Daniella Diaz
Appearances
Pod Save America
Finally, a Podcaster at the Top of the FBI!
I'm great. I'm talking to you from this very unattractive closet right by the house chamber on the house side of the Capitol, the main Capitol building. So I couldn't be better. It's an honor to be here talking to you.
Pod Save America
Finally, a Podcaster at the Top of the FBI!
As of now, he does not have the votes. I'm talking to you, of course, Monday afternoon on Eastern Time on Capitol Hill. The House has not voted yet. They will vote in just a few hours. For the first time this week, they were back in their home districts, House lawmakers, last week. So this will be the first time we see them in person where we'll be able to really ask them a lot of questions.
Pod Save America
Finally, a Podcaster at the Top of the FBI!
And by we, I mean reporters like myself who pepper lawmakers with questions about
Pod Save America
Finally, a Podcaster at the Top of the FBI!
for our jobs that's that's what i do on a daily basis but as of now he has a handful of people on both sides very conservative house republicans who want more spending and moderate republicans who don't want to see cuts to medicaid snap social benefits that their constituents really rely on that have not been guaranteed won't happen in this budget resolution john so
Pod Save America
Finally, a Podcaster at the Top of the FBI!
A lot of dynamics at play right now. And Speaker Mike Johnson has been trying to really weave all of the personalities together to see if he can pass this budget resolution. It does seem like Groundhog Day, though. I feel like every time I talk about what's happening on Capitol Hill, it's that. Speaker Mike Johnson is facing his first real test of his leadership.
Pod Save America
Finally, a Podcaster at the Top of the FBI!
And I would argue this might be his first real test of his leadership. But right now it remains to be seen whether he will be able to pass that budget resolution. Tuesday evening.
Pod Save America
Finally, a Podcaster at the Top of the FBI!
Well, someone like Congresswoman Victoria Sparks, another very conservative member of the conference, is saying that it doesn't go far enough. Of course, Thomas Massey, another staunch conservative, is also against this measure. But another group that we're keeping an eye on that I close I've been talking to closely is the Congressional Hispanic Conference.
Pod Save America
Finally, a Podcaster at the Top of the FBI!
Think of a very small group of Latino lawmakers on Capitol Hill who are Republicans who have their own group, not the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Congress. Could be confused. They're the Democratic group and very influential in that and that side of of the Capitol.
Pod Save America
Finally, a Podcaster at the Top of the FBI!
But they really want assurances from Speaker Mike Johnson that he is not going to cut Medicaid, snap these social benefits that are incredibly important to their constituents. And they're planning to meet with Speaker Mike Johnson, have been having conversations with him to get those assurances to get them to vote for this budget resolution.
Pod Save America
Finally, a Podcaster at the Top of the FBI!
But they're the big group that we have to watch because there's enough of them that could tank this. John, remember, this is a slim majority for Republicans in the House. He can only really afford to lose.
Pod Save America
Finally, a Podcaster at the Top of the FBI!
And by he, I mean Speaker Mike Johnson can only really afford to lose one to two votes depending on absences, depending on which Democrats show up to vote for this federal resolution as well because of that slim majority. So he's really got a tricky situation on his hands.
Pod Save America
Finally, a Podcaster at the Top of the FBI!
You're asking very valid questions. I'm by no means a mathematician, so I'm also asking these types of questions when I'm talking to lawmakers in charge of these decisions. But something to remind you, John, anyone listening to this, is that the Senate has been moving forward with their own plan.
Pod Save America
Finally, a Podcaster at the Top of the FBI!
They are completely disregarding what Trump endorsed last week, the one big, beautiful bill, as we've been seeing that phrase floated over and over again, that massive agenda that would—this budget resolution, which includes— Of course, extending the 2017 tax cuts that Trump enacted in his first administration, border security,
Pod Save America
Finally, a Podcaster at the Top of the FBI!
and cuts to the national deficit and raising the debt ceiling, Republicans, Senate Republicans have said, we're doing our own thing. We have a plan B and we're moving forward with it. They started last week.
Pod Save America
Finally, a Podcaster at the Top of the FBI!
And that's what we call a slimmer budget resolution that does not include tax cuts, but does include defense spending, energy spending, border provisions in a way to try to have Republican wins because they don't think And this is, of course, not my thoughts, what I'm hearing from Senate Republicans, that the House Republicans can get their work together.
Pod Save America
Finally, a Podcaster at the Top of the FBI!
Let's put it that way, that they can't move forward on their own bill that includes everything, encompasses all of Trump's massive agenda. So Senate Republicans are moving forward with this. They still haven't passed it. Well, they had their voterama last week with all their budget resolutions, but now they have to start the work of this bill. That's what I mean when I say that.
Pod Save America
Finally, a Podcaster at the Top of the FBI!
Another thing to keep in mind for anyone listening, this is just the first step of this whole process of a budget reconciliation bill on Capitol Hill. They need to still pass the final version of this bill that hasn't even been written. So that's actually an argument that Speaker Mike Johnson is using with his rank and file members. This is just the beginning. Work with me on this.
Pod Save America
Finally, a Podcaster at the Top of the FBI!
Let's pass this first step so we can start the real work on trying to write this bill. Senate Republicans, of course, moving forward with their own version that doesn't include tax breaks.
Pod Save America
Finally, a Podcaster at the Top of the FBI!
Yeah. And this process isn't something that happens in a week, maybe even in a month. I mean, Speaker Mike Johnson was at an event earlier today talking to a group of conservatives saying, my hope is to get this passed by the first week of April, the final version of this bill. Now, all of us that were listening to him do that interview thought that's really optimistic.
Pod Save America
Finally, a Podcaster at the Top of the FBI!
This is going to be a major uphill climb for him and for Senate Republicans, too, because that is a matter of uniting every single Republican to get behind this bill to pass it. They don't need Democratic votes. As you mentioned, they did this with lots of bills in the Biden administration, you know, Inflation Rejection Act. These bills don't need in that case needed Republican votes.
Pod Save America
Finally, a Podcaster at the Top of the FBI!
In this case, they don't Democratic votes, but it does mean they need every single Republican for the most part. to support it. And we all know there's a lot of personalities in both sides of the Senate and the House Republican conferences.
Pod Save America
Finally, a Podcaster at the Top of the FBI!
This is a major red line for a lot of vulnerable Republicans facing tough reelection campaigns in blue districts and battleground districts. I mean, remember, not every Republican serving in Congress came from a district that is completely red. They have to speak to their constituents, especially these Republicans that I mentioned in the Congressional Hispanic Conference.
Pod Save America
Finally, a Podcaster at the Top of the FBI!
Not all of them are from swing districts, to be clear, but a lot of them represent constituents who rely on these social benefits to get by day to day and who are talking to these members saying, I won't vote for you this next election unless you can guarantee that these won't get cut.
Pod Save America
Finally, a Podcaster at the Top of the FBI!
Those members, of course, being led by Congressman Tony Gonzalez, a Republican who, of course, came from a Trump district in Texas, but represents this group of Republicans who might be facing tough reelections, who want guarantees from leadership that they won't touch these very crucial programs that their constituents need.
Pod Save America
Finally, a Podcaster at the Top of the FBI!
If Johnson can guarantee that that's the case, that they won't get cut, they won't even be touched, which is what these Republicans want promises on, there's a likelihood that they would support this massive budget resolution and passing this massive bill that would, of course, enact Trump's massive agenda. But it depends on whether they can get those assurances, and they haven't gotten them yet.
Pod Save America
Finally, a Podcaster at the Top of the FBI!
I think it's very unlikely, John, because if you know, you and I know this because we love Congress. But well, I assume you love Congress. I love Congress. I love covering.
Pod Save America
Finally, a Podcaster at the Top of the FBI!
There is a handful of House Republicans who have never voted for a CR. And it's always passed with Democratic votes. Now, Democrats won't obviously support a CR based on, you know, all the—I've covered so many CRs, so I'm coming at this from, you know, ground—like, it's almost like a trauma for me at this point to cover another CR being passed on Capitol Hill.
Pod Save America
Finally, a Podcaster at the Top of the FBI!
But they won't support a CR unless they can get something out of the—whatever bill is passed, any— any more additional measures that will benefit Democrats. They're not going to support something that's Republican-led. So Republicans are already starting to paint this as if Democrats aren't going to support us on this issue, then they're the ones that caused a shutdown.
Pod Save America
Finally, a Podcaster at the Top of the FBI!
Meanwhile, there's always a handful of Republicans who don't vote for continuing resolutions, which I should note is funding the government at its current levels for a certain amount of time. So I don't bet anything when it comes to Congress because I've been surprised in the many years that I've been covering this building. You know, they do sometimes come through.
Pod Save America
Finally, a Podcaster at the Top of the FBI!
And by they, I mean both sides, both chambers with solutions. Like, for example, what happened in December when very last minute after Elon Musk tanked in a tweet, in a post on X, the current CR situation one week ahead of the holidays. And then Republicans had to scatter around and really get...
Pod Save America
Finally, a Podcaster at the Top of the FBI!
push forward a CR that they could get behind, that the majority of the Congress could get behind, that Democrats could get behind. It happened. They prevented a shutdown very last minute. I did not see that coming. So it could be another situation like that in just two weeks, however long it is, until March 14th and government funding runs out. But as of now...
Pod Save America
Finally, a Podcaster at the Top of the FBI!
Republicans are Republican appropriators who are in charge of funding levels are blaming Democrats for bad faith negotiations. Democrats appropriators are blaming Republicans for bad faith negotiations. They are at a standstill on these negotiations for government funding. In order to keep the government open at this point, it's probably going to be a CR.
Pod Save America
Finally, a Podcaster at the Top of the FBI!
Democrats are not going to support that without any sort of additional measures attached to it that they can get behind. So this is going to get messy.
Pod Save America
Finally, a Podcaster at the Top of the FBI!
Well, if there's something I can say about Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is he does a really good job, based on the numerous CRs I've covered, of keeping his caucus united when it comes to votes that matter. And while there might be sometimes one or two Democrats that are against him, The overall caucus goal of tanking a vote, passing a vote, he's done a good job of keeping them in line.
Pod Save America
Finally, a Podcaster at the Top of the FBI!
And as of now, a lot of rank and file Democrats are going to take his lead on how he handles this issue. But if you ask Leader Hakeem Jeffries about this, he'll say it's too soon and he wants to see what appropriators come up with as they tend to. have these bills written and on the floor the week of a government shutdown pending.
Pod Save America
Finally, a Podcaster at the Top of the FBI!
So he wants to leave appropriators to figure out how they're going to handle this. When that timeline comes to an end and it's now crunch time to try to fund the government, that's when we see him come forward or behind closed doors, talk to his caucus and say, you got to stay behind me. You have to vote against this bill. We want to see what happens. As you noted, there are always
Pod Save America
Finally, a Podcaster at the Top of the FBI!
more vulnerable House Democrats, blue dogs, Democrats from red districts who have a lot of pressure to vote with Republicans and keep the government open or at least help listen to their constituents to side with Republicans. It seems like Jeffries does a really good job of listening to them as well.
Pod Save America
Finally, a Podcaster at the Top of the FBI!
And, you know, in that case, I'm sure we'll know closer to then what kind of message he'll give them, whether it's to, quote, something we hear along the lines of very often here, vote your conscience.
Pod Save America
Finally, a Podcaster at the Top of the FBI!
Yes. Doge largely, even just a couple hours ago, has been praised by Republican leaders. Speaker Mike Johnson speaking very highly of Elon Musk and his efforts to cut down government spending, cut government jobs. Now our rank and file Republicans hearing from their constituents like Rich McCormick, who has been I've seen a lot of videos.
Pod Save America
Finally, a Podcaster at the Top of the FBI!
I'm sure you have two of his town hall over the weekend going viral because he heard from a lot of angry constituents in Georgia about Doge. He's actually coming out and saying, I actually think the White House needs to go about this a little more slowly.
Pod Save America
Finally, a Podcaster at the Top of the FBI!
He told a Republican, excuse me, a Georgia podcast that just an hour ago that he believes that they need to take a look at what Elon Musk is doing without, you know, blanket support of his measures and his actions in cutting government spending. So we're hearing from him in that sense.
Pod Save America
Finally, a Podcaster at the Top of the FBI!
But the majority of Republicans from who I've talked to in the last, you know, how many weeks has Elon Musk been doing this now since, you know, he took office or sorry, not took office, took over Doge, I should say. They're really largely supportive of his work. And they support his efforts to cut government spending.
Pod Save America
Finally, a Podcaster at the Top of the FBI!
They think it might help with trying to pass this massive proposal that would enact Trump's agenda items. And they think continuing to cut government spending is really what their goal is as they have this Republican trifecta. And they're committing to what their constituents wanted. But you are hearing, to be clear, John, from a couple of Republicans.
Pod Save America
Finally, a Podcaster at the Top of the FBI!
I mentioned Rich McCormick, Lisa Murkowski, senator from Alaska, who is coming forward and saying she's not supportive of what Elon Musk is doing. And she is very concerned that his cuts will affect conservation efforts in Alaska, energy projects in Alaska. So there are a couple of senators, House members, Republicans, namely Republicans.
Pod Save America
Finally, a Podcaster at the Top of the FBI!
Democrats, of course, are very against what Elon Musk is doing that are coming out and saying specifically how these efforts could affect them back home.
Pod Save America
Finally, a Podcaster at the Top of the FBI!
That's fair. And, you know, something to keep in mind is something we're hearing from Democrats. An argument is that they didn't vote for Elon Musk. And that's something that we're hearing these constituents in these town halls also tell these Republicans. But I do want to note that in-person town halls have also become really rare these days. Most Republicans and Democrats, I should note as well.
Pod Save America
Finally, a Podcaster at the Top of the FBI!
do tele town halls, virtual town halls. So seeing these in-person town halls is really unique and a show from these members that they do want to hear from their constituents and are willing to put up, you know, with the criticism that they're receiving. So seeing Rich McCormick deal with that, really interesting because most members don't really like to do that anymore.
Pod Save America
Finally, a Podcaster at the Top of the FBI!
John, I can't speak to what Notice is doing or my former employer Politico is doing or even my former employer CNN is doing. I've worked in a lot of news outlets in D.C. But something that I know and that I truly feel is that I'm supportive of freedom of the press. And I think it's incredibly important.
Pod Save America
Finally, a Podcaster at the Top of the FBI!
for all reporters to have access to newsmakers, be able to be allowed in those rooms, to be able to ask those questions. And I stand by making sure that, you know, the institutions that have been in these rooms and have always been in these rooms should be in these rooms.