CNN "CNN Newsroom" - Trancript: Interview with Josh Gottheimer

Interview

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Well, other major story we're following this hour, rising tensions within the Democratic Party in the House over how to enact President Biden's sweeping economic plan. It could reach the boiling point this week as lawmakers return to Washington. The first test may come as early as tomorrow when the House is expected to vote on a budget resolution approved by the Senate earlier this month. A group of nine House moderate Democrats is threatening to rebel against the White House and party leaders to block that vote. Instead, they want to first pass a separate, bipartisan infrastructure package before speaking to the larger plan.

One of them, Congressman Josh Gottheimer of New Hampshire, joining me now.

Congressman, thank you for taking the time this morning.

REP. JOSH GOTTHEIMER (D-NH): Thanks for having me, Jim.

SCIUTTO: I am sure that you privately and publicly have been getting a lot of pressure to change your opinion here. You, as you know -- Democrats, as you know, hold a narrow majority in the House. You know the risks here. Are you and the other eight Democrats willing to sink these bills to make your point?

GOTTHEIMER: No, actually just the opposite. We want them both to move forward and pass. And, you know, but first and foremost, we've got to pass that historic, once in a century infrastructure bill that came out of the Senate a couple of weeks ago with all 50 Senate Democrats and 19 Republicans.

And, you know, Jim, what I heard from the calls I'm getting are actually from the hard-working men and women of labor and from people in my district who are saying, I don't get this, we voted on this in the Senate. It came out. So all of this to happen to get shovels in the ground and 2 million people a year to work is to pass this in the House. So that's all we're asking for. And then full steam ahead working on the reconciliation package. I'll support the budget resolution as soon as we vote on infrastructure.

I just -- we just can't afford to wait months on that when you've got a third of our bridges unsafe, you know, a (INAUDIBLE) roads in the county in Jersey.

SCIUTTO: Yes.

GOTTHEIMER: The idea that we would wait just doesn't make any sense. So I think this is pretty common sense and we'll work it out.

SCIUTTO: I get that, but you know the sense here is really the votes. You have nine moderates willing to hold this up, but the fact is, as "The Washington Post" notes, far more than nine progressives are willing to hold up the bipartisan infrastructure deal if they don't get assurances on other priorities. I just wonder why proceed if you're outnumbered?

GOTTHEIMER: And that's the exact -- that's the exact question. And that's the exact question, why -- why --

SCIUTTO: I know, but why proceed if you're outnumbered by them?

GOTTHEIMER: No, I'm just going to say, that's the exact question, why would some of my colleagues want to hold up the president's infrastructure package for months or say that they'll never vote for it at all when this was historic 2 million jobs a year? Like, I don't -- that's what I don't really understand. And people are asking me at home, I don't get that. And I don't really have a good answer for them.

So all we're saying is, let's have like everybody vote on this infrastructure package and this is the president's key priority.

SCIUTTO: I get that.

GOTTHEIMER: He said, send it to my desk as soon as possible. So that's what we're trying to do here.

And, you know, you're talking about a lot of lives for a lot of hard- working men and women plus a crumbling infrastructure in too many parts of our country. So let's just get that done, not wait months, not risk it and then move right to reconciliation.

SCIUTTO: I hear that but it's the math of the votes, you know, sadly.

I wonder, have you spoken to Speaker Pelosi about this?

GOTTHEIMER: I think they'll be there, the votes.

We've talked and, you know, I think the votes, from all of our caucus, if we voted on infrastructure today, that they would all be there. No one's going to vote against 2 million jobs a year and fixing -- and significant investments in climate -- in the fight against climate, electric vehicles, fixing the largest investment in water, fixing our water infrastructure and getting lead out of our pipes, right, fixing our roads, bridges, and tunnels, broadband. I don't think anyone's going to vote against that.

So I think we should take that vote and move forward right away with the bipartisan infrastructure package and then move right to start the reconciliation process. You know, we've got a bill that's been voted on out of the Senate, sitting there for us to consider. Let's just consider it and vote on it, get it to the president's desk.

SCIUTTO: I get the -- I get the argument. I get the argument. But, again, the math is against you here. And I wonder if, though that makes common sense to you, and probably some of the folks at home you're talking to, labor, et cetera, are you willing to risk what you're -- what your risking here? Is it important enough for you to have that vote first to risk both of these bills? That's the question.

GOTTHEIMER: Well, I don't think -- I don't think -- I don't agree with that. I don't think we're risking anything.

[09:55:01]

I believe both will move forward and get done. I think we'll work this out. You know, I'm ready to sit at the table and so are my colleagues, ready to sit at the table and figure this out.

And we can, right? This push makes sense to get both bills moving. We can do that. You know, but the -- but there's no reason to wait four, five months or more sitting on this infrastructure package and risking that or threatening and holding it hostage like some of my colleagues are doing. That just doesn't make sense.

And, you know, I think we're doing right here for the country and for all those working men and women and, frankly, for our competitiveness in our economy. So if you drive around Jersey, I'm about to go to this union hall. You drive around Jersey, and third worst roads in the country, worst on time transit. These resources are going to help fix that and we should start it immediately and that's what's best. It's a great win for the country. Democrats and Republicans coming together and then let's move immediately to the next process.

SCIUTTO: OK, we'll -- well, we'll see how those votes go. I've driven those roads and I've ridden trains on the tracks, so I know what you're talking about.

Congressman Josh Gottheimer, thanks so much for taking the time this morning.

GOTTHEIMER: Thanks so much for having me.

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