CSPAN - Washington Journal Gabby Birenbaum
Aired: 2025-12-04
Duration: 05:57


=== Why Democrats Act? (03:45) ===

[00:00:00]  Ms. Defonic, who's running for governor, has been one of the folks that's been bullying Speaker Johnson.
[00:00:05]  Thank God for that recently, for having the courage to do that and showing some backbone.
[00:00:09]  I appreciate that.
[00:00:11]  And she's told them one, two years.
[00:00:13]  There's others that have said three years.
[00:00:14]  Some have said one, some have said two.
[00:00:15]  You know, the reason everyone's so excited here, excuse me, is because they have no plan, they have no unity, they have nothing.
[00:00:22]  And you're saying, why don't Democrats do something?
[00:00:24]  We are doing something.
[00:00:25]  We're doing the quickest, easiest, simplest way to take the burden off the backs of the American people, and they ought to vote for it.
[00:00:36]  First, they've got to vote for this.
[00:00:38]  We can talk about things down the road.
[00:00:40]  This is the only solution to avoid the January 1st cliff.
[00:00:45]  Plain and simple.
[00:00:46]  Chad, you know all the Republicans, man.
[00:00:48]  Show me something.
[00:00:49]  Yeah.
[00:00:50]  You know the group of them.
[00:00:51]  You know them best.
[00:00:53]  Pull them in.
[00:00:53]  To respond, there was a group of them this morning, a bipartisan group of more than 20 members, including at least the 10 or 10.
[00:01:00]  And the House?
[00:01:02]  Speaker Johnson should give them a vote.
[00:01:03]  Send it over.
[00:01:04]  A one-year extension.
[00:01:05]  Have speaker.
[00:01:07]  Speaker Johnson should give them a vote.
[00:01:08]  What did they say about Hyde?
[00:01:10]  Did you ask them?
[00:01:11]  Is Hyde in it or not in it?
[00:01:12]  Ask them.
[00:01:13]  We're going to work very hard to nominate it.
[00:01:15]  Thanks, everybody.
[00:01:16]  Thank you, folks.
[00:01:17]  Well, look, why doesn't the Speaker give him a vote?
[00:01:21]  He doesn't care.
[00:01:22]  That's the problem.
[00:01:23]  Mike's got to do the right thing here.
[00:01:26]  There's also not a single Republican House or Senate that's voting for a theme extension.
[00:01:31]  Why?
[00:01:31]  I don't know if you're not going to be able to do that.
[00:01:33]  Because they believe there's not in the program.
[00:01:34]  They want an income capital.
[00:01:35]  Well, fine.
[00:01:36]  They should propose those ideas with whatever the reforms.
[00:01:38]  That's what I've been saying.
[00:01:40]  The first time I ever heard anyone say anything about these reforms in a concrete way is when Leader Thune lost his school because he was mad that we were asking for people not to get votes starving across America.
[00:01:50]  And he rattled off five or six.
[00:01:53]  Has Mr. Thune put it on a piece of paper yet?
[00:01:55]  I've not seen it.
[00:01:56]  Maybe you all should ask him.
[00:01:58]  You're going to have a press conference for him in a little bit.
[00:02:01]  But if you're putting a starting point to talks here at three years, the question is, do you want the issue or do you want to solve it?
[00:02:07]  Republicans have said actually wanting to solve it.
[00:02:09]  Since 2010, when I came into the House and we passed the Affordable Care Act, Republicans have said, get rid of it, we have our own plan.
[00:02:17]  I don't know how many years it's been since then, but it's been a little bit.
[00:02:20]  We're asking you about your plan.
[00:02:22]  Right.
[00:02:22]  The three years.
[00:02:23]  Three years is in the city.
[00:02:24]  The Republicans have said they're going to replace this thing.
[00:02:26]  Well, put something on the table.
[00:02:28]  What are they putting on the table?
[00:02:29]  Do the Republicans care that their constituents are going to land up in a hospital bed like I did and then have to worry about trying to find a place to live because they're going to lose their home.
[00:02:37]  We're not going to be able to pay rent?
[00:02:39]  That's what this comes down to.
[00:02:40]  It's about affordability.
[00:02:41]  I mean, it's nonsense.
[00:02:42]  You all know that.
[00:02:44]  Hold up.
[00:02:44]  Look at this shit right here.
[00:02:45]  You guys see this?
[00:02:47]  Do you see this?
[00:02:52]  I can attest to the fear that comes with sitting on a bed and not knowing if you're going to live.
[00:03:00]  I went through it.
[00:03:01]  This is not okay for folks.
[00:03:03]  I mean, I get the posturing and the this and the that and the votes.
[00:03:06]  And sure.
[00:03:08]  Step back and just, when you're not doing your job and you're worried about your life and your families, what are you thinking about?
[00:03:19]  What are you thinking about?
[00:03:20]  Like, I just hope that everyone can have that conversation because right now it's not happening.
[00:03:25]  It's just, it's not.
[00:03:26]  But that's where I ask, you know, say three years.
[00:03:29]  Lisa said, others said.

=== C-SPAN Student Cam Competition (02:26) ===

[00:03:41]  Liz Stefanik should run for speaker and come up with her own health care plan that she's running for governor.
[00:03:46]  Show speaker Johnson what it takes to have a backbone and care about the...
[00:03:49]  Johnson says the two of them work things out.
[00:03:51]  It looks like it.
[00:03:54]  Thank you.
[00:03:57]  Merry Christmas everyone.
[00:04:00]  Thank you.
[00:04:02]  What that means is we're going to be here on December 24th voting, right?
[00:04:06]  Like we did Obamacare in 2000.
[00:04:09]  All in high school students, join C-SPAN as we celebrate America's 250th anniversary during our 2026 C-SPAN Student Cam Video Documentary Competition.
[00:04:29]  This year's theme is Exploring the American Story through the Declaration of Independence.
[00:04:34]  We're asking students to create a five to six minute documentary that answers one of two questions.
[00:04:39]  What's the Declaration's influence on a key moment from America's 250-year history?
[00:04:45]  Or how have its values touched on a contemporary issue that's impacting you or your community?
[00:04:51]  We encourage all students to participate, regardless of prior filmmaking experience.
[00:04:56]  Consider interviewing topical experts and explore a variety of viewpoints around your chosen issue.
[00:05:01]  Students should also include clips of related C-SPAN footage, which are easy to download on our website, studentcam.org.
[00:05:08]  C-SPAN's Student Cam competition awards $100,000 in total cash prizes to students and teachers and $5,000 for the grand prize winner.
[00:05:18]  Entries must be received before January 20th, 2026.
[00:05:22]  For competition rules, tips, or just how to get started, visit our website at studentcam.org.
[00:05:40]  Friday on C-SPAN's ceasefire, at a time when finding common ground matters most in Washington, host Dasha Burns sits down with Democratic California Congressman Roe Conna and Republican Nebraska Congressman Don Bacon for a bipartisan dialogue on the top issues facing the country,