Tell me what, when you talk to your Jewish constituents, what's on their mind in this moment? What are you hearing from them?

Yeah.

Well, first of all, I just want to say thank you so much, Dan, for doing this event.

Thank you to, uh, the wonderful community here at- at Temple Israel for hosting us.

I got emotional pulling in here, and- and I- I want to say to this Jewish community here tonight that we're with you.

Uh, you know, Josh rearranged a lot of things to be here tonight as well, as did I, because it's so important for us to communicate to you that we are with you in this moment.

[applause] So I'd be remiss if I didn't mention we are in the home district of our good friend Haley Stevens, Congresswoman Haley Stevens, who is an incredible ally on this issue.

... right, y- you have a, this is a, a negative, very negative issue and, and, you know, to do this, of course, is a risky move.

What did you mean by that?

You know, if you look at the things that he has said, not even just in the context of this race, Jake, but going back to his campaign with Governor Whitmer, there is a uniquely sexist bent to the things that he has said about women, right? He, he said that Congresswoman Stevens couldn't string two sentences together, that, you know, she was sort of an empty vessel.

Uh, when comparing her and her other female uh, pr- Democratic primary opponent, Mallory McMorrow, he said essentially there's no difference between the two candidates, one just has better comms and more charisma.

It's one thing to attack, uh, y- your, your opponent because of the substance of their issues.

It's another thing to engage in what are deeply, deeply sexist attacks.

Going back to his race with Governor Whitmer, he said she was bought and sold for by her dad's company, you know, essentially comparing her to, to property with no ideas of her own.

A, a successful two-term governor who many talk about as a potential presidential candidate.

Well, he would say, Dr. Sayed would say, "Well, I didn't say that, and I don't think that Hassan Piker said it, and I don't agree with everything everybody I, I, uh, campaigned with has said."

Do you think most Republicans are like Congressman Downing, or is he the exception?

I think Rep.

Downing made a great point in the fact that there are so many members here that are willing to work across the aisle.

I am in my second term now.

I have no doubt Troy is going to receive similar accolades, but have been named one of the most bipartisan members of Congress because of the work that I do reaching across the aisle uh you know and and finding those other partners that are willing to work together in my first term every single bill that i introduced and got passed was a bipartisan bill and and to me it's so important that you do that because as rep downing said it'll have a much better chance of getting passed in the senate becoming law but also will withstand the test of time, administration to administration.

What we hear from our small business owners is that the uncertainty and the unpredictability of the economy, the trade standards are so difficult to navigate.

And what they want is predictability, an economy that they can count on, right? So why not count? That's huge.

But end of the day, what I think about is what happens to the poets and the philosophers? I mean, where does the humanity come into this? And do we lose that now that you have an AI that knows what you like, knows what you don't like, and can actually just make a novel or a song or a painting that it knows that you like having no human intervention? Do you use it in your office, in your congressional office?

Why is it so important, and how do you think it's gonna help small businesses?

The AI revolution is not just coming, it is here.

Uh, you know, almost fifty percent of small businesses report that they use AI in some form or another.

Compare that to the fact that a recent Deloitte study, uh, analyzed that close to eighty percent of CEOs in this country believe that AI will shape the future of business, but two-thirds say we're not ready.

To that end, does Congress need to do more to regulate AI?

Absolutely, and you know, I, I think that this is not the end point of what we're hoping to do.

Um, and several other committees are hoping to weigh in here.

Um, you know, first and foremost, we need a foundational data privacy bill.

Why is it so important and how do you think it's gonna help small businesses?

The AI revolution is not just coming, it is here.

Uh, you know, almost 50% of small businesses report that they use AI in some form or another.

Compare that to the fact that a recent Deloitte study, uh, analyzed that close to 80% of CEOs in this country believe that AI will shape the future of business, but two-thirds say we're not ready.

So, so think about that.

The vast majority agree this is going to shape the future of how we do business, but also the vast majority saying we're not ready for it.

Uh, and that's because, you know, if, if you delay in adopting these AI tools, uh, you know, you, you get left behind, right?

But to that end, does Congress need to do more to regulate AI?

point for Democrats? Meaning the more it looks like disarray, the more you were able to say,

look, this is their fault.

Absolutely not.

This government shutdown is about fighting for a budget that the American people deserve and fighting for health care.

The Republicans control all three branches of government.

They could reopen the government today if they did one thing, that 78% of the American people support, and that is continuing to extend the ACA tax credits.

You hardly get to a place of unanimity like that among the American electorate, yet 78% of the American people support it, so why wouldn't we fight for something that the American people want? We heard the president sort of allude to the idea that Democrats are talking.

What do you think about this?

What lessons have Democrats learned from

that? Well, I mean, we are planning to oppose this CR.

The American people want us to fight, and they're going to see us fight.

We are using the tools of democracy to defend our democracy.

We just need three courageous, patriotic Republicans to join us and prevent this disastrous continuing resolution.

Because, I mean, Adi, if you have seen what is in this thing, It is it is so harmful to the American people, you know, cutting Medicaid, cutting Medicare, threatening Social Security, cutting veterans benefits, you know, while handing out tax breaks to their billionaire buddies.

And, you know, Elon Musk is getting, you know, brand new contracts every week.

That's what I've heard a million times, that like the bureaucracy is suffering because it's finally getting attacked