DPCC Co-Chair Bustos: Democrats Are Fighting For the People

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WASHINGTON, DC – Congresswoman Cheri Bustos, Co-Chair of the House Democratic Policy and Communications Committee (DPCC), appeared on Morning Joe on MSNBC to discuss how Democrats are fighting for the people to lower health care costs, increase wages by rebuilding America and clean up corruption in Washington. Below are excerpts from the interview. Click here to watch the video.

"Oh gosh, it's a little early to say that it's a better NAFTA. I think there's two signs that are promising. First of all, I come from farm country and the fact that there is an agreement worked out on milk and how we can trade better with Canada on milk and I think the other component, non ag-related, but the $16 an hour minimum wage for the autoworkers out of Mexico. Hopefully that will bring the standard of living up for folks there. But I think it's way too early to tell. I didn't read the whole agreement. I just woke up this morning and saw that it had been signed. Here's the thing, on any trade agreement, I want to make sure that our farmers will be in good shape, but also our workers. I have 90,000 labor households in the congressional district I serve in central and western and northern Illinois and want to make sure that in the end those kind of jobs are protected as well. We've got a United Auto Workers plant right outside my congressional district, the world headquarters of John Deere is in Moline, Illinois, which is where I live, and then we also have the birthplace of Caterpillar – so that is very, very important to make sure that we are looking out for everyday workers, hardworking men and women and not just regions like mine in Illinois but all over the country.

"I'm focused I would say probably 99.9% of my time making sure that we do win back the majority because we have so much at stake. It's an honor to be able to serve in the majority. And I think what my colleagues saw when they were electing the Co-Chairs of the Policy and Communications Committee is I come from a Donald Trump district. There's only 13 Democrats in all of the U.S. House of Representatives who come from a district that Donald Trump won. And I also won by 20 points. So it was the largest margin of any Democrat in a Trump district also. So my goal should we win back the majority – and I hope the American public will put their faith back in us again so that happens – is to run for a higher level position. Right now my plan is to run for the Assistant Democratic Leader position that in the whole rank of leadership, that's the number four in that. The voice that I hope to bring to that leadership table as we move forward is it's not enough just to win back the majority – which again we've got to stay focused on - but we've got to keep the majority. That's the kind of experience that I hope that my colleagues would say that I could bring to the leadership table, making sure we are smart in the two years that would lead up to 2020 and keep the majority after that.

"That we're fighting for the people and it's a clear contrast between what we're fighting for and what the other side is fighting for. You look at the Republicans and it's you know of the rich, by the powerful, for the lobbyists.

"I don't know if it's a sharp edge, but we have the policies to back that up – we know that. Hey look when I go home and walk the supermarket aisles and talk to everyday people – and I'm not talking about folks who vote Democratic in every election or Republican or they may be Independents or maybe never vote - they want us to know, they want Democrats to know or anybody in Congress to know [one] what are we going to do to bring down the cost health care? [two] what are we going to do to rebuild America? Because believe me when you've got a 7,000 square mile district, you are dodging potholes everywhere you turn, you're seeing the side of roads crumbling. When I'm in a place like New York today, you know how hard it is that commute - [so] what are we going to do to rebuild America, and [three] maybe most importantly what are we going to do to clean up this mess in Washington, make sure that we don't have so many folks who are self-dealing? We've got to address the corruption before we can get into the real policies. Donny, I know that's not like overly sexy, so to speak, but those are the things that people want us to work on."