STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:
Representative Katherine Clark has been listening with us. She is the No. 2 Democrat in the House of Representatives, the Democratic whip. Welcome to the program.
KATHERINE CLARK: Oh, good to be with you. Thank you for having me.
INSKEEP: We are reporting throughout the morning on the death of Vice President Cheney, which we have learned - former Vice President Cheney. I'm sure as a Democrat, you did not agree with Cheney on many, many things. But at the end of his life, he agreed with you on one big thing. So what are your thoughts now?
CLARK: Yes. You know, we extend our deepest sympathies and prayers to Dick Cheney's family and especially to our former colleague, Liz Cheney. And I do admire how Dick Cheney stood by her as she took on her own party and at great political cost to herself to expose the truth that Joe Biden won the election in 2020 and that we had a fair and secure election. Not an easy thing to do, and I admire that about both of them.
INSKEEP: Is there something to be said about government service here as well? Cheney spent well over 30 years in senior positions in the government, again, often doing things you would disagree with, but doing them by his lights for the country.
CLARK: You know, there is something to be said. And I hope that as we are in the very challenging time that we are facing in Congress that all of us remember the responsibility that is placed with us. And I think it is part of the moment that we are in that we have a president that demeans public service, that uses his office for his own enrichment and fosters and creates deep cynicism about government and wanting to serve people. So I hope this is a moment that my colleagues will reflect on why we're here in Congress, and that is to fight for the American people and to make life better for them.
INSKEEP: Well, let's talk, if I can, about your work now. We heard Tamara Keith say something about maybe some signs of ice thawing in the shutdown. Any idea what she's talking about?
CLARK: Well, I certainly hope that today is the day that House Republicans decide to come back to Washington, break their five-week vacation that they have taken and get to work. We need to end this shutdown. We need to make sure that we are addressing the health care crisis that the Republican Party has created and get some relief for people that are looking at sky-high premiums.
INSKEEP: I want to ask about that, but I also want to check because you said you hope that today is the day. Is that just a hope, or do you have some information?
CLARK: You know, it is a hope because as of right now, Speaker Johnson has said we are not in session this week. He has not come to the negotiating table once. We have a president who calls himself the great negotiator who not only left the country during a shutdown but has done anything but sit down with Democrats and negotiate.
INSKEEP: Well, let's talk about that because President Trump was on "60 Minutes" over the weekend and was asked if he would help to end the standoff, as he tried to do during his first term. And here's some of his response. Let's listen.
(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "60 MINUTES")
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: I'm not going to do it by being extorted by the Democrats, who have lost their way. There's something wrong with these people.
NORAH O'DONNELL: So then what happens on November...
TRUMP: Schumer is...
INSKEEP: OK. Being extorted by the Democrats - that's how he describes your demand to restore or extend Obamacare subsidies. I'm recalling that during battles in the Obama administration, President Obama, after trying to negotiate with Republicans, finally said, it's up to you guys. Do your job. What would you say to the president effectively telling you, do your job?
CLARK: You know, Donald Trump has said he is both president and speaker. He needs to tell Mike Johnson and Senator Thune to come to the table and negotiate. It is very hard. I'm a lawyer. I've been a lawmaker for some time. You cannot negotiate by yourselves. And the president has had one brief meeting before the shutdown with Democratic leadership, and that's it. That's not how negotiations work. Posts on Truth Social are not a substitute for putting the American people first. And he is so busy building ballrooms, holding "Great Gatsby" celebrations, sending $40 billion to Argentina while he's making the choice to withhold food. Talk about holding hostages. It's outrageous behavior that they will not come to the table to work on making life easier and less expensive for American families.
INSKEEP: Got about 20 seconds here, but I just want to ask directly. I realize it's not your choice to be out of session for the past month-plus. But I've been thinking about this. I'm a taxpayer, which means I help to pay for Congress. Am I getting any value at all out of Congress at this time?
CLARK: You know, it is a really hard case to make when we have federal workers who are showing up for work and not getting paid and we have Mike Johnson saying in the House, we are going to get paid and not show up for work. Isn't that sort of the basic of what they owe the American people? And today would be a good day to come to work and make sure we can get relief.
INSKEEP: Representative Clark, Katherine Clark, thanks so much.
CLARK: Thank you. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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