Transcripts For CSPAN3 Rep. 20240706

And infrastructure, which were my top two picks, so i am happy to be a part of that. I look forward to working with both sides of the aisle. Democrat Eric Sorensen is no stranger to caras. He used to work as a local meteorologist near his home in moline illinois. He told cspan about that work helping him as a congressman and how he first got into television. Rep. Sorensen i was the chief meteorologist at the tv station, might family was growing up, then i moved to the next town over and i put writz down in the community, became a meteorologist, and was known not only to track tornadoes to chase tornadoes but also to tell the kids when they did not have school because it was snowing. Little did i know through all of this time as a broadcast meteorologist that i was working in the same congressional district. What did you like about being a meteorologist . Rep. Sorensen it changes every day. And a lot of times when i went and talked to schoolkids about meteorology, we live in different weather every day, i like to say that for kids, when they think about what they want to do, think about doing something that they are not going to be bored with. And i point to their teachers glancing you kids are different every day. So a teachers job will be very interesting. And meteorologists job will be very interesting. You had a nickname. Explain. Rep. Collins being the person named eric, goes back to when i was going out. I was afraid of storms, right. I was afraid when i learned of tornadoes. That was the part of wizard of oz that was really the scariest. It wasnt any of the adventures, it was that a tornado hit her home. The person who gave me the security as a kid, was the weatherman who did the weather at that time. He was away strive to be and it took a long time, hard work and determination. Then i got to be the tv eric on channel 13. How do you go from local weatherman to congressman jacob . Rep. Collins a lot has to be said about people that are representing the communities that have already earned the trust of the people. And i think it is different than saying i got the weather right every day. People could trust me for what i was saying. I was saying something as complex as atmospheric physics, and explain it not just the 20 chance of rain, but why is there a 20 chance of rain. Why are we seeing more flat than we have seen before. Explaining these things, such that people are going to understand them, but that people will remember it. So you had trust when you ran for this office jacob . What did your career teach you yet, . Rep. Collins there is this open dialogue of communication. Not only have i heard that the people in the district of northwestern in central illinois, but there is a disconnect, a lot of people back home they say there is not enough communication between washington and rural illinois, and i think that we need to change that. We need to make sure that people understand what is going on, and how i know that, i was at a Grocery Store and a lady came up to me and said eric i miss how you explain how the weather works. I said oh, thank you, thank you. And she says we need to get to congress so you could to us how congress works. That told me what does this lady wants in her next congress person, she wants somebody to expand it to her. And that is the thing that is different. During the campaign, you had another nickname. What was and why . Rep. Collins it was tornado. All of our Campaign Staff when it was on the move, the tornado is on the move, or i got to a place the tornado had touched down. And so that was great. And it was unique because we could have a little bit of fun with it. That was already a connection in the communities. And also, this is a unique space because we have not had a meteorologist to congress in 50 years. And so, this is really allowing us to communicate and make it so people understood why the meteorologist is running and i want to support that guy. Do your callings out here rely on you . Rep. Collins there are some of the elevator rides as we all know. But it is also, when you get into a elevator, what is the reagan stopped they asked, about 3 00 p. M. , another hour. You still look at the weather, you still check into it. Rep. Sorensen i have more apps on my phone, there will always be an accurate forecast. When there is a collapse of the middle east or somewhere far off , i would have to do a little bit more work. Have you been able to bond with other members of congress, get to know new people and make some friends . Rep. Sorensen what are the greatest things for me that people may not know, is that especially in the orientation. , it is after the election and before swearingen, we were all together. As freshman. And he was talking with people on the other side of the aisle. We did not have any skin in the game yet. And to be able to talk with moderate republicans, i was the guy who is talking climate to