The next is a transcript of an interview with Democratic Rep. Pete Aguilar of California that aired Sunday, Dec. 4, 2022, on "Face the Nation."
MARGARET BRENNAN: We're joined now by California congressman Pete Aguilar, the brand new quantity three Democrat within the Home. Good to have you ever right here. You're the highest rating Latino in congressional historical past. That's historic on this new job. It is generational shift for Democrats in January. However as you go into the minority, you even have much less skilled management. What does that imply? As a result of that is going to be a knife combat over the following two years with Republicans?
REP. PETE AGUILAR: Nicely, initially, simply how far we have come. And it is not misplaced on me the importance of of being on this chair at this second, with Hakeem Jeffries and Katherine Clark. However we're additionally going to be benefiting from the management of Jim Clyburn on the management desk. And, and Nancy Pelosi and Steny Hoyer can be members of Congress. So we will proceed to do what's proper for the American public. That is - that is our primary message.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We will speak substance in a second. Stick with us. We've got to pay the payments with this industrial break. One second.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MARGARET BRENNAN: Welcome again to Face The Nation. We wish to proceed our dialog with California congressman Pete Aguilar. I needed to minimize you off. I apologize for that. I wish to choose up the place we left off. You are actually ending up this lame duck session earlier than you progress into this management position. We're seeing the main focus actually simply being on retaining the federal government funded. As a part of that, will you have the ability to put within the tons of of hundreds of thousands of dollars that so many mayors are asking for to shore up border safety within the subsequent few weeks. You are from California. So numerous California mayors wrote this letter this previous week.
AGUILAR: I am not acquainted with the letter. I am a member of the Homeland Safety appropriations committee, although, I can let you know, these are conversations that we proceed to have with our Republican colleagues each yr as a part of the common order of the appropriations course of. The primary purpose is to fund authorities. And we will need to depend on cheap Republicans to assist us do this, as a result of a lot is at stake. Simply in your section earlier, Mike Turner talked concerning the Ukraine funding, and I respect his willingness to satisfy us and to speak concerning the significance of Ukraine funding. However there are such a lot of Republicans who're tied to this MAGA extremism who're speaking about placing situations on Ukrainian help. We will not have that. That is the explanation why we have now to have cheap budgets. And an necessary level of why we have now to have this time proper now we have to have authorities funding. And we look ahead to working with Republicans to get that finished.
MARGARET BRENNAN: This particular request was for $500 million for FEMA and $300 million for humanitarian help due to this concern about Title 42 lifting on the finish of this month. You do not know –
(CROSSTALK)
AGUILAR: We have to do every little thing we will to be sure that our border communities are taken care of. We had to do this beforehand. And we respect the Administration and Homeland Safety are doing every little thing that they will to provide humanitarian aids and grants to these communities to be sure that they might deal - cope with these results. It is necessary for us, there are such a lot of ways in which we will be useful. And on the heels of the Trump administration separating kids from mother and father, we respect the Biden administration coming in and being so considerate about how they do that, however it should it should be a course of. And we look ahead to working with our native authorities and state allies to do it.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So additionally within the lame duck, you might be persevering with to serve on this January 6 Committee, which is coming to an finish on the finish of the month. Your colleague Zoe Lofgren was on this program just a few weeks in the past, and she or he mentioned "all of the proof for good or in poor health" can be out inside the month. When? How? When will we all know while you've come to a conclusion?
AGUILAR: Nicely, I am not going to get in entrance of Zoe Lofgren if she needs to let you know that. However I can let you know that Chairman Bennie Thompson, Vice Chair, Liz Cheney, we're all dedicated to the transparency of this course of, to placing out a fulsome report that talks concerning the details and circumstances about what occurred on January 6. And Zoe Lofgren additionally talked, has talked about and Adam Kinzinger has talked about, there are necessary issues that we have now realized alongside the way in which, inside January 6, that we really feel needs to be shared to the American public. And so we will do this - we will do it in a considerate manner. Members are working each day modifying and looking out on the paperwork that we are going to be placing out in accordance with Home guidelines. We're preserving the necessary paperwork, and we will be clear about this course of. The American public will see a full report.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Okay. Will the Justice Division get all of the underlying paperwork Merrick Garland mentioned at a press release- at a press convention earlier within the week that they'd wish to pay money for your proof.
REP. AGUILAR: We look ahead to the Division of Justice and the American public seeing all the work that we have now finished, and that features transcripts and paperwork.
MARGARET BRENNAN: When?
AGUILAR: Quickly. Very quickly, Margaret, and I feel within the subsequent couple of weeks, however clearly our- our committee ends on January 2, and so we will do that this month and put this data out.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Do you personally imagine that at this level there's sufficient proof to ship a legal referral to the Justice Division relating to the previous president?
AGUILAR: I am not going to get forward of what our report might or might not say.
(CROSSTALK)
MARGARET BRENNAN: Congressman Schiff and Cheney have mentioned that.
AGUILAR: Yeah - I feel I feel the proof is fairly clear. I feel we laid out a case to the American public, who's accountable, who's primarily liable for whipping up that crowd sending them to the Capitol, and other people's lives being endangered and Capitol cops dropping their lives. I feel it is fairly clear, primarily based on the proof, primarily based on the hearings that we have finished, who was accountable. However proper now we're to the purpose, we have now a few weeks remaining right here. And we will have extra to say the committee goes to have extra to say on this by way of our paperwork and thru our public releases. So I do not wish to get forward of that.
MARGARET BRENNAN: The probably incoming Speaker of the Home, Kevin McCarthy has vowed to carry hearings about why the Capitol Complicated wasn't safe on January 6, and he has faulted your committee for not focusing sufficient on this. How do you reply to that query of why there is not extra of a concentrate on safety breakdowns?
AGUILAR: If and when that particular person turns into the attainable Speaker and might rely the votes to get there. I've my - I've my doubts. We stand prepared for anyone to face the check of time and to have a look at the historical past of the paperwork of what we have put ahead. However we're speaking about safety, we're speaking about what occurred that day. I feel that what's occurring is Kevin McCarthy has to do something he can to appease the MAGA extremists inside his occasion. He is making an attempt to rely to 218. If which means sending subpoenas to the committee members, if which means being powerful to committee members, that is what he has to do proper now as a result of he is virtually auctioning off actual property within the Capitol with a view to safe the votes.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Nicely, he's additionally one of many those who your committee has requested to come back communicate and share data . He has refused to take action. Jim Jordan, additionally probably in a management position has refused to take action. What penalties do you suppose there needs to be? Ought to there be legal referrals? I do not even know if you are able to do that. Are you able to?
AGUILAR: No, that is not our, that is not our intent. What we needed to put out to the American public is that these people, Jim Jordan, and Kevin McCarthy are truth witnesses to the occasions that occur. They talked to the president a number of occasions on that day. There's data that they will share. There's data that they shared on nationwide TV and to their very own colleagues in that second. The truth that they do not wish to share it to us so we will put collectively a fulsome report simply exhibits that they are not unbiased. And in order that's why there's slightly smirk while you requested me about Kevin McCarthy and January 6, as a result of he is somebody who hasn't been fully trustworthy about what he is aware of and what occurred that day.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Congressman, congratulations on the historic achievement. I do know you mentioned it means rather a lot for your loved ones and for folks again dwelling. And I do wish to acknowledge being the primary is an enormous deal.
AGUILAR: Thanks a lot. I respect it, Margaret.