Fox News "Sunday Morning Futures" - Transcript: Interview with Rep. Debbie Dingell
Interview
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REP. DEBBIE DINGELL, D-MICH: Thank you. And good to see you.
BARTIROMO: We have talked a bit in the past about USMCA. Your reaction to Mexico now agreeing to step up and help the president and the United States with the border crossings, and also the idea that there have been tweaks to USMCA? Is it ready for signage yet?
DINGELL: So, I have yet to hear what the details are on what the tweaks -- I have always been one of the Democrats that has said we need to do something. I call it NAFTA 2.0, as you well know.
And, actually, the president threw a grenade into the middle of those talks in the last week on the tariffs, total panic back here in Michigan with both the workers and the companies.
I mean, one of the things -- one of my biggest problems with the president is the lack of certainty. Companies and workers need certainty. So he threw a grenade into the middle of all of this.
I will say that I think the discussions on tariffs, and talking about what the economic impact would be on the auto industry, show people why we do need a new NAFTA, that 80 percent of the goods being made in Mexico are coming into the United States.
But here is the reality. The Blazer plant that General Motors announced that they were putting in Mexico last August is paying $1.50 an hour. We need more enforceable labor provisions. I keep saying that.
And as soon as -- I have talked to the -- Ambassador Lighthizer, the trade representative. He knows how strongly we feel. I think he's doing a good job in trying to get us there. And we need to get that done before I can vote for this.
And the other thing is that there's a provision in there that raises prescription drug prices, which we have got to address. So I wish we had more certainty. We need these tweaks.
BARTIROMO: Well, I don't know that it -- I don't know that it automatically raises prescription drug prices, as you say.
What it does is keep a 10-year period for companies to not face generic competition. It doesn't automatically raise prescription drug prices. You know that, Congresswoman.
DINGELL: But a likely -- a likely fallout of that is, instead of being able to bring our consumers lower prices, which we get in generic drugs, many of the pharmaceutical companies keep doing these changes that keep the prices high, instead of being able to go to lower-cost generic drugs.
BARTIROMO: So, are you questioning the president's comments when he says he wants to get prescription drug prices lower?
DINGELL: I'm not questioning anybody.
I want to work with everybody, because it's not just prescription drugs. I'm now hearing more and more when I'm out there the cost of out-of-pocket expenses for people. We got to work together. It's a real issue that I hear every single day I'm home in the district.
BARTIROMO: So, if you -- are you willing to sign USMCA in the House before the August recess, or do you want this to linger, and then come back and deal with this in the fall?
DINGELL: I do not want it to linger, but I need labor provisions that ensure us that Mexico is going to make those changes, so that we are not competing with a $1.50-an-hour wage.
Now, the provisions aren't tough enough. Now, I know the ambassador is working on this. I know the speaker is working on this. But so changes have to happen.
BARTIROMO: Well, one thing that is part of this immigration deal that the president just did with Mexico is that the U.S. will review the effectiveness of Mexico's immigration policies after 90 days.
So it's anybody's guess about whether or not the president has said forget about these tariffs. He may very well come back with the threat, if he doesn't think that the work being done at the border is sufficient. So there are enforcements mechanisms in this, as well as in USMCA.
What specific more of an enforcement mechanism do you want to see? Because there are already enforcement mechanisms in there to ensure that U.S. workers get paid -- in fact, paid higher than you would expect, because they are being forced to make changes, just what you said, because of labor laws in Mexico? That's already in this bill.
DINGELL: It's not.
The provisions in this bill do not, at this time -- or it's not a bill. Actually, it's an agreement, the trade agreement. We need to see Mexico do more to ensure that there is enforcement, that there is accountability for the enforcement.
When we have that accountability, when we know that they're going to enforce it, then this bill becomes OK.
BARTIROMO: So, there is a...
DINGELL: I know that everybody understands this. And it's got to be worked on.
BARTIROMO: Yes. There is a feeling that this is a lot of stalling, Congresswoman. You know that.
DINGELL: Not on my point.
BARTIROMO: Nancy Pelosi -- well, I mean, Nancy Pelosi doesn't really want to bring this agreement to the floor to get a vote.
Most people think, once you bring it to the floor, it is going to be voted on, and it will pass. But she doesn't want to. And then you know what she said last week while the president was on foreign land, when he was in the U.K. and in France. He said -- she said that he wants -- she wants to see him go to prison.
DINGELL: You know, I'm not going to -- I'm not going to get into that.
I'm focused on doing what I need to do for the workers in Michigan. I have been in meetings with the speaker. I know that she understands that many of us know that this -- we're not ready. The votes in the House aren't there yet, until these changes take place.
But I do think that she understands -- look, Democrats did a terrible job on trade 2.5 years ago. I said that. I said it then. I believe it's one of the reasons that President Trump became president. I said he could become president because he did care about these issues. But...
BARTIROMO: There are going to be hearings. Tell me about the hearings this upcoming week, because Jerry Nadler wants to start an informal impeachment hearing. Are you going to be part of that.
DINGELL: I am not. I'm not a member of the House Judiciary Committee.
I do believe we have got to continue to get the facts. No one is above the law. But I'm focused on delivering for the people. So, I'm focused on...
(CROSSTALK)
BARTIROMO: But the point -- the point is, you have got all of these issues going on, Congresswoman.
You have got border apprehensions, looking at a million this year. You have got a problem at the border. You have got USMCA, which is keeping 100,000-plus jobs in limbo, until you actually pass this into law.
That is just a couple of issues. And, of course, you have got an economy that might be slowing down. And yet your colleagues are still calling for impeachment hearings. What are you going to do about it? Are you ever going to get your colleagues to get some work done, rather than trying to take this president down?
DINGELL: We are.
I'm going to tell you, Speaker Pelosi is so focused on getting the work done and understanding that we have got to deliver for the people.
BARTIROMO: Well, what do you have to show for that? What has she gotten done, other than a lot of bluster about President Trump going to prison?
DINGELL: We have gotten a lot -- what we have gotten done?
We -- no, I -- you know, Maria I love you, but we have been passing bills since the beginning of the year.
Let's just take a domestic violence -- or a women -- Violence Against Women's Act, which...
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BARTIROMO: You have got big issues. You have got big issues on the other side of that, like the border.
(CROSSTALK)
DINGELL: We have passed preexisting conditions.
BARTIROMO: Do you think they are going to deal with the border? Will you deal with a million apprehensions this year at the border?
DINGELL: We have to deal with the border.
You know, why can't we get a comprehensive immigration bill passed?
BARTIROMO: That's what I'm asking you.
DINGELL: It has been two decades.
We need the -- Republicans and Democrats come together and deal with this. There are the humanitarian issues. You know. I do look at these children. And, yes, it's true. I have had Democratic colleagues say that they saw a father coming across the border -- or not a father -- a man, clearly not bonded with a child.
BARTIROMO: Right.
DINGELL: So I don't know anybody that doesn't care about the national security of this country.
We do need to keep that border safe.
BARTIROMO: Yes.
DINGELL: We got to stop fighting with each other. But that means that both sides have to be willing to come together.
BARTIROMO: You're right.
DINGELL: And we can't get anything passed in the Senate.
BARTIROMO: You're absolutely right. Congresswoman...
DINGELL: We got to pass...
(CROSSTALK)
BARTIROMO: OK.
(CROSSTALK)
BARTIROMO: I love you too, by the way.
DINGELL: We will keep talking.
I know.
BARTIROMO: Thank you, Debbie Dingell.
We will be right back.
DINGELL: We will keep talking.
BARTIROMO: Stay with us.
DINGELL: Thank you.
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