>> Laura: WELCOME SENATOR HEINRICH.

THANKS FOR COMING INTO THE STUDIO.

>> Heinrich: ALWAYS GREAT TO BE HERE.

>> Laura: WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE END OF JULY.

THE BIG NEWS THIS WEEK WAS WEST VIRGINIA SENATOR JOE MANCHIN FINALLY STOPPED HOLDING UP ENERGY, CLIMATE TAX BILL.

THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT.

IF PASSED WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CRITICAL CLIMATE PROVISIONS IN THAT BILL?

>> Heinrich: IF WE CAN GET THIS ACROSS THE FINISH LINE, AND WE ARE NOT THERE YET, BUT IT WOULD BE FAR AND AWAY THE BIGGEST THING EVER DONE ON CLIMATE.

THERE ARE AN ENORMOUS SUITE OF TAX INCENTIVES AND OTHER PROGRAMS THAT COULD REDUCE THE U.S.' POLLUTION OUTPUT IN TERMS OF CARBON DIOXIDE BY AS MUCH AS 40% BETWEEN NOW AND 2030.

WE HAVE JUST NEVER MOVED THE NEEDLE THAT MUCH, SO, THERE IS TAX CREDITS FOR WIND AND SOLAR, A WHOLE SUITE OF POLICIES DESIGNED AT BRINGING MANUFACTURING FOR ALL THOSE CLEAN TECHNOLOGIES, BATTERIES WIND, SOLAR STORAGE BACK TO THE U.S.

THERE ARE REBATES TO HELP INDIVIDUAL FAMILIES WITH THE COST OF THEIR ENERGY BURDEN AND REALLY GETTING THEM THE BEST, MOST EFFICIENT TECHNOLOGIES NOW, AT THE SAME PRICE AS OLD FASHION TECHNOLOGY.

SO, THEN THEY CAN SAVE ON THEIR BILLS MONTH AFTER MONTH AFTER MONTH.

SO, THERE IS AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT IN THIS BILL.

OBVIOUSLY IT IS THE RESULT OF YEARS WORTH OF NEGOTIATING AND COMPROMISE, BUT A GIANT STEP FORWARD FOR CLIMATE.

>> Laura: IT HAS BEEN INTERESTING TO GO WATCH THE DEBATE GOING ON AND I KNOW THAT SENATOR SCHUMER WAS NEGOTIATING.

DO YOU HAVE ANY SIGNS OF WHAT FINALLY SWAYED THE WEST VIRGIN SENATOR TO SUPPORTING THIS?

>> Heinrich: YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE WAS A MOMENT THERE WHEN THINGS REALLY SEEMED TO COME APART.

AND I AM NOT SURE THAT THE SENATOR FROM WEST VIRGINIA WAS QUITE READY FOR THE SCALE OF THE BACKLASH AT THAT MOMENT.

AND THAT IS ON POLICY GROUNDS BUT IT IS ALSO JUST ON THE GROUNDS THAT WE WERE ALL TRYING TO ENGAGE IN THIS IN GOOD FAITH FOR WELL OVER A YEAR.

AND IF YOU'RE NOT GOING TO ACTUALLY MAKE A DECISION AT THE END OF THE DAY, THEN, THAT IS A VERY BAD PLACE TO BE AND I THINK HE REALIZED THAT WE WERE CLOSE ENOUGH THAT WE CAN GET THERE AND MAKE IT WORK FOR ALL 50 SENATORS INVOLVED.

>> Laura: I KIND OF WANTED TO MOVE TOWARD JANUARY 6 A LITTLE BIT.

YOU LIVED THROUGH THAT HISTORIC INSURRECTION AND I AM CURIOUS YOUR THOUGHTS LOOKING BACK WITH THE HEARINGS GOING ON RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE AS A NATION HEAL FROM SOMETHING LIKE THAT?

>> Heinrich: I THINK WHAT IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW, IN TERMS OF EVEN MUCH MORE SO THAN THE IMPEACHMENT TRIAL, THE HEARINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING RIGHT NOW HAVE REALLY FORCED PEOPLE TO TAKE SOME RESPONSIBILITY FOR THINGS THAT GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS DID IN THOSE DAYS RUNNING UP TO JANUARY 6.

THERE IS A LOT MORE TRANSPARENCY AROUND THIS NOW THAN THERE WAS.

I THINK THAT IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF HOW WE COME TO GRIPS WITH HOW THIS HAPPENED AND HOW WE TRY TO ANSWER THE QUESTION OF HOW WE PREVENT IT FROM HAPPENING IN THE FUTURE.

I NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS THOUGHT THAT I WOULD SEE THE THINGS THAT I SAW ON JANUARY 6.

IT IS SOMETHING I STILL, YOU KNOW, STILL THINK ABOUT EVERYDAY AND, YOU KNOW, I KNEW, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE CAPITOL POLICE THAT I USED TO SAY HI TO EVERY OTHER DAY THAT AREN'T WITH US.

SO, I HOPE THIS IS A MOMENT WHERE WE REALIZE THAT DEMOCRACY IS NOT SOMETHING THAT JUST CONTINUES WITH THE INERTIA OF TIME BUT WE HAVE TO INVEST IN IT AND WE HAVE TO REINVEST IN IT AND I THINK WE ALL TOOK THAT DEMOCRATIC PROCESS FOR GRANTED FOR TOO LONG UNTIL IT WAS TESTED AND, BOY, IT NEARLY BROKE BUT IT DIDN'T.

AND NOW WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO HOLD ONTO THIS AND TRY TO MOVE FORWARD IN A WAY THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT THE NEXT TIME AROUND THAT ELECTIONS ARE DECIDED BY VOTERS.

>> Laura: I CAN'T BELIEVE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THESE SORTS OF THINGS IN THE UNITED STATES NOW BUT POLITICS REALLY FEELS TO ME AS SOMETHING THAT HAS BECOME LIKE THIS CRAZY SPECTATOR SPORT AND ON THE OUTSIDE OF IT, LIKE, I AM TIRED.

I AM TIRED OF WATCHING IT.

AND I AM JUST CURIOUS IF BIPARTISANSHIP IS SOMETHING OF THE PAST OR IF WE CAN COME TOGETHER AS A NATION.

>> Heinrich: I THINK TO SOME DEGREE IT IS UP TO -- IT WILL BE DECIDED BY VOTERS WHO HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION AS TO WHETHER WHICH CULTURAL TEAM THEY ARE ON IS MORE IMPORTANT OR WHETHER THEY WANT GOVERNANCE AND STABILITY OF DEMOCRACY AND THE REALITY THAT WE MOVE FORWARD THROUGH A PROCESS OF COMPROMISE.

WE HAVE A PRETTY GOOD THING GOING IN THIS COUNTRY.

WITH ALL OF OUR CHALLENGES WE HAVE HAD HISTORICALLY, WE HAVE HAD A VERY STABLE COUNTRY THAT WAS ALWAYS AT THE FRONT EDGE, IF YOU LOOK AROUND THE GLOBE, OF EXTENDING RIGHTS AND TAKING BETTER CARE OF PEOPLE.

WE HAVE HAD THIS MOMENT WHERE THAT CALLS ALL OF THAT INTO QUESTION AND I HOPE THAT IT WILL MAKE ALL OF US REALIZE JUST HOW GOOD WE HAVE IT AND HOW IT IS COMPLETELY WORTH REINVESTING IN THIS PROCESS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE PASSING ON BETTER OPPORTUNITIES TO THE NEXT GENERATION.

>> Laura: THANK YOU SENATOR.

I APPRECIATE IT.

>> Heinrich: GOOD TO BE WITH YOU.