Conversations with Congress

Kevin McCarthy: House Majority Leader

• Background & Career Path

  • Born in Bakersfield, California; father was a firefighter.
  • Won a lottery in 1985, investing $5,000 to fund a college education and later a deli business before attending CSU Bakersfield (BA and MBA).
  • Served four years in the California State Assembly, rising to leadership in nine months despite endorsements going against him.
  • Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2006 as part of the smallest Republican class since 1914 (13 members).
  • Promoted to House Majority Whip in 2011 and House Majority Leader in 2014.
  • Currently resides in a House office in Washington, D.C., citing productivity gains, gym access, and bipartisan camaraderie as reasons over renting an apartment.

• Legislative Priorities & Strategy

  • Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP): Believes TPA and TPP are vital for U.S. foreign policy and economic leadership; warns that failure to lead will allow China to set trade standards.
  • Timing of TPP: Opposes passing TPP during a "lame duck" session to avoid accusations of gaming the system; prefers open debate on merit.
  • Military Authorization: Supports current presidential authority for Iraq/Afghanistan troops but opposes new reforms that would further restrict executive power during dangerous global times.
  • Tax Reform: Advocates for immediate comprehensive tax reform rather than waiting for the next Congress; emphasizes moving away from repeal-and-replace rhetoric toward producing concrete legislative proposals by mid-July.
  • Regulatory Reform: Proposes returning powers from the executive branch to Congress, specifically regarding regulations and entitlement programs.
  • Congressional Turnover: Notes that two-thirds of the Republican conference have seven years or less of service, describing a "disruption" similar to business trends.

• Relationships & Leadership

  • Paul Ryan: Describes Speaker Paul Ryan as a "true policy person" and potential future president who believes in collaborative discussion.
  • Barack Obama: Characterizes the relationship with President Obama as difficult to finalize agreements with, citing the President's struggle to make final decisions and a preference for "Charlie Brown/Lucy" dynamics where compromises are pulled away at the last moment.
  • Ted Cruz: Avoids commenting on specific Senate member dislikes regarding Ted Cruz, suggesting political polarization drives negative personality assessments.
  • Influence: Prioritizes members and constituents who can articulate the "pluses and minuses" of issues over lobbyists or campaign contributors; emphasizes acting based on limited government principles.

• 2016 Election Outlook

  • House Majority: Expresses confidence that Republicans will maintain the House majority despite the Democratic advantage in presidential election years.
  • Donald Trump: Stated he can support either Trump or Cruz as the Republican nominee; believes the Republican House seat count (246) makes retention highly likely.
  • California Politics: Notes the difficulty of electing a Republican in California due to state demographics; suggests dividing California into smaller states or adopting a district-based electoral college system like Nebraska and Maine to increase competitiveness.
  • Hillary Clinton: Views Clinton's shift to the left during the primary as a variable that could make bipartisan cooperation difficult, though he believes in restoring co-equal branches of government.

Senate Panel: Mark Warner & Bob Corker

• Bipartisanship & Senate Culture

  • Leadership Communication: Senator Corker disputes the narrative that party leaders do not talk, stating he and Democratic leaders speak regularly; Senator Warner agrees the "wall of silence" is overstated but notes party establishments sometimes discourage collaboration to maintain control.
  • Committee Dynamics: Both Senators highlight the Foreign Relations Committee as highly productive and bipartisan, working on complex issues like housing finance reform and the Iran deal.
  • Executive vs. Legislative Frustration: Both cite the disconnect between passing legislation and implementation as a major frustration compared to their prior executive roles (Governor/Mayor).
  • Senate Culture: Warner describes the Senate as a "high school you never graduate from" where old grudges persist; Corker notes the slow pace clashes with modern global realities.

• Key Policy Positions

  • Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP):
    • Corker: Views TPP as a strategic "no-brainer" to prevent China from setting global trade frameworks; acknowledges need for side agreements on pharmaceuticals and data.
    • Warner: Hopes for passage before or after the election; acknowledges rural areas in Virginia lost from trade and advocates for better support for those populations.
    • Both note the difficulty that leading candidates on both sides currently oppose the agreement.
  • Iran Nuclear Deal:
    • Corker: Successfully led the effort to require Congressional review of the deal by exploiting a loophole where the President bypassed Congress via a non-binding political agreement.
    • Warner: Emphasized the need for oversight; notes that even supporters of the deal, like Tim Kaine, backed the resolution to bring it to a vote for transparency.
  • Fiscal Issues:
    • Warner identifies the failure of the Simpson-Bowles and Gang of Six budget agreements as his "single biggest disappointment" due to partisan rigidity on taxes and entitlements.
    • Both Senators cite the inability to address the national debt and deficit as the "greatest threat" to national sovereignty and a source of high frustration.
  • Supreme Court Nominee:
    • Corker: Refuses to give a straight answer on whether to vote on the nominee, citing historical precedents (1932, 1888) and the "where you stand depends on where you sit" dynamic.
    • Warner: Expresses disappointment in the "tit-for-tat" political maneuvering regarding the vacancy, fearing it fuels public dissatisfaction and drives extreme candidates.

• 2016 Election & Future Outlook

  • Senate Control: Warner predicts that whichever party wins the Presidency will likely determine the Senate balance due to vulnerable Republican seats in swing states; a Republican president could lose control in 2018.
  • Presidential Ambitions:
    • Warner: Rules out a 2016 run, citing the dominance of extreme voices and his satisfaction with his role; suggests a centrist view is less likely to secure a nomination.
    • Corker: States he is not currently in the frame for the presidency but would consider a future run if it maximized global impact; declines the Vice Presidency to avoid diminishing his current influence.
  • Economic Outlook: Warner warns that the current structure of American capitalism (short-termism, contingent work) is failing broad swathes of Americans and requires urgent engagement from the business community.