Press Conference With Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid And Speaker Of The House Of Rep.'s Nancy Pelosi
Statement
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REP. PELOSI: Thank you very much, Mr. Leader. Congratulations on your excellent team of nine new senators. And I'm very proud of the number -- members of Congress that have joined the ranks of Democrats in the Congress as well to make us a majority.
As I've said to my colleagues, you're the greatest collection of intellect, integrity and idealism, but you're not a majority. Now we have more of those three values, and we have with me here today Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter, of New Hampshire; Congressman Ron Klein, of Florida; Congress -- oops. (Chuckles.)
SEN. REID: Tim Walz.
REP. PELOSI: Congressman Jim (sic) Walz from Minnesota.
Before I begin, I want to say to Tim Walz and to Senator Klobuchar how sad we all are at the tragedy that occurred in Minnesota this week. It was stunning to think that a person could leave home -- a mom, a dad, a child, a sister or brother -- and something so unusual would happen.
I congratulate you and Keith Ellison, our colleague, who represents the district where this occurred, for the response. The recovery and rescue operation has been -- has appeared to be excellent in minimizing the loss of life. And we all stand ready in not only extending our sympathy but our support to you and your state.
As we speak here, on the House floor we're taking up the rule to consider a package for Minnesota adding $250 million to the Federal Highway Emergency Fund, in order to help a quick rebuilding of the infrastructure that was damaged.
At the beginning of this Congress, we had the first 100 hours, where in that short period of time we had a flurry of activity that related to protecting the American people, growing our economy, strengthening our families and preserving our planet, and doing that in a fiscally sound, highly ethical and open and honest way.
This happened -- (laughs) -- this happened because we had new members of Congress who brought with them their energy, their enthusiasm, straight from the campaigns, with the clearest picture of the desires of the American people.
Here we are now in August. In a similar number of hours this week, we have another record of achievement in terms of legislation, some of it following up on bills that were introduced at that time. To make America safer, Senator Reid and I, Leader Reid and I, signed the enrollment that sent a bill to the president on Wednesday -- the 9/11 commission recommendations, six years after 9/11, three years after the recommendations, long overdue for the American people but just a number of months since the Democrats came to power.
The families of 9/11 made all of that possible by their advocacy for the commission in the first place against great resistance. For their advocacy for this legislation, they turned their grief into advocacy and strength, and America is the safer for it. We are deeply in their debt.
In terms of accountability, this week, both houses of Congress passed the lobby reform bill which, as Mr. Leader said, will soon be signed into law by the president. This is historic, an historic change in the relationship between lobbyists and legislators as we break that link. It has been hailed by the groups outside who have been -- reform groups outside the Congress as just an outstanding, outstanding step forward.
In terms of how we grow our economy, both houses this week passed the COMPETES Act, our commitment to competitiveness to keep America number one; our Innovation Agenda, to create good-paying jobs and businesses in America. It recognizes the importance of small business in that, and we're very, very proud of that work. It recognizes that innovation begins in the classroom, so it's a strong commitment to education, to R&D, to small business and to energy independence.
Energy independence takes us to preserving our planet. We'll take up tomorrow our energy bill. But we're very proud of the work that has been done in the COMPETES Act in furtherance of energy independence.
Most important of all probably is how we strengthen our families. And this week, both the House and Senate passed the SCHIP legislation -- millions of dollars more for millions more children to be able to receive quality health care. Who are we as a nation if we don't care for our children?
It was probably one of the happiest days of my official life to be there on the floor with what I called the children's hour, when in the people's house we passed that legislation, which then has been passed now in the United States Senate.
We look forward to reconciling those bills and sending them to the president's desk. And always strengthening our families is -- of course, what Senator Reid mentioned about higher education and the minimum wage, and we passed a Ledbetter bill in our House, which would end gender discrimination in pay.
So these are issues that relate directly to the well-being of the American people. They're relevant to their lives. They hit home with the American people. I'm very, very proud that -- in our -- with the new direction we promised and a number of promises that have been kept, and a great deal of them happened in the 100 hours of this week.
Thank you, Mr. Leader.
SEN. REID: We'll be happy to take some questions.
Q Senator Reid, the fact the legislation is in place -- the vote, sir, is right now.
SEN. REID: It is? (Cross talk.)
Q (Off mike) -- Republican colleagues -- (off mike). Would you be willing to have the provision -- (off mike) -- that would let the attorney general be the person who decides -- (off mike) --
SEN. REID: I had a caucus at 11:30 this morning, and we had really good attendance. We talked about a number of the issues. The speaker and I had many meetings yesterday trying to come up with something. And I think -- at least from my perspective, because we're still in the formative stage, we know what the Republicans have put forward. I've had a number of conversations with Senator McConnell today, and we're going to come up with a proposal of our own, we hope, within the next hour or two to lay something down over here.
But as you know, in the Senate procedurally it's very difficult to move on legislation, and so we'll try to come up with something that we can finish it today. If not, we'll finish it next week, but we're going to continue to work on it until we finish it.
Q (Off mike) -- Attorney General Gonzales be the person who decides on this?
SEN. REID: The attorney general has not been a help in moving our legislation forward. To say that Alberto Gonzales is not well thought of in the Democratic Caucus is an understatement. We have a low level of trust for him, an extremely low level of his competence, and so that's being taken into consideration as we move forward on our legislation.
Q Madame Speaker, do you have the votes for the renewable portfolio standard -- (off mike) -- and what is the outlook for the two energy bills generally, if you could answer those?
REP. PELOSI: I'll be pleased to answer your question.
I just want to follow up on the FISA.
Later this afternoon, we will be taking up the FISA legislation on the House floor. We're debating the rule right now or at least we were when I walked in the room. They may have moved on from there. That legislation will honor principles the director of National Intelligence put forth to us. We respected the wishes that he had in the legislation. It was our understanding that he would support such legislation. There has been a departure from that, but we still -- we made a commitment to him and we will put that legislation on the floor today.
On the subject of Alberto Gonzales, let me be clear. With his testimony to Congress, his performance as attorney general and his account, if nothing else, of the March 2004 meeting that we had in the Situation Room in the White House, I think completely discredits him from being the arbiter of FISA. Having said that, I don't care who the attorney general is, attorney general under a Democratic president or a Republican president. It's not appropriate that the same branch of government have all of that power.
FISA was established in the late '70s in recognition of the fact that Congress had a role in determining how those warrants would be granted and that the third party, a judiciary, would have a strong role in that. So Alberto Gonzales notwithstanding, I don't think any attorney general should have that power.
Those two are whipping on the subject that you asked, the renewable electricity standard. The people -- the two Udalls, the Udall cousins, Mark Udall and Tom Udall, are whipping the bill this afternoon -- that amendment this afternoon. They'll be reporting back to me this afternoon what the status of it is.
In answer to your question, they felt pretty strong about it, and you know, strong about their vote, that they had a strong vote. But I'm a -- I count votes in a different way, so I want to hear a more recent account of how things are going there.
Your follow-up was what?
Q Would you withdraw that amendment if you didn't have the votes for it?
REP. PELOSI: That's up to them; that's up to them. They have to make that decision. I'm not one to show weakness. I think if they have a strong vote, even though it might not be successful, that would be a success. Although of course I like winning. But I don't think they would bring it -- well, you'd have to talk to them about what their judgment would be about bringing it forth. They're the makers of the motion.
Q Madame Speaker, Democrats have said that mistakes were made last night. What consequences should there be for the mistakes that were made?
REP. PELOSI: There was no mistake made last night. What was said was that apologies were given for the early announcement of a vote.
I don't know if you saw the action on the floor today. I was very proud of our leader, Steny Hoyer, who went forward and said that there was an early announcement of a vote. It did not change the outcome of the vote. It was exactly the same.
Mike McNulty, the person who was in the chair at the time, has a reputation for being one of the fairest speakers -- pro tem! -- in the Congress. And he enjoys a reputation on the Republican side for always calling the vote in a very, very straight way. Voice votes -- you know how that can be, David, and you know how that can be.
So there's -- it's not a question of consequences. It's a question of -- a misunderstanding occurred, an apology for that inconvenience was given, and now we're moving on to what's next.
(Cross talk.)
Q (Off mike) -- energy tax package tomorrow, will you -- (off mike) -- Senate, so they can amend their finance package to it and then combine it with the -- (off mike) -- conference with the energy bill?
REP. PELOSI: Well, let's take it one step at a time. We have to bring up the -- we still have to have a rule to bring the energy bill to the floor, and then we'll see what happens after that.
Q (Off mike) -- that'll happen this afternoon, ma'am?
REP. PELOSI: Well, the rules this afternoon, but that would be for tomorrow, if all goes as planned.
Q Regarding the FISA negotiation, it seems that the opposition has started dealing with DNI McConnell, said that they were working in good faith. Have things gone sour? And are you committed to --
SEN. REID: Well, I don't think "gone sour" is the right word. I can only speak for myself. He told us what he wanted. We gave it to him. And it appears that others have become involved, because he now wants more than he told us he wanted.
It was very clear, in a conversation that we had yesterday, this is nothing dealing with 407; that in fact Majority Leader Hoyer asked him if what we have said will do -- will that help you significantly? And he said yes, without any question.
But -- so my only question I raise at this time is, I have lost a little confidence in his independence.
Q What do you think has changed? Do you have any sense of it?
SEN. REID: Well, I assume that he's gotten some calls from the White House, from the vice president's office.
Q Do you expect you'll be able to reach -- do you expect the House and the Senate will be able to reach an agreement on FISA legislation before you begin your month-long --
SEN. REID: That's our goal. That's our goal.
Q The president said today, ("Well, they can do it" ?). What's your response to him, please? (Pause.)
REP. PELOSI: (Chuckles.)
SEN. REID: Oh, I know what -- got it right here. (Laughter.)
Q (Off mike.)
SEN. REID: Here's my answer.
REP. PELOSI: (Chuckles.)
SEN. REID: Stampeding Congress again.
Q Madame Speaker, on the -- (off mike) -- was that motion to recommit, the vote they think they won. You, I take it, have no plans at all --
REP. PELOSI: None. No, we're on to the order of business, and they know that that's a frivolous request. And this is in a week where they've just been deluged by the success of the Democrats on behalf of the American people, whether it's the 9/11 commission recommendations to make us safer; the COMPETE Act to keep good-paying jobs in America; SCHIP to have health care for our children; the lobbying reform bill to have accountability, openness and honesty in government. The list goes on and on. They'd rather you talk about that, but that's not what we're focusing on.
Q Madame Speaker, as you know, the court's ruling today said the raid of Congressman Jefferson's office was unconstitutional, and I'd like to ask you for your thoughts on that -- (off mike).
REP. PELOSI: Well, I think this would apply in both House and Senate. But just speaking from the standpoint of the House where the case is in point, the court's decision restates the essential role of the separation of powers and separation of checks and balances in our system. I look forward to an -- having said that, I look forward to working with the Justice Department on an appropriate protocol for access to members' offices when that is necessary. And third of all, no member should think that he or she is above the law or that his or her office is off-limits if they're the subject of a criminal investigation.
Q (Off mike) --
REP. PELOSI: We had initiated them right after this unconstitutional act took place because regardless of what you think of the subject at hand in terms of a need to have access, the manner in which they -- well, let's put it this way. The White House wouldn't like it if we sent the Capitol police over there to search Karl Rove's desk.
STAFF: Okay, thanks everybody.
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