CNN "Newsroom" - Transcript: Interview with Zoe Lofgren

Interview

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And now I want to bring in Democratic Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren of California. She's a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

Speaker Pelosi clearly got the message that House Progressives are not bluffing, Congresswoman. Are you willing to let both bills fail this week?

REP. ZOE LOFGREN (D-CA): No, personally I'm not.

[18:35:01]

Both bills are part of President Biden's vision for the United States, and I would say almost all of the Democrats share that vision. You're seeing the sausage making now. We have to reach compromise. I've been in Congress quite some time now and I'm used to this fact. I don't get my way 100 percent of the time. We have to compromise and move forward for the good of the country and I'm confident we'll do that.

BROWN: So if the House Speaker Pelosi brings the infrastructure bill forward for a vote tomorrow, would you vote for it, in favor of it?

LOFGREN: I would vote for it. And I will also vote for the second infrastructure bill. They're both essential. I mean, when you think about the deteriorating bridges, that's important. But when you think about the childcare system where huge segments of the providers have simply disappeared, mothers can't go back to work. I mean, we have to address the entire picture in order to have a prosperous, successful country. We need both bills.

BROWN: So let's talk about, then, the second one, the $3.5 trillion one as it stands now. Moderates say they will only support the spending bill if the price tag is reduced. Progressives have said that's a nonstarter, yet Speaker Pelosi said this morning that it is, quote, self-evident that the final bill will be smaller than $3.5 trillion. Would you vote for a smaller reconciliation bill?

LOFGREN: Well, obviously I need to know what would be in it. But, again, this is a matter of compromise. What elements do so-called conservative Dems want to take out of it? Do they want to take out the childcare funding? Do they want to take out pre-kindergarten? I mean, what is it that they would like to remove? And I think if we stop talking just about the dollar amounts, because we can fully pay for this. It doesn't have to -- I mean, this is $3.5 trillion over 10 years, and when you think about it --

BROWN: But it's the largest spending package in history, right?

LOFGREN: It's big. It's transformational but when you think that we spent $5.3 trillion on COVID in the last three months, that does put this in some kind of perspective. So we'll move forward on this, and I think it will make a big difference in the lives for regular Americans. It's going to be a big deal.

BROWN: So how worried are you, then? Because we have these bills and then this looming government shutdown. How worried are you about a government shutdown this week and the much more serious threat of a federal debt default if congressional action isn't taken?

LOFGREN: Well, obviously, we need to fund the government. The House already approved a measure last week to keep the government going and to suspend the debt ceiling, which is a phony thing. We should just get rid of it. I mean, it's about living up to what the Constitution requires us to do, which is have the debts -- have a full faith in credit of the United States.

We need to do that, and the Republicans in the Senate need to at least let the Democrats vote to do that. If they try -- if Mitch McConnell thinks defaulting on the debt is something that is going to bring him accolades, he's very mistaken. I think Democrats are very prepared to cast the responsible vote, but the Republicans at least have to let them do that.

BROWN: Just very quickly before I switch to another topic. You said that you would vote for the infrastructure bill if House Speaker Pelosi brings it to the floor tomorrow. Given what you know from talking to other progressives, do you think she has enough votes right now if she brought it to the House floor tomorrow that it would pass?

LOFGREN: Well, she's the best vote counter in the Capitol, so I'll trust her judgment on that.

BROWN: OK. Congresswoman, I do want to talk about the fact that you're a member of the select committee investigating the January 6th attack on the Capitol. And is -- the question is, is that panel prepared to go to the Justice Department seeking criminal charges when the inevitable, the former Trump advisers being subpoenaed refused to testify?

LOFGREN: Well, first, we want to give them the benefit of the doubt that they will respond as they should to this subpoena. They're required to respond, and let's assume that they do. If they don't, I think we're prepared to take all of the steps available to us, which include civil action and criminal action. So we need --

BROWN: There is a possibility you would go to DOJ if they didn't show up?

LOFGREN: All of the available options will be ones that we will consider.

[18:40:00]

BROWN: And do you expect to issue more subpoenas in the near future, including for White House records?

LOFGREN: That is possible. As you know, the archives have a process. We sent a request for quite a large amount of documents and material, and they're in the middle of that process now. We have more requests pending. We have a lot of requests out, and so, yes, this is a very active investigation.

BROWN: Just very quickly, can you give us a window into those other requests that will be going out?

LOFGREN: Not at this point. We have people who want to come in and talk to us, people who want to come in but they would prefer to be subpoenaed, people who may be a little bit recalcitrant that may need a subpoena. It's all over the board, and we have already received a very large amount of documents that we're vigorously sifting through. So there is a lot going on.

BROWN: OK. Well, Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, I hope that you will continue to come on the show and keep us updated on what is going on with that select committee. Thank you so much for your time tonight.

LOFGREN: Any time.

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