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Texas Residents Struggle with Frozen Pipes, No Heat After Storm; Frustration Grows As Schools Delay Reopening Despite Progress; Biden Gives First Major Speech to World Leaders As President. Aired 11-11:30a ET.

Aired February 19, 2021 - 11:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[11:00:00]

POPPY HARLOW, CNN ANCHOR: What an amazing moment for the world. NASA's "Perseverance" rover landing itself safely on Mars yesterday and it sent back this picture, the first of what the mission team hopes will be many images.

Wishing you a safe and healthy weekend. I'll see you back here Monday morning. Thank you so much for joining me. I'm Poppy Harlow.

NEWSROOM with Bianna Golodryga is now.

BIANNA GOLODRYGA, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, everyone. I'm Bianna Golodryga, in for Kate Bolduan. Thanks so much for joining me this morning.

There is a lot of news that we are following at this hour. Soon, the White House COVID response team will hold its latest briefing. Now, it comes at a critical time with vaccine distribution severely disrupted by winter storms that are paralyzing large parts of the country.

But right before that, we will hear from President Biden. He'll give his first major speech to world leaders since taking office and he's expected to say that the U.S. is ready to work with its allies again after four years of Donald Trump's America first policies.

This happening as the U.S. officially rejoins the Paris climate agreement and just one day after the State Department said that the U.S. is ready to restart nuclear talks with Iran. We'll bring back of these events to you live when they happen.

But we start this hour with a crisis in Texas, where nearly 200,000 people are still without power after this week's epic winter storm. And while that number is a major improvement, millions of Texans are still dealing with food and water shortages in the aftermath. Thirteen million residents are under boil water advisories. That's nearly half of the state's population.

The conditions catastrophic for families who have been suffering for days.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

QIANA ABRAMS, TexaS STORM VICTIM: It's like one of your worst nightmares. Like you never, ever imagine that this is going to happen to you. So for me to walk in there and just see everything that we have just being destroyed when it could have been prevented, it was -- it was so heartbreaking, because how am I going to explain there to my children, that our whole house is gone. We have in clue where we're going to be able to leave or where we're even going to go after this.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GOLODRYGA: Millions of Texans suffering the same as that woman is.

CNN's Omar Jimenez is live in Austin at a home where the owners have just had power turned on but are still having water issues like much of the rest of the state.

Omar, what are you hearing?

OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Bianna. Those that have power are maybe more thankful than they've ever been to have power here in the Austin area. And many of those that just got it back were still having to huddle together for what was another night of freezing temperatures here in the Austin area.

And this is basically what has turned into the bedroom for not just this home but many places across the Texas area where every single night they were burning fire wood, this family here, trying to stay warm, huddled together in this living room. They told us this is basically a day's worth of fire wood. They don't have an ax so they were going through this with a hammer outside trying to get pieces of wood to keep themselves warm in the state of Texas.

Now you mentioned what is probably going to be the longer term issue and that comes down to the water. This family still doesn't have water as so many others across the state. Here in Austin, we're in a boil water advisory.

And just to give you a perspective, officials told us it was 325 million gallons of water that was lost and typically they need to produce around 140 million gallons per day to kind of get them to a at least safe level and they are still not there yet.

So, it's going to be a long process and people are being told to think in terms of days, not hours.

Now I want to bring in the residents here, Jenn Studebaker.

And, Jenn, I want you to tell me, you weren't just burning wood to stay warm. What kind of measures were you taking in the beginning?

JENN STUDEBAKER, AUSTIN RESIDENT: Well, it was a learning process for sure. So we started with some chairs, I have some really crappy IKEA chairs that we burn first and then some book shelf insert, and then we realized the power wasn't going to come on about seven to eight hours in. So, but we tried to find wood and the stores were close and we dragged

pallets from the black of a grocery store and then we scavenged wood from the creek beds which was frozen and we had to thaw it out and then we emptied out green bean cans to make warm water. Luckily, we have water and now we don't so we're melting snow in the bathtub. But we have power to melt it. It takes four spots of snow to fill a toilet sink.

So it is been constant. I whacked my finger and almost broke it the other day and we are just exhausted honestly.

JIMENEZ: And every morning -- every morning, you didn't know how exactly you were going to keep your family warm at night.

[11:05:04]

STUDEBAKER: Yeah. We eventually moved all of the blankets on to the wall, closed everything down that we could, got us -- like, luckily we just kind of made it work. It is like we got up every morning and started over. Like we just assumed we weren't going to have power and were going to lose water and we kept the bathtubs full of water and that is how we're living.

So --

JIMENEZ: Wow.

STUDEBAKER: We took our truck to HEB and spent five hours in line to get some basics and that is just -- it is been --

JIMENEZ: Well, Jenn, we appreciate how hard you have to work. You shouldn't have had to work this hard but it is you're reality and you've made the most of it. So thank you so much.

STUDEBAKER: Thank you.

JIMENEZ: And I'm glad you're family is safe. But look, her reality is like so many others across the state and what it has been over the week. Power was the first frontier and not everyone has it back yet, water is going to be the next frontier for getting people back to some semblance of normalcy -- Bianna.

GOLODRYGA: It is unmanageable what Texans went through. I myself am a Texan. I lived in Austin for many years. Please tell Jenn that we are with her and you couldn't see her because sheer wearing a mask and I know she was smiling and laughing through that and that shows how resilient and strong Texans are even throughout this nightmare.

Omar, thank you so much.

Well, joining me now is Texas state lawmaker Jeff Leach, a Republican representing an area north of Dallas.

Congressman, thank you so much for joining us.

I know you heard Jenn and their plight there having to burn their own furniture just for some heat. Luckily, we know that power is coming back on. The major issue now is lack of water. FEMA supplies have arrived I believe in Fort Worth, which is near where you are.

What are you doing to make sure that your constituents have what they need right now?

REP. JEFF LEACH (R-TX): Well, thanks for having me on today.

Look, Jenn's story is the story of millions of Texans, including thousands in my own district here just north of Dallas. What happened here in Texas this week is unacceptable. Yes, the storm was unprecedented. It touched and impacted all of Texas, 254 counties.

But like I said, what happened is unacceptable. We're addressing the situation and working with folks just like Jenn to make sure the power gets back on, and make sure they have clean water and they don't have boil water for much longer, and that we as we look forward, figure out a way and have tough conversations but necessary conversations to make sure that this never happens in the great state of Texas again.

GOLODRYGA: And we also know there is a food crisis. As I mentioned, I'm from Texas. I'm from Houston.

My mother still lives there and she went to the grocery store just to pick up a few items yesterday. One store was closed, the other store was open.

But I want to show you pictures of the produce section here. I mean, there was nothing that she could take.

Luckily, they have food at home. So many Houstonians, so many Texans don't.

What can be done? What are you doing to make sure that food is distributed to those in need it the most in the state right now?

LEACH: Well, we're working around the clock with our counterparts at the federal and local level, to do just that. Even in my own grocery store a mile away from the house, we're experiencing the same issues, the same challenges.

And I'll tell you, one of the things that the people of Texas always do so well in times of crisis, whether it is a hurricane, a tornado, any sort of natural disaster and yes, this unprecedented winter storm, as we come together, we roll up our sleeves and care for one another and you're seeing that across the state.

Yes, the government has a very important role and we're working hard to fulfill that role but also our nonprofits, our churches, just the good-hearted, kind, loving people of Texas are doing everything they can to care for one another and that includes getting food to people who don't have a warm meal.

GOLODRYGA: It is times of crisis that makes it proud to be a Texan, right? After Harvey and now seeing this, but you're right, we need accountability as well. The search for what went wrong has begun. I know that you filed

legislation that would require all ERCOT officers and directors to be Texas residents -- surprising that they weren't.

But it does seem that the bigger issue is what is going to happen next in terms of infrastructure overhaul, winterizing equipment -- all of that as you know requires a lot of money.

Here's a tough question, are you prepared to support -- to support that investment and to tell your constituents that perhaps they will start to have to pay a bit more to make sure this doesn't happen as well again.

LEACH: Well, make no mistake: we're going to make the investments that we need to make sure this never happens again.

The buck stops with us as legislators. We're going to look at ERCOT. We're going to look at what happened with the grid, and we're going to hold those responsible accountable, no question about it. And I'm going to be on the front lines in that important fight.

But at the end of the day, the buck stops with us as legislators, elected policymakers, we are directly responsible to the people. And I'm angry and I'm frustrated and I'm concerned for my constituents. They have a right to be frustrated and angry at their elected officials and decision-makers.

And now is the time to look at what happened and make sure it never happens again and if we don't do that, we'll have failed in our important responsibilities but I'm confident here in the state of Texas we're going to come through and make sure this doesn't happen again.

[11:10:01]

GOLODRYGA: So I would assume you say they have the right to be angry at their senator as well, Ted Cruz, and I don't want to get into his trip to Cancun and what his family is doing.

The fact of the matter is it doesn't matter where he went, but he wasn't on the ground there. And those few supporters of his that say, well, it's just an optics scandal, because what more could he do. There's a lot that people can do.

On the a bipartisan level, as we're seeing in the state, you were reaching out to your constituents, I'm hearing from my friends in Houston that they're legislature and their congressmen and women are emailing them saying I'm without power as well but here is what I'm doing. I'm calling leadership, I'm calling FEMA and here is where you go to get supplies.

Ted Cruz was doing none of that. He is one of two people who represent that state as a senator. What is your response to what's been happening?

LEACH: Well, I'm not happy about it. I wasn't happy about it and it was a mistake on his part and I'm grad to hear that he admitted last night that it was a mistake when he returned.

I'll tell you this -- in this country right now, including here in the state of Texas, we've got a lot of challenges. It's no surprise to anyone. We've got, of course, the ongoing fight with COVID, just the ongoing division in our country.

But I believe that what the biggest problem for this country, the biggest challenge that we have to address is the lack of trust that the people have in their elected officials and their policymakers at all level. And it is important for us to show up, to be present. Such a big part of leadership is being present and as state representative for over 200,000 people here just north of Dallas, I'm here, I'm present, I'm on the ground, I'm available.

I work for the people, not the other way around. They're the boss and not the other way around, and it's important for us as policymakers to show up for work and do our jobs.

GOLODRYGA: Well, I like hearing that. Look, it may not be sexy to work on infrastructure and grid, people may want to turn to Twitter and tweet about something going on in Washington. But at the end of the day, it is what keeps people safe and it is what your constituents want to you be doing. I'm glad you're doing that for our state.

Thank you so much, Jeff Leach. We appreciate it.

LEACH: Thanks for having me on. God bless you.

GOLODRYGA: Take care.

Well, the crisis in Texas is also having a major impact on the state's children. The storm forced schools to close, including in Houston, where more than 40 percent of students attended in person classes until this week.

And it is not just the loss of in-person education that is impacting kids. Many students, many depend on schools for their meals, especially when food is scarce.

And joining me now is Grenita Lathan, superintendent of the Houston Independent School District.

So great to see you, Ms. Lathan, and we go way back and in covering this crisis and getting kids back into the classroom. I wish it was under better circumstances.

But let me ask you, how many students have not received their meals this week because of distribution having to be halted?

GRENITA LATHAN, SUPERINTENDENT, HOUSTON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT: Well we have over -- first of all good to see you. Thank you for having me today.

We have over 196,000 students in our district and actually daily, 86,000 attend class face-to-face. So average that out to about 200,000 students when you include their siblings and families that we've been feeding. Our last meal distribution was on last Saturday, February 13th. Very concerning that we have not been able to feed our students and families this week.

GOLODRYGA: And what do you know about that the condition of your nearly 300 school buildings and when are you going to be able to resume in person classes?

LATHAN: We have over 130 of our facilities that lost power, water and so we're going through that including our administration building and our nutrition services building where we keep our food.

So we're completely our assessments, hope to have a final report this afternoon. And be able to send out communications to our staff and our families as it relates to district operations next week. Very concerned that now that most of the citizens in Houston and Harris County now have power, but we're still experiencing issues with water. So that is a worry of bringing staff members and students back into our buildings next week if the water issue has not been resolved. We can't do it.

GOLODRYGA: Yeah, the water issue, ventilation, all of that has to be looked at again after this crisis.

You're schools, as we mentioned, they've been open for in-person classes with safety protocol in place while at the same time hundreds or maybe thousands at this point of staff have been vaccinated as well. The positivity rate in Harris County is nearly 14 percent. But in Los Angeles County where it is near 6 percent, the superintendent of the L.A. unified school district says that he's not going to open schools until teachers and staff are vaccinated.

I want to you listen to what he told Kate Bolduan on this show yesterday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AUSTIN BEUTNER, SUPERINTENDENT, LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT: We've committed to reopen schools as soon as all three pieces are in place. If we could get on with the vaccination, we'll have children back in school as possible and in the safest way as possible.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GOLODRYGA: So, you are proof that schools can be open for in-person learning even with a high community positivity rate and without all of the teachers being vaccinated, if all -- of course, if the other mitigation factors are in place.

[11:15:03]

So what is your message to other districts, to unions who are pushing not to return until all teachers are vaccinated?

LATHAN: I could only speak for Houston. Every community, every school district, every school board superintendent, they have to do what is best for their school community and in Houston we came together with the support of a board of education, and we put the additional funding to have technology to ensure our facilities are ready.

We formed a communicable disease planned committee comprised of staff members, medical professionals and we developed a plan so that we could safely reopen. But I'll continue to say, every school district has to do what is best for their school community. We have proven in Houston independent school district that we can reopen safely and that we can protect our staff and our students.

But I have to commend our principals and our teachers. They have done a phenomenal job and every member of all of our campus wellness teams, all of the campuses have a wellness team and our staff members came together and we know how important it is for our students to receive face-to-face instruction and also to support families that are requesting to learn virtually.

And we've done a great job. We still have a lot of work to do. I want all 196,000 students back in our schools by August. And so I'm praying that we can continue to get more of our staff members, our parents vaccinated, but that -- so we're ready to receive them in August.

GOLODRYGA: I could attest to, I'm bias but I could attest to the quality of teachers and they are still there and were my teachers and principals as well. When I spoke over the summer and we were addressing the crisis and you said we've been through Harvey. Harvey was a huge challenge.

In terms of what you've experienced this week, how does that rate in terms of what you have head of you and the work you have to do to get students back into the classroom compared to Harvey?

LATHAN: You know, it's another hit, I'll be very honest with you. Harvey was emotionally draining for all of us. COVID has been emotionally draining and then this week. You know, like I said, I experienced power outages, water outages, internet outages, everything, or every citizen in the state of Texas experienced we all experienced it.

But here is the difference. I knew that when this was over, whatever repairs that needed I need to make to my home, whatever we needed as a family, it would be taken care of. My families don't auction date.

GOLODRYGA: Dr. Lathan, we are hearing that the president is addressing the Munich Security Conference right now. I'm sorry to interrupt this. Thank you so much for your time and good luck getting kids back into the classroom.

And let's go straight to the president right now.

JOSEPH BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: But I want to say hello to everyone and thanks to Munich Conference for hosting this special session.

For decades, as you pointed out, I've participated in the Munich Security Conference, as a U.S. senator joining my colleagues from both sides of the aisle, to affirm the importance of the transatlantic partnership. Three times as vice president of the United States including delivering the first international foreign policy address of the Obama/Biden administration and the first months we were in office.

And two years ago as you pointed out, when I last spoke in Munich, I was a private citizen. I was professor, not an elected official. But I said at that time, we will be back. And I'm a man of my word.

America is back. I speak to you today as president of the United States. At the very start of my administration, and I'm sending a clear message to the world, America is back.

The transatlantic alliance is back. And we are not looking backward. We're looking forward together.

It comes down to this: the transatlantic alliance is a strong foundation, the strong foundation, in which our collective security and our shared prosperity are built. The partnership between Europe and the United States in my view is and must retain the cornerstone of all that we hope to accomplish in the 21st century, just as we did in the 20th century.

The challenges that we face today are different. We're at an inflection point. When I spoke as a senator and as vice president, the global dynamics have shifted. New crises demand our attention. And we cannot focus only on the competition among countries, that threaten to divide the world or only on global challenges that threaten to sink us altogether if we failed to cooperate. We must do both, working in lockstep with our allies and partners.

So let me erase any lingering doubt, the United States will work close will with our European Union partners and capitals across the continent, from Rome to Riga, to meet the range of shared challenges we face.

[11:20:00]

We continue to support the goal of a Europe whole and free and at peace. The United States is fully committed to our NATO alliance. And I welcome European's growing investment in the military capabilities that enable our shared defense.

You know, to me and to the United States and to us, we'll keep article -- we'll keep faith with Article Five. It's a guarantee -- an attack on one is an attack on all. That is our unshakeable vow.

And the only time Article Five has been invoked was after the United States was attacked on 9/11. You, our allies, join us to fight al Qaeda and the United States committed to consulting closely with our NATO allies and partners on the way forward in Afghanistan.

My administration strongly supports a diplomatic process that is underway and to bring an end to this war that is closing out 20 years. We remain committed to ensuring that Afghanistan never again provides a base for terrorist attacks against the United States and our partners and our interests. Our European partners have also stood us with to counter ISIS.

Just this week, NATO defense endorsed significant expanding training and advisory mission in Iraq, which will be vital to the ongoing fight against ISIS. We cannot allow ISIS to reopen and regroup and threaten people in the Middle East and Europe and the United States and elsewhere.

And while the United States is undergoing a thorough review of our own forced posture around the world, I've ordered the halting of withdrawal of American troops from Germany. I'm also lifting a cap imposed by the previous administration on the number of U.S. forces able to be based in Germany. I know, I know the past few years have strained and tested our transatlantic relationship.

But the United States is determined, determined to reengage in Europe, to consult with you, to earn back our position of trusted leadership. Earlier today, as was referenced, I participated in the first meeting of the G-7 leaders where I spoke about the dire need to coordinate multi-lateral action to address COVID-19, the global economic crisis and the accelerating climate crisis and so much else.

Achieving these goals is going to depend on a core strategic proposition and that is the United States must renew America's enduring advantages so that we could meet today's challenges from a position of strength. That means building back better our economic foundations, reclaiming our place in international institutions, lifting up our values at home and speaking out to defend them around the world, modernizing our military capabilities while leading with diplomacy, revitalizing America's network of alliances and partnerships that have made the world safer for all people.

You know, I hope our fellow democracies are going to join us in this vital work. Our partnerships have endured and grown through the years because they are rooted in the richness of our shared democratic values. They're not transactional, they're not extractive. They're built on a vision of a future where every voice matters, where the rights of all are protected. And the rule of law is upheld.

None of this has fully succeeded in this -- none of us has fully succeeded in this division. We continue to work toward it. And in so many places, including in Europe and the United States, democratic progress is under assault. I've known for -- I've known many of you for a long, long time and you know that I speak my mind.

So let me be very straightforward with you all -- we are in the midst of a fundamental debate about the future and direction of our world. We're at an inflection point, between those who argue that given all of the challenges that we face from the fourth industrial revolution, to a global pandemic, the autocracy is the best way forward, they argue.

And those who understand that democracy is essential, essential to meeting these challenges, historians are going to examine and write about this moment as an inflection point as I said. And I believe that every ounce of my being that democracy will and must prevail. We must demonstrate that democracy could still deliver for our people and in this changed world.

[11:25:06] That in my view is our galvanizing mission. Democracy doesn't happen by accident. We have to defend it. Fight for it. Strengthen it. Renew it.

We have to prove that our model isn't a relic of history. It is the single best way to revitalize the promise of our future.

And if we work together with our democratic partners, with strength and confidence, I know we'll meet every challenge and outpace every challenger. You know, we must prepare together for a long term strategic competition with China.

How the United States, Europe and Asia work together to secure the peace and defend our shared values and advance our prosperity across the Pacific will be among the most consequential efforts we undertake. Competition with China is going to be stiff. That is what I expect. And that is what I welcome, because I believe in the global system, Europe and the United States together, with our allies in the Indo Pacific worked so hard to build over the last 70 years.

We can own the race of the future. But to do so, we have to be clear- eyed by the historic investments and partnerships that this will require. We have to protect, we have to protect for space, for innovation for intellectual property and the creative genius that thrives with free exchanges of ideas and open democratic societies.

We have to be sure that the benefits of growth are shared broadly and equitably, not just by a few. We have to push back against the Chinese government's economic abuses and coercion that undercut the foundations of the international economic system.

Everyone, everyone must play by the same rules. The U.S. and European companies are required to publicly disclose corporate government -- to government structures and abide by rules to deter corruption and monopolistic practices. Chinese companies should be held in the same standard.

We will shape the rules that will govern the advantage of technology and the norms of behavior in cyberspace, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, so that they are used to lift people up, not used to pin them down. One must stand up for the democratic values that make it possible for us to accomplish any of this, pushing back against those who would monopolize and normalize repression.

Now, this is also, this is also how we're going to be able to meet the threat from Russia. The Kremlin attacks our democracies and weaponized corruption to try to undermine our system of governance. Russian leaders want people to think that our system is more corrupt or as corrupt as theirs.

But the world knows that isn't true, including Russians -- Russia's own citizens. Putin seeks to weaken the European project and our NATO alliance. He wants to undermine the transatlantic unity and our resolve. Because it's so much easier for the Kremlin to bully and threaten individual states than to negotiate with a strong, closely united transatlantic community. That's why, that's why standing up for the sovereignty and territorial

integrity of Ukraine remains a vital concern for Europe and the United States. That's why addressing recklessness, Russian recklessness and hacking into computer networks in the United States and across Europe and the world has become critical to protecting our collective security.

The challenges with Russia may be different than the ones with China. But they're just as real. It is not about pitting East against West. It's not about we want a conflict.

We want a future where all nations are able to freely determine their own path without a threat of violence or coercion. We cannot and must not return to the reflective opposition and rigid blocks of the Cold War.

Competition must not lock out cooperation on issues that affect us all. For example, we must cooperate if we're going to defeat COVID-19 everywhere. My first presidential security memorandum focused on surging health and humanitarian responses to defeat COVID-19. And to better prevent and prepare for the next pandemic.