Speaker Nancy Pelosi speaks to the media during her weekly briefing March 12, 2020 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. (Photo by NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP via Getty Images)
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi repeated a phrase throughout her update this morning on the latest federal response to the coronavirus: "Testing, testing, testing."
The speaker said testing is "so very important, to take inventory, to understand the epidemiological spread of the virus, and also to meet the needs of the people affected."
She confirmed that Democrats and Republicans are working closely to pass a bill today that would provide additional protections, and free testing, following an $8.3 billion aid package last week. "No one will say I can't afford it," she said.
The Families First Coronavirus Response Act would ensure free coronavirus testing, paid emergency sick leave, expanded unemployment insurance, increased protections for health care workers on the frontline, and food security initiative for children while schools are closed.
The bill is currently being debated in the House, but the clock is ticking as lawmakers consider whether they should leave the capital out of an abundance of caution.
When asked if House Democrats would stick around if a deal was not made within the next two days, Pelosi insisted lawmakers would get it done.
"We don't need 48 hours. We need to make a decision to help families now," she said.
"If people have to stay home, we have to stay home, but we don't want people to panic," Pelosi added but held off from outlining further plans to address the virus.
"We're here to pass a bill. When we pass a bill, we'll make a judgment about what comes next," she said.
As an addendum to her update on the coronavirus response, the speaker chimed in on the Democratic primary race.
"In case you were going to ask, no, I don't think Bernie Sanders should get out of the race. I'm a grassroots person. I'm chair of the California Democratic Party. I know the enthusiasm of supporters of candidates, and they want to see it play out."
While the Republican Congressman from Ohio says passing new laws on gun control won't solve the problem, he points out that current laws need to be followed and that there's no right or wrong time to talk about the issue.
The congresswoman says that President Trump tries to undermine institutions that challenge him and encourage check and balances, something deeply troubling.
Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman shares her outlook on mass shootings in the U.S., a day after a gunman killed 26 in Texas and just a month removed from her own city seeing the worst rampage in U.S. history.
Texas Congressman Beto O'Rourke, a Democrat, joins Cheddar to discuss the ongoing fight to save the Dreamers Act, also known as DACA. He mentions his recent conversations with dozens of undocumented immigrants who came to the States as children, noting that their biggest concerns are losing their jobs and the homes and communities they have built for themselves. They also want their families to be safe.
Rep. O'Rourke also speaks about the immigration legislation which he introduced, as well as the short 5-month time frame Congress has to come up with a fix for DACA. If a fix is not agreed upon by March, 800,000 Dreamers will be at risk of losing their homes in the U.S.
We speak with the Congressman about his fight to take on Ted Cruz for his Senate seat in 2018. Rep. O'Rourke has come under scrutiny for his decision to leave the House and try for the Senate in a state that tends to lean Republican. He discusses why he believes his policies on healthcare and job creation are better for the people of Texas. He says he's excited to be part of the historic race, taking on a multi-term Senator like Cruz.
Texas Congressman Beto O'Rourke encourages "Dreamers" to up the ante and continue to create conversation around DACA. He says great things don't just come from Congress, but through protests.
