Press Conference with Reps. Rahm Emanuel (D-IL) and James Clyburn (D-SC) on the Cost of the Iraq War
Interview
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REP. CLYBURN: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I don't think we can emphasize enough what the president's veto of the Children's Health Insurance Program really means, especially when you take into account the reasons he put forward for his veto. And I want to just take a moment just to go back over those reasons.
Number one, the president said he was vetoing the Children's Health Insurance Program because, as Rahm says, of excessive spending. And he used to undergird his argument the fact that there were adults on the program, but the program was designed for children.
Well, the fact of the matter is, there are seven states that he gave waivers to, to allow adults on the program. The adults came on the program because of his waivers.
And then he argues that the program should be vetoed because adults were allowed on the program, not telling the American people that in the bill we said that the president was wrong in doing that, and we will phase them out, all those adults, within two years. That's in the bill that he vetoed. So he vetoed a bill that sought to cure the problem he said existed.
Second, he said that the program ought to be there for all poor children. Well, the fact of the matter is, the children's health insurance program was never designed for that purpose. It was designed to give middle-income relief to Americans. For people whose incomes are too high for their children to qualify for Medicaid, but then not high enough for them to afford private insurance. And so SCHIP was designed for that purpose. So he in fact, after arguing when he was being nominated for a second term, for the expansion of the SCHIP program, he comes back and vetoed the very expansion that he argued for. And so I think that the American people are now beginning to focus on exactly what this veto really meant.
I did quite a few -- quite a few questions, three states over the weekend. Everywhere I went people were talking about two things. They were talking about the Children's Health Insurance Program, and when we're going to bring a bill back to force this issue back on to the political scene.
The other thing, as the chairman just mentioned, what we have done for veterans. In my state, I live within the shadows of Fort Jackson, Shaw Air Force Base; the base itself is not in my district. All the people or live and work on that base live in my district -- Charleston Air Force Base, as well as the Charleston Naval Weapons Station. All these things are in my district, and people are very concerned. The two big MRAP plants are in my district down in North Charleston.
So people are now focusing on the fact that a lot of rhetoric that's been parried by this administration toward veterans, but the kind of deeds that they expect to get from the American people they're not getting. And so I think Rahm is right; when you look at what we're spending for this war and compare that to the $6.7 billion that we've already given to -- for veterans benefits, which came in the supplemental and in the CR. I think there's no comparison to what this Congress is doing on behalf of veterans, compared to what this administration is doing.
MR. : Let me thank my colleagues. I think they've covered every aspect of this issue that needs to be. And I just want to affirm what the speaker has said, that we will pass this bill this week. And if the president vetoes it and if we can't override it, we will pass it again. And that's the determination and resolve. That's what our constituents expect of us, and that's what I heard all across my district when I went home this week, is that, please, send that back to the president.
And with that, let's turn it over to the questions. And I turn it back to the chair.
Q On the SCHIP bill, today here -- Pete Stark apologized today. Is there a concern that -- (off mike)?
REP. EMANUEL: Pete Stark did what Pete Stark did, and what we're talking about today is the 10 million kids --
Q (Off mike.)
REP. EMANUEL: No, what Pete Stark said was what Pete Stark said. And he apologized, and I think that answers it.
What pertains to SCHIP is the health care for 10 million children, and whether they're going to get it or not. Remember, this program doesn't -- the authorization ends on November 16th. And what we're doing here and all of our efforts are is to make sure that the children of working parents -- 10 million of them -- have health care. It's a bipartisan agreement -- 45 Republicans joining 220-plus Democrats, 18 Republican senators joining 51 Democratic senators. That's what's important.
He apologized.
Linda.
Q (Off mike) -- changes will you make to try to get --
REP. EMANUEL: Linda, I think that we've had a series of meetings that are going to continue. But I think that there's a series of issues that have been raised, as Chairman Clyburn just mentioned, as it relates to either adults, immigrants or income. Those are the specific areas they talked about, and those are the specific areas.
Now, we think the bill already deals with it, but there's no reason that we can't highlight those or enhance them. But in no means will there be any discussion in reducing 10 million kids. The only commitment we'll make is, we won't go above 10 million kids but we ain't going below 10 million kids.
Q (Off mike) -- Republicans who voted against it already --
REP. EMANUEL: There's a lot -- I would say this. The discussions we're having are all in the favorable space.
Q (Off mike.) Is that what you anticipate? Or --
REP. EMANUEL: No, I think that -- right, if. I think he's holding that out there, that this is an issue that until we get it done, we're going to -- we are determined to see it through. Okay.
Q (Off mike) -- to enact funding?
REP. EMANUEL: I don't think you'll be -- I don't think that's -- I won't answer a hypothetical. We're going to get this done.
Q Will Chairman Stark manage the debate on the floor? (Soft laughter.) No -- (inaudible) --
REP. EMANUEL: Well, how about this --
Q One of the congressmen said, you know, part of the reason that this happened, part of the reason he made those remarks is because of the devastating toll that's happening over in Iraq and because of -- you know, because of how they manage a bill that, you know --
REP. EMANUEL: Right. You know what? Look --
Q It's sort of an uphill fight.
REP. EMANUEL: When we get the bill on the floor, you'll see who manages it.
Q So that's yes?
Q Do you agree with the financial --
REP. EMANUEL: That -- wait. Wait. Hold on a second. I apologize. What -- that was -- no. That was not a maybe. It was when we get the bill on the floor, you'll see who manages it. That's what it was.
Q Do you agree with the financial aid for Mexico -- (off mike)?
REP. EMANUEL: In this -- that relate to the war on drugs?
Q Yes.
REP. EMANUEL: I want to take a look at the whole proposal. And I'm not going to speak for the whole caucus here. We're going to have that at that point.
Q Mr. Chairman, how would you describe the mood of the caucus? It's been such a long year. When you look -- you know you're looking at extra overtime period in December now. What's their mood going into that? And how confident are you that you're going to be able to finish it during those -- (off mike)?
REP. EMANUEL: The SCHIP bill?
Q Finish everything in early December.
REP. EMANUEL: Well, I -- well, look, first of all, I feel very comfortable. We set our goal for November 16th.
Let's take stock of both what has happened and what has to happen. After 10 years of waiting for an increase in the minimum wage, that has happened. After your -- you don't think I've got the memory? (Laughter.)
REP. CLYBURN: Don't trust --
REP. EMANUEL: You don't think my youth -- you want to do this?
REP. CLYBURN: I don't want to trust --
REP. EMANUEL: Okay. I'll give this. (Laughter.) You don't think my youth is good --
REP. CLYBURN: I'm here.
REP. EMANUEL: Okay.
REP. CLYBURN: I've got your back. (Laughter.)
REP. EMANUEL: That's right. Now I'm nervous! (Laughter.)
(Laughs.) We're taking this on the road. There's open mike Thursday nights at the "Laugh-In."
I'm going to see if I can do this without it here. We got -- 10 years we waited for an increase in the minimum wage -- should leave it right there. (Laughs.)
(Laughter.) Don't test me too much! (Laughter.) I was on the road this weekend, too. I was traveling all over.
Passed -- four and a half years after 9/11, we passed the 9/11 commission recommendations --
Q Why did it take so long?
REP. EMANUEL: Hold on. Wait.
Q Why did it take so long -- (off mike)?
REP. EMANUEL: Wait a second. No, no. I appreciate that, but 10 years after a minimum wage -- done within six months. Four and a half years after 9/11 -- passed within six months.
I appreciate that your -- with your facials, you're not happy with the answer. But let me just go finish -- (inaudible). We got stem cell bill, stem cell bill that has -- was gotten there. We had the largest increase in college assistance since the GI Bill, and there was not in six years of the president's term under a Republican Congress any increase in Pell grants. We did a thousand dollars in college assistance.
There was also -- we have the most significant and largest increase in benefits and health care benefits for returning Iraqi war vets and Afghan war vets since the creation of the Veterans Administration.
Now we have three to four major objectives in the final weeks. I know you're a student. You didn't -- you could have written the other stuff down, too, but -- now that you're writing this down -- got it.
Okay. One is to get 10 million children their health care.
Two is to set a goal, is to make sure that America has energy policy that is -- creates jobs at home as well as breaks our dependence on foreign oil.
And third, to make sure that the National Institute of Health, the police corps in this country, veterans, cargo inspection all get fully funded, because the president's veto exists on making sure that America's needs here at home are met, his veto to the appropriations bills.
We intend to get each one -- and including also FISA -- out of the House and Senate. Whether it gets done through conference is another subject. I'm going to put that as a vote (yeah ?).
But children's health -- 10 million kids, their health care; the needs for our medical research; our veterans' health care benefits; our police forces in our communities, all to be fully funded, that is also our objective. And we see that as all doable and will be done. And I don't think the American people have a single problem if we stay two extra weeks beyond the schedule to get that work done.
Q Did you mention the AMT?
REP. EMANUEL: Right. Well --
Q There's been calls from the Treasury secretary that you need to get your act done. Act together on passing a patch, so that they can print the tax forms -- (off mike) --
REP. EMANUEL: Well, we --
Q Will you get that done? And will it be paid for?
REP. EMANUEL: Yeah. Well, hey, let me start with the second question. Anything we do as it relates to the AMT or any bill is fully paid for. And Jim and John, you just chime in at any time here.
The second thing is, we do plan on doing that.
And third, let me remind you -- and I do appreciate Secretary Paulson saying -- or the Treasury, you said -- saying that we have to get our work done. But they have a budget that relies on 10 years of increasing taxes through the AMT. The president's budget only sees a one-year fix and then for the -- as far as the eye can see, from the president's own budget, relies -- increasing revenues coming from the AMT.
So although we today -- and I think that Chairman Rangel introduced a bill or talked about a bill that he's going to introduce, a very comprehensive tax reform that includes not only AMT reform -- that is, the Alternative Minimum Tax for middle-class families -- but a corporate tax cut. We would like to have somebody in the administration to talk to that -- to talk to on that subject.
STAFF: Last question.
Q From what you said earlier, that FISA and SCHIP either/or would happen this week, from your statements here, shall we assume that FISA's not going to happen?
REP. EMANUEL: Nope.
I just know that we just did -- I'm trying to give you a report out of the caucus that we're determined to see through the SCHIP, and we're working through also FISA. It may happen this week, it may happen next week.
Q (Off mike.)
REP. EMANUEL: That is the intention of what the leadership said.
Q (Off mike.)
REP. EMANUEL: So we'll see.
Yeah?
Q (Off mike) -- talk a little bit about the failure to attach a timeline to the Iraq funding and how that -- how you think that's going to play out? Is it going to be next year or -- (off mike)?
REP. EMANUEL: Well, what we're going to do is continue to do our oversight as it relates to meeting the benchmarks and the goals that we've set out that has not happened, so the Iraqi government understands that they don't have just an open wallet with an open commitment from the American people, that there's a limitation on that. And that is also to make sure that the contractors, who to date basically realized that even when they lost money it has nothing to do with their ability to get a renewed contract -- that that's not going to happen.
Congress for six years basically had an approach when it came to the waste, the fraud and abuse and the lack of having a policy for Iraq, as it related to Iraqi on the political side of this equation, that in fact there's somebody on the beat asking questions, demanding answers and holding the administration accountable. What has happened for four-and-a-half years in the Iraqi war is Congress didn't do its job of holding the administration accountable. We have been clear about wanting to see a date certain for the American troops to begin to come home. We passed -- I think it was just two weeks ago was the Tanner-Abercrombie --
REP./STAFF : That's right.
REP. EMANUEL: -- to force the administration to come up with a plan for doing that, and that is -- our commitment to getting that done hasn't changed. We may do different things to get that done, but that's our goal.
Thank you.
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