Transcript of Speaker Pelosi’s Remarks at Weekly Press Conference

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Washington, D.C. – Speaker Nancy Pelosi held her weekly press conference today in the Capitol Visitor Center. Below are the Speaker's remarks:

Speaker Pelosi. Good morning, everyone. Since last we were together, the jobs report came out, which was historic and good news. It was overwhelming. As you may have been aware, when we met last Thursday, the anticipation was that perhaps it would be a much lower figure or even in the negative column. And it turned out to be nearly half a million jobs created and an upgrade to the jobs of previous months, giving President Biden the highest rate of job creation and reduction of unemployment practically in history. And again, a tribute to him, to our policies, and a tribute to the private sector, which created many of these jobs – working together with public and private.

And with that, we continue our progress. We're laser‑focused on the economy For The People. Creating jobs, growing the economy – as I said, 6.6 million new jobs were created last year, 6.6 million new jobs last year, a stark contrast to the previous Administration. Growing the economy: greatest growth, fastest rate of growth in 40 years – that was for 2021. Lower unemployment: biggest single drop in the unemployment rate in history. And lower prices for all Americans through strong action through Congress.

And I want to talk about that for a moment. On Friday, we very proudly – and I'm greatly appreciative of the work of the committees, the Members of the committees and all of the House Democrats in terms of passing the COMPETES Act. This is a bill that was developed in many committees in a very bipartisan way, both in committee votes and votes of the individual bills on the Floor, that came together to become the America COMPETES Act of [2022]. So, when the Republicans say, ‘Well, I'm not voting for it because I don't want to give President Biden a victory' or 'it wasn't bipartisan' – it was. It was. And we can document that for you.

But, in any event, it is legislation that makes America pre-eminent in manufacturing, in innovation and economic strength. It's about declaring our independence, our self‑sufficiency as a nation, as we reduce our dependence on foreign factors of production coming from other countries, holding us up. This critical legislation will bolster that independence and self‑sufficiency in manufacturing, while positioning us to be the leader and continue to be the leader in the 21st Century.

It was needed to contain inflation. Inflation – when you reduce unemployment, sometimes inflation goes up. And so I wrote to my colleagues this morning, and I want to talk to you about that letter. It said, ‘I write to you in pride and appreciation for passing the COMPETES Act.' Again, ‘it bolsters self‑sufficiency and independence.' I won't read that. ‘It's also needed to control inflation. It will do so by committing $45 billion to address the supply‑chain challenge, which is raising costs for America's working families,' it says. No question, a limitation on product increases the cost.

And, it goes on to say this: ‘Fighting inflation is an important part of our Democratic agenda – economic agenda. ‘We designed our House bill – pass' – not only in the COMPETES Act, but it's important for you to know that in the Build Back Better Act, it was ‘a crucial tool to fight inflation, reducing the deficit' – not only is it paid for, but it reduces the deficit – ‘while creating jobs and lowering costs for our families.'

Seventeen Nobel Prize‑winning economists have explained, quote, ‘Because this agenda invests in long‑term economic capacity and will enhance the ability of more Americans to participate productively in our economy, it will ease longer‑term inflationary pressures.' Build Back Better. It goes on to say in this letter, ‘Nonpartisan experts have repeatedly confirmed' – nonpartisan – ‘have repeatedly confirmed that Build Back Better is exemplary in its fiscal responsibility. As the Joint Committee on Taxation confirmed, our bill is not only fully paid for, but will even reduce the debt by more than $100 billion in this decade' – $100 billion in a decade, and as you know, that Committee does a 20‑year projection – ‘$100 billion in this decade, but by a trillion dollars in the next decade.'

‘If unforeseen circumstances determine that the costs have somehow contributed to the deficit, we are committed' – and we can write that into whatever comes back for the Senate or work with them on this – ‘to making up the shortfall through negotiated changes to the legislation, such as designating additional offsets to preserve its fully paid‑for status.' That is the mission. That is the goal. That is what we did. And we intend to protect that. Again, you know what Build Back Better does. And I also then go on to brag again about the American Rescue Plan, which did so much to help America's working families.

The letter is there for your – but I want you focused on inflation and these two pieces of legislation. One that we are sending over – it's being engrossed right now, that's a term of legislative art. And when it's finished, it will go over to the Senate for them to act upon it. And, of course, BBB is over there now. So that's that.

Yesterday, the House – again, moving forward on doing the people's work – the House passed the continuing resolution to keep government open, meet the needs of the American people – whether it's our veterans, our seniors, our small businesses, our families, our children. It was a strong bipartisan vote. I was very pleased with the vote we had. And we're making good progress on a bipartisan omnibus that will be ready in time to deliver for the American people. And now that President Biden has signed the infrastructure bill, we need to pass the omnibus to unlock some of the funding to go forward from the infrastructure bill.

We have a lot going on here legislatively. Yesterday, we passed the postal reform to ensure speedy, reliable delivery service, save the U.S. Postal Service, while protecting employees and retiree benefits. It goes on and on about the value of the Postal Service. I have said this to you before. I'll say it again. Let me – especially during the time of COVID, it's so important. The U.S. Postal Service delivers 1.2 billion prescriptions each year, many of them medications ordered by our veterans. So, we're very proud of that very strong, bipartisan vote we had yesterday on that. And, we sent that over to the Senate, as we did the CR.

Now, I am just going to close by saying that you've heard me say again and again that the Republicans seem to be having a limbo contest with themselves to see how low they can go. They seem to have reached rock‑bottom with their statement that what happened on January 6th was normal political discourse – ‘legitimate,' ‘legitimate political discourse.'

I've also said the Republican Party – the country needs a strong Republican Party. They made great contributions to our country. I say this to Republicans all the time: ‘Take back your party from this cult. Take back your party.' America needs a strong Republican Party – and a strong Democratic Party – but it has been hijacked.

And it's disturbing to see that the Republican Leader of the House ran – actually, literally refused to condemn that resolution of ‘legitimate political discourse.' He literally ran away from the press when he was asked about his position. The Republicans can run, but they cannot hide from what happened on January 6th. To call that ‘legitimate political discourse' – 140 law enforcement officers were wounded, some people died. It was an assault on our Capitol, our Congress – more importantly, assault on our democracy. They can run, but they can't hide.

With that, I'm pleased to take any questions you may have.

Yes, ma'am.

Q: Madam Speaker, do you support –

Speaker Pelosi. You had a question last time.

Q: Madam Speaker, thank you. I would like to ask you this about Congresswoman Joyce Beatty.

Speaker Pelosi. Yes.

Q: She referenced the incident with Congressman Rogers yesterday, where she says that he poked her, that he used profanity against her. This obviously comes on the heels of a lot of tense interactions between Democrats and Republicans. Congresswoman Cori Bush said she even had to move offices. You've been covering – you've been here in the House for more than 30 years. Have you ever seen the discourse between Democrats and Republicans this bad?

Speaker Pelosi. I haven't seen the obstruction on the part of the Republicans and the ‘legitimate political discourse' reflection of their values this bad.

The Republican Leadership should be addressing the comments made by the Republican to Joyce Beatty. And as I've said to some of you who've asked me in the hall, if somebody insults you, and it's public knowledge, you have to apologize in a very public way as well. Congresswoman Beatty and the Black Caucus took great offense at the crude language that was used to a Black woman in the Congress.

And yeah, so when people say, ‘Oh, there's gridlock in Washington,' and, ‘Oh, well, why can't they get along?' It's not gridlock. It is obstruction. It is not shared values about respect for the institution that we serve in.

Yes, sir?

Q: Madam Speaker, on stocks, I know you said a few weeks back that if Members wanted to enact a ban on trading for lawmakers, you're open to that, you're okay with that.

Speaker Pelosi. Yeah.

Q: I'm wondering, in light of recent reporting, you know, do you have, maybe, a majority of your Caucus now behind this idea?

Speaker Pelosi. Yeah.

Q: And, secondly, I know that the legislation is going to proceed. Will spouses be included as well?

Speaker Pelosi. Let me just –

Q: I know ethics experts have said that that's important, that they're not –

Speaker Pelosi. I'm sorry. Who did?

Q: Sorry?

Speaker Pelosi. Who said it was important?

Q: Walter Shaub is an ethics expert who said this is important. Others have said that –

Speaker Pelosi. I don't know who he is. Okay. What matters to me is what my Members think, and as a –

Q: Well, a Member has told me she's prepared to vote against it if it doesn't include that.

Speaker Pelosi. But you know what? I'm a big believer in our committees, and we've tasked the House Administration Committee to review the options that Members are putting forth – and they have different views on the subject.

But I'd said that certain criteria that I wanted to see was whatever – whatever design they have for that, that's one. But the other is, we have to tighten the fines on those who violate the STOCK Act. It's apparently not sufficient to deter behavior.

And then a third is just, really, it has to be government‑wide. We make a disclosure every year of our financial disclosure, that's what it is – and then, in addition to that, on a regular basis, when there's a stock transaction, to report that. The court system, the third branch of government, the Judiciary, has no reporting. The Supreme Court has no disclosure. It has no reporting of stock transactions. And yet it makes important decisions every day.

I do believe in the integrity of people in public service. I want the public to have that understanding. We have to do this to deter something that we see as a problem, but it is a confidence issue. And if that's what the Members want to do, then that's what we will do. But the Supreme Court and the Judiciary, even the Chair – Chief Justice has pointed out some of the, he flirted with the word or maybe he used the word ‘scandals' that have happened in the Judiciary.

So, my – they're listening to Members about how it affects Members. I'm also saying that we need – and our Members have been saying this for years: why does the Supreme Court of the United States have no disclosure, financial disclosure? And now that we have the STOCK Act, do that. There's another consideration. As you know, in the Executive branch, when they divest of their stock, they don't pay capital gains. So that's an interesting feature.

But it's complicated, and Members will figure it out. And then we'll go forward with what the consensus is.

Q: Will it be sometime this year that you're expecting to vote on this?

Speaker Pelosi. Oh, yeah. I mean, I assume that they'll have it pretty soon. They're having meetings, I think, not as we speak but in the course of now. But, just in friendship, to say ‘I know one person who's going to vote against it' – we had one person who voted against the COMPETES Act, too, the other day, but we had a tremendous, tremendous victory. What we're trying to build is consensus. Consensus. The plural of anecdote is not data. And what we want to do is have data that builds consensus.

Yes, ma'am?

Q: Madam Speaker, just two quick questions. One: on the latest union engagement effort, Congressman Levin introduced a resolution today. How quickly do you plan to move on that? Will it go through regular committee process, or will you fast‑track that to the Floor? And then, secondly, can you just update us on the State of the Union? I guess, bottom line, are we going to see more a socially distanced event like we did last year?

Speaker Pelosi. Well, let me take the second one first. There's a great interest on the part of Members to have more full – fuller participation in the State of the Union. And we have to respect the guidance of the Capitol Physician, and we're anticipating some report from him. With vaccinations and so much happening since last year, I think the people are ready to pivot in a way that shows to the American people we largely have been vaccinated here. We think that many more people can participate. But it's not anything that we can do. It's up to the Capitol Physician. And the – I sent out a notice, again, to the Members at the guidance of the Sergeant at Arms, whose guidance comes from the Physician.

But, we should have some – I'm hoping that every week brings us closer to a bigger participation. My goal would be if we were able to invite every Member of Congress to the State of the Union. Yeah.

And, then, in terms of – what was it?

Q: Unionization, Congressman Levin's resolution. How soon does that –

Speaker Pelosi. Well, his resolution is to, as I understand it – he had a press conference this morning. As I understand, his resolution was to bring forth something that was proposed in the late '90s – '96, something like that. At that time, they had something that was proposed that was like a tripartite. It had the Senate, the House and then some kind of a joint entity. In that joint entity, they proceeded. The police were unionized – some of the people at the Library of Congress. Different entities that support the House and the Senate unionized as they wished. We can't do something for the Senate. They have to do their own thing. But from the standpoint of the House, what he's saying is, bring forth what was 1996.

What I think – again, we go back to Zoe Lofgren. My understanding is that they would like to review that, modernize it, bring it up to date, if we are to go forward. And yes, I support what he's asking for, but we probably should be modernizing it.

Q: Madam Speaker, my question for you is about the 14th Amendment and the January 6th activities. There is an effort in North Carolina by some voters to keep Madison Cawthorn off the ballot, alleging he's not eligible to run because of the 14th Amendment. And what it says is that ‘Members who engage in insurrection or rebellion against the United States are not eligible to hold office.' So my question for you is, do you think Members of Congress who participated in January 6th activities should be ineligible to run for reelection?

Speaker Pelosi. Well, I'm not familiar with what's happening in North Carolina. And I appreciate what you had to say about it. But I would hope that Members of Congress who have participated in insurrection and sedition would be held accountable by their voters, including any former President of the United States.

Yes, ma'am?

Q: Around 30 or so Republicans sent a letter to you and Congresswoman Lofgren about apparently being monitored by Capitol Police, and they wanted inquiries into it. Congressman Nehls is saying that you have used the Capitol Police as – essentially weaponizing them against Members of Congress and monitoring them –

Speaker Pelosi. Okay, don't waste your time. I have no power over the Capitol Police. Does anybody not know that? Capitol Police have responded to that gentleman's allegation, and that stands as what it is. But I have no power over the police.

Thank you all very much. I won't see you for a bit, but we'll be in touch. Thank you.

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