Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
We're very pleased to be joined on our phone line
today by Senator deb Fisher from Nebraska. Senator Fisher, as always,
thanks so much for being on our show today.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
Great to be here, Emory, thank you.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
Yeah. I think the most important pertinent information is probably
the lack of information that we've gotten on any developments
in Washington over the last three weeks. What can you
tell me about what's being discussed in the middle of
this shutdown?
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Oll the Senator is here and we are trying to
continue to work. You know, we've taken eleven or twelve
votes to reopen government. It's a clean CR. We've talked
about this before. It's a clean CR. Democrats have voted
for the use before, but they're not doing it this time.
So they keep blocking blocking the bill, but we continue
(00:51):
through with confirming nominees. We were able to get the
National Defence Authorization Act past, which I was really happy
about to be able to have that done, but then
turned around we tried to get the Defense Appropriations Bill paid.
So on one hand, we had our colleagues on the
(01:13):
other side of the aisle, Democrats voted to authorize spending
for our military members and the resources they need, but
then they turned around and they wouldn't get on the
bill that would pay them. So that's really really frustrating.
So last week when that happened, we had some pretty
(01:33):
blunt conversations with folks on the other side of the
aisle because it just weren't a point. Now it just
doesn't even make sense. It doesn't make sense, and so
we're going to keep taking votes to open government. Republicans
are together on that, and we need to get it done.
Speaker 1 (01:54):
I know that this is a very partisan issue, but
there is a couple of people like Fetterman on the
Democrat side and rain Paul on the Republican side that
have broken with their party on this particular item. Are
you having individual conversations with other Democrats as senators to
kind of try to see what they need to jump
(02:15):
on board? Here? Are both sides just kind of standing
in concrete, not really willing to reach an olive branch
to either side and actually start to negotiate except through
the media.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
I am talking to friends on the other side of
the aisle, But to be completely honest with you, there
is no negotiation here. We're going to open the government
and then we're going to move forward. For example, I'm
on Appropriations Committee. We have passed eight bills out of
(02:50):
the twelve out of that committee already. We've passed three
of them on the floor of the Senate in Appropriations Committee. Memory.
We negotiated there on these on those eight bills to
get them out of committee, and they passed out overwhelmingly
in a bipartisan manner. That's where the negotiation took place
(03:11):
on that. But yet when it comes to get it
on the floor and let's vote for our military. The
people that voted for this bill and committee, the Democrats
who voted for it for the most part, voted no
on the floor. My friend Jean Shaheen, she's on Armed
Services Committee with me and Appropriations, we just visited today.
(03:33):
She voted for the bill, for that appropriations bill, and
we've talked about that, and I'm trying to understand, you know,
where Democrats are coming from on this. She was upset
with her with her folks too, you know. But we're
trying to talk through this and figure out how we
can open government and get to work on these appropriations
(03:54):
bills so that we can fund government. That's the job
here in Congress we should be doing Senator.
Speaker 1 (04:01):
Dev Fisher joining us here on the phone line today.
You know, this isn't the first time the government's been
shut down, but we are approaching the longest shut down,
which was six years ago or so. And it's probably
memorable to you and for a lot of the people
who are still in Washington. It took place in December
and January up to thirty five days, and then finally
(04:22):
something gave. Is there any inclination as to what that
thing might be this time around? That would get the
Democrats to say, you know what, let's we've gone long enough.
Let's go ahead and get this thing reopened again.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
You know, I think what we're seeing here is we
do have a clean short term bill for a continuing resolution.
I give the House credit. The House Republicans came together.
They didn't put crazy things in their continuing resolution. They
didn't put anything dealing with policy in it. It's just
(04:57):
an extension of current payments, current budget we have through
November twenty first, there's not It truly is amazing because
there's nothing in there to oppose. It was to extend
(05:18):
the current payment system, the current budget, so we could
work on appropriations bills and Democrats decided they weren't going
to do it that way this time, that they weren't
going to do it. And so that's the situation we're in.
And we keep saying we need to open government and
(05:39):
then we can move forward. You're going to see us,
I think either today. Of course, we have a filibus
are going on the floor right now by the Democrats,
so we won't probably be today, but it might. Yeah,
we don't know to be able to take a vote
(06:00):
to move forward on a bill that's sender Ron Johnson has.
We're going to try and get that on the floor
so that we can pay our troops. But I mean,
if we open government, we could pay our troops. That's
in the cr that we have. But we're even pulling
that out now and saying, Okay, let's take this vote.
Let's get on this bill that Sendor Johnson has so
(06:21):
we can pay our troops. My guess is right now
the Democrats will not they won't be voting for it,
and I'm really as you can tell from my voice,
I'm getting pretty disgusted with it.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
Yeah, I imagine, So you mentioned the filibuster. Jeff Merkley
of Oregon is over twenty something hours. You know, so
how does that work?
Speaker 2 (06:47):
You know why he's doing well, you know why he's
doing it is because there's a former senator from Oregon
who is the number three for having the longest labaster
in the United States Senate and Senator Murkley said he
wants to beat that. So that's why he's doing it.
And yet, everybody, if you're watching the c SPAN and
(07:10):
you're seeing the staff that's sitting at the front desk
working for twenty some hours, just remember they're not getting paid.
So Jeff Murkley wants to be able to break this
old record of a retired Oregon senator and he's making
(07:32):
these staff people stay up all night and work put
in the hours on this and they're not getting paid.
That is totally out He's just out of touch, out
of touch. Now.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
Yeah, I gotta say that I never quite understood the
idea of liking yourself that much. To speak that much
and I talked for six hours a day is crazy.
Senator dev Fisher joining us, I saw you and your
social media posted this, and I think this is something
we're going to talk about a lot today. Is the
idea that the President Trump's talking about the importing of
(08:11):
Argentina beef from Argentina Tina and the idea that this
is going to somehow help the beef prices in the
United States. I know the cattle producers of Nebraska have
said their piece as well. Over the last twenty four
hours or so. What do you have to say about
this and what this would or would not solve?
Speaker 2 (08:31):
You know, I think I was first one to put
out a statement on this. Increasing the amount of imported
beef into our country. That is not a solution to
lower beef prices at the grocery store. In fact, I
met with some grocers yesterday from Nebraska who were out
(08:51):
and they were saying, there's a demand for beef at
the store. It is being sold. They can hardly keep
up with the demand at the store. People are buying beef,
and now we have this my comment to the President.
Had lunch at the White House yesterday and I did
(09:14):
go up and discuss this my concerns with it. I
had a meeting with a couple other senators. We were
at the Department of Egg and talked to the Secretary
bag and also the EPA administrator was there. We were
talking fifteen but obviously first on the agenda was this
(09:35):
deal with our cattle market. Very very concerned, as I
tell reporters here in Washington, We're not worried about any
kind of competition with any kind of beef. Nebraska beef. Obviously,
we have the best beef around. We had it on
the menu at the President's inauguration luncheon. It was delicious.
(10:00):
That this is a mistake, To be very blunt about it,
this is a mistake. America has safe, reliable beef. The
cattle market was the one bright spot and the ag economy.
And this just doesn't affect farmers and ranchers, folks, This
affects the economy of the state of Nebraska. Livestock is
(10:20):
the number one economic engine in the state of Nebraska,
has the largest economic impact. And so we are continuing
to talk with the administration. I've talked to the trade
ambassador as well. You know, we're working, We're working hard
and trying to get trying to get the message to
(10:44):
the President that we do not in any way support
buying more beef from Argentina.
Speaker 1 (10:52):
Did you last thing for you, Senator before I let
you go the Did you get any inclination that this
is bigger than just trying to help the beef market
in the United States, but also to kind of help
out an ally that he feels like he has as
the current president of Argentina and how those politics might
have played a part in him kind of suggesting this
as a solution.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
You know, I'm not going to try in second guests
the President, when it comes to his foreign policy moves
on this, I would assume that plays into it. But
let's be honest here. America first, and we have a safe,
reliable beasts in this country, and that's what we should
(11:36):
be promoting.
Speaker 1 (11:37):
Senator deb Fisher working through the shutdown, trying to make
America work again with our government. We do appreciate you
giving us a call, and hopefully we get a chance
to chat sometime soon with legislation that we have to
talk about.
Speaker 2 (11:52):
That'd be great. Thank you.
We're very pleased to be joined on our phone line
today by Senator deb Fisher from Nebraska. Senator Fisher, as always,
thanks so much for being on our show today.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
Great to be here, Emory, thank you.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
Yeah. I think the most important pertinent information is probably
the lack of information that we've gotten on any developments
in Washington over the last three weeks. What can you
tell me about what's being discussed in the middle of
this shutdown?
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Oll the Senator is here and we are trying to
continue to work. You know, we've taken eleven or twelve
votes to reopen government. It's a clean CR. We've talked
about this before. It's a clean CR. Democrats have voted
for the use before, but they're not doing it this time.
So they keep blocking blocking the bill, but we continue
(00:51):
through with confirming nominees. We were able to get the
National Defence Authorization Act past, which I was really happy
about to be able to have that done, but then
turned around we tried to get the Defense Appropriations Bill paid.
So on one hand, we had our colleagues on the
(01:13):
other side of the aisle, Democrats voted to authorize spending
for our military members and the resources they need, but
then they turned around and they wouldn't get on the
bill that would pay them. So that's really really frustrating.
So last week when that happened, we had some pretty
(01:33):
blunt conversations with folks on the other side of the
aisle because it just weren't a point. Now it just
doesn't even make sense. It doesn't make sense, and so
we're going to keep taking votes to open government. Republicans
are together on that, and we need to get it done.
Speaker 1 (01:54):
I know that this is a very partisan issue, but
there is a couple of people like Fetterman on the
Democrat side and rain Paul on the Republican side that
have broken with their party on this particular item. Are
you having individual conversations with other Democrats as senators to
kind of try to see what they need to jump
(02:15):
on board? Here? Are both sides just kind of standing
in concrete, not really willing to reach an olive branch
to either side and actually start to negotiate except through
the media.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
I am talking to friends on the other side of
the aisle, But to be completely honest with you, there
is no negotiation here. We're going to open the government
and then we're going to move forward. For example, I'm
on Appropriations Committee. We have passed eight bills out of
(02:50):
the twelve out of that committee already. We've passed three
of them on the floor of the Senate in Appropriations Committee. Memory.
We negotiated there on these on those eight bills to
get them out of committee, and they passed out overwhelmingly
in a bipartisan manner. That's where the negotiation took place
(03:11):
on that. But yet when it comes to get it
on the floor and let's vote for our military. The
people that voted for this bill and committee, the Democrats
who voted for it for the most part, voted no
on the floor. My friend Jean Shaheen, she's on Armed
Services Committee with me and Appropriations, we just visited today.
(03:33):
She voted for the bill, for that appropriations bill, and
we've talked about that, and I'm trying to understand, you know,
where Democrats are coming from on this. She was upset
with her with her folks too, you know. But we're
trying to talk through this and figure out how we
can open government and get to work on these appropriations
(03:54):
bills so that we can fund government. That's the job
here in Congress we should be doing Senator.
Speaker 1 (04:01):
Dev Fisher joining us here on the phone line today.
You know, this isn't the first time the government's been
shut down, but we are approaching the longest shut down,
which was six years ago or so. And it's probably
memorable to you and for a lot of the people
who are still in Washington. It took place in December
and January up to thirty five days, and then finally
(04:22):
something gave. Is there any inclination as to what that
thing might be this time around? That would get the
Democrats to say, you know what, let's we've gone long enough.
Let's go ahead and get this thing reopened again.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
You know, I think what we're seeing here is we
do have a clean short term bill for a continuing resolution.
I give the House credit. The House Republicans came together.
They didn't put crazy things in their continuing resolution. They
didn't put anything dealing with policy in it. It's just
(04:57):
an extension of current payments, current budget we have through
November twenty first, there's not It truly is amazing because
there's nothing in there to oppose. It was to extend
(05:18):
the current payment system, the current budget, so we could
work on appropriations bills and Democrats decided they weren't going
to do it that way this time, that they weren't
going to do it. And so that's the situation we're in.
And we keep saying we need to open government and
(05:39):
then we can move forward. You're going to see us,
I think either today. Of course, we have a filibus
are going on the floor right now by the Democrats,
so we won't probably be today, but it might. Yeah,
we don't know to be able to take a vote
(06:00):
to move forward on a bill that's sender Ron Johnson has.
We're going to try and get that on the floor
so that we can pay our troops. But I mean,
if we open government, we could pay our troops. That's
in the cr that we have. But we're even pulling
that out now and saying, Okay, let's take this vote.
Let's get on this bill that Sendor Johnson has so
(06:21):
we can pay our troops. My guess is right now
the Democrats will not they won't be voting for it,
and I'm really as you can tell from my voice,
I'm getting pretty disgusted with it.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
Yeah, I imagine, So you mentioned the filibuster. Jeff Merkley
of Oregon is over twenty something hours. You know, so
how does that work?
Speaker 2 (06:47):
You know why he's doing well, you know why he's
doing it is because there's a former senator from Oregon
who is the number three for having the longest labaster
in the United States Senate and Senator Murkley said he
wants to beat that. So that's why he's doing it.
And yet, everybody, if you're watching the c SPAN and
(07:10):
you're seeing the staff that's sitting at the front desk
working for twenty some hours, just remember they're not getting paid.
So Jeff Murkley wants to be able to break this
old record of a retired Oregon senator and he's making
(07:32):
these staff people stay up all night and work put
in the hours on this and they're not getting paid.
That is totally out He's just out of touch, out
of touch. Now.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
Yeah, I gotta say that I never quite understood the
idea of liking yourself that much. To speak that much
and I talked for six hours a day is crazy.
Senator dev Fisher joining us, I saw you and your
social media posted this, and I think this is something
we're going to talk about a lot today. Is the
idea that the President Trump's talking about the importing of
(08:11):
Argentina beef from Argentina Tina and the idea that this
is going to somehow help the beef prices in the
United States. I know the cattle producers of Nebraska have
said their piece as well. Over the last twenty four
hours or so. What do you have to say about
this and what this would or would not solve?
Speaker 2 (08:31):
You know, I think I was first one to put
out a statement on this. Increasing the amount of imported
beef into our country. That is not a solution to
lower beef prices at the grocery store. In fact, I
met with some grocers yesterday from Nebraska who were out
(08:51):
and they were saying, there's a demand for beef at
the store. It is being sold. They can hardly keep
up with the demand at the store. People are buying beef,
and now we have this my comment to the President.
Had lunch at the White House yesterday and I did
(09:14):
go up and discuss this my concerns with it. I
had a meeting with a couple other senators. We were
at the Department of Egg and talked to the Secretary
bag and also the EPA administrator was there. We were
talking fifteen but obviously first on the agenda was this
(09:35):
deal with our cattle market. Very very concerned, as I
tell reporters here in Washington, We're not worried about any
kind of competition with any kind of beef. Nebraska beef. Obviously,
we have the best beef around. We had it on
the menu at the President's inauguration luncheon. It was delicious.
(10:00):
That this is a mistake, To be very blunt about it,
this is a mistake. America has safe, reliable beef. The
cattle market was the one bright spot and the ag economy.
And this just doesn't affect farmers and ranchers, folks, This
affects the economy of the state of Nebraska. Livestock is
(10:20):
the number one economic engine in the state of Nebraska,
has the largest economic impact. And so we are continuing
to talk with the administration. I've talked to the trade
ambassador as well. You know, we're working, We're working hard
and trying to get trying to get the message to
(10:44):
the President that we do not in any way support
buying more beef from Argentina.
Speaker 1 (10:52):
Did you last thing for you, Senator before I let
you go the Did you get any inclination that this
is bigger than just trying to help the beef market
in the United States, but also to kind of help
out an ally that he feels like he has as
the current president of Argentina and how those politics might
have played a part in him kind of suggesting this
as a solution.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
You know, I'm not going to try in second guests
the President, when it comes to his foreign policy moves
on this, I would assume that plays into it. But
let's be honest here. America first, and we have a safe,
reliable beasts in this country, and that's what we should
(11:36):
be promoting.
Speaker 1 (11:37):
Senator deb Fisher working through the shutdown, trying to make
America work again with our government. We do appreciate you
giving us a call, and hopefully we get a chance
to chat sometime soon with legislation that we have to
talk about.
Speaker 2 (11:52):
That'd be great. Thank you.
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