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♪ >>> HI, EVERYBODY, WELCOME TO "CHAT BOX."

I'M DAVID CRUZ.

OUR SEGMENT LAST WEEK ON IMMIGRATION PROVED TO BE OUR MOST WATCHED.

THE ISSUE IS FRONT AND CENTER IN THE EARLY DAYS OF THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION.

THE PRESIDENT ISSUED SOME NEW EXECUTIVE ORDERS THIS WEEK, AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT TODAY WITH SENATOR BOB MENENDEZ, BUT WE BEGIN TODAY WITH THE FIRST LADY OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY, TAMMY MURPHY.

MADAM FIRST LADY, GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

>> GOOD TO SEE YOU TOO, DAVID, THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

>> SO, WHEN WE FIRST MET ON TELEVISION, WHAT SEEMED LIKE A MILLION YEARS AGO, YOU WERE JUST GETTING STARTED IN YOUR ROLE AS FIRST LADY, AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT WHAT YOUR PORTFOLIO WAS GOING TO LOOK LIKE.

I IMAGINE THAT RESPONDING TO A GLOBAL PANDEMIC WAS NOT IN THAT PORTFOLIO.

>> NO, I HAVE TO SAY, THAT WAS NOT ON MY RADAR SCREEN AT THAT POINT IN TIME, YOU'RE CORRECT.

>> SO, I MEAN, HAVE THESE THREE YEARS ZOOMED BY, OR HAS IT FELT A LITTLE BIT LIKE TIME IS STANDING STILL?

>> I WOULD SAY PROBABLY SOME OF EACH.

YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE THERE'S SO MUCH TO DO THE DAYS ARE REALLY FULL, AND YOU KNOW, IT'S A GREAT FEELING WHEN YOU'RE ABLE TO SEE A PROBLEM AND TRY AND HELP FIX IT, SO I WOULD SAY IT'S BEEN GREAT.

BUT THERE'S A LOT TO DO.

HUMBLE TO BE IN THIS POSITION TO BE ABLE TO HELP.

>> THE GOVERNOR SAYS COVID IS ALMOST EVERYTHING THAT HE DOES ALL DAY.

HAS IT CHANGED WHAT YOU DO AS FIRST LADY, OR SHOULD I SAY, HOW MUCH HAS IT CHANGED WHAT YOU DO AS FIRST LADY?

>> ABSOLUTELY, IT HAS CHANGED WHAT I DO.

YOU KNOW, JUST -- IT'S HARD -- YOU KNOW, YOU THINK BACK TO WHEN THIS STARTED, IT'S BEEN ALMOST A YEAR NOW, AND I WOULD SAY, AS FIRST LADY, A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT I WAS DOING OBVIOUSLY HAD TO GO VIRTUAL, MANY OF THE THINGS WE WERE WORKING ON THROUGH NURTURE NJ BECAME FACEBOOK LIVE EVENTS AS OPPOSED TO BECOMING, YOU KNOW, FAMILY FESTIVALS THAT WE DID IN PERSON.

AND IN RECENT WEEKS, I'VE BEEN GOING AROUND THE STATE TRYING TO VISIT WITH DIFFERENT VACCINATION CENTERS TO PUT A SPOTLIGHT ON THE TYPES OF PLACES WHERE ONE CAN GET THE VACCINATION AND TO, YOU KNOW, TALK TO THOSE AND GIVE SUPPORT TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ON THE GROUND AND THAT'S BEEN -- THAT'S BEEN REALLY REWARDING.

WE HAVE AN INCREDIBLY, REALLY STRONG INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S BEEN SET UP AND AS AND WHEN WE HAVE ALL THE VACCINES WE NEED, THEN WE ARE GOING TO BE OFF TO THE RACES.

>> YEAH, WE SEE HERE WITH A LOT OF FOLKS AT THESE VACCINE SITES, I MEAN, IT'S A HEAVY LOAD, THOUGH.

YOU ARE -- YOU MUST FEEL A SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR ALL THIS, HOW THINGS ARE GOING, PEOPLE'S TRAGEDIES, ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE PART OF YOUR EVERYDAY LIFE RIGHT NOW.

>> THEY ARE.

THEY ARE.

I MEAN, I HEAR, YOU KNOW, I HEAR FROM PEOPLE ALL THE TIME WHO NEED HELP IN SOME WAY, AND I SAY, INCREASINGLY, IN TIMES GONE BY, THERE'S MORE AND MORE OUTREACH ASKING ME IF I CAN HELP CONNECT PEOPLE OR HELP GIVE THEM ADVICE IN SOME WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM, BUT YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER, AND YOU KNOW, HERE AND NOW, PHIL AND I HAVEN'T GOTTEN THE VACCINE YET.

WE WOULD LOVE TO GET IT.

WHEN OUR TURN IS UP, WE WILL BE FRONT AND CENTER TO DO SO.

BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S A RESPONSIBILITY BUT IT'S ALSO A REAL HONOR TO BE ABLE TO MEET WITH THE INCREDIBLE PEOPLE.

THE PICTURES THAT I JUST SAW YOU SHOW WERE FROM A MEGA SITE DOWN IN ATLANTIC CITY, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SIX OF THOSE AROUND THE STATE RIGHT NOW, AND EACH OF THOSE ARE ABLE TO VACCINATE 2,400 PEOPLE -- GIVE 2,400 VACCINATIONS A DAY.

>> SO MUCH OF IT, RIGHT, I MEAN, THE TESTING WAS THE THING THAT YOU NEEDED TO GET UP TO SPEED SO IS THAT WE KNEW WITH WE WERE WITH THIS PANDEMIC, AND THEN NOW THAT THE VACCINES HAVE BEEN MADE AVAILABLE, IT'S -- YOU SEE THE END OF IT, BUT IT'S SO TOUGH BECAUSE AS YOU SAID, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO GET THE VACCINE AND THERE'S NOT ENOUGH OF THAT STUFF AROUND FOR PEOPLE, SO THE, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE YOU HAVE THIS ANTICIPATION, BUT THEN YOU'RE KIND OF FRUSTRATED BY THE, YOU KNOW, INEVITABLE BUREAUCRACY OF EVERYTHING, RIGHT?

>> WELL, I SUPPOSE -- I MEAN, YOU KNOW, NOW THAT WE HAVE A NATIONAL STRATEGY TO ACTUALLY TACKLE THIS, I THINK WE ARE IN A MUCH BETTER PLACE, BECAUSE HAVING PARTNERS AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL WHO ARE REALLY FOCUSED ON WHAT'S GOING ON HERE IN THE STATES AND HELPING US NOT ONLY GET ACCESS TO THE VACCINES BUT ACTUALLY DELIVER THE VACCINE, HELP INOCULATE -- ACTUALLY GIVE THE VACCINES AND THEN ALSO JUST HELPING US WITH INFRASTRUCTURE AND MORE, IT'S -- THAT IS REALLY A KICK IN OUR STEP, I WILL SAY.

WE HAVE ACTUALLY, I THINK, AS OF TODAY, WE ARE IN OVER EIGHT -- WE'RE LIKE 870 OR 880,000 VACCINES HAVE BEEN GIVEN IN OUR STATE, WHICH IS REALLY FANTASTIC, BUT WE NEED TO DO MORE.

>> I KNOW YOU WANTED TO TALK ABOUT YOUR NURTURE NJ PROGRAM, BUT LET'S START WITH THE ANNOUNCEMENT THIS WEEK LAUNCHING THE STATE'S ACTION PLAN TO PREVENT AND REDUCE CHILDHOOD TRAUMA AND ADVERSITY.

TELL US ABOUT THAT.

ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES.

>> ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES, EXACTLY.

SO, THAT WAS ANNOUNCED TODAY.

THERE IS A -- THEY'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS PLAN FOR, I GUESS, TWO YEARS NOW.

YOU KNOW, ESSENTIALLY, THE PLAN IS HELPING TO PROVIDE TRAUMA, MAKE THIS A TRAUMA INFORMED STATE SUCH THAT THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, TRAUMA IS LIKE EVERY PIECE OF HEALTHCARE AND IT'S BROUGHT TO THE LEVEL OF CONSCIOUSNESS ACROSS OUR ENTIRE STATE.

OBVIOUSLY, THE DISPARITIES THAT EXIST IN TERMS OF THOSE WHO ARE IMPACTED BY ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES ARE ALSO THE SAME DISPARITIES THAT EXIST IN NURTURE NEW JERSEY, WHICH IS MY STATEWIDE PLAN, AND IN FACT, THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ACTION PLAN THAT WAS ANNOUNCED TODAY IS ALSO PART OF NURTURE NEW JERSEY'S PLAN AS WELL.

WE ARE REALLY HAND IN GLOVE WORKING TOGETHER, AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE ANNOUNCEMENT TODAY IS ESSENTIALLY HELPING TO CREATE HEALTHY GIRLS WHO BECOME HEALTHY WOMEN WHO BECOME HEALTHY PREGNANT WOMEN AND HEALTHY MOTHERS.

AND IT'S A CYCLE THAT WE NEED TO STOP AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE PROVIDING THE BEST LEVEL OF CARE ACROSS OUR -- ACROSS OUR STATE.

>> I MEAN, YOU TALK ABOUT THE PROGRAM.

I MEAN, A BLACK MOM, SEVEN TIMES MORE LIKELY THAN A WHITE MOM TO DIE FROM MATERNITY-RELATED COMPLICATIONS.

A BLACK BABY, THREE TIMES MORE LIKELY THAN A WHITE BABY TO DIE BEFORE THEIR FIRST BIRTHDAY.

AS YOU SAID, PEOPLE SHOULD BE SHOCKED BY THIS, BUT IT'S THE KIND OF STATISTIC THAT'S BEEN LAID BARE TO THE PUBLIC AT LARGE BY THIS PANDEMIC, RIGHT, WHICH IS EXPOSED HEALTHCARE DISPARITIES THAT HAVE EXISTED FOR GENERATIONS, RIGHT?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

I MEAN, YOU COULD TAKE AN EVEN BIGGER PICTURE LOOK AT THIS, DAVID.

THE UNITED STATES IS 55th IN THE WORLD IN TERMS OF MATERNAL MORTALITY, AND THEN WITHIN THE UNITED STATES, NEW JERSEY IS 47th, AND YOU JUST SHARED SOME OF THE STATISTICS IN NEW JERSEY ABOUT BLACK WOMEN AND WHITE WOMEN AND BLACK BABIES AND WHITE BABIES.

THIS IS 2021.

WE ARE NEW JERSEY.

WE ARE, YOU KNOW, IN SOME RESPECTS, THE MEDICINE CABINET OF AMERICA AND WE HAVE AN INCREDIBLE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM SO THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE AND THE NURTURE NEW JERSEY PLAN IS -- OUR PLAN IS TO MAKE NEW JERSEY THE SAFEST PLACE IN THE UNITED STATES, NOT ONLY TO DELIVER A BABY BUT TO RAISE A CHILD AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO.

>> I REMEMBER THAT INITIAL INTERVIEW WE HAD, IT WAS IN JANUARY.

I DON'T THINK YOU HAD BEEN SWORN IN YET, OR, YOU KNOW, THE GOVERNOR HADN'T BEEN SWORN IN YET AND YOU THOUGHT THAT THE ENVIRONMENT WOULD BE THE BIGGEST THING THAT YOU WOULD BE WORKING ON, BUT NOW, YOUR FOCUS CLEARLY IS ON FAMILIES AND VULNERABLE FAMILIES, SPECIFICALLY, BUT YOU STILL DABBLE IN SOME WIND AND SOLAR AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, DON'T YOU?

>> I DO.

IN FACT, I'M REALLY HAPPY TO TELL YOU THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS ON TOGETHER WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF ED IN HELPING TO MAKE NEW JERSEY THE FIRST STATE IN THE COUNTRY THAT ACTUALLY WILL TEACH CLIMATE CHANGE IN OUR K-12 CURRICULUM, SO I'M REALLY PROUD OF THAT.

THAT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR CHILDREN TO LEARN THE TERMINOLOGY, THE VOCABULARY, AND TO BE ABLE TO THINK OUT OF THE BOX AS WE MOVE FORWARD AND WE REALLY EMBRACE THE GREEN ENERGY ECONOMY.

WE ARE GOING TO BE COMPLETELY GREEN IN NEW JERSEY BY THE YEAR 205 2050.

THERE'S GOING TO BE INCREDIBLE JOBS THAT COME ALONGSIDE THAT.

BUT THE CLIMATE IS CHANGING AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR CHILDREN ARE EQUIPPED FOR THE FUTURE AND KNOW HOW THEY CANNOT ONLY FILL THE MANY ROLES THAT ARE GOING TO BE NEEDED IN THE NEW ECONOMY BUT ALSO ARE ABLE TO THINK THROUGH CONSTRUCTIVELY AS TO HOW THEY CAN TACKLE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE FACED WITH.

>> WE SHOULD NOTE THAT IT WAS ALMOST A YEAR AGO THAT M MR. MURPH -- I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CALL HIM THAT.

I KNOW HE CALLS YOU MRS. MURPH.

IT WAS ABOUT A YEAR AGO THAT THE GOVERNOR HAD A SERIOUS OPERATION ON HIS KIDNEY.

HOW'S HE DOING?

AND DO YOU HAVE ANY TIME TO EVEN THINK ABOUT PERSONAL HEALTH?

>> FIRST OF ALL, HE'S DOING GREAT.

SO, WE'RE REALLY FORTUNATE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, ONE THING WE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT AT THE TIME, HE HAD TO HAVE SURGERY ON MARCH 4th AND THAT WAS THE DAY WE HAD THE FIRST CASE IN NEW JERSEY.

WE FOUND OUT AFTER HE HAD THE SURGERY THAT HAD BEEN SCHEDULED FOR ONE WEEK LATER, THAT HE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HAVE THAT SURGERY BECAUSE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED ELECTIVE SURGERY.

I THINK WE ALL THINK ABOUT ELECTIVE SURGERY AS BEING, YOU KNOW, GETTING A NOSE JOB OR SOMETHING, AND WHEN IN FACT, ELECTIVE SURGERY ENCOMPASS AS LOT OF DIFFERENT SURGERIES.

ANYWAY, HE'S DOING GREAT.

THANKS FOR ASKING.

>> SO, RE-ELECTION MODE NOW.

YOU SHOWED SOME REAL RESTRAINT OVER THE SUMMER IN MIDDLETOWN WHEN THOSE WOMEN WERE HARASSING THE FAMILY AT DINNER, AND I SAW YOUR FACE.

YOU HELD IT TOGETHER, THOUGH.

I ASK BECAUSE, IT'S GOING TO BE A ROUGH AND TUMBLE NEXT TEN MONTHS AS YOU HEAD INTO RE-ELECTION.

DID YOU LEARN SOMETHING FROM 2017 THAT TAUGHT YOU ANYTHING ABOUT PATIENCE, STRATEGY, PACING YOURSELF?

>> I WOULD TELL YOU, IF I LEARNED ANYTHING AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT I WILL ACCEPT AND ADMIT UP FRONT, AND THAT IS THAT PHIL ALWAYS SAYS I CAN'T PLAY POKER.

I AM NOT THE KIND OF PERSON WHO IS ABLE TO SAY ONE THING AND FEEL SOMETHING ELSE.

IT'S WRITTEN ALL OVER MY FACE.

SO, THEY KNEW THAT, YOU KNOW, I FEEL REALLY STRONGLY ABOUT WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO SO FAR, WHAT PHIL'S BEEN ABLE TO DO, AND I'M REALLY HAPPY THAT, YOU KNOW, HE'S ABLE RIGHT NOW TO JUST FOCUS FULLY ON THE STATE.

AS FOR ME, I TRY AND DO WHATEVER I CAN TO COMPLEMENT AND SUPPORT HIM AND MAKE SURE THAT HE IS AS EFFECTIVE AS HE CAN BE, AS HE TRIES TO GET US THROUGH COVID RIGHT NOW AND GET US TO THE OTHER SIDE OF WHERE WE ARE.

>> ALL RIGHT.

SINGULARLY FOCUSED FIRST LADY TAMMY MURPHY.

GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

THANKS FOR COMING ON WITH US.

>> THANKS, DAVID.

THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

>> WE GOT A BIG RESPONSE TO OUR SEGMENT LAST WEEK ON IMMIGRATION REFORM AND ITS POTENTIAL IMPACT ON THE STATE.

WE'RE GOING TO PICK UP ON THAT TODAY WITH A MAN WHO'S ASKED TO CARRY A LOT OF THE WEIGHT ON THE IMMIGRATION REFORM AGENDA, NEW JERSEY'S SENIOR SENATOR, BOB MENENDEZ.

SENATOR, WELCOME BACK TO THE SHOW.

>> GREAT TO BE WITH YOU, DAVID.

>> SO, LET'S START WITH THE IMMIGRATION BILL ITSELF.

A GOAL OF 11 MILLION PEOPLE OUT OF THE SHADOWS AND ON TO A PATHWAY TO CITIZENSHIP.

GREEN CARDS IMMEDIATELY FOR SOME WITHIN JUST A FEW YEARS FOR MOST FOLKS.

FAMILY-FOCUSED IMMIGRATION.

THERE'S A LOT IN THERE, AND THERE'S ALREADY TALK THAT IT MIGHT BE TWO MONTHS BEFORE SENATE TO PASS.

IS IT LIKELY TO BE BROKEN UP INTO PIECES, DO YOU THINK?

>> WELL, DAVID, PRESIDENT BIDEN'S IMMIGRATION PLAN, WHICH I HAVE PUT INTO LEGISLATION AND REFINED, IS THE VISION OF WHERE WE ULTIMATELY WANT TO GO AS IT RELATES TO IMMIGRATION REFORM.

BUT THAT VISION IS ALSO DRIVING US TO WHAT WE CAN ACHIEVE, AND I THINK WE CAN ACHIEVE A FAIR AMOUNT OF IT ROBUSTLY.

REMEMBER THAT IN THE LAST CONGRESS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PASSED THE AMERICAN DREAM AND PROMISE ACT, WHICH WAS A DREAMERS TPS, TEMPORARY PROTECTIVE STATUS HOLDERS.

THEY PASSED A FARM WORKERS BILL, AND THEY DID IT WITH BIPARTISAN VOTES.

I BELIEVE THAT THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY NOT ONLY TO SEE THAT BUT I HOPE SOME ESSENTIAL WORKER PROVISIONS AND THEN WITH THAT COMING FROM THE HOUSE TO THE SENATE, AND WITH AN ADMINISTRATION USING POLITICAL CAPITAL WITH SOME OF OUR REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES, I BELIEVE THAT WE CAN GET A RATHER ROBUST IMMIGRATION REFORM, SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WORKING HARD TO TRY TO ACHIEVE.

>> WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT THIS GANG OF EIGHT, THAT GROUP OF SENATORS WHO TRIED SOMETHING SIMILAR BACK IN 2013, BEFORE THEY FELL SHORT, BUT THAT KIND OF BIPARTISANSHIP SEEMS TO BE SO 2013 AND NOT VERY 2021.

I MEAN, SENATORS LINDSEY GRAHAM AND MARCO RUBIO WERE PART OF THAT GANG OF EIGHT AND THEY'VE COME OUT AGAINST MOST OF THIS BILL.

DO YOU BELIEVE THAT THERE'S AN ENVIRONMENT THERE WHERE YOU CAN DRUM UP SOME BIPARTISANSHIP?

>> WELL, I WAS PART OF THAT GANG OF EIGHT IN 2013, AND THE REALITY IS, SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE REPUBLICAN CAUCUS WHO ARE STILL HERE MAY NOT HAVE BEEN PART OF THE ORIGINAL GANG, BUT JOINED US IN VOTES WHEN WE GOT 67 VOTES IN THE UNITED STATES SENATE TO SEND BIPARTISAN COMPREHENSIVE REFORM TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES WHICH UNFORTUNATELY SPEAKER BOEHNER AND THE REPUBLICAN-CONTROLLED HOUSE AT THE TIME NEVER GAVE US A VOTE.

SO I BELIEVE THERE IS A FOUNDATION.

FOR EXAMPLE, MANY OF ME MY REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES COME FROM AG STATES.

THEY'RE CONCERNED DEEPLY ABOUT THE FARM WORKERS PROVISION OF THESE IMMIGRATION REFORMS.

MANY OF THEM COME FROM OTHER INDUSTRIES THAT NEED HB VISA INDIVIDUALS.

SOME OF THEM COME FROM HIGH-TECH INDUSTRIES THAT WANT TO SEE US USE THE PROVISION OF THE LEGISLATION THAT I'M SPONSORING THAT WOULD TAKE SOMEONE WHO GRADUATES FROM ONE OF OUR GREAT COLLEGES OR UNIVERSITIES AND USED THEIR ABILITIES IN S.T.E.M.

TO PRODUCE AMERICAN PRODUCTS AND CREATE JOBS.

SO, THAT'S HOW I'M LOOKING TO CREATE A COALITION, AND WE WILL JUDGE, AS WE GO ALONG, WHETHER THE COALITION IS BIG ENOUGH OR THE TOTAL COMPREHENSIVE BILL OR WHETHER THERE WILL BE SEGMENTS OF IT.

AS LONG AS WE GET TO SIGNIFICANT REFORM, A ROBUST REFORM, THEN I'M, YOU KNOW, WILLING TO PURSUE WHAT IT TAKES TO GET TO 60 VOTES.

>> YOU USE WORDS LIKE SIGNIFICANT AND ROBUST.

WHAT, TO YOU, AND I GUESS I DON'T WANT YOU TO SHOW YOUR CARDS RIGHT NOW, BUT WHAT, TO YOU, NEEDS TO BE IN THERE?

WHAT'S A NONSTARTER TO TAKE OUT?

>> WELL, YOU KNOW, I'VE LEARNED OVER MY YEARS, 29 YEARS IN CONGRESS, NOT TO START SAYING, WELL, THIS IS THE RED LINE.

RED LINES NEVER ARE VERY SUCCESSFUL.

BUT I WILL JUDGE IT AS WE GO ALONG.

SO WILL THE ACTIVISTS AND THE COMMUNITY.

SO WILL THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.

THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, U.S. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND OTHERS, ARE VERY MUCH ENGAGED IN WANTING TO SEE REFORM.

I WELCOME THEIR SUPPORT IN THIS PROCESS.

THE AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY, VERY INTERESTED IN REFORM.

LET'S REMEMBER WHO THESE PEOPLE ARE.

THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO, IN THE MIDST OF THE PANDEMIC, WERE DOING THE ESSENTIAL WORK SO THAT WE COULD STAY HOME AND BE SAFE.

THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO WERE DELIVERING GOODS TO OUR DOORS.

THESE WERE PEOPLE WHO WERE PRODUCING THE FOOD SUPPLY.

YOU KNOW, THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO CREATE THE CROPS.

SO -- AND HARVEST THEM FROM THE FIELD.

SO, THE BOTTOM LINE IS, WHEN WE LOOK AT ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT ELEMENTS OF OUR ECONOMIC QUESTION, FORGETTING ABOUT THE MORAL QUESTION OR WHAT'S RIGHT, ECONOMICALLY, LAST TIME I MADE THIS CASE, THE CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE SCORED THE LAST REFORM, I THINK, THE SCORE WILL BE EVEN BETTER THIS TIME WHERE THE ECONOMY GREW, THE GDP GREW DRAMATICALLY.

THE WAGES OF ALL AMERICANS ROSE.

WE ADDED SEVERAL HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS TO THE SOCIAL SECURITY TRUST FUND TO MAKE IT MORE SOLVENT AS A RESULT OF PEOPLE PAYING IN.

AND WE REDUCED THE NATIONAL DEBT BY BILLIONS OF DOLLARS AS A RESULT OF THE PARTICIPATION OF THIS UNIVERSE.

SO, I THINK THOSE ARE COMPELLING ARGUMENTS TO MAKE, EVEN TO THE MOST FISCALLY CONSERVATIVE MEMBERS OF OUR REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES.

>> AND THERE ALSO HAS BEEN A NEW APPRECIATION AND DEFINITION OF WHAT AN ESSENTIAL WORKER IS.

I MEAN, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF US WHO MAY INTERACT DAILY AT GROCERY STORES AND PLACES LIKE THAT, YOU SEE THOSE FOLKS, BUT THEY'RE REALLY KIND OF SO UNDERAPPRECIATED THAT THEY'RE INVISIBLE IN MANY WAYS, BUT THE PANDEMIC HAS REALLY LAID BARE HOW ESSENTIAL THESE PEOPLE ARE.

NO?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

THEY WERE THE ONES RISKING THEIR HEALTH AND THEIR LIVES SO THAT ALL OF US, PARTICULARLY AT THE HEIGHT OF THE PANDEMIC, EVEN THOUGH WE'RE STILL CHALLENGED BY THE PANDEMIC, WHEN THE ORDERS SAY, STAY HOME, WE COULD STAY HOME BECAUSE THEY WERE MAKING THE DELIVERIES.

THEY WERE STILL AT THE SUPERMARKETS AND AT THE GROCERY STORES.

THEY WERE STILL AT THE MEAT PACKING PLANTS.

THEY WERE STILL AT THE POULTRY PLANTS.

THEY WERE STILL ULTIMATELY DOING THE WORK OF HARVESTING CROPS SO THAT WE COULD ALL BE NOURISHED, AND SO YOU KNOW, WHAT WE TOOK FOR GRANTED, AND I HAVE NEVER TAKEN IT FOR GRANTED, BUT WHEN I SEE "WE" THE AMERICAN PEOPLE TAKE FOR GRANTED WAS VERY VIVID AS TO HOW ESSENTIAL THESE PEOPLE ARE AND HOW THEY DESERVE A PATHWAY TO EARN RESIDENCY, PAY THEIR TAXES, GO THROUGH A CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECK AND BE PART OF AMERICAN SOCIETY.

>> THERE IS A SENSE ALSO, I THINK, AND YOU CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT THAT REPUBLICANS ARE PREPARED TO MAKE THE DACA PROGRAM, FOR INSTANCE, PERMANENT AND KIND OF CODIFY THAT SO THAT IT'S NOT SUBJECT TO THE WHIM OF PRESIDENTIAL PHILOSOPHICAL UPS AND DOWNS.

>> WELL, ON THIS ONE, SENATOR GRAHAM, WHO WAS PART OF THE GANG OF EIGHT, HAS JOINED WITH SENATOR DURBIN, WHO IS NOW THE CHAIRMAN OF THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE IN THE SENATE, TO INTRODUCE A DREAMERS RESOLUTION -- LEGISLATION, WHICH WOULD GIVE THEM A PATHWAY, AN ACCELERATED PATHWAY TOWARD PERMANENT RESIDENCY AND STATUS IN THE COUNTRY.

THESE ARE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO HAVE SERVED IN THE UNIFORM OF THE UNITED STATES.

THESE ARE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE SOME OF THE MOST INCREDIBLY GIFTED INDIVIDUALS, VALEDICTORIANS, ABSSALUTATORIANF THEIR UNIVERSITY THEY GRADUATED FROM.

THEY ONLY KNOW ONE NATIONAL ANTHEM, THAT OF THE UNITED STATES.

THEY KNOW ONLY ONE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO ONE FLAG, THAT OF THE UNITED STATES.

THEY ARE AMERICAN IN EVERY OTHER ELEMENT OF THEIR LIVES EXCEPT FOR THEIR STATUS, AND SO THAT'S THE MOTHERHOOD AND APPLE PIE OF IMMIGRATION REFORM.

IF WE CAN'T GET THAT, THEN I DOUBT WE CAN GET MUCH ELSE, BUT WE NEED TO DO MORE THAN JUST DREAMERS.

>> THESE EXECUTIVE ORDERS SIGNED THIS WEEK, WHAT ARE THEY INTENDED TO DEAL WITH?

>> THE EXECUTIVE ORDERS THAT PRESIDENT BIDEN SIGNED IS, ONE, TO RESTORE OUR PLACE IN THE WORLD AS IT RELATES TO AN ASYLUM FOR REFUGEES BUT UNDER AN ORDERLY AND LEGAL PROCESS SO THAT PEOPLE WHO HAVE A LEGITIMATE CLAIM, THEY FEAR FOR THEIR LIVES OR PERSECUTION, RELIGIOUSLY OR OTHERWISE, WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THEIR CASE.

IT IS TO GUARANTEE AND CREATE A SPECIAL TASK FORCE SO THAT THE 600 OR SO CHILDREN WHO WERE TORN AWAY FROM THEIR MOTHERS AND FATHERS' ARMS AT THE BORDER AND HAVE NOT BEEN REUNITED WITH THEIR PARENTS, THAT THAT IMMEDIATELY HAS TO BE THE FIRST JOB OF SECRETARY MAYORCA, THE NEW SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY.

IT'S ABOUT CHANGING SOME OF THE HARSH POLICIES, CRUEL, I WOULD SAY, THAT THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION HAD, WHICH ULTIMATELY DIDN'T RESULT IN A BETTER IMMIGRATION SITUATION.

>> SOME ARE EXPRESSING CONCERN THAT THERE'S A LOT OF REVVIEWIN BUT NOT A LOT OF OUTRIGHT CANCELING OF THINGS LIKE THE REMAIN IN MEXICO PROGRAM WHERE ASYLUM SEEKERS HAVE TO WAIT OUTSIDE OF THE U.S.

WHILE THE CLAIMS ARE BEING PROCESSED IN IMMIGRATION COURTS.

WHAT CAN YOU SAY TO REASSURE IMMIGRANTS OF ALL STATUSES THAT THIS IS AN ADMINISTRATION THAT IS NOT ONLY GOING TO NOT BE TRUMP BUT WILL ACTUALLY ACCOMPLISH SIGNIFICANT REFORM?

>> WELL, LOOK, THE BOTTOM LINE IS I THINK WE HAVE A PRESIDENT WHO IN THE FIRST WEEK IN OFFICE SENT A COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION OUTLINE TO THE CONGRESS.

WE HAVE A PRESIDENT WHO USED HIS PEN TO REESTABLISH OURSELVES AS A NATION OF IMMIGRANTS AND TO MAKE MORE SECURE AND MORE HUMANE OUR IMMIGRATION PROCESS, AND ACTUALLY, ONE OF HIS ORDERS, WITH REFERENCE TO THE REMAIN IN MEXICO POLICY, SO I WOULD SAY, LET'S JUST REALIZE THAT WE CANNOT UNDO FOUR YEARS IN ONE OR TWO WEEKS.

IT'S THE BEGINNING OF A PROCESS.

I LOOK FORWARD TO THE SUCCESSFUL AND ROBUST ACHIEVEMENT OF WHAT WE WANT TO SEE IN TERMS OF COMPREHENSIVE REFORM.

>> YOU WERE ONE OF THIS GROUP OF SENATORS WHO MET WITH THE PRESIDENT ABOUT THE COVID RECOVERY PACKAGE.

YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET A LOT OF REPUBLICAN SUPPORT, IF ANY AT ALL.

THE PRESIDENT URGED CONGRESS TO ACT NOW AND TO GO BIG.

YOU'RE ON BOARD WITH THAT, EVEN IF IT MEANS GOING THE KIND OF ROUNDABOUT WAY THAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO.

>> WELL, WHEN I MET WITH PRESIDENT BIDEN AND OTHER COLLEAGUES AT THE WHITE HOUSE YESTERDAY, IT WAS CLEAR THAT HE WANTS A BIG AND ROBUST PACKAGE, BECAUSE A NATIONAL EMERGENCY REQUIRES A NATIONAL RESPONSE.

AND I AGREE WITH HIM.

I WAS HERE DURING THE LAST GREAT RECESSION AS A MEMBER OF THE SENATE FINANCE AND BANKING COMMITTEE, SO OUR FAILURE TO ROBUSTLY RESPOND THEN LED TO A PROLONGED AND PROTRACTED ECONOMIC RECOVERY THAT LEFT A LOT OF AMERICANS BEHIND, A LOT OF NEW JERSEYANS BEHIND, AND WHERE MANY LOST THEIR HOMES.

WE SHOULD LEARN FROM THAT LESSON, NOT REPEAT IT.

AND WHILE WE WANT BIPARTISANSHIP, I WOULD REMIND MY REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES THAT THEY RAMMED THROUGH $2 TRILLION IN TAX CUTS THROUGH THE SAME PROCESS THAT WE'RE CONSIDERING THIS BUDGET.

THEY RAMMED THROUGH A WHOLE HOST OF OTHER ELEMENTS, INCLUDING EFFORTS TO TRY TO REPEAL THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT BY THE SAME BUDGET PROCESS WE ARE, AND WHEN WE TRIED TO GET THEM TO JOIN US, FOR MONTHS UNDER THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT, TO GET REPUBLICAN BUY-IN, AT THE END OF THE DAY, AFTER MONTHS, THEY REJECTED ANY EFFORTS.

SO, I'M ALL FOR BIPARTISANSHIP, BUT RIGHT NOW, THE AMERICAN PEOPLE NEED ACTION.

>> LASTLY, SENATOR, IMPEACHMENT, A NECESSITY IN YOUR MIND?

>> I HAVE A CONSTITUTIONAL OBLIGATION.

IT'S NO LONGER A QUESTION.

THE HOUSE DECIDED TO FILE, YOU KNOW, ARTICLES OF IMPEACHMENT.

THE CONSTITUTION REQUIRES THAT THE SENATE SIT AS JURORS AND MAKE A JUDGMENT.

I WILL OBEY AND FOLLOW MY CONSTITUTIONAL OBLIGATION.

>> ALL RIGHT, SENATOR BOB MENENDEZ, APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

THANKS FOR TALKING WITH US.

>> GOOD TO BE WITH YOU.

>>> THAT'S ALL THE "CHAT BOX" WE HAVE FOR THIS WEEK.

OUR THANKS TO SENATOR BOB MENENDEZ AND FIRST LADY TAMMY MURPHY.

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