UNION WOULD GET A FORMAL RESPONSE LIKE THIS, BUT THESE
ARE UNUSUAL CIRCUMSTANCES.
>> GOOD EVENING.
I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
SPEAK DIRECTLY TO THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE TONIGHT ABOUT HOW WE CAN
END THIS SHUTDOWN AND MEET THE
NEEDS OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
SADLY, MUCH OF WHAT WE HEARD
FROM PRESIDENT TRUMP THROUGHOUT
THIS SENSELY LYSENSELESS SHUTDOW
FULL OF MISINFORMATION AND EVEN
MALICE.
MALICE. THE PRESIDENT HAS CHOSEN FEAR.
WE WANT TO START WITH THE FACTS.
THE FACT IS ON THE VERY FIRST
DAY OF THIS CONGRESS HOUSE
DEMOCRATS PASSED SENATE
REPUBLICAN LEGISLATION TO REOPEN
GOVERNMENT AND FUND SMART,
EFFECTIVE BORDER SECURITY
SOLUTIONS.
SOLUTIONS. BUT THE PRESIDENT IS REJECTING
THESE BIPARTISAN BILLS WHICH
WOULD REOPEN GOVERNMENT OVER HIS
OBSESSION WITH FORCING AMERICAN
TAXPAYERS TO WASTE BILLIONS OF
DOLLARS ON AN EXPENSIVE AND
INEFFECTIVE WALL, A WALL HE
ALWAYS PROMISED MEXICO WOULD PAY
FOR.
FOR. THE FACT IS, PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS
CHOSEN TO HOLD HOSTAGE CRITICAL
SERVICES FOR THE HEALTH, SAFETY
AND WELL-BEING OF THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE AND WITHHOLD THE
PAYCHECKS OF 800,000 INNOCENT
WORKERS ACROSS THE NATION, MANY
OF THEM VETERANS.
HE PROMISED TO KEEP GOVERNMENT
SHUTDOWN SHUT DOWN FOR MONTHS OR
YEARS NO MATTER WHO IT HURTS.
THAT’S JUST PLAIN WRONG.
THE FACT IS WE ALL AGREE WE NEED
TO SECURE OUR BORDERS WHILE
HONORING OUR VALUES.
WE COULD INSTALL NEW TECHNOLOGY
TO SCAN CARS AND TRUCKS FOR
DRUGS COMING INTO OUR NATION.
WE CAN HIRE THE PERSONNEL WE
NEED TO FACILITATE TRADE AND
IMMIGRATION AT THE BORDER.
WE CAN FUND MORE INNOVATION TO
DETECT UNAUTHORIZED CROSSINGS.
THE FACT IS THE WOMEN AND
CHILDREN AT THE BORDER ARE NOT A
SECURITY THREAT.
SECURITY THREAT. THEY ARE A HUMANITARIAN
CHALLENGE, A CHALLENGE THAT
PRESIDENT TRUMP’S OWN CRUEL AND
COUNTERPRODUCTIVE POLICIES HAVE
ONLY DEEPENED.
ONLY DEEPENED. AND THE FACT IS PRESIDENT TRUMP
MUST STOP HOLDING THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE HOSTAGE, MUST STOP
MANUFACTURING A CRISIS AND MUST
REOPEN THE GOVERNMENT.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. LEADER SCHUMER.
LEADER SCHUMER. >> THANK YOU, SPEAKER PELOSI.
MY FELLOW AMERICANS, WE ADDRESS
YOU TONIGHT FOR ONE REASON ONLY.
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES, HAVING FAILED TO GET
MEXICO TO PAY FOR HIS
INEFFECTIVE, UNNECESSARY BORDER
WALL AND UNABLE TO CONVINCE THE
CONGRESS OR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
TO FOOT THE BILL, HAS SHUT DOWN
THE GOVERNMENT.
THE GOVERNMENT. AMERICAN DEMOCRACY DOESN’T WORK
THAT WAY.
THAT WAY. WE DON’T GOVERN BY TEMPER
TANTRUM.
TANTRUM. NO PRESIDENT SHOULD POUND THE
TABLE AND DEMAND HE GETS HIS WAY
OR ELSE THE GOVERNMENT SHUTS
DOWN, HURTING MILLIONS OF
AMERICANS WHO ARE TREATED AS
LEVERAGE.
LEVERAGE. TONIGHT AND THROUGHOUT THIS
DEBATE AND THROUGHOUT HIS
PRESIDENCY, PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS
APPEALED TO FEAR, NOT FACTS,
DIVISION, NOT UNITY.
MAKE NO MISTAKE, DEMOCRATS AND
THE PRESIDENT BOTH WANT STRONGER
BORDER SECURITY.
BORDER SECURITY. HOWEVER, WE SHARPLY DISAGREE
WITH THE PRESIDENT ABOUT THE
MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO DO IT.
SO HOW DO WE UNTANGLE THIS MESS?
WELL, THERE’S AN OBVIOUS
SOLUTION.
SOLUTION. SEPARATE THE SHUTDOWN FROM
ARGUMENTS OVER BORDER SECURITY.
THERE IS BIPARTISAN LEGISLATION
SUPPORTED BY DEMOCRATS AND.
REPUBLICANS TO REOPEN
GOVERNMENT, WHILE ALLOWING
DEBATE OVER BORDER SECURITY TO
CONTINUE.
CONTINUE. THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR HURTING
MILLIONS OF AMERICANS OVER A
POLICY DIFFERENCE.
POLICY DIFFERENCE. FEDERAL WORKERS ARE ABOUT TO
MISS A PAYCHECK.
SOME FAMILIES CAN’T GET A
MORTGAGE TO BUY A NEW HOME.
FARMERS AND SMALL BUSINESSES
WON’T GET LOANS THEY DESPERATELY
NEED.
NEED. MOST PRESIDENTS HAVE USED OVAL
OFFICE ADDRESSES FOR NOBLE
PURPOSES.
PURPOSES. THIS PRESIDENT JUST USED THE
BACKDROP OF THE OVAL OFFICE TO
MANUFACTURE A CRISIS, STOKE FEAR
AND DIVERT ATTENTION FROM THE
TURMOIL IN HIS SEPARATION.
MY FELLOW AMERICANS, THERE IS NO
CHALLENGE SO GREAT THAT OUR
NATION CANNOT RISE TO MEET IT.
WE CAN REOPEN THE GOVERNMENT AND
CONTINUE TO WORK THROUGH
DISAGREEMENTS OVER POLICY.
WE CAN SECURE OUR BORDER WITHOUT
AN INEFFECTIVE, EXPENSIVE WALL
AND WE CAN WELCOME LEGAL
IMMIGRANTS AND REFUGEES WITHOUT
COMPROMISING SAFETY AND
SECURITY.
SECURITY. THE SYMBOL OF AMERICA SHOULD BE
THE STATUE OF LIBERTY, NOT A
30-FOOT WALL.
30-FOOT WALL. SO OUR SUGGESTION IS A SIMPLE
ONE.
ONE. MR. PRESIDENT, REOPEN THE
GOVERNMENT AND WE CAN WORK TO
RESOLVE OUR DIFFERENCES OVER