Station:    KNUS, 710 am

Show:       Dan Caplis Show

Guests:    Gardner, Cory

Link:        https://khow.iheart.com/featured/dan-caplis/content/2020-03-12-sen-cory-gardner-r-co-on-lwcf-funding-and-coronavirus-government-response/

Date:       March 12, 2020

Topics:     Colorado Springs

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HOST DAN CAPLIS [00:00:01] It’s a tremendous privilege and opportunity to have Senator Cory Gardner with us today, at such a crucial and unusual moment in the history of this state and most of our lives, says Corona[virus], now starts to dominate across the board. Senator, thanks for your time today. I cannot even imagine how slammed you are.

U.S. SENATOR FROM COLORADO, CORY GARDNER [00:00:19] Well, thank you, Dan.. Thanks for having me.

CAPLIS [00:00:20] Yeah, hey, I want to start with something else because it’s also extraordinary, and then spend most of our time on Corona[virus]. But this is remarkable, what you achieved on land and water conservation. I want folks to know about that. But I start with The Denver Post editorial, knowing, of course, how The Denver Post has been — let’s say angry and unfair — with you. But they write this editorial to their credit just a few days ago. [reading the headline] “Cory Gardner delivers with major land conservation and parks funding.” I’ll read just a sentence or two: “U.S. Senator Cory Gardner has delivered the goods to Colorado, the West, and America’s increasingly fragile ecology and environment. The Republican from Colorado was somehow able to persuade President Donald Trump to back a plan that invests $900 million a year in conservation funds, an additional $1 billion a year to pay for a backlog of maintenance projects in national parks.” And they go on to give you full credit for that. So can you fill people in on what it is, why it matters so much, and how you pulled it off?

GARDNER [00:01:22] Well, and thank you, Dan, for the question. I mean, this is a huge victory for conservation, and I commend the president for supporting this and making it happen. You know, if you think about Colorado, our outdoor economy, the jobs really does rely on our great outdoors. And the Land and Water Conservation Fund has benefited Colorado to the tune of nearly $300 million over the past nearly 60 years. This is a program that was started in the 1965 timeframe, and it’s funded by oil and gas revenues from offshore drilling. And that money goes into conservation. And so it was authorized in 1965. It was hardly ever — if it all — fully funded. And the president simply said, “Yep, I agree. We ought to fully fund it using these offshore oil and gas revenues.” So [tjere is] no cost to the taxpayer, no cost to the Treasury other than using these revenues coming in from expanded oil and gas operations or active oil and gas operations offshore. And it’s going to help benefit our environment, our economy. This is really — this is probably the biggest conservation victory in 50 or 100 years of bipartisan success. And it couldn’t have happened without the president saying, “Put it on my desk. I’ll sign it.”

CAPLIS [00:02:31] Yeah, but I’ll tell you, for The Denver Post to write an editorial like that — praising you like that –in the words of Joe Biden, which he probably doesn’t remember speaking, this is a big blanking deal.

GARDNER [00:02:42] [laughs].

CAPLIS [00:02:42] And truly, I was thinking back because, you know, I respect a lot of senators from both parties. Colorado has had a traditional of — [correcting himself] a tradition, rather, of kind of some giants as senators — not all, but some. But I can’t remember a senator, at least in my lifetime, who has delivered more — I mean, tangible — benefit to the state than you have between this, and BLM, and then if Colorado wins the Space Force. So, I just hope everybody gives you fair credit for that.

GARDNER [00:03:07] Well, it’s exciting to see what is — what we’ve been able to do together for the people of Colorado, because you’re right, it’s been — the Arkansas Valley conduit, authorized by John F. Kennedy, not built until we were able to get the funding for it just last.month, the Bureau of Land Management headquarters moving to Grand Junction, Colorado. We were able to get the V.A. hospital legislation done, passed and built in Denver. We were able to actually, you know, now get Land Water Conservation Fund and the national parks. I mean, we have a nearly $245 million backlog in maintenance at our national parks because places like Rocky Mountain National Park are one of the heaviest — [correcting himself] most heavily visited national parks in the country. And they’re being loved to death, so to speak. And so, this will help a lot with that visitor experience and preserve the resources there and make it make sure it’s available for future generations.

CAPLIS [00:03:55] Yeah, and not just Republicans benefit; this is pure bipartisan benefit on a large scale for the state. I mean, this is truly bringing home the bacon for projects that really matter. But let me shift at this point, Senator, to Corona, because obviously it’s dominating the lives of everybody listening to us right now.

GARDNER [00:04:12] Yeah.

CAPLIS [00:04:12] And I want to get your take on whether we’re having kind of a mass overreaction at this point. I mean, in my mind, everybody I’ve talked to, Senator — across party lines — on the elevator, at the watercooler, walking into the building — everybody, it just feels like this is a mass overreaction, a big panic. Yet at the same time, when we have Dr. Fauci say yesterday it’s going to kill 1 out of 100 Americans who get it, you know, where do you draw the line on shutting down, on impacting the economy, and public safety on the other side?

GARDNER [00:04:43] Well, I think you’ve hit the nail on the head in terms of, how do we handle this? Number one, we’ve got to listen to the health experts. And that’s critically important. That’s why we passed a $8.3 billion package to help our states. Colorado will receive millions of dollars from that and through that. We have to make sure that we’re listening to our experts on how to take care of ourselves, how to make sure we’re washing our hands, good hygiene practices, that we make sure that we’re following our Health Department recommendations, going to Coronavirus-dot-gov. Again, that’s Coronavirus-dot-gov, where you can get the guidances and experts’ sort of testimony and take on what should be done and how to proceed, how to handle yourself. If you feel like you have — perhaps [are] getting sick with something and don’t know what to do, it’s all there. And I think that’s important to follow. We have to keep and be mindful of the efforts at the state level, that we continue to work with the governor’s plan, our local health departments, and how we’re coordinating with those efforts. And then we have to make sure that we are keeping an eye on the economy as all of this happens, making sure that people know that we, you know, we’ve spent the last four years building an economy up, reducing taxes, growing the wages and jobs. But we’re going to make sure that it’s taken care of going forward, even through this great challenge.

CAPLIS [00:06:02] Yeah, and let’s put some meat on those bones, because I think many people listening — you’re right. First, they’re concerned about their health, the health of their families. And I want to talk to you a little bit more about that. But in terms of the economy, folks are also concerned about that as well. And so what do you think, from a federal — let’s start with the federal government level– the federal government should or should not be doing at this point, say, financially to help workers who are displaced, to help certain industries?

GARDNER [00:06:27] You’re exactly right. We have to make sure that we do responsible policies to make as whole as we can, this economy. And that’s critically important. And that’s why, you know, we have — we’re grateful to be doing this on the the end of a very — [excusing himself] well, excuse me — on the back of a very strong economy.

CAPLIS [00:06:42] Right.

GARDNER [00:06:42] Because, imagine what would have happened if we’d have hit this spot with an economy that was weakened or an economy that wasn’t creating jobs like it was prior to the coronavirus entering into the United States. So it’s critically important that we make sure small businesses have the cash flow capability, the resources available, that workers who are concerned about their hourly wages are going to be taken care of and made sure that we are looking out for everybody amongst us, that families who may have to stay home because their school is closed and they can’t find access to daycare or childcare. We’ve got to make sure that people are taking care. And I think that’s exactly what to the policies we’re putting forward and putting together will do.

CAPLIS [00:07:26] And to that end, the House bill today that that’s being debated, there’s some GOP objection because because of Dem overreach, et cetera. Where do you come down on the House bill?

GARDNER [00:07:36] You know, I think it will be worked out. I hope it’s worked out. You know, I don’t know how the House bill was put together. Did the Speaker of the House invite Kevin McCarthy to help write the bill together? I just don’t know if that was the case or not, but I’m sure that will work through. I think we should not have a recess next week. I think we should stay in Washington, D.C..

CAPLIS [00:07:56] Right.

GARDNER [00:07:56] I think we should do the people’s work, and the business. And, you know, I’ve called for the end of the recess. Let’s stay here. Let’s get this job done.

CAPLIS [00:08:04] And as a dad, as a Coloradan, how do you feel about all the closures we’re seeing now with colleges and universities? Do you think it’s the right move, the wrong move? And what about now elementary and middle schools? What should happen there?

GARDNER [00:08:17] Yeah. You know, I think I think part of this is obviously: how do we keep this from spreading? How do we make sure that we keep our teachers or personnel, our kids, our students, our parents healthy and away from this? You know, social distancing is what has been used. That’s a real fancy way of saying that if you can avoid a big crowd or you can avoid being in some place with a whole bunch of other people, then maybe now’s the time to think about doing something different. Maybe you can call into to that meeting or watch it on TV, video conference instead of doing something else. I think that’s smart. We have technology that can do that. But we also have [to be] making sure that we’re not putting too great of a strain on our health care systems itself, because if you had too many people who were exposed to this and all going into the health care system at the same time, that’s a big challenge. And, you know, this is part of that, being responsible, making sure that we’re avoiding that as well.

CAPLIS [00:09:06] Yes. Senator Cory Gardner, [is] our guest. [We are] grateful for your time. If you don’t mind, a couple more follow ups. One is, it seems to me at this point that there should be some sort of massive creative effort to protect our seniors, both in facilities, those who are in care facilities, et cetera, and and in general in society since they’re obviously more vulnerable. Do you see that happening? What more can we do?

GARDNER [00:09:33] I do. And I think that’s all part of the education campaign and the transparency campaign that needs to take place. And it is — you just — you said it well: 80% of the people in this country — of the 80% who may be affected by Coronavirus — or they may not even know they have it, or they get a cough or a sore throat and think it’s just a cold. They may not have anything beyond that. But there is a higher risk population that may have more serious effects, and that is the more elderly, the older populations, somebody who has an underlying health condition, as somebody who has a immune system that is affected by either illness or other kinds of drug treatment or therapies. And so that is the group that you really are concerned about. And that’s the policies that we’ve worked with and are working with hospitals right now to engage to make sure that we get it right, working with health care experts to make sure that we are getting it right. You know, nursing homes are being very careful about who is coming in or not being allowed to come into their facilities, that we have the protective equipment necessary for people, that we have the guidances out to people to make good choices and good decisions.

CAPLIS [00:10:44] Two final questions, Senator, if I may, both on [the] financial impact of the Coronavirus. The first is the markets, because obviously many people listening, you know, they have their investment funds, 401K’s, et cetera, their retirement funds. What, if anything more, should the administration — should the government as a whole — be doing to try to stabilize the markets?

GARDNER [00:11:05] Well, again, I think the loans will be made to businesses. I think that’s important. Looking at tax relief is important to look at that, making sure that we have unemployment concerns taken care of, leave concerns taken care of. I think that will all be coming forward out of Congress and the administration. I think, you know, once we get this behind us, I think this economy, businesses will come roaring back. Every economist, every expert is saying that.

CAPLIS [00:11:31] And final question, sir, and that is something you just alluded to:  the economy has been phenomenal. You know, the approach that Trump and you and others have taken has worked. I think the American people see it. It’s hard to imagine, though, that when you have something like this dropped like a bomb on the nation out of China, that there won’t be some slowdown in the economy. How much downturn do you think there’s going to be and for how long? And in addition, if anything, to what you’ve already said, what can be done to try to ease the pain and re-accelerate?

GARDNER [00:12:02] Yeah. And I don’t know if I could answer that question with the level of authority that you’d want to know, what exactly the economic impact would be from a certain GDP standpoint and jobs standpoint. So, you know, I think that’s important for experts and economists to be listened to, when it comes to that. But I do think that we have to act on those three areas. Number one, we got to make sure that health care concerns and resources and how we are dealing with this spread and prevention of the spread is our primary focus, that we work and execute with the state of Colorado and local health departments — those plans, the governor and I are in regular conversations as he is with the rest of the delegation and how those health departments are responding. And three, making sure that while this is all happening, we have an economic plan in place to address it, whether that’s additional stimulus, additional relief, additional tax, — you know, for instance, making sure that, you know, people have time enough to get their taxes filed. So there will be a delay in that for certain people in certain conditions. Those are all kinds of things are being considered right now, and will be implemented.

CAPLIS [00:13:10] Final question, if you’ll allow me one more. And that is just an overview, that big picture on this, because you are viewed obviously as as one of the top conservative leaders in the country. And I think what a lot of folks who consider themselves conservatives — including myself — are wrestling with is, you know, yeah, on the one hand, you want small government. Obviously, we have to, you know, watch the national debt and deficit. But is this one of those moment, is this the kind of situation where government does need to step in on a larger scale to deal with this emergency if, in fact, you consider it — and I think you obviously do consider it — an emergency?

GARDNER [00:13:52] Well, there’s no doubt that the government has a role to play in an instance like this, for sure. And I think we have to make sure that we maintain a bipartisan approach, that we don’t let politics come into this. This is a virus that doesn’t just attack Republicans or Democrats because of their party. This is something the entire American public is confronted with. And so let’s make sure that we approach it from that lens of leadership for the American people. And, you know, when you do that, the government can come up with constructive, positive steps that are not based on some irrational principle that would be irresponsible, should it be implemented, but let’s come together, figure out a responsible way forward for the economy — I think there’s a lot of ways to do this — and do what’s good for the country long term, not something that’s a knee jerk reaction or something that would ultimately play a political game long term.

CAPLIS [00:14:49] Senator, [I] appreciate your time and all your good work and look forward to the next conversation.

GARDNER [00:14:54] Hey, thanks, Dan. Thanks for having me. Thanks.

CAPLIS [00:14:55] Thank you. Take care.