[Script Info]
Title: 
[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,0:00:00.00,0:00:03.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,When Senator Harkin was retiring\Nand I was in the House and running for
Dialogue: 0,0:00:03.79,0:00:07.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the Senate, he called me over and he said,\NTammy I’m handing the reins over to you.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:18.77,0:00:22.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's just sort of fallen to me to champion
Dialogue: 0,0:00:22.73,0:00:26.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,ADA issues being a wheelchair user.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:26.89,0:00:30.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And then, when Senator Harkin was retiring\Nand I was in the House
Dialogue: 0,0:00:30.42,0:00:32.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and running for the Senate,\Nhe called me over
Dialogue: 0,0:00:32.56,0:00:35.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and he said, Tammy, I'm\Nhanding the reins over to you.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:35.85,0:00:39.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I'm handing the torch to you,\Nand you need to be the torch bearer
Dialogue: 0,0:00:39.24,0:00:44.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and you need to really represent\Nthe entire disability community
Dialogue: 0,0:00:44.08,0:00:48.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because you, frankly, wouldn't be here\Nhad the disability community
Dialogue: 0,0:00:48.28,0:00:50.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,not been there\Nbefore you even became disabled.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:50.56,0:00:51.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And he was absolutely right.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:51.56,0:00:55.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I find myself being the go-to person\Non a lot of the issues
Dialogue: 0,0:00:55.39,0:00:58.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,as they come up in Congress.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:03.92,0:01:05.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I said, yes, I was honored.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:05.33,0:01:08.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I mean, to be able to be handed\Nthe mantle from
Dialogue: 0,0:01:09.06,0:01:11.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Tom Harkin is quite the honor.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:11.57,0:01:14.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You know,\NI don't know that I can fill his shoes,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:14.29,0:01:19.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but I try every day to make sure\NI do my best to represent the community,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:19.90,0:01:23.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but then also to just fight\Nfor basic common- And this is what I did
Dialogue: 0,0:01:23.96,0:01:26.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in the army I fought for freedom-\NI fought for people's rights.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:26.65,0:01:28.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And this is just a basic human right
Dialogue: 0,0:01:29.20,0:01:34.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to access the life that you want to access\Nand live the life that you want to live
Dialogue: 0,0:01:34.27,0:01:37.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and to not be confronted by barriers\Nat every turn.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:44.24,0:01:48.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I have been working on burn pit issues\Nfor a very long time and it and it started
Dialogue: 0,0:01:49.81,0:01:52.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,from just
Dialogue: 0,0:01:52.03,0:01:55.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,my own experience\Nbeing exposed to the burn pits in Iraq.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:56.39,0:01:58.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We used to fly into Baghdad.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:58.41,0:02:01.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We were stationed in
Dialogue: 0,0:02:02.23,0:02:05.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Balad and we would fly into Baghdad\Ninto the Green Zone.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:05.62,0:02:06.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And if you were on the ground
Dialogue: 0,0:02:06.63,0:02:09.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,looking up, would always just the sky,\Nwhich is the little overcast.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:09.18,0:02:14.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It didn't look anything, you know,\Nominous, but flying through about a 50
Dialogue: 0,0:02:14.08,0:02:18.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,foot, 100 foot\Nlayer of basically brown skies in the sky.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:18.38,0:02:21.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We used to burn the air crew’s lungs\Nand you go through the like,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:21.67,0:02:24.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,oh, man, my eyes are watering,\Nmy lungs are burning.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:24.76,0:02:27.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And I always said there was gonna be\Nsome respiratory illnesses.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:27.01,0:02:31.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And then I started working on\NAgent Orange issues within the VA,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:31.00,0:02:33.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and it was under President\NObama and Secretary Shinseki
Dialogue: 0,0:02:34.13,0:02:36.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that we finally
Dialogue: 0,0:02:37.01,0:02:41.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,granted benefits to veterans\Nbased on presumptive benefits.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:41.44,0:02:46.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If you develop Islamic heart disease,\Nif you develop leukemia B,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:47.42,0:02:49.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and you were in Vietnam,\Nwe're going to presume that it's
Dialogue: 0,0:02:49.17,0:02:50.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because of your Vietnam service.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:50.04,0:02:52.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Obviously, we no longer force veterans to
Dialogue: 0,0:02:53.16,0:02:54.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,prove that
Dialogue: 0,0:02:54.37,0:02:57.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,their illness was caused by Agent Orange,\Nwhich is presumed.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:57.96,0:03:00.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And so that really started me\Nworking on burn pits
Dialogue: 0,0:03:00.41,0:03:03.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,after we were successful\Nwith the Agent Orange Campaign.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:03.47,0:03:06.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And so it's pretty much been\Ncontinuous ever since, and I'm really glad
Dialogue: 0,0:03:06.39,0:03:07.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we got the contract passed.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:07.97,0:03:11.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There's more work to do,\Nbut it's a great, great, great, great,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:11.59,0:03:12.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,first start.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:19.45,0:03:22.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Yes. So I wrote a piece of legislation
Dialogue: 0,0:03:22.74,0:03:26.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,called the ASAP Act to make all of our\Ntransit stations accessible.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:26.46,0:03:30.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,All Stations\NAccessibility Program A.S.A.P.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:31.40,0:03:35.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I wrote it in this piece of legislation\Nand introduced it in the Senate.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:35.46,0:03:39.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Coming out of my experience with the CTA,\Nthe Chicago Transit Authority.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:39.52,0:03:43.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I was invited by the CTA\Nwhen I was a congresswoman on the
Dialogue: 0,0:03:44.16,0:03:47.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,25th anniversary of ADA,\Nso we’re on the 32nd anniversary.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:47.14,0:03:51.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So seven years ago\Nthey invited me to a ribbon
Dialogue: 0,0:03:51.04,0:03:54.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,cutting at a CTA station\Nand they were really proud,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:54.97,0:03:57.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,really, really, really proud that\Nthey were announcing that they were going
Dialogue: 0,0:03:57.89,0:04:02.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to begin this program\Nto make 100% of the Chicago
Dialogue: 0,0:04:02.52,0:04:05.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Transit Authority's stations,\Nwhether it was bus or rail,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:06.62,0:04:07.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,fully accessible.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:07.62,0:04:09.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And I said, this is great.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:09.03,0:04:10.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,When is this going to be done?
Dialogue: 0,0:04:10.14,0:04:12.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,He goes well it's a 25 year plan.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:12.19,0:04:15.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And I looked at him, Dorval Carter,\Nwho is the president of the Chicago CTA,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:15.68,0:04:19.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and I said, So you mean a half century\Nafter the passage of the ADA?
Dialogue: 0,0:04:19.84,0:04:22.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Is when we can count on this?
Dialogue: 0,0:04:22.26,0:04:25.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And then he went when you put it that way\Nit sounds terrible.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:25.38,0:04:26.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Like, yeah, it is terrible.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:26.79,0:04:29.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Number one, let me just say that\Nit's great that you're doing this.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:30.15,0:04:33.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And I said, Why are we here 25 years later\Nand we still have
Dialogue: 0,0:04:33.94,0:04:34.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,stations that are not accessible.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:34.65,0:04:37.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I still to this day\Ndon’t use the L in Chicago
Dialogue: 0,0:04:37.17,0:04:40.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because not all stations are\Naccessible and you never know
Dialogue: 0,0:04:41.16,0:04:42.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,if one is going to be or not.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:42.34,0:04:45.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And he said, well, it's\Nbecause we have a limited amount of money.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:46.33,0:04:50.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And ADA accessibility\Nhas always been a priority for us.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:50.19,0:04:53.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's always been in the top three, but\Nwe only have enough money for the top two.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:53.78,0:04:59.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And when I have to choose between safety,\Nas in buying a new train car
Dialogue: 0,0:04:59.69,0:05:03.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or safety equipment for the train car\Nversus building a ramp.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:03.55,0:05:06.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I'm going to choose buying\Nnew safety equipment for the train car.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:06.94,0:05:08.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I said, so what we're fixing.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:08.22,0:05:12.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,He goes, well, we need money\Nthat is sectioned off
Dialogue: 0,0:05:12.22,0:05:15.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that cannot be used for anything else\Nother than accessibility.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:15.88,0:05:18.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And that would allow us to do this faster.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:18.83,0:05:21.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So then I wrote the bill on this\Nat the federal level,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:22.25,0:05:25.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and when we were starting to work,\Nwhen President Biden was sworn in
Dialogue: 0,0:05:25.91,0:05:31.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and Mayor Pete sorry- Pete\NButtigieg was appointed, I said, you know,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:31.59,0:05:35.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and I've known him from previously\Nand I said, listen, we got to do this.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:35.45,0:05:36.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We have to do this.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:36.39,0:05:38.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And let me tell you what I'm trying to do.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:38.03,0:05:38.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I invited him out
Dialogue: 0,0:05:38.97,0:05:41.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and he toured one of the CTA stations\Nwhere this work was going on.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:41.79,0:05:43.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I explained what we were trying to do.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:43.30,0:05:47.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I said, We can make this happen\Nin ten years if we fund this
Dialogue: 0,0:05:47.30,0:05:51.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and so in the bipartisan infrastructure\Ndeal, we ended up losing
Dialogue: 0,0:05:51.33,0:05:56.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,half the money, but,\Nwe got the first five years funded and
Dialogue: 0,0:05:57.24,0:05:58.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you need to support it.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:58.11,0:05:59.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So he supported it.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:59.12,0:06:01.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It was great\Nbecause he elevated it as a priority.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:01.97,0:06:05.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I was able to make it stay even though\NI lost half the money, I was able to make
Dialogue: 0,0:06:05.96,0:06:09.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it stay in the bipartisan infrastructure\Nbill instead of it getting dropped.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:09.82,0:06:11.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So this will be nationwide.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:11.20,0:06:15.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So what we did was we put aside\Nfederal dollars that
Dialogue: 0,0:06:15.93,0:06:17.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,first off, the legacy system
Dialogue: 0,0:06:17.98,0:06:21.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but all transit systems can apply\Nfor those dollars to help them
Dialogue: 0,0:06:22.25,0:06:25.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,make all of their stations accessible,\Nnot just for like wheelchairs,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:25.23,0:06:30.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but it's got to be vision\Nhearing cognitive disabilities as well.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:30.60,0:06:34.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You know, when you have to buy a ticket\Nand it's all touch screen
Dialogue: 0,0:06:34.50,0:06:38.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and, you know, that doesn't help\Nsomebody who has a visual impairment.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:38.29,0:06:43.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Cognitively, if you don't make your app\Non the cell phone app, something that
Dialogue: 0,0:06:43.30,0:06:47.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that is friendly for those with cognitive\Nimpairments, then it's not accessible.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:47.36,0:06:50.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So this covers\Nthe full range of disabilities.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:58.07,0:07:00.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Well, it's certainly more partisan.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:00.42,0:07:05.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And after January 6th, it's\Nbeen difficult, especially compared
Dialogue: 0,0:07:05.86,0:07:09.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to my time in the House\Nwhere I had a lot of bipartisan work.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:09.41,0:07:12.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I will tell you, though,\Nthat I've been able to be very bipartisan
Dialogue: 0,0:07:12.77,0:07:15.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,since I've been here in the Senate.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:15.22,0:07:17.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,My first piece of legislation\NI passed it's
Dialogue: 0,0:07:17.74,0:07:20.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,like the 64 day mark, which is the fastest\Nany senator had done it
Dialogue: 0,0:07:20.83,0:07:21.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,since the seventies.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:21.63,0:07:24.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And I did it with Todd Young of Indiana,\Nmy next door neighbor.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:24.99,0:07:25.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And it was very
Dialogue: 0,0:07:26.80,0:07:29.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,bureaucratic, cutting red tape.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:29.49,0:07:32.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And that had to do\Nwith municipal building projects.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:32.41,0:07:34.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But we got that done.\NPresident Trump signed it into law.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:35.03,0:07:37.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I passed legislation to support veterans\Nbecoming entrepreneurs,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:37.95,0:07:39.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and that was bipartisan.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:39.56,0:07:41.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And President Trump signed that into law.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:41.58,0:07:44.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I mean, it also will also reduce costs\Nfor taxpayers.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:44.83,0:07:49.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Since January 6th, though,\Nit has become even more
Dialogue: 0,0:07:50.57,0:07:51.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,partisan here.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:51.85,0:07:54.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So you really have to work\Nto find people to work with.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:54.94,0:07:58.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And sometimes you find folks to work with
Dialogue: 0,0:07:58.16,0:08:01.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that you never expected to because you\Ndon't, you know, I'll give you an example.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:01.79,0:08:07.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I just pass the public safety officer\Nsupport back and my partner
Dialogue: 0,0:08:07.06,0:08:10.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in that was Senator Cornyn\Nactually Republican leadership from Texas.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:10.85,0:08:12.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I don't have a lot in common with him,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:12.86,0:08:17.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but it came out of January 6th\Nwhere we have Officer Smith
Dialogue: 0,0:08:17.56,0:08:22.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,was one of the officers and we have him on\Nrecord on body camera footage being
Dialogue: 0,0:08:23.81,0:08:25.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,beaten and receiving
Dialogue: 0,0:08:25.42,0:08:28.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,concussive events at least three different\Ntimes, two of which he passed out.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:29.01,0:08:31.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And it's on camera
Dialogue: 0,0:08:31.33,0:08:34.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and he went back to work\Ntwo weeks later, got time off.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:34.89,0:08:36.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Went back to work. Was told you're fine.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:36.50,0:08:36.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Go back to work.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:36.97,0:08:39.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Two weeks later, and within days
Dialogue: 0,0:08:39.59,0:08:42.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,ended up dying by suicide.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:42.51,0:08:44.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And that's when I found out\Nthrough his widow
Dialogue: 0,0:08:45.40,0:08:49.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that for our first responders,\Nlike the police forces,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:49.93,0:08:53.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the Police Benefits\NAssociation is not allowed to consider
Dialogue: 0,0:08:54.63,0:08:59.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,post-traumatic stress\Nas being a result of their job.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:59.60,0:09:01.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And so because he died by suicide,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:01.84,0:09:05.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,even though the coroner said\Nthis was because he had a concussive event
Dialogue: 0,0:09:05.87,0:09:08.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and that post-traumatic stress,\Nhe had damage to the part of his brain
Dialogue: 0,0:09:08.66,0:09:10.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that controls emotions
Dialogue: 0,0:09:10.00,0:09:14.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and that his death by suicide was as\Na result of what happened on January 6th.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:14.43,0:09:16.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,His wife still lost all her benefits
Dialogue: 0,0:09:16.15,0:09:18.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and she found out\Nshe lost all of the widow's benefits.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:18.16,0:09:21.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Standing in line at CVS\Nto get prescription medication.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:22.09,0:09:23.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And I said, that is absolutely wrong.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:23.57,0:09:26.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And I talked to John Cornyn\Nand he joined me in it.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:26.52,0:09:28.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And so we passed it in a bipartisan way.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:28.57,0:09:31.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Pro law enforcement, pro first responders.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:31.76,0:09:35.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But really drawing on my work from VA,\Nso when I went to John,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:35.52,0:09:39.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I said, listen, here's what I know about\Npost-traumatic stress in my work at VA.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:39.58,0:09:43.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Will you work with me to help our police,\Nour first responders, our public safety
Dialogue: 0,0:09:43.44,0:09:47.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,officers, that this is crazy,\Nthat they can't claim PTSD
Dialogue: 0,0:09:49.45,0:09:52.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,as being result of their job duties.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:52.00,0:09:52.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And he supported me.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:52.81,0:09:53.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And we were able-
Dialogue: 0,0:09:53.44,0:09:56.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we had a couple folks who tried to shut it\Ndown on the Republican side.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:56.26,0:09:58.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But because Cornyn is Republican
Dialogue: 0,0:09:58.04,0:10:01.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,leadership, we were able to work our way\Nthrough it and get to a yes.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:01.40,0:10:03.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And I had to stare down\None of my Republican colleagues
Dialogue: 0,0:10:03.88,0:10:06.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and threaten to make him defend\Nhis position
Dialogue: 0,0:10:06.30,0:10:08.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,against public safety officers\Non the floor of the Senate.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:08.52,0:10:09.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And he backed off.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:09.42,0:10:12.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I won’t tell you who it is\Nbecause he didn’t
Dialogue: 0,0:10:12.58,0:10:14.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,want to be on record\Ndoing that on the floor.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:14.26,0:10:15.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So we got it passed.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:15.43,0:10:17.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So we can get things done.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:17.85,0:10:22.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Cynthia Lummis helped me\Nwork on water infrastructure.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:22.22,0:10:26.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I wrote the drinking water\Nand wastewater portion of the bipartisan
Dialogue: 0,0:10:26.01,0:10:29.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,infrastructure deal\Nand that included in a significant dollars
Dialogue: 0,0:10:29.84,0:10:34.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to get lead out of drinking\Nwater supply via grant programs.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:34.54,0:10:36.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And she is on the same committee.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:36.82,0:10:38.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And I went to talk to her and I said,\NWhat do you think about this?
Dialogue: 0,0:10:38.97,0:10:42.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And she said, Well, you forgot\Nall the people who are on well water.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:42.49,0:10:45.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This system- this grant program you’ve
Dialogue: 0,0:10:45.35,0:10:47.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,written allows municipalities to
Dialogue: 0,0:10:48.54,0:10:51.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,get reimbursement and gives them dollars\Nto fix these programs.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:51.76,0:10:53.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But what about people on well water?
Dialogue: 0,0:10:53.24,0:10:54.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Don't they deserve to not have lead?
Dialogue: 0,0:10:54.58,0:10:56.100,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And so I said,\Nabsolutely, let's write that in.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:56.100,0:10:59.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So we specifically\Nwrote in the well water piece
Dialogue: 0,0:11:00.15,0:11:00.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and we got
Dialogue: 0,0:11:00.69,0:11:03.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,89 votes on the floor of the Senate\Nbecause of it.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:03.68,0:11:07.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And then I come later on to find out that\NI actually still have people in Chicago
Dialogue: 0,0:11:07.50,0:11:08.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,who are still on well water.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:08.44,0:11:11.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So it wasn't just people on the water\Nacross Illinois, which I knew about,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:11.33,0:11:13.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but I even have people in urban areas\Nwho are still on, well, water.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:13.95,0:11:15.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And that was bipartisan.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:15.80,0:11:18.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,She made the bill better.\NShe listened to me.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:18.35,0:11:21.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And even though we rarely vote\Nthe same way on a lot of things,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:21.70,0:11:24.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we got 89 votes on the bill,\Nand I'm really proud of it.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:29.26,0:11:30.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There’s hope.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:30.13,0:11:31.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There’s hope, yeah.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:31.57,0:11:34.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Maybe if fewer cameras were watching us\Nand people don't have to play up
Dialogue: 0,0:11:34.73,0:11:37.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for the cameras. We’d get more done.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:37.78,0:11:38.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You know what?
Dialogue: 0,0:11:38.49,0:11:41.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Less people are\Nneeding to do this, you know?