'Your World' on debate over Democrats' massive spending bill

close

Video

Democrat Rep. Ro Khanna says they are open to negotiations over spending bill

California Democrat weighs in on the spending bill on 'Your World'

This is a rush transcript from "Your World," September 27, 2021. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

CHARLES PAYNE, FOX NEWS ANCHOR: The House set to begin debate tonight on that $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill, but the vote won't come until later in the week.

That's when lawmakers are set to address a much larger social spending bill that could top $5 trillion over the next nine years, this as the clock is ticking.

Welcome, everyone. I'm Charles Payne, in for Neil Cavuto, and this is "Your World."

And we have got FOX team coverage, Chad Pergram on Capitol Hill on where things stand right now, and Aishah Hasnie on what's actually in that bill.

We begin with Chad.

CHAD PERGRAM, FOX NEWS CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon, Charles.

Thursday will be a colossal day on Capitol Hill. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi expects a vote on both the infrastructure bill and the social spending bill. Plus, Thursday is the deadline to avoid a government shutdown. Pelosi can only lose three votes on her side.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DANNY WEISS, FORMER CHIEF OF STAFF TO NANCY PELOSI: You cannot underestimate how difficult that makes your maneuvering ability in leadership.

That said, this is one of the most difficult situations she's probably ever been in.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PERGRAM: As we say, it's about the math. Democrats Scott Peters voted against the social spending bill in committee over the weekend. Some liberals are also threatening to vote no, but FOX is told at least 10 Republicans will vote in favor of infrastructure.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. JOSH GOTTHEIMER (D-NJ): All that this bill does in a bipartisan way, I just don't believe that anyone in any faction of the Democratic Party is going to vote against the president's key legislative priority that's great for the country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PERGRAM: There's one estimate that the social spending bill may cost $5 trillion, but the price tag could shrink to court the votes of moderate Democrats like Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema. Those talks continue with President Biden.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. KEVIN MCCARTHY (R-CA): Speaker Pelosi, though, didn't want to talk about the numbers. To say that it is paid for, it's paid for by putting a debt onto the next generation of Americans. That's how it's paid for.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PERGRAM: There's a test vote in the Senate at 5:30 Eastern time to avert a government shutdown and suspend the debt ceiling.

That vote likely fails because the GOP plans a filibuster -- Charles.

PAYNE: Chad, thank you very much.

Now to Aishah Hasnie on what's actually in the bill.

I'm not sure we want to know, Aishah.

(LAUGHTER)

AISHAH HASNIE, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Well, Charles, there's never really been a bill quite like this in the history of this country.

And we still don't really know all of the parts of it. Right now, based on the parts that have been revealed, we know that it's chock full of progressive wish lists, items that they really want to see come into fruition.

So let's take a look at these items together, first and foremost, $79 billion -- yes, that's with a B -- it goes to the IRS and it goes to strengthen tax enforcement. This is how they're going to pay for the entire thing, $12 billion for electric cars for federal employees, three billion for what they call tree equity, $4 billion for distance learning in schools, $74 million for resources for minorities and people with gender identity issues, and $25 million, Charles, for bias training.

Now, here's the thing. A lot of this bill hasn't been priced out yet. Things like Medicaid and Medicare, those are big ticket items likely to cost about $300 billion each. We're looking at the likelihood that this whole thing will exceed that $3.5 trillion price tag.

It's not going to go over well with moderates, as you just heard Chad talk about. On top of that, today's deadline for a vote on infrastructure has been delayed. And progressives really want something ironclad on this spending bill before they're ready to move forward. It's not looking great.

But Speaker Pelosi thinks that she can make progress this week, as critics weigh in.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FMR. REP. NEWT GINGRICH (R-GA): What I'm watching, I think, is the transition from the donkey to the lemming. She's moved from twisting arms to breaking them.

I think she's on the edge now of kneecapping people, but she's getting them inch by inch to go where she wants them to go.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HASNIE: And, Charles, the pressure is on the House Democratic Caucus. It is going to be meeting tonight and tomorrow. And the White House says that the president is going to try to meet with Democrats tonight -- Charles.

PAYNE: Aishah, thank you so much. I might start identifying as a tree with those kind of numbers.

Meanwhile, folks, Democrats insisting that it's all going to be paid for, but Indiana Republican Senator Mike Braun telling Neil on "Cavuto Live" that all of this massive spending is nothing more than an inflation bomb.

Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. MIKE BRAUN (R-IN): Orchestrated by one party, and it's at a magnitude much larger than we have ever seen before. It's a debt bomb, an inflation bomb that is going to go off and we're already seeing it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PAYNE: All right, here to discuss, GOP pollster Lee Carter, market watcher Larry Glazer, and Democratic strategist Laura Fink.

Lee, let me start with you.

I do want to just say, in June of 2010 in a poll, terrorism, most people said 40 percent thought it was extremely the most serious problem in this country, followed by inflation. Same score, 40 percent, 39 percent said was very serious.

Gallup now says that number is around 1 percent. I feel like Republicans might have overplayed their hand when Obama was in office and nobody cares anymore.

LEE CARTER, REPUBLICAN POLLSTER: Well, I think the bottom line is, when it comes to inflation, more and more people are going to be concerned about it.

It's -- 70 percent of Americans are saying that they're feeling the impact of inflation right now. Yes, infrastructure is wildly popular when you talk about it, but the impacts of it are going to be real, and they're going to be felt very, very quickly. The short-term impacts of an infrastructure plan is going to be something that's going to be filled in the inflation in all of our pocketbooks.

If you think about what's going to happen, you're trying to build roads, there's going to be more traffic. What's going to happen a result of more traffic? It's going to increase -- it's going to increase the cost of getting things. It's going to slow down production times.

PAYNE: Right.

CARTER: And we're already at an issue with our supply issue. So it's going to become an increasingly important issue.

And we know that two-thirds of voters right now are concerned about inflation. We also know that they're not sure that spending our way out of it is the right thing right now. So all eyes are on this. And the more people feel in their pocketbooks, the harder it's going to be for the Democrats to sell this as something that's positive for the American people.

PAYNE: Right, no doubt.

On the inflation side, I'm with you 1000 percent.

I'm not so sure, Laura, though, that people are looking at the government debt. Just -- I don't know. Before, it was $6 trillion, $10 trillion, $13 trillion. Now, when you start to say $28 trillion, people just don't even bat an eye.

I guess that's what President Biden and Nancy Pelosi think they have going for them on this, right?

LAURA FINK, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Well, the American Jobs Plan is going to grow the economy. And so we know that, by investing in Americans and growing that middle class, that is what is going to help our economy soar over the long term.

And there's no argument from anyone that examines the roads and bridges and critical infrastructure like broadband, from anyone that is an expert in those fields, that says that we do not need to improve to become a strengthened global economy.

These are long-term investments, not short-term. And so discussing them in terms of inflation, I think, if you talk to just about any economist, doesn't make a lot of sense. We saw the consumer price index cool in this hot month of August. And we -- it's very clear that these are short-term problems, as articulated by Fed Chair Jerome Powell, appointed by Republicans and others.

PAYNE: Yes.

FINK: So we're seeing inflation come down, which is good news for consumers and the economy. We need that infrastructure bill to help consumers out a little bit more, because that's child care.

PAYNE: All right.

FINK: That's help with prescription drug costs.

Those are bottom-line things that Americans need, so that their pocketbooks go to what they want, and not to line the pockets of drug companies.

PAYNE: I want to bring Larry in here.

LARRY GLAZER, MAYFLOWER ADVISORS: Sure.

PAYNE: Larry, it's one thing to cool from 500 degrees to 498 degrees.

GLAZER: Yes.

PAYNE: Yes, technically, it cooled, but the fact of the matter is, is, inflation is running away, people are feeling it, and it will have dire consequences if it persists.

Here's the irony. Every time the Democrats and President Biden say they're going to pay for it, they never talk about a yield in growth. They talk about paying for by confiscating wealth from other Americans. That's not the kind of organic growth that makes this the greatest country in the world, is it?

GLAZER: You know, Charles, in the words of Ronald Reagan, those who think a tax boost could be paid for have another thing coming to them.

And I think, in this case, paid for means a lot of things to different people. The middle class is already paying for all these increased costs. They're paying for it in the form of rising fuel, rising food, rising rent. They are 0 for three. The middle class is at risk of striking out here.

And I think this idea, it is an inconvenient truth to think that you could spend $3.5 to $5 trillion of additional spending, and have it be paid for, because it is already being paid for on the backs of a regressive tax in this country for middle-class families.

It will be paid for, for generations, not by my children, not by my children's children, my children's children, and so forth. And, Charles, we see this clear relationship. The middle class is very smart. And they know every time they go by that corner gas station, they see those rising prices, they get a pit in their stomach.

PAYNE: Right.

GLAZER: And that is why there's a relationship between higher spending in Washington and weaker consumer spending.

And that is -- the sentiment factor has been coming down all summer. It's a consideration. It's going to spill over to the broader economy. Washington better take notice. Midterm elections are coming. And if you vote the wrong way, it's going to come back and haunt you.

PAYNE: The gift that keeps giving, but for all the wrong reasons.

Lee, I think Larry brought up a great point. A lot of politicians who went along with President Obama and Obamacare really fell on their sword. They sacrificed their political careers.

What's the feeling now in D.C. that anyone who goes along with this, probably -- many of them will probably lose in these midterm elections?

CARTER: Look, I think that the infrastructure plan at the moment is still popular.

The problem is going to be...

PAYNE: I'm not talking about infrastructure. I'm not talking about infrastructure. I'm talking about the so-called social spending, $3.5 trillion, which is really $5.5 trillion.

CARTER: Yes, and I think that what we're going to see is that what's happening in the president's polling right now is that he's having a significant drop. And it's not just because of Afghanistan.

If you look at his polling on COVID, if you look at his polling on the economy, it's really starting to shift. Over the next year, if this starts to pass, and we start to see rising inflation, we start to see slowing of goods, we start to see some of these things that are really going to continue to impact the American people, it's going to make it more and more difficult for Democrats to win a seat -- to keep the seats that they have.

I think it's more likely that Republicans are going to alter -- offer an alternative plan that's going to be more popular.

PAYNE: Lee, Laura, and Larry, the three L's.

GLAZER: Can I just say, I agree that infrastructure is very popular. What why don't we vote on the infrastructure plan if it's so popular?

CARTER: Exactly.

GLAZER: That's -- at the bottom line, that's the people want to know.

We want the infrastructure plan.

FINK: You want to know what is popular?

GLAZER: Let's vote on it.

PAYNE: Yes.

FINK: Could I get in here?

PAYNE: Well, Nancy Pelosi, she's got to -- we have got to go. I'm sorry, Laura.

But we know Nancy Pelosi has got to appease the left.

OK, go ahead, Laura. Real quick, though, please.

FINK: I will just say this.

The elements in the infrastructure plan, both of them, the human infrastructure and the regular...

PAYNE: We love the infrastructure plan.

FINK: But I will -- no, but both -- both of those plans.

PAYNE: We're talking about the social spending plan.

FINK: Child care. Yes, I'm talking about child care, wildly popular, lowering prescription drug costs, wildly popular, eldercare, wildly popular, investing in education and job training, wildly popular.

PAYNE: OK.

FINK: Biden's numbers are going to increase when this passes, which is why the pom-poms on this panel are out cheering against it.

GLAZER: Is that infrastructure? Is that an infrastructure plan?

FINK: Yes, sir.

PAYNE: All right, well, we have got 11 million jobs out there...

GLAZER: Is that an infrastructure plan?

PAYNE: ... begging right for someone to please take them. Please take these jobs that are out there right now.

Thank you all very much, the three L's.

Meanwhile, folks, the administration is saying 12,000 migrants from that Del Rio camp now in the United States, and guess what? Thousands more are on their way. So what does this mean for officials who are on the ground? Well, we're going to ask a Texas sheriff next.

Also coming up, new pushback over the push to get folks vaccinated -- why retailers are worrying that the holiday season is approaching. They want to push this back.

We will be back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PAYNE: To the battle over the border.

DHS Secretary Mayorkas admitting that 12,000 migrants from the Del Rio camp are now in the United States, this as the administration today insisting that it inherited a -- quote -- "broken immigration system."

FOX News Jacqui Heinrich is at the White House with more -- Jacqui.

JACQUI HEINRICH, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Hey there, Charles.

Well, yes, the numbers speak for themselves. Of the 30,000 migrants who were encountered in the Del Rio sector in the last two-and-a-half weeks, only 2,000, according to those latest numbers, were expelled via flights. Another 12,000 are in the process of having their cases heard by judges, a process that on average is taking two-and-a-half years, by the way.

And another 5,000 might also enter that process. But the White House did not acknowledge that this message of deterrence they have continued to put out of do not come, the border is closed is failing. Instead, they called it a cycle that we have seen over Republican and Democratic presidencies.

And even as we're tracking another group of 20,000 migrants expected to reach the Southern border within the next month, the White House said it is on Congress. They need to take action the president's immigration bill, which has gone nowhere since he introduced it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

QUESTION: You're saying that, if a major reason that this bill can't move is because there's not enough border security provisions in it, is the president going to bolster border security in order to pass immigration reform?

JEN PSAKI, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: If Republicans are eager to have a conversation about comprehensive immigration reform, we're happy to have that conversation. We haven't seen any willingness or appetite to do that. All we have seen his speeches and talking points to date.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HEINRICH: So, how far that conversation goes, if it ever happens, is anyone's guess.

Secretary Mayorkas said again on "FOX News Sunday" that the position of the Biden administration, they are against a border wall. That is something that a lot of Republicans are saying needs to be in there in order to have any talks. Of course, they keep saying there are other ways to do this, but we just have not seen that process play out very much, Neil.

PAYNE: Yes.

HEINRICH: Excuse me. Charles.

PAYNE: Jacqui, thank you very much. Appreciate it.

No problem.

HEINRICH: Thank you.

PAYNE: So, with 12,000 Haitian migrants getting in, will others be encouraged to follow?

I want to go to Jackson County, Texas. Sheriff A.J. Louderback joins me now.

I also want to mention that we did call DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. We have not heard back from him yet.

Sheriff, it just seemed like such a well-coordinated plan. All of a sudden, 30 Haitian migrants emerge at the very same time at the very same place at this -- at this bridge, under -- overpass for them. They were going back and forth to Mexico, getting provisions and food and things like that.

It's -- and now we're hearing reports that more are on their way. What are you hearing?

A.J. LOUDERBACK, JACKSON COUNTY, TEXAS, SHERIFF: I'm hearing the same, Charles.

And good afternoon to you. Good to see you again.

The -- it's obvious, it's very clear that the only thing the Biden administration here is for in immigration reform is a wide open border, with as many people as we possibly can bring in the United States, knowing full well that most will not report to an ICE -- to an ICE station or to an ICE agent where they are the United States.

And they know this. This is all a very orchestrated, very strategic situation that we have seen. Yes, we have got another 15,000, 20,000 that are headed to area, headed to the Texas border. And our secretary of our national security, Alejandro Mayorkas, who really we probably should hand that title over to Susan Rice, who's actually calling most of the shots here directly from the White House.

So this is a -- this is a situation that Border Patrol knows. Texas sheriffs know this, as we are completely inundated with lack of resources from the policies of the Biden administration.

PAYNE: And I think your job is going to get harder.

On Friday, when President Biden spoke about the incident with the Border Patrol on horseback, it broke my heart to hear his comments, because I got to be quite frank with you. And I don't want to editorialize too much, but I want to get this point out.

He never misses an opportunity to make black people feel bad that Republicans or others hate them. He knew that that patrolman wasn't using that to strap those folks, and yet he made the Border Patrol agent and all in the agency bad guys.

So when they say they don't want anyone coming to the border, I think the whole message from the campaign on has been, hey, we're the nice guys. We you can come. Wink, wink. We will say something in public, but you are invited. Get up here and we will find a way to keep you in.

I mean, essentially, that's the way it comes across to me. And, again, I thought he had a great chance to be presidential on Friday, to be honest about something, and not make it a political point, and not make people of a certain race or nationality or color feel like they're not wanted in this country simply because of that.

So isn't your job going to get much harder now? Because I'm sure that Border Patrol is going to try to put -- lean back a little bit. They're not going to be aggressive at all.

LOUDERBACK: Well, certainly, we -- our jobs are all going to grow. Our resources are going to be further expanded on exactly what this administration wants to do.

We see no credibility with this administration on what they say. The -- anything that's effective, anything that the men and women of Border Patrol and our ICE agents do here on our border, they're going to be criticized for. It's not what they want.

What we saw with the use of horses there was the Border Patrol actually being effective on trying to control the border, which is not what the administration wants. It's not what they plan for. It's not what they intend to do. The vision is clear. The federal government, this federal administration wants an open border and is going to do everything they possibly can to complete that mission.

PAYNE: Yes, and the last line of defense is to, I guess, shame those folks who are in charge of keeping the borders safe for everyone.

Sheriff Louderback, thank you very much.

LOUDERBACK: Thanks, Charles.

(CROSSTALK)

PAYNE: So, folks, you want to keep your job? Better get a jab. At least, that's the deal for New York City health care workers. And it's raising worries about maybe a possible worker shortage. And that's one area you don't want it. We have got Dr. Marty Makary on that.

Also, what if I told you it wasn't just price spikes that have many companies worried about the holiday shopping season? We're going to report, but will you buy?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PAYNE: Some breaking some breaking news just crossing.

Dallas Fed President Robert Kaplan is set to step down. He is the second top official to resign in the wake of questions about certain trading.

We're going to be back on this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PAYNE: It's decision day in New York as health care workers are facing a vaccine mandate, while the Empire State is facing major staff shortages in hospitals.

To FOX's Alex Hogan in New York City with the latest -- Alex.

ALEX HOGAN, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Charles.

Get the shot or get fired, that is the decision for many of the medical workers across the state today, as they need to make this decision. And Governor Kathy Hochul says she would have preferred for this to remain a personal choice, but that protecting the hospitals, especially for some of the most vulnerable patients, just takes precedent.

And, already, we're seeing hospitals and long-term care facilities across the state put this policy into action. Northwell, the state's largest medical system, says 100 percent of its workers are fully vaccinated. It let go of two dozen employees this morning who refused to get their shot.

The governor says she will sign an executive order today, bringing in members of the National Guard, as well as medical workers from other states, to help overworked employees here in New York.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. KATHY HOCHUL (D-NY): My heart breaks for the nurses and the other individuals who've done the right thing, who now know, because people -- not everyone was being persuaded to do the right thing, that they have to work harder and you're going to have more sacrifice. It's fundamentally unfair.

And we're going to have to bring in people to help at all levels, no doubt.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOGAN: Meanwhile, a vaccine mandate for all teachers and staff in New York City schools was scheduled to also go into effect today. However, a federal judge blocking the rule this weekend, putting it in limbo.

A three-judge panel will hear the case on Wednesday. And Mayor Bill de Blasio took time to thank the 87 percent of the Department of Education employees who have already rolled up their sleeves to get the vaccine.

So, for now, because of this ruling, teachers will still be able to opt out by getting tested for COVID-19. Medical workers, however, will not be able to do the same -- Charles.

PAYNE: Alex, thank you very much.

I want to get right into this FOX News medical contributor Dr. Marty Makary.

Dr. Makary, I know a lot of people in New York in the health care industry. Some have already quit, others on the fence. And those who are left behind, it looks like a difficult job is going to get a lot more difficult. What are your thoughts on this?

DR. MARTY MAKARY, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: Well, hospitals and businesses, for that matter, need to be more flexible with the vaccine requirement and really convert it to an immunity requirement.

Many hospitals have already started to do so because they're not following the blind, indiscriminate guidance of the government. They're following the guidance of science. By the way, these shortages are a failure of government. They are not a failure of science. Science makes it very clear that natural immunity, which, by the way, many health care workers had from risking their lives on the front line, many of them recognize that this is a form of immunity.

And it may be in fact more durable than vaccinated immunity. So, St. Luke's Hospital in Pennsylvania, Spectrum Health in Detroit, and many other hospitals are now saying, look, if you have natural immunity, we credit that towards an immunity requirement. That's what they have done in Europe and in Israel. And that's what we need to move to here, or we're going to be dealing with severe supply shortages of staff.

PAYNE: You have been out front and well ahead of the curve when it comes - - when it's come to this topic of natural immunity.

I feel like the reason it doesn't get its due, maybe its proper due diligence from our government, is political, Doctor, I just have to say. It feels like they are so invested, they are so vested in these vaccines, even getting ahead of the FDA and the science on the booster shot.

I think people are going to look back a year from now when everyone says, yes, Dr. Makary was right. But how much damage will be done between now and then?

MAKARY: A lot of damage.

Well, first of all, tens of thousands of Americans who died who did not need to die because our government ignored natural immunity. I'm talking about when we were rationing a limited vaccine supply, and giving out life preservers to people who already had one, basically.

Also, now it's ruining lives of soldiers and nurses and teachers who are saying, I have got immunity, and I just don't feel comfortable getting it. And they're making a very difficult decision, including dishonorable discharge from the military.

We have got to recognize that we have had a small group of people, politically appointed loyal physicians within the government, who have been subscribing to a political edict that we have to indiscriminately vaccinate every American.

And the reality is, that's not a very precise way to look at it. It's not the vaccinated and unvaccinated. It's the immune and nonimmune. And I think, as we mature, we're going to recognize that that was a terrible hypothesis that really stemmed from the highest levels of our government physicians.

And they need to have the humility that we all have in science when we have a wrong hypothesis, and that is evolve your position.

PAYNE: Yes, the science evolves, so it's OK to be wrong, as long as you're looking forward.

Dr. Makary, President Biden getting his COVID booster shot today. He continues to call this the pandemic of the unvaccinated. Does that help his cause, the goal of getting more people who are hesitant to take the jab?

MAKARY: You know, it's a mischaracterization, and it's inaccurate, and it's scientifically imprecise.

And if we really want to do everything we can to reduce the avoidable harm -- that is, the people dying today are adults with no natural immunity and no vaccine. That's where we need to focus our efforts right now. If you look at the blanket and indiscriminate vaccine mandates that came from the White House, after they were announced, vaccination rates on a daily basis have gone down 20 percent.

That is, we were doing about 810,000 a day and now we're down to about 650,000 a day. That's because it hardened people who see the overreach of government. Those are the people we want to encourage to get vaccinated, not alienate.

PAYNE: Dr. Makary, thank you very much. Always appreciate it.

MAKARY: Thanks, Charles.

PAYNE: Now to that deadly Amtrak derailment in Montana, the NTSB just giving new details in its investigation.

To FOX's Dan Springer with the latest -- Dan.

DAN SPRINGER, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Charles, the National Transportation Safety Board is holding its first news conference on Saturday's deadly accident.

They're just starting what will be a long investigation into the cause. The Amtrak train was headed for Seattle from Chicago when it went off the track near Northern Montana, just close to the border in Canada; 141 passengers were on board, along with 16 crew members. The derailment happened near a rail switch on a pretty straight piece of track near Joplin, Montana.

BNSF says that section of track had just been inspected two days earlier. The two locomotives in the first two passenger cars stayed on the track. But the back eight cars derailed, with the last one tipping over on its side.

Three people were killed, including a 28-year-old man who was with his wife traveling to Portland. Investigators will look at a number of things, like the track, any mechanical issues and whether there was human error.

Trains are still considered the safest way to travel. But there have been six accidents, fatal accidents, since 2015 on Amtrak trains, killing 19 people. Now, according to the Department of Transportation, track defects accounted for about one-third of all derailments.

In Saturday's crash, speed is likely not a factor. All the passenger trains are now equipped with positive train control, which keeps trains at the speed limit and can automatically apply the brakes. In fact, we now know from the news conference that the train was traveling at 78 miles per hour on that section of track; 79 miles per hour is the speed limit.

So you can take the speed out of the equation. Seven people were taking their local hospitals. Two are in critical condition -- Charles.

PAYNE: Dan, thank you very much.

To the search for Brian Laundrie. And while investigators are scaling back their efforts in Carlton Reserve, well, who's stepping in to help hunt him down?

That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PAYNE: The family of Gabby Petito expected to hold a news conference tomorrow, as investigators are still trying to track down person of interest Brian Laundrie.

FOX News senior correspondent Laura Ingle has the latest -- Laura.

LAURA INGLE, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Charles.

We're out here in Blue Point on Long Island. This is Gabby Petito's hometown. And the search for Brian Laundrie seems to be shifting, now that the FBI has officially taken over the search portion of this case.

And we had a memorial service that we watched yesterday. Gabby Petito's parents and step-parents expected to hold their first joint news conference tomorrow afternoon, just two days after their memorial service for the 22- year-old. Gabby Petito's remains were discovered along the edge of the Grand Teton national Park in Wyoming September 19, her death ruled a homicide.

The North Port police in Florida, where Brian Laundrie lives, said today that the large-scale physical search efforts to find him will be pulled back, with the FBI instead focusing on intelligence.

Duane "Dog" Chapman, best known as Dog the Bounty Hunter, now also involved in trying to help find Laundrie, telling FOX he went to the Florida home of Laundrie's parents to talk with Brian's dad, but he didn't respond. They instead called 911.

The focus of the search for Brian Laundrie has been at the Carlton Reserve in Venice, Florida, which is massive in scale, covering over 25,000 acres, and where Laundrie's parents say their son was heading when they last saw him.

One Florida cattle rancher who knows the area very well told FOX it's not really a place where humans can easily survive.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALAN MCEWAN, FLORIDA CATTLE RANCHER: Make it out here for 10 days, five days. There's no water supply. There's no fresh springs. There is no stores available, unless you go 12 miles either direction.

There's just no possible way, no possible way. The mosquitoes would carry you off in the first night.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

INGLE: And the FBI were at the home of Laundrie's parents yesterday to reportedly get personal items they could test and match for DNA.

And tomorrow, again, the Petito and Schmidt family, the parents and step- parents of Gabby Petito, holding that news conference. We are expecting a couple of different things, probably for them to thank everybody for the outpouring of support, formally announcing the Gabby Petito Foundation, and hopefully taking some questions.

We will have more tomorrow from that press conference -- back to you.

PAYNE: Thank you very much, Laura.

The FBI taking the lead on the manhunt for Brian Laundrie, scaling it back, as you heard, the search at the Carlton Reserve and shifting it to a targeted approach based on intelligence.

But what will that look like?

And I want to bring in FOX News legal analyst Mercedes Colwin here to discuss.

Mercedes, first let me ask. We heard that the FBI took some things out of the home, Brian Laundrie's, things to check for DNA. It would stand to reason his DNA would be in his parents' home.

MERCEDES COLWIN, FOX NEWS LEGAL ANALYST: Right.

PAYNE: So what exactly would they be looking for?

COLWIN: Well, there's certainly rumblings that the parents would have been involved in his disappearance.

When I say in his disappearance, meaning that the evasion of law enforcement. So they're probably looking for any digital evidence there is linking the parents to Brian Laundrie's evasion of law enforcement. So, they're going to look at any of their laptops, their searches. Perhaps he wasn't -- didn't even go to the preserve, because, as you know, his parents had said -- they didn't say that he was unseen by the parents for 72 hours after he allegedly went hiking.

So this targeted approach might be just maybe that he didn't even go to the preserve to begin with. Maybe he went to another country. Maybe he's traveled to another country. By the time law enforcement discovered that he was allegedly "missing" -- quote, unquote -- it had already been 72 hours.

So he may be out of the country, for all we know. Obviously, the manhunt will continue. But this digital approach, meaning looking for any sort of digital evidence, is something that the FBI is extremely well-equipped at.

PAYNE: Right.

COLWIN: And let's take a look at just what they done at the preserve.

There's so many -- there's so many gadgets. When I say gadgets, there's so much that they can use in terms of technology, even looking for heat sensors. They can fly across these preserves with heat sensors to see if they can actually determine what -- if there is a person in that particular spot.

So, we probably -- you could conclude that they have exhausted the search at the preserve, and now they're looking for other evidence that maybe he left the country.

PAYNE: Mercedes, I got less than a minute, but I'm curious.

COLWIN: Sure.

PAYNE: Maybe other people know why.

The difference between being a suspect and a person of interest, it seems, to non-lawyers or legal folks, that he would be a suspect, right?

COLWIN: Well, it's sort of interesting, because all we know right now is that he had engaged in fraud, that credit card fraud, because he had used - - they had used the credit cards -- or the debit card, I should say.

So that's all we know, that he, that Brian Laundrie used Gabby's credit card after she was deceased. At least, that's what the evidence has shown so far. So, there, he's a suspect. But in terms of whether or not he was involved in her murder, in her homicide, well, that's left with the forensics.

I spoke to Dr. Baden just a week ago, and I said, Dr. Baden, why did they rule this a homicide? Why is there -- they're looking at this as an intentional killing?

He said, probably -- obviously, he's not involved the autopsy -- because the neck bones were broken.

PAYNE: Yes.

COLWIN: So that would be evidence of the fact that she was manually strangled.

And now it's just about connecting the dots to Brian Laundrie, the last person who was with her, who allegedly killed her. So we will have to see. But that's why he remains a person of interest regarding her homicide, but a suspect with respect to the credit card fraud.

PAYNE: Mercedes, thank you very much.

There's a busy week, as you all know, on Capitol Hill, folks, House lawmakers set to start debate on that bipartisan infrastructure bill tonight. They're also working on the high-cost social spending bill.

We will talk to Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna, as lawmakers try to iron out the details, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PAYNE: The work on Capitol Hill intensifying, this ahead of the debate on that bipartisan infrastructure bill tonight. Lawmakers also looking to vote this week on that much larger and more costly social spending plan.

Will Democrats have the votes to get both bills passed?

Bring in California Congressman Ro Khanna now to discuss.

Representative Khanna, we have watched this. We have watched the sausage- making more than normal. And it really seems to boil down about Democrat vs. Democrats, progressive vs. the moderates.

How is Nancy Pelosi going to work her magic and get them all on the same page?

REP. RO KHANNA (D-CA): Charles, the way I would say it is, it comes down to those who believe that we should follow Joe Biden and those who want to obstruct Biden's agenda; 210 House Democrats want to pass Biden's agenda; 48 senators do.

There are a few holdouts. They need to get on board. Joe Biden won the election. He deserves to have his agenda enacted.

PAYNE: Well, another part of this viewing spectacle has been growing speculation that ultimately something will happen on the social spending side, but it won't be $3.5 trillion.

Is there a number below there where you say you draw the line? You know, would you compromise at 3, 2.5, 1.5? I mean, where do you say, no, absolutely, we can't go any lower?

KHANNA: I don't want to give you a red line.

I will say we're open to negotiation. I do want to put that number in context. Over the next 10 years, the U.S. economy is going to have about $300 trillion in GDP growth. It's going to have $7.5 trillion in defense. So, when we're talking about $3.5 trillion, it's 1 percent of projected GDP for productive investments.

But, of course, we're open to negotiation. There is not a red line at $3.5 trillion. We need a counteroffer for those who are opposed to the $3.5 trillion, which is Biden's agenda.

PAYNE: Congressman, this bill, for me, is not much about economics, as it is about what kind of country we want to be.

This feels more like one of those European nations, a big welfare state, big government, cradle-to-the-grave support. But -- and it kind of goes against, in my mind, how we got to this place, how we became the greatest nation in the world.

Are you concerned, with the 11 million jobs out there, we're going to actually encourage people or make it easier for them not to work? Is that really the solution you're looking for?

KHANNA: Charles, I respectfully disagree.

Look, I represent Silicon Valley. No place in America has produced more wealth, $11 trillion near my district in market cap, because of entrepreneurship, because of risk-taking. That's what differentiates us from Europe.

But I will tell you what every entrepreneur in Silicon Valley has. They have a preschool education. They have a college education. They have health care. And all this bill is saying is, we want that same opportunity for every American, so they can go start businesses, so they can take risks.

I actually think this will unleash our productive capability.

PAYNE: By taxing -- some progressives are talking about taxing increases in stock portfolios, not even -- not even realized. If your portfolio went up in a given year, tax it.

You're going to put up barriers that will stop entrepreneurship. I'm not sure how this will help entrepreneurship or even help investments in general, when you're taxing it, and every single tick to the upside, you're taking money away, even when people don't cash in.

KHANNA: But, Charles, look, I represent Silicon Valley. A lot of entrepreneurship, they're behind this bill.

It doesn't tax unrealized capital gains. That's not in the bill. But here's what it does. It moves the top rate from 37 percent to 39 percent. I think people making over $50 million a year or even over a million dollars a year can afford to pay 2 percent more in income tax.

PAYNE: Yes. All right.

KHANNA: It taxes corporations at 25 percent. I mean...

PAYNE: Congressman, we got to go. I love these conversations with you.

There's a big difference between $1 million a year and $50 million a year. Take it from me.

I appreciate it, though.

(LAUGHTER)

KHANNA: I always enjoy it.

PAYNE: All right.

Let's talk about -- we're going to come back and talk about inflation, because I can tell you, retailers are worried about that. They're also worried about something a lot more.

And doesn't our Grady Trimble know it?

Grady.

GRADY TRIMBLE, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Charles, President Biden's vaccine mandate could impact the holiday season.

Coming up, we're looking into what those retailers are worried about and what they want done about it. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PAYNE: Forget about price spikes. Retailers now worried about potential vaccine mandates and testing rules for workers, as stores prepare for the holiday shopping season.

To FOX Business's Grady Trimble in Chicago with the latest -- Grady.

GRADY TRIMBLE, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Charles, two industry groups that represent some of the largest retailers in the country, like Target, Walmart and a host of others, they're asking for 90 days from when this vaccine and testing guidance comes down from OSHA to when the retailers actually have to put it in place.

They know it's going to be complicated to implement the mandate. And they say there are around four million retail workers across the country who will need to be tested on a weekly basis because of this mandate.

And they know there are a whole host of questions that retailers still need answers to. They're hoping for that three weeks to get questions answered, like, who pays for the testing? And what if it underage employee, 18 or younger, and they need parental consent to get tested?

So that's why they say more time would be beneficial to not only the retailers, but also the White House. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID FRENCH, NATIONAL RETAIL FEDERATION: We think we could achieve the administration's goal, which is broader adoption of the vaccinations, more effectively, more efficiently with a lot less cost and a lot less drama.

But, unfortunately, at least to this point, they're choosing to go the ready, fire, aim path.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TRIMBLE: And the guidance is expected as retailers are gearing up for the holidays. Companies like Target, Walmart and Macy's, they're looking to hire hundreds of thousands of employees all told.

So they're worried that this could complicate that hiring process, Charles, in an already tight labor market.

PAYNE: Grady, thank you. Thank you very much.

All right, let's get right to Steve Moore on this.

Steve, business obviously just -- they want to do their thing without government on their back. And this is a golden opportunity, isn't it? We know that there's demand out there, but meeting it is going to be a challenge.

STEPHEN MOORE, FORMER DONALD TRUMP CAMPAIGN ADVISER: Well, and, Charles, this is an industry that got crushed, right, by the COVID lockdowns and really, amazingly, many of them survived. They're just getting their feet back on the ground.

And, by the way, they also had big problems getting workers back because of the high unemployment benefits. And just as everything's getting back to normal, wham, they get hit with this new mandate with respect to COVID.

I think it's going to really hurt the small businesses, the restaurants, the bars, the mom-and-pop shops. And I know you were talking about the Targets and the Walmarts. But I worry more about the little guy, Charles.

PAYNE: Yes, Steve, it's -- here's the thing.

We know, OK, the small businesses, still, to your point, we have got a million retail job openings. Wages are near $22 on average right now. It's these small businesses, they can't compete anyway, and then layer this on top of them.

And maybe they will wait. Maybe they will find a way to stall, at least until after Christmas.

MOORE: Well, they should, I think, because this is the critical period for retailers. Obviously, this is when they do 40 to 50 percent of their business.

And my heart just goes out for those small businesses. We went out to a restaurant last night. And we waited 45 minutes for our food. And we complained to the manager. They said, go back to the kitchen. We only got three people back there. We normally have seven.

They're already facing tough times. This is going to make it much more difficult to get workers back on the job. We got 10.5 million job openings, Charles.

PAYNE: It's crazy. I got to tell you, a lot of businesses are actually putting that sign on their door: Hey, bear with us. We don't have enough workers.

Steve, thank you very much.

Thank you all for watching. I appreciate it. Neil's going to be back tomorrow.

But, of course, remember, you can catch me every day 2:00 p.m. Eastern on "Making Money" on the FOX Business Network. A lot going on. The market pretty wild these days, so you may want to tune in, catch up.

In the meantime, I will leave you with "The Five," which starts right now.

Content and Programming Copyright 2021 Fox News Network, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Copyright 2021 VIQ Media Transcription, Inc. All materials herein are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of VIQ Media Transcription, Inc. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content.