The next is a transcript of an interview with Rep. Maxwell Frost, Democrat of Florida, on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” that aired on Oct. 13, 2024.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We flip now to Florida Democratic Congressman Maxwell Frost. He joins us from Orlando. Welcome to Face the Nation.
REP. MAXWELL ALEJANDRO FROST: Thanks for having me on.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Congressman, President Biden is in Florida immediately to evaluate harm from Hurricane Milton. Not less than 60 Democratic lawmakers, some from Florida, have known as for Congress to instantly return to Washington to vote for help. You have not joined that decision. Why?
REP. FROST: I consider I’ve joined that decision. However- but when not, I do consider that Congress must return to be sure that we cross cash for extra help.
MARGARET BRENNAN: However how instantly do you want that to occur? How in want is your neighborhood?
REP. FROST: Our neighborhood’s very a lot in want throughout Florida. However the factor we have now to grasp is, sure, FEMA has the assets essential to take care of the present state of affairs, however like was talked about within the earlier section, NOAA is predicting, and we have seen, that this is among the worst hurricane seasons we have seen, and we’re not carried out with this hurricane season, it does not finish, actually, until the top of November. And so I believe it can be crucial. Why depart as much as probability after we can be certain that FEMA has the assets it wants. And never simply FEMA, SBA additionally has a program, and totally different businesses have packages that assist us to reply to these hurricanes. Why would we depart it as much as probability and wait until one thing occurs, after we can be sure that we try this work now. Particularly when loads of my colleagues on the opposite aspect of the aisle are working at politicizing these storms after we can really do one thing about it.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So that you want this vote to occur earlier than Congress is about to return November twelfth. Or you possibly can wait till November twelfth?
REP. FROST: I believe we should always do it as quickly as doable. Why wait till November twelfth? We do not know what is going on to be taking place when it comes to pure disasters or storms. I believe it is essential {that a} company like FEMA have even- not simply what they want, however much more than what they want to make sure that they’ve, the assets essential, after all, to assist with the present operation–
MARGARET BRENNAN: I’ve gotta–
REP. FROST: — which they’ve however also–
MARGARET BRENNAN: — take a break right here, Congressman, and proceed our dialog on the opposite aspect of the business. Stick with us.
[COMMERCIAL BREAK]
MARGARET BRENNAN: Welcome again to Face the Nation. We return to our dialog with Florida Congressman Maxwell Frost. Congressman, you’re the youngest member of Congress, it seems to be like, and you have been on school campuses attempting to shore up help for Vice President Harris. In our CBS polling from earlier this summer season, earlier than Harris entered the race, we did see amongst 40% of younger individuals who responded, they mentioned politics over the previous couple of years makes them really feel like there’s nothing else they will do. One other 40% mentioned they need to tune out and watch one thing else. Younger individuals might not be apathetic, however they definitely aren’t excited in regards to the political system as a approach to have an effect on change. How do you alter that?
REP. FROST: Properly, I respect the query. And it is not simply as much as me, proper? It is as much as all of our leaders, all of our organizers, individuals on the bottom, to be sure that younger individuals perceive that in the event that they step away from their civic energy that they’ve, there’s individuals who haven’t got their finest pursuits at coronary heart which can be more than pleased to step into that energy for them. I imply, you talked about, you realize, a quantity that comes earlier than Kamala Harris being the highest of our ticket. I’ve seen, as I’ve traveled this nation, I did a again to highschool tour only a few weeks in the past, loads of enthusiasm and pleasure round this election, particularly with younger voters desirous to vote for Kamala Harris. And, you realize, there’s this notion that younger individuals are not being concerned within the political system, and we will do higher, however individuals ought to know that younger individuals are voting on the highest numbers in our nation’s historical past. 2020 was the best youth voter turnout within the historical past of our nation. 2018 and 20- 2022 are the best youth voter turnout in a midterm within the historical past of our nation, too. So we’re really- we’re trending in the suitable course. We simply must proceed to achieve out to younger individuals, not take these votes without any consideration.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Proper. And there is that query of enthusiasm really translating to votes. You’ve got mentioned vibes do not imply votes. I noticed you say. On one other situation that we all know is of concern to the Harris marketing campaign, I need to ask you about remarks that Former President Barack Obama made earlier this week. He was chatting with marketing campaign volunteers in Pittsburgh and he raised the priority about low enthusiasm and turnout, particularly amongst black males. He mentioned, quote, “a part of it makes me assume that, nicely, you simply aren’t feeling the concept of getting a girl as president.” Do you share the previous president’s concern that it is a dynamic impacting the race? How a lot of a difficulty is it for Vice President Harris?
REP. FROST: I believe it is a matter with loads of totally different voters throughout this nation, and it is one thing that our nation, you realize, we have come a great distance, as when it comes to ladies’s suffrage, we have come a great distance when it comes to ensuring of fairness on this nation. However there’s nonetheless loads of this bigotry on this nation when it comes to sexism, when it comes to racism. And we nonetheless need to work at getting over that. These issues are nonetheless right here. They nonetheless exist in loads of communities. And we nonetheless have loads of work to do right here. And so I believe President Obama was simply having some very severe, robust speak, proper, robust love, with loads of- particularly he was talking on to younger black voters, younger black males particularly and ensuring that they perceive. Look, generally it’s important to take a step again and take a look at your personal bias. What is the bias you’ve gotten? What are the actual causes you are voting towards somebody or for somebody? Is it a official coverage factor, or does it need to do extra with the vibe of one thing after which look extra into that as nicely. I believe it is actually essential. This, like, politics of vibes. We see it loads right here in Florida with somebody like Ron DeSantis, who claims to be somebody who’s for the individuals and for democracy. But each probability he will get, he acts like an authoritarian. Then I’m going to voters who’ve relations, who’ve escaped nations with authoritarian leaders, and I ask them, why are you voting for somebody who’s emulating what your dad and mom escaped? They usually cannot fairly clarify it. It has to do with the vibes, with the ambiance the politician has created. And I believe we nonetheless need to deal with that as a rustic. And that is what the president was speaking about.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Congressman, thanks for sharing your insights. We’ll have to go away it there for immediately. We’ll be proper again.
