Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
It is Colorado's Morning News, Marty Lenz, Gina Gondeck. At morning,
authorities have an not identified the person they have in
custody who is suspected of being the gunman who killed
Charlie Kirk, but have since I believe, released, nor do
they have a motive for around and announced any criminal charges.
And here in Colorado, yet another school shooting at Evergreen
High School.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Joining us now on the KWA Common Spirit Health hotline.
Representative for Colorado's first congressional district, it's Congresswoman Diane to
get Congresswoman, thank you so much for your time this morning.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
Good morning, Marty and Ginea. I'm happy to be with
you guys.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Let's start a little bit with the latest news that
took place yesterday. Your overall thoughts reaction to just the
political and gun violence that we witnessed both with the
murder of Charlie Kirk and the Evergreen High School shooting.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
Well, I just I'm sick about it, and the fact
these two things were juxtaposed on each other. It's just sad.
A sad commentary or Terry and my thoughts go out
to all of their families, including Charlie Kirks. And you know,
we've seen an increase in political violence. The two legislators
(01:03):
that were gone down in their home actually was four legislators,
two of them died in Minnesota and the political rhetoric.
And I have a variety of complex thoughts. One is, obviously,
violence is never appropriate, no matter who the target is,
and I think that that that on on social media
(01:25):
and other places, violence gets normalized and it's got to stop.
It's not it's it's it's just devastating for our social fabric.
I also think that that we've got to stop normalizing
these school shootings. You know, I was in Congress when
Columbine happened, and we were also shocked. Now there's a
(01:47):
school shooting at least every week, and many weeks more
than one, and we've we've got to stop that. And
and that we really do have to look at the
role of guns. And it's not just about banning assault
rifles and things, although that would help in many of
these cases, but it's also access to guns by mentally
(02:09):
disturbed people, wrap around services to get counseling for disturb people,
and all of that. And I don't think we should
jump to conclusions either about motive either in the Kurt
case or it's still early looking at the Anglewood High School.
These are complex issues. Regrettably, there's not a simple answer.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
Congresswoman. I was watching the news yesterday locally, and I'll
say this specific for the Evergreen High School shooting, and
I saw some people on experts in the notes saying
that we've come and I'm probably paraphrasing a long way
since Columbine, but I kind of pause and said to myself,
have we really Maybe we have when it comes to
protocols of keeping schools safer, but still addressing the problem
of why do we continue having these shootings. You laid
out some of those things, but there's something deeper going
(02:50):
on in the psyche where people, whether there's students at
the school or other things, they can come to schools
and shoot them up.
Speaker 3 (02:57):
I know, and I agree we've come a long way
in that we've taught our kids to jump under the
desks and to lock themselves in closets, and we've we've
trained the teachers what to do with an active shooter.
But we shouldn't be having active shooters. So I mean
(03:17):
it is it is a deeper issue, and I think
that we all have to collectively take a breath and
as a country come together, and there can't be any
topic that's not that that that we can't discuss. I mean,
we have to discuss everything from from the from the
(03:39):
influence of social media, from the availability of very deadly weapons,
from the lack of counseling and understanding. You know, we
needed to do this together. And I was really disturbed
yesterday Speaker Johnson called for a moment of silence and
(04:00):
then suddenly people started yelling out on both sides of
the aisle, and it's like, you know what, this poor
young man I disagreed with every single thing Charlie Kirk thought,
but that doesn't mean he deserved to be shot, and
we deserve to give a moment of respect for him.
But then, you know, people minimize what has happened to
(04:20):
other people, and it's like stop, stop.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
We're speaking with Congresswoman Diana to get congresswomen, before all
these tragedies took place, we were going to have you
on talking a little bit about the next government funding deadline,
which is just inching closer to September thirtieth. Do you
believe we could see another government shutdown or what is
being done to make sure we can avoid that again.
Speaker 3 (04:44):
Well, as I like to tell people, I'm not in
charge just yet. The Republicans controlled the White House, the House,
in the Senate, so it's really going to be up
to them to fund the government at an adequate level.
I will say Thatmocrats have been horrified not just about
the HR one, what I call the big bad bill
(05:07):
that took healthcare away from fifteen million people, but I'm
also concerned about these pocket recisions that President Trump has
been doing. So Congress, under the Constitution, has the ability
to fund biomedical research at the National Institutes of Health,
to fund USAID, to fund all of these programs, and
(05:32):
Donald Trump has just been refusing to send that money out.
So what we're concerned. So it's Congress, and it's not
just Democrats, it's Republicans too who voted for this. It
was Congress. So we're concerned that if the Republicans do
and if the Republicans do another budget bill, and then
(05:53):
then President Trump is just going to ignore. So we're
trying to work those issues out, but it's really going
to be up to the Republicans. We are willing to
work with him to do a funding bill that will
adequately fund all of the agencies that we need. I'm
particularly working on the funding for biomedical research and the
NIH because I'm the senior Democrat on the Health subcommittee,
(06:16):
and I'm very worried about that. But I think, you know,
I think the discussions are still happening, and I would
really hope we would be able to do a sort
of Congress this fundamental.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
Job speaking of those discussions. As we wrap up with
your congressmone else kind of couches all together and come
full circle. Do you and your colleagues and those on
the opposite side of the eye when you're talking about
contentious things, whether it's the big beautiful bill or cuts
or spending, do you all think in are self reflective
you and your others of talking about how you discuss
those things. So it doesn't and it shouldn't always blame
(06:48):
how it's something's discussed for people's reaction to that. It's
the eighty twenty rule, But does that do you couch
yourself to think and how do I discuss something and
try not to elicit potential violent reactions too? Very basic
things of fundamental disagreements when it comes to policy and politics, well.
Speaker 3 (07:04):
I you know, I might be quaint, but I believe
that you can have a robust base and then still
walk away and be respectful and be friends. For example,
yesterday we had a hearing in my committee and the
Health Subcommittee. The chairman of the Health Subcommittee, very conservative
(07:24):
Republican from Virginia, is a good friend of mine, Mark Griffith,
and I was very very direct in saying, we need
to bring Secretary Kennedy in to explain why he fired
the director of the CDC. I was very forceful, and
afterwards he took me a sign he said, you know,
(07:44):
I hear your points, and I'm going to listen to
you and we'll work together. So there is still a
lot of There are a lot of people in Congress,
most people in Congress on both sides of the aisle,
who really want to have a robust debate. And that's
what Congress for, right you know, we're not for just
rubber stamping, which I can talk about that another day.
(08:05):
But we should be having a roastbust debate. But at
the end of the day, we're colleagues and we have
to respect each other.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
Congresswoman Diana de get
It is Colorado's Morning News, Marty Lenz, Gina Gondeck. At morning,
authorities have an not identified the person they have in
custody who is suspected of being the gunman who killed
Charlie Kirk, but have since I believe, released, nor do
they have a motive for around and announced any criminal charges.
And here in Colorado, yet another school shooting at Evergreen
High School.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Joining us now on the KWA Common Spirit Health hotline.
Representative for Colorado's first congressional district, it's Congresswoman Diane to
get Congresswoman, thank you so much for your time this morning.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
Good morning, Marty and Ginea. I'm happy to be with
you guys.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Let's start a little bit with the latest news that
took place yesterday. Your overall thoughts reaction to just the
political and gun violence that we witnessed both with the
murder of Charlie Kirk and the Evergreen High School shooting.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
Well, I just I'm sick about it, and the fact
these two things were juxtaposed on each other. It's just sad.
A sad commentary or Terry and my thoughts go out
to all of their families, including Charlie Kirks. And you know,
we've seen an increase in political violence. The two legislators
(01:03):
that were gone down in their home actually was four legislators,
two of them died in Minnesota and the political rhetoric.
And I have a variety of complex thoughts. One is, obviously,
violence is never appropriate, no matter who the target is,
and I think that that that on on social media
(01:25):
and other places, violence gets normalized and it's got to stop.
It's not it's it's it's just devastating for our social fabric.
I also think that that we've got to stop normalizing
these school shootings. You know, I was in Congress when
Columbine happened, and we were also shocked. Now there's a
(01:47):
school shooting at least every week, and many weeks more
than one, and we've we've got to stop that. And
and that we really do have to look at the
role of guns. And it's not just about banning assault
rifles and things, although that would help in many of
these cases, but it's also access to guns by mentally
(02:09):
disturbed people, wrap around services to get counseling for disturb people,
and all of that. And I don't think we should
jump to conclusions either about motive either in the Kurt
case or it's still early looking at the Anglewood High School.
These are complex issues. Regrettably, there's not a simple answer.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
Congresswoman. I was watching the news yesterday locally, and I'll
say this specific for the Evergreen High School shooting, and
I saw some people on experts in the notes saying
that we've come and I'm probably paraphrasing a long way
since Columbine, but I kind of pause and said to myself,
have we really Maybe we have when it comes to
protocols of keeping schools safer, but still addressing the problem
of why do we continue having these shootings. You laid
out some of those things, but there's something deeper going
(02:50):
on in the psyche where people, whether there's students at
the school or other things, they can come to schools
and shoot them up.
Speaker 3 (02:57):
I know, and I agree we've come a long way
in that we've taught our kids to jump under the
desks and to lock themselves in closets, and we've we've
trained the teachers what to do with an active shooter.
But we shouldn't be having active shooters. So I mean
(03:17):
it is it is a deeper issue, and I think
that we all have to collectively take a breath and
as a country come together, and there can't be any
topic that's not that that that we can't discuss. I mean,
we have to discuss everything from from the from the
(03:39):
influence of social media, from the availability of very deadly weapons,
from the lack of counseling and understanding. You know, we
needed to do this together. And I was really disturbed
yesterday Speaker Johnson called for a moment of silence and
(04:00):
then suddenly people started yelling out on both sides of
the aisle, and it's like, you know what, this poor
young man I disagreed with every single thing Charlie Kirk thought,
but that doesn't mean he deserved to be shot, and
we deserve to give a moment of respect for him.
But then, you know, people minimize what has happened to
(04:20):
other people, and it's like stop, stop.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
We're speaking with Congresswoman Diana to get congresswomen, before all
these tragedies took place, we were going to have you
on talking a little bit about the next government funding deadline,
which is just inching closer to September thirtieth. Do you
believe we could see another government shutdown or what is
being done to make sure we can avoid that again.
Speaker 3 (04:44):
Well, as I like to tell people, I'm not in
charge just yet. The Republicans controlled the White House, the House,
in the Senate, so it's really going to be up
to them to fund the government at an adequate level.
I will say Thatmocrats have been horrified not just about
the HR one, what I call the big bad bill
(05:07):
that took healthcare away from fifteen million people, but I'm
also concerned about these pocket recisions that President Trump has
been doing. So Congress, under the Constitution, has the ability
to fund biomedical research at the National Institutes of Health,
to fund USAID, to fund all of these programs, and
(05:32):
Donald Trump has just been refusing to send that money out.
So what we're concerned. So it's Congress, and it's not
just Democrats, it's Republicans too who voted for this. It
was Congress. So we're concerned that if the Republicans do
and if the Republicans do another budget bill, and then
(05:53):
then President Trump is just going to ignore. So we're
trying to work those issues out, but it's really going
to be up to the Republicans. We are willing to
work with him to do a funding bill that will
adequately fund all of the agencies that we need. I'm
particularly working on the funding for biomedical research and the
NIH because I'm the senior Democrat on the Health subcommittee,
(06:16):
and I'm very worried about that. But I think, you know,
I think the discussions are still happening, and I would
really hope we would be able to do a sort
of Congress this fundamental.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
Job speaking of those discussions. As we wrap up with
your congressmone else kind of couches all together and come
full circle. Do you and your colleagues and those on
the opposite side of the eye when you're talking about
contentious things, whether it's the big beautiful bill or cuts
or spending, do you all think in are self reflective
you and your others of talking about how you discuss
those things. So it doesn't and it shouldn't always blame
(06:48):
how it's something's discussed for people's reaction to that. It's
the eighty twenty rule, But does that do you couch
yourself to think and how do I discuss something and
try not to elicit potential violent reactions too? Very basic
things of fundamental disagreements when it comes to policy and politics, well.
Speaker 3 (07:04):
I you know, I might be quaint, but I believe
that you can have a robust base and then still
walk away and be respectful and be friends. For example,
yesterday we had a hearing in my committee and the
Health Subcommittee. The chairman of the Health Subcommittee, very conservative
(07:24):
Republican from Virginia, is a good friend of mine, Mark Griffith,
and I was very very direct in saying, we need
to bring Secretary Kennedy in to explain why he fired
the director of the CDC. I was very forceful, and
afterwards he took me a sign he said, you know,
(07:44):
I hear your points, and I'm going to listen to
you and we'll work together. So there is still a
lot of There are a lot of people in Congress,
most people in Congress on both sides of the aisle,
who really want to have a robust debate. And that's
what Congress for, right you know, we're not for just
rubber stamping, which I can talk about that another day.
(08:05):
But we should be having a roastbust debate. But at
the end of the day, we're colleagues and we have
to respect each other.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
Congresswoman Diana de get
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