FOUNDATION, AND THE CHARLES A. FRUEAUFF FOUNDATION.

[MUSIC] >> Bonnie: HELLO AND WELCOME TO A SPECIAL ADDITION OF "TO THE CONTRARY".

I AM HOST, BONNIE ERBE.

TODAY, OUR GUEST IS YOU AS REPRESENTATIVE KATIE PORTER, A CALIFORNIA DEMOCRAT.

SHE IS A FRESHMAN AND THE ONLY SINGLE MOTHER IN CONGRESS WITH THREE CHILDREN.

WE ARE TALKING TO HER ABOUT THAT AND ABOUT HER ACTIVISM ON THE COVID-19 ISSUE.

SO NICE TO SEE YOU, CONGRESSWOMAN PORTER.

THANK YOU FOR DOING THIS.

I KNOW YOU ARE LIVING TO THE PANDEMIC WITH THREE CHILDREN AT HOME, ALL QUARANTINE TOGETHER.

YOU HAD A SCARE AND YOU THOUGHT YOU MAY HAVE HAD THE VIRUS.

TELL ME ABOUT HOW ALL THAT IS GOING, PLEASE.

>> Rep. Katie Porter: IT HAS ITS GOOD MOMENTS AND IT'S BAD MOMENTS.

I THINK THAT'S TRUE FOR MOST AMERICAN FAMILIES.

SO I WAS JUST A FEW MINUTES AGO TELLING MY STAFF THAT, YOU KNOW, I THINK I'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF THIS RHYTHM FIGURED OUT AND I THINK WE CAN START TO IMPLEMENT SOME OF THESE ADDITIONAL IDEAS.

AND THEN RIGHT AFTER I SAID THAT, MY DAUGHTER CAME DOWN, STOMPING DOWN IN TEARS BECAUSE SHE HAD BEEN LOCKED OUT OF MICRO BOOK AND MY PASSWORD IS TOO COMPLICATED FOR HER AND SHE'S MISSING HER SECOND GRADE MATH, HENCE MY BEING LATE FOR THE INTERVIEW.

SO I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, I SOMETIMES THINK A LOT OF AMERICANS SOMETIMES FEEL LIKE I'M DOING FINE AND SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE IT'S A REALLY HARD TIME.

>> Bonnie: YOU UP.

EXACTLY.

AND JUGGLING.

BUT YOU HAD SOME KIND OF GREAT, BIG HELP FROM SOMEONE WITH JUGGLING.

TELL ME ABOUT THAT, FIGURING OUT HOW TO QUARANTINE AND JUGGLE AT THE SAME TIME.

>> Rep. Katie Porter: YEAH, NO.

I MEAN, IT'S BEEN A CHALLENGE FOR SURE.

I WAS VERY LUCKY THAT WHEN I WAS REALLY, REALLY SICK AND HAD A FEVER AND WAS REALLY BEING TOLD YOUR KIDS SHOULD NOT COME IN OR NEAR YOU, MY BOYFRIEND CAME UP AND HELPED COOK FOR ME AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

THAT WAS VERY HELPFUL.

BUT FOR A LOT OF SINGLE MOMS, SINGLE DADS, AND THIS IS GOING TO BE VERY, VERY TOUGH TIME INCLUDING A LOT OF THE GRANDPARENTS WHO ARE IN A HIGH-RISK GROUP WHO ARE RAISING KIDS ON THEIR OWN RIGHT NOW.

I'VE BEEN GIVING A LOT OF THOUGHT TO b E TALK ABOUT SENIORS AND MAKING SURE SENIOR STAY HOME.

A LOT OF SENIORS ARE TRYING TO RAISE GRANDKIDS BY THEMSELVES AND THAT'S A PARTICULARLY HARD TO DO AT THIS MOMENT.

>> Bonnie: NOW, TELL ME ABOUT --- YOU ARE THE CHAMPION OF FREE TESTS.

YOU ARE GOT THE CDC DIRECTOR TO GET FREE COVID-19, CORONAVIRUS, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT, TESTS FOR ANYONE WHO ANYONE NEEDED OR WANTED ONE.

HOW DID YOU DO THAT?

>> Rep. Katie Porter: WELL, SO, AT ALL OF MY HEARINGS, WE REALLY START BY THINKING ABOUT WHAT IS IT WE WANT OUT OF THIS HEARING.

WHAT DOES THE AMERICAN PUBLIC NEED?

AND SO, WE KNEW WE HAD THE CDC DIRECTOR COMING IN.

WE KNEW THEY HAD A DOCTOR FAUCI, HEAD OF NIH, NATIONAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES COMING IN.

AND WE SAID, WHAT'S REALLY ON PEOPLE'S MINDS IS HOW ARE THEY GOING TO AVOID THIS KNOW HOW DID THEY GET TESTED?

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

IT'S A WE BEGIN TO MAP OUTb OW DO WE BEGIN TO MAP OUT THE WITNESS THAT WE WANT THEM TO BE?

AND SO A LOT OF THEM'S PREPARATION PLANNING, GREAT STAFF WORK, RESEARCH.

AND SO MY STAFF HAD IDENTIFIED THIS EXISTING REGULATIONS, EXISTING LAW THAT WOULD'VE LEFT THE CDC MAKE TESTING FREE.

AND SO, WHILE MY COLLEAGUES WERE ALL DEBATING WE SHOULD PASS A LAW ON THIS, MAYBE WE SHOULD TAKE A LOOK AT THIS PROBLEM, IT TURNS OUT THE LAW WAS JUST SITTING THERE READY TO BE PICKED UP AND USED, AND WHAT WAS NEEDED WAS SOME PRESSURE ON THE ADMINISTRATION TO GET THEM TO DO THAT.

WHILE I GOT DR.

RIGHT FIELD TO YES, THE REALITY IS MUCH MORE COMPLICATED.

WE ARE HEARING FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE GETTING BILLS FOR TESTING, CONGRESS HAS NOW ACTED TWICE LEGISLATIVE TO MAKE CLEAR THAT TESTING SHOULD BE FREE BUT IT'S STILL COMPLICATED TO ACTUALLY MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

>> Bonnie: YOU ARE A REAL HEROINE, A SORT OF ON BOGARD, YOUNG FEMINIST IN THE HOUSE FOR POOR PEOPLE IN FOR ALSO ASKING BRILLIANT QUESTIONS AND GETTING WHAT YOU JUST DESCRIBED FROM THE CDC HEAD, FROM ALL KINDS OF GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS.

DID YOU LEARN THAT HARVARD LAW SCHOOL FROM SENATOR WARREN WHEN YOU WERE HER STUDENT?

>> Rep. Katie Porter: WELL, SHE CERTAINLY WAS A GREAT QUESTION OR OF STUDENTS.UT I b ÃÃAND SHE CERTAINLY A GREAT ROLE MODEL TO ME, BUT I THINK A LOT OF LEARNED A LOT OF IT FROM A COMBINATION OF TWO THINGS: ONE IS BEING A TEACHER MYSELF.

SO WALKING INTO A CLASSROOM A COUPLE TIMES A DAY WITH LAW STUDENTS AND REALLY THINKING IN ADVANCE ABOUT WHAT DO I WANT THE STUDENTS TO KNOW?

RIGHT, I WANT THEM TO KNOW THE ANSWERO HOW TO ASK QUESTIONS THAT GETS THEM TO UNDERSTAND THE MATERIAL AND TO GIVE THE ANSWERS, THE CORRECT ANSWER SO THAT THEIR CLASSMATES CAN LEARN FROM THEM.

THE SECOND THING IS THE WORK I DO MYSELF WITH REGARD TO OVERSIGHT, WHICH IS I WAS APPOINTED BY THEN ATTORNEY GENERAL KAMALA HARRIS TO OVERSEE THE FIVE BIGGEST BANKS FOLLOWING THE NATIONAL MORTGAGE SETTLEMENT.

AND THIS WAS IN 2012bÖÖ013.

A LOT OF PEOPLE HAD ALREADY BEEN HURTING FOR YEARS.

AND SO, IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE SHOW PEOPLE THAT GOVERNMENT WAS COMPETENT, THAT GOVERNMENT WAS WORKING ON BEHALF AND PEOPLE WERE FIGHTING FOR THEM, THAT THEY WERE GETTING SHUFFLED FROM AN AGENCY TO ANOTHER, THAT THEY WERE GETTING IN SERVICE AND THEY WERE GETTING AN HONEST TRUTH TELLING.

AND SO, I THINK I BRING THAT THINGS TOGETHER WHEN I DO MY EARRINGS.

>> Bonnie: NOW YOU'RE CONCERNED SPEAKING OF OVERSIGHT, WHICH, LET'S FACE IT IS A WORD THAT PUTS MOST PEOPLE TO SLEEP WHEN THEY HEAR IT.

BUT YOU'RE A BIG PROPONENT OF OVERSIGHT, ESPECIALLY ON THIS $500 BILLION ESSENTIALLY GRANTOR LOANS TO CORPORATIONS THAT WAS INCLUDED IN THE STIMULUS PACKAGE.

TELL ME ABOUT HOW COMPANIES COULD ABUSE ALL OF THAT AND HOW YOU AS A MEMBER OF CONGRESS CAN GO AFTER THEM AND PENALIZE THEM FOR DOING THAT.

>> Rep. Katie Porter: YEAH.

SO LET ME JUST SAY ONE THING GENERALLY ABOUT WHY OVERSIGHT IS SO IMPORTANT: AND WHY SHOULD NOT PUT PEOPLE TO SLEEP IN INSTEAD SHOULD BECAUSE PEOPLE'S EARS TO PERK UP: CONGRESS IS NOT SURE ON GOOD IDEAS.

OUR GOVERNMENT IS NOT SURE ON TRYING TO HELP PEOPLE WERE WE FALL DOWN SOMETIMES IS IN THE DELIVERY, WHICH IS WHY OVERSIGHT IS SO IMPORTANT.

SO IT'S A LOT EASIER TO COME UP WITH A GOAL, THAT IS WE WANT PEOPLE TO HAVE MORE UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS DURING THIS TIME, THAN IT IS TO ACTUALLY GET PEOPLE THOSE UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS.

AND THAT'S WERE OVERSIGHT REALLY KICKS IN.

IT'S ABOUT CLOSING THE GAP BETWEEN THE PROMISES THAT GOVERNMENT MAKES IN THE REALITIES OF WHAT GOVERNMENT DOES IN PEOPLE'S LIVES.

AND AS A PROGRESSIVE, MAKING SURE THAT THOSE THINGS ARE MATCHING UP IS HOW WE GIVE PEOPLE CONFIDENCE.

IN OUR GOVERNMENT, IT'S WHY WE THEN ASKED THEM TO DO THINGS LIKE FILL OUT THE CENSUS AND VOTE AND APPLY FOR GOVERNMENT HELP AND KNOW THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS GOING TO ACTUALLY BE THERE AND DELIVER.

SO IT'S AN OVERSIGHT b T'S AN INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT PART OF EFFECTIVE GOVERNMENT.

WITH REGARD TO THE $500 BILLION THAT'S ALLOCATED IN THE CARES ACT, THIS MONEY IS ALLOCATED TO THE TREASURY WHICH WILL WORK WITH THE FEDERAL RESERVE, AND ESSENTIALLY WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS THE TREASURY WILL ADVANCE MONEY TO CERTAIN CORPORATIONS, CERTAIN INDUSTRIES, AND THEN THE FEDERAL RESERVE WILL BE ABLE TO LEND AGAINST THAT MONEY.O THIS IS WHAT THE GAP b ÃÃBETWEEN PEOPLE MIGHT HAVE HEARD ABOUT THE 500 BILLION, BUT THEN THEY HEAR SECRETARY MINUCHIN TALK ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE OR $6 TRILLION.

HOW DOES THAT MULTIPLICATION WORK?

IT WORKS BECAUSE THE TREASURY LOAN EFFECTIVELY BECOMES A DOWN PAYMENT FOR A FEDERAL RESERVE LOANS.

THE TREASURY GRANTS THE MONEY, IT'S USED AS A DOWN PAYMENT AND FOR THE FEDERAL RESERVE TO LEND EVEN MORE MONEY TO THESE CORPORATIONS.

AND, LOOK, BIG CORPORATIONS ARE ALSO BIG EMPLOYERS.

SO WHILE I'M KNOWN FOR MY WILLINGNESS TO CALL OUT BIG CORPORATIONS WHEN THEY ARE TREATING AMERICAN CONSUMERS OR WHEN THEY ARE TRYING TO BREAK THE LAW, WE ALSO HAVE TO BE CLEAR THAT THEY CAN OPERATIONS OR BIG EMPLOYERS AND BIG EMPLOYERS HAVE THE CAPACITY RIGHT NOW TO HELP KEEP A WHOLE LOT OF AMERICAN FAMILIES ON THE PAYROLL, AND THAT'S WHAT TREASURY SHOULD BE DOING WITH THIS MONEY, IS MAKING SURE THAT COMPANIES ARE USING IT TO KEEP PEOPLE ON PAYROLL.

>> Bonnie: DO YOU TRUST THAT THIS ADMINISTRATION TO DOb }SPEAKER2á I DON'T TRUST ANY b ÃÃLOOK, I DON'T TRUST ANY ADMINISTRATION INNOCENCE.

SEEN FOR TOO LONG.

I MEAN, REMEMBER THE MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE WAR EXACTLY WAS BEING DONE UNDER PRESIDENT OBAMA'S >> Bonnie: AND VERY FEW PEOPLE, IF ANY, WENT TO JAIL FOR REPACKAGING THOSE BAD MORTGAGE LOANS.

SO WHY SHOULD PEOPLE HAVE b ÃÃ WHY SHOULD THEY TRUST OVERSIGHT WHEN THAT WAS $1 TRILLION SCANDAL AND NO ONE WOULD HELP FOR IT?

>> Rep. Katie Porter: LOOK, THERE WILL DEFINITELY BE PUBLIC CYNICISM ABOUT THE TREASURY FUND AND THAT'S WHY OVERSIGHT IS SO IMPORTANT.

AND I WANTED TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN TWO THINGS.

ONE IS PEOPLE DOING BAD THINGS AND WE NEED TO PUNISH THEM.

THAT REALLY IS NOT OVERSIGHT, THAT'S PROSECUTION.

AND WE NEED TO HAVE THAT WHEN IT HAPPENS.

BUT JUST TO BE CLEAR, AT THE PRESENT MOMENT, THE PANDEMIC WASN'T DONE BECAUSE SOMEONE DID SOMETHING CRIMINAL.

THIS IS A DISEASE THAT SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.

EVERY COUNTRY IS FACING IT.

BUT AS THE GOVERNMENT GOES TO HELP, OVERSIGHT IS ABOUT CLOSING THAT GAP BETWEEN WHAT THE GOVERNMENT PROMISES, SAY, SMALL BUSINESS LOANS, AND WHAT THE GOVERNMENT IS DELIVERING, WHICH IS THE WEBSITE TO APPLY FOR THOSE LOANS CRASHING.

SO THAT'S THE KIND OF THING THAT CAN HAPPEN AND DEMOCRATIC ADMINISTRATIONS, IT CAN HAPPEN IN REPUBLICAN ADMINISTRATIONS.

I WILL SAY, AND I SAW THE PROMISE THE ADMINISTRATION HAD IN DELIVERING MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE HELP TO PEOPLE.

I WILL SAY WHEN DIFFERENCE WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP'S ADMINISTRATION IS HE HAS OPENLY SAID THAT HE DOES NOT THINK HE IS SUBJECT TO OVERSIGHT, THAT HE DOES NOT BELIEVE IN THE SYSTEM OF CONGRESSIONAL CHECKS AND BALANCES ON THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH, AND THAT'S NOT A PROBLEM THAT I THINK WE HAVE SEEN IN PRIOR ADMINISTRATIONS, DEMOCRAT OR REPUBLICAN.

I THINK IT'S MORE UNIQUE TO PRESIDENT TRUMP, AND I DO THINK IT'S TROUBLING AND IT'S WHY OVERSIGHT FOR THIS $500 BILLION IS SO IMPORTANT.

>> Bonnie: ARE YOU GOING TO MAKE THAT SORT OF THE MAIN THEME OF THE REST OF YOUR FIRST TERM IN OFFICE?

>> Rep. Katie Porter: WELL, WE ARE CERTAINLY VERY FOCUSED ON HELPING FAMILIES RIGHT NOW AND SMALL BUSINESSES.

I HAVE A LOT OF HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS AS WELL AS COMPANIES ARE WORKING TO PRODUCE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT AND MEDICAL DEVICES IN MY DISTRICT.

SO FIRST AND FOREMOST, YOU HAVE TO PUT DOING RIGHT BY YOUR CONSTITUENTS.

AND SO, MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE LISTENING TO THEM, THAT THEM CALLING THEM BACK, THAT THEY ARE GETTING HELP NAVIGATING GOVERNMENT.

BUT, LO, I HAVE A STRONG BACKGROUND IN OVERSIGHT.HIS IS MY SKILL.

THIS IS WHERE I CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN ADDING TO CONGRESS BEING EFFECTIVE DURING THIS PANDEMIC.

SO I FOCUS ON OVERSIGHT BEFORE THIS PANDEMIC CAME ALONG AND I WILL CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON HOLDING PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE AFTER THIS PANDEMIC.

AND ONE OF THE HARD THINGS RIGHT NOW IS THAT WE ARE NOT HAVING HEARINGS.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, I'VE REALLY BEEN PUSHING THE LEADERS IN CONGRESS OF BOTH PARTIES TO BEGIN TO HAVE REMOTE HEARINGS TO PERMIT CONGRESS MEMBERS TO REMOTE VOTE.

WE ARE TALKING A LOT ABOUT HOW CITIZENS SHOULD VOTE IN THE PRIMARIES OR NOVEMBER 2020 ELECTION, BUT WE ALSO HAVE YET TO BE DONE TO PERMIT CONGRESS TO VOTE DURING THIS PANDEMIC WITHOUT REQUIRING ALL THIS TO FLY ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND GATHERED TOGETHER ON THE HOUSE FLOOR.

>> Bonnie: NOW, YOU LIVE IN CALIFORNIA.

GAVIN OR NEWSOM HAS BEEN, REMOTE MEETINGS WITH PEOPLE AND WATCHING THE NEWS AND SEEING NUMBERS.OW WOULD YOU COMPARE WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN THROUGH?

PLEASE DESCRIBE IT TO OUR VIEWERS AS A CALIFORNIAN VERSUS THE FEDERAL EFFORT AND WHICH EFFORT DO YOU THINK HAS BEEN MORE EFFECTIVE?

>> Rep. Katie Porter: I THINK OF GAVIN NEWSOM IN CALIFORNIA HAS DONE AN EXTRAORDINARY JOB AND IS REALLY BEEN PROVIDING A MODEL TO WHAT OTHER GOVERNORS SHOULD BE DOING IS THIS PANDEMIC BEGINS TO SPREAD.

CALIFORNIA, REMEMBER, HAD THE SECOND CASE IN THE COUNTRY.

IT WAS RIGHT HERE IN MY DISTRICT IN ORANGE COUNTY WHERE WE HAD THAT SECOND CONFIRMED CASE AND IT WAS ALL THE WAY BACK, JANUARY 26, THAT WE HAVE THE SECOND CASE IN THE UNITED STATES RIGHT HERE IN ORANGE COUNTY.

AND SO, THE GOVERNOR BEGAN TO WORK ON THIS QUITE A WHILE AGO.

HIS PRESS CONFERENCES, HIS DAILY BRIEFINGS ARE EXCELLENT.

E'S BEEN USING SOCIAL MEDIA VERY EFFECTIVELY, AND I THINK HAS BEEN WORKING VERY HARD TO EXPLAIN TO PEOPLE WHY HE'S DOING WHAT HE'S DOING.

RATHER THAN JUST ISSUING A PROCLAMATION AND DEMANDING COMPLIANCE, I THINK WE'VE SEEN GOVERNOR NEWSOM GOING BACK EVEN BEFORE HIS SHELTER IN PLACE ORDER TALKING TO CALIFORNIA ABOUT WHAT'S GOING TO BE REQUIRED OF THEM.

>> Bonnie: WELL, SO I GET THE FEELING, BUT STEER ME IN THE OTHER DIRECTION IF I'M WRONG, THAT YOU ARE SAYING THAT THE FEDERAL EFFORT HAS NOT BEEN ANYWHERE NEAR AS GOOD, WHICH I THINK A LOT OF AMERICANS ARE THINKING AND SEEING TOO HAS SOME OF THE STATES, INCLUDING CALIFORNIA AND INCLUDING GOVERNOR CUOMO IN NEW YORK STATE WHO PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY NOT DEDICATED FANS AND REPUBLICAN PARTISANS WHO THINK THAT TRUMP IS DOING A GREAT JOB.

BUT A LOT OF INDEPENDENTS AND DEMOCRATS ARE SAYING THE FEDERAL JOB HAS BEEN CLOSE TO A DISASTER.

>> WELL, AND HERE'S PART OF WHAT I WOULD SAY, IS CONGRESS HAS A RELATIVELY LIMITED ROLE IN THE EARLY STAGES OF SOMETHING LIKE THIS.

THIS IS WHERE THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH HAS TO DO WITH JOB.

AND SO, THEY WERE SO MANY TOOLS AVAILABLE TO THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH THAT IT COULD HAVE BEGUN USING BACK AT THE END OF JANUARY AND EARLY FEBRUARY IN MID-FEBRUARY.

AND SO, THE FACT THAT THEY WERE NOT USING THOSE TOOLS, THEY WERE NOT DEVELOPING A COORDINATED STRATEGY AND WERE NOT COMMUNICATING CONSISTENTLY WITH ALL 50 GOVERNORS AND THE TERRITORIES ON WITH THE ROLLOUT AND STRATEGY WAS GOING TO BE, I THINK WAS REALLY CREATED A LOT OF THE MAYHEM YOU SEE NOW.

AND I AGREE THAT GOVERNOR CUOMO IN NEW YORK IS DOING A GREAT JOB, BUT TO BE CLEAR, THE REALITY IN NEW YORK IS HORRIFIC.

AND SO, THE FACT THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DID NOT COMMUNICATE MORE CLEARLY, DID NOT COMMUNICATE WITH CUOMO WHAT WAS NEEDED, THAT HAS LEFT CUOMO IN A POSITION OF TRYING TO RESPOND TO A BAD SITUATION WHERE WE COULD HAVE AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL COTTON AHEAD OF US AND TRIED TO NOT BE AS DIRE AS IT IS, AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'VE SEEN CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR NEWSOM DO WHICH IS REALLY TRY, BEFORE WE HAD WIDESPREAD PANDEMIC, SAY THIS IS WHAT WE'VE GOT TO DO TO PREVENT THIS FROM GETTING b ÃÃTO GET INTO A SERIOUS SITUATION.

LOOK, IT'S SERIES IN CALIFORNIA TOO.

WE KNOW WE HAVE CASES, SHORTAGES.

CALIFORNIA HAS ONE OF THE HARDEST TIMES IN DELIBERATE TESTING, BOTH NUMBER OF TESTS AND TURNING AROUND THOSE TESTS.

BUT WHAT I HEARD OUR GOVERNOR SAY, GOVERNOR NEWSOM, WAS EYE ON THIS PROBLEM.

EYE ON THIS PROBLEM OF TESTING, AND I'M GOING TO WORK ON FIXING IT.

THAT IS REALLY, REALLY SOOTHING AND COMFORTING TO ME AS A CITIZEN OF CALIFORNIA AT THIS TIME RATHER THAN HEARING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT A LOT OF POINTING FINGERS AT EACH OTHER AND AT STATE GOVERNMENT, WHICH I THINK CAUSES PEOPLE TO WONDER IF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT REALLY HAS THE SITUATION WELL IN HAND.

>> Bonnie: SO WHAT WOULD A MORE APPROPRIATE FEDERAL RESPONSE HAVE BEEN IN YOUR OPINION TO START SOCIAL DISTANCING AND EVEN MAY BE QUARANTINING BACK IN JANUARY INSTEAD OF IN MARCH, YOU KNOW, INSTEAD OF NEVER EVEN REALLY PUTTING THE REGULATION OUT THERE IN THE PRESIDENT SAYING, WELL, YOU SHOULD, YOU SHOULD WEAR A MASK BUT I'M NOT GOING TO DO IT?

>> Rep. Katie Porter: RIGHT.

I THINK THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THINGS: ONE IS THAT b ÃÃI LED THE FIRST LETTER ASKING FOR CONGRESSIONAL BRIEFING ABOUT CORONAVIRUS AND THAT'S BECAUSE WE ARE THE SECOND CASE IN THE COUNTRY RIGHT HERE IN ORANGE COUNTY.

AND SO, I WROTE AND ASKED THE CDC AND THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH IN THESE DIFFERENT AGENCIES TO COME AND BRIEF US, THE CENTERS FOR MEDICARE AND MEDICAID.

WHEN WE BEGAN TO GET CONGRESSIONAL BRIEFINGS, IN THE FIRST FEW WEEKS, IN EARLY FEBRUARY, MID-FEBRUARY, EVENLY FEBRUARY, THEY WERE VERY SPARSELY ATTENDED.

THERE WHERE A HANDFUL OF MEMBERS.

OUT OF ALL 435 IN THE HOUSE, MAYBE 20, 30, 40 MEMBERS AT THIS BRIEFINGS.

THAT WAS LOST TIME.

BUT BECAUSE THOSE WERE BRIEFINGS, RATHER THAN PUBLIC HEARINGS, THEY WERE ALSO LOST TIME FOR US TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE PUBLIC ABOUT HOW SERIOUS THIS WAS.

AND SO, THE SCIENCE THAT WE WERE GETTING, CLEARLY, WE ARE LEARNING MORE ABOUT THIS VIRUS.

IT'S TO BE EXPECTED THAT WE WILL UNDERSTAND THINGS SCIENTIFICALLY TODAY ABOUT THE VIRUS THAT WE DID NOT UNDERSTAND BACK THEN.

BUT WHAT WAS NOT CLEAR THEN WAS WHAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS DOING ABOUT IT.

IT'S VERY HARD TO GET CONSISTENT ANSWERS.

IT WAS VERY HARD TO GET THE ADMINISTRATION TO REVEAL MUCH OF ANYTHING.ND BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT WILLING TO COME TO HEARINGS AND SWEAR UNDER OATH TO THE AMERICAN PUBLIC, THEN THE PUBLIC I THINK DID NOT UNDERSTAND THE DEGREE TO WHICH THE ADMINISTRATION WAS NOT BEING FORWARD THINKING IN ITS RESPONSE.

>> Bonnie: IN SPEAKING OF OUR THINKING, I KNOW YOU'RE NOT DR. ANTHONY FAUCI AND YOU DON'T HAVE b ÃÃUNITED DATA SPECIALIST OR EPIDEMIOLOGIST OR INFECTIOUS DISEASE SPECIALISTS OR ANY OF THOSE THINGS, AND WE ARE JUST ABOUT UPTIME AND I WOULD LIKE YOUR THOUGHTS, PLEASE, RON WYDEN, WHEN WILL YOU BE BACK IN WASHINGTON PUTTING ON BILLS AND HOLDING OVERSIGHT HEARINGS?

HOW LONG DO YOU THINK IT WILL TAKE TO WRAP THIS UP?

>> Rep. Katie Porter: WELL, I DO THINK THE ANSWER WILL PROBABLY BE A BIT DIFFERENT FOR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS THAN IT IS FOR A LOT OF THE PUBLIC.

SO, YOU KNOW, IF CONGRESS NEEDS TO BE WORKING DURING THIS PERIOD, NEEDS TO KEEP DOING THAT OVERSIGHT WORK AND NEEDS TO HAVE PUBLIC HEARINGS AND NEEDS TO INTRODUCE LEGISLATION, NEEDS TO VOTE ON BILLS, AND THE COMMITTEE STRUCTURE THAT WE USE TO MOVE LEGISLATION TO BE ACTIVATED.

THIS CANNOT ALL RESIDE IN THE HANDS OF SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI OR MINORITY LEADER KEVIN McCARTHY OR FOUR OR FIVE PEOPLE.

THIS NEEDS TO BE A DEMOCRATIC PROCESS BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE ACROSS THE COUNTRY, LIVES ARE BEING AFFECTED BY THIS PANDEMIC.

WE HAVE NOT BEEN TOLD EXACTLY WHEN WE WILL RETURN TO WASHINGTON.

I HOPE WE CAN DO IT THROUGH REMOTE TECHNOLOGY WHICH CAN ALLOW US TO DO OUR JOBS, BUT I WILL GO BACK TO WASHINGTON WHENEVER I AM ASKED AND I EXPECT THAT MAY COME HERE WITHIN THE MONTH OF APRIL.

I THINK IN GENERAL, YOU KNOW, FOR THE EVERYDAY PUBLIC, FORMER SCHOOL KIDS, WE HAVE ALREADY PLANNED, WE HAVE BEEN TOLD BY OUR GOVERNOR THAT SCHOOL WILL NOT GO BACK INTO SESSION FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR.

AND SO, THEIR LAST DAY OF SCHOOL WAS SCHEDULED FOR THE FIRST WEEK OF JUNE AND WE ARE PLANNING IN OUR HOUSEHOLD TO BE DOING REMOTE LEARNING ALL THE WAY THROUGH THAT EARLY JUNE DATE.

AND SO, I THINK, AS ANTHONY FAUCI HAS SAID, AND I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT, BUT IN WHICH THE PRESIDENT WOULD ECHO THIS MESSAGE, THE VIRUS SETS THE TIMELINE.

>> Bonnie: ONE LAST QUESTION: YOU ARE ALSO THE PROPONENT OF A BILL THAT WOULD ALLOW b ÃÃI'M NOT SURE IF IT'S WOMEN AND MEN, BUT CERTAINLY WOMEN WHO ARE RUNNING FOR OFFICE TO PAY FOR CHILD CARE AND OTHER HOUSEHOLD RELATED THINGS FROM THEIR DONATIONS, FROM MONEY THAT PEOPLE GIVE TO THEM TO RUN FOR OFFICE.

WHAT'S THE FEEDBACK BEEN ON THAT?

HAS IT BEEN ALL POSITIVE?

DO SOME PEOPLE THINK b ÃÃWELL, WAIT A MINUTE, I DON'T WANT TO PAY FOR HER CHILD CARE, I WANT TO PAY FOR HER TO RUN ADS ON TV.

>> Rep. Katie Porter: GREAT.

LET'S TALK ABOUT THIS.

THIS IS CALLED THE HELP AMERICA VOTE ACT.

IT'S A BIPARTISAN BILL IN ITS PAST THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES WITH STRONG BIPARTISAN SUPPORT.

AND WHAT IT WOULD DO IS ALLOW CANDIDATES, MEN OR WOMEN, TO USE CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS TO COVER THE COSTS OF CHILD CARE OR SENIOR CARE OR HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUMS, ONLY TO THE EXTENT OF THOSE COSTS ARE NECESSARY TO BE A CANDIDATE.

AND THIS IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.

RIGHT NOW, THE PERMISSION FOR WHAT YOU CAN USE CAMPAIGN FUNDS FOR HIS VERY BROAD.

PEOPLE USE CAMPAIGN FUNDS TO BUY WINE AND CHEESE, TO SERVE AT FUNDRAISERS.

PEOPLE USE CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS TO BUY PINS AND BUTTONS AND YARD SIGNS AND ALL KINDS OF THINGS.

BUT THE CANDIDATES THEMSELVES, IF WE DON'T CHANGE THE SYSTEM, WERE GOING TO CONTINUE TO SEE THAT THE CANDIDATES THAT RUN AND THAT WHEN OUR CANDIDATES THAT REFLECTS THE UPPER CLASS, NOT THE WIDE SWATH OF AMERICANS, THE WORKING CLASS IN THE MIDDLE CLASS.

AND SO, THE IDEA HERE IS, YOU KNOW, DONATIONS COME INTO A CAMPAIGN IN THE CAMPAIGN CAN CHOOSE TO SPEND THEM HOWEVER THEY WANT.

THE IDEA HERE IS TO MAKE CLEAR, SO LONG AS IT'S RELATED TO THE PURPOSE OF THE CAMPAIGN, THAT'S THE LIMITATION.

AND SO, WHAT THIS DOES IS MAKE CLEAR THAT CHILDCARE, SO THAT, YOU KNOW, THE YOU CAN ATTEND A FUNDRAISER AND GO KNOCK ON DOORS, THAT IS PART OF THE CAMPAIGN.

AND THEN HEALTH INSURANCE, SO THAT CANDIDATES CAN ACTUALLY PUT JOB IN FULL TIME.

IT'S NOT WITHOUT HEALTH CARE 'S ROLE IN THE CAMPAIGN.

WHERE WE KNOW THAT OUR CANDIDATES, THERE WAS A LAST CYCLE WHO FOUGHT TO GET THIS RULING FROM THE FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION.

AND IN THE.

OF LEGISLATION IS TO MAKE IT VERY, VERY CLEAR THAT THIS IS PERMISSIBLE AS A NECESSARY CAMPAIGN EXPENSE.

>> Bonnie: OKAY.

AND THEN A COUPLE OF SENTENCE, SO IF YOUR BILL PASSES THE SENATE AND IF THE PRESIDENT SIGNS IT INTO LAW, THAT WOULD RESULT IN A WHOLE LOT MORE PEOPLE OF LOW INCOME, LOW OR MIDDLE CLASS, ORKING CLASS RUNNING FOR OFFICE, I WOULD PRESUME.

HOW WOULD THAT CHANGE CONGRESS?

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE THAT DO?

>> Rep. Katie Porter: A BIGGER DIVERSITY OF VOICES IN CONGRESS IS GOING TO MAKE CONGRESS A MORE EFFECTIVE PROBLEM SOLVER.

AND SO, WHAT HAPPENS RIGHT NOW IS, BECAUSE OF SO MUCH OF OUR CONGRESS IS OLDER, SO MUCH OF OUR CONGRESS IS MEN, SO MUCH OF OUR CONGRESS IS WEALTHY PEOPLE, THEN WHEN THEY SAY b ÃÃTHEY WILL OFTEN SAY, WELL, I HEARD THIS FROM A CONSTITUENT, RIGHT?

BUT THEY ARE NOT EXPANDING THOSE THINGS IN THEIR OWN LIVES.

I'M THE FIRST SINGLE MOTHER OF YOUNG KIDS TO EVER RUN IN THE U.S. CONGRESS.

SO I THINK IT'S NO SURPRISE THAT ONE OF MY TOP PRIORITIES IS WORKING ON THE COST OF CHILDCARE.

AND, FOR EXAMPLE, WORKING ON MAKING SURE THAT TAX FILERS WHO FILE LIKE I DO, AS THE HEAD OF HOUSEHOLD, THAT IS AN ADULT CARING FOR DEPENDENT CHILDREN, WE OFTEN GET TREATED LIKE SINGLE PEOPLE RATHER, IN TERMS OF TAX BENEFITS, AND IN FACT WE ARE THE WORST OFF.

WE HAVE ONE SALARY INDEPENDENCE THAT WE ARE TRYING TO TAKE CARE OF.

WE ARE NO HARDER FINANCIAL SITUATION.

AND YET WE OFTEN GET TAXED DISADVANTAGED BY LAWS THAT CONGRESS PASSES.

WE JUST SAW THIS HAPPEN AGAIN DURING THE CARES ACT.

AND WHEN HE PUSHED BACK ON THIS, THEY SAID, WELL, NO ONE IS EVER RAISED THIS BEFORE AND THAT HEADS OF HOUSEHOLDS GET DISADVANTAGED TAX STATUS.

I THOUGHT TO MYSELF PROBABLY BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT HAD ANY SINGLE MOTHERS IN CONGRESS BEFORE.

SO THE FACT THAT I TAKE THAT TAX STATUS IS BECAUSE I'M THINKING OF THAT ISSUE, AND THERE'S SO MANY OTHER WAYS THAT I THINK WE SEE MORE RESPONSIVE COLORS TO THE REAL NEEDS OF AMERICA.

>> Bonnie: THINK YOU SO MUCH, REPRESENTATIVE PORTER, FOR YOUR TIME AND FOR YOUR PROSPECTIVE, WHICH I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE HOPING THAT CONGRESS, THE CONGRESS WILL BECOME A LOT MORE DIVERSE IN THE COMING YEARS.

IT'S, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE NOW OVER 100 WOMEN IN THE HOUSE, BUT IS TAKEN SINCE 1902 OR 19 b ÃÃTHE EARLY 1900S WHEN JEANETTE RANKIN WAS FIRST ELECTED FROM WESTERN STATE TO GET TO THIS POINT.

SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK AND EVERYTHING YOU DO.

>> Rep. Katie Porter: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.

>> Bonnie: THAT'S IT FOR THIS EDITION OF TRYING TO.

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