Press Conference with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) Subject: Reaction to President Bush's News Conference
PRESS CONFERENCE WITH HOUSE SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI (D-CA)
SUBJECT: REACTION TO PRESIDENT BUSH'S NEWS CONFERENCE
SPEAKER PELOSI: Good afternoon.
President Bush should support the bipartisan SCHIP legislation for 10 million reasons: the 10 million children who will receive health care coverage should this bill become law. These 10 million children are joined by the Republicans and Democrats in Congress and in the governors' offices across the country. The SCHIP bill is supported by a coalition of 270 groups, from the AARP to the YMCA.
I'm disappointed that the president has issued a veto threat this morning against a bill that has so much bipartisan, indeed nonpartisan, support. As a letter from the groups supporting SCHIP -- again, AARP to YWCA and everything in between -- states, "As representatives of the nonpartisan organizations committed to improving the health care for all children, we are writing to urge your support of the bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the State Children's Health Insurance Program that is currently being negotiated on the Hill."
It is important to point out -- end of quote. It's important to point out in response to the president's remarks this morning that this bill is about American families, America's working families, who are struggling to stay in or to reach the middle class.
The legislation does not change SCHIP eligibility. And this bipartisan bill is fully paid for, no new deficit spending.
The president is wrong when he says Democrats want a political victory. What we want is a bipartisan bill. What we want is health care for 10 million children. That is the goal supported by all Americans, regardless of party, and I hope the president will join us.
With that, I'll be pleased to answer any questions.
Q Madame Speaker, are you concerned about the president threatening to veto this bill but also a litany of other bills coming out of Congress right now when he had not used his veto pen at all over the past several years?
SPEAKER PELOSI: Oh, he used his veto pen to veto the stem cell research bill. That was a major disappointment. That was one of our priorities in our Six for '06. I remember that veto very well, because he was saying, "I forbid science to proceed to improve the health of the American people."
I'm concerned about this bill right now today because we're on a short fuse. It has a 70 -- a September 30th deadline. That's -- by then the bill has to be reauthorized.
And we have really just -- it's been a joy to work with Senator Grassley, Senator Hatch, the Republicans in the Senate who have been committed to providing health care for America's children. So this is bipartisan. It's bicameral in its support. I'd say 43 governors across the country, Democrats and Republicans alike, support it. The president is alone in his opposition to this legislation.
So I'm concerned about this in particular and also, yes, about what will follow. But we'll see what the president will do about the other bills.
Q Do you have the votes to overcome the veto at this point?
SPEAKER PELOSI: The bill got 68 votes in the Senate, I believe, the first time out, and that was without Senator Johnson there. So I believe they are veto-proof in the Senate. And that's why we're optimistic about coming together in a bipartisan way with a bill that can have the broadest base of support while insuring the largest number of children.
Q So do you think by going to the Senate version of the bill you'll get more votes in the House? Or do you think the concerns about the tobacco tax increase might lose you some votes?
SPEAKER PELOSI: The -- when -- we didn't -- we went to the Senate number --
Q Yes, ma'am.
SPEAKER PELOSI: -- which means that instead of 11 million children, we'll be insuring 10 million children. But -- and that's a big improvement, double what the president is recommending that we insure.
In fact under the president's proposal, we'll be insuring fewer children, fewer children that are -- than are insured now. The number will go down. Going to the 10 million children number in the Senate with House language, I think, is a good combination. And when those negotiations are completely finished, you will see what that language is.
Q What House provisions are you going to -- (off mike)?
SPEAKER PELOSI: As I said, when the negotiations are finished, you will see what that legislation is. But it's to insure, again, 10 million children in a way that does not expand eligibility, that is paid for and that is respectful of the governors and how they want to implement SCHIP.
Q (Off mike) -- AMT and the SCHIP at the same time, you're raising the income threshold so high, and that regardless of what you're taxing, a tax is still a tax, whether it's tobacco or whatever, and they think that's a winner. (Off mike.)
SPEAKER PELOSI: If the Republicans think it's a winner to say we prefer not taxing cigarettes instead, so that we don't have to insure children, that's a fight we welcome. The choice is to have a bill that insures children that is paid for by a tobacco tax. If the president wants to criticize that tax and not insure the children, I think that's a poor choice. I think the American people agree.
In terms of -- what was your first point, Mark?
Q Eligibility --
SPEAKER PELOSI: Oh, the eligibility does not change in the bill. The eligibility does not change in the bill, period. The president is wrong when he says that. Eligibility does not change in the bill.
Q If there is a veto and no override, is a stopgap measure possible?
SPEAKER PELOSI: If there -- well, I'm optimistic. I'm hopeful that when the president does read the bill and sees what it does, that it is responsible, that it is bipartisan, that it is paid for and that it expands health care coverage, according to the promise that he made as a candidate when he ran, that in this term, all the children who were eligible would be enrolled, honoring his own commitment as a campaigner for his re-election, that hopefully the president will sign the bill.
This morning, I was very optimistic that the president would defy all of the scuttlebutt that was out there and that he would say that he would sign the bill, because it makes all the sense in the world. It is a value that the American people have. It is one that is shared by Democrats and Republicans alike in Congress, in the governors' offices and across the country. This is a poor choice for the president. I don't know how many votes we would get in the House, but the Senate is already veto-proof.
Q Madame Speaker, Democrats campaigned for the majority pledging that you would change the policy in Iraq. But you've been the speaker for nine months now, and you haven't been able to change the president's policy. What do you say to those voters who elected you, who are frustrated -- (Off mike)?
SPEAKER PELOSI: Well, if I may, I'd like to defer your question until we're finished with SCHIP, if there are any further questions on SCHIP.
Yes.
Q Is there any sort of grumbling or -- that you made members -- (off mike) -- Medicare because of the Medicare Advantage, and now -- (off mike) -- may be taken off the board?
SPEAKER PELOSI: Oh, this bill is just bifurcated. This isn't a question of we have one instead of the House bill. We'll be going forward with another bill that will contain the -- stopping the privatization of Medicare, which is what our legislation strives to do.
Q (Off mike.)
SPEAKER PELOSI: Yes, it's right.
Q (Off mike.)
SPEAKER PELOSI: No, I would never, as I say to my caucus, never confine the hopes, dreams and aspirations of the American people to what we can pass legislatively on any given day of the week. It's called the legislative process. We'll do it in two stages instead of one.
On the subject of Iraq, yes, as speaker of the House I have brought a number of bills to the floor which have received a majority. One of them went to the president's desk. The others were blocked by the 60-vote barrier in the Senate. And while most people in the country don't know about that 60-vote barrier, I think they'll become better acquainted with it as we go forward. It was a major disappointment yesterday when a bipartisan majority in the United States Senate, to respect the guidelines of the Department of Defense, their own guidelines -- equal time in theater, equal time at home -- was rejected because it did not achieve the 60 votes.
So that's sort of inside baseball about the 60 votes, but I can assure you it will become much better known to the American people because it is the barrier, it is the protection for the president's desk. What you saw the Republicans do in the Congress yesterday, in the Senate, was very, very disappointing. They turned this from President Bush's war into the Republicans' war.
Q Regardless of what the Senate did yesterday or failed to do, will House Democrats allow a compromise on Iraq to go -- (off mike)?
SPEAKER PELOSI: Well, we'll be making some announcements about that when we're ready to do so.
Q How does Ranking Member Barton's decision not to support the SCHIP package affect your chances of getting votes to overcome the veto?
SPEAKER PELOSI: I don't know. I don't know how many votes we will get to overcome the veto. But I remind you that the leadership very vehemently opposed our innovation agenda, and they didn't even get a hundred votes on the Republican side. But I don't know. I haven't counted the Republican votes. But I will say this; that there have been outreach to Republican members because we know that many of them want to support providing health care to 10 million children in our country. And we've gotten positive responses from many of them, but that doesn't mean when it comes down to the vote, that they will be with us. I just don't know. But I do know we'll have an overwhelming Democratic vote.
Q Would your chances of getting enough votes in the House to override -- would they be improved if the bill first clears the Senate and -- (off mike) -- opportunity to have first shot at a veto override? Would you attempt that first? Because Majority Leader Reid just said the Senate will be taking up the SCHIP bill. Will you guys try to have the House take it up first -- the Senate, rather, take it up first instead of the House?
SPEAKER PELOSI: It's not really up to -- you know, whatever the bill is will come to the appropriate house when we finish and the parliamentarians tell us how it will go. But my thought was that we would take it up first in the House.
Q The president asked for a temporary -- (off mike) -- extension. Why not go that route?
SPEAKER PELOSI: Because what the president is asking for serves fewer children than what we're striving to do. The governors have asked for certainty. They have said that we have to meet the needs of children in our states. So what good would an extension do? I don't know what the point is of an extension. So that we can have this conversation again and then have another extension? The moment of truth is now. The president is saying, "I forbid" 10 million children in America to have health care. You know from your Latin that's what "veto" means. And we're saying in a bipartisan way -- in Washington, in state houses across the country -- that we want this legislation to pass in a timely way, and we're on schedule to do that.
Q Madame Speaker, have you talked about --
SPEAKER PELOSI: I would just -- first, anyone who hasn't had a question yet? Yes, sir.
Q I have one, but it's on Iraq. Did you see the president's news conference this morning or --
SPEAKER PELOSI: I did not.
Q He repudiated Democrats for not speaking out against the MoveOn.org ad. And he said that most Democrats are more afraid of irritating them -- MoveOn.org's organization -- than they are of irritating the United States military.
I'd like to have you respond to that or give you a chance to respond.
SPEAKER PELOSI: How can I be as generous as I possibly can to the president of the United States to characterize members of Congress in that way? But let me say my own response to that.
You know, the Senate just voted to -- it was to announce, condemn, whatever it is -- MoveOn for that ad, but at the same time, they rejected assaults on those who have served in our military with great heroism -- the Boxer amendment. It seems that the Republicans are selective in how they want to honor those who are serving or have served in the military. I think it was very disappointing, but it was also very telling.
Yes?
Q Madame Speaker, Dubai has said it will buy a 20-percent stake in the Nasdaq. Did this raise any alarm bells with you or -- (off mike)?
SPEAKER PELOSI: I don't know if it raised alarm bells but it has raised some questions. And I think it's quite a different issue than the ports issue, because that really was a security issue; this is a marketplace issue. I'll be interested to learn more about it, and I'm certain I'll have that opportunity in the next few days and next week. I'll look forward to that.
Okay? Unless -- because I have to go to Intelligence now. (Chuckles.)
Q Madame Speaker, on Iraq, you talked about the 60-vote barrier in the Senate.
SPEAKER PELOSI: Yes.
Q There were some moves in the last Congress, most notably by former Majority Leader Frist, to abandon the 60 votes and those types of things. Do you think, now that Democrats are having trouble moving things because of that 60-vote barrier, that the rules should be changed at this point?
SPEAKER PELOSI: You're asking me to answer a question about how the Senate can conduct its business? (Laughs.)
Q You're the -- (off mike).
SPEAKER PELOSI: No, I -- I wouldn't dare go there. But I will say this, that when they implement the 60-vote rule, what they're saying is you cannot debate this issue and bring it to a majority, up or down vote in the Senate of the United States. That's undemocratic. I think the American people, the more they know about it, will be appalled by it, and it will have its own dynamic.
But when we're talking about an issue as personal a vote as a vote on the war is, as important a vote as it is to the country, for the 60 -- for the Republicans in the Senate to insist that they will have a barrier -- but, you know, they're not just protecting themselves from having to vote; that 60-vote barrier is a gate around the president's desk. It's a vote to protect him from unpleasant vetoes. It's a vote to protect him from a definition of who is for a 10-year war -- or more -- at full strength in Iraq, as the president is proposing, or those on the Democratic side who are espousing a responsible redeployment out of Iraq so that we can address the readiness needs of our military so that we can focus on the real war on terror, and redeployment would help us do that.
So this is because they don't want the American people to see the distinction, and nothing defines a distinction better than a veto or a signature, as the case may be. So the choice is stick with the president, and now the Republicans in the Senate have aligned themselves with him very closely for a 10-year or longer commitment to a war without end as opposed to a responsible redeployment out of Iraq, which has bipartisan support in both houses of the Congress and certainly among the American people.
But we'll have more on Iraq at some future meetings. I thought it might be useful if we met on a more regular basis, and I'll have some more to say on this subject.
Q (Off mike.) We like that. (Laughter.)
SPEAKER PELOSI: Okay.
Q (Off mike) -- idea.
SPEAKER PELOSI: I've been very busy. I had to do my legislative agenda. Now that most of it is becoming law or at least going to the president's desk, we can talk more about it.
Q To follow up on that, you've been -- you've decided to have these conferences with us nine months into your term because you've been frustrated that the Congress is not getting credit for what you see you accomplished?
SPEAKER PELOSI: Well, I've just been very busy passing the bills. This is a heavy lift, trying to get bipartisan support for legislation, and we have on all of our agenda. You've given me the opportunity to talk about it.
I'm so proud of the 9/11 commission, H.R. 1., our first bill, signed into law by the president.
Minimum wage, first minimum wage in 10 years, now the law of the land.
The innovation agenda.
Our commitment to competitiveness, to keep America number one, to keep good-paying jobs and businesses in the United States, signed into law by the president.
The -- this past week the -- we signed -- enrolled the bill and sent it to the president that would make college more affordable, the biggest package for college tuition assistance since the G.I. Bill in 1944.
The energy bill that we passed, that we're going to conference with the Senate on, that we will send to the president as well.
The -- what did I forget? Anything?
STAFF (?): Lobbyists.
SPEAKER PELOSI: Oh. Well, first and foremost, my liberation day, lobby reform last week, when the president signed the lobby reform bill, breaking the link between lobbyists and legislation in the Congress of the United States -- part of my drain-the-swamp promise that I made to the American people.
So whether it's about protecting the American people, growing our economy, strengthening our families and our children, or our -- preserving our planet through energy independence and reversing global warming, and to do so with accountability, no new deficit spending, pay as you go, honest leadership, open government, as demonstrated by the bill the president signed last week, our lobby reform bill.
So I'm very proud of what we have done.
And now, of course, our focus is on SCHIP. And so we're hoping that by next week we will have already passed a bill out of one house, go to the other, signed or whatever by the president by September 30th.
At the same time, I want to say that we passed all 12 appropriations bills, no new deficit spending, pay as you go.
So I'm very proud of the record of Congress. I just now have time to spend a little more time with all of you, and I look forward --
Q Any plans for a weekly press conference?
SPEAKER PELOSI: It might be every day. (Laughter.)
Q (Off mike.)
SPEAKER PELOSI: Are you ready for that? (Laughter.)
(Laughs.) Then why are you laughing? (Laughter.)
Q (Off mike.)
Q Thank you.
SPEAKER PELOSI: Thank you all very much.
Q I'm shocked at --
SPEAKER PELOSI: (Laughs.)
Q Thank you.
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