARDING THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

I HAVE TO ASK YOU DO YOU THINK THAT JOE BIDEN IS THE DULY ELECTED PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.

>> YES, JOE BIDEN IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.

I WISH IT WASN'T SO.

BUT HE IS.

THE REASON I VOTED AGAINST THE ELECTORS S IN THE US CONSTITUTION, IS SAYS THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION HAS TO FOLLOW STATE LAWS, IN OUR STATE IT WASN'T FOLLOWED.

SO I HAD EVERY LEGAL RIGHT TO OBJECT TO THE ARIZONA ELECTORATE.

I DID THE SAME WITH PENNSYLVANIA, THEY ARE THE ONLY TWO THAT CAME UP FOR A VOTE.

AND THAT'S WHY I DID IT.

>> I HAVE TO STOP YOU.

THE COURTS LOOKED AT THIS AND SAID NO.

THAT'S JUST NOT FACTUAL.

>> I DISAGREE WITH YOU ON THAT ONE.

IT DOESN'T SAY - THE US CONSTITUTION DOESN'T SAY A COURT DECIDES HOW A PRESIDENTIAL LEGISLATION IS RUN, IT SAYS STATE LEGISLATORS DECIDE HOW A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IS RUN, SO WE CAN DISAGREE ON THINGS, THAT'S WHY I VOTED ON IT.

I PUT A DETAILED ANALYSIS OUT ON IT.

AND ALL OF THE DIFFERENT MEDIA THAT SAYS I WAS GOING AROUND AND TALKING ABOUT THE ELECTION - I WAS VERY CAREFUL NOT TO SAY THAT THERE WAS FRAUD OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

BECAUSE, QUITE FRANKLY, I DIDN'T KNOW IF THERE WAS OR NOT.

MY STAFF AND MYSELF DID NOT HAVE THE CAPACITY TO INVESTIGATE THAT.

I LET OTHERS INVESTIGATE THAT.

BUT, WHEN IT CAME - I DIDN'T SIGN ON TO AN OBJECTION, BUT WHEN IT CAME DOWN TO A VOTE, I HAD TO MAKE A DECISION, AND THE DECISION THAT I BASED IT ON, I BELIEVED IT VIOLATED THE US CONSTITUTION, AND THAT'S WHY SO MANY REPUBLICANS DID THE SAME AS ME.

>> DO YOU BELIEVE THE COURTS HAVE NO SAY OVER ARIZONA ELECTION LAW.

>> I BELIEVE THERE'S THREE DIFFERENT BRANCHES, THE JUDICIAL.

CONGRESSIONAL.

I THINK THERE'S A VALID ARGUMENT.

AND I AM JOINED BY A CONSTITUTIONAL SCOGAR WHO IS A CONGRESSMAN.

WHO BROUGHT FORWARD THE ARGUMENT, SO DID OTHER PEOPLE.

SO PEOPLE CAN HAVE DIFFERENCE IN OPINIONS.

THE DEMOCRATS HAVE DONE THIS EVERY SINGLE ELECTION OF REPUBLICANS IN THE LAST NUMBER OF YEARS, WHY PICK ON THE REPUBLICANS, WHEN THEY DID THE SAME THING THAT THE DEMOCRATS DID.

>> DEMOCRATS VOTED TO OBJECT TO ELECTORS FOR DONALD TRUMP.

>> YES, AND FOR - PREVIOUS REPUBLICAN PEOPLE TOO.

GEORGE W. BUSH, YES, ABSOLUTELY.

>> YES, OKAY.

LAST QUESTION.

WHEN PEOPLE SAY BECAUSE YOU VOTED TO OBJECT TO ARIZONA'S LICT RATES, YOU BASICALLY DISENFRANCHISED OVER 3 MILLION VOTES IN ARIZONA, HOW DO YOU RESPOND?

>> THAT'S FALLS.

FALL FALSE.

I DID WHAT I WAS ALLOWED TO DO.

>> WHAT DEMOCRATS HAVE DONE WHEN REPUBLICANS HAVE BEEN LECK.

WE HAD A LEGAL RIGHT TO OBJECT WHEN WE THOUGHT SOMETHING WAS UNCONSTITUTIONAL.

IN THE END JOE BIDEN WAS CERTIFIED.

I TOLD MY CONSTITUENTS.

AT LEAST A WEEK BEFORE THE JANUARY 6TH, I SENT OUT A MASS EMAIL TO 250,000 CONSTITUENTS, SAYING WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN, AND HOW IT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN.

AND THAT THE PROBABILITY OF JOE BIDEN STERTIFIED WAS HIGH, AND THE PROBABILITY OF DONALD TRUMP STAYING IN POWER WAS ALMOST ZERO, I WAS CLEAR HOW THE PROCESS WAS GOING TO WORK.

AND - BUT EVERY CONGRESS MEMBER, WHETHER REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRATS, HAS THE RIGHT TO OBJECT TO ELECTORS, IF THEY THINK THE US CONSTITUTION HAS BEEN VIOLATED.

AND THAT IS WHAT A NUMBER OF REPUBLICANS DID.

>> WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME AN ARIZONA DEMOCRAT OBJECTED TO THE ARIZONA ELECTORAL COLLEGE.

>> I CAN'T REMEMBER IF AN ARIZONA ONE DID IT IN THE TRUMP - I WOULD HAVE A LOOK IT UP.

I KNOW A NUMBER MUCH DEMOCRAT CONGRESS MEMBERS DID IT FOR EVERY SINGLE REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT THAT HAS BEEN ELECTED THE LAST THREE TIMES.

>> AND YOU SAY BECAUSE OF THAT, THAT HELPS TO EXPLAIN WHAT YOU DID.

>> NO, I OBJECTED BECAUSE I BELIEVED IT VIOLATED THE US CONSTITUTION AND THAT IS WHY SO MANY REPUBLICANS JOINED ME, AND WE HAVE A CONSTITUTIONAL SCHOLAR THAT'S A CONGRESS MEMBER, WHO WROTE UP THE WHOLE OPINION, AND SO GOOD PEOPLE CAN DISAGREE.

THE DEMOCRATS HAVE DONE THIS BEFORE.

REPUBLICANS DID TO THIS TIME.

BASED ON WHAT WE BELIEVED WAS A VIOLATION OF THE US CONSTITUTION, AND THAT'S WHY WE DID IT.

>> AND THE LAST POINT.

THE REPUBLICANS DID TO THIS TIME AFTER WE SAW WHAT WAS A TERRIBLE SCREEN AT THE WHITE HOUSE, SOMETHING - AT CAPITAL.

SOMETHING YOU WOULD AGREE TO THAT.

DID THAT CHANGE YOUR THOUGHT PROCESS ON THIS, THE INSURE ECTION.

THE RIOT AT THE CAPITAL.

>> THE RIOT WAS A TERRIBLE THING, AND PEOPLE ARE GOOD EVENING PROSECUTED AND SHOULD BE PROSECUTED AND HELD ACCOUNTABLE.

PEEL CANNOT BREAK THAT THE US CAP -- PEOPLE CANNOT BREAK INTO THE US CAPITAL AND THINKING THAT'S FINE.

THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LETTING CRIMINALS AND PEOPLE THAT BREAK INTO THINGS INFLUENCE WHAT IS CONSTITUTIONAL AND NOT CONSTITUTIONAL.

WE HAVE THOUGH CONTINUE TO DO OUR JOB.

THAT'S WHAT I DID.

>> REPRESENTATIVE DEBBI LESCO, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

E APPRECIATE IT.

>> NEXT ON ARIZONA "ARIZONA HORIZON", A REPORT ON ALZHIEMER'S SHOWS THAT ARIZONA LEADS THE NATION IN COVID-RELATED DEMENTIA DEATHS.

>> THE ALZHEIMER'S ASSOCIATION RECENTLY RELEASED A REPORT THAT SHOWED ARIZONA LEADING THE NATION IN COVID-RELATED DEMENTIA DEATHS.

THE REPORT ALSO FOUND DISPARITIES IN HEALTHCARE FOR ALZHEIMER'S ALONG RACIAL AND ETHNIC LINES.

WE LEARNED MORE FROM DR. MARISA MENCHOLA, OF THE ALZHEIMER'S ASSOCIATION.

>> DOCTOR, GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

THE ALZHIEMER'S ASSOCIATION FACTS AND FIGURES REPORT, WHAT ARE THE FACT, WHAT ARE THE FIGURES.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HIGHLIGHTING THIS ISSUE.

THIS IS TRULY ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PUBLIC HEALTH AND ECONOMIC CHALLENGES THAT WE'LL FACE OVER THE NEXT FEW DECADES.

WHAT WE KNOW IS WE HAVE OVER 6 MILLION ADULTS 65 AND OVER LIVING WITH ALZHIEMER'S IN THE US.

BECAUSE OF THE WAY POPULATION IS AGEING, EXPECT IT TO BE OVER 7 MILLION IN 2025.

AND WE'LL BE OVER 12.5 MILLION BY 2015.

AND OUR STATE, ARIZONA, HAS THE FASTEST GROWTH RATE FOR ALZHIEMER'S IN THE NATION.

SO 0-30, 3% INCREASE IN ADULTS LIVING WITH DEMENTIA.

WE ARE EXPECTED TO GO FROM 150,000 PEOPLE LIVING WITH ALZHIEMER'S, TO AROUND 200,000, AND THIS IS, OF COURSE, A SUBSTANTIAL STRAIN ON FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES, AND THE HEALTH CARE AND SOCIAL SERVICE PROGRAMME.

>> DO WE KNOW WHY WE LEAD THE NATION IN THIS CATEGORY.

>> THERE'S SO MANY REASONS.

WE HAVE A RAPIDLY AGEING POPULATION IN ARIZONA.

WE HAVE A PERFECT STORM OF A RAPIDLY AGEING POPULATION, AND A DIVERSE POPULATION.

I NO - AND RACIAL MINORITIES, LIKE HISPANICS, HAVE A HIGHER RATE OF ALZHIEMER'S, THAN WHITE AMERICANS.

THAT CREATES A PERFECT STORM FOR THE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE LIVING WITH ALZHIEMER'S IN OUR STATE.

>> IN TERMS OF THE REPORT, RACE, ETHNICITY AND ALZHIEMER'S, TALK ABOUT WHAT WAS FOUND THERE, AND EXAMPLES OF DISPARITIES IN HEALTH CARE, HOW THAT FACTORS IN.

>> YES, FOR THE REPORT, THE ALZHIEMER'S ACCESSION COMMISSIONED LARGE SURVEYS OF BLACK HISPANIC, NATIVE AND ASIAN ADULTS.

SURPRISINGLY, PERSISTENT DISPARITIES ACROSS THE DIMENSION FOR ADULTS FROM ADMIRATIONAL MINORITIES, LOOKING AT THE BASIC DEMENTIA AWARENESS, WE SEE OVER HALF OF NONWHITE ADULTS SAY THINGS LIKE SIGNIFICANT MEMORY LOSS IS A NORMAL IN AGING.

WE KNOW AS I MENTIONED BEFORE THAT SOMETH NISTIES HAVE HIGHER PREVALENCE, IN FACT BLACK PEOPLE HAVE, HISPANIC 1.5 MORE, AND WHITES DEVELOPING ALZHIEMER'S AND OTHERS TYPES OF DEMENTIA.

MINORITY CAREGIVERS ARE LEFT TO ACCESS CHILDREN, LIKE RESPITE.

MINORITY PEOPLE WITH DEMENTIA ARE LIKELY TO DO UNDIAGNOSED.

UNFORTUNATELY A LOT ARE WORRY SOME FROM THE SURVEY A WHICH IS OFF INDIVIDUALS, REPORTING EXPERIENCES WITH DISCRIMINATION IN THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM SWI CONSISTENT WITH WHAT WE SEE AFTER LOOKING AT THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE IN THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM.

>> DISCRIMINATION HOW.

>> SO EXPERIENCES BEING OFFERED SURGERY, PRESCRIPTION MEDICINE, EXPERIENCES ON THE SYSTEM.

BEING DISRESPECTED IS IT STEREO TYPING AND CULTURAL ASSUMPTIONS BEING MADE.

>> HOW DO WE ADDRESS THE DISPARITIES AND NUMBERS AND ALWAYS PATIENTS.

>> SO, FIRST, WE DESPERATELY NEED THE NUMBERS OF SPECIALIST IN HEALTH CARE AND PRIMARY CARE.

LAST YEAR FOUND THAT IT WOULD NEED TO TRIPLE THE NUMBERS IN ORDER TO KIR FOR THE RESULTS, AMAZON AND OTHERS WITH DEMENTIA, AND WE'LL SEE MORE NURSES, SOCIAL WORKERS IN DEMENTIA CARE.

MINORITIES ARE SEVERAL NEED SAID IN DEMENTIA REFERENCE, INCLUDING CRIMINAL TRIALS, AND FINALLY, WE NEED TO CONTINUE ADVOCATING FOR COMPREHENSIVE DEMENTIA CARE.

WE REAL.

WE HAVE COMPREHENSIVE CARE PLANS, CRYING THE RESOURCES.

>> THANK YOU FOR GOOD INFORMATION, GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

>> THANK YOU [ ♪♪♪ ] >> THAT IS IT FOR NOW, I'M TED SIMONS, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US, YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

PSH PSH COMING UP IN THE NEXT HALF HOUR OF LOCAL NEWS ON ARIZONA PBS - ON "CRONKITE NEWS" - THE EFFORTS UNDERWAY TO SAVE A TINY FROG SPECIES FOUND IN ARIZONA.

AND ON "BREAK IT DOWN" - THE DIFFERENT ATTITUDES TOWARD SPEAKING SPANISH.

>> WELCOME TO ARIZONA PBS STUDIOS, I HOPE YOU APPRECIATE ARIZONA HORIZON TONIGHT.

"ARIZONA HORIZON" TONIGHT.

BECAUSE THIS TYPE OF PROGRAM IS SO IMPORTANT TO OUR COMMUNITY, BECAUSE IT