CNN Newsroom: Interview with Rep. Brian Steil (R-WI)

Interview

"Well, we know Jamaal Bowman pulled the fire alarm. Why he did that is pretty unclear. His initial explanation that it was an accident doesn't seem to really pass muster. The United States Capitol Police is currently conducting an investigation into exactly what happened. But I think he needs to be far more forthcoming as to what did occur. If in the event that he engaged in an illegal behavior like pulling a fire alarm to try to interfere with House proceedings, that is a serious violation of the law and no one should be treated above the law.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

I have not spoken to him directly. I have reviewed his public statements. He is currently under investigation by the United States Capitol Police. And I suspect that that investigation will wrap up in the not-too-distant future. I would hope that he is far more forthcoming as to exactly what he was doing when he pulled the fire alarm.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

The spending process in Washington is completely broken. If this was a business, it would be bankrupt a long time ago. I think I'm as frustrated as everyone. At the end of the day, though, not shutting down the federal government is a small victory. But at the end of the day, we're going to have to still address the reckless spending in Washington that's driving inflation further and we have to secure the U.S.-Mexican border.

Yesterday, Republicans, we had an opportunity to move forward with a conservative stop-gap measure that would have done both of those things. Unfortunately, we came up short. Today our options were less available and therefore moving to CR as we did was the best move in the situation we find ourselves in.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

I think Speaker McCarthy has done a pretty darn good job at wrangling the cats in the Republican conference. Again yesterday we had a great opportunity to move forward with a conservative CR. I was actually hopeful we could have done that a week before to truly address the reckless spending in Washington and the fact that the border of the U.S. and Mexico is unsecure.

Unfortunately, a small number of members in our conference disagreed with that approach, but that was the reason we were brought to the situation we were here today.

Again, I think he's done overall a pretty darn good job of wrangling the cats in the Republican conference.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

I would say the whole spending system in Washington is completely broken. The Senate is further behind than us on moving forward appropriations bills. They also did not have a stopgap measure passed in the United States Senate.

Far too often, Congress operates like a college student working on a term paper doing it at the final hour, rather than working in the best interest of the American people.

I would love to see us completely rewrite the spending process in the United States, so we don't find ourselves in this position again. That said, we're here. Passing the stopgap measure was the best path in front of us to give us an opportunity to truly move through spending bills that address the reckless spending in Washington, and most importantly, from a policy perspective, work to secure the US-Mexico border.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

I think the American people deserve to have a full-fledged debate regarding us support to Ukraine, to make sure that we're providing Ukraine, the weapons to be able to win the war, but not sending simply money in an unchecked manner.

We deserve to have a broader and more substantive debate to make sure that we're holding Russia accountable for their illegal invasion. Putting that simply into a continuing resolution, a stopgap measure, I think undermines the seriousness of the situation in Ukraine.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Yes. I'd like to see any final legislation. I think that there are important pieces that should be in there. I think we want to make sure that there are appropriate checks and balances and I think the American people deserve to understand the strategy.

And I feel President Biden has done a terrible job explaining to the American people what the American interest is in helping the Ukrainian people defend themselves from an unjust invasion from Russia.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Well, ultimately, what I believe is we have seen a failure of leadership from President Biden explaining the US national interest in Ukraine, in sending the weapons as we have.

Previously, the president has called for significant spending in Ukraine. It's important to make sure we're assisting those Ukrainians who are defending themselves, defending their territory, but what we don't want to have is a blank check.

I do feel that this administration has done a poor job explaining to the American people why the US has a national security interest in preventing Russia from being able to take Ukraine.

Today, it is Ukraine. The biggest concern is that Russian troops would enter a NATO state country triggering Article 5 and putting at risk US troops.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

What we don't is US troops engaged.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Well, I would argue he's done a poor job explaining that to the American people.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Thank you.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT"

Source