CONNECTION THAT --
>> Trace: WE HAVE TO BREAK.
HOLD ON.
HERE'S NANCY PELOSI AND CHUCK
SCHUMER.
>> THE PRESIDENT HAS AGREED TO
OUR REQUEST TO OPEN THE
GOVERNMENT AND THEN DEBATE
BORDER SECURITY.
WHICH IS GREAT NEWS FOR 800,000
FEDERAL WORKERS AND MILLIONS OF
AMERICANS WHO DEPEND ON
GOVERNMENT SERVICES.
AS DEMOCRATS HAVE SAID ALL
ALONG, THE SOLUTION TO THIS
IMPASSE WITH SEPARATE FUNDING
FOR THE GOVERNMENT AND THEN GO
OVER OUR DISAGREEMENTS FROM
BORDER SECURITY.
SEPARATE THE FUNDING OF
GOVERNMENT FROM THE DISCUSSION
ON BORDER SECURITY.
THAT'S WHAT WE GOT.
DEMOCRATS, IN THE SENATE AND IN
THE HOUSE WERE UNITED BEHIND
THIS POSITION THROUGHOUT THE
SHUT DOWN AND ULTIMATELY THIS
AGREEMENT ENDORSES OUR POSITION.
IT REOPENS THE GOVERNMENT
WITHOUT PRECONDITIONS, GIVES
DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS AN
OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS BORDER
SECURITY WITHOUT HOLDING
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF
AMERICANS HOSTAGE.
WE EXPECT THE CONTINUING
RESOLUTION TO CLEAR THE SENATE
AND CLEAR THE HOUSE THIS
AFTERNOON AND BE SIGNED BY THE
PRESIDENT TODAY.
BEFORE I GO ON, BOTH OF US, WE
WANT TO THANK ALL THE FEDERAL
WORKERS FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR
HEARTS.
THEY WORKED SO SELFLESSLY THIS
PAST MONTH WITHOUT PAY SHOWING
UP TO DO A JOB THAT THEY KNEW
WAS IMPORTANT BUT FOR WHICH THEY
WEREN'T FAIRLY COMPENSATED.
THE WORKERS SHOWED UP DESPITE
THE CALLOUS INDIFFERENCE OF THE
ADMINISTRATION WHO TREATED THEM
AS HOSTAGES, WHO TREATED THEM AS
PAWNS, WHO BELITTLED THEIR
FINANCIAL STRAIN.
OUR DEDICATED PUBLIC SERVANTS
SHOULD HAVE NEVER HAVE TO GO
THROUGH THIS AGAIN.
WE WILL DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO
MAKE SURE THAT THEY WON'T HAVE
TO.
AND THIS PAST MONTH HAS PROVEN
JUST HOW VITAL GOVERNMENT
SERVICES ARE TO THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE, WHETHER IT'S OUR FOOD
SAFETY, OUR AIRPORTS, NATIONAL
PARKS, OUR ECONOMY, NATIONAL
SECURITY AND SO MUCH ELSE.
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE DO NOT LIKE
IT WHEN YOU THROW A WRENCH INTO
THE LIVES OF GOVERNMENT WORKERS
OVER AN UNRELATED POLITICAL
DISPUTE.
WORKING PEOPLE THROUGHOUT
AMERICA EMPATHIZE WITH THE
FEDERAL WORKERS AND WERE AGHAST
AT WHAT THE PRESIDENT WAS DOING
TO THEM.
HOPEFULLY NOW THE PRESIDENT HAS
LEARNED HIS LESSON.
NOW, ONCE THE PRESIDENT SIGNS
THE CONTINUING RESOLUTION, WE IN
CONGRESS WILL ROLL UP OUR
SLEEVES AND TRY TO FIND SOME
AGREEMENT ON BORDER SECURITY.
WE DON'T AGREE ON SOME OF THE
SPECIFICS OF BORDER SECURITY.
DEMOCRATS ARE AGAINST THE WALL.
WE AGREE ON DRUG INSPECTION
TECHNOLOGY, HUMANITARIAN AID,
STRENGTH INSECURE AT OUR PORTS
OF UNTRY.
WE HAVE SO MANY AREAS THAT WE
CAN AGREE.
BUT TODAY THE PRESIDENT WILL
SIGN THE BILL TO REOPEN THE
GOVERNMENT ALONG THE OUTLINES OF
WHAT WE HAVE PROPOSED AND
HOPEFULLY IT MEANS A LESSON
LEARNED FOR THE WHITE HOUSE AND
FOR MANY OF OUR REPUBLICAN
COLLEAGUES.
SHUTTING DOWN THE GOVERNMENT
OVER A POLICY DIFFERENCE IS
SELF-DEFEATING.
IT ACCOMPLISHES NOTHING BUT PAIN
AND SUFFERING FOR THE COUNTRY
AND INCURS AN ENORMOUS POLITICAL
COST TO THE PARTY SHUTTING IT
DOWN.
WE CANNOT, CANNOT EVER HOLD
AMERICAN WORKERS HOSTAGE AGAIN.
SPEAKER PELOSI.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
MR. LEADER.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
BRINGING TO US THIS IMPORTANT
RESOLUTION NOW.
WHERE SHORTLY THE SENATE WILL
SEND OVER TO THE HOUSE A PAPER
THAT I CAME OVER TO SEE THE
ORIGINAL PAPER AND LOOK AT IT.
PROBABLY IN A HALF AN HOUR ARE
TWO RESOLUTIONS, ONE TO OPEN UP
GOVERNMENT FOR ALL OF THE
AGENCIES OF GOVERNMENT AND ONE
TO PROCEED TO CONFERENCE ON
HOMELAND SECURITY BILL.
AS SOON AS WE REACH AN AGREEMENT
SO WE CAN HAVE A DISCUSSION ON
HOW TO SECURITY OUR BORDERS.
IT'S VERY CLEAR THAT WE ALL
UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF
SECURING OUR BORDERS, AND WE
HAVE SOME VERY GOOD IDEAS ON HOW
TO DO THAT.
THAT WILL BE PART OF THE
DISCUSSION AS WE GO FORWARD.
HOUSE DEMOCRATS LOOK FORWARD TO
WORKING IN A BIPARTISAN,
BICAMERAL WAY TO PASS ALL OF THE
BILLS TO OPEN GOVERNMENT AS WE
PROCEED INTO THE CONFERENCE OF
DISCUSSION.
NOW I'M AN APPROPRIATOR.
I WAS FORGED IN THAT CULTURE.
I KNOW THAT APPROPRIATORS
BICAMERALLY AND BIPARTISANLY CAN
COME TO A CONCLUSION.
AGAIN, SOMETIMES IT COMES TO THE
PRINCIPALS OF THE LEADERS OF THE
HOUSE AND SENATE TO WEIGH-IN.
I THINK WE WILL HAVE A VERY
PRODUCTIVE TIME IN A SHORT
PERIOD OF TIME TO COME TO SOME
CONCLUSION.
WE'RE GRATEFUL, INSPIRED BY THE
COURAGE AND THE DETERMINATION OF
AMERICA'S WORKERS.
THEY HAVE SHOWN IN THIS CRISIS
SUCH STRONG CHARACTER.
BUT NONETHELESS, THEY HAVE TO
PAY THE BILLS WHEN THEY COME
DUE, WHETHER IT'S A RENT CHECK
OR MORTGAGE, CREDIT CARD BILLS
OR CAR PAYMENT.
THE LIST GOES ON.
SOME OF THEM DIDN'T EVEN HAVE
GAS MONEY BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T
HAVE CASH OR ANY MORE LINE OF
CREDIT CARD ABILITY TO PUT GAS
IN THE CAR TO GO TO WORK.
IT'S REALLY HARD FOR SOME IN THE
ADMINISTRATION TO UNDERSTAND HOW
PEOPLE LIVE PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK
AND HOW MARGINAL SOME OF THEIR
EXISTENCES ARE, MAKES A
DIFFERENCE IN HOW THEY EDUCATE
THEIR CHILDREN, PUT FOOD ON THE
TABLE, AGAIN, HOW THEY PAY THEIR
RENT.
SO WE THANK THEM AND ARE SO GLAD
THAT AS THE PRESIDENT SAID
EARLIER, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE OR
IMMEDIATELY -- I DON'T KNOW
WHICH IS FASTER, BUT QUICKEST OF
THE TWO, THEY WILL RECEIVE THEIR
BACK PAY AND PAY THAT IS DUE
TODAY.
WE'RE GRATEFUL TO DEMOCRATS ON
BOTH SIDES OF THE CAPITOL FOR
THEIR UNITY THAT WAS VERY, VERY
IMPORTANT IN THESE DISCUSSIONS.
IT'S SAD THOUGH THAT IT'S TAKEN
THIS LONG TO COME TO AN OBVIOUS
CONCLUSION.
TALKED ABOUT MISSED BILLS AND
FINANCIAL SECURITY BEING SHAKEN.
SOMETIMES QUESTIONING -- PUTTING
IN QUESTION THE CREDIT, HOW
PEOPLE'S CREDIT IS VIEWED.
THAT'S PARTICULARLY PROBLEMATIC
FOR OUR VETERANS AND MANY OF
WHOM ARE IN THEIR JOBS WITH
SECURITY CLEARANCES.
A SECURITY CLEARANCE IS AFFECTED
IF YOU'RE CREDIT RATING IS
DIMINISHED.
WE'RE GRATEFUL TO OUR VETERANS
THAT HAVE FOUND THE UNIFORM OF
OUR COUNTRY TO PROTECT US AND
MOVE TO THE OTHER SIDE TO KEEP
OUR SERVICE.
WE THANK YOU AS WELL AS OTHER
FEDERAL EMPLOYEES THAT ARE
WORKING SO HARD TO MEET THE
NEEDS OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
WE VALUE THEIR PURPOSE, WE
APPRECIATE THEIR DILIGENCE IN
PERFORMING THEIR JOBS, WHETHER
IT'S AS THE LEADER SAID KEEPING
US SAFE, IN TERMS OF CIVILIAN
AVIATION, WHETHER IT'S THE FBI
OR OTHER AREAS OF PUBLIC SAFETY.
BUT ALSO JUST IN SO MANY WAYS,
WHETHER IT'S THROUGH SAFETY AND
THE REST.
THE LIST GOES ON.
YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THIS.
BUT WE DON'T WANT IN ANY WAY ANY
SHUT DOWN OF GOVERNMENT TO
DIMINISH THE RESPECT THAT WE
HAVE FOR THE PURPOSE OF OUR
PUBLIC EMPLOYEES AND THE
EXCELLENCE OF THEIR SERVICE.
DISAGREEMENT IN POLICY SHOULD
NEVER BE A REASON TO SHUT DOWN
GOVERNMENT.
REALLY SHOULDN'T.
ESPECIALLY FOR A PERIOD OF TIME
THAT HAS AN IMPACT ON PAYCHECKS.
IT'S SAD IT'S TAKEN THIS LONG.
I'M GLAD WE HAVE COME TO A
CONCLUSION TODAY AS TO HOW WE GO
FORWARD IN THE NEXT THREE WEEKS.
AGAIN, I SALUTE THE DEMOCRATIC
LEADER IN THE SENATE, THE WORK A
HE HAS HAD -- IN THE HOUSE WE
PASSED -- TEN TIMES WE PASSED A
BILL WORKING WITH OUR
LEADERSHIP, MR. HOYER, TEN TIMES
WE BROUGHT BILLS TO THE FLOOR TO
OPEN UP GOVERNMENT.
TO OPEN UP GOVERNMENT.
THE MOST RECENT ONE ON THE
SENATE FLOOR YESTERDAY WAS SO
SIMPLE.
$4 BILLION FOR DISASTER
ASSISTANCE AND OPEN UP
GOVERNMENT FOR TWO WEEKS.
REPUBLICANS SAID NO.
I THINK THE PUBLIC WEIGHED IN.
I QUOTE LINCOLN ALL THE TIME.
PUBLIC SENTIMENT IS EVERYTHING.
WE THANK THE PUBLIC FOR WEIGHING
IN SO STRONGLY, FOR PAYING
ATTENTION.
I THINK THAT WILL BE THE SUCCESS
OF THIS CONFERENCE.
AGAIN, AS AN APPROPRIATOR, I'VE
BEEN TO MANY CONFERENCES WHEN WE
USED TO HAVE THEM.
THE CONFERENCE THAT THE PUBLIC
AWARENESS IS SO INCREASED AND
THE PUBLIC INTEREST IN IT IS SO
SHARPENED THAT IT WILL SEE WHAT
THE DECISIONS ARE THAT WE HAVE
TO MAKE AND HELP WEIGH-IN ON
THOSE DECISIONS.
I THANK YOU AGAIN.
>> WAIT, WAIT.
ONE AT A TIME.
ONE AT A TIME, PLEASE.
>> MADAM SPEAKER, THE PRESIDENT
HAS WANTED THIS WALL FUNDING FOR
A LONG TIME.
IT WASN'T UNTIL DEMOCRATS WON
THE HOUSE THAT HE REALLY WENT TO
THE MAT FOR IT.
HOW MUCH OF ALL OF THIS YOU
THINK IS ABOUT THE NEW POWER
DYNAMIC AND HIS DESIRE TO SHOW
YOU WHO IS REALLY IN CHARGE?
>> I DON'T GET YOUR QUESTION.
THE POINT IS WE HAVE COME TO A
WAY TO GO FORWARD TO DEBATE THE
BEST WAYS TO PROTECT OUR BORDER.
I DON'T SEE THIS AS ANY POWER
PLAY.
>> I'M REFERRING TO THE PAST 36
DAYS AND THE FACT THAT HE HELD
OUT OVER WALL FUNDING.
>> IF YOU'RE SAYING THAT THE
PRESIDENT HELD OUT OVER WALL
FUNDING TO SHOW WHO WAS IN
CHARGE, I THINK THAT'S QUITE A
BAD STATEMENT TO MAKE ABOUT ANY
LEADER IN OUR COUNTRY.
BUT WHAT I DO SAY IS LET'S GO
FORWARD, GET THIS DONE.
THE LEADER MENTIONED LESSONS
LEARNED AND HOPE THAT PEOPLE
KNOW THAT WE CANNOT HOLD OUR
PUBLIC EMPLOYEES HOSTAGE BECAUSE
WE HAVE A DISAGREEMENT.
34 DAYS.
OVER A MONTH HAVING AN IMPACT ON
THEIR LIVES.
I DON'T WANT TO MAKE ANY
CHARACTERIZATIONS OF THE
PRESIDENT'S MOTIVATION.
YOU HAVE TO ASK HIM.
>> SPEAKER PELOSI, DID THE
PRESIDENT UNDERESTIMATE YOU
POLITICALLY AND CAN YOU ASSURE
THE PUBLIC THERE WON'T BE
ANOTHER IMPASSE IN THREE WEEKS?
>> I CAN'T ASSURE THE PUBLIC ON
ANYTHING THAT THE PRESIDENT WILL
DO.
I DO HAVE TO SAY I'M OPTIMISTIC.
I SEE EVERY CHALLENGE OR EVERY
CRISIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY, AN
OPPORTUNITY TO DO THE RIGHT
THING FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
AT THE SAME TIME, MAKE PEOPLE
AWARE OF THE DECISIONS THAT WE
HAVE HERE AND HOPEFULLY THAT
WILL MAKE EVERYBODY COME
TOGETHER IN A WAY THAT IS
UNIFYING FOR OUR COUNTRY.
I CAN'T CHARACTERIZE THE
PRESIDENT'S EVALUATION OF
THINGS.
>> I DO HAVE TO SAY ONE MORE
THING IN REFERENCE TO THAT.
I SUGGESTED TO LEADER McCONNELL
THAT WE USE A CONFERENCE
COMMITTEE FORMAT.
THAT HAS DEMOCRATS AND
REPUBLICANS, HOUSE AND SENATE,
SITTING AT A TABLE, HAS WORKED
VERY SUCCESSFULLY ON HOMELAND
SECURITY AND EVERYTHING AND ALL
THE OTHER BILLS THAT HAVEN'T
BEEN SIGNED OVER THE LAST
SEVERAL YEARS, EVEN WHEN THE
REPUBLICANS WERE IN CHARGE.
SO I'M VERY OPTIMISTIC THAT THE
CONFERENCE COMMITTEE CAN COME TO
A GOOD CONCLUSION AND WE CAN
AVOID ANOTHER SHUTDOWN.
>> [QUESTION INAUDIBLE]
>> IT'S NOT PLANNED NOW.
I DON'T GET THAT.
WHAT I SAID TO THE PRESIDENT IS
WHEN THE GOVERNMENT IS OPEN, WE
WILL DISCUSS A MUTUALLY
AGREEABLE DATE AND I LOOK
FORWARD TO DOING THAT AND
WELCOMING THE PRESIDENT TO THE
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FOR THE
STATE OF THE UNION WHEN WE AGREE
ON THE THAT MUTUALLY AGREEABLE
DATE.
>> THIS MORNING YOU WERE
PLANNING TO ANNOUNCE A BORDER
SECURITY VISION OF DEMOCRATS.
WHAT YOU WANT.
WHAT IS THE STATE OF THAT
PROPOSAL?
ALSO, CAN YOU ACCEPT ANY SORT OF
PHYSICAL BARRIER ON THE BORDER
SECURITY PLAN?
>> THE WORK OF THE CONFERENCE
COMMITTEE WILL DRAW OUT
EVERYONE'S VIEW OF WHAT IS THE
BEST WAY TO PROTECT OUR BORDERS.
OUR CHAIR, OUR SUBCOMMITTEE ON
HOMELAND SECURITY IS -- KNOWS
THIS ISSUE VERY WELL.
SHE IS -- WILL GO TO THE TABLE
WITH OUR BEST IDEAS ON HOW TO
PROTECT OUR BORDER.
THE LEADER REFERENCED SOME IN
TERMS OF INFRASTRUCTURE THAT
RELATES TO OUR PORTS OF ENTRY.
THE PRESIDENT TALKED ABOUT DRUGS
COMING INTO OUR COUNTRY.
90% OF THE DRUGS COME THROUGH
THE PORTS OF ENTRY.
COME ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, THEY
COME THROUGH OUR PORTS OF ENTRY.
LET US INCREASE THE
INFRASTRUCTURE WHERE THE DRUGS
ARE COMING IN.
LET US INCREASE AS THE LEADER
SAID THE TECHNOLOGY TO SCAN FOR
THAT, FOR DRUGS, GUNS, OTHER
CONTRABAND.
LET US TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE
THINGS IN TERMS OF HUMANITARIAN
ASSISTANCE.
WE'RE NOT HAVING A CONFERENCE
COMMITTEE RIGHT NOW.
WE'LL LEAVE IT UP TO OUR
APPROPRIATORS TO COME TO THAT.
SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE WERE