Cspan2. Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer discussed rebuilding the economy to help working families. This event is hosted by the Bipartisan Policy Center. Welcome to the kickoff of the bipartisan eat policy centers summits. We are coming together to support workers and families with a pragmatic agenda for the new congress. The document is not simply a series of what we think are good policy ideas but also a reflection of the core values and commitment that animate the work of the bpc. We believe in support pragmatic leaders who have the courage to prioritize helping people today over some effort to try to build Political Capital for a theoretical battle in the future. We believe the best policy is forced by constructive collision of ideas among principal people who reflect the diversity in the real differences that exist in our country. We note that durable policy requires compromise as neither Political Parties have the legitimacy or mandate to govern alone. These ideas in the very premise of american democracy are being put to the test by an nation in crises in Public Health, and our economy and in our capacity to solve problems. For the next five days we will explore ideas that we believe President Biden and the divided congress can successfully act on early next year. We will focus on helping children and families and we will spend the day looking at consensus for support work and opportunity in the spend another day talking about promoting Financial Resilience and creating wealth and at the end of the week we will have a discussion about the racial inequities that have been laid bare and amplified by the pandemic. Our focus on working families and does not from bpcs commitment to healthcare, energy and climate policy, immigration, if a structure or fiscal policy but we believe that a focus on the issues facing americans today cannot only help knowing the people but also begin to restore the faith that we could have a government that could solve our problems. One of the many great things about american democracy is that each new congress and president start off the season undefeated in our leaders have a really difficult choice to face. They can either continue emphasizing the differences or they can do the harder and, i think im a braver work of compromising to advance the nations interests. We are here to promote the fierce urgency of pragmatism and there is a lot of work to do so it is a delight to welcome you all today and begin our first discussion. So, we are incredibly fortunate to kick off our solutions at summit with dedicated Public Servants. We are delighted to be joined by governors Asa Hutchinson and gretchen whitmer, governor hutchinson was first elected in 2014 and began his term in 2015 and is apparently pretty good at it because he was reelected in 2018 with two thirds of the popular vote and also has terminus experience across many aspects of government he was a congressman representing the Arkansas Third district and lead the u. S. Drug Investment Agency and was an undersecretary at dhs and is now the incoming vice chair of the National Governors association and i would note the governing magazine described his leadership as based on patience and pragmatism which resonates with the experience weve had in washington for the last two years we are delighted to have that conversation and Governor Whitmer, became governor in 2019 and has served quite a while in different roles and in state governments and was in the house of representatives for 20012006 and in the Michigan State senate for several years from 06 until 2015 when she was the first female leader of the recredit party. Governor whitmer has demonstrated some remarkable grace under pressure in the last several months and these have been tough weeks, i think, for all our states but as you all no, michigan has been the crucible of that discussions we are delighted and appreciative that you would take your time to share what is happening in your states and give us a little bit of your view about what we can do here in washington to advance the interests of the real people, many of whom are suffering right now. We will focus on the working family agenda that the Bipartisan Policy Center has just released. We think this is the opportunity to get quick wind and motivate democracy and solve big problems but before we focus on the Economic Issues i think we have to start out with that fact that the pandemic is still regained tremendous havoc in treating terminus risk for Many Americans. Would love governors to ask you to start off if you, Governor Whitmer, how is it going . What is the state of michigan in early december . How are you feeling about the capacity of hospitals and every thing else just to deal with the crush of this really challenging disease . We are very seriously concerned. I think that the news of vaccines is reason to give all of us a breath of hope and requires an incredible amount of work that states are at the forefront of and yet we have not gotten enough of the resources, in my estimation, from washington in order to execute in terms of this administration of the vaccine when it becomes available. I would also add that with coronavirus michigan was hit very hard early on and we took actions and they were aggressive and wheat really pushed the spread of coronavirus down and we saved thousands of lives and mitigated the harm on our economy and michigan boasted one of the ten best economic resurgence is in the country for many months but we also know that the experts were telling us that this virus would come back with a vengeance in the fall when the temperatures plummeted and it coincided with the flu season and that is what we are seen all across the country and certainly here in the midwest. We are seeing some hospitalizations are up and we have seen the nation post Record Numbers many days in a row now and so this is a very concerning moment. There is light on the horizon but right now here in this moment with the holidays exacerbating some of the spread we are very concerned about where things are and in trying to do what we can on the state front to mitigate the spread of covid. Governor hutchinson, like you and so many of her colleagues are dealing with dual challenges to find ways that your citizens are protected but at the same time recognizing that we have to have an active economy since poverty is a tremendous Public Health challenge and so talk about the challenges youve had in trying to balance those two competing opportunities and obligations. Thank you. It is good to be with Governor Whitmer and thank you for this opportunity when it comes to the challenge that we currently face and we had a Record Number of cases yesterday and are deaths continue to go up and i hope all of arkansas must pull together to try to reduce the spread to control us but the love of family and getting together is a challenge for everybody and its about making sure we have adequate hospital space and we are working very hard on improving the coordination of our hospitals so that we do have adequate space and we are not in a position arkansas, that we are building field hospitals but we are looking to the future and know that as we enter into december and the Christmas Holiday and get the post thanksgiving surge that everyone expects that we have to be prepared for the eventuality that we will need additional icu beds, hospital space and we are rising to meet that challenge and it is a balance with businesses. Early on in the pandemic we put in money to help which are cares active funds and we put those funds into help our Small Businesses so they could survive with the additional restrictions and so that went to those in the Hospitality Industry and they went to jims and Small Businesses across the board and that money has run out and now we are looking at do you put people out of work when there is not the Financial Assistance to help Small Business and the unemployed and so i take it very seriously, the responsibility as governor, to make sure that we are on the right path from a Public Health standpoint but not to overly Research Businesses if there is not the data that supports that. We are trying to achieve that balance in all of arkansas is pulling together to accomplish that. It is not an arkansas problem or michigan problem but a National Problem that we see with cases going up in every state. It is a time to put together and were doing that here in the state and i appreciate the federal assistance because that will help us to get the vaccine out and Everyone Needs that for the hope of the future. So you both made obvious important points about the need to have federal state partnerships take on these crises and you mentioned use the term pulling together so in a few weeks president elect biden is going to take the oath of office and be immediately met by deeply divided country and closely divided congress. I guess before we Start Talking about policy i wonder if you each might say a word about what President Biden and leader mcconnell and others need to do to bring together the fabric of the country and restore a little bit of the sense of shared purpose that is always helped our country and previous crises. Governor wittner, to think its possible . Can we get the country pulling in the same direction . It absolutely is possible. I think there are people of goodwill on both sides of the aisle they want to see that happen and it is all on us to do our part to make sure that we do. We are deeply divided nation and i think this election has shown that and yet what really binds us, i think, in most regards is universal and we want good opportunities for us and better opportunities for our kids and we want to note the Drinking Water will be safe when we turn on the tap and hands are told in a glass of water at the dinner table and that we can travel safely on infrastructure that promotes a growing economy and safety of individuals as we travel. I think that there are universal truths for families all across the country, whether they are in arkansas or in michigan and leaders of both parties need to find that Common Ground. I will tell you, 2020 has been a challenging year and thats the underachievement of 2020 but one of the things that i have found most helpful and most inspiring is banding together with my fellow governors on both sides of the aisle. In the midwest, i regularly have conversations with the governors of the great lakes states and that includes my neighbor in ohio and my neighbor in indiana both of harlequins as well as well as wisconsin, minnesota and illinois, all democrats. We have more in common than we have different. I think when we actually focus on solving problems we will get a lot more done and get the confidence of the people of this country. Im optimistic about president elect bidens ability to do that and his first speech after the election was confirmed was an outreach to do just that and i can tell you im willing and ready and eager to do my part to help heal from the divide we have in this country and i know that leaders like governor hutchinson sees the same things i do here in michigan and grateful for his leadership to. Governor hutchinson, Election Results which i described as a blue puddle have clearly made the case in either party and there is a longstanding tradition of one party and the other winning by a few percent and asserting that it now has a mandate to govern based on Election Agenda that did was not designed to represent the sole country. Wondering based on your experience to think a closely divided razor thin margin are helpful or harmful to moving the country forward . Well, regardless the American People like divided power structure in washington where each side keeps an eye on each other and there are some checks and balances and it is likely that that is what we are going to have but regardless of the outcome of the georgia elections it is very important that the leadership under president elect biden is handled looking for bipartisan solution and i absolutely agree with the governor that the governors have worked together, democrats and republicans and the exchange of information and ideas and there has been some differences which is natural but we have really come closer together and as a result of this crisis that we all faced. In our nations history crisis has always been the vehicle that the American People have come together and so, now that the election is over which did put, you know, some differences that highlighted during the election but now that that is over weve got to come together, particularly with the crisis accelerating in terms of our cases and our deaths and the need for solutions and federal support. Its a great opportunity for president elect biden and i think its important when you look at the congress or whenever you look at president elect biden leadership that we dont overreach and that is the temptation. If you just look at one Party Solution you will overreach. If you look for a bipartisan solution then it will hit a sweeter spot that will have a greater level of acceptance. The senate i applaud them the way theyve come out with bipartisan efforts to provide relief to the states. It is not what the democrats want completely and its not what the rule begins want but its a compromised solution getting traction and that is the kind of approach that we need next year and not just in the coronavirus issues but in a whole host of issues that it will build confidence in the American People that we can look for those Bipartisan Solutions. Lets talk about this urgency of this moment and even before we induct a new president and new congress, about 30 million wagons are now relying on pandemic related support and millions of americans are relying on the page leave provisions put in to recognize the people or Sick Children and parents need to be cared for in this all runs out at the end of the month and so congress has seemingly awoken to this challenge in the last several days but Governor Whitmer, how much is on the line right now . How much interaction have you had your optimism or pessimism that congress can govern in crisis. Not great at predicting and what is happening in washington and may be governor hutchinson can give us more insight having worked there at one point but, you know, this is a really hard moment across the country and there are a lot of people who are struggling whether it is because a loved one has, 19 or it is because a loved one has or because they lost a job as a result of this pandemic and the recession that has accompanied it. It is really a hard moment and we really do need congress to get something done here in the last few days of this session. Our ability to build up the apparatus to disseminate and distribute vaccines. That work has to be non now. It probably should have been in the works for quite a while and yet the resources to do that just arent there but every budget, every state budget in the nation has been devastated by this pandemic and so we have a lot of work to do but the most pressing concern right now is, of course, those who are unemployed who have been counting on the assistance to put food on the table and to keep a roof over their heads and that is why i am willful but congress will get something done but i recognize that our challenge is great and that we will need to continue the work with the federal government so that we can help people get through this time. It will not last forever but you know, this is a moment and a much bigger story but we need to rise to this moment and how people who are struggling right now because as vaccines come online as as we get through 2021 and more people get vaccinated we will be able to resume a lot of these things that are so important and help us arrive but right now people need help. Im hopeful that Congress Gets it done and in the event that it they dont im continuing to push here in michigan with my legislator to get assistance for the unemployed because we cant have them run out on december 31 and not have anywhere to go while we are still in the midst of the worst phase of this pandemic. Governor hutchinson, i mentioned that you are an incoming vice chair of the National Association and are trained at leadership role with Governor Cuomo and so could you express a little bit what are the imperatives you think will have a bipartisan gubernatorial support heading into next year . Well, in terms of the governors are more interested in relief for Small Businesses and those that have been severely hit because of the pandemic. There has been an economic divide. You have those that work remotely and their income has not been depleted and they continue to have their jobs but the service industry, Hospitality Industry which are more in the lower income categories and middle income they are the ones that have lost t