WE HAVE A LOT MORE TO LEARN. >> I'M SURE WE DO. MAT KAPLAN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US. >> MY -- >>> WE WANT TO TAKE YOU TO THE WHITE HOUSE WHERE CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS HAVE BEEN MEETING WITH PRESIDENT BIDEN. CHUCK SCHUMER COMING UP TO THE PODIUM. LET'S LISTEN. >> A PRODUCTIVE MEETING ON THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN WE ARE MAKING GOOD PROGRESS. WE MADE IT VERY CLEAR THE SPEAKER SAID UNEQUIVOCALLY HE WANTS TO AVOID A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN. WE MADE IT CLEAR THAT THAT MEANS NOT LETTING ANY OF THE GOVERNMENT APPROPRIATIONS BILLS LAPSE, WHICH MEANS YOU NEED SOME CRs TO GET THAT DONE. BUT WE ARE MAKING GOOD PROGRESS AND WE ARE HOPEFUL WE CAN GET THIS DONE REALLY QUICKLY. VERY LITTLE BACK-AND-FORTH ON DIFFERENT ISSUES, DIFFERENT PEOPLE WANT, BUT I DON'T THINK THOSE ARE INSURMOUNTABLE. THE FACT THAT WE MADE IT SO CLEAR THAT WE CAN'T HAVE THE SHUTDOWN BECAUSE IT HURTS SO MANY PEOPLE AND SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS, EVEN FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME WAS VERY APPARENT IN THE ROOM AND THE SPEAKER DID NOT REJECT THAT. HE SAID HE WANTS TO AVOID A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN. THAT WAS VERY HEARTENING. THE MEETING ON UKRAINE WAS ONE OF THE MOST INTENSE I HAVE EVER ENCOUNTERED IN MY MANY MEETINGS IN THE OVAL OFFICE. THE FOUR OF US, ALTOGETHER, FIRST PERSON TO SPEAK WAS McCONNELL, THE FIVE OF US, THE PRESIDENT, VICE PRESIDENT, LEADER JEFFRIES, AND MYSELF. MADE IT SO CLEAR HOW VITAL THIS WAS TO THE UNITED STATES. THIS WAS SO, SO IMPORTANT, AND THAT WE COULDN'T AFFORD TO WAIT A MONTH OR TWO MONTHS OR THREE MONTHS, BECAUSE WE WOULD, IN ALL LIKELIHOOD, LOSE THE WAR, NATO WOULD BE FRACTURED, AT BEST . ALLIES WOULD TURN AWAY FROM THE UNITED STATES AND THE BOLDEST LEADERS, THE BOLDEST AUTOCRATS OF THE WORLD, THE VLADIMIR PUTIN'S, THE -- THE PRESIDENTS OF NORTH KOREA. I LIKE THE GOVERNOR OF NORTH CAROLINA, ACTUALLY. THE PRESIDENTS OF NORTH KOREA AND IRAN WOULD BE EMBOLDENED, INKING THAT THE UNITED STATES WAS THIS SOFT, FAT COUNTRY THAT LOST ITS WAY AND WOULD TAKE ADVANTAGE. SO, WE SAID TO THE SPEAKER, GET IT DONE. I TOLD HIM. THIS IS ONE OF THE MOMENTS. BEEN AROUND HERE LONG TIME. MAYBE FOUR OR FIVE TIMES THAT HISTORY IS LOOKING OVER YOUR SHOULDER. IF YOU DON'T DO THE RIGHT THING, WHATEVER THE IMMEDIATE POLITICS ARE, YOU WILL REGRET IT . I TOLD HIM, TWO YEARS FROM NOW AND EVERY YEAR AFTER THAT. REALLY, IT'S IN HIS HANDS. IT'S IN HIS HANDS. WE TOLD HIM HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS. IT WAS PASSIONATE. I TALKED ABOUT MY TRIP TO UKRAINE, WHERE I MET SOLDIERS WHO HAD RUSSIAN ARTILLERY IN RANGE WITH THE DRONES THEY HAVE, BUT HAD NO AMMUNITION TO FIRE AT THEM. WE TALKED ABOUT FOUR HER GRADES WHO WERE READIED -- FOR BRIGADES WHO ARE READY TO GO, AND HOW SERIOUS THE LACK OF ARMS WERE. AND THE CONSENSUS IN THAT ROOM, VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY AND UKRAINE WILL LOSE THE WAR IF THEY DON'T GET THE ARMS AND THEY DON'T GET THEM QUICKLY. THE SPEAKER BROUGHT UP THE BORDER. WE MADE IT VERY CLEAR TO HIM THAT WE WANT TO DO SOMETHING REAL ON BORDER. IN FACT, WE DEMOCRATS IN THE SENATE SUPPORTED A BORDER BILL THAT VERY CONSERVATIVE GROUPS, INCLUDING THE BORDER PATROL AGENTS, THE WALL STREET JOURNAL EDITORIAL PAGE, AND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BEFORE, BUT SAID TO HOLD UP UKRAINE, WHICH HE ADMITTED, WAS A NATIONAL IMPERATIVE, BECAUSE YOU CAN'T DO SOMETHING ELSE, WHICH WE ALL SHOULD WORK ON, WAS A NON SEQUITUR. NO LOGIC. THERE IS A LOGIC TO SOLVING THE BORDER. WE WANT TO SOLVE IT. BUT WE HAVE TO, BUT WE HAVE TO DO TO UKRAINE RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THERE IS NO WEIGHT FOR THAT. THAT WAS BROUGHT BY BIPARTISAN CONSENSUS, AND THE BORDER TAKES MORE WORK, WHICH WE WILL BE HAPPY TO WORK ON. >> SENATOR SCHUMER, SENATOR SCHUMER. >> HOLD ON. I THINK PRESIDENT BIDEN FOR CONVENING US FOR THIS VERY IMPORTANT -- THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. IT WAS AN INTENSE MEETING. IT WAS AN HONEST MEETING AND ULTIMATELY, IT WAS A PRODUCTIVE MEETING. WE DISCUSSED THREE ISSUES. FIRST, THE NEED TO AVOID A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN AND TO FUND THE GOVERNMENT SO THAT WE CAN ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE IN TERMS OF THEIR HEALTH, THEIR SAFETY, AND THEIR ECONOMIC WELL-BEING. WE ARE MAKING REAL PROGRESS ON THE APPROPRIATIONS BILLS THAT ARE SCHEDULED TO LAPSE ON MARCH 1st AND I AM CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC THAT WE CAN DO WHAT IS NECESSARY WITHIN THE NEXT DAY OR SO TO CLOSE DOWN THESE BILLS AND AVOID A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN. AT THE SAME TIME, IT MAY BE IMPORTANT TO COME TO AN AGREEMENT THAT IS BIPARTISAN AND ANCHORED IN COMMON SENSE, TO EXTEND THE PENDING EXPLORATION OF THE EIGHT ADDITIONAL BILLS THAT ARE'S SCHEDULED TO LAPSE ON MARCH 8th SO THAT GOOD FAITH, TOUGH NEGOTIATIONS CAN CONTINUE IN THE ABSENCE OF A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN. SECOND, WE DISCUSSED THE URGENT NATIONAL SECURITY PRIORITIES OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. AS CAPTURED IN THE BIPARTISAN COMPREHENSIVE SENATE PASSED LEGISLATION. THIS IS AN EXISTENTIAL MOMENT FOR THE FREE WORLD, AS IT RELATES TO BEING THERE FOR OUR DEMOCRATIC ALLIES IN UKRAINE, IN ISRAEL, AND IN THE INDO PACIFIC AND ALSO, AT THE SAME PERIOD OF TIME, MAKING SURE THAT WE PROVIDE HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TO PALESTINIAN CIVILIANS WHO ARE IN HARM'S WAY IN GAZA OR IN OTHER AREAS OF WAR THROUGH NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN. THIRD, AS LEADER SCHUMER INDICATED, WE HAD AN OPEN AND HONEST AND CANDID FIRM DISCUSSION ABOUT THE BORDER. WE ALL AGREE THAT WE HAVE A BROKEN IMMIGRATION SYSTEM AND THAT THERE IS A NEED TO ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES AT THE BORDER. IN A THOUGHTFUL, BIPARTISAN WAY , AS DEMOCRATS, WE SUPPORT A SAFE, A STRONG, AND A HUMANE BORDER. WE JUST NEED OUR HOUSE REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES NOT TO PLAY POLITICS AND ENGAGE IN POLITICAL STUNTS RELATIVE TO THE BORDER, BUT TO SIT DOWN, AS WAS DONE IN THE SENATE AND ENTER INTO GOOD FAITH DISCUSSIONS ABOUT FIXING OUR BROKEN IMMIGRATION SYSTEM, AS DEMOCRATS, WE STAND READY TO DO JUST THAT. >> SENATOR SCHUMER, WHAT MADE THIS MEETING ONE OF THE MOST INTENSE YOU'VE EVER HAD? >> THE URGENCY OF SUPPORTING UKRAINE AND THE CONSEQUENCES TO THE PEOPLE OF AMERICA, TO AMERICA'S A STRENGTH, IF WE DON'T DO ANYTHING AND DON'T DO ANYTHING SOON. I WAS SO, SO SHAKEN BY WHAT I SAW AT THE BORDER. I WAS STRENGTHENED BY THE STRENGTH OF VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY AND THE UKRAINIAN PEOPLE AND THE SOLDIERS, BUT SHAKEN THAT HERE THEY ARE, FIGHTING WITHOUT ARMS AGAINST THE BRUTAL DICTATOR WHO WILL JUST DO ANYTHING TO KILL THEM. THE INTENSITY IN THAT ROOM WAS SURPRISING TO ME. BUT BECAUSE OF THE PASSION OF THE PRESIDENT, THE VICE PRESIDENT, LEADER JEFFRIES, SPEAKER McCONNELL AND MYSELF, IT WAS, AND, YOU KNOW, JOHNSON TRIED TO ANSWER AND IT MADE CLEAR THAT HE WANTS TO DO SOMETHING ON THE BORDER, BUT WE MADE IT CLEAR TO HIM, WE CAN'T TERRY OR THE WAR COULD BE LOST AND, SECOND, WE HAD TO, WE WANTED TO DO BORDER AND HAVE A TOUGH, SECURE BORDER PLAN, AS WE SHOW, WE -- COULDN'T COME UP WITH A SINGLE DEMOCRATIC VOTE. THAT'S ENOUGH. NEXT ONE. YES, YES, YES. >> IS THIS A PART OF THE DISCUSSION? IS THERE LEGISLATIVE DISCUSSION ? OR IS THE STILL THE REPUBLIC POSITION THAT HAS TO BE DONE THROUGH THE -- >> WE MAY BE OVER WHELMING SENTIMENT IS WE HAVE TO DO UKRAINE NOW. >> WE WOULD DO BORDER JUST BY ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION. I THINK JOE BIDEN WON THAT ARGUMENT. WE ALL SAID YOU CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT PERSONNEL. YOU NEED LEGISLATION FOR PERSONNEL. EVEN REPUBLICANS IN THE BUDGET ASKED FOR MORE MONEY FOR PERSONNEL AT THE BUDGET. IT IS CLEAR WE WANT TO FIX BORDER BUT IT IS ALSO CLEAR THE SPEAKER DID NOT GIVE A REASON WHY YOU HAD TO DO ONE BEFORE THE OTHER. >> Reporter: CONGRESSMAN, POPE FRANCIS ON SUNDAY, SIR -- >> WE HAVE BEEN LISTENING TO SENATE MAJORITY LEADER CHUCK SCHUMER AND HOUSE MINORITY LEADER HAKEEM JEFFERIES SPEAK AFTER A MEETING WITH PRESIDENT BIDEN AND VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS. THEY SAY THEY ARE MAKING GOOD PROGRESS BEFORE FRIDAY'S PARTIAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN. THE SENATE MAJORITY LEADERS SAY HOUSE SPEAKER MIKE JOHNSON DOES NOT WANT A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN BUT HAKEEM JEFFERIES SAYS WE NEED TO AVOID ONE FOR THE HEALTH OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. CBS NEWS CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT SCOTT MacFARLANE JOINS US FROM CAPITOL HILL. SCOTT, TALK ABOUT THIS MEETING AND THE BEST WAY TO EVALUATE WHETHER OR NOT IT WAS TRULY SUCCESSFUL. >> Reporter: TWO THINGS TO TAKE AWAY FROM WHAT SENATOR SCHUMER JUST SAID THERE. HE DESCRIBED THIS ONE LOBBYING EFFORT AGAINST SPEAKER MIKE JOHNSON TO CONVINCE HIM TO BRING THE UKRAINE AID PACKAGE UP FOR A VOTE. THERE IS CONSENSUS FROM OUR REPORTING THAT THE VOTES ARE THERE. DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS ARE READY TO APPROVE TENS OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR UKRAINE RIGHT NOW THE REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP SAYS THEY NEED TO HAVE MORE BORDER SECURITY MEASURES APPROVED FIRST. WHAT SENATOR SCHUMER DESCRIBED WAS NOT UNPRECEDENTED BUT TO HAVE ALL FIVE, THE PRESIDENT, VICE PRESIDENT, BOTH DEMOCRATIC LEADERS TRYING TO LEAN ON SPEAKER JOHNSON. THE OTHER TAKEAWAY IS THAT SPEAKER SCHUMER AND LEADER JEFFRIES DESCRIBED THIS AS A CONSENSUS THERE COULD NOT BE A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN AND THE LIKELIHOOD, NOT THE POSSIBILITY, THE LIKELIHOOD THAT CONTINUING RESOLUTION TO KEEP THE GOVERNMENT OPEN WILL COME UP BEFORE FRIDAY. THE TIMING IS IMPERATIVE HERE, NANCY. IT NEEDS TO BE APPROVED BY THE 11:59 P.M. DEADLINE. THEY HAVE TO PUT SOMETHING ON PAPER AND RELEASE IT TODAY. IF THE MEETING HAPPENS, EVERYBODY TALKS, THERE IS A CONSENSUS WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING TO KEEP THE GOVERNMENT OPEN, SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE PUT ON PAPER AND CIRCULATED AMONG DEMOCRATIC AND REPUBLICAN MEMBERS. WE HAVE NOT HEARD FROM REPUBLICANS IN THE ROOM. MITCH McCONNELL AND SPEAKER MIKE JOHNSON, TRADITIONALLY THEY WALK OUT TOGETHER. THEY ARE DIVERSION, IT SEEMS, ON THE ISSUE OF UKRAINE. LET'S SEE WHO SPEAKS FIRST AND INTO SAYS WHAT ABOUT THE UKRAINE AID ISSUE. >> THAT IS SOMETHING SO MANY PEOPLE ARE COUNTING ON. CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE NEXT MOVES ON THAT? PRESIDENT BIDEN HAS BEEN URGING LAWMAKERS TO MOVE FORWARD THIS MORNING. CAN YOU ELABORATE MORE ON WHY THE SPEAKER WON'T MOVE THE VOTE TO THE FLOOR? >> Reporter: THERE ARE REPUBLICAN MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE THAT WOULD APPROVE OR AT LEAST VOTE ON UKRAINE AID IF THEY ADD THINGS TO DEAL WITH AMERICA POP US BORDER, THE SOUTHERN BORDER WITH MEXICO. THE SENATORS HAVE SAID WE DID THAT. WE CUT A BIPARTISAN DEAL TO DO BOTH THINGS, TO FUND UKRAINE AND ENACT STRICTER BORDER SECURITY MEASURES, THE LIKES OF WHICH WE HAVE NOT SEEN IN DECADE IN WASHINGTON. THAT IS WHAT THE SENATORS ARE SAYING. HOUSE LEADERS AND DONALD TRUMP OPPOSED THE PLAN, SAYING IT DID NOT GO FAR ENOUGH AND IT IS AN ELECTION YEAR. IT BECOMES INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT AS THE YEAR MOVES ON. WITH THE DEMOCRATIC LEADERS SAID RIGHT THERE IS THAT UKRAINE NEEDS TO MOVE NOW, THERE IS A NEED TO GET THE AID OUT THE DOOR, BULLETS AND AMMUNITION IS RUNNING LOW AND THINGS ARE WEAKENING ON THE FRONT LINES. TO GET A DEAL THAT APPROVES BORDER SECURITY AND UKRAINE TOGETHER IS GOING TO TAKE MORE TIME. THEY ARE SAYING WHAT HAPPENED IN THE MEETING WAS AN ARGUMENT TO SPEAKER MIKE JOHNSON WE HAVE RUN OUT OF TIME. >> YES, YES, WE HAVE. I KNOW THESE LEADERS ARE SAYING THEY WILL DO ANYTHING THEY CAN TO AVOID IT, BUT WHAT HAPPENS IF THERE IS A SHUTDOWN AT 12:00 A.M. SATURDAY MORNING? >> Reporter: THERE IS STILL CONSENSUS SOMETHING WILL GET DONE. WE HAVE COME CLOSE TO THE DEADLINE ARE READY. THERE HAVE BEEN NEAR THREE BREACHES JUST SINCE SEPTEMBER. THERE MAY BE SOME MEMBERS OF THE U. S. HOUSE REPUBLICAN CONFERENCE THAT PERHAPS BREACHING THE DEADLINE WOULD HELP ENACT MORE CHANGE, MORE SPENDING CUTS AND GIVE THEM MORE LEVERAGE TO DO WHAT REPUBLICAN LEADERS SAY THEY NEED BUT AS THEY HAMMER THAT OUT, WE ARE MOVING CLOSER AND CLOSER TO THE DEADLINE AND THE RISK OF A PARTIAL SHUTDOWN. THIS FRIDAY, 20% OF THE GOVERNMENT WILL RUN OUT OF FUNDING, INCLUDING THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, SOME AGRICULTURE AND HOUSING PROGRAMS AND NUTRITIONAL ASSISTANCE FOR FAMILIES WHO NEED IT, INCLUDING THE MILITARY FAMILIES. NEXT FRIDAY, MARCH 8, IS THE BALANCE OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S FUNDING. MARCH 8 AND SPENDING FOR THE PENTAGON, SECURITY PROGRAMS AND PROSECUTION PROGRAMS AT E JUSTICE DEPARTMENT AND OTHER VITAL THINGS THAT THOSE AGENCIES DELIVER AND WOULD ALSO LIKELY PUT A HOLD ON PAYCHECKS, NOT JUST FOR TENS OF THOUSANDS OF FEDERAL WORKERS, BUT ALSO POTENTIALLY FOR
