Conversations about the Islands: the U.S. Territories and the Freely Associated States.
Join us in OIA Conversations to learn more about the islands - people, lives, history, and future. What do you know about the U.S. Territories and the Freely Associated States? Let's have some conversations and learn together.
In this conversation we have the pleasure to converse with Angeline Muckle-Jabbar and her work as the Chief of Staff to the U.S. Virgin Islands Delegate to Congress, managing COVID-19 at the workplace and preparing to launch into the 117th Congress when her Delegate stepped up to serve on the House Ways and Means Committee, a first for any territorial delegate.
There's more to islands ...
Hosted by the U.S. Department of the Interior's Office of Insular Affairs (OIA) Deputy Policy Director and Communications Lead Tanya Harris Joshua, this conversation series highlights people and issues of importance to the U.S. territories and the freely associated states.
OIA Conversation Series | #WhatWeDoIslands | www.doi.gov/oia | @InsularAffairs
Conversations about the Islands: the U.S. Territories and the Freely Associated States.
Join us in OIA Conversations to learn more about the islands - people, lives, history, and future. What do you know about the U.S. Territories and the Freely Associated States? Let's have some conversations and learn together.
In this conversation we have the pleasure to converse with Angeline Muckle-Jabbar and her work as the Chief of Staff to the U.S. Virgin Islands Delegate to Congress, managing COVID-19 at the workplace and preparing to launch into the 117th Congress when her Delegate stepped up to serve on the House Ways and Means Committee, a first for any territorial delegate.
There's more to islands ...
Hosted by the U.S. Department of the Interior's Office of Insular Affairs (OIA) Deputy Policy Director and Communications Lead Tanya Harris Joshua, this conversation series highlights people and issues of importance to the U.S. territories and the freely associated states.
OIA Conversation Series | #WhatWeDoIslands | www.doi.gov/oia | @InsularAffairs
0:00:04.000,0:00:08.080
thank you very much for joining us today
0:00:06.000,0:00:10.240
we're with angeline muckle jabbar
0:00:08.080,0:00:11.920
who is chief of staff to the
0:00:10.240,0:00:12.799
congresswoman from the u.s virgin
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islands
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stacy plaskett angie thank you very much
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for joining us today
0:00:17.359,0:00:21.359
thank you for having me uh even despite
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that we're
0:00:21.359,0:00:24.880
really in between new year's and
0:00:23.199,0:00:26.640
christmas and you're you're still with
0:00:24.880,0:00:27.599
us so can you tell us a little bit about
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your office
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and and how you are staffed during the
0:00:29.920,0:00:34.719
holidays
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well um we have three offices
0:00:34.719,0:00:41.680
as you know in uh dc saint thomas and st
0:00:38.480,0:00:44.559
croix uh during the holidays
0:00:41.680,0:00:46.000
uh we've continued to staff on a
0:00:44.559,0:00:49.280
staggered schedule
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as we began during the summer um
0:00:49.280,0:00:52.879
we've been working as you know congress
0:00:51.280,0:00:57.120
is still in session
0:00:52.879,0:00:58.879
um because we just passed the covet bill
0:00:57.120,0:01:01.039
the covet and the government funding
0:00:58.879,0:01:04.159
bill but there's still the issue
0:01:01.039,0:01:07.119
with the direct payments and um
0:01:04.159,0:01:08.799
the senate still wants to do something
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about increasing the direct payments
0:01:08.799,0:01:12.080
that we've
0:01:09.280,0:01:13.119
i feel like we've been on call during
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the holidays
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that's the best way to um explain it
0:01:17.200,0:01:21.600
congress has been on call so we've
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continued our staggered schedule in our
0:01:21.600,0:01:25.119
offices
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some folks are on vacation but they're
0:01:25.119,0:01:28.000
still on call
0:01:26.080,0:01:30.240
also and then since we're still working
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virtually it's almost like
0:01:30.240,0:01:34.079
you know there's a great line between
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being on vacation
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and working because you're at home but
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which you're supposed to be on vacation
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but you're still working from home
0:01:40.479,0:01:43.439
anyway so it looks like what's the
0:01:42.240,0:01:45.920
difference right
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right right so we've been pretty busy as
0:01:45.920,0:01:51.600
a matter of fact um
0:01:48.000,0:01:53.920
the 106th 17th congress excuse me
0:01:51.600,0:01:54.720
starts this sunday i don't know if you
0:01:53.920,0:01:57.040
knew that
0:01:54.720,0:01:58.799
but members will be sworn in this sunday
0:01:57.040,0:02:01.840
on january 3rd
0:01:58.799,0:02:02.719
so um congressman plaskett will be in
0:02:01.840,0:02:05.200
the office
0:02:02.719,0:02:06.799
i will be in the office along with
0:02:05.200,0:02:10.160
probably another colleague
0:02:06.799,0:02:13.200
we try not to do more than two staffers
0:02:10.160,0:02:15.599
at a time every day
0:02:13.200,0:02:16.720
so that we don't have it full staff some
0:02:15.599,0:02:20.560
people still come in
0:02:16.720,0:02:21.280
anyway but congress does have rapid
0:02:20.560,0:02:23.440
testing
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so people have been testing to make sure
0:02:23.440,0:02:28.239
that everyone's safe
0:02:26.000,0:02:30.080
congratulations yes so the congresswoman
0:02:28.239,0:02:32.400
was reelected
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i i did see a picture of you campaigning
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can you tell us a little
0:02:35.360,0:02:39.680
that bit i tried to you know on campaign
0:02:38.959,0:02:41.920
day
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there's a lot of tension especially for
0:02:41.920,0:02:46.720
the congresswoman
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because she has to travel um inter
0:02:46.720,0:02:50.080
island
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she has to go visit croy saint thomas
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and then back to singapore for the
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election
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for the results so and she has to do
0:02:55.440,0:03:00.400
different stops at
0:02:56.480,0:03:02.560
polls uh when she stopped at our poll
0:03:00.400,0:03:04.000
um at that particular poll things
0:03:02.560,0:03:07.360
weren't exactly the way
0:03:04.000,0:03:09.040
she wanted it so just to break tension i
0:03:07.360,0:03:11.360
did a little twirling
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with the sign which i had never done
0:03:11.360,0:03:16.879
before i've twirled with a baton
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many many years ago so i'm glad that it
0:03:16.879,0:03:23.280
brought some levity
0:03:19.519,0:03:25.200
to a very long day yeah i try to bring
0:03:23.280,0:03:27.920
levity in the office you know
0:03:25.200,0:03:29.599
we work long hours and sometimes things
0:03:27.920,0:03:31.680
can get pretty intense
0:03:29.599,0:03:33.760
right so i try to create a little bit of
0:03:31.680,0:03:36.879
levity
0:03:33.760,0:03:38.720
um so tell me about um when
0:03:36.879,0:03:41.040
the congresswoman will be sworn in again
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the 117th congress can you give us a
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visual
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what that looks like is that on the you
0:03:44.799,0:03:48.239
know
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um well first um um
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also on january 3rd um
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the congressional black caucus will air
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their sworn in they did it virtually so
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all members
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of the congressional black caucus film
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they're um
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swearing in and they sent it to the
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congressional black caucus foundation
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and they put together a virtual swearing
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and
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swirling in and that will air on january
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3rd on tv
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one um i forgot the time but that will
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also be
0:04:19.280,0:04:25.919
on sunday um at noon on sunday
0:04:22.800,0:04:27.919
the house will be in session members
0:04:25.919,0:04:28.960
will be sworn in i don't have the
0:04:27.919,0:04:31.520
specifics
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but for votes members will still be
0:04:31.520,0:04:36.080
called
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um by groups like they've been doing
0:04:36.080,0:04:41.120
um since the pandemic they also have to
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vote for the speaker of the house
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so um that's the sworn in and voting for
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the speaker of the house will take
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place on sunday and that will begin at
0:04:48.320,0:04:51.199
noon
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and so that will all be virtual
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everybody is recording
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or they're coming that part will not be
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be virtual
0:04:56.320,0:04:59.680
members all members of congress are
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required to
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come in on sunday okay um but
0:05:02.960,0:05:08.240
they've been voting by proxy but there
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will not be proxy voting this sunday
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for the beginning of the session so
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everyone's required to come
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in but they will continue to vote
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in groups so that everyone is not in at
0:05:18.080,0:05:22.160
the same time
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um i can't remember how the swearing-in
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will go
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but um we're still waiting for details
0:05:25.440,0:05:30.320
on that so you can view it
0:05:27.199,0:05:33.520
um on c-span um which
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you know carries the legislative
0:05:33.520,0:05:36.960
session for congress so you can watch it
0:05:36.080,0:05:39.840
on c-span
0:05:36.960,0:05:41.360
maybe cnn will carry it but i'm certain
0:05:39.840,0:05:43.840
she's fat well
0:05:41.360,0:05:45.600
okay so the congresswoman is a member of
0:05:43.840,0:05:47.919
the congressional black caucus
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and what other organizations is she also
0:05:47.919,0:05:50.880
a part of
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or committees on the hill oh yes so
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she's also um
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a co-chair of the caribbean caucus the
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congressional caribbean caucus
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she's also on the new dens
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and a few other caucuses too but in
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terms of committees for the 116th
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congress
0:06:09.199,0:06:17.199
she sits on the committee on agriculture
0:06:13.680,0:06:20.520
and she also um chairs
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the subcommittee on
0:06:20.520,0:06:24.960
biotechnology and horticulture and then
0:06:23.919,0:06:28.479
she sits on
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the committee on oversight and reform
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and she also sits on the transportation
0:06:31.199,0:06:35.520
committee
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that's for the 116th congress
0:06:35.520,0:06:42.880
right so the 117th congress
0:06:38.800,0:06:46.400
um she was nominated to be assigned to
0:06:42.880,0:06:49.280
the house to this um exclusive committee
0:06:46.400,0:06:52.319
of the house ways and means committee
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so um we since it's an exclusive
0:06:52.319,0:06:55.360
committee
0:06:53.360,0:06:57.120
members are only supposed to be on that
0:06:55.360,0:07:00.319
one committee that's one of the
0:06:57.120,0:07:04.080
exclusive committees ways and means
0:07:00.319,0:07:06.000
also appropriations um so i'm not sure
0:07:04.080,0:07:07.520
if she's going to get a waiver maybe for
0:07:06.000,0:07:11.360
one other committee we're still
0:07:07.520,0:07:11.360
discussing that internally
0:07:11.520,0:07:15.520
why is that exclusive is it because of
0:07:13.599,0:07:16.160
the work that's involved is there so
0:07:15.520,0:07:18.479
much work
0:07:16.160,0:07:20.960
because of the work it's involved it's
0:07:18.479,0:07:24.479
um one of the oldest committees
0:07:20.960,0:07:26.720
in congress also we have the
0:07:24.479,0:07:29.280
um appropriations committee that
0:07:26.720,0:07:32.479
appropriates the money but with means
0:07:29.280,0:07:35.520
generates the money to be appropriated
0:07:32.479,0:07:39.199
so there's um a lot of um
0:07:35.520,0:07:39.680
activity dealing with revenue wow that's
0:07:39.199,0:07:42.720
um
0:07:39.680,0:07:45.360
very exciting and it i'm not sure but it
0:07:42.720,0:07:48.240
may be the first time that uh one of our
0:07:45.360,0:07:49.759
delegates from any of the incident areas
0:07:48.240,0:07:52.160
you know i get goosebumps amazing
0:07:49.759,0:07:54.560
anytime i think about it because
0:07:52.160,0:07:55.520
you know when we sat around first of all
0:07:54.560,0:07:59.520
congresswoman
0:07:55.520,0:08:02.400
plaskett is always wanting to do more
0:07:59.520,0:08:04.319
you know she always aspires to do more
0:08:02.400,0:08:05.919
and when we sat around the table
0:08:04.319,0:08:07.599
this customer what are we going to do
0:08:05.919,0:08:11.360
for the 117th
0:08:07.599,0:08:13.440
congress what is going to be my legacy
0:08:11.360,0:08:14.639
and we looked at all the committees that
0:08:13.440,0:08:16.639
she's been on all the
0:08:14.639,0:08:19.039
other committees that she's not been on
0:08:16.639,0:08:22.720
and we look we said well let's
0:08:19.039,0:08:25.039
try for worries and means you know um
0:08:22.720,0:08:26.240
nothing ventured nothing gained right
0:08:25.039,0:08:29.440
right so uh
0:08:26.240,0:08:31.520
we tried it and uh we did it
0:08:29.440,0:08:32.959
amazing congratulations thank you i'm
0:08:31.520,0:08:36.479
just so proud of her
0:08:32.959,0:08:39.760
i'm i'm so proud for the us territories
0:08:36.479,0:08:43.120
um we have fought
0:08:39.760,0:08:46.080
for so long to be considered fully and
0:08:43.120,0:08:49.279
equally in the u.s congress
0:08:46.080,0:08:50.800
even though we don't have a full vote
0:08:49.279,0:08:53.600
all of the time
0:08:50.800,0:08:54.000
so this is very very important for us
0:08:53.600,0:08:56.560
and
0:08:54.000,0:08:58.080
we hope to do a lot of work not just for
0:08:56.560,0:08:59.200
the virgin islands but for the us
0:08:58.080,0:09:02.480
territories
0:08:59.200,0:09:03.120
i mean you know our revenue for puerto
0:09:02.480,0:09:05.680
rico
0:09:03.120,0:09:06.240
and the virgin islands is generated a
0:09:05.680,0:09:09.040
lot from
0:09:06.240,0:09:10.080
the rum industry so that's very
0:09:09.040,0:09:13.839
important
0:09:10.080,0:09:14.720
um our health our medicaid issues are
0:09:13.839,0:09:17.200
important
0:09:14.720,0:09:18.399
so all of that you know starts from ways
0:09:17.200,0:09:21.440
and means
0:09:18.399,0:09:23.040
excellent um please tell me angie how
0:09:21.440,0:09:26.240
does that
0:09:23.040,0:09:27.200
look to day to day for you in terms of
0:09:26.240,0:09:29.200
your work
0:09:27.200,0:09:31.440
can you tell us a little bit about what
0:09:29.200,0:09:33.600
that means for you on the ground
0:09:31.440,0:09:35.600
uh i know the congresswoman comes to the
0:09:33.600,0:09:38.480
meetings and is in the meetings but
0:09:35.600,0:09:40.080
i know that the role you play is is
0:09:38.480,0:09:41.519
essential can you please give us a
0:09:40.080,0:09:44.880
little bit of insight
0:09:41.519,0:09:47.200
i'm sure as chief of staff i've
0:09:44.880,0:09:48.800
not well before chief of staff i was
0:09:47.200,0:09:51.760
legislative director
0:09:48.800,0:09:52.640
so i did a lot of committee work but as
0:09:51.760,0:09:56.880
chief of staff
0:09:52.640,0:09:59.040
now i think january will be
0:09:56.880,0:09:59.920
one full year since i've been chief of
0:09:59.040,0:10:02.880
staff
0:09:59.920,0:10:04.399
i've tried to stay away from committee
0:10:02.880,0:10:06.480
work but i still
0:10:04.399,0:10:08.959
need to know what's going on in the
0:10:06.480,0:10:12.880
committees and my legislative
0:10:08.959,0:10:14.959
background has helped a lot because
0:10:12.880,0:10:16.720
knowing what goes on in the committees i
0:10:14.959,0:10:19.920
know what to expect
0:10:16.720,0:10:23.519
from the committees and from my staff
0:10:19.920,0:10:26.000
now with ways and means i will probably
0:10:23.519,0:10:27.839
have more involvement in the committee i
0:10:26.000,0:10:28.399
think the congresswoman is expecting
0:10:27.839,0:10:31.440
that
0:10:28.399,0:10:34.240
but we also have a legislative director
0:10:31.440,0:10:34.880
jeffrey noel and he will work with the
0:10:34.240,0:10:38.720
committee
0:10:34.880,0:10:39.519
a lot also um so i think i will be
0:10:38.720,0:10:41.600
involved in
0:10:39.519,0:10:43.360
a day-to-day basis with what's going on
0:10:41.600,0:10:44.480
in ways and means i've already started
0:10:43.360,0:10:46.640
to
0:10:44.480,0:10:48.399
there's a lot to learn but then i also
0:10:46.640,0:10:49.920
have my chief of staff role which is
0:10:48.399,0:10:53.519
managing the office
0:10:49.920,0:10:55.440
and everything else so yeah so i'm um
0:10:53.519,0:10:57.279
trying to determine and we'll see on a
0:10:55.440,0:11:00.320
day-to-day basis how i
0:10:57.279,0:11:02.720
um balance all of that yes how many
0:11:00.320,0:11:03.440
um how many how many staff do you have
0:11:02.720,0:11:05.920
in the dc
0:11:03.440,0:11:06.720
office and also in the offices in in the
0:11:05.920,0:11:10.160
vi
0:11:06.720,0:11:14.240
i think total we have um
0:11:10.160,0:11:17.920
i believe it's 14 staff
0:11:14.240,0:11:21.440
in the dc office we have
0:11:17.920,0:11:25.200
i think seven or eight mins saint thomas
0:11:21.440,0:11:28.399
we have three and in syncroy
0:11:25.200,0:11:32.160
we also have three and
0:11:28.399,0:11:35.839
one wounded warrior fellow so that makes
0:11:32.160,0:11:36.800
four so yeah okay and so do you have to
0:11:35.839,0:11:39.440
then travel
0:11:36.800,0:11:42.240
um frequently to well now with covid
0:11:39.440,0:11:44.959
maybe you're doing more virtual work
0:11:42.240,0:11:47.120
we do more virtual work i was there at
0:11:44.959,0:11:50.720
the end of october
0:11:47.120,0:11:52.720
beginning of november and um
0:11:50.720,0:11:53.920
i'm not sure when i will travel again
0:11:52.720,0:11:57.839
but i'm sure it will
0:11:53.920,0:11:57.839
probably be before the spring
0:11:58.399,0:12:03.839
um you mentioned uh
0:12:01.760,0:12:05.200
you mentioned a wounded warrior fellow
0:12:03.839,0:12:08.320
which makes me think of
0:12:05.200,0:12:10.000
the military the military how is the can
0:12:08.320,0:12:12.079
you tell us about the virgin islands
0:12:10.000,0:12:13.279
and service in the military and and how
0:12:12.079,0:12:16.639
that looks
0:12:13.279,0:12:19.519
yes well the veterans and military is
0:12:16.639,0:12:23.600
very important to us because per capita
0:12:19.519,0:12:25.920
we have you know a large amount of
0:12:23.600,0:12:27.200
folks serving in the military just not
0:12:25.920,0:12:30.800
in the virgin islands but
0:12:27.200,0:12:33.680
in the entire territory because
0:12:30.800,0:12:35.040
a lot of our residents choose not to go
0:12:33.680,0:12:36.800
to college but probably go to the
0:12:35.040,0:12:39.120
military first
0:12:36.800,0:12:40.800
so on the wounded we learned about the
0:12:39.120,0:12:43.200
wounded warrior program
0:12:40.800,0:12:44.560
um the territories are eligible to
0:12:43.200,0:12:47.920
participate
0:12:44.560,0:12:48.240
and we have one she's been working with
0:12:47.920,0:12:51.519
us
0:12:48.240,0:12:52.639
now for over six months and she's been
0:12:51.519,0:12:56.160
an incredible
0:12:52.639,0:12:58.639
liaison with our veterans community
0:12:56.160,0:13:00.079
um and she's just become an integral
0:12:58.639,0:13:02.959
part of our
0:13:00.079,0:13:04.240
um office but we want to expose them
0:13:02.959,0:13:09.600
more
0:13:04.240,0:13:13.120
not just to veterans but also to policy
0:13:09.600,0:13:15.760
to legislation
0:13:13.120,0:13:16.480
to bring all of those different elements
0:13:15.760,0:13:19.680
into
0:13:16.480,0:13:22.480
service to our veterans uh
0:13:19.680,0:13:25.200
we work really hard with our veterans
0:13:22.480,0:13:27.920
because we do not have a veterans
0:13:25.200,0:13:30.240
hospital in the virgin islands our
0:13:27.920,0:13:34.079
veterans have to travel to puerto rico
0:13:30.240,0:13:35.440
or to florida to get medical care
0:13:34.079,0:13:37.360
so that's something that we've been
0:13:35.440,0:13:41.279
working on to improve
0:13:37.360,0:13:43.839
also so um our military
0:13:41.279,0:13:45.920
servicemen and veterans need a lot of
0:13:43.839,0:13:49.680
help there
0:13:45.920,0:13:52.240
yes and i believe the va um system
0:13:49.680,0:13:52.880
in the puerto rico vi area is one of the
0:13:52.240,0:13:56.079
largest
0:13:52.880,0:13:57.680
but you're still far away if you're in
0:13:56.079,0:13:59.360
the eye and you don't have a hospital
0:13:57.680,0:14:02.639
nearby right and you still have to
0:13:59.360,0:14:05.839
travel and even though puerto rico is uh
0:14:02.639,0:14:08.079
not far just the inconvenience of
0:14:05.839,0:14:09.279
um either being sick and having to
0:14:08.079,0:14:12.000
travel or
0:14:09.279,0:14:14.079
right you know the cost of it which is
0:14:12.000,0:14:16.560
in a reimbursement basis
0:14:14.079,0:14:17.600
so angie let's um spin back a little bit
0:14:16.560,0:14:20.320
to earlier
0:14:17.600,0:14:22.079
how did you um first get started uh
0:14:20.320,0:14:23.680
where did you go to school
0:14:22.079,0:14:26.160
uh where are you from in the virgin
0:14:23.680,0:14:31.839
islands and how did you get started
0:14:26.160,0:14:31.839
it's many moons ago
0:14:31.920,0:14:38.079
thank you thank you you know god is uh
0:14:35.040,0:14:40.880
god is with me in terms of health and i
0:14:38.079,0:14:40.880
guess aging
0:14:41.519,0:14:48.720
um gracefully so i
0:14:44.959,0:14:50.399
many years ago i came to washington dc
0:14:48.720,0:14:54.000
to attend howard university
0:14:50.399,0:14:55.920
i graduated uh with a bachelor's degree
0:14:54.000,0:14:56.959
in political science and a minor in
0:14:55.920,0:14:58.880
english
0:14:56.959,0:15:00.320
and then i started working for the u.s
0:14:58.880,0:15:03.440
department of labor
0:15:00.320,0:15:05.279
after that and i started law school i
0:15:03.440,0:15:08.079
went to georgetown law
0:15:05.279,0:15:08.880
graduated i clerked in the virgin
0:15:08.079,0:15:12.480
islands
0:15:08.880,0:15:14.560
um in syncroy in superior court
0:15:12.480,0:15:16.959
came back and started working for
0:15:14.560,0:15:20.240
congressman donna christensen
0:15:16.959,0:15:23.760
our former delegate to congress
0:15:20.240,0:15:26.320
and i worked with dwayne and
0:15:23.760,0:15:28.160
then congresswoman christensen decided
0:15:26.320,0:15:31.600
to work and run for governor
0:15:28.160,0:15:34.480
so she um gave up her role
0:15:31.600,0:15:35.360
as a member of congress and when she was
0:15:34.480,0:15:38.160
not
0:15:35.360,0:15:38.880
elected as governor i worked for mayor
0:15:38.160,0:15:41.839
bowser
0:15:38.880,0:15:43.920
for a few months and then came back to
0:15:41.839,0:15:44.880
congress to work for congresswoman stacy
0:15:43.920,0:15:47.920
plaskett
0:15:44.880,0:15:49.519
as her legislative director okay
0:15:47.920,0:15:51.519
okay so you actually worked for the
0:15:49.519,0:15:53.279
mayor as well when
0:15:51.519,0:15:55.120
okay in the mayor's office in the
0:15:53.279,0:15:56.240
mayor's office
0:15:55.120,0:15:58.079
did that give you a different
0:15:56.240,0:15:59.360
perspective what kind of perspective did
0:15:58.079,0:16:01.279
that give you from
0:15:59.360,0:16:02.959
the the district versus a terror you
0:16:01.279,0:16:05.839
know a territory
0:16:02.959,0:16:07.040
well in terms of the perspective very
0:16:05.839,0:16:10.959
similar
0:16:07.040,0:16:15.040
very similar because the district is
0:16:10.959,0:16:18.320
also not a state so
0:16:15.040,0:16:21.600
it gave me a lot of insight
0:16:18.320,0:16:25.279
as to how similar their problems are
0:16:21.600,0:16:27.360
to the virgin islands and you know
0:16:25.279,0:16:30.079
i don't think people realize the role
0:16:27.360,0:16:30.800
that national parks play in washington
0:16:30.079,0:16:33.440
dc
0:16:30.800,0:16:34.240
itself in the district of columbia not
0:16:33.440,0:16:37.680
just
0:16:34.240,0:16:40.399
our monuments but
0:16:37.680,0:16:41.120
within the district of columbia itself
0:16:40.399,0:16:43.440
you know with
0:16:41.120,0:16:44.560
uh the parks that are in the local
0:16:43.440,0:16:47.680
residence
0:16:44.560,0:16:49.120
and different land um so
0:16:47.680,0:16:51.680
you know that was an interesting
0:16:49.120,0:16:53.920
perspective also so interior plays a
0:16:51.680,0:16:54.880
very big role with the district of
0:16:53.920,0:16:56.880
columbia
0:16:54.880,0:16:59.519
not just with the monuments in
0:16:56.880,0:17:04.160
washington dc
0:16:59.519,0:17:06.079
yeah it gave me a very um
0:17:04.160,0:17:07.679
you know better understanding of how the
0:17:06.079,0:17:11.760
district works
0:17:07.679,0:17:15.520
um the weight that the district carries
0:17:11.760,0:17:19.280
is incredible i mean having to
0:17:15.520,0:17:22.480
um you know be responsible for
0:17:19.280,0:17:24.640
services for people who work in the
0:17:22.480,0:17:25.360
district of columbia from maryland
0:17:24.640,0:17:28.480
virginia
0:17:25.360,0:17:30.720
and dc it's a lot it's a lot
0:17:28.480,0:17:32.640
it's a it's a big burden for the
0:17:30.720,0:17:35.440
district of columbia
0:17:32.640,0:17:36.559
right um when you talk about the burden
0:17:35.440,0:17:38.240
are you talking about also
0:17:36.559,0:17:39.880
transportation what kind of what's
0:17:38.240,0:17:43.280
inside
0:17:39.880,0:17:45.280
infrastructure public safety
0:17:43.280,0:17:47.039
i wouldn't say it's a well it can be a
0:17:45.280,0:17:49.360
financial burden because they do need
0:17:47.039,0:17:52.400
the money but it's a lot of weight
0:17:49.360,0:17:55.919
right for um an
0:17:52.400,0:17:59.120
area that's not a state
0:17:55.919,0:18:00.080
right and that's smaller than all the
0:17:59.120,0:18:02.080
other states
0:18:00.080,0:18:03.840
so how long then have you now been
0:18:02.080,0:18:04.960
working for the for congresswoman
0:18:03.840,0:18:08.880
plaskett
0:18:04.960,0:18:12.400
for congresswoman plaskett since 2015.
0:18:08.880,0:18:15.919
okay in congress
0:18:12.400,0:18:19.280
just generally for um i'd say um
0:18:15.919,0:18:22.640
over 20 years now yes
0:18:19.280,0:18:26.000
wow that's that's when you
0:18:22.640,0:18:28.320
uh that you're becoming the expert now
0:18:26.000,0:18:29.520
i don't know if it's an expert you know
0:18:28.320,0:18:31.840
you learn every
0:18:29.520,0:18:32.880
every congress is different right you
0:18:31.840,0:18:36.320
learn something
0:18:32.880,0:18:37.360
new every day i don't purport to know
0:18:36.320,0:18:40.240
everything
0:18:37.360,0:18:40.880
um but it's you know it you learn every
0:18:40.240,0:18:43.679
day
0:18:40.880,0:18:44.720
and in my different roles and capacities
0:18:43.679,0:18:47.840
i've learned
0:18:44.720,0:18:51.679
um different things even after 20 years
0:18:47.840,0:18:53.600
even after 20 years even after 20 years
0:18:51.679,0:18:55.200
um tell me a little bit if you could
0:18:53.600,0:18:57.440
about the the recent
0:18:55.200,0:18:59.200
covid and funding bill that that
0:18:57.440,0:19:01.360
congress just passed
0:18:59.200,0:19:03.600
so now there's another bill uh there's
0:19:01.360,0:19:08.080
another movement to increase this
0:19:03.600,0:19:09.200
this the covet funding from 600 to 2000
0:19:08.080,0:19:10.559
direct payments
0:19:09.200,0:19:11.919
the direct payments can you talk a
0:19:10.559,0:19:13.600
little bit about that what does that
0:19:11.919,0:19:16.880
look like in terms of
0:19:13.600,0:19:19.919
your office and voting
0:19:16.880,0:19:24.160
well we definitely support um
0:19:19.919,0:19:27.200
the increase to to 2600
0:19:24.160,0:19:29.440
was very it was a nominal direct payment
0:19:27.200,0:19:31.200
um you know it's very hard to go from
0:19:29.440,0:19:34.880
1200 to 600
0:19:31.200,0:19:37.200
because the issue and um
0:19:34.880,0:19:39.440
the hardship and the challenges have
0:19:37.200,0:19:42.080
they've not changed if anything they've
0:19:39.440,0:19:43.200
become even more because they've lasted
0:19:42.080,0:19:46.799
longer
0:19:43.200,0:19:49.840
um so we do support that um
0:19:46.799,0:19:52.000
a congresswoman was not able to she does
0:19:49.840,0:19:54.400
not vote on final passage
0:19:52.000,0:19:55.039
of a bill and there were no amendments
0:19:54.400,0:19:58.000
to that
0:19:55.039,0:19:59.919
um bill right but we do support it the
0:19:58.000,0:20:02.799
democrats do support it
0:19:59.919,0:20:03.520
um the senate tried to pass it uh
0:20:02.799,0:20:07.120
yesterday
0:20:03.520,0:20:10.880
by uc unanimous consent but um
0:20:07.120,0:20:13.440
senator mcconnell blocked that so now uh
0:20:10.880,0:20:16.480
senator schumer bernie sanders they're
0:20:13.440,0:20:19.360
hoping to actually bring it to a vote
0:20:16.480,0:20:20.559
and it's my understanding that um in the
0:20:19.360,0:20:23.919
meantime
0:20:20.559,0:20:26.960
treasury is going ahead and distributing
0:20:23.919,0:20:29.440
the 600 direct payments so people
0:20:26.960,0:20:30.080
should expect to see that in their bank
0:20:29.440,0:20:33.200
accounts
0:20:30.080,0:20:34.000
between today and next week i'm thinking
0:20:33.200,0:20:38.240
that since they
0:20:34.000,0:20:41.600
went ahead and distribute the 600 that
0:20:38.240,0:20:44.159
if they bring it to a vote and
0:20:41.600,0:20:46.240
if they do pass it it may not be the
0:20:44.159,0:20:49.520
2000 it may be
0:20:46.240,0:20:51.520
1400 the difference between the 600 and
0:20:49.520,0:20:52.159
the 2000 it seems like that would make
0:20:51.520,0:20:55.440
sense
0:20:52.159,0:20:56.000
yes but it's just oh wait and see um i
0:20:55.440,0:20:58.799
think
0:20:56.000,0:20:59.600
the back and forth is very unfortunate
0:20:58.799,0:21:03.200
because
0:20:59.600,0:21:04.159
we're really just gambling with people's
0:21:03.200,0:21:07.840
lives
0:21:04.159,0:21:10.080
people's emotions you know so
0:21:07.840,0:21:11.679
so this bill that that we're taught the
0:21:10.080,0:21:14.880
direct payments is literally
0:21:11.679,0:21:15.679
only that that's the only thing in the
0:21:14.880,0:21:18.960
bill
0:21:15.679,0:21:21.200
well my understanding is that mr
0:21:18.960,0:21:22.240
senator mcconnell wants to bring it to a
0:21:21.200,0:21:25.600
vote
0:21:22.240,0:21:27.679
and include other provisions in the bill
0:21:25.600,0:21:29.200
i don't think that he wants to just do
0:21:27.679,0:21:30.240
the direct payments it seems like he
0:21:29.200,0:21:32.960
wants to bring
0:21:30.240,0:21:35.200
other provisions that that still the
0:21:32.960,0:21:36.799
senators do not agree upon so
0:21:35.200,0:21:39.360
i see so that would explain the
0:21:36.799,0:21:42.720
unanimous consent versus
0:21:39.360,0:21:45.440
bringing a bill to a vote now you
0:21:42.720,0:21:47.200
touched upon the congresswoman
0:21:45.440,0:21:49.200
from the territory the territories and
0:21:47.200,0:21:51.520
dc but we'll focus on the territories
0:21:49.200,0:21:53.679
not having uh a vote in congress could
0:21:51.520,0:21:56.960
you explain that a little bit more
0:21:53.679,0:21:58.320
yes well it's actually it
0:21:56.960,0:22:00.480
it goes back and forth when the
0:21:58.320,0:22:02.400
democrats are in office
0:22:00.480,0:22:04.400
that's the first bill that they that
0:22:02.400,0:22:07.840
they pass they give
0:22:04.400,0:22:10.960
the delegates the right to vote in
0:22:07.840,0:22:13.200
committee of a whole meaning that they
0:22:10.960,0:22:14.640
vote on amendments but not on final
0:22:13.200,0:22:18.000
passage of the bill
0:22:14.640,0:22:20.320
when the republicans are um in
0:22:18.000,0:22:22.080
control that's the first thing that they
0:22:20.320,0:22:24.480
take away from us
0:22:22.080,0:22:25.200
so you know it's just flip-flops
0:22:24.480,0:22:27.520
depending on
0:22:25.200,0:22:28.559
on who is and and this is something
0:22:27.520,0:22:32.000
that's been happening
0:22:28.559,0:22:34.400
every congress pretty much yes ah
0:22:32.000,0:22:35.919
okay because i've seen it in the news a
0:22:34.400,0:22:38.320
couple of times but uh
0:22:35.919,0:22:39.840
but it's interesting to to think that it
0:22:38.320,0:22:41.360
this is actually something that goes on
0:22:39.840,0:22:42.559
every congress every congress it's
0:22:41.360,0:22:46.320
unfortunate and
0:22:42.559,0:22:49.760
you know um i hope for the day when we
0:22:46.320,0:22:53.520
have it permanently and not you know
0:22:49.760,0:22:56.480
just given and taken away
0:22:53.520,0:22:58.159
now tell me uh in your work on the hill
0:22:56.480,0:23:01.200
how often do you work with the
0:22:58.159,0:23:01.200
executive branch
0:23:01.280,0:23:09.919
um pretty often but we
0:23:04.880,0:23:13.280
work mostly through the agencies
0:23:09.919,0:23:16.480
and their
0:23:13.280,0:23:21.200
issues rarely do we have to go directly
0:23:16.480,0:23:24.400
to the white house but if we do we will
0:23:21.200,0:23:27.440
they're congressional liaisons yes and
0:23:24.400,0:23:30.960
now with the um biden team
0:23:27.440,0:23:32.720
uh we will be working with folks who
0:23:30.960,0:23:34.799
actually worked on the hill
0:23:32.720,0:23:36.400
who will be in the white house as
0:23:34.799,0:23:39.679
congressional liaisons
0:23:36.400,0:23:40.799
so our accessibility and our connection
0:23:39.679,0:23:43.919
to the white house
0:23:40.799,0:23:45.120
will be even greater now with this
0:23:43.919,0:23:48.240
administration
0:23:45.120,0:23:51.440
so i i see us working closer with the
0:23:48.240,0:23:54.480
executive branch not just because
0:23:51.440,0:23:56.960
of the party that's in power but because
0:23:54.480,0:23:59.840
of the people who will be there
0:23:56.960,0:24:01.679
right right and um you mentioned
0:23:59.840,0:24:03.440
agencies so i know you work with
0:24:01.679,0:24:05.919
interior
0:24:03.440,0:24:08.080
so you just you work with labor uh
0:24:05.919,0:24:10.080
probably treasury i'm thinking with rum
0:24:08.080,0:24:13.600
cover over taxes
0:24:10.080,0:24:16.960
treasury um hud because
0:24:13.600,0:24:20.880
of the 2017 hurricanes
0:24:16.960,0:24:25.840
and um of fema homeland security
0:24:20.880,0:24:28.880
has been a big one since uh 2017
0:24:25.840,0:24:32.640
um and uh there was
0:24:28.880,0:24:35.840
one other one hhs
0:24:32.640,0:24:38.640
um so basically all of them
0:24:35.840,0:24:39.440
speaking of hhs you mentioned medicaid
0:24:38.640,0:24:41.279
can you
0:24:39.440,0:24:43.440
elaborate a little bit on the the issue
0:24:41.279,0:24:45.679
of medicaid for the for the territory
0:24:43.440,0:24:47.919
well one of the things and one of the
0:24:45.679,0:24:51.679
accomplishments that we were able to
0:24:47.919,0:24:53.679
achieve um this 116 cars was avert the
0:24:51.679,0:24:57.440
medicaid clip
0:24:53.679,0:24:59.440
which for the u.s territories and that
0:24:57.440,0:25:02.919
funding
0:24:59.440,0:25:06.320
came to an end i believe it was in
0:25:02.919,0:25:09.679
2018 uh september
0:25:06.320,0:25:11.200
of 2018 um so we were able to get more
0:25:09.679,0:25:14.240
funding to avert that
0:25:11.200,0:25:17.840
we were able to get increased funding
0:25:14.240,0:25:19.600
also because of the 2017 hurricanes
0:25:17.840,0:25:21.200
those territories are treated
0:25:19.600,0:25:24.320
differently
0:25:21.200,0:25:26.799
than the rest of the us
0:25:24.320,0:25:28.960
when it comes to medicaid funding would
0:25:26.799,0:25:31.760
you like to share um any other
0:25:28.960,0:25:33.440
accomplishments that big accomplishments
0:25:31.760,0:25:35.200
that i know there's the work is every
0:25:33.440,0:25:37.200
day and sometimes you're working
0:25:35.200,0:25:38.960
behind the scenes and they don't always
0:25:37.200,0:25:41.279
come out publicly
0:25:38.960,0:25:42.480
um but are there any other big items
0:25:41.279,0:25:43.360
that you'd like to bring to our
0:25:42.480,0:25:47.120
awareness
0:25:43.360,0:25:50.640
right when we're discussing voting um
0:25:47.120,0:25:52.799
at the beginning of the 116th congress
0:25:50.640,0:25:54.960
one of the first legislations that was
0:25:52.799,0:25:57.600
passed was hr1
0:25:54.960,0:25:58.880
for the people which was the election
0:25:57.600,0:26:02.320
reform bill
0:25:58.880,0:26:03.840
and in that bill we were able to get an
0:26:02.320,0:26:07.120
amendment
0:26:03.840,0:26:10.240
to create a task force to study
0:26:07.120,0:26:12.720
the voting full and equal voting rights
0:26:10.240,0:26:15.760
of the u.s territories
0:26:12.720,0:26:18.960
that was a big accomplishment
0:26:15.760,0:26:22.159
averting the medicaid cliff was a
0:26:18.960,0:26:24.880
big accomplishment and um
0:26:22.159,0:26:27.039
everything is not done legislatively
0:26:24.880,0:26:30.320
because it takes so long to pass
0:26:27.039,0:26:31.360
bills but some of the accomplishments
0:26:30.320,0:26:33.200
are done
0:26:31.360,0:26:36.720
behind the scenes working with the
0:26:33.200,0:26:40.240
agencies working with the committees
0:26:36.720,0:26:43.440
we were able to get a lot of um waivers
0:26:40.240,0:26:46.799
uh for disaster funding as well
0:26:43.440,0:26:49.360
and increase funding for disaster relief
0:26:46.799,0:26:50.240
so um those were some of our major
0:26:49.360,0:26:54.080
accomplishments
0:26:50.240,0:26:55.360
during the 116th for the 117th as i
0:26:54.080,0:26:58.159
mentioned
0:26:55.360,0:26:58.960
being on ways and means is a major
0:26:58.159,0:27:02.000
accomplishment
0:26:58.960,0:27:04.960
for us i think the congresswoman will be
0:27:02.000,0:27:07.279
focused on our economic recovery
0:27:04.960,0:27:08.240
not continuing the economic recovery
0:27:07.279,0:27:11.360
from the
0:27:08.240,0:27:15.520
2017 hurricanes but then also from
0:27:11.360,0:27:19.039
covid so we have two recoveries
0:27:15.520,0:27:21.679
to deal with in the u.s territories
0:27:19.039,0:27:22.559
right so that will be our main focus
0:27:21.679,0:27:26.399
right
0:27:22.559,0:27:29.919
right um
0:27:26.399,0:27:32.559
if you had any uh other job in
0:27:29.919,0:27:34.320
dc where might you this is kind of more
0:27:32.559,0:27:36.799
a light question but
0:27:34.320,0:27:37.520
if in your in your travels throughout
0:27:36.799,0:27:39.600
your work
0:27:37.520,0:27:40.640
is there any other area that you would
0:27:39.600,0:27:42.080
be
0:27:40.640,0:27:44.080
say could you would be interested to
0:27:42.080,0:27:47.679
work in if you could
0:27:44.080,0:27:48.960
well you know um it's really interesting
0:27:47.679,0:27:51.520
because
0:27:48.960,0:27:53.440
uh while in dc you know living in dc is
0:27:51.520,0:27:55.840
expensive and but
0:27:53.440,0:27:57.520
um even throughout college and
0:27:55.840,0:28:01.039
throughout my career i've always done
0:27:57.520,0:28:04.799
retail i've always liked
0:28:01.039,0:28:08.880
uh fashion consulting ah okay
0:28:04.799,0:28:12.000
okay so that would probably be styling
0:28:08.880,0:28:14.840
yes yes okay
0:28:12.000,0:28:17.840
it has nothing to do with policy and
0:28:14.840,0:28:17.840
legislation
0:28:21.200,0:28:27.679
is one of my uh
0:28:24.399,0:28:28.559
little side things that i like yes oh
0:28:27.679,0:28:30.480
fantastic
0:28:28.559,0:28:31.600
thank you for sharing that i like
0:28:30.480,0:28:35.120
cooking also
0:28:31.600,0:28:37.919
okay i enjoy cooking i was um
0:28:35.120,0:28:38.640
a sous chef to a very good friend of
0:28:37.919,0:28:43.039
mine who
0:28:38.640,0:28:45.039
owned a catering um company before so i
0:28:43.039,0:28:48.720
used to be a sous-chef
0:28:45.039,0:28:52.320
so i love cooking i love eating
0:28:48.720,0:28:52.320
i love good food yes
0:28:52.799,0:28:58.720
is there a particular food from the vi
0:28:55.440,0:29:01.760
that you would recommend
0:28:58.720,0:29:05.120
um from the vi itself
0:29:01.760,0:29:08.640
i love red pea soup okay that's
0:29:05.120,0:29:12.000
a virgin islands cuisine right um
0:29:08.640,0:29:14.399
and then um have puerto rican and have
0:29:12.000,0:29:15.760
cruisian so i have to recommend puerto
0:29:14.399,0:29:19.279
rican food too
0:29:15.760,0:29:22.559
my favorite is ajos ah
0:29:19.279,0:29:26.880
i just love that so that would be my two
0:29:22.559,0:29:26.880
favorite meals one would be ready
0:29:27.520,0:29:30.960
okay oh so you have a puerto rico
0:29:29.760,0:29:34.000
connection as well i
0:29:30.960,0:29:37.039
do i do i do now were you
0:29:34.000,0:29:40.720
were you raised in i've in puerto rico
0:29:37.039,0:29:42.880
in both both yes my parents met in ponce
0:29:40.720,0:29:45.360
puerto rico my mother was from puerto
0:29:42.880,0:29:47.760
rico my dad from saint croix
0:29:45.360,0:29:49.760
um when they married and i was born they
0:29:47.760,0:29:52.720
both went to catholic university
0:29:49.760,0:29:54.320
in jose puerto rico okay then after they
0:29:52.720,0:29:55.360
got married and i was born they moved
0:29:54.320,0:29:58.000
back to synchro
0:29:55.360,0:29:59.840
our um current assistant secretary uh
0:29:58.000,0:30:02.960
has puerto rico ties as well
0:29:59.840,0:30:06.559
right i think he was raised there for
0:30:02.960,0:30:08.880
also or yeah sometime a little bit
0:30:06.559,0:30:09.600
i think in the younger years yeah and i
0:30:08.880,0:30:11.120
think he
0:30:09.600,0:30:13.120
mentioned also because our policy
0:30:11.120,0:30:13.679
director of course is from the vi as
0:30:13.120,0:30:16.240
well
0:30:13.679,0:30:16.880
and he uh mentioned that he would go to
0:30:16.240,0:30:18.480
the vi
0:30:16.880,0:30:23.560
and they would play games they would
0:30:18.480,0:30:25.440
compete yeah
0:30:23.560,0:30:28.240
[Music]
0:30:25.440,0:30:30.399
he went to a school in puerto rico by
0:30:28.240,0:30:31.840
the name of antolis
0:30:30.399,0:30:34.000
and then when he come to the via he
0:30:31.840,0:30:34.399
played antholy's as well oh there was
0:30:34.000,0:30:36.000
one
0:30:34.399,0:30:38.000
there's a school in puerto rico and two
0:30:36.000,0:30:39.039
weeks yeah yeah that's what he would say
0:30:38.000,0:30:43.200
all the time yeah
0:30:39.039,0:30:43.200
okay oh wow yeah
0:30:43.279,0:30:48.000
um well you know i just want to say our
0:30:46.480,0:30:50.880
office uh you know dwayne is
0:30:48.000,0:30:52.640
is new to our office our office is uh we
0:30:50.880,0:30:54.720
we handle
0:30:52.640,0:30:56.720
mo well we handle all the three u.s
0:30:54.720,0:30:58.720
territories that are in the pacific
0:30:56.720,0:31:00.240
and then the one u.s territory that's in
0:30:58.720,0:31:01.760
the virgin islands
0:31:00.240,0:31:04.640
uh that's that's in the caribbean the
0:31:01.760,0:31:07.279
virgin islands and uh so
0:31:04.640,0:31:08.480
with dwayne on board we've we've had a
0:31:07.279,0:31:10.720
lot more help to
0:31:08.480,0:31:12.159
focus and bring attention to the to the
0:31:10.720,0:31:13.760
caribbean side
0:31:12.159,0:31:15.919
because admittedly the office is
0:31:13.760,0:31:18.000
definitely very pacific heavy
0:31:15.919,0:31:19.279
um so i just wanted to say anything that
0:31:18.000,0:31:22.000
we can do to help
0:31:19.279,0:31:23.840
um bring more attention to the vi and
0:31:22.000,0:31:25.360
and hopefully this interview is one and
0:31:23.840,0:31:27.440
we'd like to do many more
0:31:25.360,0:31:30.000
we interviewed your director of the
0:31:27.440,0:31:33.039
governor's director of communications
0:31:30.000,0:31:33.840
uh richard mota oh richard yes oh my
0:31:33.039,0:31:36.559
gosh
0:31:33.840,0:31:37.279
i you know richard is like a brother to
0:31:36.559,0:31:40.720
me
0:31:37.279,0:31:44.320
we work together in congresswoman stacy
0:31:40.720,0:31:47.200
plaskett's office i am so incredibly
0:31:44.320,0:31:48.559
uh proud of richard not just because of
0:31:47.200,0:31:50.720
the work that he does
0:31:48.559,0:31:51.919
and the person that he is he's a father
0:31:50.720,0:31:55.200
of two now
0:31:51.919,0:31:56.399
oh two beautiful kids and oh i'm just so
0:31:55.200,0:31:59.200
proud of them but
0:31:56.399,0:32:01.440
but dwayne too i'm very proud of dwayne
0:31:59.200,0:32:04.240
dwayne is i consider him um
0:32:01.440,0:32:06.720
one of our prodigies uh he worked in
0:32:04.240,0:32:09.919
congresswoman stacy plaskett's office
0:32:06.720,0:32:11.039
donna uh i mean i mean in donna's office
0:32:09.919,0:32:12.960
yes
0:32:11.039,0:32:14.720
you know it i hear from him so much it's
0:32:12.960,0:32:17.760
almost like he works with us too
0:32:14.720,0:32:20.880
but good good but yeah he
0:32:17.760,0:32:21.760
he learned a lot from uh working with uh
0:32:20.880,0:32:24.080
congresswoman
0:32:21.760,0:32:25.840
donna christensen and i'm just so proud
0:32:24.080,0:32:28.640
of all of his accomplishments
0:32:25.840,0:32:29.600
and um and i think he still listens to
0:32:28.640,0:32:33.440
me
0:32:29.600,0:32:35.760
i do i do i do even when i'm screaming
0:32:33.440,0:32:35.760
at him
0:32:36.799,0:32:40.320
because i know it's it's from love but
0:32:38.880,0:32:43.519
you know at the end of the day
0:32:40.320,0:32:44.159
you know um virgin islander i'm a virgin
0:32:43.519,0:32:46.720
islander
0:32:44.159,0:32:48.320
so you know my my efforts and my
0:32:46.720,0:32:49.760
interest comes because i want to help
0:32:48.320,0:32:52.480
the people i want to help
0:32:49.760,0:32:53.679
where i come from too so i enjoy working
0:32:52.480,0:32:55.840
with engineering and
0:32:53.679,0:32:57.120
congresswoman stacy plaskett office and
0:32:55.840,0:32:58.960
whatever we can
0:32:57.120,0:33:01.919
and i look forward to working with them
0:32:58.960,0:33:04.480
in the 117th congress as well
0:33:01.919,0:33:05.360
so and you don't ignore my calls oh i
0:33:04.480,0:33:08.159
don't ever
0:33:05.360,0:33:10.240
that's why did i you know dwight do i
0:33:08.159,0:33:10.480
know sometimes it gets hectic sometimes
0:33:10.240,0:33:13.279
i'm
0:33:10.480,0:33:14.080
responding to dwayne at midnight at 11
0:33:13.279,0:33:17.919
00 o'clock
0:33:14.080,0:33:22.399
wow dwayne dwayne that's late
0:33:17.919,0:33:22.399
yes that's when i can respond
0:33:22.559,0:33:26.159
she always gets back to me i will say
0:33:24.960,0:33:28.240
always gets back to me
0:33:26.159,0:33:31.600
unlike some other offices anji she may
0:33:28.240,0:33:31.600
take a while but she gets back to me
0:33:32.559,0:33:36.320
well that's fantastic we did also have
0:33:34.480,0:33:38.480
an interview with adrian
0:33:36.320,0:33:38.480
uh
0:33:39.550,0:33:42.589
[Music]
0:33:45.760,0:33:50.240
and she was giving us some insight into
0:33:47.760,0:33:52.880
the the disaster recovery which was
0:33:50.240,0:33:53.600
which was eye-opening oh wow she has
0:33:52.880,0:33:55.919
just
0:33:53.600,0:33:57.840
her hands full you know with going
0:33:55.919,0:34:00.960
through the bureaucracy
0:33:57.840,0:34:04.399
with uh fema um
0:34:00.960,0:34:08.000
to getting our schools rebuilt
0:34:04.399,0:34:09.919
our hospitals i mean you know we're
0:34:08.000,0:34:11.760
we're still in that phase
0:34:09.919,0:34:13.359
we're still in that phase and dealing
0:34:11.760,0:34:15.919
with covet i mean
0:34:13.359,0:34:17.040
my heart and everything goes out to
0:34:15.919,0:34:18.960
adrian and
0:34:17.040,0:34:20.079
we as a matter of fact i think we have a
0:34:18.960,0:34:22.720
meeting with her
0:34:20.079,0:34:24.879
coming up next week but you know we
0:34:22.720,0:34:26.720
offer her whatever support we can give
0:34:24.879,0:34:30.800
because it's a lot of work
0:34:26.720,0:34:32.720
yes um and andrew do you have any uh
0:34:30.800,0:34:34.879
last minute thoughts you'd like to share
0:34:32.720,0:34:37.440
with our viewers and with us
0:34:34.879,0:34:37.440
in general
0:34:37.919,0:34:41.280
i you know i want to wish everyone
0:34:40.480,0:34:44.879
really
0:34:41.280,0:34:48.000
a happy new year a healthy new year
0:34:44.879,0:34:50.000
i encourage everyone to stay optimistic
0:34:48.000,0:34:51.200
i think we're gonna get through this i
0:34:50.000,0:34:53.200
mean i too
0:34:51.200,0:34:54.480
have my moments where oh my god i can't
0:34:53.200,0:34:57.280
take this anymore
0:34:54.480,0:34:57.920
can't take this for the next six months
0:34:57.280,0:35:01.920
um
0:34:57.920,0:35:03.280
or next day but um remain prayerful
0:35:01.920,0:35:05.599
hopeful
0:35:03.280,0:35:07.280
and uh just hang in there we'll get
0:35:05.599,0:35:09.119
through this and hopefully next year
0:35:07.280,0:35:10.160
we'll be able to see each other again in
0:35:09.119,0:35:12.240
person
0:35:10.160,0:35:13.920
um you know if everyone does what
0:35:12.240,0:35:18.000
they're supposed to do
0:35:13.920,0:35:20.240
um in terms of exercising the protocols
0:35:18.000,0:35:21.280
hopefully everyone will take the vaccine
0:35:20.240,0:35:24.480
to protect
0:35:21.280,0:35:26.079
themselves and others and we'll get back
0:35:24.480,0:35:27.599
to normal soon
0:35:26.079,0:35:29.200
and we can support each other through
0:35:27.599,0:35:31.440
this yes
0:35:29.200,0:35:33.200
congratulations again to to you the
0:35:31.440,0:35:34.960
congresswoman on reelection
0:35:33.200,0:35:37.040
on membership on the ways and means
0:35:34.960,0:35:39.839
committee uh we'll be looking forward
0:35:37.040,0:35:42.320
and watching and and seeing where we can
0:35:39.839,0:35:42.880
highlight and help support in any way
0:35:42.320,0:35:45.599
thank you
0:35:42.880,0:35:46.560
thank you all for your support um you
0:35:45.599,0:35:48.960
know i know it's not
0:35:46.560,0:35:51.200
easy we we deal with a lot of issues
0:35:48.960,0:35:54.400
that are very controversial
0:35:51.200,0:35:55.760
um and um i don't have to name them but
0:35:54.400,0:35:57.839
we know them
0:35:55.760,0:35:59.599
so we're hoping to get through those
0:35:57.839,0:36:02.240
also for
0:35:59.599,0:36:04.480
the sake of um all the residents of the
0:36:02.240,0:36:07.119
virgin islands and our economy
0:36:04.480,0:36:08.720
so uh we're just looking forward to
0:36:07.119,0:36:10.320
working together and getting through
0:36:08.720,0:36:12.320
this
0:36:10.320,0:36:13.760
thank you very much thank you thank you
0:36:12.320,0:36:27.839
for having me
0:36:13.760,0:36:27.839
thank you angie thank you thank you
0:36:42.720,0:36:44.800
you