We told him how important it was.
It was passionate.
I talked about my trip
to Ukraine, where I met soldiers who had
Russian artillery and range
with the drones they have
but had no ammunition to fire up.
We talked about four brigades
who are ready to go Ukrainian, no arms
and how serious the lack of arms was.
And it was the consensus in that room
Zelensky in Ukraine will lose the war
if we don't get the arms
and don't get them quickly.
The speaker brought up the border.
We made it very clear to him
that we want to do something
real on border.
And in fact,
we Democrats in the Senate
supported a border bill
that very conservative groups,
including the Border Patrol
agents, the Wall
Street Journal editorial page
and the Chamber of Commerce were for,
but said to hold up Ukraine,
which is,
he admitted, was a national imperative
because you can't do something else,
which we all should would work on
was a non sequitur There was no logic.
There's a logic to solving the border.
We want to solve it,
but we have to
but we have to do Ukraine right now
because there's a wait
With that
can get done quickly
because that has broad
bipartisan consensus.
And the border takes some more work,
which we'll be happy
to work on to get it done,
but not hold up the Ukraine bill for it.
Senator Schumer,
let me first just thank President Biden
for convening us for
this very important discussion to address
the important challenges
that are confronting the American people.
It was an intense meeting.
It was an honest meeting,
and ultimately
it was a productive meeting.
We discussed three issues.
First,
the need to avoid a government shutdown
and to fund the government
so that we can address
the needs of the American people
in terms of their health, their safety
and their economic well-being.
We are making real progress
on the appropriations bills
that are scheduled to lapse on March 1st.
And I'm cautiously optimistic
that we can do
what is necessary
within the next day
or so to close down these bills
and avoid
a government shutdown at the same time.
It may be important
to come to an agreement that's bipartisan
and anchored in common sense
to extend the pending expiration
of the eight additional bills
that are scheduled to lapse on March 8th.
So that good faith, tough negotiations
can continue
in the absence of a government shutdown.
Second, we discussed the urgent
national security priorities
of the American people,
as captured
in the bipartisan, comprehensive Senate
passed legislation.
This is an existential moment
for the free world
as it relates to being there
for our Democratic allies
in Ukraine and Israel.
And in the Indo-Pacific,
and also at the same period of time
making sure
that we provide humanitarian assistance
to Palestinian civilians
who are in harm's way
in Gaza or in other theaters of war
through no fault of their own.
Third, as Leader Schumer indicated,
we had an open and honest and a candid,
firm discussion about the border.
We all agree
that we have a broken immigration system
and there is a need to address
the challenges at the border
in a thoughtful, bipartisan way.
As Democrats,
we support a safe, a strong,
a secure and a humane border.
We just
need our House Republican colleague X
not to play politics
and engage in political stunts
relative to the border,
but to sit down
as what's done in the Senate and enter
into good faith discussions
about fixing our broken
immigration system.
As Democrats,
we stand ready to do just that.
We want to go to House
Speaker Mike Johnson at the podium
at the White House.
Let's listen in.
Just he and I in the Oval Office.
Let me say this.
When I showed up today,
my purpose was to express
what I believe is the obvious truth,
and that is that
we must take care of America's
needs first.
When you talk about America's needs,
you have to talk first
about our open border.
I've been I believe in
maybe 20 something states over the last
several weeks, going around the country,
appearing at events with my colleagues.
And we're hearing
from the American people of all parties,
in all persuasions, in all cities
and all states
who feel this acutely,
they understand that
catastrophe at the border
is affecting everyone.
And it is top of mind
for all the American people
for that reason.
So I brought that issue up
repeatedly today in that room and
and again, one on one with the president.
I think that's our responsibility
to bring that up.
The other big priority
for our country,
of course,
is the funding of our government.
And we have been working in good faith
around the clock every single day
for months.
And weeks and over the last several days,
quite literally around the clock
to get that job done.
We're very optimistic.
And I hope that
the other leaders came out here
and told you the same.
We believe
that we can get to agreement
on these issues and prevent
a government shutdown.
And that's our first responsibility.
You also heard, I'm
sure that there was
discussion about the supplemental
spending package.
And I was very clear
with the president
and all those in the room
that the House is actively
pursuing and investigating
all the various options on that.
And we will address that
in a timely manner.
But again,
the first priority of the country
is our border
and making sure it's secure.
I believe the president
can take executive authority right now
today to change that.
And I told him that again
today in person is,
as I've said to him many times
publicly and privately over the last
several weeks, it's time for action.
It is a catastrophe and it must stop.
And we will get the government funded
and we'll keep working on that.
So we'll have more for.
I've got
government in
place for more money for budget grants.
And they're coming out of a meeting
at the White House
where he was under a lot of pressure
and has been as well
from his predecessors
urging him to prevent
a government shutdown.
But you heard him there
saying there has to be
and a sort of dealing of the open border,
even though there was an agreement
that he has said no
to, that his conference has said no to,
because Donald Trump said no to.
Let's go back now
to law and Fox on Capitol Hill here.
Lauren, where does this leave us?
Yeah, certainly he kind of laid out
the series of issues that they discussed.
And he notably said that he had a one
on one conversation
with the president where he did
bring up once again
the issue of the border.
I want to talk about the border
issue first.
Because I think what he's arguing here
is that House Republicans
want to see action on the border
before they are willing to do something
on Ukraine.
Of course,
as you pointed out,
the Senate had been negotiating
a bipartisan agreement.
The House Republicans rejected it
swiftly after it was released
after coming under some pressure
from Donald Trump
not to agree to that
Senate negotiated package.
And then the whole thing
really fell apart.
And what you've heard from Democrats
and what you've heard
from the White House
is that was your opportunity.
But it seems in this case,
Speaker Johnson making it clear
House Republicans
want to see action on the border
before they move forward with Ukraine.
So that remains a key sticking point,
despite the fact
that it does sound like from Schumer,
there was immense pressure
put upon him
reminding him of
what is at stake in Ukraine.
Reminding him
that time is of the essence
on the battlefield.
The other issue that he said repeatedly
is that they are working
to avoid a government shutdown.
He believes that
they are going to be able
to avoid a government shutdown.
I did not hear specifics
about how they are actually
going to do that
over the course of the next 72 hours
because they certainly don't
have a lot of time.
What I have been told from aides
that are talking and
close to this process
is that they have closed out
many of the issues
that had been sticking points,
but there are still a few of them
that remain outstanding.
And you might be really close.
You might be on the cusp of a deal,
but until you close out
those final issues,
you really do put yourself in a position
where you can stumble
backwards into a government shutdown.
And I think right now
that is what we are
watching on Capitol Hill.
They may have all intents
and purposes of avoiding one,
but unless the negotiators
and the principals,
which you just heard from agree
on what those final bills
are going to look like,
it becomes very difficult
to see
how this can move quickly in Congress.
So I would say
after hearing from Johnson,
after hearing from Schumer,
they are optimistic,
but there is
no guarantee that a shutdown
is going to be avoided at this point.
And here we go again.
Lauren Fox on the Hill for us.
Let's bring in CNN
senior political analyst Mark Preston.
Back with us.
What is your reaction to this meeting?
Because it seems like
a lot of circular talking
where you have
Johnson saying
there has to be this addressing
of the open border.
But remember,
there was
a border agreement
that was worked out in the Senate
and he quashed it.
So where does that leave
things crafted by Democrats
and Republicans
in the United States Senate?
And President
Trump came out
even before
the bill was was put out publicly
and said that he wasn't for it.
Look, it's a political issue for him.
Right now, we know that
President Biden and former
President Trump are both going to be down
at the border on Thursday.
This has become an explosive issue.
And, of course,
we've seen some horrific stories
that have come out,
you know, in the past week.
This young woman who was murdered
down in Athens, Georgia.
And, you know,
it's tie
with that
being somebody who came over here
legally and had been let go.
So this is a very potent political issue
when it comes to that.
When the government shuts down
or could the government shut down.
That's an incredible amount of pressure
now being put on the speaker shoulders
because he has people
within his own conference
who are telling him
that shutdown is better for him,
which we all know is not.