Colorado’s Morning News, Cory Gardner, April 10, 2020
Station: KOA, 850 am
Show: Colorado’s Morning News
Guests: Gardner, Cory
Date: April 10, 2020
Topics: Diana DeGette, Ventilators, FEMA, Partisan Politics, President Trump,
HOST MARTY LENZ [00:00:00] And we get into that with the aforementioned Senator Cory Gardner. Senator, good morning.
U.S. SENATOR FROM COLORADO, CORY GARDNER [00:00:05] Good morning. How are you?
LENZ [00:00:06] Doing well. First, I wanted you to address what Congresswoman Diana DeGette was referring to, about requesting the ventilators. Sounds like we had them coming to the state, then they were — I guess — partially taken by FEMA. You intervened to get what we were supposed to get. It sounds very convoluted.
GARDNER [00:00:22] Right, So what happened is. I think the governor thought he had 500 ventilators contracted Apparently, that business contracted with FEMA and decided to fill FEMA’s order. So I did what the governor has asked me to do. What I’m doing for Colorado is fighting for every resource we need, including ventilators. I’m going to continue to fight for more resources. And I was able to get some resources to Colorado. So, you know, there are some people who want to play partisan politics. I’m not going to. This is not about who this comes from. This is about getting it for Colorado.
HOST APRIL ZESBAUGH [00:00:49] On social media, people were, you know, kind of joking and kind of tongue-in-cheek serious that, you know, what,if we didn’t have a Republican senator who could help us get these ventilators. Thankfully, you were able to do that. But do you agree that it does look kind of bad? It smells bad, according to Diana DeGette.
GARDNER [00:01:06] I don’t see how getting what Colorado needs is bad. And if somebody wants to say it’s bad to get what Colorado needs, I guess that shows how partisan they have become and how bitter they have become in what’s right for Colorado. Look, I’m not shaded bipartisanship, and I don’t think we should be we should be doing what’s right for Colorado. And I’m going to continue to fight for more ventilators. I’m going to continue to ask the president for more ventilators. I’m going to continue to ask for more masks and more protective equipment and for more tests and for more reagents. I am not going to stop until Colorado gets what it needs.
LENZ [00:01:36] You know, I’m very curious, though, Senator, because I keep hearing all the time how the government, the feds are a backstop. So our governor goes and gets them, but then FEMA comes in, swoops in and takes was supposed to be ours. It sounds like in many ways. I’m not saying you are, but it sounds like that the administration can’t have it both ways, saying they’re a backstep. We go get the information, but then they take our resources.
GARDNER [00:01:54] Well, look, and I think the governors have been wanting the federal government to do more and the government’s trying to do more. I’m not going to point fingers. I’m not going to try to lay blame. I’m going to do what’s right for Colorado. And look, there are people who want to play politics at this moment, and shame on them! I’m doing what’s right for Colorado. I went to bat for Colorado. That’s why I talked to the president, to share the FEMA story that the governor had told me. We got the ventilators. I’m grateful for them. And I’m going to continue to do what’s right. So, look, we’ve been able to get 100,000 N-95 masks from Lowe’s yesterday, a very generous contribution from Lowe’s to the state. We’ve got 100,000 masks from Taiwan coming to Colorado. We’ll have thousands of tests coming in from South Korea very soon, thanks to the work that we’ve been able to share in the hard work of the governor’s office. We’ve got — I hope — some new suppliers in Colorado coming on like Woodward making ventilators. It’s exciting and heartwarming to see what people who are truly interested in finding solutions can do for the state.
HOST APRIL ZESBAUGH [00:02:46] Let’s talk a little bit about this $250 billion dollar request for small businesses. This would essentially be, I think, the second stimulus package if it gets signed and approved. Democrats say there is not enough funding for hospitals and state and local governments and for average Americans in this package. Do you disagree with that?
GARDNER [00:03:04] I think we need more money for hospitals. I think the states are going to need more support. I think small businesses definitely need more help in keeping people employed. I’m somebody who happens to believe that Congress can walk and chew gum at the same time. I don’t know why we have to get everything or nothing. It seems like a kind of political game that people hate. I hate it, certainly. And so let’s do what’s right by the people of this state and this country. Get the resources small businesses need, get the resources hospitals need, get the resources that our state and local governments need. Let’s do it. Let’s not try to play games, point fingers, and try to play one upsmanship.
LENZ [00:03:38] Senator, with a second effort on the stimulus bill or another one, does that basically show that the first one was definitely not enough and maybe you all underestimated the needs and the damage of this?
GARDNER [00:03:50] I think we got out what we could as quickly as possible. I would have liked to have seen it done even earlier. But it also shows the need. I think you’re right, Marty, in the the absolute need. That’s why I hope we can put more funding into this program. Look, over a million people, a million employees have been able to keep their job thanks to the CARES Act and we need to keep that going. I talked to a bank in Steamboat Springs. They thought they’d issue five million dollars worth of small business loans. They’ve issued $30 million worth of small business loans in four days. It’s incredible. I talked to Gene in Colorado Springs. His employer laid off 16 people. I told him, “Hey, can they — or your employer bring them back, thanks to the Paycheck Protection Program?” They’re going to look into that. So we’re doing everything we can to get through what is this biggest challenge of our time. And there’s three things we have to do. Number one, we have to address the health emergency, to flatten the curve and stop the spread. Number two, we have to deliver real assistance to real people in real time. Number three, we have to keep businesses’ ability to hire employees, to bring them back, and to get their doors back open once this health emergency is over.
ZESBAUGH [00:04:52] All right. Senator Cory Gardner, as always, thanks for the time.
GARDNER [00:04:55] Thanks for having me. Thank you.
