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President Biden Criticizes Republican Senators for Not Allowing Proposal to Raise U.S. Debt Ceiling to Move Forward in Senate; Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) Interviewed on Continued Negotiations between Democrats in Congress on Passing Infrastructure Bill and Budget Reconciliation Bill; Drugmakers Merck and Ridgeback Announce Development of Antiviral Pill that Cuts COVID Hospitalization and Death by Half; New Police Footage of Gabby Petito after Fight with Fiance Brian Laundrie Released. Aired 10-11a ET

Aired October 02, 2021 - 10:00   ET

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

[10:00:00]

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think getting an oral pill that could inhibit viral replication, that could inhibit this virus, is going to be a real game changer.

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Plus, a party divided.

REP. PRAMILA JAYAPAL (D-WA): This is a negotiation, and so we need to figure out how we're going to get to a number that we can all agree on.

SANCHEZ: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi forced to delay a vote on the infrastructure bill amid disagreements among Democrats. We're joined by Democratic Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz for a look at where things stand now.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's OK if you're saying you hit him, and I understand if he hit you, but we want to know the truth if he actually hit you.

SANCHEZ: And new details in the case of Gabby Petito, the new bodycam footage revealing what she told police about a fight with Brian Laundrie.

And a heartbreaking loss for two Virginia parents.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I never thought my perfectly healthy daughter would die from COVID.

SANCHEZ: That mom joins us live to share how in just a matter of days COVID claimed the life of her daughter.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The most frustrating thing I have ever dealt with my entire life.

SANCHEZ: A month after hurricane Ida, some Louisiana residents say they still don't have a place to live.

Newsroom starts right now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHRISTI PAUL, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome to the weekend on this Saturday, October 2nd. I'm Christi Paul.

SANCHEZ: Good morning, Christi. I'm Boris Sanchez. You are live in the CNN Newsroom. And we're grateful to have you.

PAUL: Absolutely. So we begin with President Biden vowing just moments ago, in fact, the Democrats will get their infrastructure passed despite current divisions within the party.

SANCHEZ: The president answered reporters' questions just a short time ago as he departed the White House heading for Delaware. His economic agenda hangs in the balance right now. He said he's going to keep pushing to get the infrastructure bill and his spending plan across the finish line.

PAUL: CNN White House correspondent Arlette Saenz is there. Arlette, so we know the president also talked about the looming deadline to raise the debt limit. Walk us through what was said this morning.

ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Boris and Christi, President Biden provided some more insight not just into those infrastructure negotiations that are ongoing on Capitol Hill, but also that looming deadline when it comes to raising the debt ceiling. So far Republicans have really blocked these efforts from Democrats to raise that debt ceiling as that October 18th deadline is very quickly approaching.

And I asked the president whether he thinks Democrats will have to go it alone to raise the debt limit. He did not comment specifically on that, but he did say that Republicans need to come along and act. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, (D) PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I hope Republicans won't be so irresponsible as to refuse to raise the debt limit, and to filibuster the debt limit. That would be totally unconscionable. Never been done before. And so I hope that won't happen.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SAENZ: So that is just one of the many issues facing lawmakers up on Capitol Hill in the coming weeks with that deadline very quickly approaching. And the president also talked about those ongoing negotiations over his two major economic plans. There's that bipartisan infrastructure proposal and that $3.5 trillion spending bill. The president acknowledged that everyone across the board, moderates and progressives, are frustrated with how this has played out. But he insists that he is going to work like hell, as he put it, to try to get these two measures passed.

The president does ultimately believe that there will be support. But yesterday he went up to Capitol Hill and really had his most direct public engagement yet with House Democrats as those moderates and progressives are still trying to work out some compromise. The president really offered the lawmakers an opportunity to have a reset as we've seen this flurry of intense negotiations over the course of the past few weeks. And ultimately what the president has tried to do is remind Democrats that they are united in the priorities that they are trying to accomplish for the American people.

Right now, that deal is not in sight. The president has said it could take days, weeks, possibly even months. But ultimately he thinks that they will be able to move forward with both of these measures, and he has called on his colleagues, those Democrats up on Capitol Hill, to keep compromising.

I also asked the president whether he has been surprised by how difficult it has been to unite the Democrats, or the moderates and the progressives together around these two measures. And he made the point that it would be much easier to do if they had just two more votes in the Senate, pointing to the two moderate senators over in the Senate, Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema, who have really been at the center of the negotiations with the White House.

But the president really today still expressing that optimism that they will be able to get to a deal, but also acknowledging that there has been frustration along the way as they are trying to work out these deals.

[10:05:00]

PAUL: All right, Arlette Saenz, we appreciate it so much. Thank you.

SANCHEZ: Thanks, Arlette.

So let's discuss with someone intimately involved in these negotiations. Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida joins us now. She serves on the House Appropriations Committee. Congresswoman, appreciate your time, as always, and you sharing part of your weekend with us. Let's discuss what President Biden said just a few moments ago. He was asked if he thinks an infrastructure bill can pass the House without an agreement on a framework for reconciliation. He said he is a realist, noting that the votes are not there to pass each of these two bills on their own. How comfortable are you with delaying a vote on infrastructure until you can bridge that $2 trillion gap on reconciliation?

REP. DEBBIE WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (D-FL): Boris, I'm totally comfortable, and that is as it should be. Democrats were elected to make sure that we could pass transformative infrastructure policy as well as family improvement policy. That's why we were given the majority by the American people, why Joe Biden was elected, why we have majorities in both the House and Senate, because Americans want folks on Medicare to be able to have coverage for hearing, dental, and vision care. They want to make sure that they don't have to choose between working and paying for childcare. They want to make sure that they can have universal access to pre-K, and real comprehensive health care coverage like we don't have in my state because Republicans have blocked it for years.

So, we need to do both, and the key thing is we have support for both. I have been a legislator for a long time, and the legislative process can be messy. They talk about you don't want to watch sausage being made. That's what's happening here.

And I'll just make one more point where I'll take you back and anyone who was paying attention to the health care reform debate, the Affordable Care Act debate. That was gut wrenching. We had so many disagreements. The difference here is we agree on nearly all of this, and it's just a matter of making sure that we take the time to hammer out where we can build the most consensus and pass these two bills and send them to President Biden.

SANCHEZ: There are a lot of details and disagreement between $1.5 trillion and $3.5 trillion, though. And I'm wondering if you've had conversations with those two senators that President Biden made a very thinly veiled reference to Kyrsten Sinema and Joe Manchin, and if you haven't, what would be your message to them if they were watching right now?

SCHULTZ: What I have done is I've spoken to similarly moderate members of the House of Representatives who are dear friends of mine, and we have those concerns on our side of the aisle, too. The legislative process is built around consensus. That's what the founding fathers intended, and so the gnashing of teeth and the media obsession with, we haven't agreed yet, and is Biden's agenda in trouble? No, it's not in trouble. We're going to take the time to work through what the top line number is on how we can make sure we pass transformative policy like making sure that people get quality affordable childcare, making sure that seniors have coverage for their vision care.

I represent so many seniors here in south Florida, Boris, and for years, they have not been able to get eyeglasses. They have not been able to make sure that they can pay for their hearing aids or go to the dentist. Dental care is so critical to the overall health of every human being, and seniors don't have coverage for it. So, we have to make sure we come together. We will, and we're going to work together just like the founding fathers created our legislative process to do that, and we'll be celebrating when we pass these two bills into law.

SANCHEZ: I think, to be fair, some of the concern is that there's so much at stake, not only for the party but the nation in the recovery from COVID and competing with China, moving into future generations, and there's so much at stake. The gravity of the moment underlies what's happening right now. And seeing, again, that $2 trillion divide and the fact that at least publicly there hasn't been much budging from either side, the progressives or the moderates, I think it's exemplified by President Biden going to Capitol Hill yesterday and explaining this is a do or die moment, especially as you get into midterms in 2022 because, as you know, historically, the pendulum is likely to swing toward the other party. Are you concerned about that?

SCHULTZ: Boris, what I'm concerned about is that the Republicans in this country serving in Congress are jeopardizing the full faith and credit of the United States. Just this week they refused to support, making sure we could pay our nation's bills by raising the debt ceiling, and the overwhelming majority of Republicans voted to shut the government down. They refused to support a continuing resolution, jeopardizing our credit, full faith and credit of the United States of America, and our economy, and also being willing to shut the government down just because they care more about gaining power.

[10:10:14]

What we're going to do is continue to work together on the Democratic side to really deliver for the American people and make sure that we pass that transformative legislation, that will rebuild our roads and bridges and invest in climate resiliency so that we can ensure we create jobs, and making sure we shore up our economy, and we'll continue to make sure that, unfortunately, we're going it alone, fighting COVID, where Republicans also refuse to be supportive and keep people safe. That's what this is going to boil down to, and I'm confident that we will ultimately prevail, because that's why the American people sent us to Washington to make these decisions on their behalf.

SANCHEZ: Congresswoman, how would you rate the effort from your office and your colleagues and the White House in reaching across the aisle and trying to court Republicans. Does that seem like a worthwhile effort in your eyes?

SCHULTZ: It always is a worthwhile effort. We have members like Josh Gottheimer who led the effort to, on the House side, to build support for the bipartisan infrastructure bill. There was a bipartisan group of members that passed the infrastructure bill that is part of this overall package that we will ultimately pass in the Senate.

But unfortunately, Mitch McConnell and his Republican cronies, the Trumpers, they care and they have made very clear that what they care about is forcing Democrats to do this by ourselves so that they can try to make us stumble, and ultimately trick the American people and send them spiraling down a staircase, instead of making sure that we can work together to transform people's lives. They care more about maintaining their big tax breaks that they passed when Trump was president for millionaires and billionaires, and we're trying to make sure we deliver paid for policy that will give the middle class a tax break, help more people gain access to the middle class, and make sure that the economy works for everyone, not just people who are already incredibly wealthy. That's the difference.

SANCHEZ: One quick and final question, Congresswoman. Does this get passed before Thanksgiving?

SCHULTZ: It's going to get passed when we can build the consensus and reach a top line number, build our legislation program by program to make a huge difference in people's lives, and pass significant bipartisan infrastructure legislation to create millions of jobs. And that's going to take some time.

SANCHEZ: By Thanksgiving?

SCHULTZ: We're not functioning on deadlines. But we are trying to transform people lives and make a difference in people's lives. And it's going to take some time. And I know the press wants to pin us to deadlines. But we're putting our nose to the grindstone, we're all at the table together. We'll probably be forced to do this alone because Republicans could care less about this. And we're going to get it done for the American people, because we're going to build consensus and work together.

And that's why Joe Biden came to the House yesterday and spoke to our caucus meeting, not to tell us that this is do or die. I was in that room, Boris. He didn't say that. He said what was absolutely correct, that this is absolutely essential for us to make a difference and transform people's lives, so that they are not constantly living pillar to post economically, and that we can stop people from having to handwringing at their kitchen tables, and they can take care of their children and improve the lives of their families. That's what this is all about. We care about that. Republicans don't.

SANCHEZ: I think they would counter that with a series of other arguments, but we have to leave the conversation there. Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, we appreciate it. We should also note, you're going to be taking part in the Women's March in Fort Lauderdale today as well.

SCHULTZ: Absolutely, and we're going to make sure that we fight for a woman's right to make her own reproductive choices. And I'm proud to bring my 22-year-old daughter with me to our rally today in south Florida.

SANCHEZ: Thank you, congresswoman. We appreciate the time.

SCHULTZ: Thank you.

PAUL: So let's talk about COVID, because the U.S. has surpassed 700,000 deaths from coronavirus now, despite the vaccines being widely available across the country. And right now only about 55 percent of Americans have actually received their shots. The average number of people getting vaccinated now is at the lowest point since mid-August.

SANCHEZ: We do have good news this morning, though. Drugmakers Merck and Ridgeback say that they have developed an antiviral pill that cuts the risk of COVID hospitalization and death by 50 percent, according to a study conducted by the companies. If it gets approved, it would be the first oral medication of its kind and could have huge implications in the fight against COVID-19.

PAUL: And the news comes as the FDA's vaccine advisory committee announces a meeting in mid-October, just a couple of weeks, to review Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccines for young children. Those are children ages five to 11.

[10:15:05]

SANCHEZ: CNN's Polo Sandoval is in New York for us this morning. Polo, some good news on the front of this oral medication and potentially on vaccines for younger kids, but still that grim milestone, 700,000 people in the United States dying from COVID. POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And that's why, Christi and Boris,

this new medication, if approved, can't come soon enough obviously, because it's being described as a potential game changer should it in fact be authorized for use to treat people with COVID here.

Now, important to point out, this is obviously no vaccine. This is actually an antiviral that would be designed to take immediately after some of those initial symptoms. So obviously the earlier the better for some of those folks who actually do contract the virus.

Scott Gottlieb, the former head of the FDA, actually acknowledged something that is certainly noteworthy here, saying that this drug would effective, or potentially be effective not only for those who are fully vaccinated and potentially experiencing breakthrough cases that are rare, but also some of those that are non-vaccinated as well. So that's also one of the reasons why this could be potentially seen as game changer drug.

Dr. Richard Besser, who is a former acting CDC director, also with some remarks recently here saying and reminding us all that this drug, when and if approved, it would be no substitute for going to get that vaccine.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. RICHARD BESSER, FORMER CDC ACTING DIRECTOR: But I'm very excited about a drug going forward to FDA for consideration. We do need better treatments. We do need oral therapy. It's not a replacement for vaccination. Prevention is the best way to go. But when people get COVID, we need to be able to provide them with better treatment.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: In terms of prevention, let's take a quick look at where some of those vaccination efforts actually stand. Months into the efforts, you see some of those figures here on the screen here. About 77 percent of eligible Americans have received at least one shot. About 67 percent already considered fully vaccinated, and then there's also some promising infection numbers here, showing the decreasing cases and hospitalizations across the country here. We have heard some of that promising news from multiple officials here.

When it comes to what we're seeing here in New York, for example, come Monday, the new vaccination mandate will actually take effect. Those teachers in the New York City public school system had until yesterday at 5:00 p.m. to have at least one shot, and we understand at least 93 percent of those teachers actually got that shot. But I tell you what, though, one of the big things to watch here, Christi and Boris, just to wrap things up here, are going to be some of those meetings by FDA vaccine advisory committees that will be happening in the coming days. We'll be talking not only about the Pfizer shot for some of those younger folks, but also booster shot, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson boosters, and finally also, that mix and match approach for those who have had one vaccine, and considering taking another. All of that is going to be on the table in the coming weeks.

PAUL: Yes, and hopefully that will answer a lot of questions people have. Polo Sandoval, thank you so much.

SANDOVAL: Thanks, guys.

SANCHEZ: Thanks, Polo.

Coming up, we've got new details in the death of Gabby Petito. Hear what she told police about a fight with her still missing fiance Brian Laundrie.

PAUL: And think about this. Hurricane Ida hit more than a month ago. Well, there are some victims in southern Louisiana who are still waiting for FEMA help just to get there. What is the hold up? That story is coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:22:28]

SANCHEZ: We've got an update for you now on the search for missing Florida woman, Miya Marcano. The FBI is now providing technology to help search teams. The 19-year-old was last seen at the Arden Villas Luxury Apartments in Orlando over a week ago. And since then, the sheriff's office and other agencies have conducted over 30 searches in the surrounding counties.

PAUL: There isn't much known about the circumstances surrounding Marcano's disappearance. The one person of interest in the case thus far was found dead of an apparent suicide earlier this week. He had an outstanding arrest warrant for breaking into her apartment. But again, still looking for maya Miya Marcano, 19 years old.

SANCHEZ: Police are also searching for Brian Laundrie after the death of Gabby Petito, and there's new bodycam video from their August domestic dispute that's shedding new light on their relationship. It's really difficult to watch, especially because of what Gabby told police about their fight.

PAUL: Live from Florida right now near the Laundrie home, CNN national correspondent Nadia Romero, she has been in front of that house for days at this point. So Nadia, help us understand what's happening there, and how this footage, this new footage plays into it.

NADIA ROMERO, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Christi, sometimes you have a lot of activity or commotion that will happen on this street right in front of the Laundrie family home, and sometimes that comes from when the FBI shows up, and then everyone's on high alert. That happened on Thursday when they gathered more of Brian Laundrie's items. Sometimes you'll have commotion on the street when people will come by and they say they're protesting on behalf of Gabby Petito's family, and they start shouting through the door and at the home where the Laundrie parents are inside.

And so that's what's happening here in Florida as the search continues for Brian Laundrie, but we're learning more, as you mentioned, from body cam video that recently came out about an August 12th domestic dispute call between Brian Laundrie and Gabby Petito. The initial call came in that said that a man was slapping a woman. But when officers arrived, they determined that Gabby Petito was the instigator. And listen to Gabby as she pleas with police not to arrest either her or Brian.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GABBY PETITO: Can I have a ticket for hitting the curb or something, please? Because we're OK.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I understand. But we don't have -- listen, if I had any discretion in this, I would separate you guys for the day and just give you warnings to stop hitting each other. But I lawfully don't have discretion here. I don't have any --

[10:25:01]

PETITO: Is it only because somebody said, like a witness said something?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's two witnesses, and there there's what you said and what he said. And guess what, it all matches nicely that you were the primary aggressor.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMERO: So you heard the officer talking about what his lack of discretion is. And so Utah is one of those states where if they go to a domestic call that one of the parties should be arrested if it meets certain circumstances, like probable cause, or there's belief that there could be more abuse in the future. That didn't happen in this case. Instead, Brian Laundrie was taken away and spent the night at a hotel to separate the two.

And so it's under an independent investigation to see if those officers should have done more. Of course, hindsight is 20-20, and many people are saying perhaps if police officers would have intervened in a different way that this situation would have turned out much differently. Christi?

PAUL: Nadia Romero, we appreciate it so much. Thank you.

SANCHEZ: Thanks, Nadia.

You may have heard us mention during our conversation with Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz that there are some major demonstrations happening today, more than 600 marches planned across the United States in support of women's reproductive rights.

PAUL: They're called Rally for Abortion Justice Marches. They're in response to Texas enacting a restrictive antiabortion bill. And CNN's Suzanne Malveaux is live on the National Mall, where, Suzanne, I believe that is where the largest of these crowds is expected. What are you seeing there already? And good morning.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning. I covered the Women's March, the historic one five years ago. That was right after the inauguration of President Trump. And really, there were hundreds of thousands of women, many of them wearing those pink handknitted caps, and there was a great deal of fear and uncertainty and rage, really, wondering what the state of reproductive rights would be at that time. And you had the likes of celebrities of Alicia Keys and Madonna participating.

We don't expect really anything like that today. The officials here say that the permit is for about 10,000 people max in the Washington, D.C. marches, and it is very targeted. It is specific to fighting for women's reproductive rights, abortion rights of various groups that will be showing up here today. And as you mentioned, they point to the case, the Texas law, which forbids abortion after six weeks, deputizes, allows citizens to sue doctors who perform those abortions. No exception for rape or incest.

And then the Supreme Court's decision just this past week not to get involved in that. That is a frustrating thing for many Democratic women and others who believe and are fighting for reproductive abortion rights. This is going to be a very hot, hot issue in the midterm elections. We have already seen just the political implications so far. There were women who came forward, congresswomen who came forward this past week talking about their own personal, painful experiences regarding abortion. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. CORI BUSH, (D-MO): Today I sit before you as that nurse, as that pastor, as that pastor, as that activist, that survivor, that single mom, that Congresswoman to testify that in the summer of 1994, I was raped, I became pregnant, and I chose to have an abortion.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: And so that has never really happened before where you had these members of Congress who were just so straightforward about their own experiences regarding abortion. They are going to be targeting the Supreme Court, which is going to be in session on Monday, specifically, they're taking on a case in Mississippi, a law that prohibits abortion after 15 weeks, no exception for rape or incest. So to see how that plays out, they're going to try to put some pressure on the Supreme Court, get more activists involved in paying attention to this.

And Christi, you should know that the group is going to congregate in the next couple of hours, and then they are going to march to the Supreme Court to deliver that message.

SANCHEZ: Could make for a very powerful day. Suzanne Malveaux, thank you so much.

PAUL: Thank you, Suzanne.

Listen, we are speaking with some parents who have been through something I know I wonder how you even get through it. They lost their 10-year-old daughter just this week to complications from COVID. And they have some things they want to say. We're going to talk to them next. Stay close.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:00:00]

I want to introduce you to a family in Suffolk, Virginia. Their 10- year-old daughter, Teresa Sperry, died less than a week after showing symptoms of COVID-19. Her parents say she was happy. She was healthy. She had no underlying conditions before contracting the virus, and they are with us now, Nicole and jeff Sperry. We are just look at those pictures of your daughter, Teresa. I love the picture with her hands on her hip. She clearly looked like a spunky little girl. Nicole, tell me about her.

NICOLE SPERRY, 10-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER DIED FROM COVID-19: She was a very caring person. I always said that she was my mini-me. When she was born, she came out looking exactly like me. None of my boys look like me. She has my same personality, my same smile. She made a point to make sure to make friends to everybody. She would wave and say hi to random people, compliment them on their hair or their shirt. She just always thought of others.

[10:35:00]

PAUL: I want to point out, Jeff, you have COVID right now, you were in the hospital last night. How are you?

JEFF SPERRY, 10-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER DIED FROM COVID-19: I have a breakthrough case of COVID-19. I'm fully vaccinated, but I was in the hospital last night. I'm here. It's too important for me to be here, so I want to make sure this doesn't happen to other families.

PAUL: Because -- and I understand that because you all, as I have been told, followed all of the protocols. You drove your kids to school so they wouldn't have to be on the bus. You wore masks. I know you're a third-grade teacher, Nicole.

N. SPERRY: Yes.

PAUL: When Teresa got a headache, I understand it started with a headache, what happened after that?

N. SPERRY: We thought it was just a simple headache. I get migraines. Headaches run in our family. We gave her medicine. She felt better. The next day when she came home from school, she passed out. She went straight to bed, and she doesn't do that. She hasn't wanted to take a nap in a long time. When she woke up, she had a fever. we were like, OK, you're not going to school tomorrow.

We called -- well, Jeff called the schools and everything to let them know. He called the pediatrician's office. They were like, it sounds like it's COVID. We'll get her scheduled for the test after five days of consecutive symptoms, because they didn't want to do the rapid test because it's not always reliable. They didn't want it to say it was negative when she really had it. And so they said quarantine her. And we did. We kept her in her room. J. SPERRY: She stayed in her room.

N. SPERRY: She used his phone. I bought a minifridge for her so she can have her own milk and cheese sticks and yogurt. We checked on her whenever we could.

PAUL: Teresa -- I'm sorry, I understand that Teresa then was in the hospital. And while you were there with her, Nicole, there was a school board meeting. And you said that was -- when you heard about that meeting, that was something that really disturbed you. What happened there?

N. SPERRY: Teresa passed away at 4:46 p.m., and I'm sitting next to her bed as everybody is talking to me. And there was a school board meeting for my district, and one of my friends told me that while she was there, she was so enraged because there were people there said COVID is over that it doesn't affect healthy people, it doesn't kill healthy people, that we can basically get on with our lives. And when she told me that, I was like, if it was over, my daughter would still be here. We wouldn't be doing these interviews. We wouldn't be preparing for her funeral. And it upset me so much that people just are so nonchalant about it while my only girl is gone.

PAUL: Nicole, I'm so sorry. We're so sorry to both of you. Jeff, I know that, like you said, you were in the hospital last night, and you thought it important enough to be here with us. What do you want to say?

J. SPERRY: I want to say my baby was happy. She was healthy and strong, and it took her in less than five days. If it can take her, it can take anybody. And the only way this makes sense is for her to save people. I don't want other people to have to do what we're doing right now, because it's hard.

N. SPERRY: It's not fair.

PAUL: Nicole and Jeff, we are sending you ounce of strength we have. We're so sorry for what you're going through. But as we had talked in the break before this, Nicole believed that this is -- there is some purpose in this because you have had calls from people who have said I'm going to get vaccinated after they saw what you're going through. Please know that you are not alone in this. Thank you so much. Take good care of yourselves, OK.

N. SPERRY: Thank you.

PAUL: Of course. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:44:06]

SANCHEZ: More than a month after hurricane Ida hit southeastern Louisiana, some victims are waiting for help to arrive. The federal government apparently can't even tell them when it will. FEMA officials said this week that there is not a timeline set to deliver trailers to Louisianans whose homes were damaged or destroyed by the storm. The agency has provided $670 million in grants to cover expenses and the Small Business Administration has approved $251 million in home disaster loans. But there are still people who haven't found shelter and who are living in tents or their cars right now.

Joining us now is Councilman Dirk Guidry. He says hundreds of people in his Terrebonne Parish district need temporary housing. Councilman, what's taking so long? Why is it so difficult to get help where it needs to go?

DIRK GUIDRY, LOUISIANA COUNCILMAN: I have no idea, Boris. Boris, it's a shame seeing people live in tents and cars.

[10:45:03]

My neighbors across the street I just say, he came back from Florida last night, and they're living under that house, you know what I mean. It's just sad that the federal government hasn't stepped up and done anything for the residents of south Louisiana. It's just sad to see that, that people living in tents especially with the mosquitos, and we've got winter coming up on us. But we haven't heard hardly anything from the federal government on this.

SANCHEZ: Give us an idea how many people in your parish alone still need somewhere safe to live.

GUIDRY: There's hundreds of them, Boris. Right now, we're trying to get some tent cities set up so we can have some people that could go live in tents. We're waiting on some campers from the state that's going to try to produce some campers. But the problem is the federal government has not stepped up to the plate to do anything for these people. They're good, hardworking people. You hear a lot about New Orleans. You hear a lot about the big cities. But the people from down in these bayous are suffering. It's a humanitarian crisis as we speak. It just saddens and breaks my heart that people are not being taken care of.

SANCHEZ: And have you heard anything from the state as far as filling in the gap? Has there been any effort to communicate with FEMA and let them know that this is an urgent situation?

GUIDRY: Boris, let me tell you, if you came down here the day after a hurricane, the hurricane that just passed, Ida, which is probably the worst I've ever seen in my lifetime, you don't need anybody to tell you. All you got to see is the destruction, and people having no places to go in the food lines, people standing in food lines to get fed and to get a simple bag of ice. People are so appreciative to get a bag of ice.

But our problem right now is the federal government has not stepped up to the plate to do anything for these people, and it's a sad situation in America when we can't get anything, but you can send all kind of moneys to foreign countries, and you can spend all kind of moneys on ignorant stuff that they're trying to pass in the stimulus package. But there's nothing being done for hardworking people that pay their taxes and go to work every day. It's a shrimping community. It's not all based in it. But they're not doing anything. Our bayous are still full of sunken shrimp boats, camps that are flipped over in the bayous. But nobody seems in a hurry to get these people's lives back together, Boris. And it's just sad that our government is leaving us behind.

SANCHEZ: It's sad that it appears that that's what's happening. I know that there are some people that have shared with you that they don't want to leave property to find space in a hotel, and there are some people that may want to leave the area all together. What are you sharing with those folks?

GUIDRY: Just be patient, and let's hope the government does see that they have to come and do something. But yes, there are people that are planning on leaving. Like I was seeing something a second ago about my neighbor, she was living in a hotel room in Florida. So there's no way that she could drive four hours back and forth to take care of properties that she has.

And people are trying to come back, but there just seems to be no help and no urgency to get these people's lives back together. You got elderly people that have no homes. There's no roofs on these homes. It's just sad, Boris, just to see that it looks like we're the forgotten community, you know. You hear, we watch the TV. We hear about New Orleans, but you don't hear about the hardworking people that their lives have been destroyed.

SANCHEZ: Yes. Hopefully the message gets across and you get the help that you need. Councilman Dirk Guidry, we'll be in touch. Thank you so much for your time.

GUIDRY: Thank you, Mr. Boris.

SANCHEZ: Of course. Stay with CNN. We'll be right back.

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[10:53:34]

SANCHEZ: There's a stretch of beach front property known as Bruce's Beach in southern California that's soon going to be returned to the descendants of its rightful owners. The Bruce family ran a resort on the beach front property for black people who were forbidden to use other parts of the beach.

PAUL: After harassment from white neighbors and the Ku Klux Klan, the city of Manhattan Beach took the property in 1924, paying the family for just a fraction of what they asked for.

On Thursday, Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill allowing the county to return the beach front property to the descendants of the Bruce family. The two lots are worth approximately $75 million total.

California has also become the first state to mandate the COVID-19 vaccine for students who want to attend school in person. Governor Gavin Newsom made the announcement Friday and says that it could start as early as next fall. The new requirement is going to phased in by groups, grades seven through 12 would be together, and K through 6th grade only after the FDA fully approves the vaccine for those ages. Parents are still waiting to see if the Pfizer COVID vaccine will be approved for children under 12, which could happen in just a few weeks, by Halloween.

PAUL: So for the first time since the 24 hour vigil began, an all women guard change, I should say, took place this week at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. The history making moment here comes weeks before the Tomb of the Unknown marks 100 years there at Arlington. And that happens on November 11th.

[10:55:10]

We do have a quick programming note for you. Do not miss the new CNN original series called "Diana." It reveals the person behind the princess, and a life more complicated and fascinating than the world knew of her. "Diana" premieres on Sunday, October 10th, at 9:00 p.m. right here on CNN.

Thank you so much for sharing part of your morning with us. We always appreciate you and we hope you make good memories today.

SANCHEZ: There's much more ahead in next hour of the CNN Newsroom. Fredricka Whitfield picks it up after a quick break.

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