03/10/23 03/10/23 [captioning made possiblby democracy now!] amy: from new york, this is democracy now! >> the chinese people have every right to ask why does u.s. talk at length about solitary -- sovereignty. why does he was asked china not to provide weapons to russia while i keep selling arms to taiwan?

amy: is the chinese parliament unanimously voted to give xi jinping a third five-year term as president, tensions continue to escalate between the united states and china in part over taiwan. we will speak with alfred mccoy. the progressive congress number barbara lee was the sole vote against militaryction in the da after 91. now e is runng for t u.s. nate. >> did notuit when refuse to givthe psident cpletely unlimited wapowers after september 11. and in the statef couless ath thres, i washe onlyo vote. i did not quit then and i won't put now. amy: if elected, she would be just the third black woman to serve in the senate's 233-year history. we will speak with her about president biden's proposed

budget that would increase military spending. she has introduced the people over pentagon act to cut $100 billion from the military budget and reallocate funds to overlook priorities like health care and education. all that and more, coming up. welcome to democracy now!, democracynow.org, the war and peace report. i'm amy goodman. president biden has unveiled his budget for the fiscal year. the plan would begin the process of trimming $3 trillion from the federal deficit over the next decade by raising taxes on corporations and the wealthy and allowing medicare to negotiate drug prices. biden's budget also includes a

request for record shattering 800 $86 billion in military spending. republican speaker kevin mccarthy has signaled the budget will be dead on arrival on capitol hill. house republicans have yet to unveil their own budget but says he is prepared to negotiate with speaker mccarthy at any time. u.s. defen secretary lloyd austin met with israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu and other leaders in israel thursday where he called for an independent judiciary and for de-escalating tensions with palestine, while reiterating the u.s.'s deep commitment to israel's security. >> united states remains opposed to any acts that could trigger any more insecurity, including settlement expansion and inflammatory rhetoric. and we are especially disturbed by violence by settlers against palestinians. amy: secretary austin also said he believed diplomacy was the best strategy when it comes to iran and nuclear weapons.

israel has openly backed military action against iran. austin's visit comes in the backdrop of intensifying violence. earlier today in the occupied west bank, an israeli settler shot dead a palestinian man near an illegal settlement outside the city of qalqilya. separately, israeli forces raided the town of nilin near ramallah overnight. they arrested relatives of a hamas gunmen and ordering the destruction of his family's home. at least 79 palestinians have been killed so far this year by military forces. the u.n.'s humanitarian coordinator for syria has condemned an airstrike by israel on aleppo international airport earlier this week, which forced it to shut down, complicating humanitarian relief efforts as syrians reel from last month's devastating earthquake in the region. here in the uned states, a legislative push to end u.s. military interference in syria through a war powers resolution was voted down wednesday.

the latest effort was led by republican congressman matt gaetz and supported by a bipartisan mix of progressives and far-right lawmakers. in beijing, the communist party-controlled legislature confirmed xi jinping's historic third term as china's president. this comes amid growing tensions with the u.s., including over the issue of taiwanese autonomy. we'll have more on this after headlines with historian alfred mccoy. in the democratic republic of congo, at least 36 civilians were killed overnight wednesday in an attack blamed on rebels with the allied democratic forces. the killings took place in two villages in a part of the eastern drc, near the ugandan border where congolese and ugandan forces are fighting rebel groups. in germany, eight people were killed and dozens more injured thursday evening as a gunman opened fire on a jehovah's witnesses congregation in the city of hamburg. authorities say the shooter who finally turned the gun on himself after the massacre was a

former member of the group. this is the fourth known mass shooting in germany since 2020. here in the united states, the gun violence archive has reported 105 mass shootingo far in 2023. in west virginia, an empty coal train jumped its tracks and caught fire in the community of sandstone on wednesday, injuring three workers and spilling diesel fuel into one of north erica's oldest rivers. a day later, a norfolk southern freight train derailed in alabama 80 miles northeast of birmingham. local officials said no hazardous materials were involved in the crash. it was the third derailment of a norfolk southern train in the u.s. since february and came as the company's ceo alan shaw testified to the senate's environment and public works committee. shaw apologized for the derailment on february 3, which blanketed the town of east palestine, ohio, with a toxic brew of spilled chemicals and gases. but shaw refused to commit to ending a profit-maximization scheme known as

precision-scheduled railroading. unions say the practice involves staff cuts, running fewer trains with larger loads, and shortcuts on maintenance. under questioning from vermont senator bernie sanders, the norfolk southern ceo also refused to commit to granting workers seven paid sick days per year. >> will you make that commitment right now to guarantee paid sick days to all of your workers? it is not a reichel demand -- it is not a radical demand. we met that commitment, sir? >> senator, i share your focus on our employees. i will commit to continuing to discuss with them important quality-of-life issues. amy: here in new york, prosecutors have signaled they may soon bring charges against former president donald trump for campaign finance violations and other crimes. on thursday, "the new york times" reported manhattan district attorney alvin bragg invited trump to testify next week before a grand jury that's

been investigating a $130,000 hush money payment trump sent to adult-film actress stormy daniels through an intermediary. in 2018, trump's former personal attorney and fixer michael cohen pleaded guilty to charges of tax evasion, bank fraud, and lying to congress about the hush money payments. cohen says trump directed him to make them through a shell company shortly before the 2016 presidential election. on capitol hill, a spokesperson for mitch mcconnell says the senate minority leader is recovering from a concussion and will remain in a hospital for observation and treatment after he fell and hit his head weesday evening. the 81-year-old kentucky republican sustained the injury at a dinner for the senate leadership fund superpac at the waldorf astoria hotel in washington, d.c., formly the trump international hotel. arkansas republican governor sarah huckabee sanders has signed a law dropping a requirement that employers verify the age of children who apply to jobs. a spokesperson for sanders told

"the washington post" the provision was "burdensome and obsolete." arkansas law allows children as young as 14 to obtain work permits. republican lawmakers in several other states, including iowa and minnesota, have recently advanced similar legislation. this comes after an investigation by "the new york times" exposed the forced labor of unaccompanied migrant children as young as 12 at factories across the united states. to see our interview with the report's author, visit our website democracynow.org. here in new york, uber and lyft drivers declared victory after city regulators granted a pay raise to drivers following a strike campaign. the fare raise by the taxi and limousine commission, announced wednesday, replaces another planned raise that was agreed last year but blocked after a successful legal challenge by uber. last week, new york taxi worrs alliance director bhairavi desai testified to the new york taxi & limousine commission. >> avery date that has passed,

there is a million dollars that were collectively owed to this workforce. a workforce that has had to pay for every single penny of operating expenses. uber and lyft do not have to pay a dime. a workforce that works not only with economic risk at great risk to their safety and their life every single day. amy: in more news from new york, sheldon thomas, a 35-year-old black man from brooklyn who was wrongfully convicted of murder, has been exonerated and freed from prison after nearly 19 years behind bars. thomas was only 17 when he was arrested and accused of killing a 14-year-old boy in 2004. detectives on the case misled a witness into identifying thomas using a photo of another person with the same name. when the botched identification was brought up in court, the judge said at the time there was still probable cause to arrest thomas because the photo had enough of a resemblance.

thomas was sentenced to 25 years to life. his exoneration follows over two dozen others after new investigations were launched by the brooklyn district attorney's conviction review unit. and in new jersey, a monument honoring abolitionist hero harriet tubman was unveiled in newark thursday, replacing a statue of christopher columbus that was removed in 2020 as racial justice protests erupted nationwide in response to the police murder of george floyd. washington park has been renamed harriet tubman square. among the guests at yesterday's ceremony was rapper queen latifah, who is from newark, and tubman's great-great-great-grandniece, michele jones galvin. >> many call her an american hero and in our family, with some to her as aunt harriet. she is harriet tubman, greatest conductor of the underground railroad.

she said, i recent this out in my mind. there was one up things i had a right to. liberty or death. if i could not have one, i would have the other. no man should take me alive. amy: and those are some of the headlines. this is democracy now!, democracynow.org, the war and peace report. when we come back, the break of war in the pacific, we will speak with history and alfred mccoy about escalating tensions between the united states and china. stay with us. ♪♪ [music break]

amy: this is democracy now!, democracynow.org, the war and peace report. i'm amy goodman in new york, joined by democracy now!'s juan gonzález in chicago. hi, juan. juan: hi, amy. welcome to all of our listeners and viewers from around the country and around the world. the chinese parliament has unanimously voted to give xi jinping a third five-year term as president. today's vote comes just months after china's communist party

formally reelected xi jinping to the party's general secrary for another five years. this comes as tensions continues -- continue to escalate between the united states and china in part over taiwan. on thursday, the u.s. director of national intelligence avril haines told senators that china poses the "most consequential threat" to u.s. national security. >> inbreed the ccp represents both the leading and most consequential threat to u.s. national security and leadership globally and ambitions and capabilities make it for us are most serious and consequential intelligce rival. during the past year, the threat has been additionally complicated by deepening collaboration with russia which also remains an area of obvious intent focus for the intelligence community. when asked if the united states would defend taiwan militarily, haines said --

"i think it is clear to the chinese what our position is based on the president's comments." she was referring to biden's repeated remarks that the u.s. would defend taiwan militarily if china attacked the territory. last week, the biden administration approved $619 million in high-tech arms sales to taiwan, including new missiles for its f-16 fighter jets. china's new foreign minister qin gang recently condemned the u.s. arming of taiwan. >> the chinese people have every right to ask why does he was talk at length about respecting sovereignty and territorial integrity of ukraine while disrespecting china sovereignty and territorial integrity on the taiwan question. why does he was asked china not to provide weapons to russia while he keeps selling arms to taiwan? amy: to look more at u.s.-china relations and the rising tensions over taiwan, we are

joined by alfred mccoy, history professor at the university of wisconsin-madison. his most recent book is titled "to govern the globe: world orders and catastrophic change." his new piece for tomdispatch is headlined "at the brink of war in the pacific?" professor mccoy, welcome back to democracy now! let's put that question to you. is the u.s. at the brink of war in the pacific with china? >> good morning. we are edging ever closer to that brink, yes. history teaches us one thing. as was said referring to august 14, try to expand have great powers fought a war that nobody one, world war i, basically what she found is by preparing for war, the powers -- they increase the probability that war would

come. from the very apex of power both aging and washington all the wa down the chain of command, both powers are preparing for war. the leaders are making statements and the commanders are falling in line with preparations for war. that greatly increases the probability of conflict raking out. -- breaking out. juan: in terms of this whole issue we are seeing it pretrade repeatedly in the u.s. -- portrayed repeat leak in the u.s. press as china as the rising aggressive power in the world. i confess i have a lot of problems understanding this when you look at the record -- from what i can tell, the last times china's military went outside its borders were back in the 1950's and 1960's and there was korea, a brief war in 1962 india , 1979 border war with vietnam that china participated in.

meanwhile, since that time, by my count, the united states invaded grenada in 1983, in 1990, panama, in 1991, the first gulf war, in 1999, the attack of the air war on serbia, in 2001 come afghanistan. 2003, iraq. the libya bombings, u.s. intervention in syria. so how is china being portrayed by our media and by the western powers as the aggressive power in the world these days? >> united states has been the dominant power in the world for 75 years. for the past 30 years, essentially the world's sole superpower. from that perspective, any challenge is a serious challenge. kind is the first power that has become capable of mounting that

challenge. that process of u.s. hegemony, the fact that taiwan is serious, one of the keys to the global power has been what the chinese call the first silent chain, we call it the pacific literal. start of the cold war in the 1950's. the united states had five mutual security agreements starting in japan going through south korea, taiwan, the philippines, and australia. that is the fulcrum of u.s. global power enabling the united states to defend one continent -- north america -- and dominate another -- eurasia. apart from everything else, the loss of taiwan would break that geopolitical chain that is the fulcrum for u.s. global defense. and threaten to push the united states back to what is called the second island chain, essentially, running from japan through guam and further south.

from a geopolitical perspective, china represents both the sheer size of its military come the second largest come the size of its economy, by many estimations now the world's largest -- a major threat, the first real threat he was global power in over 30 years. juan: but hasn't the united states to a large degree basically helped the enormous economic develop an of china by all of the u.s. companies that made kind of the manufacturing center of the world come invested there, and build their factories there, and used the cheap product of china to keep providing a better standard of living for people in the west? >> the chinese have done it themselves. but what the united states has done is admitted china as a full member of the global economy. look, when the history of the

american empire is written and scholars try and find some of the key decisions that americans made, american leaders made that doomed he was in part to defeat, one of these -- one will focus on his back in 2001, there was a bipartisan decision by leaders of both republican and democratic already to admit china to the wto. this was essentially an organization that mediated trade between comparable, industrial powers. for the first time this enormous developing nation was admitted to the world trade organization as a full trading partner and they then used it like pac-man to gobble up the worlds industry and now china is the world's premier industrial power with twice the industrial capacity of the united states, larger than any other industrial in the planet will stop at the time it was done, washington, and

supreme active hubris,. china would play the global game by americans clearly written rules, that they would become a nice complaint, cuddly big panda bear china. our nice little toy that would reduce our toys from our economy -- produce our toys from our economy at war prices. china's argue blue the world's most powerful empire throughout history -- arguably the world's most powerful empire throughout history. amy: we want to address what has happened over the last few weeks with these extremely blunt statements of china. the chinese president xi directly accused the united states of suppressing china's development what the wall street journal described as "unusually blunt rebuke of u.s. policy." she said -- xi said --

"western countries -- led by the u.s. -- have implemented all-round containment, encirclement and suppression against us, bringing unprecedentedly severe challenges to our country's development." xi's comments came just days after the chinese foreign ministry issued a nearly 4000 word report condemning u.s. foreign policy since the end of world war ii. the chinese foreign ministry's report began -- "since becoming the world's most powerful country after the two world wars and the cold war, the united states has acted more boldly to interfere in the internal affairs of other countries, pursue, maintain and abuse hegemony, advance subversion and infiltration, and willfully wage wars, bringing harm to the international community." the chinese foreign ministry went on to say about the united states -- "it has overstretched the concept of national security, abused export controls and forced unilateral sanctions upon others. it has taken a selective approach to international law and rules, utilizing or discarding them as it sees fit, and has sought to impose rules that serve its own interests in

the name of upholding a 'rules-based international order.'" so there is a lot there. the new foreign minister come to foreign ministry statement, xi himself now saying they're going to increase their military budget by something like 7% this year. talk about this change and how you see this playing out. >> we have not seen anti-american rhetoric coming from beijing really since the early 1960's. during the cuban missile crisis of 1962, china wanted russia to launch nuclear strikes on the united states from its missile installation to cuba. and that was one of the contracting factors, among many, to the final rupture between china and russia that caused the split. we have not seen rhetoric like

this in 60 years. ever since the united states recognize china in 1969 diplomatically, generally the rhetoric has been very polite and circumscribed. this is part of the rising tensions over taiwan. in many ways when you unpack most of those chinese statements, what you find is what they're really talking about is the u.s. is challenging china's claim to taiwan as been part of the chinese state. indeed, president biden and one of his statements last year -- i think probably the most provocative statement -- said taiwan alone should determine its independence. and that was a fundamental rupture on what is been known as the one china policy. it has been bipartisan u.s. policy under republican and

democratic presidencies, all were posted taiwan independence. they said there is one china -- the qualifier in that was the united states did not want to resolve the issue by force. united states -- every american president since the recognition of china over 40 years ago, has been consistent stop taiwan is a partner china. there is one china. president biden statement that taiwan should determine its own independence is a real rupture, a real break of that bipartisan foreign policy. china has responded in kind. last october at the 20th party of congress, xi jinping made a phenomenal statement. he said the wheels are turning to reunify taiwan with china. what he was referring to was

these forces that inevitably mean that taiwan will become integrated with china. and as a political philosopher told us, would authoritarian states like china speak in terms of inevitability, that is when they're capable of waging -- conducting unspeakable atrocities, mass murders, or plunging into unwinnable wars. on both sides we are seeing very sharp rhetoric that is part of that process of preparing united states and china for war over taiwan. juan: if such a war were to break out, i am wondering your sense of the reaction other parts of the world, especially the global south, in view of the enormous expenditures china has made in his filtered wrote

initiative, and countries throughout africa, latin america, ind, other parts of the world, what -- how would the global south respond? >> first of all, it would depend on the way the war broke out. there are number of thing takes -- think tanks stop one scenario is china would simply impose a customs blockade saying this is our sovereign territory and that nobody can sell directly to taiwan, yet a call first by aircraft or ship, some similar pronouncement, and then ring the island with ships and some marines and aircraft just to block off commute occasion. if that were to happen, china could do that quickly come and a matter of hours. that means the united states in order to break that blockade would have to mobilize its

fleets and sale and attack the chinese ships, sailing what they claim to be their own territorial waters. that would mean the united states is attacking china. we would under those circumstances, no matter what we would say, to the world we would look like an aggressor, that we are attacking chinese ships, surrounding taiwan and chinese territorial waters. right from the start we would be seen as the aggressor. we would probably cure your up with us under the nato alliance, it would be very difficult diplomatically for the united states. by contrast, if the other most extreme scenario is china launches a lightning massive invasion across the taiwan strait. china has the world's largest navy step they have ample capacity for such operation.

capacity increases every day. some scenarios, taiwan defense probably has about three or four days in it to kind of resist this attack. china has over 2000 aircraft, taiwan has about 270. amy: we have 30 seconds. >> basically what would happen in a war like that, china, if it went their way, they would capture taiwan before the united states fleet could arrive from honolulu and in that case united states would again be the aggressor, look like we are attacking china. and we might pace international condemnation for doing that. amy: alfred mccoy, history professor at the university of wisconsin-madison. his most recent book is titled "to govern the globe: world orders and catastrophic change." we will link to your new piece

for tomdispatch headlined "at the brink of war in the pacific?" next up, we speak with congressmember barbara lee. she was the sole vote against military action in the days after 9/11. now she is running for the u.s. senate. back in 30 seconds. ♪♪ [music break] amy: this is democracy now!, democracynow.org, the war and peace report. i'm amy goodman with juan gonzalez. president biden announced his proposed $6.8 trillion budget

plan wednesday that would increase military spending while also introducing new social programs, reducing future budget deficits, and reigniting debate in the divided congress on raising the debt limit. this comes after our next guest, democratic congressmember barbara lee, co-chair of the defense spending reduction caucus, introduced the people over pentagon act to cut $100 billion from the defense budget and reallocate funds to overlooked priorities like health care and education. this week, congressmember lee welcomed the passage of legislation to repeal the 2002 and 1991 authorizations for the use of military force out of the senate foreign relations committee, tweeting they had "marked up a bill to finally repeal the iraq war authorizations -- a moment i've been working towards for 20 years." senate majority leader charles schumer set it is his hope to bring the legislation to a vote on the floor by early next month. it was september 14, 2001, three

days after the 9/11 attacks, when congress held a five-hour debate on whether to grant the president expansive powers to use military force in retaliation for the attacks, which had passed in the senate by a vote of 98-0. congressmember barbara lee, her voice trembling with emotion as she spoke from the house floor, was the sole congressmember to vote no. the final vote, 420-1. >> september 11 change the world. our deepest fears now hot us, yet i am convinced that military action will not prevent further acts of international terrorism against the united states. as we act, let us not to become the people -- evil that we deplore. amy: that was 2001. now congressmember lee is running for senate in california to fill the seat being vacated by longtime senator dianne feinstein. i d notuit whenefused

to ge the psidentomplety lited wa powers after september 11. and in the face of countless ath threats, i washe only no boat. i did not put then and i won't quit now. amy: congressmember lee is the third democrat to run for senator feinstein's seat, along with congressmembers katie porter and adam schiff. if elected, lee would be just the third black woman to serve in the u.s. senate's 233 year history after carol moseley braun and now vice president kamala harris. for more, congressmember lee joins us now. she is a member of the powerful house appropriations committee, former chair of the congressional black caucus, chair emeritus of the progressive caucus, and as a member of the steering and policy, the highest-ranking black woman appointed to house leadership. welcome back to democracy now! this is the first time we are getting to talk to you since

your announcement. why you want to run for the senate and how you would apply your views to what was just presented yesterday, president biden proposing the budget, increasing the weapons budget but also talking about preserving social security? >> thank you so much. it is nice being with you again. first of all, i am running for the united states senate and i intend to win this race. there's so many issues that have noteen addressed in the senate such as, you don't hear the debate around lifting people out of poverty and inequality from many senators at all. in california, we have 20 ma people living below the poverty line. i am running to make sure we have a voice for those people and constituents who are marginalized know that they're being seen and not that i am fighting for an economy that works for everyone, including them. food insecurity. you look at the climate crisis.

you look at the housing crisis that we have in california and throughout the country. i have a lens that is unique. i am a progressive black woman. i have been able to not only stand strong and take on even my party at times, but i've been able to negotiate legislation and to get the job done can away -- job done in a way. i've tried over and over again to get the senate to take this up. i have passed the repeal of the iraq authorization. i went to senator mccain. finally we got it out of the senate foreign relations committee on a bipartisan vote stop president biden issued a statement of administration policies that he would sign it. he said that when i got it off the house floor last year. it takes time.

it is persistence but i intend to be that persistence in the senate and fill some of those gaps that are there. juan: i wanted -- give out your people over the pentagon act -- i wanted to ask you about your people over the pentagon act. billions earmarked for the war in ukraine, why do you feel it is so central to reduce the pentagon budget and utilize those funds more for services to the american people? >> thank you for that question. you know i worked from beloved congressman for 11 years and he chaired the house armedervices committee. we have been trying to reduce defense spending forever. we are making some progress in terms of building support. so many members are afraid of touching the defensive budget. first of all, i don't vote for the national defense authorization act because it has always been excessive.

secondly, a near $100 billion cut just on even touch our national security. a doesn't touch what we need for our troops. we need to invest mo in supporting our troops. many are on food stamps. we need to make sure our domestic priorities are intact and moving forward. that we keep resources here for our own country for food insecurity issues, for homelessness, for all the issues. 100 billion dollars won't even touch it. there is waste, fraud, and abuse that taxpayers have provided to the pentagon that is a scam. we cannot even get the pentagon to be audited. it failed one audit. the taxpayers ought to be concerned about how waste, fraud, and abuse is taking place at the pentagon through this budget. and to introduce an increase of $28 billion?

that is unacceptable to me because we have the resources to enhance and make sure our national security is strong with $858 billion. juan: could you talk about the president's proposed third budget, the size of the pentagon spending increase that you have criticized, what about other aspects of his budget that appealed to you, even understand a lot of it ll not g through the republican-controlled house? >> aspects such as making sure those who are wealthy pay their fair share. over $400,000 a year. i think what the president has done is put forth a budget where he shows how to raise revenue, reduce the deficit the trump administration created as a result of the tax cuts for the wealthy, preserving social security and medicare, making

sure -- i'm on the committee -- the state for an operations committee which funds are development and diplomacy initiative, provided about 11% increase because we have got to do more around the world in terms of development and diplomacy as it relates to global health, women's health. so the budget i think is reasonable. we are julian down on it now to see exactly what it needs -- we are drilling down on it to see what exactly it needs. we are going to fight to make sure the resources of our country go directly to the american people because it is a budget for the people. we are going to look at our funding priorities because the budget is a moral document. it demonstrates where our values are. this budget shows we are fighting for the people. i oppose the defense spending portion of it because i think the pentagon has enough resources. our national security is strong.

the pentagon budget once again is excessive and i think we need to put more resources into our domestic budget. people need to be able to live their lives in a way that they deserve as a american's and nee to be able to economic security. so they don't worry about the future for their children. amy: congressmember barbara lee, if you can talk about this day and age we are in when it comes to reproductive rights. you not only bravely went to the floor over 20 years ago to be the loan vote against military action after 9/11, but you also in terms of bravery came out and talked about, on a very different subject, what happened to you decades ago, growing up in el paso at a time when roe v. wade did not exist, as it doesn't now, and what that meant in your own life and having an

abortion in this country or having to leave this country to have one. and then talk about what it means to be come if you were to win, only the third black woman in u.s. senate history. >> it was very difficult for me to talk aut having an abortion because like it should be now, my mother and i decided it was a personal choice. and then the stigma. it was something i kept to myself. yes, i went to mexico, and back alley -- i will neveforget that because i was terrified because it was illegal. this was way before roe v. wade. it was illegal in the united states. i was in southern california and in san fernando. it was illegal in mexico.

i knew i could die because then black wom were dying from septic abortions disproportionately. i knew i could be put in jail because it was a criminal offense. it was terrifying. it was a terrifying moment for me, for my mother. fast forward to today when the texas decisions and these restrictive laws came do. i felt i had to finally share my stories of people understood they had a member of congress who knows that experience and try to fight to make sure rupert of justice is available reproductive freedom is available for everyone. the fear now i've been criminalized, the fear of not being able to access abortion care and what people need to make their own health care decisions is traumatic. i decided to do that.

as cochair of the pro-choice caucus, i have been fighting since day one to repeal for example the hyde amendment, which was a major step for democrats and republicans to come together on. no one thought we can get our act gone, but i got close to 180 cosponsors, which would repeal the hyde amendment. i have been able to keep it out of the appropriations bills because that is where the hyde amendment takes effect. it is a lifetime struggle, amy. it is something that as a black woman i understand. transitioning to my comments about the senate, the ls of a black woman who has been -- you mention how long it has been, 1780 nine chamoli two african-american women serving a total of0 years. can you imagine the perspective of black women and what it would

do not only to strengthen and provide more focus, providing for policy that would help the black committee, community's of color, this helps our own country. when black women, when we lift these barriers, we're doing this not just for ourselves but for everybody. we are doing it for everyone in this country. black and brown, lgbtq, low income committees, working families. we do this. we help strengthen our countries to make liberty and justice for all real for everyone. that lens, my experience is not in the senate now. i am fighting like you would not believe to win this race. we are raising money online. people who can commit to five dollars a month.

it is a people powered campaign. i look forward to serving in the senate to bring a perspective on every policy that is lacking. juan: i know you only have very little time left, but i wanted to ask if you could briefly in the same vein talk about this resolution that you introduced on intertional women's day with other women members of congress on a feminist foreign policy. what would a feminist foreign policy look like? >> let me give you one example. i have legislation calling for women to be at the table when climate policies are being created. women in vulnerable community's are most impacted by and we have a climate crisis upon us. it is a crisis. women should be at the table on every single foreign policy issue, on every single climate

issue. so i believe highlighting this through my resolution gets the public aware of the fact women are not at the table on so many issues throughout the world. so i'm talking about women in our own country but also women everywhere in the world. the climate crisis is an example. women are most impacted. women and children. it is because of the work they do in their villages and their communities. why shouldn't they be putting their help to develop strategies that will mitigate against the planet earning at this point? amy: barbara lee, we want to thank you for being with us. barbara lee is democratic congressmember from california, member of the house procreation's committee, and ranking member, serves as the cochair of steering committee, former chair of the congressional black caucus, chair emeritus of the progressive caucus, and cochair

of the pro-choice caucus. also serves as chair at the task force on poverty and opportunity. now running for the u.s. senate. thank you so much for being with us. >> nice being with you. thank you. amy: we are going to end the show in texas where five women are suing texas after their denied abortions even as their pregnancies posed serious risk for their health of were not viable. there's a lawsuit. we begin with the president and ceo of the center for reproductive rights introduced amanda zurawski. >> the supreme court reversal of roe v. wade has resulted in a health-care crisis in a states across the nation, including here in the ate of texas. it is now dangerous to be

pregnant in texas. doctors and hospitals are turning patients away, even those in medical emergencies. patients are being denied necessary lifesaving obstetrical care. why? because abortion is a crime in texas, punishable by up to 99 years in prison. what the law is forcing physicians to do is weigh these very real threats of criminal prosecution against the health and well-being of their patients. we filed this lawsuit last night to stop the unnecessary pain, suffering, injury, and life-threatening complications caused by texas' abortion ban. we filed this lawsuit so patients will not be hindered,

delayed, or denied necessary start trickle care, including abortion -- obstetrical care, including abortion. this is the first lawsuit of its kind. it is the first lawsuit in which individual women have sued a state for the harm they endured because abortion care has been criminalized in the wake of roe's reversal. five women have come forward to sue the state of texas in this case. amanda zurawski, lauren miller, lauren hall, anna zargarian, and ashley brandt. each of them suffered severe complications during their pregnancies. these five women are joined in this lawsuit by two obstetricians who can no longer

practice medicine as they were trained because texas abortion bans pose catastrophic risks to their liberties. what we are seeking is a ruling from the court that clearly permits doctors to provide a pregnant patient with abortion care when in the doctor's good faith judgment and in consultation with the patient the doctor determines the patient has a physical emergent edible condition that poses a risk to their life or health. no one should be forced to wait until they are at death's door to receive health care. such a ruling that we are seeking is the correct interpretation of texas' abortion ban. it is also required under the texas constitution, which

protects life, liberty, equality, and the right to be free from sex discrimination. these rights are guaranteed to every texan, and they do not disappear because they are pregnant. right now abortion bans are exposing pregnant people to risks of death, illness, and injury, including the loss of fertility. contrary to the stated purpose of furthering life, abortion ban s are making it less likely that every family who wants to bring a child into the world will able to do so and survive the experience. these women you will hear from today represent only the tip of the iceberg. this is the first lawsuit in the nation, but tragically, it is unlikely to be the last. this lawsuit seeks to rightfully

return the life and death medical decisions to patients and their doctors, and not leave them up to politicians and state officials. now i would like to ask amanda to come to the mic. >> thank you. hello. my name is amanda zurawski i'm here to tell you a little bit about my experience of the texas abortion ban. thank you for being here. indulge me for a moment and close your eyes. picture so many hold incredibly dear. can you see them? good. now imagineomeone telling you that you're going to lose that person in the very near future but they can't tell you exactly when or how. on top of that, there is a very high likelihood that you will get extremely sick, maybe even near death, as you wait for that person you love to die.

sounds like a pretty sick and twisted plot to a dystopian novel, but it is not. it is exactly what happened to me while pregnant in texas. about six months ago, i was thrilled to be cruising to the second trimester of my very first pregnancy. i was carrying our daughter willow, who had finally been conceived after 18 months of grueling fertility treatments. my husband and i were beyond thrilled. and on a sunny august day after i had just finished the invite list for the baby shower my sister was planning for me, everything changed. some unexpected increased symptoms arise and i contacted my obstetrician to be safe and was surprised when i was told to come in as soon as possible. after a brief examination, my husband and i received the harrowing news that i had dilated prematurely due to a

condition known as cervical insufficiency. soon after, i membranes ruptured and we were told by multiple doctors at the loss of our daughter was inevitable. i asked what could be done to ensure the respectful passing of our baby and what to protect me from a deadly infection now that my body was unprotected and vulnerable. i health care team was anguished as they explained there was nothing they could do because of texas' antiabortion laws come the latest of which, by the way, had taken effect two days after my water broke. it meant that even though we would come up with complete certainty, lose willow, my doctor could not intervene as long as her heart was beating or until i was sick enough for the ethics board at the bottom of -- hospital to permit the standard health care i needed at that time. in abortion.

even though i had lost all of my amniotic fluid, something an unborn child simply cannot survive without, we had to wait. i cannot adequately put into words the trauma and despair that comes with waiting to either you lose your own knife, your child's life, or both. for days, i was locked in this bizarre and avoidable hell. would willow's heart stop or would i deteriorate to the brink of death? the answer arrived three very long days later. in a matter minutes, i went from being physically healthy to developing sepsis, condition in which bacteria in the blood develops into infection with the ability to kill in under an hour. i spent the next three days in

the intensive care unit surrounded by my family who booked last minute lights because they feared for my life. i spent another three days in a less critical unit of the hospital all because i was denied access to reasonable health care due to texas' new abortion ban. what i needed was an abortion. a standard medical procedure. any abortion would have prevented the unnecessary harm and suffering that i endured. not only the psychological trauma that came with three days of waiting, but the physical harm my body suffered, the extent of which is still being determined. i needed an abortion to protect my life and to protect the lives of my future babies that i dream and hope i can still have some day. two things i know for sure. the preventable harm inflicted on me will medically make it harder than it already was for me to get pregnant again. the barbaric restrictions are

lawmakers have passed are having real life implications on real people. i may have been one of the first was affected by the overturning of roe in texas, but i'm certainly not the last. more people have been and will continue to be harmed until we do something about it. the people in that building behind me have the power to fix this, yet they have done nothing. in fact, they're currently trying to pass even more restrictive measures. so it is not just for me and for our willow that i stand here before you today, it is for every pregnant person and for everyone who knows and loves a pregnant person. it is with an for allexans who, like me, are scared and outraged at the thought of being pregnant in this state that i stand and fight. thank you. amy: amanda zurawski, when a

five women suing texas after they were denied abortions even when their pregnancies posed serious risks to their health and were nonviable. two doctors are also suing. the case was brought by the center for reproductive rights. they held a news conference in austin, texas.