Transcript of Speaker Pelosi’s Remarks at Bill Enrollment Photo Opportunity for the American Rescue Plan Act

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Speaker Pelosi. Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you. This is indeed a special and good afternoon. This is a momentous day in the history of our country because we have passed historic, consequential and transformative legislation. We are here today to sign the enrollment – enroll the bill before it goes to the White House. In doing so, though, [enrollment] – these ceremonies are occasions to express recognition and appreciation.

And first, I want to express recognition and appreciation to the President of the United States, Joe Biden.

[Applause]

President Biden's vision and his determination were so apparent to the American people and the reason why this legislation enjoys the support of 75 percent of the American people in a strong, bipartisan way across the country. We thank him for his leadership and also for his contribution to the substance of the legislation – as well as his signature, when that comes.

It would not have happened without a very collaborative spirit among our Members. On the House side, I commend our Chairs and Members of the committees of jurisdiction for working together, the relentless work of our staffs to make it possible to go over to the Senate. I know that the Senate Chairs and members of their committees had a commensurate effort going there so it was collaborative. We had the leadership of our Chairs, House and Senate, and we had the intellectual resources of the committee members, again, with the help of the staff, which would have – never had this bill be possible without the staff working so hard.

So, on this occasion, and I think I can safely say, and I've said this to my colleagues in the House on the Democratic side, this is the most consequential legislation that many of us will ever be a party to. Who knows what the future may bring, but nonetheless, on this day we celebrate, because we are honoring a promise made by our President, as we joined with him in promising that Help Is On The Way.

And with that, I'm pleased, as always, to welcome back to the House a former Member here, now the Leader, the Majority Leader of the United States Senate, Senator Chuck Schumer, with appreciation for the great work that he did in the Senate to bring all of that beautiful exuberance together to send back to us so that we could have this success today.

Mr. Leader, welcome back to the House.

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Speaker Pelosi. Now the distinguished Majority Leader of the Senate and I will sign the bill, and then it will begin its course to the White House.

With that, we thank all of our Members who are here, House and Senate. I do want to acknowledge Nikema Williams who is here because in some ways she made today possible. Thank you Nikema, President of the Freshman Class.

Leader Schumer. And Bernie Sanders, our Chairman of the Budget Committee, did a great, great job in getting this done, as did –

Speaker Pelosi. As did John Yarmuth of Kentucky, with a little help from bourbon. And again, I see Richie Neal and Ron Wyden, the Chair of the Finance Committee, and between the two of them they put nearly a trillion dollars into the pockets of the American people.

But in any event we are here to sign the bill, so thank you all very much for joining us. Thank you to our chairs, our House and Senate chairs and as you said, Mr. Leader, so correctly all those who are not here, as well. Thank you.

Shall we?