Press Conference with Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Speaker of the House of Rep.S
Press Conference
PRESS CONFERENCE WITH REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA), SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REP.S
SUBJECT: THE BUDGET
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SPEAKER PELOSI: Good morning.
Q Good morning.
SPEAKER PELOSI: They called five votes. "They" called five votes. I don't know who's in charge here -- (laughter) -- that they start calling votes when the speaker has a very important meeting in the ceremonial office, but thank you all for your patience.
This is a very special day for us. It is a day that we've waited for, worked for, hoped for, and now we will be able to pass a budget that truly is a statement of our national values.
They called the five votes, so I had to be there with my members for a bit, but we were -- I was reminding them that -- and I will again later today -- that when I became speaker, I quoted Thomas Jefferson, who wisely said that every difference of opinion is not a difference of principle. But some are. And the difference of opinion on these budgets is indeed a difference on principle, on some of the principles that Americans hold dear -- principles of fairness, principles of security, principles of responsibility, principles that make our country great.
In terms of fairness, I'm so pleased that this budget will give a tax cut to over 95 percent of the American people; at last, some fairness, more fairness in the tax code and fairness that says that health care is a right, not a privilege, and that we can move forward for universal, quality, accessible health care for all Americans, on the basis of this budget.
It's about responsibility to do so in a way that -- to do so in a way that balances the budget. It takes us on a course to reducing the budget deficit, to do so in a way that had we not had all the economic and financial crisis of the past few months, we could have done more rapidly. But revenue foregone for that prevents that. Nonetheless it's responsible in that way, to reduce the deficit and not heap mountains of debt on future generations.
It is responsible also in how we become less energy-dependent on foreign oil, how we move to that independence, how we do so with investments, in renewables that are safer for our environment and innovative to keep America competitive and number one. It's about opportunity, the principle of opportunity, investments in education.
Let me just say about health care, for a moment, with all of the legislation that we have passed this year, whether it's SCHIP with 11 million of our children, whether it's health IT in the Recovery Act and other initiatives in the Recovery Act, whether it is what is in our omnibus bill and what is in this budget, we will be doing more in the first three months of this year than has been done in decades, in terms of advancing health care reform and making it more accessible to more Americans.
So back to education and opportunity, what we've done, in the bills that I named just now, and add to that the GIVE Act, now called the Senator Kennedy national service act -- is that the new title, national service act? But in any event, with what was formerly known as GIVE, generations inspiring volunteerism and education, with all of that, those bills, the bills that we have passed, we have done more for education than any one time in history.
With the parks bill that we passed this year, we will have the biggest conservation legislation, ever.
So anyway, to get back to this budget, it's about -- it's about opportunity in education, about fairness in our health -- health care right and underprivileged, about fairness in the Tax Code. It's about security, and I'm so particularly pleased -- you know, our first responsibility is to protect the American people, and I'm particularly pleased that in this legislation, the president's budget -- it's the first time that the president has -- a president has exceeded the veterans' independent budget. Now, I hasten to add that we Democrats did that in the last session of Congress, but that was a legislative initiative. This is the time a president's budget does just that, to honor our heroes, our veterans.
And so again, security, responsibility, opportunity, fairness -- these are principles that we have a difference on. In stark contrast to what the Republican proposal is -- really, a hollow shell of a budget. It gives increased tax cuts to the wealthy, makes an assault on Social Security benefits, Medicare and Medicaid, and erases the recovery package which is a source of hope to so many people.
So, yes, this difference of opinion is a difference of principle. We'll go forth with pointing out those differences on the floor. The American people want us to find our common ground, where we can, but they did not send us here to split the difference. They want real change, and we've come here to make a difference. And we'll do just that with this budget that is on the floor today.
I'm very excited about it. I said to my members this morning that this is sort of an emancipation day for me. It's something we've worked very hard for in these first three months, to lay a foundation for turning our economy around, meeting the health needs of the American people, making our environment safe for our country, less energy dependent -- doing all this, and so many more things, in a way that takes down the deficit.
So as we go forward from here, it'll be based on a budget that truly is a statement of our national values. And now we look forward to a very vigorous debate on all of the issues that follow, when we come back after the Passover-Easter break.
With that, I'll be pleased to take any questions that you may have.
Q Speaker, there's a couple of energy proposals out there, one by Waxman and Markey, another one by Congressman Larson and a few others, calling for an emissions tax. But there is some concern that they could put an undue burden on families and also the industry. I want to know where you come down on either piece of legislation, and what do you make of those concerns?
SPEAKER PELOSI: Well, thank you for your question. As you know, this issue of energy is a flagship issue for my speakership, so I'm very pleased with the principles that they have set forth. But your question is exactly the right one. We cannot go forward with something if it's going to put an undue burden on our -- our ratepayers. And so I would hope that whatever -- well, I will work to see that whatever we do does not increase the burden on our ratepayers, and also has mitigation for business, so we can be competitive. It isn't fair to say we have to live by a certain standard, other countries don't; their cost of production is less; we're less competitive. Whatever legislation we have will have to mitigate for that.
And we're having very productive discussions among various circles. I call it the giant kaleidoscope: different people in different designs in different meetings, but all of us concerned about having very serious, important legislation passed, but that unifies and is built on consensus in our caucus. And the issues that you mentioned are very important to us -- to us all, actually.
Q Madame Speaker?
SPEAKER PELOSI: Do you have one?
Q Madame Speaker, on that issue, some of your members -- Congressman Doyle, who's on the Energy Subcommittee -- are concerned about the time table. They want to have some kind of assurance from the Senate that they're going to be willing to move something on cap- and-trade, or something like it --
SPEAKER PELOSI: We all are, yes.
Q -- before you bring it to the floor.
And do you have a sense of when you'd like to see a cap-and-trade bill come to the floor?
SPEAKER PELOSI: This year. This year. I mean in this session of Congress. And we --
Q Would you delay until you have a better sense of what the Senate --
SPEAKER PELOSI: Well, we are -- we're building our consensus. And when we are ready, we will bring it to the floor. I've never been driven by a Senate timetable or what they're willing to pass. We set our own pace and our own standard here, but respectful of what we can get done, working together with the Senate. But the conversations we have been having are taking us to consensus, and we've been working closely with Mr. Doyle, who's a leader on this subject, and many other members of the caucus.
But it is -- when we are ready -- and that means when we are together on this, we will go forward. And I'm pleased at the kinds of conversations we've had. And may I salute Mr. Waxman and Mr. Markey for the consensus-building that they are doing, both within -- on the committee, within our caucus, and with the Republicans as well they are attempting to do that.
Q Madame Speaker, can you give an idea of your legislative agenda in the immediate term for when you come back from the two-week break?
SPEAKER PELOSI: When we come back -- yes. Well, when we come back, of course, we have to take up the budget -- we have to reconcile the budget. We have to, House and Senate, come together and then pass a budget resolution, which will lay the foundation for how we go forward with our appropriations bills, which will be a good part of how we go forward in May and in June.
The other issues that we will be dealing with deal with issues that relate to the financial crisis in our country, whether -- and especially how they affect individuals in our country, whether it's predatory lending, credit card reform, stopping mortgage scams, those kinds of initiatives, and then working with the White House on financial oversight and reform, including expanding the -- or addressing the Federal Reserve authority. So it will be about the budget and the appropriations process, and the financial crisis in our country. And we see them directly related.
Q That includes legislation on systemic risk regulator from Financial Services?
SPEAKER PELOSI: If that is -- if it is necessary to have legislation, but your point is the right one. Regulatory reform is very -- a very, very important part of what has to happen as we address the financial crisis.
It's long overdue. Not having regulatory reform is probably -- is one of the reasons that we got into this fix in the first place. So we'll just see what is required in terms of legislation. But that, indeed, would be a priority.
What I told you was not exhaustive of our agenda, but just some of the highlights, some of our regular legislation that we have to deal with in terms of intelligence authorization, those kinds of bills.
At some point, we'll see from the Infrastructure and Transportation Committee legislation for the surface -- the Senate surface transportation bill, which is a big jobs bill.
So we have a full agenda, and by June -- we'll have the Memorial break in between there, but between now and June 30th, when the appropriations bills should be done, we hope to have most -- much of that work done.
Q Madame Speaker?
Q Madame Speaker?
SPEAKER PELOSI: No. I'm sorry. Right here?
Q Mr. Hoyer said today that he would like to see the "cash for clunker" legislation brought to the floor when you come back from the recess. Do you see the House passing that? And how do you see it being funded?
SPEAKER PELOSI: The "cash for clunker," it has -- it has a couple different manifestations here. I think the legislation that Mr. Steve Israel has and working with Senator Feinstein in the Senate and Betty Sutton -- and now they're having conversations. Their bills had some differences. But I think that there's some -- they're coming to agreement on that. It would be a great bill to have.
I believe the administration has said they would take money from the TARP funds to pay for that. But we'll work with them to see if we can't get that done. But it has to be really cash for clunkers; we're accomplishing what we set out to do, which is not to trade up a 29- mile-per-gallon car for a 28-mile-per-gallon, but to really have it make a difference in reducing emissions and dependence on foreign oil.
But I'm very excited about the prospect of that legislation.
Q (Off mike) -- such legislation?
SPEAKER PELOSI: I don't -- I do -- I mean, Mr. Hoyer, our distinguished leader, sets the agenda. So I can't talk to you about timing. But some of the issues that I have named are priority for us. And this would be among them.
Unfortunately, I'm going to have to go to work, because we -- do you have -- just one more? Did you --
Q The president again, I believe, in London, mentioned that the administration is starting to signs of economic recovery.
SPEAKER PELOSI: Yes.
Q I was wondering if, in your personal life, either here in Washington or back in your district, if you are seeing any signs of an economic rebound. Or are things bottoming, still, on the -- bottoming along, or getting worse, even?
SPEAKER PELOSI: Well, you're asking me at a time when I have a brand-new grandchild that's 10 days old -- or 11 days old, so the optimism that I have about her prospects and the hope that I have for her may color what I say to you and also color my enthusiasm for this budget today about the future.
But there's no question that interest rates are down -- we know that; that more mortgages are being written. That is going up. There are some glimmers, as the president said. The jobs number always lags. And, as you know, there's a serious jobs number today that we hope will soon catch up to the other glimmers of enthusiasm. But in our house, we're doing all we can to stimulate the economy with carriages and bassinets and toys and clothes. So I guess when a new baby comes, you have no choice. And so when children are the --
Q (Off mike)?
SPEAKER PELOSI: Yes. (Chuckles.)
Q I would like to follow up on that, Madame Chair. A question about the House. With so many mothers of young children as House members now, indeed, mothers of newborns, how has that changed the character of the House, and how has that changed the way you have to run the House?
SPEAKER PELOSI: For me, to have new moms in the House is really a dream come true. As some of you may know or realize, I came here when my children were all grown. My youngest was going to be a senior in high school. The others were all -- the four were all in college or beyond. And so I thought, at the time, I had my contribution to make from my own experience. But I wanted to see a Congress where many new moms were here, as new dads are here all the time and nobody ever makes an issue of it. And they have their responsibilities and honor them at home as well.
But new moms being here are important for a couple of different reasons. First of all, we wanted younger women coming into the Congress so that they could gain their experience and their seniority, make their mark at a younger age than most of the women who had come before, which were usually after our children were grown in our generation.
Secondly, it's a real message to working moms and young moms across America that someone who shares their experience and their aspirations for their children is a voice for them in the Congress. Certainly they represent their own constituents.
But young moms, I think, across the country -- the country identify with seeing someone in their generation, in their experience, having a vote on the floor of Congress through the prism of the next generation.
And that's why I'm so pleased that we were able to initiate that -- is this more on the subject than you want to know? -- (laughter) -- the lactation room -- (laughs) -- the lactation room, so that moms, whether they are members of Congress or members of the Press Corps or members of the staff, could have their proper privacy in order to meet the needs of their new babies and not have their decision based on whether there was a room here or not.
So, in recognition of how important all of that is -- and it's not just members of Congress; it's, again, the press, the staff -- we want to see young moms be able to make their contribution, to advance their careers on Capitol Hill without any obstacles relating to privacy or otherwise.
So for me, it's a very good thing. It's good for our country. More young moms in Congress. Pretty soon, more women leaders in the Congress. And who knows? Maybe one of these new young moms will be the president of the United States. But the earlier the start, the better the chance.
Thank you all very much.
END.
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