RUSH TRANSCRIPT I m ░░░░░░░░ meier in for blake ░░░░░░░░ As cindy liu who ░░░░░░░░ said no one should ░░░░░░░░ alone for Christmas And ░░░░░░░░ will be with you ░░░░░░░░ this hour Thank you ░░░░░░░░ joining us This is ░░░░░░░░ hill on news nation ░░░░░░░░ lawmaker has quite a ░░░░░░░░ tradition to find some ░░░░░░░░ cheer The Republican congressman ░░░░░░░░ Tennessee Tim Burchett hosted ░░░░░░░░ third annual Christmas party ░░░░░░░░ may be one of ░░░░░░░░ hottest tickets in town ░░░░░░░░ congressman burchett packed all ░░░░░░░░ that holiday fun into ░░░░░░░░ minutes Yeah 15 minutes ░░░░░░░░ me now is congressman ░░░░░░░░ Burgess Congressman it s ░░░░░░░░ good to see you ░░░░░░░░ Christmas Merry Christmas to ░░░░░░░░ ma am And ththank ░░░░░░░░ much So I want ░░░░░░░░ talk about your holiday ░░░░░░░░ Last year you extended ░░░░░░░░ party to 16 minutes ░░░░░░░░ this year it was ░░░░░░░░ back to 15 minutes ░░░░░░░░ is that Well we ░░░░░░░░ like it just dragged ░░░░░░░░ too much last year ░░░░░░░░ we thought we d ░░░░░░░░ it back to the ░░░░░░░░ 15 minutes ma am ░░░░░░░░ what s the party ░░░░░░░░ Take us inside It ░░░░░░░░ crazy We had Santa ░░░░░░░░ right there George Santos ░░░░░░░░ a cameo complete with ░░░░░░░░ fancy Santa outfit Last ░░░░░░░░ it was Jared Moskowitz ░░░░░░░░ I was told by ░░░░░░░░ very smart aleck Reporter ░░░░░░░░ in a very terrible ░░░░░░░░ said congressman don t ░░░░░░░░ realize you re Santa ░░░░░░░░ is Jewish And I ░░░░░░░░ well that government if ░░░░░░░░ savior can be Jewish ░░░░░░░░ I came out dadgum ░░░░░░░░ Claus me Jewish I ░░░░░░░░ had the craziest thing ░░░░░░░░ d ever heard in ░░░░░░░░ life And but this ░░░░░░░░ George flew in from ░░░░░░░░ north pole which is ░░░░░░░░ York I guess And ░░░░░░░░ we had so many ░░░░░░░░ in line and there ░░░░░░░░ like 350 people came ░░░░░░░░ And like I said ░░░░░░░░ Election Day If you ░░░░░░░░ in line when we ░░░░░░░░ the door or turn ░░░░░░░░ off turn off the ░░░░░░░░ like they used to ░░░░░░░░ at k mart back ░░░░░░░░ the old days we ░░░░░░░░ the lights and didn ░░░░░░░░ get out of my ░░░░░░░░ office And then I ░░░░░░░░ if you re in ░░░░░░░░ you still get your ░░░░░░░░ made with Santa Claus ░░░░░░░░ we made a lot ░░░░░░░░ staffers and the speaker ░░░░░░░░ by And where ammar ░░░░░░░░ by we didn t ░░░░░░░░ was packed It was ░░░░░░░░ And so I decided ░░░░░░░░ be down How did ░░░░░░░░ idea come about Well ░░░░░░░░ came up with it ░░░░░░░░ I don t know ░░░░░░░░ just it just popped ░░░░░░░░ my dad got my ░░░░░░░░ and and my staff ░░░░░░░░ proponents and that s ░░░░░░░░ craziest thing in the ░░░░░░░░ And then you all ░░░░░░░░ the national media started ░░░░░░░░ And honestly ma am ░░░░░░░░ go to a Christmas ░░░░░░░░ you re cornered by ░░░░░░░░ with one breath and ░░░░░░░░ re stuck there Now ░░░░░░░░ the heck And this ░░░░░░░░ 15 minutes Get in ░░░░░░░░ get out Hey we ░░░░░░░░ a Christmas party I ░░░░░░░░ a charcuterie board right ░░░░░░░░ As you can see ░░░░░░░░ if I haven t ░░░░░░░░ out I ll probably ░░░░░░░░ persecutory by the way ░░░░░░░░ s a really cool ░░░░░░░░ and I like saying ░░░░░░░░ but it is time ░░░░░░░░ change plans out And ░░░░░░░░ had our peanut butter ░░░░░░░░ jelly bar Our mountain ░░░░░░░░ fountain did not work ░░░░░░░░ as planned but we ░░░░░░░░ have plenty of 32 ░░░░░░░░ mountain doos and it ░░░░░░░░ my pb and j ░░░░░░░░ And you know a ░░░░░░░░ time was at my ░░░░░░░░ Maybe this 15 minute ░░░░░░░░ party is going to ░░░░░░░░ on across the country ░░░░░░░░ re going to start ░░░░░░░░ new trend I think ░░░░░░░░ want to ask you ░░░░░░░░ hope it does ma ░░░░░░░░ I also do you ░░░░░░░░ you see everybody and ░░░░░░░░ everybody goes home and ░░░░░░░░ some rest I want ░░░░░░░░ ask you though what ░░░░░░░░ your favorite memory from ░░░░░░░░ events that you ve ░░░░░░░░ having with all these ░░░░░░░░ of Congress and bipartisanship ░░░░░░░░ don t know I ░░░░░░░░ you know you see ░░░░░░░░ all across the board ░░░░░░░░ you know I m ░░░░░░░░ Christian I m celebrating ░░░░░░░░ birth of my savior ░░░░░░░░ I you know Jewish ░░░░░░░░ and muslims and nonbelievers ░░░░░░░░ I just like to ░░░░░░░░ a little Christmas joy ░░░░░░░░ them cause some folks ░░░░░░░░ t really you know ░░░░░░░░ re these working people ░░░░░░░░ the custodians all these ░░░░░░░░ up here they work ░░░░░░░░ dadgum hard and they ░░░░░░░░ they catch a lot ░░░░░░░░ great congressmen not all ░░░░░░░░ them but some of ░░░░░░░░ are pretty arrogant and ░░░░░░░░ treat them pretty bad ░░░░░░░░ you know I just ░░░░░░░░ everybody just call me ░░░░░░░░ I m not too ░░░░░░░░ up on the title ░░░░░░░░ and and life is ░░░░░░░░ too dadgum short We ░░░░░░░░ all kind of rolling ░░░░░░░░ on this rock trying ░░░░░░░░ figure out what god ░░░░░░░░ plan is for us ░░░░░░░░ and I just think ░░░░░░░░ s a good time ░░░░░░░░ to share a little ░░░░░░░░ that joy with him ░░░░░░░░ honestly I wish I ░░░░░░░░ back out there in ░░░░░░░░ party I d rather ░░░░░░░░ back home with my ░░░░░░░░ We always go to ░░░░░░░░ little little church around ░░░░░░░░ corner and little baptist ░░░░░░░░ and they don t ░░░░░░░░ laser beams and drop ░░░░░░░░ from the ceiling It ░░░░░░░░ a it s a ░░░░░░░░ nativity thing And the ░░░░░░░░ kids get all confused ░░░░░░░░ when a little girl ░░░░░░░░ be home the baby ░░░░░░░░ up by his leg ░░░░░░░░ something you know and ░░░░░░░░ moms are trying to ░░░░░░░░ home and they just ░░░░░░░░ all the good old ░░░░░░░░ And I love to ░░░░░░░░ into that with my ░░░░░░░░ and daughter and sit ░░░░░░░░ the back And my ░░░░░░░░ always leans over to ░░░░░░░░ mom to my wife ░░░░░░░░ says mom dad and ░░░░░░░░ again And she said ░░░░░░░░ honey he s just ░░░░░░░░ And I miss my ░░░░░░░░ and dad so much ░░░░░░░░ time of year because ░░░░░░░░ lost them both around ░░░░░░░░ time and and I ░░░░░░░░ an a peanut mama ░░░░░░░░ boy I m 60 ░░░░░░░░ old but dadgum I ░░░░░░░░ miss him When we ░░░░░░░░ of we re thinking ░░░░░░░░ you and your family ░░░░░░░░ that are not here ░░░░░░░░ longer and still here ░░░░░░░░ you And we wish ░░░░░░░░ a merry Christmas And ░░░░░░░░ m glad you got ░░░░░░░░ celebrate with your Capitol ░░░░░░░░ family at that 50 ░░░░░░░░ Christmas party But thank ░░░░░░░░ for joining us And ░░░░░░░░ Christmas to you congressman ░░░░░░░░ appreciate it Yes ma ░░░░░░░░ Next year I hope ░░░░░░░░ have maybe a live ░░░░░░░░ from news nation during ░░░░░░░░ I like that idea ░░░░░░░░ ll make that happen ░░░░░░░░ you ma am And ░░░░░░░░ look very festive in ░░░░░░░░ red out there Thank ░░░░░░░░ Thank you for Christmas ░░░░░░░░ everybody And happy Hanukkah ░░░░░░░░ all my Jewish buddies ░░░░░░░░ there Thank you so ░░░░░░░░ congressman Merry Christmas and ░░░░░░░░ Hanukkah Thank you Ma ░░░░░░░░ Well outside congressman Tim ░░░░░░░░ s office you will ░░░░░░░░ the Capitol Christmas tree ░░░░░░░░ United States first place ░░░░░░░░ Christmas tree outside that ░░░░░░░░ in 1964 And it ░░░░░░░░ been a tradition ever ░░░░░░░░ So this year s ░░░░░░░░ is a sitka spruce ░░░░░░░░ feet tall with a ░░░░░░░░ 22 inches wide making ░░░░░░░░ long sleigh ride from ░░░░░░░░ state to Washington from ░░░░░░░░ also making stops in ░░░░░░░░ and Ohio And news ░░░░░░░░ s Tom dempsey had ░░░░░░░░ opportunity to speak with ░░░░░░░░ director of the Capitol ░░░░░░░░ about this Take a ░░░░░░░░ the Capitol Christmas tree ░░░░░░░░ a really great history ░░░░░░░░ goes back to 1964 ░░░░░░░░ we actually had a ░░░░░░░░ tree planted here But ░░░░░░░░ real modern day story ░░░░░░░░ to begin in 1970 ░░░░░░░░ the architect of the ░░░░░░░░ partnered with the United ░░░░░░░░ forest service on behalf ░░░░░░░░ the speaker of the ░░░░░░░░ speaker mccormack at that ░░░░░░░░ And it turned out ░░░░░░░░ be a great partnership ░░░░░░░░ that point on So ░░░░░░░░ year I had the ░░░░░░░░ to be able to ░░░░░░░░ the Christmas tree that ░░░░░░░░ the west front here ░░░░░░░░ the United States capitol ░░░░░░░░ it s a lot ░░░░░░░░ help from a lot ░░░░░░░░ different people I ve ░░░░░░░░ very closely about a ░░░░░░░░ and a half to ░░░░░░░░ years in advance with ░░░░░░░░ service where their personnel ░░░░░░░░ a number of candidate ░░░░░░░░ typically around a dozen ░░░░░░░░ so that meet very ░░░░░░░░ criteria that we have ░░░░░░░░ make sure that this ░░░░░░░░ looks great on the ░░░░░░░░ front And then I ░░░░░░░░ out to the to ░░░░░░░░ national forest and and ░░░░░░░░ a look and they ░░░░░░░░ the pleasure of selecting ░░░░░░░░ right tree We re ░░░░░░░░ for roughly 70 foot ░░░░░░░░ So it s got ░░░░░░░░ be big and it ░░░░░░░░ got to be perfect ░░░░░░░░ has to look the ░░░░░░░░ degrees around And that ░░░░░░░░ the difficult part of ░░░░░░░░ a beautiful tree naturally ░░░░░░░░ in the forest that ░░░░░░░░ look great Here we ░░░░░░░░ a wide range of ░░░░░░░░ So from people working ░░░░░░░░ the scenes to our ░░░░░░░░ arborists that has a ░░░░░░░░ duty of making sure ░░░░░░░░ this tree is decorated ░░░░░░░░ s the second time ░░░░░░░░ from Alaska and red ░░░░░░░░ national forest is fast ░░░░░░░░ s over 14 million ░░░░░░░░ So it s basically ░░░░░░░░ times the size of ░░░░░░░░ Jersey Beautiful area And ░░░░░░░░ again gets to the ░░░░░░░░ of nature and the ░░░░░░░░ and America s farmers ░░░░░░░░ year was a really ░░░░░░░░ challenge So over 4000 ░░░░░░░░ 700 miles over over ░░░░░░░░ several barges So lots ░░░░░░░░ planning particularly on the ░░░░░░░░ service side for logistics ░░░░░░░░ was harvested on October ░░░░░░░░ and arrived here November ░░░░░░░░ That s a long ░░░░░░░░ to keep a tree ░░░░░░░░ great Mystery arrived as ░░░░░░░░ as could be So ░░░░░░░░ people here that are ░░░░░░░░ and experienced in making ░░░░░░░░ that the tree is ░░░░░░░░ set in place safely ░░░░░░░░ securely I have 100 ░░░░░░░░ in all of that ░░░░░░░░ that it s going ░░░░░░░░ look good and really ░░░░░░░░ up telling the story ░░░░░░░░ the people of Alaska ░░░░░░░░ want to tell that ░░░░░░░░ of the history of ░░░░░░░░ people that of the ░░░░░░░░ of the people and ░░░░░░░░ the uniqueness of Alaska ░░░░░░░░ gets told here is ░░░░░░░░ of the people s ░░░░░░░░ So aside from other ░░░░░░░░ trees around the country ░░░░░░░░ we all see on ░░░░░░░░ this represents the people ░░░░░░░░ the ornaments over 5000 ░░░░░░░░ all handmade by local ░░░░░░░░ through Alaska You re ░░░░░░░░ to see plenty of ░░░░░░░░ and plenty of bear ░░░░░░░░ you would expect to ░░░░░░░░ But you also start ░░░░░░░░ see some native tribal ░░░░░░░░ up there So it ░░░░░░░░ not the tree itself ░░░░░░░░ not necessarily the center ░░░░░░░░ attention It s those ░░░░░░░░ It s the story ░░░░░░░░ it and it s ░░░░░░░░ importance of the land ░░░░░░░░ the forest that we ░░░░░░░░ and that we can ░░░░░░░░ as part of the ░░░░░░░░ States Five four three ░░░░░░░░ One go Hey And ░░░░░░░░ this month House Speaker ░░░░░░░░ Johnson led the 60th ░░░░░░░░ capitol Christmas tree lighting ░░░░░░░░ the help of fourth ░░░░░░░░ rose burke from Alaska ░░░░░░░░ won the Capitol Christmas ░░░░░░░░ essay contest and read ░░░░░░░░ winning essay before the ░░░░░░░░ Well coming up on ░░░░░░░░ hill could president elect ░░░░░░░░ s tariffs make your ░░░░░░░░ next year more expensive ░░░░░░░░ friend and former Trump ░░░░░░░░ House chief of staff ░░░░░░░░ Mulvaney joins me with ░░░░░░░░ news And we ll ░░░░░░░░ you inside the White ░░░░░░░░ How President Biden is ░░░░░░░░ his last Christmas as ░░░░░░░░ in chief And I ░░░░░░░░ a new interactive experience ░░░░░░░░ takes you inside the ░░░░░░░░ Office and even allows ░░░░░░░░ to sit in the ░░░░░░░░ s chair without having ░░░░░░░░ go through all that ░░░░░░░░ Grab your eggnog for ░░░░░░░░ leftovers and come back ░░░░░░░░ join us after the ░░░░░░░░ My moderate to severe