WELCOME TO "THE WEEKEND." . >>> A CRITICAL THE ON CAPITOL HILL AS CONGRESS STEPS UP FOR OUR ALLIES OVERSEAS. IN THE NEXT HOUR, DEBATE IS SET TO BEGIN IN THE HOUSE ON A LONG- DELAYED FOREIGN AID PACKAGE. SEPARATE BILLS THIS AFTERNOON TO SUPPORT UKRAINE, ISRAEL AND TAIWAN. THE PACKAGE ALSO INCLUDES HUMANITARIAN RELIEF FOR GAZA. TO GET THESE BILLS ACROSS THE FINISH LINE, SPEAKER MIKE JOHNSON MUST RELY ON DEMOCRATS. AND FACT, MIGHT ALSO NEED THE SUPPORT OF DEMOCRATS TO KEEP HIS JOB. THREE GOP HOUSE NUMBERS ARE PUSHING A MOTION TO VACATE WHICH WOULD FORCE A VOTE ON REMOVING JOHNSON AS SPEAKER. JOINING US NOW, CONGRESSWOMAN PRAMILA JAYAPAL, CHAIR OF THE CONGRESSIONAL CAUCUS. >> GOOD MORNING. >> DID YOU EXPECT TO BE HERE THIS SATURDAY? >> I DIDN'T. I HAD PLANS BUT HERE A.M. >> HOW YOU THINK THE VOTE WILL PLAY OUT TODAY? >> HOW DO YOU THINK IT WILL PASS AND HOW WILL YOU VOTE ON THE SEPARATE BILLS? >> I'M SO HAPPY WE WILL BE ABLE TO VOTE ON THE UKRAINE AID BILL THAT IS A STAND-ALONE BILL. IT WILL PASSABLY WITH EVERY DEMOCRAT VOTING FOR IT. IT IS IMPORTANT AID. AND I THINK THERE WILL BE SOME REPUBLICANS THAT VOTE FOR IT. HOW MANY? I DON'T KNOW. I THINK ALL THE BILLS WILL PASS. ON THE ISRAEL AID BILL, I THINK YOU WILL SEE A GOOD CONTINGENTS OF US THAT ARE VOTING NO. I WILL VOTE NO ON THE BILL BECAUSE IT DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY CONDITIONS AT ALL ON AID TO THE NETANYAHU GOVERNMENT. IT DOES NOT DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN OFFENSE OF AID AND DEFENSIVE AID. MANY OF US THAT VOTE NO ON THE BILL HAVE CONSISTENTLY SUPPORTED IRON DOME FUNDING AND OTHER DEFENSIVE AID FOR ISRAEL. WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO WATCH THE CARNAGE THAT IS HAPPENING IN GAZA AND HAVE UNITED STATES MILITARY ASSISTANCE BE PART OF THE CARNAGE. FOR ME AND MANY OF US VOTING NO, THIS IS SORT OF IN IRAQ WAR MOMENT. A MOMENT WHERE I THINK THE PUBLIC IS NOT WITH US. AND DURING THE IRAQ WAR, THE FIRST VOTE, WHEN THERE WERE 132 PLUS DEMOCRATS VOTING AGAINST GOING INTO IRAQ AT THE TIME, THIS IS A SITUATION WHERE WE DON'T EVEN HAVE THE PUBLIC WITH US. AND WE HAVE NOT SEEN THE KIND OF RESTRICTIONS FROM THE WHITE HOUSE AND FROM THE ADMINISTRATION. WHATEVER HAPPENS AFTER THIS, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME CONGRESS WILL BE VOTING ON OFFENSIVE AID TO ISRAEL AND TO THE NETANYAHU GOVERNMENT, WHO HAS BEEN CALLOUS ABOUT THE LIVES OF CHILDREN IN GAZA, WOMEN IN GAZA AND INNOCENT CIVILIANS, DEATH AND DESTRUCTION AND FAMINE AND HAS TAKEN HOLD OF NORTHERN GAZA. IT IS NOT SOMETHING I BELIEVE WE CAN BE PARTY TO. >> COUNCILWOMAN, A COUPLE OF POINTS ON THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE UKRAINE AND ISRAEL PEACE. FOR A LOT OF FOLKS, THEY HAVE TRIED TO SEE THIS AS A JOINT PACKAGE. IN TERMS OF SUPPORTING UKRAINE, GIVEN WHAT RUSSIA IS DOING THERE AND IN TERMS OF SUPPORTING ISRAEL AND GIVEN WHAT HAMAS IS DOING THERE. HOW DO MEMBERS OF THE PROGRESSIVE CAUCUS PEEL OFF THAT PARTICULAR PIECE, SPECIFICALLY GIVEN EVERYTHING WE KNOW ON THE GROUND? THE SECOND PART OF IT WOULD BE, IF JOE BIDEN CAME OUT AND SAID, CALLED FOR A CEASE-FIRE WHICH I THINK IS ONE OF THE BIG ISSUES FOR MEMBERS OF THE CAUCUS, WHAT WOULD YOU EXPECT NETANYAHU TO DO? IF HE DIDN'T DO IT, WOULD YOU HOLD THE PRESIDENT ACCOUNTABLE FOR NETANYAHU NOT DOING THAT THING? >> THE PRESIDENT HAS CALLED FOR A CEASE-FIRE. HE RECENTLY DID THAT. HE ALSO SAID HE WOULD CONSIDER CONDITIONING AID AND HE TIED IT AT THAT TIME TO IF ISRAEL -- IF THE NETANYAHU GOVERNMENT WOULD GO INTO RAFAH. THE FACT IS THAT THERE ARE STRIKES IN RAFAH BUT THERE HAS NOT BEEN A FULL-SCALE INVASION. I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING WE ARE, YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT WE ARE THE LARGEST BACKER OF AID TO ISRAEL, THE UNITED STATES. OTHER THAN ISRAEL ITSELF. WE WILL BE THERE FOR THE DEFENSIVE AID. THAT IS THE IRON DOME. THAT IS IF IRAN OR HEZBOLLAH ARE GOING TO LAUNCH STRIKES. JUST LIKE YOU SAW. I APPRECIATED AND APPLAUDED THE PRESIDENT WORKING WITH THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY TO MAKE SURE TO REPEL THE ATTACK FROM IRAN. WHAT WE CANNOT DO IS ALLOW NETANYAHU TO CONTINUE TO DRAG US INTO WHAT HE HAS DONE IN GAZA. AND FRANKLY, FOR THE SECURITY AND PEACE, SAFETY OF THE ISRAELI PEOPLE AND THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE, THE QUICKEST WAY TO GET TO ANYTHING THAT WILL ASSURE PEACE AND SAFETY FOR BOTH IS TO STOP THE WAR ON GAZA AND TO BRING HOME THE HOSTAGES AND GET HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE IN AND THAT CREATES THE SPACE TO THINK ABOUT WHAT A LONG-TERM PERMANENT SOLUTION IS. I THINK THE PRESIDENT DOES HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY AT THIS POINT TO CHANGE THE CALCULUS FOR NETANYAHU. RIGHT NOW THERE IS NO REASON FOR NETANYAHU TO CHANGE HIS BEHAVIOR. HE IS GETTING ALL THIS AID. HE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO WAGE THIS WAR ON GAZA WITHOUT THE UNITED STATES. >> LET'S TALK ABOUT THE UKRAINE PIECE OF THIS SPECIFICALLY AND THE STAKES AT THIS POINT. POLITICO REPORTING THIS WEEK THAT THE INTELLIGENCE SHOWN TO LAWMAKERS LAST WEEK DESCRIBED BY TWO MEMBERS WHO HAVE SEEN IT, BUILT ON WEEKS OF REPORTS THAT HAVE ALARMED MEMBERS OF CONGRESS. ON THURSDAY, CIA DIRECTOR WILLIAM BURNS WARNED THAT BARRING MORE U.S. AID IN UKRAINE COULD LOSE ON THE BATTLEFIELD TO THE END OF 24. IS APPARENTLY THAT INTELLIGENCE THAT FINALLY MOTIVATED SPEAKER JOHNSON TO ACTION. YOU THINK THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE AIDE PASSES AND WE LOOK BACK AT THIS MOMENT WITH 2020 VISION AND SAY, BY THE TIME THEY DID THIS, IT WAS ALREADY TOO LATE? >> I THINK IT IS A VERY SERIOUS QUESTION. THE REALITY IS, REPUBLICANS HAVE REFUSED TO BELIEVE INTELLIGENCE REPORTS. REPUBLICANS HAVE REFUSED TO BRING THE AID PACKAGE TO THE FLOOR. AS YOU REMEMBER. AND THEY BROUGHT IN ISRAEL AID PACKAGE WITHOUT THE UKRAINE AID PACKAGE. THAT IS WHY DEMOCRATS AT THAT TIME SAID NO. WE NEED TO HAVE UKRAINE AID PACKAGE. AND THAT I THINK IS AN IMPORTANT MOMENT. IT ABSOLUTELY WILL PASS. I WOULD BE ENTHUSIASTICALLY SUPPORTING THE UKRAINE AID BILL. AND EVERY DEMOCRAT I THINK WILL. I WOULD SAY THAT THIS SORT OF GOES TO YOUR QUESTION EARLIER. ALSO TO YOURS, ALICIA, THAT WE HAD TIMOTHY SNYDER -- ROCHON A ASKED HIM A REALLY IMPORTANT QUESTION ABOUT THIS. HE SAID THAT IT WAS A MISTAKE TO LINK THE TWO. THEY ARE TWO DIFFERENT SITUATIONS. LINKING THE TWO MAY HAVE DELAYED AND MADE IT HARDER TO GET THAT UKRAINE AID ACROSS THE FINISH LINE. I THINK THAT MAY BE AT THAT TIME, IT SEEMED LIKE A GOOD IDEA. WE HAVE SEEN THAT WE HAVE HAD FULL DEMOCRATIC SUPPORT. WE JUST NEEDED A HANDFUL OF REPUBLICANS WHO WEREN'T WILLING TO COME ALONG TO GET THE UKRAINE AID TO THE FLOOR. LET'S GET IT OUT THERE. IN THE BILL, THERE IS A PROVISION THAT ALLOWS IT TO GO IN AN EXPEDITED FASHION TO UKRAINE BECAUSE WE ALL UNDERSTAND THAT STOPPING PUTIN'S MARCH ACROSS EUROPE AND THE DESTRUCTION THAT WOULD CAUSE WITH HIS DICTATORSHIP IS VERY CRITICAL, NOT JUST UKRAINE BUT TO THE ENTIRE WORLD. >> I WANT TO PLAY FOR FOLKS ABOUT SPEAKER JEFFRIES -- THE WAY DEMOCRATS ARE CARRYING THIS LEGISLATION OVER THE LINE, DEMOCRATIC LEADER JEFFRIES, DURING HIS WEEKLY ADDRESS, HAD THIS TO SAY ABOUT THE NEGOTIATIONS AND THESE AID PACKAGES. TAKE A LISTEN. >> WE STILL HAVE TO GET THE NATIONAL SECURITY BILLS OVER THE FINISH LINE. IN THAT STATEMENT, THAT IS WHAT WE MADE CLEAR. WE HAVE TO DO THE BUSINESS OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. WE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR MONTHS UNNECESSARILY BECAUSE OF GAMESMANSHIP AND PARTISANSHIP ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE AISLE. >> WE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR MONTHS. UKRAINE HAS BEEN WAITING FOR MONTHS. I WAS STRUCK BY THE POLITICO PIECE THAT ALICIA NOTED ABOUT HOW THE INTELLIGENCE ON THE BRIEF RING FROM CIA DIRECTOR BURNS CHANGE THE MIND OF A NUMBER OF WORKERS. ONE SPEAKER JOHNSON GAVE HIS REMARKS, HE TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT HIS SON IS ENROLLING IN THE NAVAL ACADEMY THIS FALL AND THIS IS A LIVE SITUATION AND WE DON'T WANT TO BE IN A POSITION WHERE WE HAVE TO SEND OUR AMERICAN SONS AND DAUGHTERS WHO WHY IS THAT WHAT IT TOOK. IT HAS BEEN A DIRE SITUATION IN UKRAINE FOR MONTHS. THIS HAS BEEN THE INTELLIGENCE FOR MONTHS. WHAT IS SO DIFFERENT? >> IT IS BECAUSE DONALD TRUMP DOESN'T WANT THE AIDE TO GO THROUGH. MARJORIE TAYLOR GRAY DID NOT WANT THE AIDE TO GO THROUGH. THEY ACTED LIKE INTELLIGENCE WASN'T REAL. I THINK WE SHOULD CALL ON SPEAKER JEFFRIES. IF YOU LOOK AT EVERY SINGLE CONSEQUENTIAL THING THAT GOVERNMENT HAS HAD TO DO FROM THE DEBT CEILING GOING BACK TO THE MCCARTHY DAYS TO NOW THE APPROPRIATIONS BILL, THIS AID PACKAGE. IT HAS BEEN DEMOCRATS AND OUR LEADER JEFFRIES, WHO HAS MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO MOVE FORWARD. AND I THINK THAT IS A COMPLICATED DYNAMIC IN TERMS OF THE FACT THAT THIS IS A REPUBLICAN SPEAKER WHO DOES MANY THINGS THAT YOU AND I, ALL OF US DON'T AGREE WITH. THIS IS AN ANTIABORTION, ANTI- IMMIGRANT AND ANTI- LGBTQ, ANTIDEMOCRACY SPEAKER WHO JUST WENT DOWN AND KISS THE RING OF DONALD TRUMP AND TALKED ABOUT ELECTION INTEGRITY WHEN WE KNOW THAT EVERYTHING DONALD TRUMP IS ABOUT IS TAKING AWAY ELECTION INTEGRITY. BUT HE IS DOING THE RIGHT THING ON THIS ISSUE. AND I THINK LEADER HAKEEM JEFFRIES, FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES, IS THE SPEAKER FOR ANY CONSEQUENTIAL BILL BECAUSE IT IS DEMOCRATS THAT ARE GOING TO PROVIDE THE VOTES TODAY TO GET UKRAINE ACROSS THE TABLE. >> MICHAEL. >> I'M NOT ARGUING BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE. OR AT LEAST THAT IS WHAT IT IS IN THE COURSE OF THINGS. HOWARD DEMOCRATS ASSESSING SO THAT THE POLITICS OF THIS MOMENT, WHERE YOU CONCEIVABLY, UNLIKE WITH KEVIN MCCARTHY, DO FIND INTEREST AMONG SOME DEMOCRATS TO SAVE THE SPEAKER FOR PURPOSES OF LIKE WHAT WE JUST TALKED ABOUT. THESE THINGS. IT THERE WON'T BE A LOT OF THAT ON THE AGENDA AFTER THIS. AND THEN BECOMES, CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR KIND OF BARGAIN. SPEAKER JOHNSON IS STILL GOING TO BE A PART OF THE REPUBLICAN CAUCUS, FREEDOM CAUCUS MEMBER, ET CETERA. HE WILL BE BRINGING STUFF ON THAT AND A LOT OF FOLKS MIGHT BE LOOKING AT DEMOCRATS GOING, I KEPT IS GOING. IF I'M IN THE DEMOCRAT'S POSITION, IT IS NOT A POSITION I WOULD WANT TO TAKE. I DIDN'T PUT THE NOOSE AROUND HIS NECK SO WHY ARE YOU ASKING ME TO TAKE IT OFF KIND OF DEAL. HOW ARE YOU ASSESSING THAT AND SAID THE CAUCUS? >> WE HAVEN'T ENGAGED IN THAT CONVERSATION IN FULL. IT IS A PROCESS QUESTION AND IT HAS NOT COME UP YET. AND I HAVE SAID DIRECTLY TO LEADER JEFFRIES AND I KNOW HE IS THINKING CAREFULLY ABOUT THIS AND HE WILL BE THE ONE TO MAKE THE DECISION, BUT I HAVE SAID, WE CANNOT JUST SAVE THE SPEAKER WITHOUT GETTING SOMETHING REALLY SUBSTANTIAL FOR IT. AND IN MY MIND, IT SHOULD BE THAT IF ESSENTIALLY HAKEEM JEFFRIES WILL FUNCTION AS THE SHADOWS SPEAKER, THEN WE MOVE THE BIG BILLS WHERE THERE IS BIPARTISAN AGREEMENT BUT WE DO NOT BRING TO THE FLOOR THE THINGS THAT REPUBLICANS ARE TRYING TO USE TO WIN THE ELECTION IN NOVEMBER. WE SHOULD NOT ALLOW THAT TO HAPPEN. IF THEY NEED OUR VOTES FOR THESE CONSEQUENTIAL BILLS, THEN WE NEED SOME SORT OF AN AGREEMENT ABOUT WHAT WE ARE GETTING FOR THAT. THIS IS AN UNPRECEDENTED SITUATION. UNDER THE REPUBLICANS, MICHAEL, SEVEN RULES HAVE FAILED. I THINK IT WAS FOUR OTHER UNDER MCCARTHY AND THREE UNDER JOHNSON. SEVEN RULES HAVE FAILED. AND IF YOU LOOK AT EVEN LAST NIGHT, MANY OF US WERE IN DEEP CONFUSION. WE NEVER VOTE FOR REPUBLICAN RULES. THERE HAVE BEEN INSTANCES WHERE THE LEADERSHIP DECIDES THAT IF YOU DEMOCRATS ARE NEEDED TO GET A RULE ACROSS THE LINE UNDER THIS CHAOS ON THE REPUBLICAN MAJORITY. BUT THIS WAS A SITUATION WHERE I THINK IT WAS VERY CONFUSING. WE DID WANT THE AID PACKAGE TO MOVE FORWARD AND PROGRESSIVES IN PARTICULAR HAD FOUGHT TO SEPARATE THEM SO THAT WE CAN VOTE OUR CONSCIENCE AND A VERY IMPORTANT MORAL VOTE ON THE AIDE TO NETANYAHU AND THE AIDE TO UKRAINE. SO PROGRESSIVES WERE SUCCESSFUL WERE WORKING WITH LEADER JEFFRIES AND OF COURSE IT MIGHT BE BENEFICIAL FOR REPUBLICANS TOO. THEY DON'T WANT TO VOTE FOR THE UKRAINE AID PACKAGE BUT THEY DO WANT TO VOTE FOR THE ISRAEL PACKAGE. I THINK, WE WILL FOLLOW LEADER JEFFRIES. WE SHOULD BE VERY THOUGHTFUL AND CAREFUL. OTHERWISE, IF WE SAVE THE SPEAKER WITHOUT ANYTHING TO SHOW FOR IT, WE MAY BE CONTRIBUTING TO OUR SPACE SAYING, YOU ARE THE ONES THAT ALLOWED HIM TO CONTINUE TO BE SPEAKER AND NOW HE IS BRINGING ALL THESE TERRIBLE THINGS TO THE FLOOR ABOUT WINNING THE ELECTION IN NOVEMBER. >> LET'S STAY ON THAT THEME ABOUT WINNING ELECTIONS, THE CONGRESSIONAL CAUCUS THIS WEEK RELEASED A LIST OF PROGRESSIVE AGENDA ITEMS WHICH INCLUDE A 17- DOLLAR AN HOUR MINIMUM WAGE BY 2028 CAPPING CHILDCARE COST AT 7%. FAMILIES EXTENDING SOCIAL MEDIA -- . I HAVE HEARD MEMBERS OF THE CAUCUS SAY THAT THIS IS ABOUT A STATEMENT OF PRIORITIES. THAT IS THE VALUE OF AN AGENDA. WHAT DO YOU SAY TO MEMBERS OF THE PROGRESSIVE SIDE THAT SAY THAT A STATEMENT OF PRIORITIES IS NOT ENOUGH? >> YOU SEE A BIG SMILE ON MY FACE BECAUSE I LOVE TALKING ABOUT OUR PROPOSITION AGENDA. SO MANY TIMES IN POLITICS, WE SPENT TIME TALKING ABOUT WHAT WE ARE AGAINST. HERE IS A CLEAR SET OF THINGS THAT WE ARE FOR. THIS WAS VOTED ON BY 103 MEMBERS OF THE PROGRESSIVE CAUCUS. A SUPER MAJORITY PARTICIPATED. I THINK IT WAS ALMOST 95, 97% THAT APPROVED THE AGENDA. THIS HAS A LOT OF BUY-IN FROM INSIDE AND ALSO OUTSIDE GROUPS. THINGS ON THIS ARE POPULAR, POPULIST AND AS MUCH AS WE LOVE CERTAIN THINGS THAT WE DON'T THINK ARE POSSIBLE, SOME OF THOSE THINGS AREN'T ON THERE. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT STOPPING THE PRIVATIZATION OF MEDICARE AND EXPANDING MEDICARE BENEFITS TO INCLUDE DENTAL, VISION AND HEARING. MY SIGNATURE BILL OF MEDICARE FOR ALL IS NOT ON THERE BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT UNDER THIS PRESIDENT AND THE SITUATION WE ARE IN, WE PROBABLY CAN'T ACHIEVE IT. THE THINGS ON THIS AGENDA ARE ACHIEVABLE AND WE CAN GO TO PEOPLE AND SAY, LOOK HOW MUCH WE DID. WE DIDN'T GET EVERYTHING DONE. BUT THIS IS THE NEXT THING ON THE PAGE. PROGRESSIVES WITH BUILD BACK BETTER, THE UNIVERSAL CHILDCARE, THAT INVESTMENT IN HOUSING, A HUGE ISSUE. THE COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM. SOME ADVANCING JUSTICE COMPONENTS OF THIS. THESE WERE ALL THINGS TEED UP BY ALMOST THE ENTIRETY OF THE DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A COUPLE OF SENATORS, DEMOCRATIC SENATORS. THAT IS PART OF THE REASON IT DIDN'T PASS BECAUSE OF THE FILIBUSTER. YOU WILL SEE IN THE AGENDA THAT ONE OF THE THINGS WE TACKLE IS MAKING DEMOCRACY WORK WHICH MEANS NOT JUST CHANGING THE RULERS BUT CHANGING THE RULES. WE HAVE TO GET RID OF THAT FILIBUSTER SO THAT WE CAN PASS VOTING RIGHTS RIGHTS, SO WE CAN CODIFY ABORTION RIGHTS AND THOSE CRITICAL ISSUES. I BELIEVE THIS IS POSSIBLE AND
