Woman Thought Leader: Rep. Val Demings (D-FL)

>> FUNDING FOR "TO THE CONTRARY" PROVIDED BY THE E. RHODES AND LEONA B. CARPENTER FOUNDATION, THE COLCOM FOUNDATION, AND THE CHARLES A. FRUEAUFF FOUNDATION.

>> Bonnie: HELLO AND WELCOME TO "TO THE CONTRARY".

I AM HOST BONNIE ERB.

THIS WEEK WE HAVE THE PLEASURE OF DOING A HALF HOUR INTERVIEW WITH REPRESENTATIVE VAL DEMINGS, WHO WAS AN UP-AND-COMING DEMOCRATIC MEMBER OF THE U.S. HOUSE.

VERY VOCAL, OF GREAT STANDARD THERE FOR THE PARTY, AND FORMER POLICE CHIEF IN ORLANDO AND THE FIRST WOMAN TO HOLD THAT TO HOLD THAT POSITION .FIRST WOMAN OF ANY COLOR TO HOLD THAT POSITION.

SO WELCOME, CONGRESSWOMAN DEMINGS.

HOW WELL ARE YOU?

>> Rep. Val Demings: I MOTILITY TO BE WITH YOU, DOING WELL ALL THINGS CONSIDERED.

>> Bonnie: OKAY.

LET'S GO TO COBIT AND CONGRESS AND WHAT'S GOING ON THERE.

WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT HOW REPUBLICANS ARE TRYING TO HANDLE THE COVID CRISIS AND THE HUGE DIVIDE BETWEEN WHAT DEMOCRATS WANT TO DO AND WHAT THE REPUBLICANS WANT TO DO?

>> Rep. Val Demings: YOU KNOW, LET ME START HERE.

YOU'VE ALREADY MENTIONED THAT I SERVED A LOT OF YEARS AS A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, HAD THE HONOR OF SERVING AS POLICE CHIEF.

I DID NOT KNOW THE PARTIES OF THE PEOPLE I WORKED WITH, NOR THE PEOPLE WHO NEEDED OUR HELP.

WE JUST HAD A JOB TO DO.

I TOOK VERY SERIOUSLY.

WE DID EVERYTHING WE COULD TO GET THE JOB DONE.

I LOVE SERVING IN CONGRESS.

I'VE BEEN A PUBLIC SERVICE A LONG TIME.

I HAVE TO SAY ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S TRULY BEEN DISAPPOINTING TO ME AS A PARTISAN DIVIDE.

LOOK, YOU KNOW, WE CAN STILL BE DEMOCRATS b ÃÃI BELIEVE WE CAN BE DEMOCRATS, REPUBLICANS, WE CAN STILL CELEBRATE OUR VALUES AND OUR BELIEFS ABOUT THE WORLD, BUT IN TOUGH TIMES, TIMES OF CRISES, WE OUGHT TO BE -- I THINK THE PEOPLE WHO ELECTED US, THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY EXPECTED US TO COME TOGETHER AND GET THE JOB DONE.

IF THERE WAS ANY TIME WE NEED TO COME TOGETHER AND LAY OUR POLITICS ASIDE, IT'S DURING THIS COVID-19 CRISIS.

LOOK, NOBODY PLANNED IT.

WE DID NOT EXPECT IT.

BUT HERE IT IS.

AND SO, IT'S TIME FOR US TO COME TOGETHER AND TAKE CARE OF THE PEOPLE THAT REPRESENTED US TO DO JUST THAT.

WE KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, WE STARTED OFF WITH THE CARES PACKAGE, THE FIRST ONE.

OUR FIRST GOAL WAS TO TAKE CARE OF OUR PEOPLE, OUR FAMILIES THAT WERE SUFFERING, OUR SMALL BUSINESSES.

WE SAY THAT SMALL BUSINESSES ARE THE BACKBONE OF OUR COMMUNITY.

I BELIEVE THAT TO BE TRUE.

AND SO b ÃÃ.

>> Bonnie: AND ALSO, THEY ARE THE JOB ENGINES OF THE ECONOMY.

MAJOR CORPORATIONS, THEY WORK FOR SMALL BUSINESSES.

>> Rep. Val Demings: AND THAT'S WHY THEY ARE THE BACKBONE OF ANY COMMUNITY, BECAUSE OF THE OVERWHELMING NUMBER OF PEOPLE b ÃÃI BELIEVE IT'S 70 PERCENT OR MORE THAT SMALL BUSINESSES EMPLOY.

AND SO, OUR FIRST GOAL IS WHAT CAN WE DO TO STOP THE BLEEDING FOR AND WHAT BUSINESSES AND FAMILIES THAT ARE HURTING?

SO WE PASSED CARRIERS ONE, 2.2 TRILLION DOLLARS, LARGEST RELIEF PACKAGE ABOUT OUR COUNTRY THAT WE PASSED.

WE QUICKLY FOUND IT WAS NOT ENOUGHE SCRAMBLED TO GET BACK TO D.C.

RECENTLY TO PASS AN INTERIM RELIEF PACKAGE BECAUSE THE PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM RUN OUT OF MONEY.

AND SO, WITH THE WHOLE PURPOSE BEING TO KEY PEOPLE ON THE PAYROLL, WE HAD TO GO BACK, PASSES EMERGENCY PACKAGE.

NOW WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF WORKING ON THE NEXT CARES PACKAGE.

WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF PEOPLE, INDIVIDUALS, WE STILL NEED TO FIX SOME LOOPHOLES LIKE THINKING ABOUT CREDIT UNIONS AND IMMUNITY BANKS AND OTHER SMALLER BANKS BEING ABLE TO BE ENGAGED AND INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS.

TESTING, TESTING, TESTING IS SO VERY IMPORTANT.

IF WE ARE GOING TO GET THIS BEAST, I CALL IT, UNDER CONTROL, THE MORE PEOPLE TESTED, THE MORE WE GET MORE DATA AND INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN EACH COMMUNITY, THE BETTER WE ARE ABLE TO BRING THIS THING TO AN END.

AND THEN MAKING SURE THAT OUR HOSPITALS HAVE CAPACITY.

THAT PROBABLY WAS ONE OF MY NUMBER ONE CONCERNS ABOUT HOSPITAL CAPACITY, DEALING WITH SOMETHING IN ADDITION TO ALL OF THE OTHER CRITICAL NEEDS, SHOOTINGS.

YOU KNOW, STAFF VICTIMS, PEOPLE HAVE HEART ATTACKS OR OTHER ISSUES NEEDING IMMEDIATE MEDICAL ATTENTION.

NOW THEY ARE DEALING WITH COVID-19.

SO WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT WE DEAL WITH THOSE HOSPITAL SO THAT THEY HAVE CAPACITY AS WELL.

IN WITH THIS, AT LEAST THIS QUESTION, WITH WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF LOCAL AND STATE GOVERNMENTS, WHAT WE ARE REALLY TALKING ABOUT HERE ARE OUR POLICE, OUR FIREFIGHTERS, OUR EMERGENCY SERVICE WORKERS, OUR DOCTORS AND NURSES AND OTHER SUPPORTING WORKERS.

IT IS CRITICAL THAT WE TAKE CARE OF THOSE WHO REALLY PROVIDE THE NECESSARY INFRASTRUCTURE TO KEEP IN OUR COMMUNITY WHOLE AND HEALTHY AND SAFE.

SO WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO.

AND I JUST HOPE AND PRAY THAT MY COLLEAGUES ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE AISLE WILL JOIN US.

LOOK, LET'S SIT DOWN AT THE TABLE, LET'S FIGHT IT OUT IF WE HAVE TO.

BUT LET'S WALK AWAY WITH WHAT'S IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE SERVE.

>> Bonnie: WELL, YOU HAVE b ÃÃ YOU COME FROM A STATE WITH A REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR, GOVERNOR DESANTIS, AND A LOT OF REPUBLICAN GOVERNORS ARE TALKING ALREADY ABOUT LIFTING RESTRICTIONS.

THERE SEEMS TO BE, IF YOU DON'T MIND MY CHARACTERIZING IT THIS WAY, BUT THERE SEEMS TO BE A WAR THAT HAS BROKEN OUT BETWEEN REPUBLICANS WHO WANT TO START BUSINESSES AGAIN AND DEMOCRATS LIKE GOVERNOR CUOMO OF NEW YORK WHO WANTS TO PREVENT PEOPLE FROM DYING.

TELL ME ABOUT THIS DIVIDING LINE.

HOW DID IT WORK OUT IN THE 1ST AND 2ND CARES PACKAGES?

>> Rep. Val Demings: YOU KNOW, WHEN I WAS FIRST ELECTED TO CONGRESS IN 2016, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DID WAS TO TRY TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH MY COLLEAGUES ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE AISLE IN ORDER TO DO THAT AND I HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THEM AND WHAT THEY SEE, WHAT THEY VALUE, WHAT THEY SEE AS IMPORTANT.

WHEN WE WOULD SIT DOWN IN EACH OTHER'S OFFICES AND WE WILL TALK ABOUT HOW WE CARE ABOUT OUR COMMUNITIES, HOW WE WANT TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITIES SAFE AND HEALTHY AND SOLVE IT, WE WANT TO SUPPORT A SMALL BUSINESSES.

WE HAVE THIS LONG LIST OF THINGS THAT WE WANT TO DO THAT WERE SIMILAR, AND WHAT I DO KNOW IS THAT THERE ARE REPUBLICAN GOVERNORS AND DEMOCRATIC GOVERNORS, REPUBLICAN MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AND DEMOCRATIC MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AND LOCAL MAYORS WHO WANT NOTHING MORE THAN TO OPEN BACK AND GET BACK TO BUSINESS AS USUAL, TO GET BACK TO SOME SENSE OF NORMALCY, TO GET THOSE BUSINESSES GOING AGAIN, THOSE RESTAURANTS WILL AGAIN.

BUT WE HAVE TO DO IT IN A SAFE MANNER.

OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY, MY NUMBER ONE PRIORITY AS POLICE CHIEF, AS MEMBER OF CONGRESS IS THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF THE PEOPLE I SERVE, BECAUSE IF THEY ARE NOT SAFE, IF THEY ARE NOT HEALTHY, ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE ARE FIGHTING FOR SEEMED TO TAKE A BACKSEAT.

AND SO, KEEPING PEOPLE SAFE, WE ARE JUST NOT READY.

AND, YOU KNOW, SOME COMMUNITIES b ÃÃMAYBE I'M NOT GOING TO TELL SOMEONE IN THE MIDWEST WHAT'S BEST FOR THEM, BUT WITH THAT I WILL TELL THEM, THE ADVISOR WILL GIVE PEOPLE ALL OVER THIS NATION AND CERTAINLY MY GOVERNOR AND OTHER LEADERS HERE IN FLORIDA, THIS IS A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS.

I THINK IT WOULD BE WISE TO LISTEN TO ADVICE AND TAKE THE ADVICE FROM PUBLIC HEALTH EXPERTS, FROM PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS, FROM OUR LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS, FROM THE CENTER OF DISEASE CONTROL, FROM THE SURGEON GENERAL'S, OR STATE SURGEON GENERAL AND UNITED STATES SURGEON GENERAL.

IT'S A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS.

LET'S LISTEN TO THEM.

WE HAVE SEEN THE RESULTS OF SOCIAL DISTANCING.

WE HAVE SEEN THE POSITIVE RESULTS.

AND TO THOSE PLACES THAT HAVE BEEN SERIOUS ABOUT SOCIAL DISTANCING , THEY HAVE SEEN THEIR NUMBERS, THEY'VE SEEN THAT CURVE FLATTENED.

THEY ARE SEEING THEIR NUMBERS NOT CONTINUE TO INCREASE BUT TO DECREASE.

IF WE ARE GOING TO GET WHERE WE NEED TO BE IN FLORIDA, WE'VE GOT TO SEE THOSE NUMBERS DECREASE.

WE RECENTLY HAD THE MOST DEADLY DAY OF DEATHS AS A RESULT OF COVID-19.

NOW, I GOT TO TELL YOU, IT DOES NOT SEEM LIKE THAT'S AN INDICATION THAT WE NEED TO BE GETTING BACK TO BUSINESS AS USUAL.

SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S PAINFUL, BUT LET'S ALL TAKE A DEEP BREATH.

LET'S REMEMBER THE SAFETY OF OUR COMMUNITY, CONSTITUENTS, OUR JOB , ONE, LET'S WORK TOGETHER TO COME UP WITH A TIMELINE THAT PROTECTS OUR BUSINESSES AND THEIR BOTTOM LINES, BUT MORE IMPORTANT, PROTECTING THE LIVES OF FLORIDIANS AND THOSE ACROSS THIS COUNTRY.

>> Bonnie: TALK TO ME A BIT ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE SMALL BUSINESS, THE PAYROLL PRODUCTION PROGRAM THAT SO VITAL TO SMALL BUSINESSES, AND YET WE ALL READ THAT A LOT OF THAT MONEY THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO GO TO SMALL BUSINESSES WHEN b ÃÃ WHICH WAS DEFINED AS SBA WITH BUSINESSES WITH LESS THAN 500 EMPLOYEES, BUT WE ALL KNOW IF YOU'VE GOT 500 EMPLOYEES, NOT A SMALL BUSINESS, YOU'RE NOT A 4 PERSON, 10 PERCENT, 50 PERCENT SMALL BUSINESS.

AND A LOT OF THESE COMPANIES THAT GOT THE MONEY TURNED HER BACK, RIGHT?

WHAT'S GOING ON?

THERE WERE MAJOR CORPORATIONS, MAJOR HOUSEHOLD NAMES.

AND THEY SQUEEZED ALL THE SMALLER BUSINESSES OUT.

>> Rep. Val Demings: AND YOU KNOW WHAT?

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT REALLY, REALLY TRY TO BE AS CAREFUL AS WE COULD WAS TO PROTECT THOSE MOM-AND-POP BUSINESSES, FOR EXAMPLE.

IT WAS TO INCLUDE GIG WORKERS WERE FREELANCERS WERE, YOU KNOW, THOSE WHO ARE SELF-EMPLOYED WERE THE ONLY EMPLOYEES MIGHT BE ONE PERSON OR A HUSBAND AND WIFE TEAM.

WE DID NOT INTEND FOR BUSINESSES TO FIND LOOPHOLES WHERE THEY VIEWED THE LEGISLATION AS MEANING, OH, WELL I ONLY HAVE 500 EMPLOYEES AND ONE PLACE AND NOT TO MENTION THE NUMBER OF CHAINS ACROSS THIS COUNTRY.

IT'S SO DISAPPOINTING THAT THAT HAPPENED BECAUSE IT MEANT THAT THOSE WHO NEEDED HELP THE MOST WERE EITHER DENIED WHERE THE MONEY HAD RUN OUT BEFORE THEIR APPLICATIONS WERE EVEN PROCESSED.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, I AM THANKFUL, THOUGH, FOR THOSE COMPANIES WHO b ÃÃAND I WANT TO BE REALLY CAREFUL IN SAYING THAT THEY TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THE SYSTEM, IF YOU WILL, BECAUSE THEY DID b ÃÃI BELIEVE THEY DID, UNFORTUNATELY WITH THE LEGISLATION ALLOWED THEM TO DO, ALTHOUGH IT WAS NOT INTENDED FOR THEM.

THERE WAS NOTHING TO PREVENT THEM FROM TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE SYSTEMND SO, THAT JUST MEANS WE AS LEGISLATORS HAVE TO ALWAYS, AND WE WERE THINKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE RELIEF PACKAGE THAT WAS DONE, THE STIMULUS PACKAGE THAT WAS SIGNED IN 2000 IN 2009 AND WHAT SOME OF THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF THAT WAS, BUT WHAT WE REALIZE IS THAT WE HAVE TO BE EVER VIGILANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE PROCESSES IN PLACE, OVERSIGHT IN PLACE THAT DOES NOT ALLOW BIGGER CORPORATIONS TO ACCESS RESOURCES AND FUNDING THAT IS INTENDED FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE BUSINESSES IN OUR COMMUNITY.

.

BELIEVE ME, AS WE'LL WORK ON CARES TWO, WE ARE BEING VERY CAREFUL AND VERY CAUTIOUS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THIS SAFEGUARDS AND THE GUARDRAILS IN PLACE, IF YOU WILL, TO PREVENT WHAT HAPPENED WITH CARES ONE FROM HAPPENING AGAIN.

MANY PEOPLE ARE DEPENDING ON THE PAYROLL PRODUCTION PROGRAM.

IT WAS DESIGNED TO GIVE 90 PERCENT OF HARD-WORKING PEOPLE, AND I DEFINED THEM AS PEOPLE HAVE TO GO TO WORK EVERY DAY, ON THE PAYROLL.

IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT THE PROGRAM RAN OUT OF MONEY.

>> BUT THEY DID RUN OUT OF MONEY AND IT WAS BIGGER THAN CARES TWO.

THERE WAS MORE MONEY IN THE FIRST PLAN.

TELL ME IF THERE IS A CONGRESSIONAL ROLE IN OVERSIGHT IN SAYING THAT THE MONEY THAT WENT TO THE MAJOR CORPORATIONS IS PULLED BACK BY THE SBA OR GIVEN BACK BY THE COMPANIES, AND THEN REDISTRIBUTED TO SMALLER BUSINESSES, IS LIKE GOING ON AT ALL?

>> Rep. Val Demings: WELL, IT IS.

I'M SURE YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT SOME OF THE COMPANIES THAT HAVE VOLUNTARILY, IF YOU WILL, RETURN OF THE MONEY.

LOOK, IT WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO.

AND SO, AS WE b ÃÃAND IS ALSO BEEN SOME GUIDELINES ARE DIRECTION COME FROM THE U.S. TREASURY DEPARTMENT THAT WILL HELP TO FARTHER THAT KIND OF ACTION.

BUT, YES.

I MEAN, I TAKE, AS A MEMBER OF CONGRESS, I TAKE RESPONSIBILITY ALONG WITH MY OTHER COLLEAGUES THAT IT SHOULD NOT OF HAPPENED.

IT DID.

AND WE'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE IT DOES NOT HAPPEN AGAIN.

AS YOU KNOW, WITH THE ORIGINAL CARES ONE PACKAGE, WE REALLY TRIED TO PUT IN OVERSIGHT COMMISSION, IF YOU WILL, IN PLACE ALONG WITH SOMEONE TO LEAD THE EFFORT.

THE PRESIDENT WAS NOT TOO KEEN ON THE GRID I KNOW MITCH McCONNELL WAS NOT AS WELL.

BUT THIS IS A PRIME EXAMPLE OF WHY OVERSIGHT IS SO NECESSARY.

IF WE WANT TO HELP THE MOST VULNERABLE, IF WE WANT TO HELP THE LEAST OF THESE IN OUR COMMUNITY, THEN WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE GUARDRAILS ARE IN PLACEO, YES, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.

WE ARE TAKING DUE CARE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE GUARDRAILS ARE PUT IN PLACE TO PREVENT WHAT WE HAVE SEEN IN THE PAST.

>> Bonnie: OKAY.

THEN WITH CARES 2, IT SEEMS LIKE SOME MORE MONEY WAS PUT INTO, GIVEN TO HOSPITALS AND HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS FOR MORE VENTILATORS, MORE MASKS, MORE GLOVES, ALTHOUGH PROTECTIVE GEAR THAT'S IN SUCH SHORT SUPPLY BUT ALSO A LITTLE LESS WENT TO SMALL BUSINESSES.

AND THAT'S CURRENTLY BEGIN VERY RECENTLY.

TELL ME, PLEASE, ABOUT THERE MIGHT BE IN THE THIRD PACKAGE.

WILL THERE BE A THIRD PACKAGE, ONE FOURTH PACKAGE?

HOW LONG CAN THIS GO ON?

>> Rep. Val Demings: I'VE A FEELING, THOUGH, GREAT QUESTION.

I'VE A FEELING IT WILL GO ON, THOUGH, AS LONG AS IT NEEDS TO.

AND LET ME GO BACK TO SOMETHING I SAID EARLIER, AND THIS IS FOR MY REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES AND FRIENDS AND DEMOCRAT AS WELL.

NEW IMPLANTS THIS.

BUT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS.

THIS IS THE TIME FOR TRUE LEADERSHIP TO RISE TO THE OCCASION.

THIS IS A TOP ONE.

IT'S LIKE NOTHING WE'VE EVER SEEN BEFORE, WHICH MEANS WE WANT TO DO SOME THINGS WE HAVE NEVER DONE BEFORE.

WE PASSED THE INTERRANTE PACKAGE, $484 BILLION.

REMEMBER FIRST WAS $2.2 TRILLION.

$484 BILLION, THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY.

WE KNOW IT'S NOT ENOUGH.

WE ANTICIPATE, WE EXPECT AND WE ARE TRYING TO PREPARE FOR THAT MONEY TO RUN OUT.

WE ARE NOT QUITE SURE.

WE ARE LOOKING AT THE DATA.

WE ARE TRYING TO GET A HOLD ON THE NUMBER OF SMALL BUSINESSES THAT ARE ACTUALLY IN THE QUEUE.

WHAT THIS COVID-19 HAS HELPED US TO REALIZE IS REALLY POINT TO SOME OF OUR VULNERABILITIES.

THERE IS NO ONE WAY TO DETERMINE RIGHT NOW, ALTHOUGH WE ARE WORKING ON IT AS WE ARE HAVING THIS DISCUSSION, TO DETERMINE HOW MANY BUSINESSES ARE IN THE QUEUE.

AND SO, WE DON'T b ÃÃWITHOUT THE INFORMATION, WE CAN'T ANTICIPATE WHEN THE DOLLARS OR HOW FAR WE CAN STRETCH THOSE DOLLARS.

I THINK THE SMART APPROACH IS TO JUST ASSUME IT'S NOT GOING TO BE ENOUGH AND WE NEED TO START ANTICIPATING THE NEXT PACKAGE.

SO WE FIND OURSELVES, WE'VE GOT TO JUGGLE A LOT OF THINGS AT ONCE.

THAT'S WHAT CRISIS MANAGERS TO.

THAT'S WHAT LEADERS DO.

AND SO, WHILE WE TRY TO HELP BUSINESSES SURVIVE, WE CAN NEVER, I DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO MAKE THEM WHOLE AS WE'VE BEEN THROUGH THIS SINCE MID-MARCH AND IN SOME INSTANCES LONG BEFORE THAT.

I DON'T THINK WE WILL HAVE THE ABILITY TO MAKE THEM WHOLE, BUT WE ARE TRYING TO HELP THEM SURVIVE.

WE ARE TRYING TO BE BRIDGE BUILDERS TO GET THEM OVER THIS PERIOD SO THEY CAN SURVIVE.

BUT WHILE WE DO THAT TOO, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE TAKE CARE OF OUR HOSPITALS.

WHEN PEOPLE ARE SICK, WE WANT TO INCREASE TESTING.

WE'VE SAID THAT'S A VITAL PART OF THIS PROCESS.

WELL, IF WE INCREASE TESTING, WE CAN ANTICIPATE THAT MORE PEOPLE WILL TEST POSITIVE.

WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THEY CAN GET THE MEDICAL SUPPORT THAT THEY NEED WHICH MEANS WE HAVE TO LOOK AT HOSPITAL CAPACITY AND LOOK AT HOW TO INCREASE IT.

AND I THINK OVERALL, I'VE SEEN SOME PRETTY CREATIVE WAYS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY THAT PEOPLE ARE DOING THAT.

RIGHT HERE IN ORANGE COUNTY, FLORIDA, BUT WE HAVE TO ANTICIPATE THE NEXT WAVE.

THERE HAS BEEN SOME DISCUSSION.

WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY, BUT THERE MAY BE ANOTHER RESURGENCE IN THE FALL.

WE DON'T WANT TO BE BLINDSIDED.

WE WANT TO BE READY.

AND SO, WE CAN ANTICIPATE THAT IF WE'VE GOT TO IMPROVE TESTING, THEN WE NEED MORE RESOURCES, MORE FUNDING.

IF WE'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE THE PROPER PERSONAL PROTECTION EQUIPMENT, THEN WE HAVE TO INCREASE FUNDING AND WE HAVE TO COME UP WITH THE NATIONAL DISBURSEMENT SYSTEM TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE RESOURCES AND EQUIPMENT ARE GOING TO THE COMMUNITIES THAT NEED THEM THE MOST, WHICH MEANS WE NEED TO HAVE A UNIFIED COMMAND.

LEGACY MANY TIMES AS A POLICE CHIEF ON THE STREET AND IN COMMUNITIES, WE NEED TO HAVE A UNIFIED COMMAND.

>> Bonnie: I WANT TO JUMP IN FOR A SECOND IF I MAY.

PLEASE GIVE THE PRESIDENT AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT b ÃÃTHE PRESIDENT FIRST, THE WHITE HOUSE, THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH, A GRADE ON HOW IT'S HANDLED, COVID .

>> Rep. Val Demings: IF I HAD TO GIVE THEM A GRADE, I WOULD SAY A D-ND I SAY THAT BECAUSE I JUST FEEL, LOOK, THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES I SEE AS THE MOST POWERFUL POSITION IN THE WORLD.

AND THE PERSON SHOULD EXERCISE THE ABILITY TO BRING NOT ONLY b ÃÃTO ASSEMBLE NOT ONLY THE BEST OF THE BEST MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS AND SCIENTISTS IN THE NATION, BUT ACROSS THE WORLD.

THE WORLD.

OUR FRIENDS AND ADVERSARIES LOOK TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO PROVIDE LEADERSHIP DURING TIMES OF CRISIS, AND WE HAVE NOT DONE THAT.

LOOK, I SAY THAT, BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT THIS IS A TOUGH MOMENT.

THIS IS BIG.

IT'S COMPLICATED.

AND IT'S NOT EASY.

WITH THE RIGHT LEADERSHIP, THOUGH, WE CAN BEGIN TO BRING THIS NATION BACK TO WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE.

I THINK THE PRESIDENT HAS SOME GREAT PEOPLE AROUND HIM.

I JUST HOPE THAT THE PRESIDENT WILL UTILIZE THE TALENT AROUND THEM.

AND IN THIS PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS, SEND A MESSAGE THAT'S CLEAR THAT WE SHOULD BE LISTENING TO OUR MEDICAL EXPERTS AND OUR SCIENTISTS IN THE SITUATION.

I ALSO WISH THE PRESIDENT WOULD USE THE FULL AUTHORITY OF HIS OFFICE.

WE KNOW HE CAN DO THAT.

I SERVED AS IMPEACHMENT MANAGER.

I KNOW HE CERTAINLY KNOWS HOW TO USE THIS POWER , TO FULLY IMPLEMENT THE DEFENSE PRODUCTION ACT.

AS WE TALK ABOUT MUCH-NEEDED LIFESAVING EQUIPMENT, WHETHER IT'S FOR HEALTHCARE WORKERS ARE VENTILATORS, I WISH THE PRESIDENT WOULD FULLY IMPLEMENT THAT ACT SO WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT BUSINESSES, THE PRIVATE SECTOR, IS WORKING HAND-IN-HAND WITH THE PUBLIC SECTOR TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE MANUFACTURING AND PRODUCING THE NUMBERS OF EQUIPMENT THAT WE NEED ALL OVER THE NATION TO KEEP PEOPLE SAFE.

SO I SAY A D- >> Bonnie: OKAY.

THANK YOU FOR THE JUDGMENT.

I WANT TO SPEND THE LAST FEW MINUTES THAT WE HAVE ON YOU AS A RISING STAR WITHIN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.

AND HE TALKED ABOUT THE EXECUTIVE RESPONSE NOT BEING WHAT IT SHOULD BE, AND I THINK THERE IS PRETTY b ÃÃIN THE UNITED STATES, BUT IN THE WORLD, THERE IS PRETTY UNIFORM THINKING THAT IT HAS NOT BEEN, THAT OTHER COUNTRIES HAVE HANDLED THIS COVID RESPONSE MUCH MORE QUICKLY, MUCH MORE UNIFIED, AND THEY AS A RESULT HAVE MUCH LOWER DEATH RATES AND INFECTION RATES.

YOU ARE TALKED ABOUT AS IS POSSIBLE VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE WITH JOE BIDEN AT THE TOP OF THE TICKET.

HAVE YOU TALKED TO HIM ABOUT JOINING THE TICKET?

>> Rep. Val Demings: I HAVE NOT HAD A DIRECT DISCUSSION WITH HIM.

WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL DISCUSSIONS WITH MEMBERS OF HIS TEAM.

LET ME SAY THIS: YOU KNOW, YOU PROBABLY ARTIE KNOW THIS, BUT I WANT TO SAY IT TOO SO PEOPLE REALLY FULLY UNDERSTAND WHO I AM.

I GREW UP THE YOUNGEST OF SEVEN CHILDREN AND THE DAUGHTER OF A MAID AND A JANITOR.

I WATCHED MY DAD GO TO WORK SEVEN DAYS A WEEK TO KEEP FOOD ALL OVER OUR TABLE AND A ROOF OVER OUR HEADS.

I WATCHED MY MOTHER GET ON HER KNEES AND SCRUB OTHER PEOPLE'S FLOORS TO MAKE A LIVING.

BUT THEY TAUGHT ME, YOU KNOW, THE WORLD DOES NOT OWE YOU ANYTHING.

YOU GET OUT THERE AND YOU WORK HARD.

YOU PAY YOUR DUES.

YOU EARN YOUR WAY.

I HAVE TAKEN EVERY DAY THAT I'VE HAD TO DO JUST THAT.

I CONSIDER IT A BLESSING TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO WORK AS A SOCIAL WORKER WORKING WITH BROKEN FAMILIES AND BROKEN CHILDREN.

I CONSIDERED IT A BLESSING TO BE ABLE TO SERVE, STARTING OUT AS AN OFFICER AT THE ORLANDO POLICE DEPARTMENT, WORKING MY WAY UP THROUGH THE RANKS TO BECOME THE CHIEF OF POLICE.

IT WAS A TOUGH JOB, BUT I CHOSE TOUGH JOBS BECAUSE I WANT TO BE ABLE TO GIVE THAT AND CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OTHERS LIKE I'VE HAD.

IN CONGRESS, I'VE PROBABLY MADE IT A LOT TOUGHER THAN IT NEEDS TO BE BECAUSE I'M REALLY COMMITTED TO DOING THE RIGHT THING AND DOING WHATEVER I NEED TO DO TO SERVE THE CONSTITUENTS OF THE CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 10 AND SERVE THIS NATION.

THE FACT THAT MY NAME IS BEING CALLED IS A SERIOUS POTENTIAL VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE IS SUCH AN HONOR TO ME, BUT I THINK IT FURTHER DEMONSTRATES EXACTLY WHAT WE SHOULD ALL BE WORKING HARD FOR AND THAT'S TO CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR MEN, WOMEN, BOYS, GIRLS, RICH AND POOR.

OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE A RESULT OF YOUR HARD WORK AND DEDICATION AND COMMITMENT.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, I WILL JUST SAY THIS: I MONITORED MY NAME IS BEING CALLED.

I AM TRYING TO FOCUS, THOUGH, ON THE WORK THAT IS RIGHT BEFORE ME, AND THAT IS TO HELP TO SLAY THIS DRAG AND CALLED COVID-19, GET BACK TO SOME DEGREE OF NORMALCY, REOPENING OUR BUSINESSES, ESPECIALLY THOSE SMALL BUSINESSES THAT ARE SUFFERING.

AND WE WILL SEE WHAT THE FUTURE BRINGS.

BUT UNDERSTAND I AM HONORED THAT MY NAME IS BEING CALLED.

>> Bonnie: CERTAINLY, YOU'RE GETTING A LOT MORE EXPOSURE AS A RISING STAR THE PARTY THAN YOU WHERE A YEAR OR SO AGO.

SO BEST OF LUCK TO YOU.

IN WHATEVER DIRECTION YOU WANT TO GO IN, PLEASE, WHEN YOU ARE THE VP CANDIDATE, PLEASE REMEMBER US AND DO AN INTERVIEW WITH US ABOUT THAT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> Rep. Val Demings: I WILL DO THAT!

SOUNDS LIKE A DATE.

>> Bonnie: THANK YOU, REPRESENTATIVE OF DEMINGS.

I AM BONNIE ERBE.

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