. congress, new leaders. watch the opening day tuesday, january 3 live on c-span and c-span [applause] , -- c-span2 and also at c-span.org. >> republican representative and vice chair of the january 6 committee. the committee has announced plans to make referrals against former president donald trump on a number of charges. two of those charges include conspiracy to defraud the federal government and inciting, aiding or abetting -- assisting in its direction. >> we the people shape our lives and response abilities today.

crystal bridges is committed to celebrating the americans. . i can't think of anyone more to discuss this topic than congressman liz cheney. the leader of the discussion is the leader of the -- author activist and global advocate of health and well-being of children. she has dedicated her career to helping others through education, compassion and the expansion of civil rights. since joining the walton family foundation, carol has led work to create the opportunity for people through collaboration and community led change, high-quality education for children, protects our environment and build vibrant, inclusive communities. she has written and spoken extensively on how much -- find

common solutions to help people achieve their ambitions. previously, she just -- she served as the national director and chief operating officer at the defamation league. she is a sought after public speaker. she presented the inaugural summit on the united states of women was named one of the 25 women changing the world in 2017. i am honored to welcome my friend carol stern. [applause] >> good evening. i am so excited to see so many family members and friends in the room tonight and i have the

privilege of serving as director for the foundation and i have to admit that up to about 40 years ago, i did not expect i would become, but i have to also admit from the moment i met the walton family, i have the privilege to come out here an interview, i fought hard to become part of this community. we are a community that respects and celebrates diversity. we are a community that stands up for what we believe in. it is for all of those same reasons that i so admire tonight's guest. she is values driven. she is a woman who acts with conviction and she is what i would lovingly call a woman who has true grit. [applause] >> congresswoman liz cheney

represents the state of wyoming in the u.s. house of her presented to us. she is the only one who represents the state of wyoming. she is a fierce advocate for her state which is mainly -- she has pursued drop creation, lower taxes, greater support for industries like energy and agriculture. but her fiercest advocacy has been for democracy. congresswoman cheney served as the chair of the house republican conference, the third ranking republican and her past professional experience includes time at the state department as deputy assistant secretary of state and principal deputy assistant secretary of state. -- secretary of state for the middle east.

known for expertise in national security and foreign policy, she also served as a fox news analyst and is the co author along with her dad, vice president, dick cheney of exceptional. she is a working mom. she congressman cheney and her , husband phil perry have raised five children. 5. i thought please join me in welcoming our -- guest congresswoman, liz cheney. [applause] >> so you know, we've all been

watching the news today [applause] and i thought about just i thought i'd start by just saying how was your day today, honey. but we all know that today was the final public hearing of the january six select committee. so i'm sure that this audience is anxious to hear. they want to hear what people should take away from today's meeting, what the committee's report saying what the committee as a whole meant. the floor is yours. well -- >> well thank you so much and and it is, it's wonderful to be here. it's my first time at crystal bridges and uh i really can't think of anything more fitting. um uh at the end of you know, uh what was a sad day in many ways, but a day that was dedicated to the constitution um than to be able to be here and to actually see um an original copy of the constitution, the bill of rights. very, very

special. so it's wonderful to be here. wonderful to be here with the walton family, um and with the bozeman's uh and and thank you for all you do. so it's um it's wonderful to see because uh i think it can be easy sometimes i to think the constitution isn't relevant for us in our daily lives and uh certainly what we've seen over the course of the last year and a half uh is the extent to which we all have an obligation um not not only to ensure that we're doing everything we can to defend the constitution and defend our institutions, but we have an obligation to educate ourselves, we have an obligation to make sure that as americans, we understand um how our institutions work, we understand the protections that the constitution gives us um and and and if we don't take the responsibility to educate ourselves, then um we won't be

able to defend the institutions. and um you know, what you saw today was the culmination of 18 months of work by the select committee. our committee is one that i'm very proud of. we operated in almost, i would say a nonpartisan matter, not just a bipartisan manner, but um really focused, you know, the members of our committee have vastly different positions on a whole range of issues, but we agree on the most important issue, which is the defense of the constitution. and um we said from the beginning that we would follow the facts, we would go where the facts lead us. um and uh again, it was with solemnity and sadness um that that, you

know, the facts lead to um criminal referrals for the former president of the united states. um but i'm i'm proud of the work that our committee has done. and i think that people ask me, how do we make sure january 6th never happens again. and i think that the there are a number of things we need to do, but probably among the very most important, and maybe the most important is we have to hold those who were responsible for january 6th accountable. there has to be accountability. [applause] >> as we've been talking about, you know, the name of the exhibit here, we the people. but but tell us why you personally felt that you needed to take such a powerful step, why you stepped up, why you felt it was important to get >> we only knowy

have cost you your seat. you also described the recent midterm elections as a victory for team normal. all the predictors were saying the determinant was going to be the economy. and yet, people chose to vote for democracy. i want to read this quote from you. you said, i think we saw people coming together to say we believe in democracy, we believe in standing up for the constitution and for the

republic. why do you think people voted for democracy? rep. cheney: the midterms gave me tremendous hope. the commentators and the experts said democracy is too abstract and has not an issue people will think about when voting. but what we saw was a rejection of election deniers. if you think about what would've happened in some of these races where you have people running for office. in arizona, people running for governor. secretary state. and other parts of the country where they said they would only honor the election if it agreed with them. i do think it was important that there was such a clear message of people saying the extent to

which voters demand competence, seriousness, representatives who will uphold their oath of office. we saw that in the midterms and we need to continue to see that as we move forward. >> we have the declaration of independence and the constitution. others illustrate progress and some of our challenges. the bill of rights, the emancipation proclamation. there is a piece entitled monument to the constitution. it says the constitution is a living document that affects our everyday lives. basically, we have been given a playbook.

how is the team doing? rep. cheney: i have spent a lot of time working around the world in countries that are not free. i worked in eastern europe just as the wall came down. i worked in the soviet union in the early 1990's. when you spend time in countries that are not free or countries that are trying to attain their freedom, it gives you a particular appreciation for the blessing we have in the united states. what i had not realized is that the placenta freedom is fragile -- the blessing of freedom is fragile.

we have demonstrated that our institutions have held. if there is anybody out there who thinks they do not have a duty and an obligation come if you are a citizen of this country you have an obligation to defend our institutions. [applause] so i think that is part of a living constitution. beginning back in after the 2020 election and the discussion was underway about are people going to object to the electoral votes and my view was absolutely not.

congress does not have the authority to object except in very narrow circumstances. the founders did not intend and the constitution does not provide that. i was so struck, there was one moment when we were going through the process of the debate inside the republicans of the house and i pulled out a copy of the federalist papers. hamilton talks about how important it will be that the electors do not meet in one place. they meet in individual states because they were worried about political influence on electors. when you think about the thought process and how prescient the founders were in terms of understanding the dangers we would face, the document speak

to us today. i want to give you one another example. a colleague of mine from california cosponsored legislation. we have been in negotiations with the senate. at one point when the negotiations over the last few weeks were stalled, we sent a letter to our colleagues in the senate. one of the questions was have you actually read the federalist papers? we did not get a response. [applause] >> so there is progress. but there is also still a lot of pain in the nation. we are so divided right now.

what do you think it will take for the country to heal? rep. cheney: i think it takes from elected officials responsibility. one of the lessons i've learned has been how important it is to walk away from reflexive partisanship. this does not mean everybody will agree on every issue. but the best place for us to be is to say let's have a disagreement, let us debate the issue, and let's assume the person on the others wants to have a debate and let's elect people who want to do that. in this last election in the midterms, i think i never

actually voted for a democrat, but i endorsed several. and i campaigned for a number of democrats in this last cycle. they included people like alyssa slotnick. these are women i have served with in congress. they are both democrats. i have gotten to know them through our work on national security issues. when i think about the kind of people or country needs, we need people like that. we need people who are serious and substantive. we have to start thinking about elections and elected officials and putting the same standards as if we were hiring people for other jobs. but that means we need more candidates. we need people to run for office. because you need to have the

choice of good people. >> i think you may have answered this question. there are generational divides. we are listening a lot to young americans. we are really listening to gen z right now. one thing we are caring is their desire to reach across the aisle. 80% said they are willing to work with somebody they do not agree with. collaboration historically has been about finding people who have similar opinions, common ground and working together. we have seen that does not necessarily hold up with the changes in politics. how can we give this generation role models?

they have never experienced an america that is not divided. rep. cheney: i have five children. so i spent a good amount of time with people in that generation. over the course of the last couple of years, some of my moments of greatest hope have been with younger people. it is partly because of what you are mentioning, that they do not think about the world in terms of i want to be a member of this or that political party. i have had so many experiences recently where young people have said to me i may not agree with you, but i want to fight for the constitution. i think that making sure that we hold ourselves to that same

standard, i think that what all americans demand and should demand is that of -- elected officials treat each other and the voters with respect. i am very hopeful about our country when i spend time with young people in this nation because i think there is a commitment and dedication. you saw in the midterms again where young people turned out to vote. >> you also talked about the decline in civic literacy. that perhaps we needed a constitution boot camp for newly elected officials. [applause] do you have any thoughts on what

we can do before they get into office? how we might infuse civics education back into the classroom. rep. cheney: it is so important. i think that part of what has happened in education is people look at the flaws in our country and the tragedies of our history and gassy often have said that is amusing to turn away from the founding documents. i think it is just the opposite. we need to make sure people understand we are not a perfect nation, but the only way we make progress toward becoming a more perfect union is through the foundational documents of the republic. recognizing and understanding the freedoms that the constitution protects and guarantees to us.

what does the rule of law mean? we have seen this play out certainly. a means we are bound by the rulings of the courts. and we can disagree with them, but we cannot ignore them. when you have a president who was willing to ignore and do everything in his power to attempt to overturn an election despite the rulings of the courts, you begin to understand how dangerous that is. that requires we ensure our young people really do understand. understand does not mean being naive about our nation. but it requires that we are able to say that even though we are

not a perfect nation, we are the most perfect nation that has ever existed. [applause] >> growing up in the home of the vice president, do you think you were destined based upon the conversations at the dinner table? rep. cheney: the conversations were more about what are we going to do about the dent in the car? we have a normal conversations, but we also had, because both my parents are students of american history, and i took a picture of the washington portrait that hung in hamilton's home.

the benefit and the blessing of having parents who love this nation and who studied our history was very special. we certainly would talk politics, but my parents also made sure we spent time understanding our history. my dad would take us to visit civil war battlefields. we groaned about it a lot at the time, but both of us have taken our own children to do that now. that was one of the most important lessons of grown-up -- whirling up. -- whirling up. >> tell me about the book and what it was like writing a book with your dad. rep. cheney: i helped him on his

memoirs. that was very special. it is not often that as an adult you have a chance to sit with your parents and talk about their lives. i learned stories about my dad i had never known before. he told me about the experience he had when he was a young man at the university of wyoming. he had gone to gail and did not do so well and dropped out. then dropped out again. it is a long story. at the university of wyoming, it was september of 1963. president john f. kennedy came to speak. my dad told me the story of what it felt like for him to be there and to hear john f. kennedy talk

and to hear president kennedy talk about public service. and watching his motorcade pull away and of course he was killed just a couple of months later. after my dad told me that story, i went home and i googled the speech. it was a special thing to hear president kennedy with the speech that meant so much to my dad. i told the story at an event a couple of months ago and steny moyer was there. he said i had exactly the same experience. i was a student and president kennedy came to speak. the opportunity to really work with my dad and help him write

his memoirs and then write the book we did about foreign policy, a very special time. >> there might be's somebody in the audience tonight who might be saying that about you. in my day when we wanted to make change, we got together with people with whom we had common ground and people who thought with us. we may signs, we held rallies, we marched sometimes. we know that today -- at the foundation, we are spending a lot of time redefining collaboration. instead of working with like-minded people and always looking for common ground, we want to work with people we do not necessarily agree with. instead of common ground we want to work for common solutions.

we do not have to agree. do you think it is possible to bring people together to do that? rep. cheney: i do. i think certainly the nation is very divided. i think there are a lot of reasons why, including social media. it does not encourage civility and i think it adds to the divide. i think one of the most important things for people to understand, and i saw this when i was working in the middle east, and i think history is clearly, if you study history and you study what has caused change over the years, not just in the united states but around the world, you almost always find people who care deeply

about the causes in which they are working and are willing to dedicate time to try to accomplish their goals. you can make a difference. it is not just a platitude. at the same time, that means you have an obligation to make a difference. you have to recognize what an unusual thing it is. in most places around the world, people have not been free. they have not been free to choose who leads them, they have not been free to fight for the causes in which they believe. in many countries around the world today, you face death or imprisonment for standing up for your beliefs. ask an american, we have an obligation to understand what a unique blessing it is that we

can make decisions about our future and our destiny. young people need to know the way to do that is to be engaged and active and educated. if you are going to advocate on behalf of of a principal laura candidate -- principal or a candidate, that you have to be educated. >> you reference what you learned from young people. i mentioned your five children. how did you balance, what is your work-life balance? rep. cheney: our youngest is a sophomore in high school.

i have been a stay-at-home mom sometimes. i have worked part-time sometimes. i've worked full-time sometimes. i do not think you ever feel as a mom that i have got it, a perfect balance right now. but kids give you perspective. my youngest son after one of the hearings on the select committee last summer, i came home and there had been a lot of news coverage about it. he said i am so proud of you and it is wonderful that the hearings are done and can we

please now focus on my learners permit? [applause] it is important for children to see their parents engaged in causes bigger than themselves. i had a moment in the immediate aftermath of january 6 where i was sitting at dinner with my family and i looked at my boys across the table, and i had this realization of having grown up in a country where we all take for granted that we are going to have a peaceful transfer of power. i looked at my sons and i

thought, are they going to be a generation that cannot say that? my commitment to making sure that my kids to grow up in a country that they know the peaceful transfer of power. >> looking ahead to next year, what is on the horizon? rep. cheney: i do not know. i do think it is important and the issues i have been talking about tonight, i want to continue to be involved, issues that have to do with our

constitution and education and young people. this country has so much potential. when you look at what happens in the midterms come at the end of the day, people fundamentally rejected crazy. [applause] and i think making sure people have good candidates. making sure people run for office and doing everything i can to help continue to make sure people understand and love american history and learn from it. we are not that many generations

away from the civil war, from the founders. i am going to give john meacham a book plug here. he has a new lincoln biography out. he who does a wonderful thing in his book, he takes it for a walk that linking did every morning -- that abraham lincoln did every morning. he talks about abraham lincoln having been in the house chamber when john quincy adams was also member of the house. and abraham lincoln was in the chamber when john quincy adams collapsed and died a few days later. if you realize how young we are as a nation. there are not that many generations that separate us from those great figures of history.

when you think about how young we are as a nation, but we are the oldest democracy. that is an important thing to remember and understand. >> the end of the exhibit downstairs really speaks to today. it is phenomenal. patrick martinez has these big lights and talks about how america is full of dreamers. the exhibit ends on a note of hope. what gives you hope? rep. cheney: i think america gives me hope. as complicated and as intense

and as difficult as our political battle sometimes our, at the end of the day, we have come together and moved forward. and that gives me hope. when you think about the challenges that we are dealing with, and you think about how this is a nation where people want to come, people want to be in the united states, we think about what does that mean? i am a firm believer that we have to secure our borders, but we also have two understand why people want to be here. the blessing and the opportunity this country provides is unmatched. that is something we should be really proud of and really humbled about.

fundamentally, america gives me hope. you cannot be pollyanna about it after what we have been through. i had absolutely hope for more from my fellow republicans when the chips were down. and so many acted in political way. but i think as a nation, we have come through difficult times before, much more difficult times before. we have tremendous potential. that requires though that we are willing to do what is required by our oath. willing to work together in a civil way and come to solutions that will help lead us to the future. >> before i wrap up, is there any other comment you want to

make on the process for today or tomorrow? rep. cheney: well, i have a lot to say. [applause] i think what we have lived through and what we need to continue to stand against is a rejection of our fundamental constitutional protections. one way it is important to think about it is if we only defend the constitution when it serves our political purposes, then we will not ever be able to call on it as a shield when we need it.

if you want to live in a republic where you can count on the constitution as a shield and as a protection of all the rights of the constitution, then you have to be willing to stand up for it even when it is not politically beneficial. when you look at what we have been through, you look at how quickly a very complicated plot was formed to use different efforts to try to overturn an election, we all have to be vigilant. you think that cannot happen in the united states, but it can, it did, our capitol was intact. it was attacked by citizens that

donald trump preyed on their patriotism. he turned it into a weapon and he told the people if you love your country you have to fight and you have to take back the country. and it was a lie and it continues to be a lie. we all have to reject that and say we do not accept that, we reject the lies. we are going to hold people accountable and defend the constitution moving forward. [applause] >> in the spirit of the holiday

season, i want to thank everybody for coming tonight, but i especially want to thank you congresswoman cheney for showing up consistently. to come straight from the hearings and to come here and share your view. [applause] >> your showing up for democracy

, you will be the face that is on our mind. thank you. rep. cheney: thank you. [applause] >> c-span is your unfiltered view of government, funded by these television companies and more, including charter communications. >> broadband is a force for empowerment. that is why charter has invested billions, empowering opportunity in communities big and small. charter is connecting us. >> charter communications supports c-span as a public service, along with these other television providers, giving you a front row seat to democracy.

>> c-span's "washington journal," every day taking your calls live on the air on the news of the day and discussing policy issues that impact you. coming up tuesday morning, james warner talks about the 118th congress. >> watch "washington journal" live on c-span or c-span now, our mobile app. join the discussion with your phone calls, facebook comments, text messages, and tweets. >> middle and high school students, it is your time to get out your phone and start recording.

we are asking students to picture yourself as a newly elected member of congress and tell us what your top priority would be. create a five or six minute video showing the importance of your issue. be bold with your documentary. there is still time to get started. the deadline is january 20, 2023. visit our website at studentcam.org for competition rules, tips, resources, and a step-by-step guide. >> the new 1s convenes on tuesday, january 3 at noon eastern. republicans will control the house of representatives while democrats retain control of the

senate. the new incoming members are younger, with an average age of 47. the new congress will also be more diverse, with a record number of women serving. new congress, new leaders. watch the opening day tuesday, january 3 at noon eastern live on c-span and c-span2. also on c-span now or online at c-span.org. >> in testimony to lawmakers on security, police chief tom manger said in 2022