MSNBC "The Rachel Maddow Show" - Transcript: Interview with Rep. Pramila Jayapal

Interview

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Joining us again tonight is the indefatigable chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, the optimist in chief of THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW, Washington Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal.

Congresswoman Jayapal, thank you. Thank you for making time to be here tonight. I really appreciate it.

JAYAPAL: It`s always great to see you. Optimist in chief is in residence.

MADDOW: Well, first of all, whatever you do in terms of your, like, diet and fitness routine that keeps your energy up for what you`re going through right now, I would like to get -- I would like to buy some stock in that. I would like to get in on that.

And I just like to know from you, basically, if -- if you are explaining to somebody right now who hasn`t been following this all along, who doesn`t been -- who hasn`t been super-engaged in the ins and outs, if they just want to know if there`s going to be something new coming from Washington to help people, would you tell them yes or would you tell them we still don`t know?

[21:35:04]

JAYAPAL: I would say absolutely yes.

Today was kind of an amazing day, I have to say that. You know, we got a framework from the president. The Progressive Caucus then endorsed that framework, which meant that our 96-member caucus agreed that that framework in principle was something that we could enthusiastically support. We were able to send the president off to Europe with that endorsement.

And then, Rachel, we got the text. We got the text which is what I said we needed, and guess what? When you put those demands forward, actually, you can make stuff happen. And so, we got the text for the bill. It is 1,400 pages. We`re going through it right now.

And our caucus, as you know, already agreed that we would vote on the infrastructure bill if we have the Build Back Better Act and the text of the Build Back Better Act, that the two bills would move together. And, Rachel, I feel like we are very close.

But the most important thing is this -- three weeks ago when I was on your show, we did not have a bill that had 50 senators. We -- the White House was engaged but not nearly as engaged as they have been. We did not have progressives and moderates and whoever else`s in the House ready to vote for the Build Back Better Act. There was all kinds of back-and-forths about it.

And in three weeks, by progressives holding the line and saying these two bills need to go together because we are not leaving anybody behind, we were able to get more negotiations that happened, than has happened in the last six months with these two senators.

And now, I think -- and I met with Senator Kyrsten Sinema today, it was a really good meeting, very productive. And I`ve been talking, as you know, to Joe Manchin.

And, Rachel, I really believe that we have shown people what it means to fight for them, to not leave people behind. And we will deliver very shortly, very shortly. We will deliver both of these (ph) -- the infrastructure bill and the remarkably transformational Build Back Better Act so that families across this country can get universal child care by paying no more than 7 percent of their income, universal pre-K, the biggest and best investment in housing since the New Deal, investment in elder care, home and community-based care, the biggest investment in climate ever that we have ever seen, and health care for people.

Not to mention, we will actually change the tax code so that finally we can bring a tiny bit of fairness -- not everything we wanted, but a tiny bit of fairness to the tax code so the wealthiest corporations and individuals start to pay more of their fair share.

So, I am feeling really good today. And, you know, it`s by nature to be optimistic, as you know, but I actually today, I see the end. And I don`t think I said that on your show before. I see the end.

(CROSSTALK)

MADDOW: No, you said --

JAYAPAL: Of course, the House has to pass these and then the Senate has to pass it, and I am trusting the president when he says he has 50 votes in the Senate. Plus, I`ve spoken to Senator Sinema. I will circle back with Senator Manchin.

And, you know, look, we will -- there is a bit of a leap of faith here that we will take. But I believe that we are finally in a place where that can happen.

And I`m just so proud of the Progressive Caucus, I`m proud of the Progressive Movement. I think we showed the country what it means to fight for everybody and leave nobody behind.

MADDOW: I will say this. I saw a statement from the group individual.org saying: House Progressives have once again demonstrated what effective, collective power can do if we stay united in our fight -- saying that you holding your members unified about this is essentially what made this much progress possible.

Again, you say you can see the end is news. That will be news that you made here tonight. We`re going to keep asking you back until you say no, until we get to the end of this, Congresswoman Jayapal. Thank you for being with us tonight.

JAYAPAL: Thank you, Rachel.

MADDOW: All right. We`ll be right back. Stay with us.

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