As the 117th Congress prepares to wrap up, it is debating a host of issues from immigration reform to funding the government to aid for Ukraine in the lame-duck session. Join Washington Post Live for a comprehensive look at the remaining to-do items on Capitol Hill with House Majority Whip Rep. James E. Clyburn (D-S.C.) and the economic and fiscal issues that could shape the legislative agenda in the year ahead with former chair of the Council of Economic Advisers Glenn Hubbard and Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget president Maya MacGuineas.
“I understand that within this framework, agreements have been made on defense spending but not on domestic spending. And that’s always a big problem for us Democrats to get domestic spending at a level that we think will help make this country’s greatness accessible and affordable for all of its people… So I don’t know what it’s going to be, and it still could have some problems.” – Rep. James E. Clyburn (D-S.C.) (Video: Washington Post Live)
“I am supportive of that [including the Electoral Count Act]. I do believe that you cannot allow perfect to be the enemy of good. If they’ve got a good bill, it’s better than no bill. I think what we did on the House side is better, I usually do think that way, but I will be appreciative of whatever they do.” – Rep. James E. Clyburn (D-S.C.) (Video: Washington Post Live)
When asked if President Biden should cooperate with GOP investigations into current administration, Rep. Clyburn respond, “If it makes sense, yes. If it doesn’t make sense, no. And I don’t think a lot of this makes sense. They’re worried about Hunter Biden’s laptop, and they need to be worried about peoples’ pocketbooks… I think that what we saw on November 8 was a rejection of that foolishness and I think if they want to keep going down that rabbit hole, go at it.” – Rep. James E. Clyburn (D-S.C.) (Video: Washington Post Live)
“He has not asked me but if he were to ask me, I would say, ‘Run, Joe, Run. Why? Because you have demonstrated with this administration that you know the American people.’ His rescue act, his infrastructure bill, his science and CHIPS bill, inflation reduction, PACT act for our soldiers in Afghanistan, Iraq and all the way back to Vietnam with agent orange. Safer communities act. We have done more under his administration than was done since the administration of Lyndon Banes Johnson.” – Rep. James E. Clyburn (D-S.C.) (Video: Washington Post Live)
“I think we are likely to see a recession in 2023 as the Fed’s policy continues to work to constrain demand. It’s fairly straight forward to get inflation down to say four percent… but if chair Powell really means two [percent], that’s going to take a significant restraint of demand and a significant increase in unemployment. So I think while a recession isn’t baked in the cake, it’s certainly more likely than not.” – Glenn Hubbard (Video: Washington Post Live)
“It is preposterous that we are talking about how to fund the government now, many months into the fiscal year. Our budget process is so broken that we don’t budget any more. This is like the 26th year, I believe we’ve found, that we have not passed the appropriations bills on time. And in fact, the budget committees did not even come out with budgets this year. This is no way to run a small company, let alone a country. “ – Maya MacGuineas (Video: Washington Post Live)
House Majority Whip Rep. James E. Clyburn (D-S.C.)
Glenn Hubbard
Former Chair, Council of Economic Advisers
Maya MacGuineas
President, Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget
Content from National Women’s Law Center
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(Video: Washington Post Live)
Gender Justice Strategies
Melissa Boteach
Vice President, Income Security & Child Care/Early Learning, National Women’s Law Center