We hear all this talk about minimumwage as relates to young workers. The fact of the matter is the average age of minimumwage employees is 35 years old. And they have the least one show. So this is all about lifting households, women, children above the poverty level. I would hope that the congress, our republican friends would join us in passing the bill raising the minimum wage. With that and would like to yield to the vice chair of our caucus. Desperately searching for a job and have now been denied insurance. What that really means to these individuals is as they continue to look for work for education, food, medicine, r ent, mortgage cover their government is not there because the Republican Caucus uses this against individuals and their families. The gentleman from new york contacted me is there anyway we could see a bill this week before we broke for the district work period and i said i dont think it was likely after the senate was unable to pass. It is difficult to tell someone who was so desperate in fact, looking at the prospects of losing his home what that means to a family. My republican colleagues talk about how profanely they are be here is the opportunity to send a message to 1. 8 million americans, not democrats or republicans, not red or blue or green, just americans who were desperately trying to make ends meet. Said message to give people hope that their country believes of them as much as they believe of the country and give them hope to take care of their families. Just something to help make ends meet to pass the unemployed in insurance extension with that i will turn over to our point person on the budget committee. I joline to welcome you to maryland off to a great start what specific actions we can take to make sure the economy works for all americans. That is the subject to have the economy to work for everybody we have to reform the broken tax code that is too many places is rigged to help powerful special interest and folks at the very high end of the income scale and a case in point our the provisions that acreage big corporations to ship american jobs overseas. American products, not jobs. Other provisions of the tax code that encourage big corporations rather than having those funds invested here with american jobs. We will push has the president outlined to a tax code that works for everybody much as powerful special interest to be sure we encourage investment United States with all sorts to modernize our infrastructure that helps to put more americans back to work period we hope our republican colleagues will join us in that effort. I will turn it over to steve israel who tries to make sure we build the economy that works for everybody. Thank you. What you have heard from my colleagues cover rising wages, pay equity for women, a fair tax code code, Immigration Reform the fundamental differences of the United States congress right now. Whose side are you on . And every one of those issues of rising wages Immigration Reform of fair tax code whose side are you on in california today i will add one of the most liberal republicans in congress decided he was on the wrong side to jump ship because he himself knows you cannot continue to defend the indefensible or the wrong priorities. And to the wrong values. Having you very much. With a summary of your remarks shows your approach to the president s initiative what do you oppose them what to expect to hear on friday . I think the characterization we were not talking about president obama is initiative but came up and bacchus i said that in its present form is unacceptable to me and i have worked with many colleagues to find Common Ground but in the present form it is unacceptable. But it is not a rejection of the president s trade agenda but a rejection of the current form of the camp baccus. But the trade issue is very important because the party of john f. Kennedy, a free trade, fair trade we believe the Global Economy is here tuesday and we want to export products overseas. We have the tax code right now that the wards businesses that sense jobs overseas. That has to be reversed to reward businesses that create jobs in the United States. It is all a very much a part of the economy that works for all americans. Something my colleagues are saying, let mr. Israel was talking about we see what the president said in his speech to an opportunity agenda. We have long seen an opportunity gap in our country and we have to do what we can to close the gap. One of the approaches is we understand the American People are not fully participating in the prosperity sub are enjoying in the country or any part of it. We interesting and the republicans are in different to those to be raised of the battle of wage and to beat an extension the list goes on. Do any colleagues want to say anything . Vivid you have been known to give a prediction of things what is the likelihood of the democrats taking back the house . We are here to talk policy but hopefully find Common Ground to focus on the economy to create good paying jobs in a bipartisan way. If republicans was supported the increase the minimum wage we would rather have that legislative success than the issue of the campaign. Talk about obamacare side up my gosh where they have signed up to what is your reaction . What is the pivotal mark . Are you referencing the Affordable Care act . Yes. [laughter] the Affordable Care act we worked very hard to enact as we talk to a lot of you i said it will get better every month. By the time we get to summer people will say this is helping me, my brother brother, bryce sister, my neighbors and we have evidence of that mentioned in the 3. 3 Million People cover a 1. 1 billion in january alone. This is very important young people in all that the interestrate ages 89 through 34 rose 65 over last month. We think what is happening is what we thought the American People see the benefits of the Affordable Care act with the marketplace with competition to get good benefits and better access. What is the purpose . Period we think it will be a great benefit to and they will see that in the coming months. 3. 40 million over 12. 5 million. With the exchange. Any other questions . It is safe to say most issues there is zero appetite for those to come up under the republican controlled house you said you want to put pressure on to the bill but how is there a specific strategy . Said. Guest obama to do more . As you indicate to everything that we talk about is in over 70 percent of the people they think we should have comprehensive Immigration Reform. The list goes on. We said the too hot to handle approach public sentiment is everything as Abraham Lincoln said a and the more people dont like camby to have the better off we will be. However yesterday we said over and over we will the support in increase of the debt ceiling unless it is clean we are not negotiating the full faith and credit of United States of america. It took months but yesterdays they finally conceded at least the speaker recognized the harm that would happen to our economy and we got a clean, you know, we are not going away on these issues. We passed minimum wage in the first 100 hours with the majority in 2007. President bush had signed the bill. It is not partisan. Of Unemployment Benefits is a Bipartisan Initiative all along so we are suggesting is not partisan issues but areas where we have bipartisanship in the past and again, we believe the fair thing to do is to understand their challenges minimumwage is not just for a minimumwage earners but for every one that is why people make much more in the minimumwage understand it is good for them to reject the me and into the economy then creates jobs in that way as well it is a stimulus this is february. [laughter] we have spent in session five weeks. The debt ceiling was lifted i dont take the American People by that. Timid americans are suffering they need help of its people who are earning 90 enough even the fast food chain store to increase the minimum wage the president s address that but Congress Needs to do more. He asked the republicans to the democrats to pass a minimumwage increase for the american worker. To help move the country forward to work with colleagues to make that happen but they have to beat us more than halfway. I dont think anyone to the we have discussed those the dont have a chance in heaven to get past. Measures that not only have the task majority but those in the house of representatives would vote for these were asking for achievements to have a vote and most americans would be astonished to go it is not that congress came to get its work done by a conservative a concerted effort to prevent us to put up obstacles to let us vote. Were not insisting they joined us to do what americans want us to do to provide insurance for those who have lost their jobs or providing equal pay for equal work but saying let us vote and of the majority exist, but excellent but dont blockade progress the house of representatives is the peoples house and should not be the graveyard for good ideas. Were not having a theoretical conversation but very specific Actions Congress can take no. These are pieces that are ready to go. They can be acted on today if we have a vote to start changing peoples lives for the better. Rehab the Bipartisan Senate immigration a bill. We want equal pay for equal work we have legislation introduced to make sure you can earn it sicklied to take care of family who is in trouble and not have to the newspaper goodies are concrete actions we will make it clear within 100 hours of a dukakis we will do these specific things with a bb impact. It is important there recognize these are concrete practical steps. Yesterday you said you shared with some concern of the Congressional Black Caucus in judicial appointments coming from the white house so can you expand on that . And let us know what appointments you would like to see moving forward. What i said is i was an agreement with the Congressional Black Caucus we the diversity of the bench and the problem in the United State Senate deferring to each senator in each state if they did not support diversity we would not get it and i said i agreed. As a matter of fact i had a talk briefly with senator reids chief of staff who ask about my sentiment. But let me differ to the assistant leader of the black caucus because he has been involved in those discussions. Yes i have. Our concerns if you look at the list of possible judges would have not been acted on, about 13 or africanamerican. We believe these are people who come with sterling credentials but because of the process that we have have, too many senators from various state are refusing to return the blue slip so theyre out in the bow so we have asked the senators the fact that for two years because they did not allow their names to move forward these people would be approved if they were allowed to have a vote. Is not fair to have a process that will not allow the full senate to vote on these nominations. For everybody you express his concerns it is very important to america. [laughter] if i may just say there is a lot of people out in the cold literally and figuratively because of the employer insurance. We dont want the republicans to be in different so far it looks the way they are lets hope they prove us wrong but they q for coming out in the cold to be with us and we hope we can stay in close touch over 48 hours a you can see how excited we are about coming together. Thank you again. [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] Caitlin Hueyburns the congressional reporter with real clear politics and. Com joins us. You right after a dramatic vote in the u. S. Senate acheson bill to lift the debt ceiling for one and a year now heads to the president s desk. What made a dramatic . Guest we do eventually the up bill would probably pass but in the senate there are procedural hurdles requiring a 60 vote threshold to move to final passage. Sometimes they can work out a deal that it just requires a majority vote but senator cruz foist against using that threshold moving for the us 60 bow to move of the bill that would require at least five republican senators to put their necks out of blind that politically hurtful to them. It was dramatic in a way we did not know how many or which senators would vote to move forward with this bill. What is most surprising is Minority Leader Mitch Mcconnell who was soon the reelection side with a primary challenge was one of those that voted to proceed with the bill. Of course, he is the leader of the republicans for the senate and boehner earlier this week did the same thing. Host what do g. O. P. Leadership do to get the votes needed to pass . Guest they talked about it during the Conference Meeting earlier today on the senate side. Basically mcconnell and other Republican Leaders and senators decided to voice support moving forward with the bill which gave the 60 vote majority threshold that they needed. The vote on the cloture motion was 67 boating to proceed the final passage was on party lines all democrats supporting the rays and all republicans against it. Host you sent a tweet that standing next to mcconnell coal mcconnell a switch their votes to yes shedding cover for the g. O. P. Leader. What reaction has there been to the yes vote . Guest a little bit of surprise but this is something leadership does and typically should do but the politics of the Midterm Election in here especially for rich mcconnell and controller of this and that is at stake they have a chance to take control of the senate this was surprising as it was politically harmful. It was rick workable to watch a handful of other republican senators joined with the leader to provide cover as well. I would just point out for clarification this is the motion to proceed with the bill all were voting against final passage but that procedural vote is key to get them over the finish line. Host with the house passing the bill first and now the senate what does this mean for conservatives in both chambers . Guest conservative outside groups are very vocal in opposition. They have been vocal in the past and have been pushing boehner to attach something that addresses the debt. The House Speaker exhausted all different kinds of options and policy additions to the bill and decided going with a clean bill plante be the best for the party considering they took a big hit during the government shut down with previous battles to get the issue behind them to focus on items that unite the party like jobs the end of the economy and revision to Health Care Reform bill so outsiders will continue to voice opposition and criticize the speaker but within the chamber itself there did not seem to be wide opposition to the way seems panned out. We are not seen conservatives rise up to revolt against the speaker or a minority leader as we have seen in the past. Host and denied the congressional reporter with real clear politics. Com. Figure. Washington journal continues. Host we want to welcome back to the host welcome back to the table democrat of illinois, the immigration is the topic of the lead paragraph today story online says hope for Immigration Reform is all but dead. 47 that is the to 247th over jury. That is what the press likes to do. Host you do not believe it is that. Guest Speaker Boehner said it is hard. Welcome to my world. We know it is hard, but we welcome you to this debate and to getting it resolved. It is going to be hard to get it done this year. We did not say could not be done this year. It, thes face politicians in washington, d. C. , do not really dictate when things get done. And when they begin, that is better said that way. The immigrant community is continuing to push forward. It is not that by a longshot it is not a long dead by a long shot. Host and that is the headline, immigration activists threaten payback. What does that mean . Guest it is not rocket science. Take mitt romney. He got 60 of the white vote and lost. Why . Vote, 20 of the black of the latino vote, 15 of the asian vote you cannot have those kinds of numbers because among women voters if the Republican Party is going to continue to be a party that says ofto large growing sectors the electoral population in the United States, they are going to be a party of provinces and counties, and a few states, there will never be a National Party again. Somebody wrote, doing an analysis, look at the last six elections, at the states the democrats have won, and they came up with 243 electoral votes, and what is trendy nationally is that the trend will be four more states to look more like those 243. It only takes 270 two when the present and democrats residency, and democrats seem to start with 90 . Int you predicted a blowout 2016 if immigration is not pass. Are up that night, you will go home early. It will be a blowout. Last election cycle, they tried to play out the drama a little bit more. It was 10 00, and it was over. It will be earlier. The top,you said at House Speaker john boehner said it is hard, not that it would not happen. What did you make of the principles the Republican Party put forth after they had their retreat last week . I want to first say that not only did i respond pelosi,ly, but leader the president of the United States, acrosstheboard, there was a sense that you are headed in the right direction. This is a set of principles that we ca