Rep. Susan Davis Talks Border Crossing, Campus Sexual Assault

TOM FUDGE: Our top story on Midday Edition, a new federal budget and the prospect of ending the 50 year old trade embargo with Cuba. Those are some of the issues of interest to Congress. As the year draws to a close, KPBS Midday has invited all five of our Congressional Representatives to join us while they're at home from Washington for the holidays. Republican Congressmen Duncan Hunter and Darrell Issa turned us down, But Democrat Susan Davis accepted our invitation and she joined me in studio late last week. Davis represents the 53rd Congressional District which includes what her office calls "The Heart of San Diego." Mission Valley, Hillcrest and the College Area are found there. Here's my interview with Susan Davis: TOM FUDGE: President Obama chose to open diplomatic relations with Cuba. It was in a very dramatic announcement last week, but the question of whether to lift our trade embargo against the country is up to Congress. Now, give us your comments on his announcement, and tell us how you would vote on lifting the embargo. REP. SUSAN DAVIS: The president's announcement was certainly a surprise to to me, I think it was to a lot of people. And, yeah, when you look at, on balance, whether isolation is better, um, that engagement I go for the engagement piece. I think that in the interest of certainly the Cuban people and Americans as well, the ability to really have much more open relations is is better off. I think it will be better for all of us. Of course, I have colleagues from Florida who would disagree with that, and I understand that. People have had some really horrible, bad experiences and families are still hurting from that, but moving forward and normalizing those relations is a good thing. As it relates to Congress' lifting the embargo, I think that's going to be a longer conversation, and I think that we all want to engage in it. TOM FUDGE: Okay. And have you, uh do you know which way you might lean on that issue? REP. SUSAN DAVIS: Well, I know how I generally lean on these issues. And, again, it's really more for engagement. People do better when they trade, when they are not getting in the way of one another. And what we want to do, I think, is promote our values. And the ability to engage means that we're in a better position to do that. So human rights and all the problems that we know have existed under that regime will, I think, be more open and that, in the long run, probably is a better thing. TOM FUDGE: Congress has just passed $1.1 trillion budget. It was a compromise that thwarted government shutdown, but there must be something wrong with it. REP. SUSAN DAVIS: (Chuckling) well, there were a lot of things wrong with it. One big factor, of course, was this is not what we call, quote, regular order. It was the cromnibus, so it was like a continuing resolution. However, we were throwing everything into the pot, and when you do that, you end up with last minute problems that we all feel, um, very concerned about. I was definitely, concerned. It was actually a very difficult vote for me; however, in the end, having lived through what led up to Dodd Frank and the collapse of possible potential collapse, according to all the people in the Bush Administration at that time, that we were facing, the changes that came about were positive ones. We probably need to do more in that area, but doing it in this way was wrong. But the real challenge now that we have is for an economy that keeps moving forward. TOM FUDGE: Well REP. SUSAN DAVIS: And my concern, really, was that the sort of stop and start budgets that we'd been having are terribly problematic for our country, for business and for the people here in San Diego, certainly for my constituents. TOM FUDGE: Well, when you look at that budget, what is in it for San Diego? REP. SUSAN DAVIS: San Diego, actually, has a number of provisions in it that will be very helpful. I think the biggest one that we point to is the port of entry, that we will be finishing up with the commitment in this budget to having the best kind of law enforcement at the border, but more than that, having a border that functions and that businesses have confidence in, that people can come and go and be part of the real work of a community and that's that's important to San Diego. It will mean tens of thousands of jobs and it will mean that people don't have these long waits at the airport. And I've been down there. I've seen both. And now, because of some other funding that we've received, we will no longer see that kind of problem over, you know, once we we get all this completed. TOM FUDGE: Funding for the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation are very important to our high tech economy. How do they fair in this budget? REP. SUSAN DAVIS: Well, they faired better than they would if we went by fits and starts. And if we had gone with a budget for about two and a half months and not known what was coming next, we would have had to work so hard to get to the point that this budget was at. And so that's why given, you know, all the awards on this bill, I felt that that was important. I was the sponsor for the National Institute of Health. I, you know, worked very hard to bring my colleagues to that. Of course, everybody wants to have more funding in that area. We didn't do quite as well as I would have liked, but it's far better than if we were looking at a continuing resolution. TOM FUDGE: Did, um if I can ask a simple question, did funding go up or down compared to the previous years? REP. SUSAN DAVIS: Funding went up. We did better by this than if we would have it would have been stagnant as it had been. And, actually, San Diego, you know, does quite well with that funding because we have the research, we have the talent here in San Diego. TOM FUDGE: $750 million, I think, is typically what we get in a typical year? REP. SUSAN DAVIS: Something on that order, but how but, you know, there is this increase, and it means that we can work from that on the next budget. We don't have to work from a deficit which is what we would have been looking at. TOM FUDGE: My guest is San Diego Congresswoman Susan Davis. One subject that has really caught the attention of the public is sexual assault on campus, and I think you've gotten involved. Tell us, what is the Survivor Outreach and Support Campus Act? REP. SUSAN DAVIS: Well, that bill recognizes that on any campus, and particularly, this is written for those schools, those universities that are receiving federal dollars. They must have an advocate program for victims on campus. TOM FUDGE: And this is a bill that you've sponsored? REP. SUSAN DAVIS: That is the bill that I sponsored with Senator Gillibrand and we are moving forward with that, and I'm sorry with Senator Boxer as well. TOM FUDGE: Well, next year you'll be a member of Congress of a Congress that is going to be controlled by Republicans. Will that, first of all, affect any of your committee assignments, anything you do? REP. SUSAN DAVIS: My committee assignments are going to stay where they are. I have been on the Armed Services Committee as well as the Education Committee. Since I went to Congress, I felt that was the best match for me and for my constituents actually. And so I'm looking forward to that. I will continue to be what is called the Ranking Chair of the subcommittee on personnel in the Armed Services, and I feel that that gives me an opportunity to work so hard on behalf of our military families. TOM FUDGE: It just occurred to me that you're a member of the House and that has been controlled by the Republicans for several years already. What do you do when you're in the minority? I mean, how do you work with the other side? REP. SUSAN DAVIS: Well, I don't find it a problem to work with the other side. I wish that they had governed better. I think that they now have a chance to prove whether or not they can. This was, as everyone said, one of the least well, about the least productive Congress since the 1920s. And, so, it's very, very important for all of my colleagues to work together to solve the problems that are in front of us. And we have many obligations, I think, to our community. And at the same time, we know that we can innovate, we can make this economy buzz in a way that really helps everybody, particularly people who don't feel that they've been a strong part of this economy. That's what we have to do. And that's why I really believe so strongly that to give that certainty and to keep moving along and not to be going backwards, but to be going forwards is what we need to do. TOM FUDGE: What would you like to do for those people you talk about who have not participated in the prosperity of this country? REP. SUSAN DAVIS: Well, moving forward with the port of entry is important because jobs on both sides of the border do matter and that will bring jobs and really help the economy. We also need to be working on our infrastructure, on transportation. It's just criminal to me that we have not, in the last number of years, really been dealing in kind of longer range plans for our for our infrastructure, for bridges, for even for schools, the kinds of things that bring about jobs, but more than that, bring about a better quality of life for people. The fact that people don't have to stay on the highway so long or they have alternative ways of transportation. Even bike lanes. Things like that make a difference for people and so we need to look at that and look at it from an environmental point of view as well. We know that we can do better. TOM FUDGE: How how good a job do you think the San Diego delegation does working together? I mean, can you cite an example of a time where you have worked with Congressmen Issa or Hunter to accomplish something for San Diego? REP. SUSAN DAVIS: Well, the port of entry is certainly a good example of that. When we did come together, we really worked with one another. The other thing that just happened, and I'm very proud of it, is that we've just named the new courthouse that in fact, we were able to build, through our advocacy for San Diego, a new federal courthouse which has been there for quite a few years now, but it had not been named because there were some glitches in doing that. So we're TOM FUDGE: Okay. So what's REP. SUSAN DAVIS: very we're excited for that. And that's everybody's effort, finally, in the end. >> STUDENT: What's the name? >> STUDENT: (Chuckling) it's going to be the James Carter and Judith Keep San Diego Courthouse and Judge Rhoades' name will also be part of the entire center for that for that courthouse. We're kind of unique here in San Diego. There's never been a double naming. It's one of the I believe, one of the first courthouses to be named also for a woman jurist, and we also have expanded our honoring to include Judge Rhoades in that as well who was also a pioneer. TOM FUDGE: Okay. Well, once again, my guest is San Diego Congresswoman Susan Davis. President Obama used this executive powers recently to affect the status of many people who are living in this country illegally and it angered for GOP or certain members of the GOP. At this point, is comprehensive immigration reform a dead issue? REP. SUSAN DAVIS: I think it's going to be a real challenge to do it the way we would have liked to see the Senate, as many of your listeners know, passed a comprehensive immigration bill that was very, very strong on security securing the borders. But, unfortunately, we were not able to get that up for a vote. I actually think the votes were there, but now we will move forward. I think what the president has done is actually quite limited in terms of ensuring that people who have been here in this country and working hard and even have businesses employing people, that they won't fear that they could be deported at some time. It also, of course, is wonderful that we have our young people who will also not worry that their family is going to be broken up. But we have to go beyond that. TOM FUDGE: So you feel that there actually were the votes in the House to bring it to a vote? REP. SUSAN DAVIS: I think if they had called the vote, we would have had a good debate about it. I know that there are many members on the Republican side. Almost all Democrats, if not all, are supportive of it. And I actually think we could have passed it. What we see as a result of this budget bill that was just passed is that it could not have come about without bipartisan support. And so on some levels, I'm hoping that Speaker Boehner realizes that we will not accomplish anything for our country if we rely on Republican votes. It's just not going to happen. And so I think that we can do this together and I certainly hope we will. >> STUDENT: You know, congressional the congressional approval rate always seems to be very low. The last time I looked, I think it was 12 percent. Why has Congress come to be seen as the place where nothing gets done? REP. SUSAN DAVIS: Well, I think it's mostly because nothing was getting done. And people, when they're not able to feel that everybody is working on their behalf, I think it's very frustrating. I think we can do better, I know we can. And certainly on an individual level, I think people may feel differently about their representatives, but overall people have a good reason to feel that way. TOM FUDGE: And yet, we have divided government again, or maybe I should say still. Um, do you agree with Mitch McConnell when he says that "This is what Americans chose" and maybe "This is what Americans want"? REP. SUSAN DAVIS: Well, I think he and our founder fathers thought that, you know, government should be somewhat dysfunctional so that things were hard, and that we all acknowledge that. But there is a better way to do this, and I think that this last example, perhaps, however difficult it was, and unfortunately, because of the way it was done, we had to negotiate from not necessarily a place of power TOM FUDGE: You're talking about the budget? REP. SUSAN DAVIS: The budget. TOM FUDGE: The passing of the budget. Yeah. REP. SUSAN DAVIS: But it does prove something about getting things done. And so I would hope, going forward, that my colleagues decide that they want to be known for being able to govern and there's a good test out there for them. TOM FUDGE: Homeless veterans, there are a lot of them in San Diego. What is the Federal Government, I guess, trying to do to see to their needs? REP. SUSAN DAVIS: In the budget bill that was passed, there are additional funds for veteran centers as well as for programs for veterans. Here in San Diego, we really are very fortunate because we have a number of programs, and even with that, we know that there are far, far too many men and women who run into difficulties and they're really not able to move into the economy and into a productive life after their service. So it's important that we look at those programs and be sure that they're doing what they need to do. One of the problems that we have sometimes is really having being able to integrate them and not to have too many groups doing the same thing. So I think having a good eye on that is important. Funding is critical, but it's the working relationships that many of these groups have. And I am always impressed by the number of people who are coming forward and trying to create, out of their own experiences and their own relationships, what it is that's critical. Preparing our men and women when they go into the service for the transition out of the service is also important, and I think we finally get that. And so there's another way of really bringing people in to serve their country. That's what they want to do. We're so happy that we have people who want to serve their country in this way, but we have to do better by them when the leave the service and maybe some of that preparation for transition has to begin earlier and I'm pleased to have been a part of those conversations. TOM FUDGE: Okay. Well, Congresswoman Davis, thank you very much. REP. SUSAN DAVIS: Thank you. Nice to be with you. TOM FUDGE: Coming up we'll talk about a mysterious bookstore that's expanding in San Diego. Stay tuned for that. This is Midday Edition.