PBS NewsHour; September 29, 2021, 6:00pm-7:00pm PDT

- >> GOOD EVENING, JUDY WOODRUFF - IS AWAY. - TONIGHT, HIGH STAKES. - THE PRESIDENT'S ECONOMIC AGENDA - HANGS IN THE BALANCE AS - NEGOTIATIONS INTENSIFY BETWEEN - DEMOCRATS ON CAPITOL HILL AND - THE WHITE HOUSE. - THEN, GETTING THE VACCINE. - A FORMER FDA COMMISSIONER ON THE - TEST STRATEGIES TO RAMP UP - AMERICA'S LOW VACCINATION RATES. - AND SAVING THE SEQUOIAS. - CREWS IN CALIFORNIA SCRAMBLE TO - CONTAIN WILDFIRES THREATENING TO - TORCH SOME OF THE OLDEST TREES - IN THE WORLD. - >> 2000 YEARS OF LIVING HISTORY. - EY ARE ANCIENT BEINGS AND THEY - ARE DYING BEFORE OUR VERY EYES. - WHAT REALLY GETS TO ME IS THAT - WE ARE NOT ACTING FAST ENOUGH. - >> ALL THAT AND MORE ON - TONIGHT'S "PBS NEWSHOUR." - ♪

- >> MAJOR FUNDING FOR THE PBS - NEWSHOUR HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY -- - >> MOVING OUR ECONOMY FOR 160 - YEARS. - BNSF, THE ENGINE THAT CONNECTS - US. - >> CONSUMER CELLULAR. - JOHNSON & JOHNSON. - FINANCIAL SERVICES FIRM RAYMOND - JAMES - BDO, ACCOUNTANTS AND ADVISORS. - SUPPORTING SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURS

- AND THEIR SOLUTIONS TO THE - WORLD'S PROBLEMS. - SKOLL FOUNDATION - THE LEMELSON FOUNDATION - COMMITTED TO IMPROVING LIVES IN - THE U.S. AND DEVELOPING - COUNTRIES. - SUPPORTED BY THE JOHN D. AND - CATHERINE T. MACARTHUR - FOUNDATION - COMMITTED TO BUILDING MORE JUST, - VERDANT, AND PEACEFUL WORLD. - AND WITH THE ONGOING SUPPORT OF - THESE INSTITUTIONS. - THIS PROGRAM WAS MADE POSSIBLE - BY THE CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC - BROADCASTING AND BY - CONTRIBUTIONS TO YOUR PBS - STATION FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU. - THANK YOU. - >> IT'S A HIGH-STAKES PUZZLE - THAT THE WHITE HOUSE AND KEY - CONGRESSIONAL DEMOCRATS ARE

- STILL TRYING TO SOLVE -- HOW TO - SECURE ENOUGH VOTES IN THE U.S. - HOUSE TO PASS A TRILLION-DOLLAR - INFRASTRUCTURE BILL TOMORROW, AS - SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI HAD - PROMISED. - EARLY TODAY, SOME HOLDOUTS AMONG - HOUSE PROGRESSIVES, UNSATISFIED - WITH THE STATUS OF ANOTHER - LARGER BILL THAT'S STILL IN THE - WORKS. - THAT COULD PUT TRILLIONS MORE - TOWARDS CLIMATE, HEALTH CARE AND - OTHER DOMESTIC INITIATIVES. - AS THE PRESIDENT HIMSELF GETS - MORE INVOLVED IN THESE TALKS, - YAMICHE HAS BEEN FOLLOWING IT - ALL. - E JOINS US NOW FROM THEWHITE - HOUSE. - YAMICHE, GOOD TO SEE YOU. - THANKS FOR BEING HERE. - SO LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT THE - PRESIDENT'S DOING. - WHAT ARE SOME OF HIS EFFORTS - THAT HE'S DOING RIGHT NOW TO TRY - TO UNITE DEMOCRATS? - YAMICHE: WELL, THERE IS AN - INTENSIFYING FEENG OF URGENCY - HERE AT THE WHITE HOUSE TOGHT, - AS PRESIDENT BIDEN IS SCRAMBLING - TO TRY TO GET DEMOCRATS UNITED - BETWEEN THESE TWO BIG - INFRASTRUCTURE BILLS, $1 - TRILLION AS THE BIPARTISAN BILL, - AND THEN, OF COURSE, A $3.5 - TRILLION BILL THAT - IS DEMOCRAT-SUPPORTED RIGHT NOW, - EVEN THOUGH NOT ALL THE - DEMOCRATS ARE ON THE SAME PAGE. - THE PRESIDENT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE - IN CHICAGO TODAY TALKING ABOUT - VACCINE MANDATES, TALKING ABOUT - COMPANIES THAT HAVE ADOPTED - VACCINE MANDATES, BUT, INSTEAD, - HE POSTPONED THAT TRIP, - SIGNALING THAT HE NEEDED TO BE - HERE TO TALK TO LAWMAKERS.

- IN JUST THE LAST HOUR, HE WAS - TALKING TO BOTH HOUSE SPEAKER - NANCY PELOSI, AS WELL AS SENATE - MAJORITY LEADER CHUCK SCHUMER. - AND I'M TOLD IN THOSE MEETINGS - WITH LAWMARS, INCLUDING - SENATOR SINEMA AND SENATOR - MANCHIN, THAT THE PRESIDENT IS - REALLY DOING TWO THINGS. - HE'S, ONE, EXPLAINING TO - SENATORS AND TO LAWMAKERS, - HERE'S WHAT MY LEGACY IS. - HERE'S WHAT MY AGENDA IS. - HERE'S WHAT MY WANTS FOR THE - AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE. - THE SECOND THING HE'S DOING IS - SAYING, WHAT CAN I DO TO TRY TO - GET YOU TO YES? - WHAT CAN I DO TO TRY TO GET YOU - ON BOARD WITH THIS PLAN FOR - THESE TWO BIG BILLS TO PASS - TOGETHER? - THEN COME THE WHITE HOUSE STAFF. - NOW, THEY WERE ON THE HILL TODAY - MEETING WITH SENATOR SINEMA. - AND SOME OF THE WHITE HOUSE - STAFF ARE WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF - STAFF RON KLAIN, AS WELL AS TOP - AIDES STEVE RICCHETTI, BRIAN - DEESE, LOUISA TERRELL. - THESE ARE NAMES THAT MIGHT NOT - BE FAMILIAR TO PEOPLE, BUT THEY - ARE REALLY THE BRAIN TRUST - THAT'S BEHIND THIS REALLY EFFORT - TO TRY TO GET THE WHITE HOUSE - AND ALL OF ITS EFFORTS TO GET - THE LAWMAKERS ON THE SAME PAGE. - I'M ALSO TOLD THAT SENATOR - SINEMA LOOKS LIKE SHE'S A - SENATOR WHO IS MORE LIKELY TO - SAY YES, EVEN THOUGH THAT $3.5 - TRILLION PACKAGE, IT MIGHT - SHRINK DOWN $2.5 TRILLION OR

- EVEN $2 TRILLION. - I'M ALSOOLD THAT SENATOR - MANCHIN IS THE ONE THAT IS THE - HARDER SELL HERE. - AND JUST IN THE LAST HOUR, - SENATOR MANCHIN PUT OUT A - STATEMENT THAT DID NOT SOUND - LIKE HE WAS GETTING ANY CLOSER - TO THAT RECONCILIATION BILL, - SUPPORTING IT. - HE PUT, IN PART, SPENDING - TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS, IN HIS - WORDS, IS LIKE, QUOTE, FISCAL - INSANITY. - HE ALSO WROTE THAT DEMOCRATS - SHOULD NOT, QUOTE, VENGEFULLY - TAX THE WEALTHY. - THAT, OF COURSE, IS IN STARK - CONTRAST TO WHAT PROGRESSIVES - HAVE BEEN SAYING, SO A LOT HERE - WITH THE PRESIDENT AT THE CENTER - OF IT. - AMNA: YAMICHE, THE PRESSURE IS - BUILDING. - THERE IS THAT SELF-IMPOSED - DEADLINE. - SPEAKER PELOSI SAID THAT VOTE ON - INFRASTRUCTURE IS HAPPENING - TOMORROW. - AT'S THE SENSE IN THE WHITE - HOUSE TODAY? - YAMICHE: WELL, THE PRESIDENT IS - UNDER ENORMOUS PRESSURE. - THE NEXT 24 HOURS IS GOING TO BE - CRITICAL FOR WHETHER OR NOT - PRESIDENT BIDEN CAN REALLY GET - THIS DONE, BECAUSE NANCY PELOSI - HAS SAID THAT SHE WANTS TO BRING - THAT BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE - BILL TO THE HOUSE FLOOR BECAUSE - SHE'S PROMISED THAT, IF IT HAS - THE VOTES, IT WILL GO TO THE - FLOOR. - NOW, HERE'S WHAT THE HOUSE, - HERE'S WHAT THE WHITE HOUSE - PRESS SECRETARY, JEN PSAKI, SAID - JUST A FEW HOURS AGO, TALKING - ABOUT THE INTENSITY OF THIS

- MOMENT. - >> THE PRESIDENT, JUST TO GIVE - YOU AN UPDATE, IS GOING TO BE - WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK THE - REST OF TODAY, OVERNIGHT, INTO - TOMORROW MORNING. - AND WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING IN - LOCKSTEP WITH SPEAKER PELOSI. - THE PRESIDENT HAS BEEN CLEAR - ABOUT HIS COMMITMENT TO GETTING - BOTH PIECES OF LEGISLATION - PASSED, BOTH OF THEM THROUGH. - SO, RIGHT NOW, WHAT WE'RE - NAVIGATING THROUGH AND WE'RE - WORKING THROUGH IS HOW WE CAN - GET AGREEMENT, OF COURSE, 50 - VOTES IN THE SENATE ON A - RECONCILIATION PACKAGE. - YAMICHE: PRESS SECRETARY JEN - PSAKI ALSO SAID THAT THIS WAS A - PRECARIOUS AND IMPORTANT TIME IN - THE BIDEN PRESIDENCY. - THIS, OF COURSE, IS HIS WHOLE - AGENDA HANGING IN THE BALANCE. - HE HAS PROMISED TRANSFORMATIONAL - CHANGE. - HE RAN ON THE IDEA THAT HE WAS - THE DEALMAKER, THAT HE COULD USE - HIS DECADES IN SERVICE IN - GOVERNMENT TO GET A DEAL DONE. - NOW WHETHER OR NOT THAT ACTUALLY - HAPPENS WILL BE THE BIGGEST TEST - OF HIS PRESIDENCY HERE. - SO, YOU HEARD IN THE WHITE HOUSE - PRESS SECRETARY REALLY DOUBLING - DOWN ON THIS IDEA THAT THE - PRESIDENT UNDERSTANDS THE MOMENT - AND WANTS TO GET THIS DONE. - AMNA: BIG DAY AT THE WHITE - HOUSE. - YAMICHE IS COVERING IT ALL.

- THANKS, YAMICHE. - TO GET NOW A PERSPECTIVE FROM - CAPITOL HILL. - I'M JOINED BY SENATOR DICK - DURBIN OF ILLINOIS. - HE'S THE NUMBER TWO DEMOCRAT IN - THE SENATE. - HE JOINS US NOW. - SENATOR DURBIN, THANKS AGAIN FOR - MAKING THE TIME. - WELCOME BACK TO THE NEWSHOUR. - LET'S STARWITH WHERE WE ARE - RIGHT NOW. - YOU HAVE HEARD THE LATEST ON THE - STATEMENT FROM YOUR COLLEAGUE - SENATOR MANCHIN, SAYING HE'S NOT - CONVINCED THAT MONEY NEEDS TO BE - SPENT RIGHT NOW. - AND YOU HAVE ALSO, WE HAVE A - STATEMENT FROM THE HOUSE - PROGRESSIVE LEADER, PRAMILA - JAYAPAL, SAYING, AFTER SENATOR - MANCHIN'S STATEMENT, SHE THINKS - EVEN MORE PEOPLE WOULD VOTE - AGAINST THE INFRASTRUCTURE BILL - TOMORROW. - SO, I WILL ASK YOU, WHERE ARE - THINGS NOW? - IS THERE ANY CHANCE THIS PASSES - TOMORROW? - SEN. DURBIN: WELL, THERE'S A - CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TURMOIL HERE. - AND IT HAS TO DO WITH THE FACT - THAT WE HAVE FOUR MAJOR PIECES - OF LEGISLATION THAT ARE HANGING - OV US ON CAPITOL HILL, FIRST - AND FOREMOST, TO KEEP THE - GOVERNMENT OPEN. - I THINK THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN - TOMORROW. - THERE WILL BE SOME CONSTRUCTIVE - VOTES IN THE SENATE. - AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO GET - IT DONE. - THE SECOND ONE, OF COURSE, IS - THE DEBT CEILING. - AND THAT HAS AN OCTOBER, - MID-OCTOBER DEADLINE TO IT.

- SO WE HAVE A LITTLE TIME. - BUT I CERTAINLY HOPE WE GET - BEYOND THIS DEFAULT STRATEGY OF - SENATOR MCCONNELL, HOLDING UP - THIS IMPORTANT MEASURE THAT - DIRECTLY IMPACTS THE AMERICAN - ECONOMY. - THEN WE HAVE THE BIPARTISAN - INFRASTRUCTURE BILL, WHICH - PASSED HANDILY IN THE SENATE, - WHICH SITS IN THE HOUSE WAITING - FOR THE ULTIMATE OUTCOME ON THE - RECONCILIATION BILL, SO THAT - NANCY PELOSI CAN PUT TOGETHER A - COALITION OF ALL DEMOCRATS TO - PASS BOTH. - WHAT'S HOLDING UP THE - RECONCILIATION BILL? - TWO SENATORS, AND YOU HAVE - IDENTIFIED THEM IN YOUR STORY - ALREADY. - I DON'T KNOW WHICH IS CLOSER, - NOT IN THE LATEST NEGOTIATIONS - DIRECTLY FACE TO FACE WITH HIM. - BUT I WOULD SAY TO MY - COLLEAGUES, YOU HAVE THE POWER. - NOW USE IT TO DO SOMETHING - CONSTRUCTIVE FOR THIS COUNTRY. - MAKE YOUR MARK ON THIS - NEGOTIATION. - YOU HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY, BUT - CLOSE THE DEAL. - IT'S TIME TO CLOSE THE DEAL, I'D - SAY TO BOTH OF THEM. - AMNA: SO, SENATOR, DO I - UNDERSTAND YOU CORRECTLY? - YOU ARE NOT DIRECTLY TALKING TO - EITHER SENATOR MANCHIN OR - SENATOR SINEMA? - IS THAT RIGHT? - SEN. DURBIN: THE PRESIDENT IS - DIRECTLY TALKING TO BOTH OF - THEM.

- AND THE LEADERS ARE TALKING TO - THEM. - AND MEMBERS OF THE LEADERSHIP - AND STAFF ARE ADDRESSING ISSUES - THAT THEY RAISE. - SO, IT ISN'T AS IF ALL OF US ARE - IN THE ROOM TOGETHER POUNDING - THIS OUT. - THERE ARE CONVERSATIONS ON THE - FLOOR WITH EACH OF THEM ABOUT - THE STATUS OF THINGS. - BUT THE ACTUAL NEGOTIATIONS ARE - MOST IMPORTANT, SO THE - PRESIDENT'S OWN MEETINGS WITH - THESE PEOPLE. - AND THIS PRESIDENT IS COMMITTED - TO THIS IN A WAY I HAVEN'T SEEN - SINCE THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT - UNDER PRESIDENT OBAMA. - AMNA: SO, WHERE ARE YOU NOW IN - TERMS OF WHERE A TOP-LINE NUMBER - COULD END? - DO YOU HAVE ANY SENSE OF WHAT - THEY WOULD BACK? - THEY'RE KIND OF SETTING THE - CEILING, RIGHT? - $3.5 TRILLION IS TOO HIGH FOR - THEM. - WHAT'S YOUR FLOOR? - HOW LOW WOULD YOGO? - SEN. DURBIN: THAT'S, THAT REALLY - IS, WE HAD A MEETING THIS WEEK - TO DISCUSS JUST WHAT THAT MEANT. - AND EACH TIME WE DROP THAT - NUMBER, AND THIS IS OVER 10 - YEARS, INCIDENTALLY, AND IT'S - ALL PAID FOR BY INCREASING THE - TAX RATES ON THE WEALTHIEST IN - AMERICA, THOSE MAKING OVER - $400,000 A YEAR AND CORPORATIONS - THAT ARE NOT BEING TAXED. - SO WE PAY FOR IT. - BUT THE NET RESULT OF DROPPING - THAT NUMBER FROM 3.5 TO 3 OR 2.5

- OR EVEN LOWER MEANS THAT WE HAVE - TO MAKE AN EVALUATION OF THE - PROGRAMS THAT ARE INCLUDED IN - RECONCILIATION. - WHAT DO WE INVEST IN? - WHAT DO WE GIVE UP ON? - ARE WE GOING TO HAVE CHILD CARE, - WHICH WORKERS, PARTICULARLY - WOMEN AND MOTHERS, ACROSS THIS - COUNTRY TELL US THEY DESPERATELY - NEED? - ARE WE GOING TO HAVE PRE-K - EDUCATION FOR KIDS TO GET THEM - READY IN SCHOOL? - ARE WE GOING TO EXTEND IT TO THE - K-14, SO PEOPLE ARE EQUIPPED - THAT HAVE THE TALENTS AND SKILLS - TO HAVE A PRODUCTIVE LIFE IN OUR - 21ST CENTURY ECONOMY? - EACH ONE OF THESE DECISIONS - MEANS WE HAVE TO CHANGE IT. - FOR EXAMPLE, ON MEDICARE, ARE WE - GOING TO EXPAND IT TO DENTAL - CARE, EYEGLASSES? - AMNA: RIGHT. - NATOR, IF I MAY, IT DOESN'T - SOUND LIKE YOU'RE ANY CLOSER TO - A TOP-LINE NUMBER IN THOSE - TALKS? - SEN. DURBIN: NO, I'M NOT, I - CAN'T TELL YOU THAT I HAVE HEARD - THAT NUMBER. - WE'RE WAITING FOR IT, BECAUSE - EVERYTHING FOLLOWS FROM IT. - AMNA: LET ME ASK YOU WHILE I - HAVE YOU ABOUT THAT DEBT CEILING - VOTE THAT YOU MENTIONED. - WE KNOW YOUR COLLEAGUES IN THE - HOUSE ARE WORKING TO PASS A - CLEAN DEBT LIMIT VOTE. - EVEN IF THEY DO, ONCE MAKES - IT TO THE SENATE, YOU NEED 10 OF - YOUR REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES TO - BREAK RANKS TO BACK IT. - HAVE YOU TALKED TO ANY OF THEM - WHO HAVE SAID THEY WLD DO - THAT? - SEN. DURBIN: WELL, OF COURSE, WE

- HAVE TALKED TO THEM, AND - PARTICULARLY, FOR EXAMPLE,HE - SENATORS FROM LOUISIANA, BOTH - REPUBLICANS. - THERE'S DISASTER IN THIS BILL. - ANTHEY DESPERATELY NEED IT, - AND I WA THEM TO HAVE IT. - WE ASKED THEM TO JOIN US. - AND, SO FAR, THEY'RE STILL - CONSIDERING IT, BUT HAVEN'T DONE - IT. - AID FOR THE AFGHAN REFUGEES. - HOW MANY SPEECHES WERE MADE BY - REPUBLICANS, AS WELL AS - DEMOCRATS, ABOUT STANDING BEHIND - THESE MEN AND WOMEN WHO RISKED - THEIR LIVES FOR AMERICA? - THOSE ARE BASIC THINGS THAT WE - NEED TO DO IN THIS BILL. - I WILL JUST TELL YOU THIS. - THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I CAN - REMEMBER THAT THE REPUBLICANS - HAVE IMPOSED A FILIBUSTER ON THE - DEBT CEILING. - THIS IS UNCONSCIONABLE TO THINK - THAT THAT EXTRAORDINARY VOTE IS - NEEDED FOR SOMETHING THAT SHOULD - BE THAT BASIC IN TERMS OF OUR - RESPONSIBILITY. - AMNA: SENATOR, BEFORE I LET YOU - GO, I NEED TO ASK YOU ABOUT THIS - TEXAS ABORTION LAW. - I KNOW YOU CALLED IT OUTRAGEOUS - WHEN IT FIRST CAME OUT. - AND YOU HAVE CALLED FOR HEARINGS - IN THE SENATE JUDICIARY - COMMITTEE ON THAT LAW, BUT ALSO - MORE BROADLY ABOUT THIS SHADOW - DOCKET, RIGHT, THE EMERGENCY - DECISIONS THE COURT OFTEN MAKES. - WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH - IN A HEARING? - SHOULDN'T YOU BE MOVING FORWARD - ON LEGISLATION TO CODIFY SOME OF - THOSE ABORTION RIGHTS?

- SEN. DURBIN: WELL, I CAN TELL - YOU THAT THE COMMITTEE IS GOING - TO CONSIDER LEGISLATION. - BUT, REMEMBER, IT'S AN 11-TO-11 - MEMBERSHIP ON THAT COMMITTEE. - AND WE'RE WORKING ON BIPARTISAN - BILLS WHERE WE CAN. - AND ON THE HOT TOPICS, LIKE - ABORTION AND GUN CONTROL, - OBVIOUSLY, THERE'S VERY LITTLE - CHANCE OF BIPARTISANSHIP. - BUT THE POINT OF THE HEARING - TODAY WAS THE FACT THAT THE - SUPREME COURT IS INCREASINGLY - USING THE SHADOW DOCKET, WHICH - MEANS THEY MAKE MOMENTOUS - DECISIONS, LIFE-CHANGING - DECISIONS, AND DON'T ISSUE ANY - OPINION TO JUSTIFY WHAT THEY - HAVE DECIDED. - AND THAT HAS BEEN TAKEN TO TASK - NOT ONLY BY THE THREE LIBERALS - LEFT ON THE COURT, BUT JUSTICE - ROBERTS. - HE SAID THIS TEXAS STATUTE WAS - ONE THAT WE SHOULDN'T GIVE AN - AUTOMATIC STAY, SO THAT THEY CAN - PROCEED WITH THE APPEALS. - SO WE BROUGHT UP THE PARTICULARS - ON THE TEXAS ABORTION STATUTE - TODAY. - INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, NOT A - SINGLE REPUBLICAN DEFENDED THE - SPECIFICS OF THAT TEXAS STATUTE - ON ITS MERITS. - THEY WERE ALL ARGUING THE ISSUE - OF ABORTION, WHICH, OF COURSE, - IS VERY CONTROVERSIAL. - AMNA: THAT IS SENATOR DICK - DURBIN, DEMOCRAT FROM ILLINOIS,

- JOINING US TONIGHT. - SENATOR DURBIN, THANK YOU. - ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE YOU. - SEN. DURBIN: THANK YOU. - >> WE WILL RETURN TO THE STEPPED - UP ITS COVID-19 WARNINGS FOR - PREGNANT WOMEN WITH A FORMAL - ADVISORY URGING VACCINATIONS. - IT UNDERSCORES WHAT AGENCY - OFFICIALS ANNOUNCED TUESDAY, - THAT ONLY 31% OF PREGNANT WOMEN - HAVE HAD THEIR SHOTS AND RATES - FOR MINORITIES ARE EVEN LOWER. - THE AGENCY SAYS THE VACCINES - CARRY NO INCREASED RISK OF - MISCARRIAGES. - WILL FOCUS ON VACCINE - MISINFORMATION AFTER THE NEW - SUMMARY. - U.S. MILITARY LEADERS BEEN A - SECOND DAY TRYING TO EXPLAIN TO - CONGRESS WHAT HAPPENED IN - AFGHANISTAN. - GENERAL MARK MILLEY LAME YEARS

- OF BAD DECISIONS, DEFENSE - SECRETARY LLOYD AUSTIN AGREED - THE U.S. PULL OUT HER AFGHAN - MORALE, BUT HE SAID AMERICAN - TROOPS COULD NOT STAY ON. - >> I SUPPORT THE PRESIDENT'S - DECISION TO END THE WAR IN - AFGHANISTAN. - I DO NOT SUPPORT STAYING IN - AFGHANISTAN FOREVER. - THERE WAS NO RISK-FREE STATUS - QUO OPTION. - I THINK THAT THE TALIBAN HAD - BEEN CLEAR THAT IF WE STAYED - THERE LONGER, THEY WERE GOING TO - RECOMMENCE ATTACKS ON OUR - FORCES. - >> DIDN'T -TIM CREDIT - LAWMAKERS DEFENDED THE - PRESIDENT'S DECISIONS. - REPUBLICANS AGAIN ACCUSED HIM OF - LYING WHEN HE SAID NO ONE URGED - HIM TO KEEP 20 500 TROOPS IN - AFGHANISTAN. - THE HOUSE SELECT COMMITTEE - INVESTIGATING THE ATTACK ON THE - U.S. CAPITOL IN JANUARY ISSUED - NEW SUBPOENAS TODAY. - THE COMMITTEE IS SEEPING -- - SEEKING DEPOSITIONS AND RECORDS - FROM 11 INDIVIDUALS TIED TO THE - RALLIES LEADING UP TO THE

- INSURRECTION. - THE U.S. AND OTHER WORLD POWERS - CALLED FOR AN EMERGENCY CLOSE - MEETING OF THE UN SECURITY - COUNCIL ON NORTH KOREA'S RECENT - MISSILE TESTS AS NORTH KOREAN - LEADER KIM JONG-UN ISSUED A - STATEMENT CONDEMNING THE BIDEN - ADMINISTRATION AND U.S. MILITARY - POLICY. - TUESDAY, THE NORTH FIRED WHAT IT - CALLED A HYPERSONIC MISSILE. - THOSE CAN POTENTIALLY FLY FIVE - TIMES THE SPEED OF SOUND, BUT - IT'S NOT CLEAR THAT THE NORTH - KOREAN MISSILE ACTUALLY DID. - IN JAPAN, FORMER FOREIGN - MINISTER FUMIO KISHIDA IS NOW IN - LINE TO BECOME PRIME MINISTER. - THE RULING LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC - PARTY CHOSE HIM TODAY AS ITS NEW - LEADER. - IN TOKYO, HE VOWEDO DO MORE TO - FIGHT THE COVID PANDEMIC THAT - HAS CRIPPLED JAPAN'S ECONOMY. - >> I WILL PUT MY ALL INTO IT AND - WORK VERY HARD TO TACKLE IT. - THE HEARTS OF THE JAPANESE - PEOPLE HAVE BEEN BROKEN INTO - PIECES BECAUSE OF THE - CORONAVIRUS.

- I WANT EVERYONE TO FEEL THEY CAN - WORK HARD AND BE ONE TEAM TO - TAKE ON THE NATIONAL CORONAVIRUS - CRISIS. - >> PARLIAMENT IS EXPECTED TO - VOTE HIM IN AS PRIME MINISTER ON - MONDAY. - AN OVERNIGHT BATTLE AT A PRISON - IN ECUADOR HAS LEFT AT LEAST 100 - PEOPLE DEAD. - OFFICIALS SAY RIVAL GANGS - THOUGHT GUNS, KNIVES, AND - EXPLOSIVES. - SOME OF THE VICTIMS WERE - BEHEADED. - IT'S THE LATEST IN A SERIES OF - BLOODY PRISON RIOTS IN ECUADOR - THIS YEAR. - CITIES ACROSS CHINA OR IN A - SECOND WEEK OF ELECTRIC POWER - CUTS. - THE RULING COMMUNIST PARTY - ORDERED THEM IN A BID TO REIN IN - SOARING POWER CONSUMPTION AND - MEET TARGETS FOR CARBON - EMISSIONS. - A NUMBER OF CITIES ARE UNDER - ROLLING BLACKOUTS, INCLUDING - SHENYANG IN THE NORTHEAST. - THE POWER CUTS ARE ALSO CLOSING - FACTORIES AND THREATENING MORE - GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAIN CHAOS. - A LOS ANGELES JUDGE DECIDED - TODAY THAT BRITNEY SPEARS - FATHER, JAMIE SPEARS, SHOULD BE - SUSPENDED AS CONSERVATOR OF HER - ESTATE. - THE SINGER HAD BEEN PETITIONING

- TO END HER FATHER'S CONTROL OVER - HER FORTUNE AND PERSONAL LIFE - AFTER 13 YEARS. - THE JUDGE CALLED THE - CONSERVATORSHIP A TOXIC - ENVIRONMENT. - STILL TO COME, CLOSER LOOK AT - THE PRESIDENT'S PLAN TO INCREASE - TAXES ON THE WEALTHY. - CREW SCRAMBLED TO CONTAIN - WILDFIRES THREATENING - CALIFORNIA'S SEQUOIAS. - SCIENTISTS RAISE THE ALARM AS - THE U.S. DECLARES MULTIPLE - SPECIES EXTINCT, AND MUCH MORE. - >> YOUTUBE ANNOUNCED TODAY IT - WILL REMOVE VIDEOS THAT SPREAD - FALSE INFORMATION ABOUT THE - SAFETY AND EFFICACY OF THE - COVID-19 VACCINE AND ANY OTHER - COMMONLY USED VACCINE. - ACCOUNTS AOCIATED WITH SEVERAL

- PROMINENT FIGURES, SUCH AS - ROBERTENNEDY JR., WHO SPREAD - FALSE CLAIMS, WILL ALSO BE - REMOVED. - IT'S PART OF AN ONGOING FIGHT - AGAINST MISINFORMATION. - WILLIAM: THAT'S RIGHT,MNA. - MISINFORMATION HAS CERTAINLY - INCREASED VACCINE HESITANCY IN - THE U.S. IT'S PARTLY WHY AMERICA - NOW LAGS BEHIND MANY - INDUSTRIALIZED NATIONS IN - VACCINE UPTAKE, WITH JUST 56% OF - THE COUNTRY FULLY INOCULATED. - FOR THE LATEST ON OUR - VACCINATION EFFORTS, I'M JOINED - NOW BY DR. SCOTT GOTTLIEB. - HE RAN THE FOOD AND DRUG - ADMINISTRATION FROM 2017 TO - 2019, AND HE IS A MEMBER OF - PFIZER'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS. - HE'S JUST OUT WITH A NEW BOOK - CALLED UNCONTROLLED SPREAD ABOUT - WHY THE VIRUS HIT AMERICA SO - HARD AND WHAT WE CAN DO TO STOP - IT DOING SO AGAIN. - DR. GOTTLIEB, GREAT TO HAVE YOU - BACK ON THE NEWSHOUR. - SO, YOUTUBE SAYS, OK, WE'RE - GOING TO START CRACKING DOWN ON - THESE SITES, WE'RE GOING TO KICK - THEM OFF FOR ANYONE THAT IS - PUBLISHING MISLEADING OR FALSE - INFORMATION ABOUT THE VACCINE. - WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THE MOVE? - IS THIS GOING TO HELP, OR IS THE - HORSE ALREADY OUT OF THE BARN?

- DR. GOTTLIEB: WELL, LOOK, I - THINK IT'S LATE TO BE DOING - TH. - I THINK THAT THE SOCIAL MEDIA - PLATFORMS DO HAVE A - RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE SOME - EDITORIAL SUPERVISION ON WHAT - GOESN THEIR SITES. - I APPLAUD THE MOVE THATHEY'RE - TAKING. - WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT THIS - INFORMATION ISN'T JUST BEING - EXCHANGED BETWEEN INDIVIDUALS. - THERE ARE DELIBERATE EFFORTS - UNDER WAY TO SPREAD OBCTIVELY - FALSE INFORMATION AND - INFORMATION DESIGNED TO CONFUSE - PEOPLE AND DECEIVE THEM ABOUT - THE VACCINES. - THERE WAS A REPORT EARLIER THIS - YEAR ABOUT THE RUSSIAN - GOVERNMENT BEING BEHIND SOME - OF THESE EFFORTS. - AND SO THIS IS QUITE DELIBERATE, - QUITE ORGANIZED IN CERTAIN - RESPECTS. - AND I THINK THE SOCIAL MEDIA - PLATFORMS HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY - NOT TO BE CONDUITS FOR THIS KIND - OF DELIBERATE MISINFORMATION. - WILLIAM: AND, AS I MENTIONED, WE - KNOW THAT THIS IS HAVING SOME - EFFECT ON PEOPLE'S HESITANCY TO - TAKE THE VACCINE. - THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION, WHEN - THEY LOOKED AT OUR RELATIVELY - LOW VACCINATION RATES, SAID, I - MEAN, AFTER A LONG TIME OF - RESISTING MANDATES, THEY SAID, - OK, WE ARE GOING TO INSTITUTE - MANDATES, EMPLOYER MANDATES. - DID YOU THINK THAT THAT POLICY - MADE SENSE, POLICY-WISE, TO GET - MORE AMERICANS VACCINATED?

- DR. GOTTLIEB: WELL, LOOK, WE - FIRST SHOULD RECOGNIZE THE - EXTRAORDINARY ACCOMPLISHMENT, - INCLUDING OF THE BIDEN - ADMINISTRATION, GETTING PEOPLE - VACCINATED. - FULLY 78% OF PEOPLE OVER THE AGE - OF 18 HAVE AT LEAST ONE DOSE OF - VACCINE. - MOST OF THEM WILL COMPLETE THE - SERIES. - SO WE HAVE DONE A LOT OF GOOD - WORK GETTING PEOPLE VACCINATED. - VACCINATING THE NEXT 2% OF THE - POPULATION IS GOING TO BE A LOT - MORE DIFFICULT THAN IT WAS TO - VACCINATE THE FIRST 20%. - THE PEOPLE WHO ARE HOLDOUTS ARE - HOLDOUTS FOR A REASON. - SOME OF THEM ARE MORE RELUCTANT - TO TAKE THE VACCINE. - SOME OF THEM ARE HARDER TO - REACH. - SO THIS IS GOING TO BE A HARD - CAMPAIGN GETTING ADDITIONAL - AMERICANS VACCINATED. - IN TERMS OF THE MANDATES - THEMSELVES, I THINK THE - ADMINISTRATION IS WELL WITHIN - THEIR PREROGATIVE TO MANDATE - VACCINATION AMONG THE FEDERAL - WORK FORCE. - I ALSO THINK HEALTH CARE WORKERS - SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO GET - VACCINATED, GIVEN THE RISK THAT - IT COULD POSE TO THOSE THEY'RE - TRYING TO PROVIDE CARE FOR. - I THINK WHEN YOU'RE PUTTING - MANDATES ON PRIVATE BUSINESSES, - THAT GETS INTO TERRITORY WHERE - WE'RE GOING TO START TO CREATE - DIVISIONS ACROSS SOCIETY. - PEOPLE ARE GOING TO OPPOSE THOSE - KINDS OF MANDATES WHEN YOU'RE - MANDATING ON PRIVATE BUSINESSES. - THAT TURNS SOMETHING THAT'S - FURTIVELY POLITICAL, THE ISSUES, - THE DEBATE AROUND VACCINATION, - INTO SOMETHING THAT'S - SUBJECTIVELY POLITICAL, WHERE - NOW YOU'RE GOING TO A

- POLITICIANS LITERALLY RUNNING - AGAINST THOSE MANDATES. - SO, JUST AS I DON'T BELIEVE - GOVERNORS SHOULD BE PREVENTING - PRIVATE BUSINESSES AND LOCAL - COMMUNITIES FROM IMPOSING - MANDATES, I DON'T THINK THE - FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE - STEPPING IN TO IMPOSE THOSE - REQUIREMENTS ON SMALL - BUSINESSES. - I THK THAT THIS IS GOING TO - BECOME TOO MUCH OF A TENSE - GROUND NOW THAT WE'RE MANDATING - THIS ON SMALLER AND MEDIUM-SIZED - BUSINESSES. - WILLIAM: I MEAN, THUS FAR, WE - HAVE SEEN, AT LEAST IN THE - INITIAL REPORTS, THAT MOST OF - THE COMPANIES THAT HAVE ENACTED - THIS MANDATE, EVEN THOUGH IT'S - NOT FULLY OUT YET, HAVE HAD - RELATIVE SUCCESS. - LIKE, THEY HAVE SEEN THEIR - NUMBERS TICK UP. - DO YOU THINK, I MEAN, - PARTISANSHIP ASIDE, THAT IT - MIGHT ACTUALLY HAVE THE GOAL AS - INTENDED, WHICH IS TO SAVE MORE - LIVES? - DR. GOTTLIEB: LOOK, I THINK IT - WILL SAVE MORE LIVES, AND I - THINK YOU WILL GET MORE PEOPLE - VACCINATED. - BUT TO THE EXTENT THAT THESE ARE - COLLECTIVE DECISIONS, AND I - BELIEVE THE DECISION TO GET - VACCINATED ISN'T JUST AN - INDIVIDUAL CHOICE. - THERE'S A COLLECTIVE ELEMENT TO - IT, BECAUSE YOUR DECISION NOT TO - GET VACCINATED IS PUTTING AT - RI PEOPLE IN YOUR COMMUNITY. - SO, TOHE EXTENT THAT THEY ARE - COLLECTIVE DECISIONS, I THINK - THE FAR PREFERABLE APPROACH

- WOULD BE LET THE COMMUNITIES - MAKE THOSE DECISIONS. - SO LET BUSINESSES MAKE THAT - DECISION THEIR OWN, BECAUSE THEY - BELIEVE THE ONLY WAY TO PROTECT - THEIR WORK FORCE OR THEIR - CUSTOMERS IS THROUGH - VACCINATION. - LET A LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD MAKE - THAT DECISION. - I RECOGNIZE THAT THAT'S NOT - ALWAYS FEASIBLE, THAT YOU HAVE A - LOT OF HOLDOUTS, YOU HAVE A LOT - OF BUSINESSES RESISTING THIS. - SO I UNDERSTAND WHY THE - ADMINISTRATION STEPPED IN TO TRY - TO FORCE THESE DECISIONS. - BUT TO THE EXTENT THAT THEY'RE - DOING THAT, THEY'RE NOW CREATING - A POLITICAL BATTLEGROUND AROUND - VACCINATIONS, THAT YOU'RE GOING - TO HAVE OTHER PEOPLE OPPOSING - IT. - AND THE QUESTION IS, HOW MUCH - ARE WE GOING TO PICK UP IN TERMS - OF INCREASED VACCINATION? - I SAID WE'RE AT 78% OF ADULTS - RIGHT NOW. - I BELIEVE WE WOULD HAVE GOTTEN - EASILY TO 80% JUST ON A NORMAL - TRAJECTORY. - SO, WHERE ARE WE GOING TO END - UP, MAYBE AT 85%, A LITTLE BIT - HIGHER? - SO YOU MIGHT PICK UP A COUPLE OF - EXTRA PERCENTAGE POINTS IN TERMS - OF THE AMOUNT OF AMERICANS, - ADULTS, THAT ARE VACCINATED, BUT - YOU'RE GOING TO PAY A - CONSEQUENCE FOR THAT IN TERMS OF - TURNING THIS INTO MORE OF A - POLITICAL DEBATE. - SO, WE HAVE TO CAREFULLY WEIGH - THOSE COMPETING INTERESTS. - WILLIAM BRANGHAM: I WANT TO ASK - YOU ABOUT VACCINATING KIDS.

- WE KNOW PFIZER, ON WHICH YOU, ON - THE BOARD WHICH YOU SIT, JUST - SUBMITTED ITS DATA FOR - 5-TO-11-YEAR-OLDS. - HOLIKELY DO YOU THINK THAT - THAT WILL BE APPROVED? - AND WHEN DO YOU THINK KIDS MIGHT - START GETTING VACCINATED IN THIS - COUNTRY? - DR. GOTTLIEB: RIGHT. - SO, THE COMPANY STARTED - SUBMITTING CLINICAL DATA - YESTERDAY. - THEY'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO - SUBMIT DATA TO THE AGENCY. - IT'S SORT OF A ROLLING - SUBMISSION. - I THINK THAT ON, THAT YOU COULD - SEE A VACCINE AVAILABLE FOR - CHILDREN AGES 5 TO 11 AS SOON AS - THE END OF OCTOBER. - IF IT SLIPS A LITTLE BIT, I - THINK SORT OF THE BASE CASE MAY - BE BY MID-NOVEMBER. - OBVIOUSLY, IT'S SUBJECT TO FDA'S - CAREFUL REVIEW OF THAT DATA AND - THE AGENCY AGREEING THAT THE - DATA SUPPORTS AUTHORIZATION OF - THE VACCINE. - WILLIAM BRANGHAM: ALL RIGHT, DR. - GOTTLIEB, FORMER HEAD OF THE - FDA, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. - DR. GOTTLIEB: THANKS A LOT. - >> PRESIDENT BIDEN'S AMBITIOUS - ECONOMIC AGENDA IS STILL TAKING

- SHAPE ON CAPITOL HILL. - EXPANDED MEDICARE AND HEALTH - CARE COVERAGE, IT ALSO CALLS FOR - TAX HIKES ON THE WEALTHY AND - CORPORATIONS. - WE GET TWO VIEWS NOW ON WHAT - THIS COULD ALL MEAN FOR THE U.S. - ECONOMY. - JOSEPH STIGLITZ IS A NOBEL - PRIZE-WINNING ECONOMIST. - FROM 1997 TO 2000, HE WAS SENIOR - VICE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF - ECONOMIST AT THE WORLD BANK. - HE NOW TEACHES AT COLUMBIA - UNIVERSITY. - AND MICHAEL STRAIN IS THE - DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC POLICY - STUDIES AT THE AMERICAN - ENTERPRISE INSTITUTE. - HE'S ALSO AN OPINION COLUMNIST - FOR BLOOMBERG. - WELCOME TO YOU BOTH, GENTLEMEN. - THANKS FOR BEING HERE. - PROFESSOR STIGLITZ, I WILL COME - TO YOU FIRST ON THIS. - THE DETAILS OF THE PLANS ARE - STILL BEING WORKED OUT. - WHEREVER THEY END UP, WE'RE - TALKING ABOUT A MASSIVE AMOUNT - OF SPENDING, SPENDING THAT THE - PRESIDENT SAYS IS NECESSARY FOR - THE COUNTRY, NECESSARY FOR THE - ECONOMY RIGHT NOW. - DO YOU AGREE? - IS IT NECESSARY, OR IS THIS JUST - SOMETHING DEMOCRATS WANT? - PROF. STIGLITZ: NO, IT IS - NECESSARY. - YOU KNOW, THERE ARE MANY THINGS - ABOUT AMERICA THAT ARE DIFFERENT

- FROM OTHER ADVANCED COUNTRIES. - WE HAVE THE LOWEST LIFE - EXPECTANCY, A LIFE EXPECTANCY - THAT IS, ACTUALLY WAS DECLINING - IN THE YEARS BEFORE THE - PANDEMIC, BUT HAS TAKEN A REAL - FALL. - WE HAVE ONE OF THE LOWEST LABOR - FORCE PARTICIPATION RATES, THE - FRACTION OF THE POPULATION WHO - IS ACTUALLY WORKING, OF THE - WORKING AGE POPULATION OF ANY OF - THE ADVANCED COUNTRIES. - THE MEDIAN INCOME, THE PEOPLE IN - THE MIDDLE, IS LOWER THAN IN - OTHER ADVANCED COUNTRIES. - SO THERE ARE MANY PROBLEMS THAT - WE'RE FACING. - AND, UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAVE NOT - CONFRONTED THEM FOR A VERY LONG - TIME. - ANYBODY THAT VISITS OTHER - COUNTRIES AND SEES OUR - INFRASTRUCTURE, RELATIVE TO THE - OTHER COUNTRIES' INFRASTRUCTURE,

- REALIZES THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF - GAPS THERE, TOO. - AMNA: AND SO YOU SEE THE - SPENDING AS IT'S OUTLINED HERE, - THAT WOULD ADDRESS ALL THE - PROBLEMS YOU JUST LAID OUT? - PROF. STIGLITZ: IT WOULD BE A - BEGINNING OF ADDRESSING THEM. - I DON'T MAKE ANY PRETENSE THAT - REALLY FULLY ADDRESSES THEM, - BUT IT, WE HAVE POSTPONED - ADDRESSING SOME OF OUR KEY - ISSUES FOR A VERY LONG TIME. - AND I'M REALLY WELCOMING THIS - EFFORT TO BEGIN DOING SOMETHING - ABOUT THESE HUGE PROBLEMS THAT - WE FACE. - AMNA: MICHAEL STRAIN, WHAT'S - YOUR VIEW? - DO YOU AGREE THIS IS NECESSARY - RIGHT NOW? - MICHAEL: I DON'T THINK IT'S - NECESSARY. - I CERTAINLY AGREE THAT - ADDRESSING SOME OF THE PROBLEMS - THAT PROFESSOR STIGLITZ - ENUMERATES IS NECESSARY. - THE UNITED STATES HAS SERIOUS - CHALLENGES. - THE QUESTION IS WHETHER OR NOT - PRESIDENT BIDEN'S PLAN WOULD - ADDRESS THOSE CHALLENGES AND - WOULD ADDRESS THOSE CHALLENGES - IN THE BEST WAY. - TAKE ONE PART OF THE PLAN THAT'S - RECEIVED QUITE A BIT OF - ATTENTION, A PROGRAM THAT WOULD - GIVE A MONTHLY INCOME TO - HOUSEHOLDS WITH CHILDREN. - THIS PROGRAM WOULD HELP

- LOW-INCOME AMERICANS TO PAY THE - BILLS, BUT THE VAST MAJORITY OF - THE MONEY THAT WOULD BE SPENT - WOULD GO TO HOUSEHOLDS ABOVE THE - POVERTY LINE, INCLUDING - HOUSEHOLDS THAT ARE MAKING - $200,000, $300,000, $400,000 A - YEAR. - IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO GIVE A - HOUSEHOLD MAKING 300 GRAND A - YEAR A CHECK EVERY MONTH. - ANOTHER BIG PART OF THE PLAN - WOULD BE TO EXPAND THE MEDICARE - PROGRAM. - WE SHOULD BE TRYING TO PROVIDE - HEALTH SECURITY TO AMERICANS, - BUT SIMPLY PUTTING BILLIONS AND - BILLIONS OF DOLLARS INTO - MEDICARE, A PROGRAM WHOSE - FINANCES ARE ALREADY UNSTABLE, - DOESN'T REALLY BRING HEALTH - SECURITY TO THE AMERICANS WHO - REALLY NEED IT. - SO I THINK THERE ARE SOME GOOD - GOALS HERE. - AND I AGREE WITH PROFESSOR - STIGLITZ THAT AMERICA HAS - CHALLENGES THAT NEED TO BE - ADDRESSED. - I'M ST NOT SURE THIS PLAN - ADDRESSES THOSE CHALLENGES IN AN - EFFICIENT WAY OR IN THE BEST - WAY. - AMNA: WELL, MICHAEL, LET ME JUST - FOLLOW UP ON THAT. - WHAT ABOUT THIS ARGUMENT THAT

- SOME OF THOSE INVESTMENTS THAT - YOU SEE AS EXCESSIVE RIGHT NOW, - CHILD CARE, THE TAX CREDITS, FOR - EXAMPLE, THE HEALTH CARE - COVERAGE, THAT THOSE ARE - SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS NOW THAT - WILL ALSO LEAD TO LONG-TERM - ECONOMIC GROWTH? - DO YOU AGREE WITH THAT? - MICHAEL STRAIN: I DON'T THINK - THAT LONG-TERM ECONOMIC GROWTH - WOULD BE STRENGTHENED BY GIVING - A MONTHLY CHECK TO HOUSEHOLDS - MAKING A COMFORTABLE SIX-FIGURE - INCOME. - AND I DON'T THINK ECONOMIC - GROWTH WOULD BE STRENGTHENED BY - PUTTING MORE MONEY INTO THE - MEDICARE SYSTEM. - THERE ARE, THERE ARE GOALS IN - THIS PROGRAM THAT WOULD - CONTRIBUTE TO THE ECONOMY. - SO, ONE OF THE PROGRAM'S - OBJECTIVES IS TO INCREASE THE - ACCESSIBILITY AND AFFORDABILITY - OF CHILD CARE. - THAT WOULD HELP PEOPLE TO - PARTICIPATE IN THE WORKFORCE, - AND THAT WOULD HELP THE ECONOMY - TO GROW. - I THINK WE NEED TO, WE NEED TO - DEBATE THE SPECIFICS OF THE - CHILD CARE PROPOSAL. - WHAT THE PRESIDENT WANTS TO DO - IS ESSENTIALLY SUBSIDIZE DEMAND - FOR COMMERCIAL DAYCARE. - THAT'S ONE WAY TO INCREASE - ACCESS TO CHILD CARE.

- I WOULD BE MUCH MORE INTERESTED - IN SEEING HOW WE CAN INCREASE - THE SUPPLY OF PROVIDERS, TO SEE - HOW WE COULD HELP FAMILIES TO - HAVE CHILD CARE IN THE EVENINGS - AND ON WEEKENDS, WHEN MANY - LOWER-INCOME AMERICANS WORK AND - WHEN COMMERCIAL DAYCARE CENTERS - ARE NOT OPEN. - AMNA: PROFESSOR STIGLITZ, I'D - LOVE YOU TO RESPOND BRIEFLY TO - ONE POINT THAT MICHAEL RAISED, - WHICH WAS THIS IDEA OF NO LIMITS - ON SOME OF THIS SPENDING, CHILD - CARE TAX CREDITS, FOR EXAMPLE. - SHOULD THERE BE MORE LIMITS ON - THOSE KINDS OF INVESTMENTS IN - THE BILL? - PROF. STIGLITZ: WELL, THE BASIC - THING IS THAT IN THE BILL THAT - WAS PASSED WHEN BIDEN FIRST - BECAME PRESIDENT THAT PROVIDED - CHILD CARE, CHILD CREDITS, TAX - CREDITS. - AND THAT ONE PROVISION ENABLED - THE REDUCTION OF CHILDHOOD - POVERTY BY 50% IN ONE YEAR. - BUT THAT WAS ONLY A ONE-YEAR - PROVISION. - AND SO I'M GIVING THIS AS AN - ILLUSTRATION THAT WE, FOR SUCH A - LARGE FRACTION OF AMERICAN YOUNG

- PEOPLE, GROWING UP IN POVERTY, - INADEQUATE CONDITIONS TO MAKE - THEM PRODUCTIVE IN THE FUTURE, - IF, IN ONE YEAR, WE COULD REDUCE - THAT POVERTY RATE BY 50%, - IMAGINE WHAT WE COULDO IF WE - MADE A COMMITMENT TO DO THIS - OVER THE LONG TERM. - AND THAT IS THE BASIC CORE OF - WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED IN - BIDEN'S PLAN. - LET'S MAKE SURE THAT FEWER - AMERICAN CHILDREN GROW UP IN - POVERTY. - AND IF THAT HAPPENS, WE WILL - HAVE A MORE PRODUCTIVE ECONOMY - IN THE FUTURE. - AMNA: PROFESSOR, WHAT ABOUT HOW - TO PAY FOR THIS? - WE SEE THAT THE BIDEN - ADMINISTRATION WANTS TO RAISE - TAXES ON PEOPLE WHO MAKE MORE - THAN $400,000 A YEAR AND ON - CORPORATIONS. - IS THAT GOING TO COVER THIS KIND - OF INVESTMENT? - PROF. STIGLITZ: YES. - SO, THERE ARE OTHER PROVISIONS, - LIKE CLOSING SOME OF THE - LOOPHOLES WHICH UNDERMINE THE - EFFECTIVENESS OF OUR TAX RATE.

- ONE OF THE STRIKING THINGS ABOUT - OUR TAX CODE IS THAT IT'S NOT - PROGRESSIVE. - THE PEOPLE AT THE VERY TOP ARE - PAYING A TAX RATE OF JUST OVER - 8% ON THEIR TOTAL INCOME. - WELL, ORDINARY PEOPLE ARE PAYING - A MUCH HIGHER TAX RATE. - SO THERE'S AN AWFUL LOT OF MONEY - THAT CAN BE RAISED BY MAKING OUR - TAX SYSTEM FAIRER. - AMNA: MICHAEL, WHAT DO YOU SAY - TO THAT? - WHAT ARE YOUR CONCERNS ABOUT - RAISING TAXES IN THAT WAY TO PAY - FOR THESE INVESTMENTS? - MICHAEL: THE PRESIDENT HAS A FEW - GOALS. - HE WANTS TO SPEND A LOT MORE - MONEY. - TO HIS CREDIT, HE WANTS TO RAISE - TAXES TO PAY FOR THAT SPENDING, - RATHER THAN RUN UP DEFICITS. - AND HE WANTS TO COMBAT CLIMATE - CHANGE. - IT SEEMS TO ME THAT AN OBVIOUS - WAY TO ADVANCE ALL THREE OF - THOSE GOALS IS TO PUT IN PLACE A - CARBON TAX. - A CARBON TAX WOULD RAISE A LOT - OF REVENUE. - A CARBON TAX IS, IN MY VIEW, THE - BEST WAY WE HAVE TO ADDRESS - CLIMATE CHANGE AND TO ENCOURAGE - INNOVATION IN ALTERNATIVE

- SOURCES OF ENERGY. - AND A CARBON TAX COULD FUND MANY - OF THE PROGRAMS THE PRESIDENT - WANTS TO, WANTS TO SPEND MONEY - ON WITHOUT THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS - THAT COME FROM INCREASING TAXES - ON INCOME. - AMNA: MICHAEL STRAIN, BEFORE WE - LET YOU GO, I NEED TO ASK YOU - ABOUT THE DEBT CEILING, BECAUSE - YOU HAVE SPOKEN DIRECTLY TO - REPUBLICANS IN YOUR LATEST OP-ED - ABOUT THIS WHO ARE NOT JOINI - IN THE EFFORT TO RAISE THAT - CEILING RIGHT NOW. - YOUR LATEST OP-ED WAS TITLED: - RAISE THE DEBT CEILING, - REPUBLICANS. - YOU'LL BE GLAD YOU DID. - WHY SHOULD THEY LISTEN TO YOU? - MICHAEL: I THINK REPUBLICANS - HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO RAISE - THE DEBT CEILING. - THE DEBT IS A BIPARTISAN - PROBLEM. - BOTH PARTIES ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR - THE FACT THAT THERE'S A GAP - BETWEEN FEDERAL SPENDING AND - FEDERAL REVENUE. - AND SO I THINK IT'S THE - RESPONSIBILITY OF BOTH PARTIES - TO INCREASE THE DEBT CEILING. - MOREOVER, I THINK, BY PUTTING SO - MUCH PRESSURE ON DEMOCRATS TO - INCREASE THE DEBT CEILING ON - THEIR OWN, WITHOUT ANY

- REPUBLICAN SUPPORT WHATSOEVER, - INCLUDING A PROMISNOT TO - FILIBUSTER A DEBT CEILING - INCREASE THAT IS PASSED UNDER - THE SENATE'S REGULAR ORDER - PROCESS, REPUBLICANS ARE MAKING - IT A LITTLE MORE LIKELY THAT THE - PRESIDENT'S SPENDING PROGRAMS IS - LARGER, IT HAPPENS, IT HAPPENS - SOONER THEN I THINK WOULD BE - IDEAL. - SO THERE'S AN ECONOMIC ARGUMENT - HERE, AND THEN THERE'S A - POLITICAL ARGUMENT. - AMNA: AND WE WILL BE FOLLOWING - BOTH IN THE DAYS AHEAD. - THAT IS MICHAEL STRAINROM THE - AMERICAN ENTERPRISE INSTITUTE - AND PROFESSOR JOSEPH STIGLITZ OF - COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY JOINING US - TONIGHT. - THANKS TO YOU BOTH. - PROF. STIGLITZ: THANK YOU. - MICHAEL: THANK YOU. - >> CIFORNIA'S FAMOUS GIANT - SEQUOIAS CAN LIVE FOR THOUSANDS - OF YEARS. - BUT SCIENTIS SAY THEY'VE - RARELY SEEN THE KIND OF INTENSE - FIRES THAT HAVE SWEPT THE STATE - IN RECENT YEARS. - THE KNP COMPLEX FIRE IS JUST 11% - CONTAINED AND IS BURNING ACROSS - NEARLY 50,000 ACRES, INCLUDING - TREASURED GROVES IN SEQUOIA AND

- KINGS CANYON NATIONAL PARKS. - AND ANOTHER FIRE IS BLAZING IN - SEQUOIA NATIONAL FOREST TO THE - SOUTH. - THE NATIONAL PARKS ARE CLOSED TO - VISITORS, BUT SPECIAL - CORRESPONDENT KAT LIES -- CAT - WISE GOT A FIRSTHAND LOOK ON A - RECENT MEDIA TOUR WITH - OFFICIALS. - >> WE'RE STANDING UP ON THE - SLOPE, AND THE FIRE CAME FROM - BELOW, AND THOSE ARE THE - CONDITIONS THAT, IF THE WEATHER - HAD BEEN BAD, WOULD HAVE - GENERATED RUNNING CROWN RE, - AND COULD HAVE CARRIED THE - FLAMES UP INTO THE CANOPY OF - THESE TREES. - CAT: AT THE SMOKE-FILLED - ENTRANCE TO GIANT FOREST IN - SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK, THE PROUD - SENTRIES KNOWN AS THE FOUR - GUARDSMEN STILL KEEP THEIR - WATCH. - CHRISTY: THEY'RE PROBABLY 2,000 - TO 3,000 YEARS OLD. - THESE TREES VE SURVIVED - HUNDREDS OF PREVIOUS WILDFIRES. - CAT: SCIENTISTS LIKE CHRISTY - FEARED THE ANCIENT TREES - WOULDN'T SURVIVE THE KNP COMPLEX - FIRE, WHICH HAS BEEN BURNING - DANGEROUSLY CLOSE TO THE TREES - FOR WEEKS. - FIRE CREWS WRAPPED THE BASES OF - THE GUARDSMEN IN A - FLAME-RETARDANT FOIL TO PROTECT

- THEM. - AND KRISTI SAYS LONGER-TERM - EFFORTS OF PRESCRIBED BURNING, - WHERE CREWS SET CONTROLLED FIRES - TO HELP THIN THE FOREST AND - CLEAR DEBRIS, HELPED SAVE THESE - NATIONAL TREASURES FROM - DESTRUCTION. - >> THIS IS A PLACE OF MAJESTIC - GIANTS. - THESE TREES ARE SOME OF THE - OLDEST AND LARGEST LIVING - ORGANISMS ON THE PLANET. - AND, TODAY, THE AIR IS THICK - WITH SMOKE FROM FIRES ALL AROUND - US. - WHILE SOME AREAS OF THE PARK - HAVE HAD PRESCRIBED BURNS FOR - THE LAST SIX DECADES, OTHERS ARE - A TINDERBOX. - CHRISTY: THIS AREA WAS AT RISK - BECAUSE OF HOW DENSE THIS FOREST - IS. - THOSE BRANCHES ARE 100 FEET OFF - THE GROUND. - BUT IN THIS NEW KIND OF FIRE, - YOU CAN GET CROWN FIRE INTO A - CROWN THAT HIGH. - CAT: A NEW KIND OF FIRE, WITH - GREATER INTENSITY AND HIGHER - CLAIMS THAN SHE SAYS THE MIGHTY - TREES HAVE HAD TO WITHSTAND. - CHRISTY: WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS - 100-FOOT FLAME LENGTHS, WHAT'S - CALLED RUNNING CROWN FIRE, WHERE - THE FIRE GETS INTO THE CROWN AND - MOVES FROM CROWN TO CROWN, - INSTEAD OF ON THE GROUND, AND - THAT IS CRAZY. - CAT: FARTHER INTO THE PARK, WE - CAME UPON THE CROWN JEWEL OF THE

- SEQUOIAS, GENERAL SHERMAN, - THOUGHT TO BE THE LARGEST TREE - IN THE WORLD. - SO, CHRISTY, GENERAL SHERMAN IS - STILL STANDING. - CHRISTY: THANK GOODNESS. - CAT: HIS MASSIVE 36-FOOT BASE IS - ALSO WRAPPED IN THE FOIL. - MAN: IT'S NOT JUST ALUMINUM - FOIL. - IT'S GOT THAT FIBERGLASS - BACKING. - CAT: WHILEENERAL SHERMAN - REMAINS SAFEFIRES HAVE BEEN - BURNING INEVERAL OTHER SEQUOIA - GROVES IN THE PARK, AND STAFF - HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO REACH THOSE - AREAS YET. - CHRISTY: THE WRAPPING THAT WE - SAW TODAY AND THE RAKING, THOSE - ARE ALL THINGS WE NEVER HAD TO - DO BECAUSE WE DID NOT HAVE - HIGH-SEVERITY FIRE. - CAT: IT'S AN ALARMING TREND. - CHRISTY: WE REALLY ARE SEEING - IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE THAT - THESE PARKS AND MODELS DID NOT - PREDICT UNTIL 2050 OR 2080 AT - THE EARLIEST. - AND THEY ARE HAPPENING NOW. - THE DROUGHT THAT CALIFORNIA HAD - 2012 THROUGH 2016, IT WAS - INCREDIBLY SEVERE IN THE - SOUTHERN SIERRA, WHERE WE ARE - RIGHT NOW, KILLED 5.8 MILLION - TREES. - THAT MANY DEAD TREES REALLY - CHANGES FIRE BEHAVIOR. - AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SEEING.

- CAT: THOSE IMPACTS ARE COMING AT - AN UNNATURALLY FAST PACE. - CHRISTY: WE CANNOT HAVE HUGE - SWATHES OF LAND CONVERTING FROM - FORESTS TO SHRUBS OVERNIGHT. - THE PLANTS AND ANIMALS CAN'T - ADJUST TO THAT. - THINGS WE CARE ABOUT, CLEAN AIR, - CLEAN WATER, THEY WILL BE - DETRIMENTALLY AFFECTED, THEY - WILL BE NEGATIVELY AFFECTED BY - THOSE RAPID, LARGE-SCALE, ABRUPT - CHANGES. - CAT: LAST YEAR'S CASTLE FIRE - KILLED 10 TO 14% OF THE ENTIRE - POPULATION OF GIANT SEQUOIAS, - WHICH ONLY GROW IN CALIFORNIA'S - SIERRA NEVADA MOUNTAINS. - CHRISTY: WHEN WE GOT THE DRONE - FOOTAGE, THE HELICOPTER FOOTAGE, - WE ALL CRIED. - WE HAD NEVER, EVER SEEN ANYTHING - LIKE THAT. - AND WHEN WE FINAY HIKED OUT - THERE IN THE SPRING AND SAW IT - IN PERSON, PEOPLE WERE HOPEFUL, - LIKE, OH, MAYBE IT WON'T BE AS - BAD AS IT LOOKED FROM THE - HELICOPTER. - AND WE HIKED OUT THERE EIGHT - MILES, NO TRAIL. - AND IT'S DEVASTATED, BLACK DIRT, - ALMOST NO SEEDLINGS, ENTIRE - SEQUOIAS TURNED TO STICKS.

- THAT IS WHAT CAN HAPPEN IF WE DO - NOT PREPARE BEFOREHAND. - CAT: A YEAR LATER, TWO SEQUOIAS - ARE ILL BURNING FROM THE - CASTLE FIRE. - CHRISTY: WE USED OUR HELICOPTER. - WE DUMPED WATER ON THEM. - THEY'RE STILL BURNING. - AND IF UNLESS WE GET A HEAVY - WINTER, A REGULAR WINTER THAT - REALLY DUMPS SNOW, COOLS THEM - DOWN, GETS THE WOOD FULLY - SATURATED, I DON'T KNOW WHEN - THEY'RE GOING TO STOP BURNING. - THAT IS CLIMATE CHANGE. - CAT: MARK MORALES HAS BEEN - OVERSEEING EFFORTS TO FIGHT THIS - YEAR'S KNP COMPLEX FIRE. - HE SAYS THE DECADES OF - PRESCRIBED BURNING IN THE PARK - ARE PAYING OFF. - BUT THE SHEER NUMBER OF - WILDFIRES THAT HAVE BURNED - ACROSS THE WEST MEANS RESOURCES - ARE LIMITED. - >> WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT - WHERE WE CAN GO PUT LINES, WHAT - RESOURCE IS NEEDED, WHETHER IT'S - A BULLDOZER, A HAND CREW, AN - ENGINE CREW. - AND SO, IF YOU DON'T HAVE THOSE - RESOURCES AVAILABLE, YOU HAVE TO - DECIDE, WHERE CAN WE GO? - SO YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO PUT - PEOPLE IN THE HIGHEST-PRIORITY - AREAS. - CAT: GIVEN THE CHALLENGES,

- MORALES IS PROUD OF HIS CREW'S - PROGRESS BATTLING THE FIRE. - BUT HE SAYS THE RELENTLESS PACE - TAKES ITS TOLL. - MARK MORALES: THEY HAVE BEEN AT - THIS FOR AN EXTREMELY LONG TIME. - AND SO THEY'RE AT THE, NOT EVEN - AT THE END OF A VERY LONG - SEASON. - SO, CUMULATIVE FATIGUE IS AN - ISSUE FOR ALL OF THE LEADEHIP - ON THOSE CREWS THAT THEY HAVE TO - CONSTANTLY ASSESS. - IT'S BEEN A TOUGH SEASON. - CAT: AND THEY AREN'T YET OUT OF - THE WOODS. - ROBERT YORK, BERKELEY RESTS: - AFTER A FIRE, IT REGENERATES AND - THEN IT GROWS VERY FAST. - CAT: IN A SEQUOIA GROVE USED BY - U.C. - BERKELEY FOR RESEARCH THAT - HASN'T BURNED IN 100 YEARS, - ROBERT YORK POINTS OUT THE - POTENTIAL FOR THE KIND OF - DESTRUCTIVE FIRE THAT HAPPENS - WHEN TOO MUCH FUEL PILES UP ON - THE FOREST FLOOR. - ROBERT: WHEN I LOOK AT THIS - FOREST, WHAT I'M THINKING ABOUT - IS, OH, THERE HASN'T BEEN A FIRE - HERE IN A LONG TIME. - AND, THEREFORE, THERE HAS'T - BEEN A FIRE THAT COULD - ESSENTIALLY CLEAN OUT ALL OF THE - LOGS AND THE STICKS THAT ARE ON - THE GROUND. - I ALSO THINK ABOUT HOW DIFFICULT - IT MIGHT BE TO HAVE A GOOD FIRE - AT THIS POINT, BECAUSE THERE'S - SO MUCH FUEL. - THAT'S GOING TO CREATE MORE

- INTENSITY FOR WHEN A FIRE DOES - OCCUR. - THIS IS AN AREA THAT WAS BURNED - WITH A PRESCRIBED FIRE IN 2012. - CAT: IT'S A PARADOX -- BAD FIRES - THAT BURN TOO HOT AND TOO HIGH - CAN BE LETHAL FOR SEQUOIAS, BUT - THE TREES DO NEED SOME FIRE TO - RELEASE SEEDS FROM THEIR CONES. - AND THE YEARS-LONG WESTERN - DROUGHD HOTTER TEMPERATURES - ARE THREATENING THE VIABILITY OF - THOSE SEEDS. - ROBERT: SO, IF WE CONTINUE TO - HAVE HOT AND DRY SPRINGS, EVEN - IF WE DO GET DISPERS OF SEEDS, - IF THEY DON'T HAVE ADEQUATE SOIL - MOISTURE, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO - SURVIVE, AND THERE'S GOING TO BE - FAILURES OF GIANT SEQUOIA - SEEDLINGS. - CAT: SO, YORK IS LOOKING AT WAYS - TO DO MORE PRESCRIBED BURNING - AND EVEN PLANT NEW SEQUOIAS. - ROBERT: THEY'RE A STRONG SPECIES - IN MANY WAYS. - AND IT GIVES ME HOPE THAT - THEY'RE GOING TO PERSIST UNDER - SOME PRETTY VARIABLE CONDITIONS - IN THE FUTURE. - BUT I ALSO THINK THAT THEY WILL - PROBABLY NEED SOME HELP. - I KNOW THAT THEY WILL NEED SOME - HELP. - CAT: CHRISTY AGRS THAT THE - ANCIENT SEQUOIAS WILL STRUGGLE - TO SURVIVE WITHOUT SOME HELP. - CHRISTY: THE ACTION HAS TO - HAPPEN BEFORE THE WILDFIRE

- COMES. - AND THE PROBLEM IS, WHEN IT'S - NOT BURNING, PEOPLE DON'T FEEL - THE URGENCY. - WE NEED TO DO THE PRESCRIBED - BURNING AND THE RESTORATIVE - THINNING BEFORE THE FIRE GETS - THERE. - CAT: OUT OF THE ASHES SHE HOPES - WILL RISE A NEW SENSE OF URGENCY - TO PROTECT THESE PILLARS OF - LIVING HISTORY. - CHRISTY: WE DO THINK OF THEM AS - BEING IMMORTAL, AND THAT IS ONE - OF THE THINGS WE LOVE ABOUT - THEM. - THEY'RE LIKE SUPERHEROES, RIGHT? - NOTHING CAN KILL THEM. - THEY LIVE FOREVER. - THEY HAVE BEEN HERE 2,000 YEARS. - BUT THEY ARE BEING KILLED. - THEY'RE BEING KILLED BY ACTIONS - THAT WE HAVE TAKEN, BY CLIMATE - CHANGE. - 2000 YEARS OF LIVING HISTORY. - I MEAN, THEY'RE ANCIENT BEINGS. - AND THEY'RE DYING BEFORE OUR - VERY EYES. - AND WHAT REALLY GETS TO ME IS - THAT WE'RE NOT ACTING FAST - ENOUGH. - CAT: A REMINDER THAT EVEN SOME - OF THE WORLD'S MOST RESILIENT - ORGANISMS CAN BE CASUALTIES OF - CLIMATE CHANGE. - FOR THE PBS NEWSHOUR, I'M CAT IN - SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK. - >> THE U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE - SERVICE PROPOSED MOVING 23

- ANIMALS AND PLANTS OFF THE - ENDANGERED SPECIES LIST, - BECAUSE THEY ARE NOW EXTINCT. - PERHAPS THE MOST BEST KNOWN OF - >> THE SPECIES NOW DEEMED TO BE - GONE FOREVER IS THE IVORY-BILLED - WOODPECKER. - FOR DECADES, IT HAD BEEN THOUGHT - TO BE ALREADY EXTINCT AND WAS - CHASED THROUGHOUT THE AMERICAN - SOUTH BY BIRD WATCHERS AND - HUNTERS. - OTHER SPECIES ON THE LIST, HE - BACHMAN'S WARBLER SONGBIRD AND A - GROUP OF BIRDS AND BATS FOUND - ONLY IN THE PACIFIC ISLANDS. - THE LIST ALSO INCLUDES SOME FISH - AND FRESHWATER MUSSELS. - TIERRA CURRY IS A SENIOR - SCIENTIST AT THE CENTER FOR - BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY, A - NONPROFIT GROUP THAT WORKS TO - PROTECT ENDANGERED SPECIES. - TIERRA, THANKS SO MUCH FOR BEING - WITH US. - BEFORE THIS, 11 SPECIES HAD BEEN - ON THE ENDANGERED LIST, HAVE - BEEN DECLARED TO BE EXTINCT. - AND NOW, TODAY, 23, THEY'RE - PROPOSING TO ADD TO THAT LIST. - WHAT HAS DRIVEN THE EXTINCTION - OF THESE 23 SPECIES?

- TIERRA: SO THIS IS THE SINGLE - LARGEST BATCH OF SPECIES THAT - ARE BEING PROPOSED FOR DELISTING - DUE TO EXTINCTION IN HISTORY. - AND YOU CAN KIND OF LOOK AT THEM - IN GROUPS. - THE FRESHWATER MUSSELS, A LOT OF - THEM WENT EXTINCT BECAUSE OF THE - CONSTRUCTION OF DAMS ACROSS THE - EASTERN U.S. THAT STARTED ALL - THE WAY BACK IN 1914. - BUT MUSSELS HAVE REALLY LONG - LIFESPAN. - SOME OF THEM CAN LIVE TO BE 100. - SO THE DAMS BEGAN THE EXTINCTION - PROCESS. - AND THEN, WHEN THEIR HABITAT - SHRANK, POLLUTION AND OTHER - THINGS AFFECTED THE MUSSELS. - FOR THE HAWAII SPECIES, WE LOST - EIGHT BIRDS IN HAWAII, THE REAL - STORY THERE IS INVASIVE SPECIES, - EITHER GOATS OR PIGS THAT ATE - THE VEGETATION THAT THEY NEEDED - OR INVASIVE SPECIES THAT PREYED - ON THEM DIRECTLY, LIKE RATS AND - MONGOOSES AND FERAL CATS. - AND THEN CLIMATE CHANGE CAME - INTO PLAY BECAUSE IT BROUGHT - DISEASES THAT ARE MOSQUITO-BORNE - INTO HABITATS WHERE THEY HADN'T

- BEEN BEFORE. - AND THAT WAS KIND OF THEIR - DOWNFALL. - JOHN: WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS - OF SPECIES GOING EXTINCT LIKE - THIS? - TIERRA CURRY: WELL, IT MEANS WE - HAVE MADE A MISTAKE THAT CAN - NEVER BE CORRECTED. - WE HAVE LOST BEINGS THAT WE - SHARE THE PLANET WITH THAT ARE - GONE FOREVER. - AND IT MEANS THAT THE ECOSYSTEMS - WHERE THEY LIVED ARE NEVER GOING - TO BE THE SAME AGAIN. - LIKE, FRESHWATER MUSSELS FILTER - WATER. - THEY PROVIDE FOOD FOR OTHER - ANIMALS. - THEY STABILIZE THE RIVERBANKS. - THEY DO SO MANY ECOSYSTEM - SERVICES FOR US. - AND NOW WE HAVE DIMINISHED THAT - CAPACITY BECAUSE WE HAVE LOST - THEM. - JOHN: ARE THERE NATURAL FORCES - THAT LEAD TO EXTINCTION? - I MEAN, YOU TALKED ABOUT SORT OF - THE MANMADE EFCTS THAT HAVE - LED TO THE EXTINCTION OF THESE - 23. - BUT ARE THERE NATURAL FORCES AS - WELL? - TIERRA: THERE ARE. - AND THE DIFFERENCE WITH WHAT'S - HAPPENING NOW IS, THE NATURAL - BACKGROUND RATE HAS BEEN - ACCELERATED BY 100 TO 1,000 - TIMES. - SO, FOR FRESHWATER SPECIES, - THEY'RE GOING EXTINCT 1,000 - TIMES MORE RAPIDLY THAN THEY - WOULD IN THE NATURAL RATE - BECAUSE OF CHANGES WE HAVE MADE

- TO THE ENVIRONMENT. - JOHN: THERE'S A U.N. - STUDY THAT SAYS A MILLION - SPECIES ARE AT RISK OF BECOMING, - OR AT RISK IN THE COMING YEARS. - WHAT CAN BE DONE TO REVERSE THAT - OR WHAT CAN BE DONE TO PROTECT - THOSE SPECIES? - TIERRA: EVERYTHING. - A LOT OF PEOPLE HEAR THAT A - MILLION SPECIES ARE AT RISK OF - EXTINCTION, AND THEY FEEL - HOPELESS. - BUT WE CAN SAVE A MILLION - SPECIES AND CHANGE THE TAGLINE - TO, WE SAVED A MILLION SPECIES - FROM EXTINCTION. - A LOT OF IT COMES DOWN TO - FUNDING. - THEIR HABITAT NEEDS TO BE - PROTECTED. - THEY NEED MONITORING. - WE NEED TO ADDRESS THINGS LIKE - WATER POLLUTION AND INVASIVE - SPECIES AND DIRECT EXPLOITATION - OF WILDLIFE. - BUT WE CAN'T DO ALL OF THESE - THINGS. - LIKE, WE DON'T HAVE TO LOSE ANY - MORE SPECIES TO EXTINCTION IF WE - ACT TO SAVE THEM. - JOHN: SINCE THE ENDANGERED - SPECIES ACT WAS PASSED IN 1973, - I BELIEVE THAT 54 SPECIES HAVE - BEEN REMOVED FROTHAT LIST - BECAUSE THEIR POPULATIONS HAVE - RECOVERED, AND 48 OTHERS HAVE - BEEN MOVED FROM ENDANGERED TO - THREATENED. - IS THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT - WORKING?

- TIERRA: IT'S ABSOLUTELY WORKING. - THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT HAS - PREVENTED THE EXTINCTION OF 99% - OF THE PLANTS AND ANIMALS ON THE - LIST. - AND IT'S AMAZIN GIVEN THAT - IT'S NEVER GOTTEN THE FUNDING - THAT IT NEEDS TO FULLY RECOVER - SPECIES. - SO, YES, THE LAW WORKS, AND IT - NEEDS MO FUNDING. - JOHN: YOU ALSO TALKED ABOUT, IN - THE CAUSES, YOU LISTED CLIMATE - CHANGE AS ONE OF THEM. - HOW BIG A FACTOR IS THAT? - TIERRA: IT'S AN ENORMOUS FACTOR. - CLIMATE CHANGE THREATENS LIFE ON - EARTH AS WE KNOW IT. - IT THREATENS WILDLIFE AND - HUMANS. - AND SO OTHER FACTORS ALSO DRIVE - EXTINCTION, HABITAT LOSS, - INVASIVE SPECIES, POLLUTION, - OVEREXPLOITATION. - BUT NOW CLIMATE CHANGE IS - OVERARCHING ALL OF THOSE. - JOHN TIERRA CURRY OF THE CENTER - : FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY, - THANK YOU VERY MUCH. - TIERRA: THANK YOU. - >> AS THE SAYING GOES THERE'S NO - , BUSINESS LIKE SHOW BUSINESS,

- BUT FOR 18 PANDEMIC MONTHS, - THERE WAS BASICALLY NO BUSINESS - IN BROADWAY THEATERS. - IT'S PART OF OUR ARTS AND - CULTURE SERIES, CANVAS. - JEFFREY: THE GREEN SUIT, WORN BY - LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA IN THE - MUSICAL HAMILTON. MIRANDA TOLD - THE COSTUME DESIGNER IT SHOULD - BE, QUOTE, THE COLOR OF MONEY. - CRYSTALS AND MIRRORS ON ELSA'S - ICE DRESS FROM DISNEY'S FROZEN. - FROM PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, WHAT - ELSE? - THE MASK. - THEY ARE DEFINING IMAGES OF - CONTEMPORARY BROADWAY. - BUT EVEN LIVE IN THE THEATER, - YOU DON'T GET TO SEE THEM LIKE - THIS. - >> WHAT I THINK IS SO GREAT - ABOUT THIS IS THAT WHEN YOU'RE - SITTING IN THE FIFTH ROW OR THE - 10TH ROW OR IN THE BALCONY, - YOU'RE NEVER THIS CLOSE. - JEFFREY: YES, THAT'S FOR SURE. - BRIAN BLYTHE: TO THE COSTUMES, - TO THE POINT WHERE YOU CAN SEE

- THE AMOUNT OF CRAFTSMANSHIP, THE - WORKMANSHIP AND THE DETAILS THAT - GO INTO EACH ONE OF THESE. - JEFFREY: BRIAN BLYTHE HELPED PUT - TOGETHER THIS EXHIBITION CALLED - SHOWSTOPPERS! - HE'S A FOUNDER OF THE COSTUME - INDUSTRY COALITION, A GROUP OF - MORE THAN 50 SMALL BUSINESSES - THAT MAKE THESE AMAZING - GARMENTS, LIKE THIS DRESS FROM - WICKED. - CAN I TOUCH IT? - BRIAN BLYTHE: I WILL LET YOU - TOUCH IT, YES. - JEFFREY: WHY DO YOU DO ALL OF - THIS UNDERNEATH IN SUCH - EXQUISITE DETAIL? - BRIAN BLYTHE: BECAUSE THEY'RE - LIVING IN THIS FANTASY WORLD. - YOU KNOW, THEY'RE IN EMERALD - CITY. - AND WHEN AN ACTOR PUTS THIS ON, - THEY BECOME THE CHARACTER. - THAT'S HOW THEY REALIZE THEIR - CHARACTER, IS THROUGH THEIR - COSTUME. - JEFFREY: BUT STARTING IN MARCH - OF 2020, NO CHARACTERS, NO - COSTUMES, NO SHOWS. - NOW, GRADUALLY, TENTATIVELY, THE - SPECTACLE IS COMING BACK. - THE MUSICAL SIX WAS SUPPOSED TO - OPEN THE SAME DAY BROADWAY SHUT - DOWN IN 2020. - THE SIX, BY THE WAY, ARE THE - WIVES KILLED BY HENRY VIII. - NOW THEY HAVE COME BACK TO LIFE - ONSTAGE. - AND OPENING NIGHT RECENTLY WAS - SOLD OUT. - >> THIS IS MY FIRST BROADWAY

- SHOW BACK, WHICH IS VERY - EXCITING. - AND I THINK IT WILL BE SO - INSPIRING. - >> WE ARE JUST THRILLED FOR - BROADWAY, AND WE CANNOT WAIT TO - SEE SIX. - AND WE WILL BE BACK TO SEE A - BUNCH OF SHOWS. - JEFFREY: SIX IS ONE OF 15 - BROADWAY SHOWS REOPENING - THROUGHOUT SEPTEMBER. - TWENTY MORE ARE SET TO OPEN - BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR, WITH - PATRONS MASKED AND REQUIRED TO - HAVE PROOF OF VACCINATION OR - NEGATIVE TEST RESULTS TO ENTER - THEATERS. - CHARLOTTE ST - MARTIN IS PRESIDENT OF THE - BROADWAY LEAGUE, A TRADE GROUP - REPRESENTING THEATER OWNERS. - >> WE SAID FM DAY ONE WE WILL - NOT OPEN UNLESS WE FEEL WE CAN - KEEP THE AUDIENCE, THE CAST AND - CREW SAFE. - THEY MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT - SENSITIVE ABOUT THE DELTA - VARIANT, BUT WE'RE TRYING TO - SPREAD THE MESSAGE THAT WE'RE - SAFE, WE'RE SECURE, AND ALL OF - THE MAGIC THEY LOVED ABOUT - BROAAY IS STILL THERE. - JEFFREY: MAGIC AND MONEY. - BROADWAY IS A BUSINESS WITH A - LARGE BEHIND-THE-SCENES - ECOSYSTEM FED BY TICKET SALE - WITH EVERY PRODUCTION EMPLOYING - SCORES OF WORKERS CRUCIAL TO

- MAKING THE SHOW GO ON. - AND THEN THERE'S ITS WIDER - IMPACT ON THE CITY. - CHARLOTTE ST. - MARTIN: WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR - 97,000 JOBS IN THIS CITY, AND - 80% OF THE TOURISTS THAT ARE - COMING HERE FOR PLEASURE GIVE - BROADWAY AS THEIR NUMBER ONE, - TWO OR THREE REASON FOR COMING - TO THE CITY. - SO WE NEED TO BE OPEN NOT JUST - FOR US, BUT TO BRING NEW YORK - BACK. - BRIAN: WE LOST OVER $26.6 - MILLION IN GROSS REVENUE IN - 2020. - AND WE HAVE INCURRED AN IMMENSE - AMOUNT OF DEBT DURING THE - PANDEMIC. - JEFFREY: SHOWSTOPPERS!, - OCCUPYING AN OUT-OF-BUSINESS - SPORTING GOODS STORE ON 42ND - STREET, WAS CONCEIVED AS A - FUND-RAISER, WITH TICKET SALES - BENEFITING COSTUME WORKERS. - ACCORDING TO BLYTHE, THEY FACE A - COLLECTIVE DEBT OF $3.5 MILLION. - IN AN INDUST WHERE NOTHING BUT - THE BEST WILL DO, SOME OF THE - PEOPLE WHO MAKE THESE COSTUMES - TOOK PART IN THE EXHIBITION. - CAMILLA CHUVARSKY IS A - THEATRICAL MILLINER -- SHE MAKES - HATS.

- CAMILLA: I THINK THERE'S A BIT - OF A FALSE PERCEPTION WITH - COSTUMES THAT THEY'RE NOT AS - WELL-MADE AS EVERYDAY GARMENTS. - AND, IN FACT, THE OPPOSITE IS - TRUE. - THEY HAVE TO HOLD UP THROUGH - EIGHT SHOWS A WEEK AND STILL - LOOK BEAUTIFUL THE ENTIRE TIME, - BECAUSE, WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO - BROADWAY, MORE THAN REGIONAL - THEATER, WHAT YOU'RE PAYING FOR - IS THE PRODUCTION VALUE. - JEFFREY: THE PANMIC, SHE SAYS, - FORCED SOME TO LEAVE THE - INDUSTRY OR RETIRE EARLY, - REVEALING JUST HOW FRAGILE SOME - OF THE COSTUMING TRADES ARE. - CAMILLA CHUVARSKY: THERE ARE A - LOT OF TECHNIQUES AND SKILLS - THAT REALLY ARE PASSED DOWN - THROUGH TRAINING ON THE JOB AND - THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW - AND WOULD HONESTLY BE LOST. - IF SOME OF THESE SHOPS CLOSED, - THERE'S KNOWLEDGE THAT WOULD - JUST VANISH, BECAUSE IT IS SO - PARTICULAR TO THE INDUSTRY. - JEFFREY: ANOTHER - BEHIND-THE-SCENES ART FORM, - FABRIC PAINTER. - HOCHI ASIATICO HAS WORKED ON - BROADWAY FOR 25 YEARS, PAINTING - EVERYTHING FROM THE MOST - DETAILED PATTERNS A - CHARACTER'S SWT. - A PAINTER FOR A BRDWAY SHOW, - MOST PEOPLE PROBABLY DON'T KNOW

- THERE IS SUCH A THING. - >> NO, PEOPLE DON'T KNOW. - AND THEY JUST GET THE FEELING OF - SOMETHING. - AND I THINK THEY GET INTO THE - CHARACTER. - BUT, REALLY, THE PAINTING IS - VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE - DEVELOPMENT OF THE CHARACTER. - JEFFREY: ASIATICO HAND-PAINTED - THESE ROBES, SET IN E EARLY - 19TH CENTURY, FOR THE PLAY - GOLDEN CHILD. - HOCHI ASIATICO: SO, WE HAD TO - RESEARCH THE COLORS THAT WERE - AVAILABLE AT THE TIME AND THE - STYLE OF THE TIME. - ALSO, WE WANTED THEM TO LOOK A - LITTLE BIT EMBROIDERED. - SO WE HAVE TO CONSIDER THE - DISTANCE ON STAGE, HOW THE - LIGHTING WORKS. - JEFFREY: THE PEOPLE WE MET ARE - NOW BACK AT WORK MAKING COSTUMES - FOR PRODUCTIONS. - BUT WILL THE AUDIENCE RETURN? - WITH TOURISM STILL DOWN IN NEW - YORK CITY, BROADWAY LEAGUE HAS A - NEW $1.5 MILLION AD CAMPAIGN - NARRATED BY OPRAH. - OPRAH WINFREY: THIS IS THE - RETURN OF SOMETHING TRULY - SPECTACULAR. - JEFFREY: STRATEGICALLY TARGETING - THOSE WITHIN A CAR DRIVE. - AND, AS WE SAW RECENTLY, THOSE - WHO ARE COMING ARE GLAD TO BE - BACK, EVEN AMID CONTINUING - UNCERTAINTY.

- >> I'M LOVING THE FACT THAT THE - SHOWS ARE BACK AND BEING ABLE TO - COME AND SEE AS MANY SHOWS AS - POSSIBLE. - SO, YES. - >> AND PLEASE LET BROADWAY OPEN, - PLEASE. - JEFFREY: FOR NOW, AT LEAST, IT - IS. - FOR THE PBS NEWSHOUR, I'M - JEFFREY BROWN IN NEW YORK. - >> THAT IS THE NEWSHOUR FOR - TONIGHT. - JOIN US ONLINE AND AGAIN HERE - TOMORROW EVENING FOR ALL OF US - AT THE P NEWSHOUR, INC. IT - JOINING US. - PLEASE STAY SAFE, AND WE WILL - SEE YOU AGAIN SOON. - >> THE RULES OF BUSINESS ARE - BEING REINVENTED BY A MORE - FLEXIBLE WORKFORCE, LOOKING NOT - ONLY AT CURRENT OPPORTUNITIES, - BUT AHEAD TO FUTURE ONCE. - [CAPTIONING PERFORMED BY THE - NATIONAL CAPTIONING INSTITUTE,

- WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS - CAPTION CONTENT AND ACCURACY.] - >> JOHNSON & JOHNSON. - BNSF RAILWAY - FINANCIAL SERVICES FIRM RAYMOND - JAMES - THE FORD FOUNDATION - AND WITH THE ONGOING SUPPORT OF - THESE INDIVIDUALS AND - INSTITUTIONS. - CARNEGIE CORPORATION OF NEW YORK - >> THIS PROGRAM WAS MADE - POSSIBLE BY THE CORPORATION FOR - PUBLIC BROADCASTING AND VIEWERS - LIKE YOU.

- THANK YOU. - LIDIA: Buon giorno. - I'm Lidia Bastianich,

- and teaching you about Italian - food has always been my passion. - I want to taste it. - Assaggiare. - It's all about - cooking together... - Hello. - ...as I re-create - childhood memories... - Good to the last drop. - ...restaurant classics, - and new family favorites. - Isn't that everybody's - favorite part? - Whatever you're baking, - lick the spoon. - Tutti a tavola a mangiare. - Venite! - ANNOUNCER: - Funding provided by... - ANNOUNCER: At Cento Fine Foods, - we're dedicated to preserving - the culinary heritage - of authentic Italian foods - by offering over 100 specialty - Italian products - for the American kitchen. - Cento -- Trust your family - with our family. - ANNOUNCER: Grana Padano -- - authentic, Italian, - rich in tradition - yet contemporary.