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Signature Spending Bills Stall as Government Quarrel; Impact of Vaccine Mandates across U.S.; Australia to Ease International Travel Restrictions for Australians; Storm Warnings for Bermuda; House Panel Subpoenaed Organizers of January 6 Trump Rally; Utah Police Releasing New Body Camera Footage of Petito. Aired 4-4:30a ET

Aired October 01, 2021 - 04:00   ET

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

[04:00:00]

ISA SOARES, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and a very warm welcome to our viewers joining us in the United States and right around the world. I'm Isa Soares in London. And just ahead on CNN NEWSROOM --

After frantic negotiations, there's no deal yet on the multi trillion- dollar bill. That's crucial for President Joe Biden's agenda.

Plus, new bodycam footage of Gabby Petito, revealing more of what she told police about a domestic dispute with her now missing fiancee.

And after 18 long months, Australia will begin lifting travel restrictions.

Hello and welcome, everyone. It is Friday, October the first, and President Biden begins this month with his ambitious domestic agenda in turmoil. A crucial vote never took place on Thursday to authorize $1.2 trillion to fix America's roads as well as bridges. That bill already cleared the Senate with bipartisan support, and House passage should have been really a sure thing. The party progressives are refusing to support the infrastructure bill until they get a firm deal on a sweeping as well as extensive plan to dramatically expand social programs and address climate change. And without their support, well, house leaders had little choice but to postpone Thursday's vote. Here's CNN's Ryan Nobles on Capitol Hill with more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RYAN NOBLES, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The vote did not happen. This despite Speaker Nancy Pelosi's plan to vote on a bipartisan infrastructure package in the House of Representatives. The Speaker waited until 10:00 on Thursday night to say there would be no vote, and that is because she just didn't have enough votes for the measure to pass.

And House progressives held firm throughout the day, saying that they were not interested in passing this bipartisan infrastructure package without specific assurances that the much larger $3.5 trillion social safety net expansion would also be passed. And it required a lot of negotiation between many of the most important players to try and get to a place where they could even have that conversation.

Kyrsten Sinema and Joe Manchin, the two moderate Senate hold outs, along with Senator Bernie Sanders, Senator Chuck Schumer, and White House officials worked furiously into the night trying to hash out an agreement. But in the midst of those negotiations, it was Sanders who emerged from Schumer's office and said that this negotiating style was what he described as being just plain absurd. That it didn't make any sense, that they were going to try and pass something in the middle of the night instead of methodically coming up with an agreement that everyone would sign off on.

That was enough for Pelosi to say this just isn't happening tonight. Those House progressives held firm in a meeting of their own. So, the big question is what happens now. It's important to keep in mind this was an arbitrary deadline. This wasn't a deadline set by any official -- any official need, I should say. This was a deadline that they just decided they wanted to get everything done by. So, these negotiations could continue on indefinitely and that's is expected to happen.

The House will reconvene tomorrow. They may attempt to try and push something through, but it's more likely that this will be a prolonged process where we see negotiators try and come to some sort of solid agreement on the much larger reconciliation package before they move forward on the bipartisan plan.

Ryan Nobles, CNN, on Capitol Hill.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SOARES: Well, as Ryan was just saying, you know, after the infrastructure vote was postponed, the White House said negotiation on both spending packages would resume first thing today, this Friday. And here's what some members of the progressive caucus said after that delay was announced. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

REP. STACY PLASKETT (D-VI): I think that there's broad consensus among moderates, conservative blue dogs and the progressives that both of these bills need to get done. Now, the size of what needs to get done within them is what we are discussing. And what we're having a family discussion about right now, you all just happen to be seeing our kitchen table as we're having that discussion that's being led by our Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

REP. PRAMILA JAYAPAL (D-WA): The reality is that there is a whole group of people, people who need child care, people who need paid leave, people who need housing, people who want to see action on climate change. This is all part of the Build Back Better agenda, which is the president's agenda. And so, we've got the president's back here. I know he's been working very hard to try to negotiate with people.

[04:05:00]

REP. JOHN YARMUTH (D-KY): The shame is that we have an opposition party, the Republican Party, who doesn't think the federal government has an any obligation to do anything about providing childcare, early childhood education, paid family and medical leave, any of the things that are in the Build Back Better Act. If they're not going to recognize these are national responsibilities, then we have to act alone and puts us in this very, very convoluted process called reconciliation.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SOARES: Well, Republican lawmakers, meanwhile, are staying out of the way as Democrats threaten to sink the president's agenda before it even gets started. And even if the deal is finally worked out, one political insider says Republicans have no incentive to help Democrats get it passed, no matter how popular it is with voters. Take a listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DOUG HEYE, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: Republicans broadly agrees with the whole package but doesn't really know what's in it. If you think about Obamacare to some extent, what Nancy Pelosi said then we're going to have to pass it to find out what's in it. If this passes it's going to be a very same thing.

But for Republicans they're looking at this very simply. They're not in control in the House. They're not in control of the Senate. And the rule of politics is when your opponent is setting themselves on fire as Democrats seem to be doing now, you don't give them water. If we go back to 2018, we had a Republican House, Republican Senate, Republican president. Nancy Pelosi said, and she tweeted this, that Republicans, you own this. You're on your own. Mitch McConnell and Kevin McCarthy are playing the same role right now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SOARES: Now, new indications in U.S. that the coronavirus fueled by the delta variant might be on the decline -- some very good news. For the first time since June the Centers Disease for Control and Prevention predicts Covid deaths are likely to decrease over the next four weeks. Hospitalizations are also forecast to decline. This is due, in part, at least to an increase in vaccinations as you see there on your graph. Nearly 200 million American adults have now had at least one dose of the COVID vaccine, this just over 77 percent of those aged 18 and up.

States are increasingly cracking down with vaccine mandates. Thursday was the deadline days for healthcare workers in California. CNN's Jason Carroll takes a look at how well health systems are meeting that requirement.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JASON CARROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Deadline day in the nation's most populated state. All 2.5 million healthcare workers in California must be fully vaccinated or risk losing their jobs. Cedar Sinai and UC-Davis both show more than 90 percent compliance.

DR. MONICA GANDHI, UCSF HEALTH: We are around vulnerable patients, older patients, immunocompromised patients. And these are safe and effective vaccines. These have to be mandated for healthcare workers.

CARROLL (voice-over): In other parts of the country, we're seeing the impact of workplace vaccine mandates, states including Rhode Island and New York set vaccine mandates for health care workers that take effect this week. New York's governor says the state has not seen major staffing shortages following the healthcare worker vaccine mandate.

She says more than 90 percent got the shot.

GOV. KATHY HOCHUL (D), NEW YORK: You will see that number go higher quickly. Because what we're finding is, you know, as more people are furloughed or suspended that that number is going to go up.

CARROLL (voice-over): The governor is working to expand its mandate to include healthcare workers not regulated by the Department of Health like some prison employees. President Biden announced it was coming weeks ago but so far, it's not out.

JEN PSAKI, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Obviously, it takes some time and we want to make sure when we put this out, they are clear and they provide guidance necessary to businesses. I can't give you a timeline. OSHA is working on them. But, obviously, well we'll hopefully know more in the coming weeks.

CARROLL (voice-over): Tyson Foods not waiting. Meat processing plants were especially hit hard by COVID during the height of the pandemic. In August, Tyson announced a vaccine mandate and now it says 91 percent of its U.S. employees have at least one dose of the vaccine.

West Virginia, which at one point led the country with a highest vaccination rate, now has the lowest. The governor pleaded with people to get vaccinated but also says he won't force anyone to do it

GOV. JIM JUSTICE (R), WEST VIRGINIA: I do not feel comfortable with this mandate stuff and everything. Because first and foremost, we are Americans and we do have our freedoms. And we do not want to divide us even more.

CARROLL (voice-over): Some positive news. Daily cases have started to drop or are steady in the majority of the country. Hospitalizations are trending down. And death rates are projected to as well.

CARROLL: And here in New York, a group of public-school employees is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to put a stop to the city's vaccine mandate.

[04:10:00]

Court papers filed Thursday, lawyers basically arguing instead of allowing these employees to opt out and not receive a vaccine and get weekly testing, instead the lawyers argue that the mandate, quote, forces unvaccinated public-school employees to go on unpaid leave for nearly a year. They go on to argue that it places an unconstitutional burden on some of the public-school teachers here.

Jason Carroll, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SOARES: Well, the debate over masks has tempers flaring in one Alaska city. The Anchorage assembly wanted to hear from members of the community before imposing a mask mandate due to rising COVID cases. On day three of testimony, four people were arrested for disrupting the meeting while most people opposed the mandate, some did voice their support for the measure.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We need a mask mandate because the people out there think that they have received the vaccine, that they are bullet proof. In other words, they believe that they will not get the virus.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is not your job or responsibility to protect my health. That is the position and responsibility of my doctor.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SOARES: Well, a handful of people wore makeshift stars of David comparing the proposed mask mandate for actions taken through the holocaust. One assembly member read a statement from his rabbi calling the badges a symbol of hate. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was heart wrenching for me when I noticed individuals wearing yellow stars of David, mimicking my Jewish ancestors who perished during the Holocaust. For myself and most Jews, seeing the yellow start of David on someone's chest elicits the same feeling of seeing a swastika on a flag or the SS insignia on a uniform.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SOARES: Now the former head of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning against politicizing vaccine mandates. Dr. Scott Gottlieb says the mandates have been working so far with vaccination rates going up. And while he believes the government has every right to implement these mandates, Gottlieb says it's another story when it comes to small businesses.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SCOTT GOTTLIEB, FORMER FDA COMMISSIONER: I think the federal government is well within their prerogative to mandate vaccination for the federal work force. That is an issue of federal readiness. I think that we should be mandating vaccination among other groups like the elderly. I think we should try to work with the Medicare programs to try to get Medicare providers and health plans to get higher vaccination rates in the older population. That's where we can make a real difference.

I think mandating vaccine among healthcare workers also makes a lot of sense because it's a function of protecting the people that they're caring for. I think where this gets touchy is when you mandate vaccination for private businesses down to the level of 100 employees. That's where you're going to get resistance, you're going to get lawsuits and you're going to turn this into more of a political issue. And I think that there's public health consequence for that we need to weigh very carefully.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SOARES: Now, within weeks, vaccinated Australians will be allowed to travel overseas with the government bringing forward plans to phase out an 18-month-long ban on international flights. Residents in states with an over 80 percent vaccination rate will be free to leave the country and nonreturn required to quarantine for week.

Let's get more in the story. CNN's Angus Watson joins us now in Sydney. And Angus, you know, this is the -- one, it's fair to say world's longest border closures from what I understand. So, I can imagine it's really big news for so many people and probably an emotional day. Talk us through the rules.

ANGUS WATSON, CNN PRODUCER: Absolutely, Isa. So, this is an announcement that tens of thousands of Australians around the world have been waiting to hear for some 18 months now as the global coronavirus pandemic has raged on. Many of those people growing increasingly desperate as they live a life in limbo outside of their own country.

Today, Scott Morrison, the Prime Minister of Australia, saying that policy of capping the number of Australians allowed back into the country each week will be thrown out as of November. Australia will instead throw open its borders, but only to permanent residents of Australia and its citizens, and only for those people that are fully vaccinated. They, as you say, will be able to quarantine at home for seven days instead of the 14 days mandatory. State-managed hotel quarantine people are needing to do now.

And what this says is the Australian government is really shifting away from its COVID zero strategy of closed borders, which it says has saved lives and isolated Australia from the rest of the world throughout the pandemic as best as it could. Now, this shift is coming as major cities in Australia are suffering through a pandemic here in Sydney, we've been in lockdown since June. Lockdowns in the capital of Australia, Canberra, and the second largest city Melbourne as well.

[04:15:00]

So, people here in Australia are fed up with this second wave of coronavirus which has really forced numbers up. People around the world wanting to get back into Australia have waited even longer -- Isa. SOARES: Yes, I know how tough it's been for some of the friends of

mine who are stranded, haven't been able to see their loved ones. So, this clearly a very emotional day. Angus Watson there. Thanks very much, Angus.

Coming up on CNN newsroom -- The volcano in the Canary Islands is still spewing after two weeks. And now a new a landform is being created. We'll have the details for you after the break.

And storm warnings are posted for Bermuda as hurricane Sam approaches. What will it mean for the East Coast? We'll have the latest updates from the CNN Weather Center right after a very short break. You are watching CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SOARES: With no letup in sight for that volcano erupting in the Canary Islands. It's been erupting for nearly two weeks now, destroying hundreds of homes as well as businesses. Officials warn chemical reactions of the lava hitting the sea water could cause toxic gases. But so far, the air is safe to breathe and the lava is now forming a new delta off La Palma.

And this is the scene in Hawaii as one world's of the most active volcanos is erupting once again.

[04:20:00]

Observers noticed lava spewing from the Hawaii's volcano on Wednesday just hours after increased seismic activity. Officials say it is not a present danger to nearby residents on Hawaii's big island. The volcano's most recent eruption began last December and continued for five months.

Now, tropical storm warnings are up for Bermuda as hurricane Sam gets closer. It is a powerful category four storm and has been getting stronger and is expected to cause some high waves along parts of the U.S. East Coast later this weekend.

Let's get more on that and the other tropical storm in the Atlantic. CNN meteorologist Derek Van Dam has more -- Derek.

DEREK VAN DAM, CNN METEOROLOGIST: That's right, Isa. In fact, hurricane Sam still a major category 4 hurricane as it churns over the central Atlantic. We still have Victor to talk about as well. More on that in just one moment.

But here's the latest from the National Hurricane Center. 150 mile per hour sustained winds with this storm. Again, that makes it a category 4 hurricane, but it's really just what we like to refer to as fish food at the moment because it's really not impacting directly any land mass. But as you noted, we have the potential for some dangerous surf along the eastern seaboard of the U.S. And then we do believe that the storm is large enough to where it could bring some of its outer rain bands, strong gusty winds, tropical storm force, that type of nature, into the areas of Bermuda, the nation of Bermuda, I should say. Category 4 hurricane through the next 24 hours or so before it starts to race off to the north and start to become less organized and weaken as it does so.

Here is an update on tropical storm Victor. Just off the Cape Verde Islands, 60 miles per hour sustained winds, another fish food storm. But that's good news. We want to see this. We like to see this because the storm will not and is not expected to impact any land mass.

Bringing it back to the United States, though, pretty quiet and calm weather pattern taking shape across the northeast. Aside from some Gulf Coast moisture streaming in, some rainfall into the Southeastern United States from Atlanta to Nashville, generally a quiet weather forecast through the weekend and into early parts of next week.

We'll see the above average temperatures across the Great Lakes be replaced with slightly cooler weather. The warmer weather starts to shift to the East Coast. Let me show you the seven-day forecast. You can see Chicago today 86 degrees. But that's the end of our warmth because we start to get into more seasonable weather in the weekend. More of the same for New York City. Isa, back to you.

SOARES: Thanks very much, Derek. Have a good weekend.

Now, new developments in the Congressional investigation into the January 6 riot on Capitol Hill. The January 6 select committee has issued new subpoenas to organizers of the Trump rally that took place before the riot. Investigators are looking into connections between rally organizers and the former president. CNN's Paula Reid has more for you.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAULA REID, CNN SENIOR LEGAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Investigators are targeting 11 individuals associated with the group Women for America First. That group organized the rally on the ellipse on January 6. Now, on this list of names, they include the group's original founder and chairwoman Amy Cramer, in addition to Katrina Pierson, a former Trump campaign official who lawmakers allege had discussed the rallies with the former president in the days leading up to these events.

Now, it's clear that they are expanding their scope beyond their original round of subpoenas, which went to just a small group of Trump advisers. Now they are looking for more information, it appears, about what went into the planning of this rally. While the former president has suggested that some of the events that day were just spontaneous, lawmakers insist that there was organization, planning and funding, and they want these people to help them reconstruct exactly what happened.

Now, in these subpoenas, they are demanding information related to the planning, the organizing and the funding of these events, and they also want to know if there have been any communications with Trump administration officials or any lawmakers.

Now, again, this is the second round of subpoenas. It's unclear at this point if any or all these people are going to comply with these demands. Right now, though, we're still watching that initial group of four advisers who received the four subpoenas. Whether they will actually comply, the former president has suggested that he will try to invoke executive privilege to block the committee from getting some of the information it is seeking. It's not clear if he will be successful in invoking executive privilege to block those four witnesses or those witnesses on their own will try not to cooperate here.

They were actually targeted specifically because they were expected to resist these requests. This could very well wind up in court and set off a lengthy court battle which could potentially delay this investigation. But the first deadline is next Thursday. Those group of four Trump advisers who were first subpoenaed, they are expected to turn over documents and they have been requested to appear the following week. So clearly this investigation is active, ongoing and expanding.

Paula Reid, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[04:25:00]

SOARES: Now newly released police footage is shining more light on the trouble between Gabby Petito and her fiancee. We'll hear what she told Utah police next.

Plus, a suspected Nazi collaborator goes missing. Instead, appearing in a courtroom in Germany. But police say her run was short lived. We'll explain after a short break. You are watching CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SOARES: Welcome back to CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Isa Soares. If you're just joining us, let me bring you up to date with our top stories this hour. The U.S. has avoided a government shutdown for now. But a vote on the trillion-dollar infrastructure bill could come today.

And Australia's move to reopen its boarders in just a few weeks, vaccinated Australians will be allowed to travel overseas with plans in the works to phase out an 18-month ban on international flights.

New details are emerging in the death of Gabby Petito. More bodycam footage from Utah police has been released which gives another glimpse into the dispute between Petito and fiancee Brian Laundrie back on August 12th. And we're learning the FBI visited the Laundrie home again. CNN's Leyla Santiago picks up the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LEYLA SANTIAGO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): As the search for Brian Laundrie extends into week two, new body camera footage released from Moab, Utah police, from the August 12 traffic stop of Laundrie and Gabby Petito.

OFFICER: Did he hit you though? I mean, it's OK if you're saying you hit him. I understand if he hit you, but we want to know the truth if he actually hit you.

GABBY PETITO, YOUTUBER: I, I guess, yeah, but I hit him first.

OFFICER: Where did he hit you? Don't, don't worry. Just be honest.

PETITO: He like grabbed my face, like, like I guess. He didn't like hit me in the face. He didn't like punch me in the face.

OFFICER: Did he slap your face or what?

PETITO: Well, like he had grabbed me, like with his nail, and I guess that's why.