Who?
Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) — lead GOP negotiator with Majority Leader Schumer on their UAP amendment to NDAA (National Defense Authorization Act)
Ask a Pol asks:
“Has there been any talk about your guys UAP amendment yet in the NDAA?”
Key Rounds:
“Nothing at this stage of the game, just because we're so early in the process,” Rounds tells Ask a Pol. “So it’s a matter of priorities right now and putting it in the proper sequence, but we have an interest in perusing some things yet.”
Caught our ear: Read new AARO report?
“I have made arrangements to get the complete version, so that I can read it,” Rounds tells Ask a Pol. “I'm gonna wait and read the classified one.”
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LISTEN: Laslo & Rounds
Matt Laslo’s a veteran congressional correspondent, new media prof. & founder of Ask a Pol — a new, people-powered press corps.
Ask a Pol — asking your lawmakers your questions at your US Capitol.
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Below find a rough transcript of Ask a Pol’s exclusive interview with Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD), slightly edited for clarity.
TRANSCRIPT: Sen. Mike Rounds
SCENE: Rounds just finished an interview inside the Capitol. As he’s exiting, Ask a Pol’s Matt Laslo greets him and proceeds to walk out to his waiting car with him and his staffer.
Matt Laslo: “How you doing, sir?”
Mike Rounds: “Good. How you doing?”
ML: “Livin’ in the dream?”
MR: “It looks like it. Yeah, it's a Thursday, which is a Senate Friday or a Senate Thursday or whatever…”
Laslo laughs.
ML: “Have you been able to check out that AARO report?”
*Senators had their annual ‘retreat’ this week.
MR: “I have made arrangements to get the complete version, so that I can read it.”
ML: “Yeah? You get the good one.”
Laslo laughs.
MR: “Yeah. So I'm gonna wait and read the classified one.”
Rounds laughs.
ML: “Yeah? Oh, I would too. That's the fun part of being on Intel. Do you or have you talked to — or tried to talk to — the new interim director, Timothy Phillips?”
MR: “I have not yet.”
ML: “Yeah?”
MR: “Just time and with us running everything else it’s been, required courses first, which is the appropriations stuff. And then we'll look at these other items that we're working on as well.”
ML: “Has there been any talk about your guys UAP amendment yet in the NDAA?”
MR: “No.”
ML: “Or still…?”
MR: “Nothing at this stage of the game, just because we're so early in the process, ya know. We’re going through…”
ML: “And government shutdowns hanging over everything. It's a weird start to this Congress.”
Rounds is now at the vehicle waiting outside the Capitol to take him to the airport.
MR: “So it’s a matter of priorities right now and putting it in the proper sequence, but we have an interest in pursuing some things yet.”
ML: “Yup. I'll be watching.”
MR: “All right.”
ML: “Preciate ya.”
MR: “You bet.”
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