Congress only has four working days left. Will republicans come together and do their jobs . We are talking to senator, raphael warnock, about why some republicans want to shut it down, and what role the senate can play before time runs out. Plus, i sat down with rap star, quavo, when he came to the Nations Capital this week. How he turned the trauma of witnessing his own nephew getting shot and killed, into activism against gun violence that plagues communities across the country. And, autoworkers expand their strike to plants in 20 states. A contract talks now with two of the big three automakers. How that is likely to impact you, and high stakes for the u. S. Economy. Im symone sanderstownsend, and i have something to say. We are a week away from a government shutdown. The House Of Representatives has gone home. Yeah, yall, the clock is ticking. The pressure is on. But they are getting nothing done. Lets review. Representatives left town after the House Republican majority failed not once but twice to even begin debate on their own military funding bill. Six House Republicans voted against the measure. This was a death blow to any legislation in a majority. Republican objections, largely centered around Government Spending and additional assistance to ukraine. Keep in mind, people, funding is separate from a continuing resolution that would provide the government with short term nondefense funding. Heres what embattled republican speaker, Kevin Mccarthy, told nbc news a few hours ago regarding that floor. Should americans expect a shutdown . No. Listen. Thats on the first. We still have a number of days. Im just an optimistic person. But i think there are few people that want to take it all down. Right . For different reasons. For different reasons. I just do not believe 99. 9 of the republicans want that. Mccarthy expects the next votes to take place on tuesday. Even if mccarthy makes enough concessions to appease his critics in the house, the bill is dead on arrival in the senate. Why . Because republicans are once again trying to draft our Service Members into their culture wars. The latest Defense Appropriations Bill has patched poison pills targeting genderaffirming care. Activities supposedly promoting critical race theory, immigration, and even drag shows. Come on yall. Never mind that the u. S. Military has supported drag shows on a base since world war ii. This week has proven once again that House Republicans cant be relied on to fund the government. The democratic majority leader, chuck schumer, in the senate, is hoping that the senate can pick up the slack. Schumer is taking a procedural step to allow the senate to create a short term stopgap bill. This is if the house doesnt pass something on their own. Heres what the senator said when he announced the move on the floor. We must work in a bipartisan fashion to keep our government open. Avoid a shutdown, and avoid inflicting unnecessary pain on the American People. This action will give the senate the option to do just that. This all comes as the senate is dealing with another shakeup. Several lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are calling for the resignation of democratic senator, bob menendez. The senator and his wife were indicted on bribery charges, Involving Hundreds Of Thousands of dollars in cash, and gifts, on friday. Menendez has temporarily stepped down as chair of the Foreign Affairs committee. While the process unfolds. But, has rejected calls for his resignation. And has promised that he, quote, is not going anywhere. This week is a reminder that even when the stakes are urgent. Congress often moved too slow. On a host of other issues, including Gun Safety Reform. While the Democratic House and Senate Passed a significant Gun Safety Legislation last year, hopes of further progress dont stand much of a chance in this republican house. This week, President Joe Biden announced the office of Gun Violence Prevention. Which aims to offer solutions and support to communities experiencing gun violence. He is joined by democratic congressman, maxwell frost, the youngest member of congress. Frost made waves with the very first bill he introduced this year. A bill to establish an office of Gun Violence Prevention, the office that biden made a reality and an executive order. Joining me now to Talk Congress and beyond, democratic senator from georgia. And everybodys favorite reverent, reverend raphael warnock. Welcome sir. I do think your everybodys favorite reverent. I just think democrats, republicans, all. Everybodys always well with the church. There we go. Before we get to all of the things happening on the hill, and the government shutdown, i do want to ask you about senator bob menendez. The governor of new jersey has called on his resignation, including as well as other State Officials in new jersey. Senator fetterman just a while ago called on his resignation. What about you . Well, listen, those of us who were elected to serve in high office, i see it as a public trust. Its something i take very seriously. We ought to conduct ourselves with integrity. We will watch and see how this plays out. You dont think Senator Menendez should resign at this point . Im squarely focused on the people of georgia. I do think that they are and not smart people in new jersey to figure out who should represent them. All right, lets talk about Senator Schumer. Explain the measure, basically, that Senator Schumer is employing. The house passed a bill to fund the faa. Senator schumer has already did the motion, filed closure to change the language a little bit. And the house does not do their job, this will be the mechanism by which the senate tries to fund the government. Is this going to work . I can tell you this. As i move around the state of georgia, ordinary people scratch their heads. Watching what is unfolding in washington d. C. They are trying to figure out how to take care of their families, how to advance their prosperity, and their wellbeing. I think this chaos that we are witnessing right now, it is just one example of what happens when politicians, center the politics, rather than the people. These folks have clearly decided that they are short term political gains are best served by government shutdown. Theyre somewhat praying for a shutdown, if you will. This is chaos, at a time when people need us to do the peoples work. You know, senator warnock, theres all this recent polling, it tracks public trust in government, do they look at the white house . Members of congress, the supreme court. Just in government across the board is low. Lamar can people out there talking to people in the streets, and communities, we even feel like just elected officials at large arent getting anything done. How are democrats differentiating themselves here . Because when folks to the polling, its everybody in congress its low. Everyone in congress is not getting things done for the American People. Its not just the republicans. Look, there is a kind of suspicion out there, not just in politics, but institutions across the board. I think that this is a moment when we need folks who are focused not just on their games, but focused on the covenant that we have with one another as an American People. I got involved with politics not because im in love with politics. Days like this, i dont like politics very much. But i tolerated because every now and then, you get a chance to do something that is transformational. When i look at the work that we were able to do last congress, im proud of the people of georgia for setting me to represent them. It gave us the narrowest of margins. With that margin, look what we accomplished. We passed the American Rescue plan. And in that piece of legislation, not only did we support our cities, and our Small Businesses in the midst of a pandemic. Weve expanded the child tax credit, something that i think we ought to make permanent. Because it would cut Child Poverty 40 to 50 . What could be more important than that . We passed a border bipartisan infrastructure bill. We passed the largest investment in veterans in a generation. And, we passed the first Gun Safety Bill in 30 years. It is saving lives. But not nearly enough. Thats why my panel discussion, that you were on earlier this week, was focused on this issue. Lets talk about the panel discussion. This is, for folks that dont know, this week is the annual legislative conference. The Congressional Black Caucus foundation. I moderated your panel, it was about gun violence. Quavo was on that panel, a rapper, but someone who has been personally affected by gun violence. Greg jackson was a participant in the panel, as well as congresswoman, lucy mcbath. Now, congress has, i dont think anybodys of the belief that congress is this particular congress, given the house, the dynamics in the house, is going to do anything on gun violence. Do you think the actions from the white house are going to be significant enough to give some relief to communities of color across the country . Im proud of congressman frost, he represents a young generation that is pulling all of us to task on this issue. I joined with several of my colleagues, we sent a letter to the white house urging the president to pull all the levers with his executive authority, that he could help. Im glad to see this first ever white house for office on gun safety. Its significant. The it is a significant move. I look forward to seeing the work that will come out of that. But that doesnt let congress off the hook. That is certainly the point. We need to pass meaningful common sense Gun Safety Legislation. Symone, as divided as the countrys, or as much as we like to talk about how deeply divided the countrys, heres the thing, according to a fox news poll, forgive me for saying that on msnbc. I dont say it often. But they said that 87 of americans believe that we ought to pass something that deals with background checks. Universal background checks. So that is people on the left and the bright. It is quite extraordinary when 87 of americans agree on anything. I mean, that is well above 50 . Yet, we havent been able to get any movement on this in the congress. Ill tell you what that tells us. The folks who are watching ask how is it that we cant get movement on something where theres that much agreement . Its because into many instances, the peoples voices have been squeezed out of their own democracy. Theyve been placed, replaced by dark money. By the outsides impact of these corporate voices, in our politics. Partisan and racial gerrymandering that paralyzes us. It is the reason why im focused on gun safety, to be sure. But in real sense, i think our inability to move so far is indicative of a democracy problem. So we need to pass the freedom to vote act. You said something this week that i want to read for people. You said that for progress on this issue, Gun Safety Reform has to be separated from what do you call cultural war issues. Unpack that for folks. I think that there are folks who are engaged in the politics of division. People who have no vision, traffic weve got to take the Gun Safety Debate out of the culture wars. We ought to at least be able to move on the things around which there is general agreement among americans. Weve got to look at this issue, really, the way weve looked at other safety issues. Why is the gun issue any different than, say, seatbelts, at a different time . Im showing my age now. But i remember growing up as a kid, i had really good responsible parents. I dont know that we wore seatbelts in the 70s. I dont remember hearing that much about car seats. You are younger than me. I was alive in the 70s. Thanks simone. Nowadays, we look back at those times, and were like, how could we . I think that years from now, our children, and our grandchildren are going to look back at these times, and they are going to ask us what were you doing when that this slow rolling tragedy of American Carnage was unfolding . Because this doesnt happen all over the world, in other countries that arent engaged in war. We can do better than this. I was on the floor of the senate when my own shoe children were on lockdown. I remember that, your words on the floor were moving. We here on msnbc played your comments in its entirety. I think it really gripped the nation. But senator, before i let you go, i really want to get your response to what is happening with the United Auto Workers. Theres expanded to strike has come to georgia. Chrysler workers in mauro, georgia, are now on strike. Do you have any plans to join them on the picket line . I am always in solidarity with workers. I resist this idea that somehow youve got to either be pro business or pro worker. Thats a ridiculous divide, in my thinking. We need businesses to thrive. Heres what i think, contrary to those again who engage in these kinds of culture wars. People dont mind working. Stop attacking workers. Stop what they dont mind working. They just want to participate, they want to enjoy some of the prosperity that they are creating for others. They want a livable wage. They want to be able to take care of their families. They want to have health benefits. They want dignity. Otherwise, they are alienated from their work. Im in solidarity with the workers. I understand historically, the power of collective bargaining in this country. And im hopeful that at the end of the day, the folks who are at the head of our big automakers, will make a lot of cars in georgia, by the way, theyre proud of what were doing there. And those who represent labor will be able to come together and stand in a place that makes sense. So in short, in solidarity, want to end the strike. No answer yet though if you are going to the picket line. I am always in solidarity with the workers of georgia. Look, i came to the senate as somebody who comes from an activist tradition. We will see whats necessary. The peoples pastor. Reverend senator, raphael warnock, thank you very much for coming in today. Thank you. Good to be with. You appreciate your time. Folks, up next, President Biden is going to make some labor history next week. The president is planning to walk the picket line in michigan with striking auto workers who have now expanded their striking ways that were more directly impact consumers. We just talked about it with senator warnock. My Political Panel is with me next to dig into what exactly is at stake. But first, our bestie is here. Richard lui, with todays other top news stories. Richard, what is going on out there . Simone, good day to you. Something that were watching for, Tropical Storm ophelia battering north carolina. Soaking rains and powerful winds. The Storm Making Landfall early this morning. Forecasters warn here, a potentially lifethreatening floods in maximum sustains of 70 miles an hour. A filly expected to move into virginia this weekend. Heading to the u. S. Mexico border today, that visit comes after a Border Community declared a oneweek State Of Emergency due to the number of people crossing the border from mexico. The president of honduras will join secretary to discuss the countrys cooperation on this crisis. And former president , jimmy carter, and first lady, rosalynn carter, made a rare appearance in public at the Plains Peanut festival in georgia. This comes as the oldest living former president prepares to turn 99 years old, october 1st. Jimmy carter was famously a Peanut Farmer before he became the countrys 39th president. He entered hospice in february. And rosalynn was diagnosed with dementia in march. More simone for you, after this break. Rsv can severely affect the lungs and lower airways. But im protected with arexvy. Arexvy is a vaccine used to prevent lower Respiratory Disease from rsv in people 60 years and older. 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