♪♪♪

>>> THIS IS "METROFOCUS" WITH

RAFAEL PI ROMAN, JACK FORD AND

JENNA FLANAGAN.

"METROFOCUS" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY

SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III,

SYLVIA A. AND SIMON B. POYTA

PROGRAMING ENDOWMENT TO FIGHT

ANTI-SEMITISM,

THE PETER G. PETERSON AND JOAN

GANZ COONEY FUND,

BERNARD AND DENISE SCHWARTZ,

BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG,

THE AMBROSE MONELL FOUNDATION.

AND BY --

JANET PRINDLE SEIDLER,

JODY AND JOHN ARNHOLD,

CHERYL AND PHILIP MILSTEIN

FAMILY,

JUDY AND JOSH WESTON,

DR. ROBERT C. AND TINA SOHN

FOUNDATION, AND THE JPB

FOUNDATION.

>>> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO

"METROFOCUS," I'M JENNA

FLANAGAN.

THE LAST TIME WE SPOKE WITH OUR

NEXT GUEST, HE HAD JUST PULLED

OFF ONE OF THE POLITICAL UPSETS

IN 2020 BY DEFEATING A LONGTIME

DEMOCRATIC INCUMBENT.

ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL,

CONGRESSMAN JAMAAL BOWMAN

PROMISED TO PURSUE PROGRESSIVE

POLICIES THAT WOULD TRANSFORM

THE LIVES OF EVERYDAY NEW

YORKERS.

AND HERE WE ARE, A YEAR LATER

AND HE'S FIGHTING TO GET THOSE

PRIORITIES THROUGH CONGRESS.

BOWMAN AND HIS FELLOW DEMOCRATS

ARE CURRENTLY NEGOTIATING A

MASSIVE EXPANSION TO THE

AMERICAN SOCIETAL SAFETY NET

CALLED BUILD BACK BETTER.

THE RECONCILIATION PACKAGE WOULD

HELP ADDRESS RACIAL INEQUITIES

AND IT COULD INCLUDE FREE CHILD

CARE, FREE COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND

IMPROVED HEALTH BENEFITS FOR

SENIORS.

NOW, PRESIDENT BIDEN IS HOPING

THAT IT WILL BE HIS LEGACY

LANDMARK PIECE OF LEGISLATION,

BUT IT'S BEEN HELD UP BY

MODERATE DEMOCRATS WHO ARE

BALKING AT THE $3.5 TRILLION

PRICE TAG.

THIS WEEK, THERE ARE SIGNS THAT

A DEAL COULD -- AND WAIT TO

STRESS COULD -- BE COMING AS

NEGOTIATIONS CONTINUE.

AND WE COULDN'T HELP BUT ASK

OURSELVES, WHAT WOULD THIS BILL

MEAN FOR NEW YORKERS AND WHEN

MIGHT DEMOCRATS ACTUALLY GET IT

PASSED?

SO, FOR HIS PERSPECTIVE ON ALL

OF THIS, IT IS MY PLEASURE TO

WELCOME BACK CONGRESSMAN BOWMAN,

WHO REPRESENTS NEW YORK'S 16th

CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT IN THE

BRONX AND WESTCHESTER AND JOINS

US TONIGHT AS PART OF OUR

"CHASING THE DREAM" INITIATIVE.

CONGRESSMAN BOWMAN, WELCOME BACK

TO "METROFOCUS."

>> HOW YOU DOING?

GOOD TO BE HERE.

THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

>> IT'S GREAT TO HAVE YOU.

BUT THERE'S BEEN SO MUCH -- I

GUESS THE BIGGEST QUESTION TO

ASK IS, HOW MUCH CAN YOU TELL US

OF WHERE NEGOTIATIONS STAND?

>> SO, NEGOTIATIONS ARE IN A

VERY GOOD PLACE.

AS YOU MENTIONED IN YOUR INTRO,

THE CHAIR OF THE CPC HAS MET

THIS WEEK WITH SENATOR MANCHIN,

WHICH IS A GREAT SIGN, SENATOR

MANCHIN AND BERNIE SANDERS ARE

TALKING, THAT'S A GOOD SIGN.

THE WHITE HOUSE IS MEETING WITH

BOTH FROM PROGRESSIVES AND

MODERATES THIS WEEK.

AND TONIGHT I'M GOING TO BE

ATTENDING A DEBRIEF WITH THE CPC

EXECUTIVE BOARD.

SO, CONVERSATIONS ARE HAPPENING

AND THAT'S A BEAUTIFUL THING

WHEN PEOPLE ARE TALKING TO EACH

OTHER.

IT'S IMPORTANT TO ALSO POINT OUT

THAT THE REASON WHY WE ARE HERE

IS BECAUSE THE PROGRESSIVE

CAUCUS UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF

PRAMILA JAYAPAL STOOD FAST ON

PRESIDENT BIDEN'S AGENDA.

WE HAVE BEEN IN ALIGNMENT WITH

THE PRESIDENT FROM THE VERY

BEGINNING.

HE WANTED TO GO BIG IN THIS

MOMENT ON CLIMATE, IN TERMS OF

OUR RESPONSE TO COVID AND IN

TERMS OF BUILDING BACK BETTER

WITH THE FOCUS ON RACIAL AND

ECONOMIC JUSTICE AND FINALLY

UPLIFTING COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE

BEEN HISTORICALLY NEGLECTED,

NEGLECTED FOR FAR TOO LONG.

SO, WE'RE IN A GOOD PLACE.

THINGS ARE GOING WELL.

WE WANT TO REMAIN AS CLOSE TO

$3.5 TRILLION AS POSSIBLE.

WHY?

BECAUSE THAT IS ALREADY A

COMPROMISE.

THE SUNRISE MOVEMENT, THROUGH

THEIR RESEARCH, HAVE FOUND THAT

WE NEED AT LEAST $10 TRILLION OF

INESTMENT IN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE

TO DEAL WITH CLIMATE CHANGE,

PRESIDENT BIDEN AND SENATOR

SANDERS CAME UP WITH A $6

TRILLION PRICE TAG, SO 3.5 HAS

ALREADY BEEN A COMPROMISE AND IT

WAS VOTED OUT OF THE SENATE AT

3.5 SO WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO

STAY AS CLOSE TO THAT NUMBER AS

POSSIBLE AND THEN ONE LAST

THING, WE HAVE OFFSETS.

WE HAVE PAY FORS, SO, IT'S NOT

3.5 IN AND OF ITSELF, IT'S 3.5

OVER TEN YEARS AND WE HAVE PAY

FORS TO MAKE SURE WE GET IT

DONE.

>> OKAY, AND THAT WAS GOING TO

BE ONE OF MY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE

PRICE TAG.

I THINK ANY, YOU KNOW -- I THINK

ANY AMERICAN, EVEN IF YOU ARE A

BILLIONAIRE, WOULD PROBABLY

RAISE ABOUT EYEBROW AT 3.5

TRILLION, BUT MUCH LIKE WHEN YOU

PURCHASE A CAR, THE PAYMENTS,

NOT THE ACTUAL FULL TICKET

PRICE.

SO, IS THERE ANY WIGGLE ROOM?

BECAUSE YOU JUST SAID THAT 3.5

WAS ALREADY A COMPROMISE.

BUT SOME OF THE LANGUAGE THAT

WE'VE BEFORE HEARING FROM SOME

OF THE MODERATES IS THEY'RE

STILL UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THAT

PRICE TAG.

>> UH-HUH.

UNFORTUNATELY, SOME OF THE

MODERATES CONTINUE TO THINK THAT

THIS IS GOING TO INCREASE

INFLATION, IS GOING TO PASS DOWN

DEBT TO OUR CHILDREN AND

GRANDCHILDREN, BUT THEY ARE ALSO

UNCOMFORTABLE WITH RAISING THE

CORPORATE TAX RATE, WHICH SHOULD

BE HIGHER, IT WAS LOWERED DURING

THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.

THEY'RE UNCOMFORTABLE, SOME OF

THEM, WITH ENSURING THE WEALTHY

PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE, ENSURING

FOSSIL FUEL COMPANIES PAY TO

CLEAN UP THEIR POLLUTION.

SO, THERE IS SOME WIGGLE ROOM IN

TERMS OF MAYBE YEARS, YOU KNOW,

CUTTING DOWN ON SOME OF THE

YEARS OR SOME OF THE PROGRAMS,

BUT IN TERMS OF THE PROGRAMS

THAT WE NEED TO KEEP PART OF

THIS, THAT'S NOT NEGOTIABLE FOR

ME.

I MEAN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT

UNIVERSAL CHILD CARE, UNIVERSAL

PRE-K PROGRAMS, FINALLY DEALING

WITH THE CLIMATE CRISIS THAT WE

ARE CURRENTLY IN, $2.5 BILLION,

AT LEAST $2.5 BILLION FOR

VIOLENCE REDUCTION, WHICH HAS

SKYROCKETED AFTER COVID.

LOWERING THE MEDICARE AGE

ELIGIBILITY AND INCLUDING DENTAL

AND OPTICAL AND VISION AS PART

OF THAT.

SO, SO MUCH, MAKING THE CHILD

TAX CREDIT PERM INNOCENT, WHICH

WE HAVE DONE THROUGH THE END OF

THE YEAR, BUT IF WE MAKE IT

PERMANENT, WE'LL LIFT 50% OF

CHILDREN OUT OF POVERTY.

THAT IS HOW WE BUILD BACK

BETTER.

WE FOUS CONDITION 0 THE AREAS

AND THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN

NEGLECTED AND IN THE LONG RUN,

IT MAKES OUR ECONOMY HEALTHIER,

STRONGER FOR EVERYONE AND

IMPROVES THE LIFE EXPECTANCY AND

WELL BEING FOR ALL AMERICANS.

>> AND OF COURSE, SPECIFICALLY

FOR NEW YORKERS, YOU TALKED

ABOUT A LOT OF THE BROAD STROKES

OF THIS PIECE OF LEGISLATION

THAT I WOULD ASSUME THAT A LOT

OF PEOPLE HAVE HEARD ABOUT, BUT

WHEN THE RUBBER HITS THE ROAD IN

YOUR DISTRICT, WHAT ARE SOME OF

THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE WOULD BE

SEEING IF THIS BILL IN ITS

ENTIRETY GOT THROUGH AT THE --

IN THE ENTIRETY.

I DON'T WANT TO STICK ON THE

PRICE TAG, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT'S

NOT QUITE THE HEADLINE.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

SO LET'S TAKE PUBLIC HOUSING FOR

EXAMPLE.

ON THE BRONX SIDE OF MY

DISTRICT, WE HAVE FOUR PUBLIC

HOUSING COMPLEXES.

WE HAVE EAST CHESTER, EDEN WALL,

BOSTON SEA PORT AND GUN HILL.

PUBLIC HOUSING HASN'T RECEIVED A

DIME FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

IN OVER TEN YEARS AND IT'S BEEN

DISINVESTED IN IN OVER 30 YEARS.

WE WILL FINALLY GET THE REPAIRS

THAT ARE LONG OVERDUE.

REPAIRS RELATED TO SANITATION,

LEAD PAINT, MOLD AND MILDEW.

REPAIRS THAT, BECAUSE OF THE

NEGLECT, HAVE LED TO RODENT AND

ROACH INFESTATION IN MANY OF OUR

PUBLIC HOUSING UNITS, HAS LED TO

POOR AIR QUALITY.

AND THAT'S WHY YOU'VE SEEN A

DISPROPASSIONATE NUMBER OF

PEOPLE IN PUBLIC HOUSING DIE OF

COVID BECAUSE THEY HAVE UPPER

RESPIRATORY CONDITIONS AND

COMORBIDITIES RELATED TO THE

POOR CONDITIONS THEY'VE BEEN

LIVING IN.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT JOBS.

JOBS, JOBS AND MORE JOBS.

JOBS NOT JUST FOR ROADS, BRIDGES

AND TUNNELS BUT JOBS IN THE

AREAS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD

EDUCATION AS WELL AS HOME CARE.

IN MY DISTRICT, WE HAVE TENS OF

THOUSANDS OF HOME CARE WORKERS

WHO STILL DO NOT EARN A LIVING

WAGE.

THEY HAVE TO FIGHT AND SCRATCH

AND CLAW TO EVEN EARN A MINIMUM

WAGE.

SO, THIS WILL ALLOW US TO INVEST

$400 BILLION IN HOME CARE SO

THAT PEOPLE CAN EARN A LIVING

WAGE, THEY CAN EARN PAID LEAVE,

THEY CAN HAVE -- FINALLY HAVE

HEALTH INSURANCE.

AND LIVE WITH DIGNITY WHILE THEY

TAKE CARE OF OUR SENIORS.

SO, THERE'S SO MUCH TO THIS.

THIS IS THE PRESIDENT'S NEW DEAL

MOMENT, THIS IS OUR NEW DEAL

MOMENT.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NOW AND

THEN IS THEN, DOMESTIC WORKERS

AND HOME CARE WORKERS WERE LEFT

OUT AND THOSE WERE MOSTLY BLACK

AND LATINO WOMEN AND THE WHITE

SUBURBS WERE BUILT WHILE BLACKS

DIDN'T HAVE ACCESS TO THE LOANS

TO BUY HOMES IN THE SUBURBS AND

OUR COMMUNITIES WERE RED LINED.

SO, THIS IS GOING TO FIX ALL OF

THAT AND PROPEL US, AGAIN, TO A

STRONGER, HEALTHIER ECONOMY.

>> AND, OF COURSE, THAT WOULD BE

ADDRESSING THE RACIAL INEQUITIES

THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER IN THE

LEAD.

SPEAKING OF PUBLIC, THERE'S ALSO

THE ISSUE OF EDUCATION.

BEFORE WE GET INTO HOW THIS

LEGISLATION WOULD BENEFIT

SCHOOLS, PARTICULARLY SCHOOLS IN

NEW YORK, I DO WANT TO ASK, AS

SOMEONE WHO SPENT THE PREVIOUS

PART OF THEIR CAREER IN

EDUCATION AS A MIDDLE SCHOOL

PRINCIPAL, I'M WONDERING, HOW

MUCH OF YOUR SKILL SET HAVE YOU

HAD TO DRAW ON FROM NOT ONLY

BEING IN THE EDUCATIONAL

SETTING, BUT FROM DEALING WITH

MIDDLE SCHOOLERS THAT YOU FOUND

APPLYING TO NEGOTIATING WITH

CONGRESS?

>> I'VE HAD TO DRAW ON EVERY

OUNCE OF IT.

EVERY OUNCE OF MY PREVIOUS

CAREER.

SO, I WAS A TEACHER, A SCHOOL

COUNSELOR AND MIDDLE SCHOOL

PRINCIPAL.

SO, THE SKILLS OF RELATIONSHIP

BUILDING, COMMUNICATION SKILLS,

LISTENING AND NEGOTIATING WITH

6-YEAR-OLDS TO DO THE RIGHT

THING SO THEY CAN GET THE

BIGGEST BENEFIT FROM THE

CLASSROOM, RELATIONSHIPS WITH

PARENTS AND ENGAGING PARENTS AS

PART OF THE EDUCATION PROCESS.

NOW I'M ENGAING THEM AS PART OF

THE POLITICAL PROCESS.

SO, RELATIONSHIPS AND

NEGOTIATIONS HERE IN WASHINGTON

ARE A BIG PART OF MY JOB AS WELL

AS COMMUNICATION SKILLS, BUT AT

HOME, YOU KNOW, WHAT HAS

EXPANDED IS MY ABILITY TO

CONNECT WITH MORE PARENTS,

ENGAGE THEM IN THE POLITICAL

PROCESS AND HELP THEM TO FEEL

EMPOWERED AND HAVE A VOICE IN

EVERYTHING I'M DOING IN

WASHINGTON.

BECAUSE I'M HERE FOR THEM, I'M

HERE TO FIGHT WITH THEM AND FOR

THEM AND TO SERVE THEM.

BUT I NEED TO WORK WITH THEM TO

KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THOSE NEEDS

ARE.

SO EVERY OUNCE OF IT, I MEAN,

EDUCATION AND BEING AN EDUCATOR

IS GREAT TRAINING, IF SOMEONE

WANTS TO ULTIMATELY ONE DAY

TRANSITION TO BEING AN ELECTED

OFFICIAL.

>> WELL, AS WE STAY ON THE

SUBJECT OF EDUCATION THEN, HOW

WOULD BUILD BACK BETTER BENEFIT

NEW YORK AND WESTCHESTER, I

GUESS, PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS?

>> SO, WE INTRODUCED OUR GREEN

NEW DEAL FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS ACT,

WHICH IS A LANDMARK PIECE OF

LEGISLATION THAT WOULD INVEST

$1.43 TRILLION IN PUBLIC SCHOOL

INFRASTRUCTURE TARGETING TITLE

ONE SCHOOLS.

IT WOULD RETROFIT OUR SCHOOLS TO

BE ENERGY EFFICIENT AND IT WOULD

MAKE SURE EVERY NEW SCHOOL THAT

IS BUILT IS NOT DEPENDENT ON

FOSSIL FUELS TO FUNCTION.

IT WOULD ALSO CREATE A TEACHER

PIPELINE PROGRAM SO PEOPLE WHO

LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY CAN BEGIN

TO WORK IN OUR SCHOOLS AS

TEACHER ASSISTANTS AND TEACHERS

AS PART OF A GROW YOUR OWN

PROGRAM.

BUT ALSO INVESTING IN TITLE ONE

AND OUR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL

NEEDS.

SO, THE BUILD BACK BETTER ACT

DOES A LOT OF THAT, WHICH IS

INCREDIBLE, BUT IT DIDN'T DO IT

AT THE NUMBER THAT WE WANT.

SO, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO COME

BACK AND NEGOTIATE A BIT FURTHER

TO GET THE NUMBER WE WANT, BUT

IT DOES INVEST $86 BILLION FOR

OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS SO THAT WE

CAN BEGIN THE RETROFITTING

PROCESS AND END OUR DEPENDENCY

ON FOSSIL FUELS WHICH IS GOING

TO BE HUGE.

IN ADDITION TO FREE COMMUNITY

COLLEGE AND PRE-K PROGRAMS,

WHICH WILL BE PART OF THE PUBLIC

SCHOOL SYSTEM, AS WELL, WE'RE

TAKING A PRENATAL -- WHEN YOU

LOOK AT CHILD CARE -- TO

PROFESSION APPROACH.

MAKING SURE THE SAFETY NET IS

THERE ACROSS THE LIFE SPAN.

>> SO, CONGRESSMAN, YOU JUST

MENTIONED FOSSIL FUELS AND ONE

OF THE BIGGEST ROAD BLOCKS, IF

YOU WILL, PEOPLE WHO ARE HOLDING

UP OR LET'S SAY STILL

NEGOTIATING IS SENATOR JOE

MANCHIN AND HE COMES FROM A

COAL-PRODUCING STATE AND HE'S

CITED THAT AS ONE OF HIS PRIME

REASONS FOR NOT BEING FOR THE

ASPECT ON CLIMATE CHANGE, THAT

HE FEELS IT WOULD ACTUALLY HARM

HIS STATE.

SO, I'M WONDERING, GOING BACK TO

YOUR NEGOTIATION SKILLS AND BY

ALL MEANS, I'M NOT COMPARING A

MEMBER OF THE SENATE TO A CHILD,

BUT I AM INTERESTED IN HOW YOU

USE YOUR NEGOTIATION SKILLS TO

WORK WITH SOMEBODY WHO IS

SAYING, ABSOLUTELY NO TO THE

CLIMATE CHANGE BILL OR, OF

COURSE, TO THE OTHER SENATOR,

KYRSTEN SINEMA, WHO STILL HASN'T

BEEN CLEAR ON EXACTLY WHAT SHE

DOES WANT IN THIS LEGISLATION.

>> SO, WHAT WE TRIED TO

COMMUNICATE TO SENATOR MANCHIN

IS YES, WE WE'VE UNDERSTAND WEST

VIRGINIA HAS A HUGE COAL

INDUSTRY AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT,

WE DO NOT WANT TO DESTROY

INDUSTRY.

BUT THERE IS A PROCESS OF

TRANSITIONING FROM COAL TO

CLEAN, RENEWABLE, SUSTAINABLE

ENERGY AND THIS BILL WILL

SUPPORT COMPANIES IN THAT

TRANSITION AND HELP THEM AND

MAKE SURE THEY BENEFIT FROM THE

TRANSITION FROM COAL TO

RENEWABLE ENERGY.

SENATOR MANCHIN BELIEVES THAT

THAT TRANSITION IS ALREADY

HAPPENING, WHY DO WE NEED TO PAY

THEM FOR IT TO HAPPEN, BUT IT'S

NOT HAPPENING AT THE SCALE THAT

IT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IN ORDER FOR

US TO REACH OUR CLIMATE GOALS

AND THE CLIMATE GOALS OF THE

IPCC, WHICH ARE GLOBAL CLIMATE

GOALS TO GET TO NET ZERO CARBON

EMISSIONS BY 2035 AT THE LATEST.

SO, THAT IS PART OF THE

CONVERSATION, AS WELL AS LOOKING

AT SOME OF THE CLIMATE FACTORS

AND THE POVERTY FACTORS IN WEST

VIRGINIA, LIKE IN MY PARTS OF

THE COUNTRY, THIS BILL LOOKS TO

HARD INFRASTRUCTURE AND SOFT

INFRASTRUCTURE, AND WILL HELP

HIS STATE, AS WELL.

SO, THAT'S WHERE THE

CONVERSATION HAS BEEN AND I'M

LOOKING FORWARD TO DEBRIEFING

WITH MY COLLEAGUES THIS EVENING

TO SEE EXACTLY WHERE WE ARE ON

THAT POINT.

>> WELL, WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER

RED LINE THAT SENATOR MANCHIN

HAS DRAWN?

AND THAT IS THAT IF THERE'S TO

BE A PERMANENT CHILD TAX CREDIT

THAT THERE MUST BE AN

ESTABLISHED WORK REQUIREMENT AND

A FAMILY INCOME LIMIT OF

$60,000.

I UNDERSTAND THAT $60,000 IS ONE

THING IN WEST VIRGINIA, IT IS

SOMETHING ELSE ENTIRELY IN NEW

YORK CITY.

>> YEAH, I MEAN, EVEN IN WEST

VIRGINIA, I MEAN, TWO PARENTS

EARNING $30,000 EACH, IT WOULD

BE TOUGH FOR THEM, NOT JUST IN

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK STATE,

ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO STILL BE

ABLE TO AFFORD ADEQUATE CHILD

CARE WITH ALL THE OTHER EXPENSES

THEY HAVE TO DEAL WITH.

SO, THAT NUMBER, TO ME, -- TO

ME, THAT'S A NONSTARTER AND THE

IDEA OF MEANS TESTING IS SUCH A

HEAVY LIFT LOGISTICALLY AND IN

TERMS OF INSTRA TRUCK SURE.

THE COST THAT IS GOING TO HAVE

TO BE COST ON MAKING THAT

PROGRAM WORK CAN BE INVESTED IN

THE CHILD CARE PROGRAM OVERALL,

SO, WE DON'T THINK IT'S NEEDED.

YOU'LL HAVE FAMILIES JUST

GETTING ANY JOB SO THAT THEY CAN

BENEFIT FROM THE CHILD TAX

CREDIT WHILE NOT GETTING A JOB

THAT REALLY PAYS THEM A DECENT

WAGE AND TREATS THEM WITH

DIGNITY AND ALLOWS THEM TO EARN

ENOUGH MONEY SO THEY CAN

REINVEST IN THE ECONOMY.

A HEALTHY ECONOMY IS AN ECONOMY

WHERE CASH IS FLOWING THROUGHOUT

IT, NOT BEING CONCENTRATED IN

THE HANDS OF A FEW WHILE THE

MANY STRUGGLE.

SO, THAT'S WHY I DO NOT SUPPORT

THE WORK REQUIREMENTS, BECAUSE

IT LEADS TO PEOPLE TAKING

HORRIBLE JOBS AND DESTROYS

QUALITY OF LIFE AND IS NOT

SUSTAINABLE IN TERMS OF THE WELL

BEING OF A PERSON OR COMMUNITY.

>> WELL, TO GO BACK TO THE PRICE

TAG, WHICH EVERYONE KEEPS

QUOTING AS THE TOTAL PRICE TAG

OF $3.5 TRILLION, BUT OF COURSE,

THAT IS A PRICE TAG ACCUMULATED

OVER TIME.

YOU MENTIONED THAT THERE WERE

ALREADY PAY FORS LATE OUT IN

THIS.

SO, JUST TELL US HOW THIS GETS

PAID FOR IN A WAY THAT DOESN'T

PERHAPS FEEL QUITE AS JARRING AS

$3.5 TRILLION?

>> YEAH, SO RAISE THE CORPORATE

TAX RATE TO PREVIOUS LEVELS TO

ENSURE CORPORATIONS CONTRIBUTE

TO THEIR FAIR SHARE TO OUR

DEMOCRACY.

RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE AT LEAST 50

CORPORATIONS THAT HAVEN'T PAID

FEDERAL TAX IN SEVERAL YEARS.

THAT'S UNACCEPTABLE.

RAISING THE CORPORATE TAX RATE

ON INTERNATIONAL CORPORATIONS

THAT HAVE BEEN HIDING, ARE

HIDING A TOTAL OF SEVERAL

TRILLION DOLLARS OVERSEAS AS WE

SPEAK.

ENSURING THE WEALTHY PAY THEIR

FAIR SHARE THROUGH ONE PROCESS

COULD BE TAXING UNREALIZED

CAPITAL GAINS AT THE 40% RATE,

WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT THE

PRESIDENT SUPPORTS.

WE HAVE A BILL THAT WE'RE GOING

TO BE INTRODUCING TO CREATE A

POLLUTERS PAY CLIMATE FUND,

WHERE WE'VE IDENTIFIED THE TOP

20 COMPANIES THAT HAVE

CONTRIBUTD THE MOST TO CLIMATE

POLLUTION OVER THE LAST 30 YEARS

AND THOSE COMPANIES WILL PAY

INTO A FUND TO HELP US CLEAR UP

THE MESS THEY'VE CAUSED OVER 30

YEARS.

AND THAT COULD RAISE AS MUCH AS

$500 BILLION OVER TEN YEARS.

IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO MENTION

THAT THIS 3.5 NUMBER IS 3.5 OVER

TEN YEARS, NOT IMMEDIATELY.

I THINK THAT'S A KEY THING TO

RECOGNIZE, SO, ABOUT $350

BILLION A YEAR.

AND IT'S ALSO KEY TO RECOGNIZE

THAT WE CURRENTLY SPEND $7.6

TRILLION ON OUR MILITARY EVERY

TEN YEARS AND NO ONE BATS AN EYE

AT THAT NUMBER.

ONE LAST THING.

DURING THE NEW DEAL, WE SPENT

40% OF GDP TO REBUILD THE

ECONOMY DURING THE NEW DEAL,

DURING THE INMRE MENATION OF THE

NEW DEAL.

40% OF GPD NOW WOULD BE OVER 8

TRILLION DECIDE.

SO YOU WE'RE NOT WHERE WE NEED

TO BE IN TERMS OF MEETING THE

SCALE AND SCOPE OF THE PROBLEM

WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT IN A

HISTORICAL CONTEXT AS WELL AS

THE PAY FORS WE HAVE IN PLACE.

>> ALL RIGHT, WELL, CONGRESSMAN

BOWMAN, UNFORTUNATELY WE HAVE

RUN OUT OF TIME, BUT I WANT TO

THANK YOU FOR TAKING TIME OUT OF

WHAT IS AN INCREDIBLY BUSINESS

CYST TIME IN CONGRESS AND

BRINGING US UP TO DATE ON THE

STATE OF BUILD BACK BETTER.

WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU BACK

WHEN SOMETHING DOES HAPPEN,

REGARDLESS OF WHAT THAT

SOMETHING IS, SO, THANK YOU SO

MUCH FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

HAVE A GREAT DAY.

>>> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO

"METROFOCUS," I'M JENNA

FLANAGAN.

OCTOBER IS BREAST CANCER

AWARENESS MONTH AND HERE'S A

FANTASTIC STATISTIC.

DID YOU KNOW THAT IF BREAST

CANCER IS CAUGHT EARLY, THE

FIVE-YEAR SURVIVAL LATE IS

ALMOST 100%?

ONE OF THOSE SURVIVALS IS SHERYL

CROW.

WITH NO FAMILY HISTORY OR ANY

SIGNIFICANT RISK FACTORS, SHE

WAS DIAGNOSED AT JUST 44 YEARS

OLD.

SHERYL JOINS US NOW FROM

NASHVILLE ALONG WITH OBGYN AND

WOMEN'S HEALTH EXPERT JESSICA

SHEPHERD.

WELCOME TO YOU BOTH.

>> GOOD MORNING.

>> SHERYL, I WANT TO START WITH

YOU AND ASK, GIVEN THAT YOU HAD

NO TRADITION ALLRED FLAGS IN

REGARDS TO BREAST CANCER, WHAT

WAS THAT LIKE WHEN YOU FIRST GOT

THE DIAGNOSIS CONFIRMED?

>> OH, MY GOODNESS, I WAS IN

SHOCK, YOU KNOW, I THINK FOR

SOMEONE WHO IS VERY HEALTHY AND

WHO TAKES CARE OF THEMSELVES,

HAS NO FAMILY HISTORY AND WAS

DILIGENT ABOUT GETTING

MAMMOGRAMS, IT WAS JUST A VERY

EYE-OPENING EXPERIENCE AND

EVERYTHING NORMAL CAME TO A

SCREECHING HALT.

I AM NOW 13 YEARS OUT.

I HAVE ENJOYED THE DUBIOUS HONOR

OF BEING KIND OF THE POSTER

CHILD FOR EARLY DETECTION AND I

CELEBRATE THAT AND EMBRACE THAT,

BECAUSE MY STORY IS THE STORY OF

CURE AND UNTIL THERE IS A CURE

FOR BREAST CANCER, EARLY

DETECTION IS OUR GREATEST

WEAPON.

SO, I LIKE TO UTILIZE MY

PROFILE, REALLY, JUST TO TALK TO

THE WOMEN WHO FOLLOW ME, WHO

HAVE BEEN FANS FOR YEARS AND

THEY'RE NOW MOTHERS AND

DAUGHTERS AND GRANDMOTHERS AND

REALLY ENCOURAGE THEM TO

ADVOCATE FOR THEIR OWN HEALTH

AND BE DILIGENT AT THE AGE OF 40

OF GETTING THEIR YEARLY

MAMMOGRAM.

>> DR. SHEPHERD, I WANT TO ASK

YOU, THERE IS ALSO A TROUBLING

STATISTIC THAT GOES ALONG WITH

BREAST CANCER AWARAWARENESS, AND

THAT IS THAT WOMEN OF COLOR ARE

MORE LIKELY TO DIE, NOT MORE

LIKELY TO GET, BUT DIE FROM THE

DISEASE.

WHY IS THAT?

>> YEAH, THERE'S MULTIPLE

REASONS WHY THAT CAN HAPPEN.

I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT UP.

FOR AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMEN,

ACTUALLY WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE

STATISTIC OF BREAST CANCER,

THERE ARE MORE CAUCASIAN WOMEN

THAT ARE DIAGNOSED, BUT TRIPLE

NEGATIVE CANCER, MORE BLACK

WOMEN ARE DIAGNOSED WITH TRIPLE

NEGATIVE CANCER, WHICH, ONE, IS

HARDER TO TREAT, BUT WHAT GOES

INTO THAT IS THAT WHEN WE LOOK

AT THE STATISTICS FOR

AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMEN, THEY ARE

USUALLY DIAGNOSED LATER ON.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, SHERYL WAS

ALLUDING TO EARLY DETECTION --

THAT DEFINITELY SHOULD TRANSCEND

IN THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN

COMMUNITY, BECAUSE EARLY

DETECTION IS KEY, BECAUSE MOST

TIMES IT WILL BE DIAGNOSED LATER

ON AND WITH TRIPLE NEGATIVE

CANCER, WHICH IS HARDER TO

TREAT.

AND SO, I HOPE THAT THAT MESSAGE

RESONATES TODAY FOR ANYONE WHO

IS LISTENING.

>> NOW, OF COURSE, SO MANY WOMEN

ARE TAUGHT TO DO SELF-BREAST

EXAMINES IN THE SHOWER, ET

CETERA, BUT THIS IS GOING A STEP

FURTHER IN MAKING SURE YOU GET

THAT MAMMOGRAM.

WHAT ARE THE FIRST STEPS,

SPECIFICALLY FOR WOMEN WHO

PERHAPS DON'T HAVE THE FINANCIAL

RESOURCES TO HAVE THAT SPECIALTY

DOCTOR OR TO BE ABLE TO GO.

WHAT ARE THOSE FIRST STEPS THEY

SHOULD BE TAKING?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

SO, WHEN EVEN WE LOOK AT

MEDICAID, MEDICARE, ANNUAL WELL

WOMAN VISIT, A MAMMOGRAM FALLS

INTO THAT BREAST CANCER

SCREENING CATEGORY AND SHOULD BE

COVERED BY THOSE TYPES OF

INSURANCES.

NOW, FOR WOMEN WHO DON'T HAVE

INSURANCE COVERAGE, THERE ARE A

LOT OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT DEVOTE

THEIR RESOURCES TO GETTING

MAMMOGRAMS TO WOMEN WHO DO NOT

HAVE ACCESS TO THAT, WHETHER

THAT BE THROUGH HOSPITAL

PROXIMITY OR AN INSURANCE ISSUE.

SO, I DO FEEL THAT WE HAVE -- WE

HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO, BUT WE DO

HAVE RESOURCES FOR WOMEN WHO DO

NOT V ACCESS TO CARE OR DON'T

HAVE INSURANCE.

>> I WANT TO TURN BACK TO SHERYL

CROW AND ASK, YOU SPOKE A LITTLE

BIT EARLIER ABOUT HAVING, YOU

KNOW, LEADING A VERY HEALTHY

LIFE AND I'M WONDERING, ARE

THERE ANY ADDITIONAL STEPS THAT

YOU'RE TAKING NOW TO KEEP

YOURSELF CANCER FREE?

>> WELL, I THINK WHAT YOU PUT

INTO YOUR BODY IS TAUNT MOUNT.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO EAT

HEALTHY AND EXERCISE.

WE KNOW THE BODY FUNCTIONS AT A

HIGHER LEVEL IF WE'RE EXERCISING

AT LEAST 30 MINUTES A DAY.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS

INTERESTING ABOUT MY DIAGNOSIS

IS THAT 13 YEARS AGO, WE DIDN'T

HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY ADVANCEMENTS

THAT WE HAD NOW.

I WAS BASICALLY RELEGATED TO THE

TWO-D TECHNOLOGY AND WAS TOLD TO

COME BACK IN SIX MONTHS, BUT

RATHER THAN WAITING THE SIX

MONTHS, MY DOCTOR SAID, LET'S

NOT WAIT SIX MONTHS, SOMETHING

COULD HAPPEN IF IT IS SOMETHING.

SO ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS THAT

WE ARE ABLE TO ENJOY TODAY IS

THE ADVANCEMENT OF TECHNOLOGY

WITH THIS 3D TECHNOLOGY WHERE

WE'RE ABLE TO SEE THROUGH

DENSITY IN THE BREAST AND

SOMETHING THAT MIGHT TURN OUT TO

BE INVASIVE CANCER.

SO, WE'RE REALLY URGING WOMEN TO

GET YOUR MAMMOGRAMS, ASK YOUR

DOCTOR OR GO TO GENIUS 3D NEAR

ME, FOUND OUT WHERE THE CLOSEST

GENIUS 3D EXAMINE IS, BECAUSE

WE'RE SEEING FAR LESS FALSE

POSITIVES AND A BETTER RATE OF

EARLY DETECTION WITH 3D THAN WE

DID WITH 2D.

>> ALL RIGHT, LADIES, SOUNDS

LIKE WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME

NOW, BUT I WANT TO ASK A QUICK

QUESTION -- IF YOU HAD A

GIRLFRIEND THAT JUST GOT A

POSITIVE TEST RESULT BACK, WHAT

WOULD YOU TELL HER?

>> YOU KNOW, I WOULD REALLY TELL

HER I APPLAUD HER FOR GOING TO

GET THE TESTING THAT SHE NEEDS

IN ORDER TO HAVE THE DIE KNOW

SIS, NOW WE CAN FIND TREATMENT

FOR HER.

>> WHEN YOU'RE DIAGNOSED, YOUR

ENTIRE COMMUNITY IS DIAGNOSED.

THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE AROUND

YOU

THAT LOVE YOU, YOUR CHILDREN,

YOUR PARENTS, YOUR SIGNIFICANT

OTHER, TO TRY TO JUST KEEP

THINGS AS NORMAL AS POSSIBLE,

HONOR YOURSELF, PUT YOURSELF

FIRST, GIVE VOICE TO WHAT IT IS

YOU NEED OR DON'T NEED AND TO

JUST KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN AND SEE

HOW AT THE END OF IT, HOW YOUR

LIFE IS ENHANCED.

DON'T MISS THE BIG LESSONS.

>> WISE WORDS.

LADIES, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR

JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU.

>> FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE

GENIUS EXAMINE AND WHERE YOU CAN

FIND A FACILITY IN YOUR

COMMUNITY, YOU CAN VISIT YOUR

WEBSITE AT METROFOCUS.ORG.

>>> "METROFOCUS" IS MADE

POSSIBLE BY SUE AND EDGAR

WACHENHEIM III,

SYLVIA A. AND SIMON B. POYTA

PROGRAMING ENDOWMENT TO FIGHT

ANTI-SEMITISM,

THE PETER G. PETERSON AND JOAN

GANZ COONEY FUND,

BERNARD AND DENISE SCHWARTZ,

BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG,

THE AMBROSE MONELL FOUNDATION.

AND BY --

JANET PRINDLE SEIDLER,

JODY AND JOHN ARNHOLD,

CHERYL AND PHILIP MILSTEIN

FAMILY,

JUDY AND JOSH WESTON,

DR. ROBERT C. AND TINA SOHN

FOUNDATION,