>> FIRST OF ALL I WOULD LIKE TO

SEE MORE WOMEN I CAN TELL YOU

EXPERIENCE BEING HERE IN THIS

JUST IN GENERAL, MORE WOMEN

WOULD HELP US WORK TOWARDS

BETTER POLICY.

AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT, I THINK

WOMEN BRING A DIFFERENT

PERSPECTIVE.

[♪♪♪♪]

>> HELLO I'M BONNIE ERBE.

WELCOME TO THE CONTRARY.

THIS WEEK, WE CONTINUE OUR

SERIES OF INTERVIEWS WITH WOMEN

THOUGHT LEADERS.

OUR GUEST IS NEVADA SENATOR

KATHERINE CORTEZ MASTO, THE

FIRST WOMAN ELECTED FROM NEVADA

TO SERVE IN THE U.S. SENATE AND

THE FIRST LATINA TO SERVE IN THE

U.S. SENATE.

COURT 'TIS MASTO IS A RECORD OF

22 WOMEN SERVING IN THE U.S.

SENATE.

17 OF THE WOMEN ARE DEMOCRATS,

FIVE ARE REPUBLICANS.

IN 2017, SHE REPLACED OUTGOING

SENATOR HARRY REID WHO ENDORSED

HER.

HE SERVED AS SENATE MAJORITY

LEADER.

>> SO HELP YOU GOD?

CONGRATULATIONS, SENATORS.

>> SENATOR CORTEZ MASTO'S

BACKGROUND INCLUDES BEING

ELECTED THE 32nd ATTORNEY

GENERAL IN NEVADA WHERE SHE

SERVED EIGHT YEARS AND WAS A

CIVIL ATTORNEY, A CRIMINAL

PROSECUTOR AND CHIEF OF STAFF

FOR FORMER NEVADA GOVERNOR BOB

MILLER.

HER FIRST SPEECH BEFORE THE FULL

U.S. SENATE WAS NOT WHAT SHE

ORIGINALLY PLANNED.

>> THE SPEECH WAS MEANT TO

DEMAND THAT OUR COUNTRY'S

LEADERS RESPECT EVERY AMERICAN

REGARDLESS OF THE COLOR OF THEIR

SKIN OR HOW THEY CHOOSE TO

WORSHIP.

UNFORTUNATELY, Mr. PRESIDENT,

MY MAIDEN SPEECH ON THE FLOOR OF

THIS BODY WILL INSTEAD TALK

ABOUT MASS MURDER.

TODAY, I WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE

COURAGE OF HEROS AND FIRST

RESPONDERS AND HONOR THE WOUNDED

AND THOSE MURDERED.

>> SHE CALLED ON CONGRESS TO

PASS COMMON SENSE GUN SAFETY

REFORM.

THE FIRST BILL SHE INTRODUCED AS

A U.S. SENATOR WAS LEGISLATION

TO TAKE BACK PRESIDENT TRUMP'S

EXECUTIVE ORDER DIRECTING THE

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

TO PRIORITIZE THE DEPORTATION OF

A VAST MAJORITY OF UNDOCUMENTED

IMMIGRANTS.

>> SENATOR CORTEZ MASTO, THANK

YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU.

>> TELL ME, YOU ARE THE FIRST

LATINA IN THE U.S. SENATE.

YOU ARE PROBABLY GETTING SICK OF

RESPONDING TO THE QUESTION BY

NOW.

BUT IS THE SENATE

LATINA-FRIENDLY PLACE?

>> MAKING IT MORE, YES, IT IS.

BUT WE CAN OBVIOUSLY WORK HARDER

TO MAKE SURE WE ARE OPENING UP

MORE OF THAT DIVERSITY AND THAT

HAS BEEN MY GOAL.

AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT I'VE

WORKED ON.

I ALWAYS FELT THAT WHETHER I WAS

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF NEVADA

OR WORKING HERE, I THINK OUR

GOVERNMENT AND THE PEOPLE THAT

WORK IN GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE

JUST AS DIVERSE OF THE PEOPLE WE

REPRESENT IN OUR COMMUNITIES.

AND I THINK HERE IN THE UNITED

STATES SENATE WE CAN OPEN THAT

DOOR WIDER AND MAKE SURE WE'RE

OPENING UP AND GIVING EVERYBODY

AN OPPORTUNITY TO SUCCEED.

THAT WHY I HAVE BEEN WORKING SO

HARD TO MEET WITH SOME OF THE

VARIOUS STAFF THAT WORK HERE.

>> BUT BEFORE WE GET TO THAT I

DO WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT YOUR

DIVERSITY INITIATIVES.

WHAT IS IT LIKE ON THE SENATE

FLOOR?

THERE ARE A LOT MORE WHITE MALES

IN THE POPULATION ON THE SENATE

FLOOR THAN THE POPULATION OF THE

UNITED STATES OR EVEN NEVADA, I

IMAGINE?

>> WELL, FIRST OF ALL I WOULD

LIKE TO SEE MORE WOMEN.

I CAN TELL YOU EXPERIENCE BEING

HERE IN THIS JUST IN GENERAL,

MORE WOMEN WOULD HELP US WORK

TOWARDS BETTER POLICY.

AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT, I THINK

WOMEN BRING A DIFFERENT

PERSPECTIVE BUT MORE WILLING TO

GET THINGS DONE.

WE ARE PROBLEM SOLVERS.

>> LIKE THE SENATOR FROM IOWA

WHO IS AS HARD RIGHT-WING AS ANY

OF THE MEN DO YOU FIND IT EASIER

TO NEGOTIATE WITH HER?

>> LET ME TELL YOU IT WAS NOT

THE FIRST MONTH HAD PASSED WHEN

I WAS SWORN IN WITH MY

COLLEAGUES WHEN WE HAD THE FIRST

BIPARTISAN WOMEN'S SENATE

DINNER.

WE MET AS WOMEN SENATORS TO GET

TO KNOW ONE ANOTHER AND TO BUILD

RELATIONSHIPS.

AND I THINK THAT IS IMPORTANT

BECAUSE IT IS WHERE IT STARTS.

WE ARE NOT GOING TO AGREE ON

EVERYTHING BUT WE CAN FIND

COMMON GROUND AND IT STARTS WITH

BUILDING A RELATIONSHIP AND

GETTING TO KNOW ONE ANOTHER.

AND ABSOLUTELY I'VE DONE THAT

WITH ALL OF THE WOMEN SENATORS.

BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT

TO BUILD THOSE RELATIONSHIPS.

>> WERE YOU SURPRISED WHEN YOU

ACTUALLY GOT HERE BECAUSE THE

MOOD ON CAPITOL HILL IS

DESCRIBED AS EXTREMELY

COMBATIVE.

AND ALL THE PRESIDENT TRUMP'S

LEGISLATION THAT COMES HERE

PARTICULARLY TO THE SENATE FAILS

ON JUST ABOUT A PARTY LINE.

NO DEMOCRATS ARE VOTING FOR IT.

AND SOMETIMES A COUPLE OF

REPUBLICANS ARE DEFECTING.

BUT THAT IS NOT ALL THE TIME.

AND IN OTHER WORDS SHOW ME WHERE

THERE IS --

WHERE YOU CAN CLOSE THE GAP

SOMEHOW?

>> FIRST OF ALL, WOULD I LIKE TO

SEE MORE BIPARTISAN WORK BEING

DONE?

ABSOLUTELY.

I LIKE THE REST OF THE COUNTRY

WE SHOULD BE WORKING IN A

BIPARTISAN WAY TO SOLVE THE

PROBLEMS AND MOVE POLICY AND GET

THINGS DONE.

THAT IS HOW I'VE OPERATED EVEN

WHEN I WAS ATTORNEY GENERAL OF

NEVADA.

AND I WAS AN ATTORNEY GENERAL

AND I GOT TO INTRODUCE

LEGISLATION IN THE LEGISLATURE

AND EVERYTHING THAT I INTRODUCED

WAS BIPARTISAN AND ALWAYS SIGNED

BY A REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR AND

THAT IS WHAT I EXPECT.

BUT YOU DO NOT SEE THAT.

YOU SEE A LOT OF THE BICKERING

AND THE PARTISANSHIP WHICH I

THINK WE NEED TO DO AWAY WITH.

NOW, IS THERE SOME WORK BEING

DONE?

ABSOLUTELY.

I SIT ON SIX COMMITTEES AND

EVERYONE OF THE COMMITTEES,

THERE'S BIPARTISAN WORK BEING

DONE.

I KNOW BECAUSE I HAVE INTRODUCED

BILLS AND THE FIRST PERSON THAT

I TALKED TO TO TRY TO COSPONSOR

AND WORK WITH ME IS SOMEBODY

FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE I'LL

REPUBLICAN.

AND I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO SO.

AND YOU KNOW THAT IS WHAT I TELL

PEOPLE WHEN I GO HOME.

YOU SEE ALL OF THE BICKERING

THAT IS GOING ON.

BUT YOU DON'T SEE THERE ARE SOME

OF US WORKING TOGETHER TO GET

THINGS DONE.

WE ARE WORKING IN THE COMMITTEES

TO INTRODUCE GOOD LEGISLATION

AND WORK TOGETHER.

>> IS IT GETTING TO THE SENATE

FLOOR?

>> YES.

WE'RE STILL WORKING ON A NUMBER

OF THINGS.

>> GIVE ME AN EXAMPLE OR TWO,

PLEASE.

>> SURE, SANCTIONS AGAINST

RUSSIA.

>> THE SENATE WILL TAKE A FINAL

VOTE ON A BIPARTISAN STEP TO

HOLD IRAN AND RUSSIA

ACCOUNTABLE.

>> LAST NIGHT WE VOTED IN

BIPARTISAN FASHION TO STRENGTHEN

A PACKAGE OF SANCTIONS AGAINST

RUSSIA.

>> I CAN TELL YOU THAT WAS

BIPARTISAN AND IT MOVED QUICKLY.

I AM ON BANKING, HOUSING AND

URBAN DEVELOP MANY.

I AM ON ENERGY AND NATURAL

RESOURCES.

I SIT ON SCIENCE, COMMERCE,

TRANSPORTATION.

I SIT ON INDIAN AFFAIRS, SPECIAL

COMMITTEE ON AGING AND SENATE

RULES COMMITTEE.

THERE IS A LOT OF STUFF THAT

WE'RE DOING IN A BIPARTISAN WAY.

SEXUAL HARASSMENT, MANDATORY

TRAINING, RULES COMMITTEE WE

PASSED THAT OUT AND IT'S GONE

THROUGH.

THERE'S WORK THAT IS BEING DONE.

AND IT CAN BE.

AND IT IS A MATTER OF MAKING

SURE YOU ARE WORKING WITH YOUR

COLLEAGUES.

BUT THAT IS NOT TO SAY THAT

THERE IS NOT PARTISANSHIP

GETTING IN THE WAY OF SOME

THINGS WE ABSOLUTELY SEE IT.

AND IT SHOULD NOT HAPPEN.

>> SEXUAL HARASSMENT WHAT IS THE

MOOD HERE?

THERE HAVE BEEN HOUSE MEMBERS

WHO HAVE COME OUT AND SAID THERE

HAS BEEN SENATE SEXUAL

HARASSMENT BY SITTING HOUSE

MEMBERS OF WOMEN.

WOULD THAT HAPPEN IN THE SENATE?

COULD IT HAPPEN IN THE SENATE?

>> THE MOOD IS IT SHOULD NOT BE

TOLERATED.

I'M DOING EVERYTHING I CAN TO

INSURE THAT ON THE RULES

COMMITTEE WE ARE PASSING RULES

TO MANDATE TRAINING NECESSARY

MANDATORY TRAINING FOR SEXUAL

HARASSMENT.

AND THEN WE ARE CHANGING THE

LAWS SO THAT THE VICTIMS FEEL

EMPOWERED TO COME FORWARD THEY

ARE NOT CONCERNED ABOUT

RETALIATION.

THEY KNOW IF THEY COME FORWARD

THERE'S GOING TO BE AN IMMEDIATE

INVESTIGATION AND EXAMINATION

AND ACCOUNTABILITY.

THE LAW THAT WE HAVE PASSED IN

1995 DOES NOT DO THAT.

IN FACT, IT JUST DOES JUST THE

OPPOSITE IT KEEPS VICTIMS

UNWILLING TO COME FORWARD.

I SIGNED ON TO SENATOR

GILLIBRAND'S BILL AND WORKING

HARD ON THE RULES COMMITTEE AS A

PART OF A GROUP TO CHANGE THAT

TO MAKE THAT ENVIRONMENT

DIFFERENT.

AND THAT IS WHAT WE NEED TO DO.

THIS IS AN AREA I'VE WORKED ON

MOST OF MY CAREER.

>> HAVE YOU PROSECUTED SEXUAL

ASSAULT CASES?

>> I HAVE NOT PROSECUTED SEXUAL

ASSAULT BUT I'VE WORKED HARD AS

ATTORNEY GENERAL TO WORK ON

PASSING LAWS THAT ADDRESS

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PREVENTION,

SEX TRAFFICKING PREVENTION,

SEXUAL ASSAULT PREVENTION.

THOSE ARE AREAS THAT I HAVE

WORKED ON MY ENTIRE CAREER TO

MAKE SURE NOT ONLY ARE WE DOING

RIGHT BY THE VICTIM AND

EMPOWERING THAT VICTIM, BUT WE

ARE GIVING THEM TOOLS TO TAKE

ACTION AGAINST THEIR

PERPETRATORS AND INCREASING THE

LAWS AGAINST THE PERPETRATORS TO

HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE AND MAKING

SURE THERE IS THAT

ACCOUNTABILITY.

>> WHAT TOOLS HAVE YOU GIVEN TO

SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT?

>> SURVIVORS IN GENERAL IN THE

STATE OF NEVADA WORKED VERY HARD

TO PASS VICTIMS' RIGHTS LAWS.

SO COUPLE OF THE THINGS

PARTICULARLY WHEN IT COMES TO

SURVIVORS GIVING THEM THE RIGHT

TO SUE THEIR PERPETRATORS

CIVILLY.

THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT.

MAKING SURE THAT THE VICTIMS

HAVE THE RIGHT TO COME FORWARD

AND FEEL SAFE SO THAT WE HAVE

CERTAIN NURSES, NURSES THAT CAN

REALLY FEEL COMFORTABLE TALKING

WITH THE VICTIMS.

THE VICTIMS WITH THE NURSES

MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE VICTIMS

COMPENSATION FUND IN THE STATE

OF NEVADA.

WORKED HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT

THOSE VICTIM COMPENSATION FUNDS

WERE THERE TO SUPPORT THE

VICTIMS.

>> ARE YOU TRYING TO GET IT

FEDERALLY.

>> WE HAVE IT, FEDERALLY.

IT DOES EXIST AND WE NEED TO

MAKE SURE THAT THE FEDERAL LAWS

WITH RESPECT TO VICTIMS'

COMPENSATION FUNDS CONTINUE TO

SUPPORT STATE LAWS AS WELL AND

VICE VERSA AND MAKING SURE THE

VICTIMS HAVE THE RIGHT TO COME

FORWARD AND THEY ARE GOING TO

GET COMPENSATION.

AND MAKING SURE WE ARE DOING

RIGHT BY THEM.

AND THERE'S SO MANY THINGS.

>> THIS OBVIOUSLY THERE IS A SEA

CHANGE GOING ON WITH SEXUAL

HARASSMENT AND ALL THE WOMEN WHO

HAVE COME OUT AGAINST MEN IN

POWER, MEN IN HIGH POSITIONS IN

CORPORATIONS AND THE MEDIA, ET

CETERA.

BUT WHAT ABOUT THE WOMAN IN A

DINER IN A SMALL TOWN IN NEVADA

WHO IS GETTING CONSTANTLY

SEXUALLY HARASSED AND MAYBE

ASSAULTED BY HER BOSS?

ARE WHAT YOU DOING GOING TO HELP

THAT WOMAN WHO IS NOT GOING TO

GET NATIONAL MEDIA ATTENTION?

>> ABSOLUTELY THOSE ARE THE LAWS

I'VE WORKED FOR TO ADDRESS.

IN NEVADA, THERE IS A LAW THAT

SAYS THAT IF YOU ARE A VICTIM

AND YOU COME FORWARD AND YOU GO

GET THAT EXAMINATION FROM A

NURSE, THAT YOU DO NOT HAVE TO

FILE A COMPLAINT IF YOU DON'T

WANT TO.

OR IF YOU CHOOSE TO FILE A

COMPLAINT, THEN THERE WILL BE

IMMEDIATE ACTION AND EXAMINATION

AND INVESTIGATION TAKEN.

PART OF WHAT THE GOAL IS WITH

VICTIMS IS MAKING SURE THEY ARE

EMPOWERED TO COME FORWARD BUT WE

DON'T WANT TO REVICTIMMIZE THEM.

AND THOSE ARE THE LAWS THAT WE

PASSED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE

FIGHTING FOR THEM AND GIVING

THEM THE ABILITY TO FEEL SAFE

COMING FORWARD AND THERE'S

TRAINING.

PART OF WHAT WE DID IN THE STATE

OF NEVADA AS WELL IS MAKING SURE

THAT THE FEDERAL FUNDS THAT CAME

INTO THE STATE THROUGH VOWA

ACTUALLY CAME IN TO SUPPORT

TRAINING FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT

TRAINING, SEX TRAFFICKING

TRAINING.

>> IS TRAINING GOING TO DO IT?

>> IT'S PART OF IT.

AND NOT JUST TRAINING FOR LAW

ENFORCEMENT BUT JUDGES AND

TRAINING FOR ADVOCATES AND

TRAINING FOR PROSECUTORS,

TRAINING FOR TREATMENT PROVIDERS

AND MAKING SURE EVERYBODY HAS

THE UNDERSTANDING OF HOW TO WORK

WITH A VICTIM.

AND PARTICULARLY WITH A VICTIM

IT SHOULD BE VICTIM-BASED.

EVIDENCE-BASED AND VICTIM-BASED

SO WE ARE FOCUSING ON THE NEEDS

OF THE VICTIM AND NOT EVERYONE

ELSE.

THAT IS PART OF THE TRAINING.

PART OF IT IS THE LAWS.

PASSING LAWS TO STRENGTHEN THE

ACCOUNTABILITY AGAINST THE

PERPETRATORS AND GIVE NEW TOOLS

FOR THE VICTIMS.

AND PART OF IT IS THE

ENFORCEMENT.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THE

ENFORCEMENT IS OCCURRING AND THE

TREATMENT IS THERE AS WELL.

>> YOU ARE INTERESTED IN SEXUAL

SEX TRAFFICKING.

TELL ME ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE DOING

THERE AND WHY IT IS A PASSION?

>> THERE IS SO MUCH SEX

TRAFFICKING GOING ON AND LET ME

TELL YOU THIS IS A CRIME THAT IS

SO PREVALENT AND THANK YOU FOR

BEING A VOICE.

BECAUSE IT IS NOT AN EASY FOR

YOU TO GET HERE AND TELL YOUR

DAUGHTER'S STORY AND YOUR STORY

IS ONE I'VE HEARD TOO MANY TIMES

IN MY STATE AND THIS IS AN ISSUE

WE HAVE TO STOP.

WE HAVE TO STOP IT.

AND IT IS NOT JUST FOR FEDERAL

LAW ENFORCEMENT TO STOP IT.

IT IS FOR ALL LAW ENFORCEMENT.

FOR STATE, LOCAL, TO TAKE ACTION

AND THAT IS ALL WE'RE ASKING IS

THAT STATE LAW ENFORCEMENT HAVE

THAT ABILITY BECAUSE IT IS SO

PREVALENT

>> YES, WHEN I WAS ATTORNEY

GENERAL IN NEVADA, I MET TOO

MANY TIMES YOUNG PEOPLE THAT

WERE VICTIMS OF SEX TRAFFICKING.

AND WE DID NOT HAVE THE LAWS ON

THE BOOKS TO NOT ONLY IDENTIFY

THE CRIME BUT MAKE IT CRIMINAL

AND HOLD THOSE PERPETRATORS

ACCOUNTABLE.

BECAUSE I WAS ABLE TO INTRODUCE

LEGISLATION AS AN ATTORNEY

GENERAL, I INTRODUCED FOR THE

FIRST TIME, SEX TRAFFICKING

CRIME IN THE STATE OF NEVADA.

MAKING IT A FELONY HOLDING THOSE

PERPETRATORS ACCOUNTABLE,

INCREASE PUNISHMENT AND GIVING

VICTIMS RIGHTS.

AND MAKING SURE WE ARE DOING

MORE FOR THEM FOR TREATMENT AND

GIVING THEM THE TOOLS TO BECOME

SURVIVORS AT THE END OF THE DAY.

THAT WAS THE LAW THAT I

INTRODUCED.

IT WAS PASSED UNANIMOUSLY AND

SIGNED BY REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR.

NOW, WE NEED TO CONTINUE ON THE

TREATMENT SIDE OF IT.

NOW WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE

ARE DOING RIGHT BY THOSE VICTIMS

ALSO.

MANY VICTIMS OF SEX TRAFFICKING

ARE BECAUSE THEY ARE ARRESTED

FOR PROSTITUTION OR TRESPASSING,

THEY HAVE A LOT OF UNFORTUNATELY

PREVIOUS CRIMES ON THE BOOKS

THAT THEY HAVE BEEN CONVICTED

OF.

WE NEED TO CLEAN UP THE RECORDS.

THEY ARE VICTIMS OF SEX

TRAFFICKING WHO ARE REALLY WE

WANT TO MAKE THEM SURVIVORS.

MAKE SURE WE HAVE LAWS ON THE

BOOKS WHERE THEY CAN CLEAN UP

THEIR RECORD.

PART OF THAT --

>> AND PUT MORE RESPONSIBILITY

FOR THE CRIME ON THE JOHN.

>> THAT IS RIGHT.

ON THE DEMAND SIDE.

THAT IS THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS.

I WAS ABLE IN THE STATE OF

NEVADA WORKING WITH THE

LEGISLATURE TO INCREASE SOME OF

THE PENALTIES AGAINST THE

DEMAND, THE JOHN'S BUT WE NEED

TO DO MORE.

AND WE NEED TO DO MORE RIGHT BY

THE VICTIMS BECAUSE WE DON'T

HAVE A LOT OF TREATMENT FOR THE

VICTIMS.

IN THE STATE OF NEVADA WE DON'T

HAVE ENOUGH TREATMENT WHERE THEY

CAN SEEK HELP AND BE PROTECTED

FROM THEIR PIMPS, THEIR

PERPETRATORS.

>> DO YOU THINK THE CRIMINAL

PART OF IT SHOULD BE ALL PUT ON

THE DEMAND SIDE?

PROSECUTE THE CUSTOMERS NOT THE

WOMEN WHO ARE FORCED INTO

PROSTITUTION?

>> NO.

YES.

WHAT YOU SHOULD BE DOING IS

PROSECUTING THE CUSTOMERS AND

PROSECUTING THE PIMPS.

THE WOMEN ARE VICTIMS.

WE SHOULD BE TREATING THEM LIKE

VICTIMS.

THAT BRINGS INTO SAFE HARBOR

PROVISIONS.

INSTEAD OF ARRESTING THEM AND

LOCKING THEM UP WE PUT THEM INTO

A DIVERSION PROGRAM WHERE THEY

CAN START BECOMING SURVIVORS AND

GET THE TREATMENT AND HELP AND

SAFE AWAY FROM THEIR THE PIMPS.

BECAUSE NINE TIMES OUT OF 10 THE

PIMPS WILL CIRCLE BACK AND

THREATEN THEM TO NOT TESTIFY

AGAINST THEM IN TRIAL.

WE HAVE GIVEN PROSECUTORS TOOLS.

>> WHAT ARE YOU DOING ON

DIVERSITY IN THE SENATE?

YOU ARE MEETING WITH GROUPS OF

WOMEN FROM DIFFERENT MINORITIES,

RIGHT?

>> I AM.

INCREDIBLE.

SO I'VE HAD THE IN THIS ROOM TO

INVITE IN LATINAS, WORKING ON

THE HILL.

AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMEN, WOMEN

FROM ASIAN AMERICAN PACIFICKER

POPULATION, LGBTQ MEMBERS TO SIT

AND HAVE CONVERSATIONS HOW WE

TEAR DOWN THE BARRIERS TO MORE

DIVERSITY HERE IN THE UNITED

STATES AND HONESTLY IN CONGRESS.

AND SO WE'VE HAD GREAT CANDID

CONVERSATIONS AND THEY ARE FULL

OF IDEAS ON HOW WE CAN OPEN THAT

DOOR UP WIDER.

AND MAKE SURE THERE'S MORE

DIVERSITY HERE.

>> LOOKING FORWARD TO THE END OF

2018 AND THEN, OF COURSE, 2020,

IN 2018 DO YOU THINK THE

DEMOCRATS WILL TAKE BACK THE

HOUSE?

>> WELL, I'M COUNTING ON IT AND

I'M WORKING VERY HARD AS THE

CHAIR TO NOT ONLY GET MY

COLLEAGUES REELECTED AND HELP

GET ELECTED ADDITIONAL WOMEN

SENATORS AND I THINK IT'S

POSSIBLE ABSOLUTELY.

AND RIGHTFULLY SO.

WE NEED TO HAVE MORE WOMEN HERE.

I THINK THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY

TO REALLY FOCUS ON GOOD POLICY

FOR THE BENEFIT OF THIS COUNTRY.

THERE IS A LOT OF WORK THAT

STILL NEEDS TO BE DONE AND FOR

WORKING FAMILIES WHO ARE STILL

STRUGGLING.

>> IF THE TRUMP BUDGET WERE TO

BECOME LAW THERE ARE A LOT OF

PEOPLE SAY EXPERTS LOOKING AT

THE NUMBERS SAYING THE PEOPLE

WHO WILL BE REALLY HURT ARE THE

VERY LOW INCOME WOMEN, MANY OF

WHOM IN THIS COUNTRY ARE LATINA

AND NATIVE-AMERICAN AND ALSO A

LARGE POPULATION IN YOUR HOME

STATE, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT

THAT?

>> IF WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE

TRUMP BUDGET IT ZEROS EVERYTHING

OUT.

EVERYBODY WOULD BE HARMED FROM

AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO

ENVIRONMENT, YOU NAME IT.

IT DEVASTATES EVERY SINGLE

AGENCY AND DEVASTATES THE PEOPLE

IN MY STATE.

>> AND THEY ARE ALREADY DOING

THE BUDGET HAS NOT BEEN

APPROVED, THEY ARE ALREADY

CUTTING BACK AT AGENCIES.

>> AND LET ME SAY THAT.

THAT IS WHY TO ME THE TRUMP

BUDGET IS A NONSTARTER.

IT WOULD HARM TOO MANY PEOPLE

ACROSS THIS COUNTRY INCLUDING IN

NEVADA.

THAT IS WHY WE ARE FIGHTING TO

MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE PUTTING

FUNDING IN FOR CHIP, THAT WE ARE

NOT REPEALING HEALTHCARE, THAT

WE HAVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR

PEOPLE STILL STRUGGLING IN MY

STATE.

WE HAVE BLOCK GRANTS THAT ARE

STILL COMING INTO THE STATE TO

HELP OUR COMMUNITIES.

THERE IS A LOT OF ITEMS THAT

THIS ADMINISTRATION CLAIMS THAT

THEY WANT TO HELP WORKING

FAMILIES ARE DOING JUST THE

OPPOSITE IF YOU ACTUALLY LOOK AT

THE BUDGET THAT THE TRUMP

ADMINISTRATION INTRODUCED IN

CONGRESS.

THE GOOD NEWS IS, THEY DON'T GET

TO PASS THE BUDGET WE DO.

AND IN CONGRESS RIGHT NOW WE ARE

FIGHTING TO MAKE SURE WE ARE

KEEPING THAT MONEY IN, THAT

SUPPORTS OUR WORKING FAMILIES.

THAT SUPPORTS NIH FOR RESEARCH.

>> IS IT GOING OUT TO THE

FAMILIES STILL?

OR IS IT BEING CUT BACK?

BECAUSE FOR EXAMPLE, I JUST

HAPPENED TO TALK TO A WOMAN WHO

RECENTLY RETIRED FROM EPA SHE

WAS WORKING ON THE IMPACT OF

ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS ON

NATIVE-AMERICAN RESERVATIONS,

AND THEY CUT BACK ALL HER TRAVEL

SO SHE COULD NOT REALLY DO HER

JOB ANYMORE.

AND SHE TOOK EARLY RETIREMENT

AND THEY ARE SQUEEZINGS PEOPLE

OUT.

>> AND THAT IS THE OTHER

CONCERN.

THIS ADMINISTRATION IF THEY

CAN'T GET CUT THE BUDGET THEY

WILL UNDERMINE BY NOT FILLING

POSITIONS AND CUTTING BACK THE

SERVICES THAT THEY SHOULD BE

PROVIDING TO THE COMMUNITIES

THAT THEY ARE BUDGETED FOR AND

MANDATED TO DO.

AND THAT IS THE TRAGEDY OF THIS.

I'M HEARING IT.

>> DO YOU GET IT --

FROM YOUR CONSTITUENTS.

>> I HEAR IT FROM MY

CONSTITUENTS THAT HAVE CONCERNS

THAT THE MONEY IS NOT COMING

THEIR WAY.

AND LOOK AT WHAT IS HAPPENING IN

THE STATE DEPARTMENT NOT FILLING

POSITIONS.

YOU HAVE WHAT I HAVE SEEN IS

THIS ADMINISTRATION REALLY

TRYING TO UNDERMINE THE VERY

AGENCIES THAT ARE THERE TO

SUPPORT THE FAMILIES THAT ARE

RELYING ON THAT SUPPORT.

>> LOOKING FORWARD TO 2020, AND

AS A RESULT OF WHAT IS GOING ON

WITH THE FEDERAL BUDGET, A

NUMBER OF YOUR FEMALE COLLEAGUES

ARE OFTEN NAMES ARE BANTIED

ABOUT AS POTENTIAL DEMOCRATIC

NOMINEES FOR PRESIDENT INCLUDING

SENATOR GILLIBRAND, SENATOR

HARRIS, DO YOU THINK THE

DEMOCRATS WILL HAVE A FEMALE

NOMINEE NEXT TIME AROUND?

>> I HAVE NO IDEA.

BUT IS IT TIME TO ELECT A FEMALE

PRESIDENT?

ABSOLUTELY.

I THINK WE'VE GOT SOME

INCREDIBLE WOMEN RIGHT NOW IN

THE UNITED STATES SENATE.

IF WE WERE IN MAJORITY MANY OF

THESE WOMEN WOULD BE CHAIRING

THE COMMITTEES FROM HOMELAND

SECURITY TO AGRICULTURE.

YOU NAME IT.

SMALL BUSINESSES.

THEY HAVE TO HEALTHCARE.

THEY HAVE EXPERTISE IN AREAS

THEY ARE SMART, THEY REALLY

FOCUSED ON SOLVING PROBLEMS AND

GETTING THINGS DONE FOR THE

AMERICAN PUBLIC.

AND I THINK THEY WOULD DO AN

INCREDIBLE JOB.

>> WHO DO YOU THINK IS THE MOST

LIKELY TO GET THE NOMINATION?

>> GOODNESS, I COULD NOT ANSWER

THAT.

>> WHY NOT?

>> BECAUSE THERE'S TOO MANY

PEOPLE THAT WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT

THAT WILL COME FORWARD THERE ARE

GREAT FOLKS OUT THERE AND WE

HAVE GREAT OPPORTUNITY.

>> YOU THINK SOMEBODY WILL BE

COMING FROM NOT FROM THE

SENATE --

>> YOU NEVER KNOW.

BILL CLINTON DID NOT COME FROM

THE SENATE AND OTHERS DID NOT

COME FROM THE SENATE TO RUN FOR

OFFICE.

OR WE DIDN'T KNOW AT THE TIME.

WE KNOW IN THE PAST MANY

GOVERNORS RUN FOR PRESIDENT.

AND THEY BECOME GOOD PRESIDENTS.

YOU JUST DON'T KNOW.

>> DO YOU SEE NEVADA ELECTING

MORE DEMOCRATIC HOUSE MEMBERS AS

A RESULT OF BUDGETS THAT ARE

BEING CUT?

>> WELL, RIGHT NOW OUT OF THE

FOUR WE HAVE THREE DEMOCRATIC

HOUSE MEMBERS.

I THINK THERE IS A GOOD SHOT

WE'LL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT IN

GENERAL THE PEOPLE THAT ARE

GOING TO GET THE JOB DONE FOR

THE STATE OF NEVADA.

>> IS THERE ANGER OUT THERE?

>> THERE'S FRUSTRATION.

I KNOW IN NEVADA, LISTEN THIS

LAST ELECTION WE TURNED THE

STATE BLUE.

HILLARY WON.

I WON.

WE WON TWO SEATS AND FLIPPED

BOTH STATE HOUSES DEMOCRAT.

AND THAT HAS A LOT TO DO WITH

THE PEOPLE THAT CAME OUT, THAT

SUPPORTED THE MESSAGE THAT

SUPPORTED WHAT THEY HEARD PEOPLE

WERE GOING TO FIGHT FOR ON THEIR

BEHALF WHETHER IT IS JOBS,

WAGES, IMMIGRATION REFORM, YOU

NAME IT.

THINGS THAT THEY CARED ABOUT,

THAT THEY STILL CARE ABOUT,

EDUCATION SYSTEM FOR THEIR KIDS.

MAKING SURE THEIR KIDS DO NOT

GRADUATE WITH TONS OF DEBT IN

NEVADA AND THE COUNTRY IF YOU

SIT DOWN AND LISTEN TO

HARD-WORKING FAMILIES, YOU WILL

FIND COMMON GROUND AND TALK

ABOUT HOW TOGETHER YOU CAN

REALLY BRING HERE TO WASHINGTON

A MESSAGE THAT RESONATES.

AND THAT IS WHAT I'VE SAID TO

NEVADA IT IS NOT MY VOICE IT'S

YOUR VOICES.

I GO HOME TO MY STATE AND I ON A

REGULAR BASIS I MEET WITH

DREAMERS AND THEIR AUTO FAMILIES

AND IT IS NO DIFFERENT.

WE SIT AROUND AND TALK AND TELL

STORIES ABOUT THEIR STRUGGLE AND

FIGHT JUST TO HAVE THAT AMERICAN

DREAM.

AND THEY ARE CRYING MANY ARE

AFRAID TO TELL THEIR STORIES.

I WILL TELL YOU THE FIRST TIME I

HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIT WITH

DREAMERS THEY HAD NEVER TOLD

THEIR STORY BECAUSE THEY WERE

TOO AFRAID TO TELL IT.

THEY WERE TOO AFRAID IF THEY

TOLD IT AND LEFT THEIR HOME AND

WENT TO HOME OR SCHOOL IF THEY

CAME BACK THEIR PARENTS WOULD

NOT BE THERE.

AND THAT IS NO DIFFERENT NOW.

THIS ADMINISTRATION AND WHAT

THEY ARE DOING IS CONTINUING THE

FEAR IN OUR COMMUNITIES.

AND THAT IS WHY NOW MORE THAN

EVER WE HAVE TO PASS THE DREAM

ACT.

>> WE NEED TO HAVE THIS

CONVERSATION AND WE NEED TO TALK

WHAT AM I FIGHTING FOR YOU AND

HOW CAN WE DO THIS TOGETHER?

>> THANK YOU SENATOR.

THIS WAS FABULOUS.

>> THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

>> THAT'S IT FOR THIS EDITION OF

TO THE CONTRARY.

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER.

AND VISIT OUR WEBSITE,

PBS.ORG/TOTHECONTRARY.

AND WHETHER YOU AGREE OR THINK

TO THE CONTRARY, SEE YOU NEXT

WEEK.

PT OR TO SEE AN

ON-LINE VERSION OF THIS EPISODE

OF TO THE CONTRARY VISIT OUR

WEBSITE AT

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