>> CATHY: IMPASSE AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL DESCRIBES POLITICS IN MINNESOTA AND D.C.

AT THIS POINT.

OUR POLITICAL REPORTER MARY LAHAMMER HAS BEEN TRACKING ACTION, OR LACK THEREOF, AT THE STATE AND NATION'S CAPITOL.

>> WE'VE HEARD THAT THE GOVERNOR IS GOING TO E CALLING A SPECIAL SESSION.

>> Mary: MORE THAN A MONTH AFTER THE IS AFTER THE I ANNUNCIATION SCHOOL SHOOTING, THE LEADERS ARE STILL TALKING ABOUT IT.

>> THE GOVERNOR IS THE ONLY PERSON IN THE STATE THAT CAN CALL A SPECIAL SESSION.

WE ARE WAITING FOR THE GOVERNOR TO DO THAT.

I HAVE BEEN IN MEETINGS FOR THE LAST PROBABLY TWO WEEKS ON AND OFF, THE FOUR LEADERS AND THE GOVERNOR.

>> WE WANTED TO TALK ABOUT GUN VIOLENCE AND THAT WAS TOTALLY MISSING FROM THE REPUBLICAN OFFER.

SO FOR US TO COME BACK IN, AND GIVE REPUBLICANS EVERYTHING THEY WANT, WITHOUT ANYTHING WE WANT, THEY ARE ACTING JUST LIKE REPUBLICANS IN D.C.

RIGHT NOW.

>> LEADER MURPHY, MYSELF, THE GOVERNOR, PUT OUT A OFFER IN GOOD FAITH.

>> Mary: THE OFFER INCLUDED WHAT PARENTS HAVE BEEN DEMANDING, BANNING ASSAULT RIFLES AND HIGH CAPACITY MAGAZINES.

>> I'M FEELING DISCOURAGED AFTER LISTENING TO MY REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES JUST NOW BECAUSE I HEAR ON THE ONE HAND THAT WE NEED TO HAVE AN OPEN PROCESS, WE'RE ALL LEGISLATORS CAN BE INVOLVED AND IN THE VERY SAME PRESS CONFERENCE, I HEARD LEADER NISKA SAY THAT THERE WASN'T A SINGLE REPUBLICAN VOTE FOR AN ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN AND THAT HE WASN'T EVEN GOING TO BRING IT TO THE FLOOR.

>> Mary: BILLS HAVE TO BE BIPARTISAN.

>> THE GOVERNOR'S TALK OF A SPECIAL SESSION HAS BEEN A PARTISAN POLITICAL STUNT FROM THE BEGINNING.

UNFORTUNATELY, HE HAS NOT BEEN INTERESTED OR HAS NOT ACTED IF IF HE'S INTERESTED IN FINDING BIPARTISAN SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEM F SCHOOL SAFETY.

THE PROBLEM OF PUBLIC SAFETY.

THE PROBLEM OF MENTAL HEALTH.

>> Mary: THEY'RE OT SAYING TALKS HAVE BROKEN DOWN, BUT LEADERS SAY THEY'RE AT AN IMPASSE.

>> THIS LEGISLATURE PARTICULARLY, ANY SO CLOSELY DIVIDED LEGISLATURE, WE CAN'T JUST LOOK FOR BIPARTISANSHIP.

WHEN WE HAVE TO SOLVE OUR MOST DIFFICULT ISSUE ISSUES AND LET'S SAY THAT KEEPING OUR KIDS SAFE FROM GUN VIOLENCE N SCHOOLS IS A DIFFICULT ISSUE IN THIS LEGISLATURE RIGHT NOW.

I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY.

>> WHAT YOU NEED TO DO IS TO LOOK INTO THE EYESES OF MY SEVEN-YEAR-OLD AT NIGHT AND SHE LOOKS AT ME AND SHE TELLS ME SHE CAN'T GO TO SLEEP BECAUSE SHE'S AFRAID THERE'S A SHOOTER IN THE HOUSE.

GLAIM THE GLAIM >> Mary: THE HOUSE HASN'T HEARD A BILL FOR A WEAPON BAN.

>> NONHAS SAID, HELL, NO, MINNESOTANS AND MY COLLEAGUES UNDERSTAND THAT THIS MOMENT IS IMPORTANT.

AND THEY'RE TAKING IT VERY SERIOUSLY.

>> FOR OUR CAUCUS, THIS IS VERY PERSONAL.

THE REASON WHY I'M TALKING TO IS BECAUSE OUR LEADER WAS KILLED IN AN ACT OF GUN VIOLENCE.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO GIVE UP ON THIS.

WE'LL KEEP TALKING ABOUT IT THROUGHOUT THE REST OF INTERIM, THROUGHOUT THE REGULAR SESSION, INTO THE CAMPAIGN AND INTO 2027.

WE'RE IN IT FOR THE LONG HAW.

>> PUNISHING CRIMINALS AS WE'VE SEEN, THE NUMBER OF SHOOTINGS ACROSS MINNESOTA ESCALATE, WE HAVE GOT TO GET A HOLD OF PUBLIC SAFETY TOO.

THAT INCLUDES UR KIDS IN OUR SCHOOLS.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO DOING THE WORK AND IT WILL CONTINUE ON.

THANK YOU.

>> Mary: THE IMPASSE AT THE STATE CAPITOL OVER A SPECIAL SESSION ISN'T THE ONLY POLITICAL STEALMATE, A FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SCHOENBERG ALSO HAS AN IMPACT IN MINNESOTA.

>> IF YOU EXCLUDE HE POSTAL SERVICE, MINNESOTA IS HOME TO ABOUT 18,000 FEDERAL WORKERS.

MOST OF THEM WORK FOR THE DEPARTMENTS OF VETERANS AFFAIRS AND THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

>> THE HEALTHCARE OF THOUSANDS OF MINNESOTANS IS CURRENTLY ON THE LINE.

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SCHOENBERG IS HERE.

AND WITH IT, CONGRESS IS FACED YET GAIN WITH THE CHOICE OF WHO THEY WILL FIGHT FOR AND WHAT THEY WILL FUND.

>> Mary: FIGHT FOR OUR HEALTHCARE IS DEMAND FROM A GROUP JOINED BY THE STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL, WHO ALSO SERVED IN CONGRESS.

>> THIS IS WRONG.

IT'S UNFAIR.

IT OBVIOUSLY WILL IMPOSE DEVASTATING CUTS.

AND WHAT I REALLY HOPE IS THAT IT WAKES PEOPLE UP TO WHAT'S GOING ON IN OUR NATION RIGHT NOW.

>> Mary: WITH NOWHERE SOYBEANS SOLD TO THE TOP MARKET OF CHINA TO THE U.S., THE MINNESOTA FARMERS UNION SAY THE MARKET WILL GO UNDER.

>> A LOT OF FARMERS RE GOING TO BE FACED WITH A CHOICE.

BUYING A HEALTHCARE INSURANCE POLICY, VERSUS MAKING THEIR LOAN PAYMENT TO KEEP THEMSELF OUT OF FORECLOSURE, OR IN SOME CASES, PUTTING FOOD ON THE TABLE.

>> REPUBLICANS NEED, NEED TO AGREE TO ROLL BACK THEIR CUTS TO OUR HEALTHCARE AND END THIS SCHOENBERG TODAY.

>> Mary: MAJORITY WHIP TOM EMMER DEFENDS REPUBLICANS WHO CONTROL CONGRESS.

>> WHEN A FEDERAL EMPLOYEES ARE OUT OF WORK AND FEDERAL CONTRACTORS ARE OUT OF MONEY AND PEOPLE CAN'T GET INTO STATE PARKS AND CAN'T GET THE SERVICES THAT THEY EXPECT, THEY'RE GOING TO GO HOME AND SAY, I HAD A CHANCE TO KEEP IT OPEN BY KEEPING CURRENT FUNDING LEVELS WITH NO REPUBLICAN, WHAT, TEASERS IN THERE, NOTHING.

>> THIS IDEA THAT YOU'VE GOT TO GO AND KISS THE RING OR GIVE SOME TYPE AWARD TO GET BASIC SERVICES THAT HE SWORE AN OATH TO -- THAT IS