COMING UP IN THE NEXT HOUR OF LOCAL NEWS ON ARIZONA PBS.

ON ARIZONA HORIZON: U.S.

SENATOR MARK KELLY JOINS US TO DISCUSS THE SITUATION IN AFGHANISTAN AND OTHER ISSUES... ON CRONKITE NEWS: HOW TO STAY SAFE FROM WEST NILE VIRUS NOW THAT MOSQUITO SEASON IS IN FULL FORCE... AND ON BREAK IT DOWN: THE ARGUMENT OVER REPARATIONS.

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

GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO ARIZONA HORIZON.

I'M TED SIMONS.

AS MANY AS 12 U.S. SERVICES MEMBERS WERE KILLED TODAY IN 2- SUICIDE ATTACKS OUTSIDE THE KABUL AIRPORT IN AFGHANISTAN.

THE EXPLOSIONS OCCURRED IN AN AREA WHERE LARGE CROWDS OF PEOPLE TRYING TO FLEE AFGHANISTAN WERE GATHERED.

MORE THAN 60 ARE REPORTED DEAD, WITH 11-U.S. MARINES AND A NAVY MEDIC AMONG THOSE KILLED, MAKING IT ONE OF THE DEADLIEST INCIDENTS FOR AMERICAN TROOPS IN THE ENTIRE 20-YEAR WAR.

A CLEARLY EMOTIONAL PRESIDENT BIDEN SPOKE ABOUT THE ATTACK.

>> To those who carried out this attack, as well as anyone who wishes America harm, no this.

We will not forgive.

We will not forget.

We will hunt you down and make you pay.

THE PRESIDENT ADDED THAT HE'S ORDERED OPRERATIONAL PLANS TO STRIKE AT ISIS -K, THE GROUP CLAIMING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ATTACKS.

AIRLIFT OF CIVILIANS AT THE KABUL AIRPORT IS NOW EFFECTIVELY OVER WITH THE AIRPORT SEALED AND THOUSANDS OF AFGHANS MASSED INSIDE THE GATES WITH NOWHERE TO GO.

WE WILL SPEAK WITH U.S.

SENATOR MARK KELLY ABOUT THE SITUATION IN AFGHANISTAN IN JUST A MOMENT.

OTHER NEWS: GOVERNOR DUCEY TODAY NAMED AN INTERIM DIRECTOR FOR THE STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.

LONGTIME STATE OFFICIAL DON HERRINGTON WILL TAKE OVER FOR DR. CARA CHRIST, WHO IS LEAVING FOR A JOB IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR.

THE GOVERNOR TODAY ALSO NAMED FORMER U.S.

SURGEON GENERAL DR. RICHARD CARMONA AS SENIOR COVID-19 ADVISOR TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, A NEWLY CREATED POSITION.

CARMONA "HAD" BEEN ADVISING THE U-OF-A ON COVID POLICIES AND PROCEDURES.

THIS COMES AS ARIZONA SAW AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 36-HUNDRED CASES OF COVID TODAY, THAT'S ABOUT 600-CASES ABOVE THE 7-DAY AVERAGE.

THE NUMBER OF NEW COVID-RELATED FATALITIES HIT 13, AND "THAT" 7-DAY AVERAGE IS ALSO ON THE RISE.

HOSPITALIZATIONS CONTINUE TO INCREASE, AS WELL, THEY'RE UP TO LEVELS NOT SEEN SINCE MID- FEBRUARY.

THE CDC IS REPORTING THAT THE HIGHEST RATE OF COVID-INFECTION IN THE U.S. IS NOW AMONG OLDER TEENAGERS, SPECIFICALLY 16-AND-17- YEAR OLDS.

THAT'S A CHANGE FROM LAST WEEK WHEN 18-TO-29-YEAR-OLDS ACCOUNTED FOR THE HIGHEST RATES.

18-TO-29- YEAR-OLDS STILL MAKE UP THE LARGEST "SHARE" OF INFECTIONS.

THE C-D-C ATTRIBUTES THE INCREASING RATES AMONG TEENAGERS TO KIDS GOING BACK TO SCHOOL.

A NEW STUDY SHOWS JUST HOW WIDESPREAD THE CORONAVIRUS WAS LAST YEAR.

1-IN-3 AMERICANS CONTRACTED THE VIRUS BY THE END OF 2020.

IF THAT SOUNDS LIKE A LOT IT'S BECAUSE THE STUDY SUGGESTS THAT LESS THAN A QUARTER OF THOSE CASES WERE OFFICIALLY RECORDED, DUE TO A LACK OF TESTING AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC.

THE RESEARCH OUT OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY ADDS THAT CLOSE TO 70-PERCENT OF THE POPULATION REMAINS SUSCEPTIBLE to.

VIRAL INFECTION.

AND ARIZONA ATTORNEY GENERAL MARK BRNOVICH TODAY CONCLUDED THAT THE MARICOPA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS VIOLATED STATE LAW BY NOT FULLY RESPONDING TO SUBPOENAS ISSUED BY THE STATE SENATE INVOLVING THE SENATE'S REVIEW OF COUNTY VOTES.

THE COUNTY ARGUES THAT NO STATE LAWS WERE BROKEN BECAUSE THE SENATE CAN'T ENFORCE ITS SUBPOENA POWERS.

BUT THAT ARGUMENT IS IRREVELENT, ACCORDING TO THE AG'S OFFICE, WHICH SAYS THAT IGNORING A SUBPOENA IS STILL ILLEGAL.

THE REPORT MEANS THAT THE COUNTY HAS UNTIL SEPTEMBER 27TH TO COMPLY WITH THE SUBPOENAS OR RISK LOSING HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN SHARED SALES-TAX REVENUE WITH THE STATE.

AS WE MENTIONED, IT WAS A DEADLY DAY FOR U.S.

TROOPS IN AFGHANISTAN 12-AMERICAN SERVICE MEMBERS KILLED IN A PAIR OF SUICIDE ATTACKS OUTSIDE THE AIRPORT IN KABUL.

WE SPOKE WITH U.S.

SENATOR MARK KELLY ABOUT THE SITUATION IN AFGHANSTAN >> Senator Kelly good to see you again thank you for joining us again on Arizona horizon.

In many respects but a very busy day tell us what's going on in Afghanistan.

How did this happen?

How could we not be prepared for some like this?

Your thoughts what happened today.

>> Let me first say and recognize that the service members that were lost today may be absolute ultimate sacrifice protecting the airport in Kabul and protecting the evacuation of American citizens and the evacuation of American allies and their families.

I'm really heartbroken for the families of the loved ones and that this happened.

It is a sad day in our country it's history.

I think it's important to recognize that Americans be often deployed across the world at a moments notice.

In order to accomplish the mission and these folks are the best of us.

They are inspired and I am inspired by their courage and their professionalism.

Here especially to get through a really dangerous and deteriorating situation.

In the terrorist you are responsible for this attack on our troops and innocent civilians need to be brought to justice.

You asked how did we get here?

Well it is the result of failure to prepare for let's say worst-case scenario.

That is what we're seeing here in >> [Ted Simons, Host].

And indeed the White House is committed to August 301st 11 for withdrawal.

That commitment is still there, should that commitment still be there?

>> I've been a top priority is the mission.

And here the mission is to evacuate American citizens.

And evacuate special immigrant immigrant holders and special be to the holders and those who helped us in our mission in Afghanistan.

I'm focused on that and mission success.

For me, my former career as a combat pilot laying off the aircraft carrier and commander of the space shuttle is important to me of the mission that is pure >> [Ted Simons, Host] it's heart is right now the airport is closed and evacuation is premature and stopped for now and for the foreseeable future until things get tied up.

Can things get secure over there as they stand?

Or are we going to put more American service personnel and scores of Afghans in jeopardy?

>> Well, they are in jeopardy.

When I think they are going to continue to be in jeopardy until we are complete with the mission.

But, we are not going to leave Americans behind, that is not an option here.

>> [Ted Simons, Host] US relations with the tell a man, what should they be from here on?

>> I think that is unclear.

The last couple of days have not been like anything we would have expected.

And so I think that terrains to be seen.

We have to be firm with them and we need to establish a security situation and get citizens out of the country >> [Ted Simons, Host] should we have expected this?

There are reports that the terrorist threat was intelligent at or near the airport.

The couple of days ago we were hearing reports about this, should you have better prepared?

>> From the beginning as this is unfolded, yes obviously we should of been better prepared for what happens.

Leading up to the last week this has been a disaster.

Better preparation in hindsight we needed to be better prepared as a country.

It is the failure of, the failure to prepare for the situation.

Also, we have some issues with the intelligence what we predicted what happened and that is not what happened, >> [Ted Simons, Host].

Indeed.

What lessons have we learned from all of this and continue to learn?

Be back I think one big lesson is that you probably should be prepared for the worse case scenario.

I used to do this flying the space shuttle, totally different thing right but very dynamic, very operational, very changing.

I used to challenge micro numbers to think about what is the next worst thing that could happen?

Right now.

And that we need to be prepared for that.

That did not happen in this case.

>> [Ted Simons, Host].

Indeed.

Next question Afghanistan because I want to get other issues.

I asked if he was the tele- band.

How do we know the road forward?

It seems as if the telephone now and Isis might be a DOS, ISIS is claiming responsibility for this horrible act.

I mean are we once again into the lands of confusion?

>> It has been this way for decades.

It's been this way in decades in Afghanistan.

Moving forward we need to make decisions that are in the Best Interest of our national security.

The Best Interest of Americans are still in Afghanistan.

And at this point we certainly cannot trust what we hear and negotiate with the tele- band.

But, I do think that we have to make sure that we are constantly considering what is in the Best Interest of our country >> [Ted Simons, Host].

Real quickly, should we have set the date, should we be out of Afghanistan?

Or events proving this maybe was a little premature?

>> As I said earlier Ted, the important thing for me is mission success.

As we withdraw our forces from Afghanistan we have to make sure that we leave no Americans behind.

We are not going to do that.

And until we get every American out of the country, this mission is not complete >> [Ted Simons, Host].

All rights, let's move on to the infrastructure plan.

Talk to us about what this plan would mean for Arizona?

>> Yes, it means we get to rebuild failing infrastructure.

As I had traveled across the state, especially over the last couple of years, you are driving on roads that are in disrepair.

There are bridges that are failing, water infrastructure not adequate, just yesterday I was coming back from Phoenix or two days ago on Tuesday.

I was driving from Phoenix to Tucson, again because of an accident backed up in traffic.

I tend has no access roads and it needs to be widened.

This infrastructure bill could do that.

I can also build a highway called Diane Leva from Dallas to Tucson to Phoenix up to Vegas and Reno, Las Vegas then Reno.

Or Las Vegas and Phoenix are two of the biggest cities in the country they are not connected by a major interstate.

This bill will also expand high-speed internet access across the state.

It will upgrade or upgrading ports of entry which are so important to our economy.

And it is going to go along way to making Arizona more resilient to droughts, wildfires and proof of Western water infrastructure, it is a key part of this legislation that I was focused on over the last several months.

By the way, this was a bipartisan infrastructure bill.

Eleven Democrats, 11 Republicans working together to get this across the finish line begin.

Because it is important for our country and it is important for the future of Arizona >> [Ted Simons, Host] indeed you are a major part of the water and power aspect of this infrastructure bill for rural and tribal areas areas.

The importance of its.

>> [Jose Cardenas] of.

>> Early on in the pandemic I was speaking to one of the former presidents of the Navajo nation.

He pointed out to me the students who are coming back from an AU, ASU and U of A.

They did not have internet access at home as were crowding in to local business in the city.

Not the ideal thing to do during a pandemic.

You know this resulted in the spreading of infection.

So, it is critical that the 21st century economy on tribal land that everybody has access to high speed internet connection.

I mean you cannot get an education, you cannot deliver health care in a pandemic, you cannot run a business without high-speed internet access.

So what does that and it also fixes the roads and tribal communities.

Buses, school buses and in tribal areas cost three times the amount of money to maintain because the roads are often dirt roads.

Or the roads are just in disrepair.

It would also provide access to water and sanitation and tribal communities.

There are so many members of the Navajo nation right now and other tribal communities that don't have running water in their homes.

This infrastructure bill addresses that problem.

>> [Ted Simons, Host] the infrastructure bill addresses a lot of problems, but there are some Democrats who see a problem with the infrastructure build maybe it should be tied to the sensitive budget spending from the Democrats $3.5 trillion budget here.

She said she's not going for any spending plan at 3.5 trillion, what say you?

>> Yes, we just passed this historic bipartisan infrastructure agreement that's going to invest in much needed infrastructure.

On the rest of this budget reconciliation parts and hate for me, the details matter.

What is in its?

What are we buying?

And then how are we going to pay for it?

That's what I'm going to be focused on as we continue to work on this.

I am also going to be focused on making sure that Arizona's priority are addressed in this legislation is >> [Ted Simons, Host].

As far as paying for this, the plan calls for taxes on high earners and businesses, raising taxes on profits that multinationals make offshore, are those things that you think are workable?

>> Corporations, many of them have paid little to no income tax for way too long.

It is time for some of these big corporations to pay their fair share.

>> [Ted Simons, Host] Republicans say that this is a socialist spending spree, how do you respond?

>> You know with politics it gets into everything.

We have not seen the details of the legislation yet.

I'm looking forward to seeing those details.

What we will be spending the money on, I'm a strong supporter of education, this is an example.

It is our future and we need a well educated workforce if we are going to take advantage of the 21st century economy of your building here.

We've got to have worked on the chips act which is funding and grants money for new facilities to make a spending conductor chips was go into everything from your cell phone to vacuum cleaner, the most advanced fighter jets in the world.

That is going to allow us to have the tie one manufacture company open up a facility in Phoenix.

Intel, because as legislation, also announced legislation expansion of a 20 million-dollar investment.

But we need a well educated workforce to fill those jobs.

These are great paying jobs.

We have to educate young people.

So, that is incredibly important to me.

Another thing that is important, the price that seniors pay for prescription medication.

Over the last couple of years I have heard dozens, dozens of times how expensive drugs are for seniors.

If this legislation can bring down the cost of prescription medication for seniors, that is something I am interested in hearing more about Spears >> [Ted Simons, Host] your fellow Democrats, many of them among the progressive wing of the party saying it is a rare chance to address climate change, it is a rare chance to address any inequality question.

Do you see that as an opportunity with the spending package?

>> We should look at opportunity to address climate change because it is a real problem.

Arbor planet has a heating up since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution.

If we don't address this issue, Phoenix as an example is going to see twice as many days over 100 degrees in the year 2021 Bennett will today.

Just think about that today for seconds.

There's a lot of days over 100 degrees that impacts our droughts and our ability to get water.

It impacts forming, it impacts economic development.

We need to address this issue.

One of the few people I have seen the earth change over a decade.

I flew my first space flight 2001 May 4th 2011.

There's a lot of changes in this planet orbiting the earth.

Those changes before a station of scale you could not imagine that is putting more carbon up into the atmosphere.

We have to look for opportunities to address this >> [Ted Simons, Host] you would like to see that this spending package.

>> And as of the details are in depends on if it works.

If we are going to be doing things to make our electrical grid more resilient, were going to invest in charging station so we can transition to a transportation economy that is more electric and less not relying as much on fossil fuels, those are positive things for the environment >> [Ted Simons, Host] Senator before you go I have to ask about voting rights.

The House passes a bill with more federal oversight regarding voting rights, is that something is supported in the Senate?

>> I am a cosponsor of the four that people act, which I think is a critically important.

It gets dark money out of our political system.

He gets correction of her political system.

And it strengthens voting rights across the country.

Cosponsor of that legislation and I think we need to continue to work and get that pass to the United States Senate >> [Ted Simons, Host] as far as with the House wants to see is that something you can work on is that something you can build on?

Let me get back here in the middle of December or in the middle of September, will make it back to Washington DC we are going to bring this issue up again and we are going to work on legislation and hopefully get to the point to where we debated in the United States Senate and then get a vote on the legislation in the Senate.

>> [Ted Simons, Host] may hearing stiff opposition from the Republican party and thrust my filibuster.

Before we go we have to ask you about it.

Is it time for the filibuster to be reconsidered?

If it's not completely jettison at least change to back what a filibuster was intended to do.

>> I had been in the United States Senate for eight months.

I served in the United States Navy for 20 five-years.

I served at NASA for 15-years.

If the Navy had rules like the United States Senate we would lose every war.

And NASA would never get the rocket ship off of the launch pad.

I think it's important that we constantly evaluate how do we make organizations more effective and more efficient?

How do we complete whatever the mission is?

That is important to me.

So I will evaluate any change in the rules of the senates.

Not based on what is in the Best Interest of the Democrats.

But what is in the best interests of the country?

What is in the Best Interest of Arizona.

>> [Ted Simons, Host] Senator Marc Kelly, Senator thank you so much for your time we appreciated.

>> Thank you for having me on Ted, it was good to talk to you.

UP NEXT: A NEW REPORT SHOWS US WHERE WE ARE IN RECOVERING FROM A NEW REPORT FROM THE UNITED HEALTH FOUNDATION LOOKS AT HOW FAR WE'VE COME AND HOW FAR WE NEED TO GO IN RECOVERING FROM THE COVID-PANDEMIC.

THE REPORT INCLUDES A LOOK AT DISPARITIES INVOLVING RACE, EDUCATION, GENDER AND GEOGRAPHY.

FOR MORE HORIZONTE'S JOSE CARDENAS SPOKE WITH DR. GEOR-GES BENJAMIN FROM THE AMERICAN PUBLIC HEALTH ASSOCIATION.

Speak to Doctor Benjamin thank you so much for joining us today to talk about this health disparity.

As I understand the association has done reports in the past, but this is a personal purpose specifically on health disparities, tells about it.

>> [Dr. Georges Benjamin] that United health foundation, we have been working with them for most of this time, at the American Public health Association has been looking out the health of the nation state by state.

We have been doing that over 30-years.

In this particular report, this was an inaugural report which was the first time we finally have looked at ethnic disparity.

Because obviously there's a big concern about health and equity in this country.

This is the inaugural report in which the United health foundation has looked at this difference in health outcomes >> [Jose Cardenas].

As a nation wide view is that right?

>> [Dr. Georges Benjamin] we do both the nationwide view of them and look at state-by-state >> [Jose Cardenas] let's talk about how Arizona looks and then maybe compare that with the national Outlook >> [Dr. Georges Benjamin] will you know, Arizona has done white quite well in terms of disparity.

For example you blow disparity between people who live in the metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas.

That is a good thing.

Between the Hispanic and the Asian Pacific Islander population with low birth weight, that is also a good outcome.

But you have some high disparities, particularly with Native American population and the Asian Pacific Islander population for premature death, meaning people die sooner between those two populations.

And when you look at things which what we call some of the social determinants of health, these are things that both help you become more healthy or can impede your health.

Like having an education, so there's a high disparity between those with just a high school education and college graduates who are high health status.

High health status means these people feel that their health is good or excellent.

So, education certainly is a determinant of your help.

The more education you have the better your outcome helping you do going back to the Native American community, how far down as a report go?

In other words, is there a distinction drawn between Native Americans living in urban areas for versus those living in a world areas on reservations?

>> [Dr. Georges Benjamin].

They did not really get to that level of detail >> [Jose Cardenas] would that explain though some of the disparity?

>> [Dr. Georges Benjamin] well, there is no question, I certainly have been Arizona and I know that the resources in the urban setting are certainly often are much better than those in Native American communities.

The same as you have any community that is more impoverished than other communities so I think that's poverty, food insecurity and those kinds of things are against social determinants.

What truly results in communities have a touch better and those that don't.

>> [Jose Cardenas].

On the national Outlook is been a lot of discussion recently about reports of the average lifespan is actually decreased in the last few years.

Does this have any tie into that?

Are you seeing on the communities that do you picked up with Arizona into the nation and then with respect to impact of mortality?

>> [Dr. Georges Benjamin].

Let's talk about the mortality.

This report was in pre- pandemic.

One of the things that we do know is even pre- pandemic we were having real challenges in the reduction, we are not living as longer for certain populations.

African-Americans, Native Americans, Hispanics are not living as long and even then some white and some communities because of obesity and the opiate of epidemic and we have had some improvements in heart disease and cancer but those of insult of the bus two to three years.

When he put those together for a couple of years before the pandemic hits we were actually seeing a reduction in life expectancy in this nation.

We are now just beginning to turn the corner and then the pandemic hits.

And now what were saying of course, all this report does not cover it but what is seeing through other studies at the Center for disease and have done, we now have as much as a two and a half to three year reduction in life expectancy and populations such as the African American and Hispanic and even in the Native American population in our country.

>> [Jose Cardenas] is there a direct correlation between that and the people noted in this report?

>> [Dr. Georges Benjamin] many of those production of life expectancy are certainly relevant.

Issues around food insecurity, lower education, those kinds of things certainly have an impact but in terms of the pandemic of course, the pandemic in itself independently resulted in enormous loss of life.

>> [Jose Cardenas].

Just when this question really have a few questions left Doctor Benjamin, were to be go from here?

What is the lesson to be drawn for this report?

>> [Dr. Georges Benjamin] I think the lesson to be drawn for this report is that Arizona did a good thing when it dedicated its population because you're seeing that you have a marked improvement in the number of people who are uninsured in the state, that is very helpful.

But you still have work to do and things like food insecurity.

>> [Jose Cardenas] on that So Doctor Benjamin, thank you so much for joining us.

He is Executive Director of American Public health and thank you very much >> [Dr. Georges Benjamin].

Thank you.

And that is it for now >> [Ted Simons, Host].

COMING UP IN THE NEXT HALF HOUR OF I'm Ted Simons you have a great evening.

LOCAL NEWS ON ARIZONA PBS: ON CRONKITE NEWS: A HIGH POLLUTION ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED IN THE PHOENIX AREA.

WHAT THAT MEANS FOR OUTDOOR ACTIVITY... AND ON BREAK IT DOWN: THE ARGUMENT OVER REPARATIONS.

Coming up to plan PPS.

At seven