The following is a transcript of an interview with Democratic Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware that aired on Sunday, April 17, 2022 on “Face the Nation.”
MARGARET BRENNAN: Welcome back to FACE THE NATION. A new COVID-19 relief funding bill is working in Congress, but it faces some challenges in the Senate. Democrat Chris Coons of Delaware is now joining us from Wilmington. Good morning to you, senator, and happy Easter.
SENATOR CHRIS COONS: Happy Easter, Margaret. Great to be with you.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Leader Schumer has said that the new money for global vaccination will have to wait until later in the spring because the Senate could not reach an agreement. There are still more than 3,000 people worldwide dying from COVID, every day, a new variant that comes out about every four months. What do you see as the real impact of this stop?
SENATOR CHRIS COONS: Well, Margaret, I was very disappointed that we in Congress could not meet and offer the global help needed to deliver the vaccines we have already invented, developed, and purchased, and to make sure that the nearly 3,000 millions People around the world who have not yet received a single dose of vaccine have some protection against this pandemic. While we were fighting for this extra payment, this additional funding for the relief of COVID worldwide, one of my colleagues said in a memorable way: well, my constituents have already ended this pandemic. Margaret, just because we’re done with the pandemic doesn’t mean it’s over with us. And the best way to protect the American people from the next variant that could kill more Americans and more people around the world is to make sure the rest of the world has access to U.S. vaccines. Lastly, there are dozens of countries that have had to rely on Chinese and Russian vaccines that do not work.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Senator Romney has argued that this should be paid for. Are there any commitments you see here? Because I think you just said the vaccine is already bought. So what’s up? Is everything wrong if you don’t get this funding?
SENATOR CHRIS COONS: We will lose millions of vaccine doses that will expire. And I think that’s part of the argument I’ve been making to my fellow Republicans. We must not miss this moment, this opportunity. I respect Senator Romney’s press for finding compensation. But at a time when we need additional emergency funding to support the Ukrainian military resistance to Russian aggression, to support millions of refugees in Ukraine and around the region, in Europe and around the world, and to provide food aid and additional aid for COVID-19. , I think we should treat this as an emergency expense. But frankly, we will negotiate what we need to do to ensure that we have the opportunity to move forward and not waste the vital vaccines that America has already bought.
MARGARET BRENNAN: There are some Republicans who say there should be no spending except on defense. Do you mean that’s how it should be characterized?
Senator CHRIS COONS: I think that is critical to our national security. Look, we’ve lost a million Americans this weekend when families gather to celebrate Easter Sunday or to celebrate Easter or the holy month of Ramadan. We have people from the three major world denominations, Islam, Judaism, and Christianity, who have their roots in the Middle East together for millennia. All these great times have a common principle that you need to do to others as you would like them to do to you and take care of those who need it around the world. I believe that we can and should justify this additional expense as a critique of our national security or as a teaching of our values, showing each other the best of the human spirit and the most central principles of the faith that inspires so many. Americans.
MARGARET BRENNAN: For the $ 10 billion in funding that is in Congress for a future vote, which would go to vaccines and treatments here in the United States, even some Senate Democrats say they want to attach some kind of amendment on these border restrictions related to COVID. Can you find a way out of this confrontation?
SENATOR CHRIS COONS: Margaret, it will be a challenge.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So what is the commitment to avoid the problem on the southern border?
Senator CHRIS COONS: Well, frankly, what I think you’re referring to is the announcement that Title 42, which is a public health measure, could be revoked in a few weeks. This is something where the CDC stated that they could no longer justify this continuing practice of expelling people who come to our border because of the pandemic. In the region where I am, we are seeing an increase in infections. I think Philadelphia, for example, has just returned to a masked term. So my hope is that this will be reconsidered properly. I know there are both Republicans and Democrats calling for reconsideration and the administration has just announced a plan on how to deal with a possible increase in border crossings. Margaret, we need to unite and show our values that we can secure our border and improve the inhuman immigration system, the immigration system that so many of us have worked to try to address for years. But I think we can separate it, we should separate it from the COVID relief that will protect American lives and other lives, billions of lives around the world.
MARGARET BRENNAN: In some public statements this week, you said that the country should talk about when it might be willing to send troops to Ukraine. You said that if the answer is never, then we are calling for another level of escalation and brutality by Putin. You’re arguing that President Biden …
SENATOR CHRIS COONS: Margaret-
MARGARET BRENNAN: Was he wrong when he said he would not send troops to Ukraine? Are you asking him to draw a red line?
SENATOR CHRIS COONS: Margaret, I think those of us in Congress who have a critical role to play in establishing foreign policy and advising the President on his decisions as Commander-in-Chief should look clearly the level of brutality. This is a time of great challenge for all of us. And I deeply respect President Biden’s leadership in uniting the West and imposing overwhelming sanctions on Russia. And by bringing to this struggle countries that had previously been left out. I think President Biden’s leadership has been consistent and constructive. But this is a critical moment. If Vladimir Putin, who has shown us how brutal he can be, is allowed to continue massacring civilians, committing war crimes throughout Ukraine without NATO, without the West helping him more strongly, I am great, I am deeply concerned that whatever. The next thing we will see is that Ukraine becomes Syria. The American people cannot get away from this tragedy in Ukraine. I believe that the history of the 21st century revolves around the ferocity that we defend freedom in Ukraine and that Putin will only stop when we stop him. I’ll close with that, Margaret. This is a weekend where so many families come together to celebrate the best of the human spirit and where we mourn the loss of many things to do because of COVID, we should also pray and consider those who fight for freedom. in Ukraine and how much his heroism and patriotism inspires us in the rest.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Senator Coons, thank you and happy Easter.
SENATOR CHRIS COONS: Thank you, Margaret.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We’ll be right back with a look at the devastating impact of the war in Ukraine on the world’s food supply. Stay with us.
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