>> THE VIEWS EXPRESSED ON THIS PROGRAM ARE NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF WTJX, IT´S BOARD, OR STAFF.

> >> DAY AND WELCOME TO THE WASHINGTON REPORT.

I AM CONGRESSWOMEN STACEY PLASKETT AND I SERVE AS THE VIRGIN ISLANDS DELEGATE TO THE U. S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

THE WASHINGTON REPORT WAS CREATED TO INFORM VIRGIN ISLANDERS ON CURRENT FEDERAL ISSUES THAT DIRECTLY AFFECT OUR COMMUNITY.

I HAVE TO TELL YOU, I AM HONORED TO HAVE AS MY GUEST TODAY, AN INDIVIDUAL THAT I GET TO CALL MY COLLEAGUE, A FELLOW DEMOCRAT AND A FRIEND, CONGRESSMAN JIM CLYBURN.

CONGRESSMAN KLEIMAN -- CONGRESSMAN CLYBURN HAS REPRESENTED SOUTH CAROLINA.

HIS SERVICE TO HIS COMMUNITY AND OUR NATION HAVE BEEN FILLED BY LOVE OF FAMILY, FAITH, AND PUBLIC SERVICE.

BEFORE HIS ELECTION TO CONGRESS, MR. CLYBURN HAD A FULL LIFE BEFORE COMING TO US.

HE SERVED HIS COMMUNITY AS A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER AND WAS THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN ADVISER TO A SOUTH CAROLINA GOVERNOR.

HE ALSO SERVED AS SOUTH CAROLINA´S HUMAN AFFAIRS COMMISSIONER, A POSITION HE HELD BEFORE BEING ELECTED TO CONGRESS IN 1993.

CONGRESSMAN CLYBURN WAS ELECTED COPRESIDENT OF HIS FRESHMAN CLASS AND WAS SUBSEQUENTLY ELECTED CHAIRMAN OF THE CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS.

HE HAS BEEN VICE CHAIR, THEN CHAIR OF THE HOUSE DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS FROM 2011 TO 2018, HE SERVED AS ASSISTANT DEMOCRATIC LEADER, A CHAMPION OF EQUITY AND A JUGGERNAUT DIFFERENCE MAKER.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING ME ON THE SHOW, CONGRESSMAN CLYBURN.

I´M SO GLAD THE PEOPLE OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS GET TO HEAR FROM YOU AND GET THE HISTORY LESSON AND THE THOUGHTS ON POLICY YOU ARE SO WILLING TO SHARE WITH THOSE OF US WHO ARE MEMBERS OF CONGRESS.

ONE OF THE THINGS AS I WAS READING YOUR BIOGRAPHY AS YOU ARE ALL THINGS SOUTH CAROLINA, AND ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK IS SO KEY AND STANDS OUT IN MY MIND AND MY CONVERSATIONS WITH YOU ABOUT SOUTH CAROLINA IS THE PART THAT SOUTH CAROLINA AND PARTICULARLY, CHARLESTON, PLAYED IN THE ENSLAVEMENT OF AFRICANS IN THE UNITED STATES.

CAN YOU TALK TO US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

CHARLESTON IS REPUTED TO BE THE OFFLOADING PLACE OF MORE THAN HALF OF THE AFRICANS WHO WERE ENSLAVED AND BROUGHT INTO THIS COUNTRY.

THE INTERESTING THING ABOUT ALL OF THAT, THOUGH, IS THAT THE ROOT CAME FROM CENTRAL AND WEST AFRICA THROUGH THE CARIBBEAN , AND THEN UP TO CHARLESTON, AND SO CHARLESTON IS A PENINSULA OFF OF THE ASHLEY AND COOPER RIVERS, AND GASTON WHARF SITS THERE ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE PENINSULA , AND THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE THE LARGEST OFFLOADING OF AFRICANS EVER.

NOW, AS YOU KNOW, THE HISTORY THAT IS RECORDED HAS BEEN -- THE YEAR BEING THE FIRST YEAR FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS TO COME HERE 1619.

HOWEVER, IF YOU REALLY GO BACK INTO THE 1500s -- >> RIGHT, IT´S WAY BEFORE THEN.

>> RIGHT, BUT THE PROBLEM WAS BECAUSE OF THE CLIMATE AND EVERYTHING ELSE, PEOPLE COULD NOT SURVIVE .

THE SETTLEMENT FAILED AND PEOPLE LEFT AND WENT OTHER PLACES, SO WE OFFICIALLY CALL 1619 AS THE YEAR, BUT ENSLAVED AFRICANS HAVE BEEN BROUGHT TO THE COAST OF SOUTH CAROLINA MUCH EARLIER.

HISTORIANS SAY TODAY THAT OVER 85, SOME SAY 90% OF ALL THE AFRICAN-AMERICANS IN THIS COUNTRY TODAY CAN TRACE AT LEAST ONE SIDE OF THEIR LINEAGE BACK TO CHARLESTON.

WE DO KNOW THAT, AS I SAID EARLIER, 45 TO 50% OF ALL THE AFRICANS WHO CAME THROUGH THE CHARLESTON HARBOR, AND I HAPPEN TO REPRESENT THE ENTIRE PENINSULA OF CHARLESTON.

I STARTED MY PUBLIC SERVICE CAREER AS A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER IN CHARLESTON.

IT WAS NOT A PLAN OF MINE.

IT WAS THE FIRST JOB I WAS ACCEPTED FOR WHEN I CAME OUT OF COLLEGE, BUT I HAD KNOWN ABOUT CHARLESTON PRETTY MUCH ALL OF MY LIFE.

MY DAD WAS A MINISTER WHO PASTORED A LITTLE TOWN OF SOMERVILLE 22 MILES FROM CHARLESTON, AND HE WOULD GO DOWN TO THAT COMMUNITY ON WEEKENDS .

MY BROTHERS AND I WOULD ACCOMPANY HIM, AND HE WOULD OFTEN TAKE US OVER TO CHARLESTON AND MY DAD HAD THIS INTERESTING THING.

I HAD A BROTHER NAMED CHARLES AND HE WOULD SAY CHARLES, THIS IS YOUR TOWN, NAMED AFTER YOU , AND RIGHT OUTSIDE OF CHARLESTON, JOHNS ISLAND.

I GOT A BROTHER NAMED JOHN AND THEN THERE IS JAMES ISLAND.

MY NAME IS JAMES, SO WE WOULD GO DOWN THERE AND PLAY THIS GAME SO I JUST DEVELOPED THIS LOVE FOR CHARLESTON .

WHEN I GRADUATED COLLEGE, IN FACT, WHEN I GOT ON THE COLLEGE CAMPUS AT SOUTH CAROLINA STATE, MOST OF THE FRIENDSHIPS I DEVELOPED EARLY WERE CHARLESTONIANS AND BECAUSE I HAD BEEN A PART OF THE GALLIC ICHI CULTURE IN MY DAD´S CHURCH , I DEVELOPED THE OXEN AND PEOPLE THOUGHT I WAS FROM CHARLESTON AND I NEVER WOULD TELL THEM DIFFERENT.

THEN WHEN I GOT MARRIED, I MARRIED A LADY FROM MONCKS CORNER, PART OF THE GULLAH GEECHEE CULTURE, SO CHARLESTON HAS ALWAYS BEEN VERY IMPORTANT TO ME.

>> DO YOU THINK PEOPLE IN CHARLESTON AND SOUTH CAROLINA FROM THAT AREA, HAS THAT BECOME PART OF THE INTEGRATION OF THEIR CULTURE, RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT IMPRINT THEY HAVE, RECOGNIZING AFRICANS COMING THERE AND THEM BEING THAT POINT THERE?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE SLAVE TRADE, OF COURSE, WHEN THE AFRICANS CAME, OR ENSLAVED THERE, THE CLIMATE WAS VERY CONDUCIVE TO SOME OF THE SKILLS THAT HAD BEEN BROUGHT TO THE SLAVES FROM AFRICA.

FOR INSTANCE, RICE.

RICE IS CALLED CAROLINA GOLD.

>> I LOVE RICE.

THAT´S MY STARCH.

>> I KNOW, SO RICE BECAME THE PLANTATION CROP AND THE SKILL FOR GROWING RICE IN THE GULF, THAT WAS A SKILL AFRICANS BROUGHT WITH THEM AND THEY KNEW HOW TO DO IT, AND THAT IS WHAT TURNED THE SOUTH CAROLINA ECONOMY.

SOUTH CAROLINA WAS THE THIRD RICHEST STATE IN THE NATION THROUGHOUT THAT PERIOD OF TIME, AND OF COURSE, ALL OF THAT WENT UP IN FLAMES WHEN THE CIVIL WAR BROKE OUT THERE IN THE 1860S.

>> YOU TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT YOU KNOW, THE FIRST STOP WITH THE SLAVE SHIPS IN THE CARIBBEAN THEN COMING UP TO CHARLESTON , AND YOU HAVE BEEN THROUGHOUT THE CARIBBEAN, DO YOU FEEL THERE IS SOME SIMPATICO, THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT ARE VERY SIMILAR BETWEEN THE CULTURES?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

ALL YOU HAVE GOT TO DO IS STEP UP TO AN AIRPLANE OR SET FOOT IN ALMOST ANY PART OF THE CARIBBEAN YOU GO.

LET´S TAKE BARBADOS.

>> WE LOVE BARBADOS.

I LOVE BARBADOS.

>> BARBADOS HAS HAD A TREMENDOUS INFLUENCE ON CHARLESTON.

IF YOU LIVE IN CHARLESTON TODAY ON CUMMINGS STREET, LINE STREET, THE STREETS THAT WERE TRADITIONALLY AFRICAN-AMERICAN , THOSE STREETS NOW TURN INTO 80, 85% NON-AFRICAN-AMERICAN.

THEY HAVE BEEN GENTRIFIED IN THE WORST SORT OF WAY.

MAYBE IN SOME INSTANCES, THE BEST SORT OF WAY BUT THOSE HOUSES , THEY ARE BUILT WITH THE PORCHES ON THE SIDE.

WE CALL THEM CHARLESTON HOUSES.

THEY ARE REALLY BARBADOS HOUSES.

THAT STYLE CAME FROM --SO THAT PEOPLE COULD ENJOY THE BREEZE , AND SO THE PORCHES ARE ON THE SIDE RATHER THAN ON THE FRONT, AND SO YOU LOOK AT THE EATING HABITS, AND THE CULTURE DEVELOPED.

A CULTURE THAT PEOPLE COMMONLY CALLED GULLAH OR GEECHEE.

BUT I HASTEN TO TELL PEOPLE IT IS GULLAH AND SOUTH CAROLINA.

IT IS GEECHEE IN THE FLORIDA BUT IT´S THE SAME SO WHEN I CREATED SEVERAL YEARS AGO THE GULLAH GEECHEE HERITAGE CORRIDOR, WHICH NOW FLOURISHES IN SOUTH CAROLINA, I NAMED IT GULLAH GEECHEE TO CAPTURE IN ONE TERM WHAT THAT CULTURE IS ALL ABOUT, AND IT IS A CULTURE .

THE SPEECH , THE LANGUAGE .

THE DIFFERENCES IN SPEECH AND LANGUAGE.

THE FOOD , THE SONGS , THE RELIGION .

IT IS AN AMALGAMATION OF CENTRAL AND WEST AFRICA AND EUROPEAN AND TO ME , THE BIGGEST INFLUENCE HAD TO OF BEEN GERMAN BECAUSE GERMAN MERCHANTS CAME AND THOSE ISLANDS AROUND THERE DID NOT HAVE BRIDGES TO THEM, SO IF YOU ARE ON JOHNS ISLAND OR JAMES ISLAND, YOU ARE ISOLATED, SO YOU HAD YOUR OWN LANGUAGE.

AND OF COURSE, A LOT OF SONGS WERE DEVELOPED.

IT HAD MUCH MORE TO DO WITH ENSLAVEMENT THAN RELIGION, SO WHEN YOU LISTEN TO SOME OF THOSE HYMNS AND YOU LISTEN TO THE REAL WORDS, THE HYMNS WERE CODES.

>> IT´S A MESSAGE.

>> THERE IS A MESSAGE IN THE HANDS.

REMEMBER THE SONG STEAL AWAY?

THAT WAS ALL A SIGNAL TO THE SLAVES.

IT´S TIME TO RUN AWAY.

IT´S TIME TO ESCAPE, RIGHT ON UP TO THE BIG ESCAPE.

>> I THINK THAT IS FASCINATING.

I LOVE THAT .

JUST RECENTLY THIS PAST YEAR, PRESIDENT BIDEN SIGNED INTO LAW THAT INCORPORATE WAS NAMED AS A NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA.

WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THAT AND YOU TALKED ABOUT SPEECH.

SINTO ME AND SOME CHRISTIANS MAKE FUN OF EACH OTHER BECAUSE OUR SPEECH IS DIFFERENT ALTHOUGH WE ARE FROM THE SAME PLACE AND ON ST. THOMAS WE HAVE THE LONG LETTER AIDS IN THE R´S ARE MUCH LONGER AND ALSO IN VERY HARD, THE ACCENTS ALMOST ON THE SAME.

WHEN YOU PUT THAT CORRIDOR TOGETHER, WHY DID YOU DO THAT?

>> I THINK YOU KNOW THE STORY.

I RAN INTO THIS YOUNG LADY FROM MONCKS CORNER THE TOWN OF SUMTER, NAMED FOR CHARLES SUMTER, WAS INLAND.

WE MET ON THE COLLEGE CAMPUS.

WE GOT MARRIED AND I NOTICED THAT -- >> BUT YOUR FIRST ENCOUNTER WITH HER WAS IN A JAIL CELL.

>> WAS IN JAIL, ABSOLUTELY.

IT WAS MARCH, 1960.

I WAS PART OF A FIRST CITIZEN IN SOUTH CAROLINA AND WENT TO JAIL BECAUSE OF IT AND SHE CAME TO THE JAIL LATE IN THE EVENING WITH SOME OTHER STUDENTS TO BRING FOOD , AND WHEN SHE CAME TOWARD ME WITH THIS HAMBURGER, AS I REACHED FOR IT, SHE PULLED IT BACK, BROKEN IN HALF, GAVE ME HALF OF THE HAMBURGER.

SHE ATE THE OTHER HALF AND I WAS SO GRATEFUL FOR THAT HALF HAMBURGER, I MARRIED HER 18 MONTHS LATER.

THAT IS THE WAY WE MET BUT AFTER WE GOT MARRIED, I SAW THIS CULTURE COMING OUT THAT I WAS NOT ALL THAT USED TOO.

I HAD BEEN INTRODUCED IN MY DAD´S CHURCH , SOMETIME ABOUT 25 MILES FROM MONCKS CORNER WHERE SHE WAS FROM BUT I HAD NEVER BEEN AROUND IT AND I NOTICED THAT WE COULD BE CARRYING ON A CONVERSATION JUST LIKE WE ARE CARRYING ON NOW.

IF THE TELEPHONE ORDERING I WOULD ANSWER, THE MOTHER WOULD BE ON THE PHONE AND I WOULD SAY IT´S YOUR MOM.

THEY WOULD LAPSE INTO THIS LANGUAGE AND I COULDN´T UNDERSTAND A THING SHE WAS SAYING, SO I DECIDED TO SPEND A LITTLE TIME LEARNING THAT CULTURE, THE LANGUAGE SO I WOULD KNOW IF THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT ME OR SOMETHING.

WELL I DID, AND I FELL IN LOVE WITH IT AND THEN LATER ON IN LIFE , I HAD A TEACHER WHO TAUGHT ME ENGLISH AND SOUTH CAROLINA STATE, AND SHE HAD A LOVE FOR THE GULLAH CULTURE AND SHE HAD DONE RESEARCH ON THE ISLANDS AND I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE SOME DECISIONS ABOUT SPENDING MONEY ON HISTORY AND I CONTRACTED WITH HER TO DO SOME STUDY ON WRITING A BOOK ABOUT SOUTH CAROLINA BLACKS AND NATIVE AMERICANS AND LATER ON WHEN I GOT TO CONGRESS, I DECIDED TO FIND OUT WHAT I COULD DO TO HONOR THAT CULTURE BECAUSE THERE WERE SO MANY THINGS HAPPENING, LIKE THE BASKETS, THE SEAGRASS BASKET.

PEOPLE HAVE SEEN THESE BASKETS.

IT IS A SKILL, BUT A SKILL REQUIRES CERTAIN MATERIAL AND THAT GRASS ONLY GROWS IN THE MOSS AND WITH ALL THE DEVELOPMENTS THAT WERE COMING TO CHARLESTON, THEY WERE LOSING THE MOSQUE, LOSING THE GRASS.

THE COST OF THE BASKETS WAS GOING UP AND SOME PEOPLE WERE OUT OF WORK BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT GET ENOUGH OF THE GRASS, SO I STARTED DOING THINGS TO TRY TO HELP PRESERVE THE CULTURE AND THE FIRST THING I WANTED TO DO WAS TO PROTECT SWEET GRASS, SO ONE THING LED TO ANOTHER AND I CONVINCED THE CONGRESS TO DO A $200,000 STUDY, TWO YEARS , OF THE CULTURE, THEN WE TOOK THAT STUDY AND WENT BACK TO CONGRESS WITH THE STUDY AND WE GOT CONGRESS TO AGREE TO CREATE THE GULLAH GEECHEE CULTURAL HERITAGE CORRIDOR AS IT EXISTS TODAY, TO HONOR THAT CULTURE.

>> THAT IS AMAZING AND IT ALSO DEMONSTRATES WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN FOR HER GRANDCHILDREN , TO BE ABLE TO PRESERVE THAT PART OF THEMSELVES, THAT PART OF THAT CULTURE BUT WHEN YOU SAY IT TOOK TWO YEARS FOR A STUDY BEFORE YOU THEN BRING THE LEGISLATION, IT JUST SHOWS THAT CONGRESS AND LEGISLATIVE WORK CAN TAKE A PROTRACTED PERIOD OF TIME.

>> ABSOLUTELY AND I´M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT UP BECAUSE I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE CHALLENGED WITH ALL THE TIME.

THE STUDY WAS TWO YEARS.

AFTER GETTING THE RESULTS OF THE STUDY, IT TOOK ME SIX YEARS TO GET THE LAW PASSED, AND I HAD TO DO SOME INTERESTING THINGS TO GET THE SUPPORT I NEEDED TO PASS THAT LAW, BECAUSE THERE WAS ONE GUY WHOSE NAME I DON´T RECALL.

I GOT TO GO TO THE HOUSE SEVERAL TIMES, BUT WOULD ALWAYS GET STUCK IN THE SENATE.

ONE PERSON IN THE SENATE CAN KEEP THE LAW FROM PASSING AND THEY DON´T HAVE TO TELL YOU WHO IT IS BUT USING SOME CHICANERY, I FOUND OUT WHO IS HOLDING MY BILL UP AND I WENT TO A REPUBLICAN FRIEND IN THE SENATE AND GOT HIM TO GET MY BILL PASSED, AND SO I WILL SAY IT.

ORRIN HATCH, THE LATE ORRIN HATCH NOW, PASSED AWAY A FEW YEARS AGO.

ORRIN HATCH, BECAUSE OF A LITTLE INCIDENT BETWEEN THE TWO OF US THAT HE CALLED A SIGN OF FRIENDSHIP , AND I WENT TO HIM AND TOLD HIM WHAT MY PROBLEM WAS WITH THAT BILL , AND HE HAD MET MY LATE WIFE AND I TOLD HIM I SAID NOW, THIS BILL HONORS THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF THE CULTURE THAT YOUNG LADY YOU MET SOME YEARS AGO --YES, SO HE GOT THE BILL PASSED.

>> THOSE RELATIONSHIPS MEAN A LOT.

>> IT TOOK EIGHT YEARS, BUT IT GOT DONE.

>> ONE OF THE OTHER PIECES OF LEGISLATION THAT WHEN I FIRST CAME TO CONGRESS, I WAS FASCINATED WHEN YOU ARE DISCUSSING AND HAS NOW BECOME LAW IS 10 2030 , YOUR PERSISTENT POVERTY LEGISLATION.

CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT?

>> 10-20-30 IS A RHYTHM WE CREATED OUT OF THE INFORMATION THAT HAD COME TO MY ATTENTION BACK WHEN WE WERE TRYING TO PASS THE SO-CALLED REINVESTMENT ACT .

>> DURING THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION?

>> DURING THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION, IN 2009, THIS BILL WAS PUT FORWARD .

WE HAD TO DO SOMETHING TO SMOTHER A SEVERE ECONOMIC DOWNTURN IN SEPTEMBER OF 2008.

OBAMA GOT ELECTED IN NOVEMBER OF 2008 SO IT WAS HIS JOB TO DO SOMETHING BECAUSE OF THE GREAT RECESSION AND HE CAME UP WITH THE REINVESTMENT ACT AND I WAS SITTING IN THE MEETING WHEN WE WERE MAKING THE PLANS.

I HAD JUST GOTTEN ELECTED TWO YEARS EARLIER, AND I SAID LOOK, THE LAST TIME WE WERE IN A PLACE LIKE THIS IT LED TO THE GREAT DEPRESSION, AND WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO HERE IS TRY TO STOP US FROM GETTING BACK IN THAT PLACE BUT WHEN WE HAD THE GREAT DEPRESSION, A LOT OF COMMUNITIES WERE RESURRECTED, SAVED BECAUSE OF THE SO-CALLED NEW DEAL , BUT THERE WERE SOME THINGS HAPPENING IN THE NEW DEAL.

THE BIGGEST PIECE OF LEGISLATION IN THE NEW DEAL WAS SOCIAL SECURITY.

A LOT OF PEOPLE DID NOT REALIZE THAT SOCIAL SECURITY DID NOT COVER BOMB WORKERS NOR DOMESTIC WORKERS , AND 65% OF AFRICAN AMERICANS WERE ONE OF THOSE, WHICH MEANT THAT SOCIAL SECURITY DID NOT COVER 35% OF THE PEOPLE SO I WENT THROUGH ALL THESE THINGS ABOUT WE NEED TO TARGET THESE RESOURCES IN COMMUNITIES OF NEED AND NOT LEAVE THESE COMMUNITIES BEHIND LIKE WE DID BACK IN THE 1930s, AND SO SOMEBODY, IT MIGHT´VE BEEN PRESIDENT OBAMA SAID WHAT DID YOU DO?

I SAID WE HAVE A DEFINITION FROM THE CENSUS BUREAU IN THE COMMUNITY FOR 20% OR MORE OF THE POPULATION HAS BEEN STUCK BENEATH THE POVERTY LEVEL FOR THE LAST 30 YEARS IS A PERSISTENT POVERTY COMMUNITY AND WE CAN TARGET MONEY TO THESE PERSISTENT POVERTY COMMUNITIES.

HOW WOULD YOU DO IT?

SO I SAID I´LL LET YOU KNOW TOMORROW.

SO I WENT BACK AND TALKED TO THE STAFF.

STILL NOTHING.

I SAID WELL, WE GOT TO GET A RHYTHM TO THIS , AND SO THAT IS WHEN WE DECIDED AT LEAST 10% OF ALL THE MONEY THAT IS APPROPRIATED IN THIS SECTION OF THIS LAW SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO THOSE COMMUNITIES WITH 20% OR MORE OF THE POPULATION STUCK BENEATH THE POVERTY LEVEL FOR THE LAST 30 YEARS.

THAT WAS 10-20-30.

IT´S NOW IN 21 SECTIONS OF THE APPROPRIATION BILLS AND COMMUNITIES AFTER COMMUNITIES BENEFITED WITH NEW WATER SYSTEMS .

THEY ARE NOW USING IT TO DEPLOYED BROADBAND MONIES , HOUSING, AS I SAID, 21 SECTIONS OF THE APPROPRIATIONS BILL.

>> I LOVE THAT BECAUSE OF COURSE, THE VIRGIN ISLANDS.

>> YES, YOU WILL HAVE BENEFITED SIGNIFICANTLY FROM 10-20-30.

>> YES BECAUSE WE FALL WITHIN THAT.

I WANT TO TAKE CREDIT FOR THE FACT THAT I RECOGNIZE THAT THAT WOULD SUPPORT US, AS WELL.

THAT IS AMAZING AND THAT IS A GAME CHANGER FOR NOT JUST YOUR OWN COMMUNITY, BUT FOR COMMUNITIES LIKE OURS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

>> THANK YOU FOR MENTIONING THAT.

TWO THIRDS OF THE COUNTY -- THERE ARE ABOUT 500 COUNTIES IN THE UNITED STATES THAT FALL INTO THAT CATEGORY.

TWO THIRDS OF THEM ARE REPRESENTED BY REPUBLICANS, SO THIS IS NOT A PROMISING DEAL AND OVER TWO THIRDS OF THEM ARE OCCUPIED BY NONBLACK FOLKS, SO THIS IS NOT ABOUT RACE.

IT´S NOT ABOUT PARTISAN POLITICS.

IT IS ABOUT COMMUNITIES OF NEED.

IF YOU FALL INTO THAT CATEGORY, WE SHOULD BE TARGETING RESOURCES TO YOU SO YOU CAN HAVE THE INTERNET.

YOU CAN HAVE SAFE DRINKING WATER.

YOU CAN HAVE CLEAN-AIR AND YOU CAN HAVE A DECENT HOUSE TO LIVE IN.

>> THAT´S AMAZING.

I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT AND FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU HAVE DONE.

HER LEADERSHIP, NOT JUST HERE IN THE HOUSE, BUT NATIONALLY AS A YOUNG MAN IN THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT, AND THEN AS A MORE MATURE MAN IN PRESIDENTIAL RACES AND SO MANY OTHER THINGS THAT YOU HAVE BEEN DOING.

YOU REALLY ARE A MENTOR FOR SO MANY OF US , NOT JUST YOUR STAFF, BUT OTHER MEMBERS OF CONGRESS.

YOU KNOW, PEOPLE IN THE VIRGIN ISLANDS KNOW THAT WE KIND A CIRCLE AROUND YOU A LITTLE BIT NOT JUST FOR YOUR ADVICE, BUT YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE A PRETTY GOOD SENSE OF HUMOR, AS WELL.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BRINGING THAT UP.

I AM COMING TO YOU LIVE TO CELEBRATE THE 45th ANNIVERSARY OF MY 39th BIRTHDAY.

>> I´M DOING MY MATH NOW.

THAT´S GOOD.

THAT´S 84.

THAT IS AMAZING AND YOU ARE STILL PLAYING GOLF?

>> STILL PLAYING GOLF, SOMETIMES 36 HOLES A DAY.

>> STOP IT.

>> NO, YEAH, IF THE SUN ISN´T TOO HOT I WILL DO IT.

>> GOOD, GOOD.

AND YOU GET AROUND VERY WELL DOING WHAT YOU NEED TO DO.

WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR IT.

WE ARE ABSOLUTELY GRATEFUL FOR IT.

YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN.

YOU CAME DOWN TO THE VIRGIN ISLANDS A COUPLE WEEKS AGO TO HELP US CELEBRATE SOMEONE WHO WAS YOUR COLLEAGUE, MY PREDECESSOR, DONNA CHRISTIANSEN , WHO WAS THE FIRST FEMALE PHYSICIAN IN CONGRESS AND YOU KNOW, THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY AND THE VIRGIN ISLANDS GAVE HER A LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT JUST RECOGNIZING HER FOR THE WORK THAT SHE HAS DONE AND THAT SHE STILL CONTINUES TO DO.

I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR FRIENDSHIP TO JOT --NOT JUST MYSELF BUT TO THE PEOPLE OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS AND LOOKING FORWARD TO THE WORK AHEAD THAT WE HAVE TO DO.

>> I LOOK FORWARD TO COMING BACK AGAIN REAL SOON.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> YOU GOING TO HELP US GET A GOLF COURSE?

DON´T BELIEVE HIM IF HE SAYS HIS SHOULDER IS HURTING AND HE WANTS TO PLAY WITH YOU.

THAT´S A SET UP.

>> I LOOK FORWARD TO IT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR TUNING IN AND LISTENING.

AS YOU CAN SEE, WE ARE SO WELL REPRESENTED HERE IN CONGRESS IN TERMS OF LEADERSHIP, PARTICULARLY ON THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE WITH THOSE WHO HAVE NOT JUST HISTORY, BUT A PASSION TO SERVE THE PEOPLE OF THE COUNTRY IN THE WORLD, AND ARE FOCUSED NOT JUST ON THEIR OWN CONSTITUENTS, BUT THOSE WHO ARE THE MOST IN NEED, SO I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL, AND JUST REMIND YOU GUYS TO STAY SAFE.

GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.

GOD BLESS THE VIRGIN ISLANDS IN THE UNITED STATES AND EVERYBODY STAY AT VI STRONG.

>> >> THE VIEWS EXPRESSED ON THIS PROGRAM ARE NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF WTJX, OR ITS STAFF .