Transcript of Pelosi Press Conference Today

Contact: Drew Hammill, 202-226-7616

Washington, D.C. – Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi held her weekly press conference today in the Capitol Visitor Center. Below is a transcript of the press conference:

Leader Pelosi. Good morning, everyone. How are you? According to some of our Republican colleagues, we are almost ready to go home for the year. We put in a few weeks of non-legislative accomplishment, and the time is up. And that nothing agenda, never timetable is not working for the American people. We are very pleased that yesterday a large number of Democrats gathered together to announce that we have a discharge petition on the minimum wage – over 150. Right away, we left the press conference, went to the Floor, over 150 Members in that short period of time signed the discharge petition.

Last time we raised the minimum wage – just think of this – the last time we raised the minimum wage was in our first 100 hours when we had the majority, and that was in 2007. There was a vote of 315. Three hundred and fifteen votes, 82 of them were Republicans. This has always been bipartisan. This is not us spoiling for a fight of something to make a differentiation. At least 36 of those 82 are still in Congress.

And I know that some more of the new Members who have come would support an increase in the minimum wage. All we want is a vote. Economists and experts agree that when Americans can earn higher pay, businesses benefit, communities thrive, and our nation prospers. Perhaps you were at our press conference yesterday, but I think it bears repeating, the small business owners who testified talked about what it meant to them in the productivity of their workers, what it meant in longevity of holding workers for a longer period of time, and the morale.

They talked about if you don't have a decent wage, in this case they would argue for a minimum wage, families suffer, children suffer, and women suffer. Over 60 percent of people making the minimum wage are women. So just think this: if we would pass this bill we would lift one million people out of poverty. We would increase the wages for 25 million people. If America raises it, at the end of the day, 25 million people. And we would again empower women, women who – some single moms who are making the minimum wage – a little extra money in those terms goes a very, very long way.

By signing the discharge petition, by casting the vote, establishing a higher minimum wage – more money in the pockets of consumers. There is just no question. Consumer purchasing power injects demand into the economy, creates jobs; more demand for our small businesses and gives more security for our middle class.

I must be allergic to the rugs in here. Aren't you? I always get the sniffles.

[Laughter]

The Republicans should really stop standing between this raise for the middle class. By the way, that bill that we passed with 315 votes was signed into law by President George W. Bush. So Democrats and Republicans had supported this in large numbers, in a bipartisan way, signed by Democratic and Republican Presidents when it has come to his or her – I guess just his desk.

After one of the least productive legislative years of Congress in history, then they decided they want to do even less. The House, by the end of February, did the debt ceiling and then said: "We finished our business and now we can go home." So let's talk about what is left. Renewing UI: in March, the number of people without extended unemployment benefits will rise to two million people. Two million people who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own, who have worked hard, are trying to find work, two million of them, no checks. This translates into sustaining life in terms of maintaining their homes, their dignity. How can we as a Nation say that? This is something the system has been paid into for UI.

We thought when they didn't do it in December they don't like doing UI. Those people are invisible, as I told you before, invisible, and therefore they are indifferent to them. But again, UI purchasing power injects demand into the economy. So even if they are indifferent to people who are out of work or they are invisible to them, they have to know that it has a direct impact on the economy by increasing purchasing power. It is really remarkable. Just when you think you have seen it all in terms of indifference to working families in America, here we are. Another bill that we think – and we know, if you bring a minimum wage to the bill floor, it will pass, if you would bring an UI bill to the floor, it would pass. If you bring an immigration bill to the floor, it would pass. The immigration bill has what now – 199 cosponsors? Something like that, including Republicans – good for them, what courage. We know it would have the votes if they brought that legislation to the floor. Just give us a vote. In any way the Speaker wants to do it, just give us a vote.

As you probably have seen, over 600 business organizations, working with the Chamber of Commerce, are calling for a vote on comprehensive immigration reform because it will create jobs, energize the economy, and restore confidence. Again, it is the people, the three B's: badges, security, representatives of public safety have come here advocating comprehensive immigration reform; the Bibles, the religious community all over the place on this issue; and businesses, as I said, 600. We have the votes. We have 198 cosponsors, including three Republicans, but the GOP leadership refuses to act.

And all they seem to want to do is talk about ACA and the rest of that. And what they want to do by repealing it is to say to women – the bill says to women: no longer being a woman is a preexisting condition, medical condition. No longer will you be discriminated against on the basis of your policy and your race because you are a woman.

They want to reverse that. No longer can women and children, young people stay on their parents' policies until they are 26 years old. No longer will we have – they want to replace the caps, annual and lifetime, on what the policies can cover for people.

I mean, no longer will having a preexisting medical condition be an obstacle to insurance with no limits. But they want to reverse that, preexisting condition, a child born with a condition, a person, a woman who perhaps survived breast cancer. You name it, whatever it is, you know the list very well from your own families. So many people come up to me quietly and say: "I have a preexisting condition. Thank you. I don't want the world to know. But I want you to know that my life is changed in terms of my health and in terms of my economic security."

So again, they should end their obsession with repealing the landmark law. There isn't a bill that has passed that we didn't say "make improvements," and especially in terms of implementation as we see that go forward. But we are very proud of the policy that is there. We want the implementation to be better, and are open to suggestions. But again, no turning back in terms of preexisting conditions, lifetime limits, children on their parents' policies. The list goes on.

Again, as I told you, it is about innovation. It is about wellness. It is about prevention. It is about the good health of America; not just health care, about a healthier America. So with that I would be pleased to take any questions you have. Chad, how are you?

Q: Good morning. Good to see you.

Leader Pelosi. I loved meeting you and your guest yesterday.

Q: Thank you for doing that.

Leader Pelosi. Can I tell them? This is the most remarkable thing. I was in my office, and they said Chad has a guest – I am sure you have all met her, doing reporting.

Q: Girl Scout.

Leader Pelosi. Girl Scout. We just had the Boy Scouts. A Girl Scout. So happy to say hello. But before I could get outside, my guest left the office to go outside, who was the Prime Minister of Georgia, Georgia in the Caucasus. And this little girl had lived in Georgia. So Chad got her a photo op with the Prime Minister of Georgia.

Q: She speaks Georgian, which is why he stopped.

Leader Pelosi. Isn't that remarkable? Well, you never know on any given day around here what could happen. Now what was your question?

Q: So keeping on foreign policy, there is a push by some Democrats and Republicans, particularly on the other side of the building, about an Iran sanctions bill. Do you still have confidence in this agreement that the international community signed off to?

Leader Pelosi. Yes. Yes.

Q: Should be there any pause about this?

Leader Pelosi. I believe that we should be doing due diligence. I think we will have a report today – on a regular basis, the leadership of the Congress in a bipartisan way on the House side, separate from the Senate, but nonetheless, committee leadership, of House leadership – on the progress of the agreement. The Administration has been very responsible in terms of, in a diligent way, reporting to us so our oversight function is being honored. I have confidence in the President and the Secretary of State, all who have participated in bringing these people to the table. I have been on this issue for decades. And in the 1990s, in my position as Ranking Member on Foreign Ops, I would go to these countries, including France, but Russia, China, to say to them: "Please stop transferring technology to Iran." They would say: "Oh, it is dual use, and you know, what is the fuss?" and all the rest of that. The Russians and the Chinese didn't say much. They were just transferring the technology.

At that time, a lot of the technology was not indigenous to Iran. Of course now they are very smart people and they have the technology, they have the scientific know-how. It was also being transferred to them with launch capacity. So, you know, with something like this, you wonder, do they have the technology? Do they have the scientific know-how? Do they have the launch capacity? And what is their intention? Those four things.

So again, we have been tracking this for a very long time. I never would have thought that the United States and these countries would come together – China, Russia, the countries in Europe, the permanent five plus one – would come together to an agreement on sanctions. They were so far apart. This was a remarkable diplomatic achievement. And now as one, they have entered into this agreement with Iran. I think it is really important for us to give diplomacy a chance, especially since there is such a long road to get to this place. And it has to be very clear to the Iranians that if this doesn't work, we have other options which we are ready to use. The sanctions bill already passed in the House. But I don't know whose purpose it serves to throw sand in the face of the negotiators when, in fact, let's just give diplomacy a chance. It is just a matter of months. But I congratulate the Administration, Secretary Kerry, Secretary Clinton, preparing the way for all of this, and the leadership of the countries involved that we have this joint sanctions regime in place for these negotiations.

Yes, sir.

Q: Madam Leader, over the last couple weeks, and certainly in the last couple of days, some of your very closest friends in this body have announced their retirement. Mr. Dingell, Mr. Waxman, Mr. Andrews is leaving, some of your top lieutenants. And I wonder if, with so many people leaving after this Congress, or during, it makes you reevaluate how long you will stay here, at least how long you will stay Leader.

Leader Pelosi. No, it doesn't. Here is the thing. It is very sad that these people are leaving. They are fabulous. Their legislative records, Mr. Dingell, Mr. Waxman, Mr. Miller – legislative virtuosos, virtuosos. They are just great. Some others, Rush Holt, Rob Andrews from New Jersey, fabulous, fabulous Members of Congress. God bless them. I mean, George Miller, Mr. Waxman, they have been here 40 years each. They wanted to go do something else or go home. Mr. Dingell, I think by the time he leaves it will be 59 years. So, no, they go at their pace, I go at mine. And we miss them, they are fabulous, but, again, there is the pot, and lots of people are very excited about the prospect of what comes next for them.

So it is a constantly reinvigorated body. That is what our Founders intended. No. I mean, I thought maybe a few years ago, Mr. Miller would be interested in leaving. When we were in the majority he wanted to go. He was ready. And I said: "Well, we have so much more work to do." So it had nothing do with being in the majority or minority. He is ready to go home.

Q: What do you say to people who wonder if this is the beginning of the sunset of the Pelosi era?

Leader Pelosi. Well, you know what? I say to them: when it is, you will know. I am too busy. As long as there is one in five children in America who lives in poverty, what I do is get up every morning revved to the task. And that is why when I see, for example, a tax bill that goes out there that says if you are a single mom with two children making the minimum wage you are going to pay $2,000 more in taxes according to the Camp bill – I have enough to invigorate me. And everybody's timetable around here isn't everybody else's timetable around here.

Yes, sir.

Q: Madam Leader, at the five year mark, what is your assessment of the Tea Party? Is it a success in its own right for the good or worse of the nation?

Leader Pelosi. Well, I think they consider it a success when they shut down government. And I don't think that was for the good of the nation. But again, what I say to the Republicans is: take back your party. This isn't who you are. The Grand Old Party accomplished so much for our country. Some of the leaders, even within the past few years, have done so much for our country. And this is a different manifestation. I believe the Tea Party hijacked the name "Republican." I wish the Republicans would take it back. But when you see 199 Republicans vote to default on the full faith and credit of the United States of America – 199 Republicans, 27 voted with the Speaker to do the responsible thing – then you know that the Tea Party has either frightened or had its impact in some way or another on the other Members. I think we have time for one more because the Speaker is coming pretty soon.

Q: On foreign policy on Ukraine?

Leader Pelosi. Yes.

Q: We have seen events there move very quickly. And now there is a lot of focus on Crimea, on Russia essentially putting troops on the border. What is your assessment of the situation? How closely is Congress paying attention? How closely does it need to be paying attention?

Leader Pelosi. The question is on Ukraine, with an emphasis on Crimea. It is amazing how fast history is in a hurry in the Ukraine, how events have turned over so fast. And I think that the outcome that we saw last night – who knows what tomorrow will hold – but what we have seen in the last few days is a positive result. But from what I have heard, and I have availed myself of some in depth briefings of what is current there, because it is all perishable when things change so fast, probably the best – I think it came out okay. I think the policy that the U.S. had – I don't want to say had an impact there, but the result was compatible with what our policy was.

Okay. Here is the thing: right now, for those of you who are familiar with it, Russia is pulling on the Ukraine not to join the EU. They had an agreement, the agreement has not been signed, and maybe it should have been, but it wasn't signed for them to join the EU. Russia does not like that. Right now it is probably a good idea, instead of tugging, to just let the Ukrainians come to their own stability. You have Ukraine in terms of the Russians in the eastern part, Russian speaking, Russian ethnic. The western part is more leaning toward the west. Crimea: Crimea, I was told, was a gift that Khrushchev gave to the Ukraine for being a good member of the Soviet state. So that, in Russian history, is yesterday – very recent. So that would be a very – an issue of concern. But it is part of the Ukraine.

So the outcome, of course, that we all would like to see, arrived at by the Ukrainian people themselves, is one country, the Ukraine, and with their own determination as to what their timing is to be in the EU. The fact that Putin is now doing maneuvers on the border, whatever it is, I hope that people just don't take the bait. You know, it is time for real calm.

And God bless the people of the Ukraine for coming out and making their priorities known in terms of what their country is. I don't know whether Putin is concerned about the self-expression in Ukraine because he is concerned that if Russians in Russia see that, they might get some ideas as well. Did that answer you? Yes. I think we said one last. Sorry. Perhaps we can find each other. This room is going to be used by the Speaker of the House. They have important legislative work to do.

Q: Does he have carpet allergies also?

Leader Pelosi. I don't know. I hope not. Nice to see you all. Thank you. To be continued.

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