Representative Brian Fitzpatrick

People rightly get so frustrated when they see Congress function.

People rightly get so frustrated when they see Congress function.

Right. Yeah. John, an illuminating example is when you came and joined me and Tom and many others fighting for the PACT Act and the 9-11 Heroes Fund. And, you know, there are people dying literally every week. And Mitch McConnell said, well, we'll get to it when we get to it kind of thing. And you threw up your arms in a committee hearing.

Right. Yeah. John, an illuminating example is when you came and joined me and Tom and many others fighting for the PACT Act and the 9-11 Heroes Fund. And, you know, there are people dying literally every week. And Mitch McConnell said, well, we'll get to it when we get to it kind of thing. And you threw up your arms in a committee hearing.

It's a moment I'll never forget because it sort of illuminated to me You're thinking like the average person out there, right? Like, why can't they just fix this? There's real people that are losing their lives. And you have this disconnected person that's been in Congress forever saying, oh, well, we'll put it on the docket and we got to schedule floor time.

It's a moment I'll never forget because it sort of illuminated to me You're thinking like the average person out there, right? Like, why can't they just fix this? There's real people that are losing their lives. And you have this disconnected person that's been in Congress forever saying, oh, well, we'll put it on the docket and we got to schedule floor time.

I know, I know.

I know, I know.

But that moment really was so illuminating to the disconnect that exists between how the public thinks, which is what you were reflecting and sort of this inside the beltway, completely disconnected mentality. But I will say this, there are certain institutional impediments that prevent so many things from happening

But that moment really was so illuminating to the disconnect that exists between how the public thinks, which is what you were reflecting and sort of this inside the beltway, completely disconnected mentality. But I will say this, there are certain institutional impediments that prevent so many things from happening

Number one is the construct in the house right now, John, is if you get 218 votes on the floor, you get everything. If you get 217 votes, you get nothing.

Number one is the construct in the house right now, John, is if you get 218 votes on the floor, you get everything. If you get 217 votes, you get nothing.

And yet a 218 to 217 breakdown is reflective of a very divided public, right? Who probably want us to compromise. So I am a huge believer in a coalition government. I don't like this all or nothing, zero sum concept. because it just creates more division.

And yet a 218 to 217 breakdown is reflective of a very divided public, right? Who probably want us to compromise. So I am a huge believer in a coalition government. I don't like this all or nothing, zero sum concept. because it just creates more division.

I'm also a big believer in something that myself and my Democrat colleague, Jared Golden, are advancing to open up primaries to allow independents to vote. Primary used to be a now, now it's a verb. Now it's something you do to somebody.

I'm also a big believer in something that myself and my Democrat colleague, Jared Golden, are advancing to open up primaries to allow independents to vote. Primary used to be a now, now it's a verb. Now it's something you do to somebody.

And I cannot tell you how many of my colleagues go on the floor, we call them the vote no hope yes crowd, where they know voting for something is the right thing to do, For Democrats, it's border security. For Republicans, it's Ukraine. Take your pick on issues. And because they're worried about their primary, they vote no on a bill that they know is the right thing to do.

And I cannot tell you how many of my colleagues go on the floor, we call them the vote no hope yes crowd, where they know voting for something is the right thing to do, For Democrats, it's border security. For Republicans, it's Ukraine. Take your pick on issues. And because they're worried about their primary, they vote no on a bill that they know is the right thing to do.

Because in a lot of these states, I believe over half, if you dare to register independent, you are told in one out of two elections, you're not welcome to vote in the primary. So envision this scenario.

Because in a lot of these states, I believe over half, if you dare to register independent, you are told in one out of two elections, you're not welcome to vote in the primary. So envision this scenario.