VETO ANY FUNDING FOR THE POST
OFFICE IF IT WERE SEPARATE FROM
THE CORONAVIRUS RELIEF BILL.
HERE TO TALK ABOUT THESE LATEST
DEVELOPMENTS AND MUCH MORE IS
THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE, NANCY
PELOSI.
MADAM SPEAKER, THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR JOINING.
LET ME START BY GETTING YOUR
REACTION TO THE LAST POINT WE
HEARD THERE, THAT THE PRESIDENT
SAYS HE WOULD NOT VETO A STAND
ALONE BILL TO FUND THE POSTAL
SERVICE.
>> I DON’T KNOW IF THE PRESIDENT
REALIZES THE -- HOW LEGISLATION
WORKS.
RIGHT NOW WE’RE IN NEGOTIATIONS
IN WHICH THE POSTAL SERVICE AS
WELL AS VOTE BY MAIL, ABSENTEE
BALLOTING TO USE HIS TERM, ARE
BEING DISCUSSED FOR FUNDING.
AS HE’S SAYING THAT WE CAN SEND
HIM A SINGLE -- A BILL THAT IS
JUST ABOUT FUNDING THE POST
OFFICE, WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO DO
THAT.
BUT FROM WHAT WE SEE AT THE
POSTAL SERVICE, THE REMOVAL OF
MAILBOXES, THE REMOVAL OF
EQUIPMENT WITHIN THE POSTAL
OFFICES AND THE REST IS TO
UNDERMINE THE POSTAL SERVICE AT
A TIME WHEN THE POSTAL SERVICE
IS NEEDED NOW MORE THAN EVER.
1.2 BILLION PRESCRIPTIONS WERE
SENT THROUGH THE MAIL, IN 2019.
THAT WAS BEFORE THE CORONAVIRUS.
FOR THIS ELECTION, BECAUSE
PEOPLE SHOULDN’T HAVE TO CHOOSE
BETWEEN VOTING BY MAIL, OR
CHOOSING TO BE HEALTHY, OR BEING
ABLE TO EXERCISE THEIR RIGHT TO
VOTE, THE POSTAL SERVICE IS
ELECTION CENTRAL.
THE PRESIDENT HIMSELF AND THE
FIRST LADY HAVE ASKED FOR THEIR
ABSENTEE BALLOTS.
THE REST OF THE COUNTRY SHOULD
BE ABLE TO DO THAT AS WELL.
>> SO THE PRESIDENT ALSO CLAIMS
THAT MAIL-IN VOTING COULD LEAD
TO FOREIGN INTERFERENCE FROM
COUNTRIES LIKE RUSSIA, CHINA,
NORTH KOREA AND IRAN.
YOU GET INTELLIGENCE BRIEFINGS,
CAN YOU SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT.
IS THERE ANYTHING YOU’VE SEEN
THAT BACKS UP HIS CLAIM?
>> WELL, THIS IS IRONIC BECAUSE
THIS PRESIDENT HAS WELCOMED
INTERFERENCE FROM RUSSIA INTO
THE CAMPAIGN.
AND HE KNOWS THAT RUSSIA IS 24/7
ACTIVELY WORKING TO HELP
RE-ELECT HIM.
SO LET’S -- THIS IS A SAD
SITUATION.
WE TAKE AN OATH OF OFFICE TO
PROTECT THE -- AND DEFEND THE
CONSTITUTION FROM ALL ENEMIES,
FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC.
THE ACTIONS THIS ADMINISTRATION
ARE TAKING, VIS-A-VIS OUR VOTING
SYSTEM, OUR SACRED RIGHT TO
VOTE, ARE A DOMESTIC ASSAULT ON
OUR CONSTITUTION.
AND WHAT -- I THINK WE SPEND TOO
MUCH TIME ON WHAT THE PRESIDENT
SAYS AND NOTION MONGERS OUT
THERE.
LET’S FOCUS ON HOW WE CAN CRUSH
THIS VIRUS, HOW WE CAN SUPPORT
OUR CHILDREN TO GO TO SCHOOL IN
A VERY SAFE WAY, WE CAN PUT
MONEY IN THE POCKETS OF THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE SO OUR ECONOMY
IS STRENGTHENED, RATHER THAN
TAKE TIME WONDERING WHAT HE
MEANT AND IF HE KNEW WHAT HE WAS
EVEN TALKING ABOUT AT THE TIME
AND IF HIS ADVISERS DO AS WELL.
I THINK ONE DAY CHILDREN AND
GRANDCHILDREN OF THESE
REPUBLICANS WHO ARE IN OFFICE
NOW OR SERVING THE
ADMINISTRATION IN ONE CAPACITY
OR ANOTHER WILL SAY TO THEIR
FATHER OR GRANDFATHER, OR
GRANDMOTHER, WHAT DID YOU DO TO
PROTECT OUR COUNTRY FROM THIS
ASSAULT ON EVERYTHING THAT WE
STAND FOR?
AN ASSAULT ON OUR ELECTIONS, AN
ASSAULT ON OUR ENVIRONMENT, AN
ASSAULT ON THE PEOPLE THAT WE
ARE, A NATION OF IMMIGRANTS, AND
ASSAULT ON OUR CONSTITUTION.
THEY’RE GOING TO HAVE TO ANSWER
TO THEIR CHILDREN AND
GRANDCHILDREN FOR THIS, BECAUSE
THEIR SILENCE IS REALLY DEADLY
TO SO MUCH OF WHAT WE CARE
ABOUT.
>> SO LET ME ASK YOU VERY
BLUNTLY, ARE YOU CONFIDENT WE
WILL HAVE A FREE AND FAIR
ELECTION THIS NOVEMBER?
YOU OUTLINED SOME SERIOUS ISSUES
OF CONCERN FOR THE AMERICAN
PUBLIC, YOU HAVE A QUESTION
QUESTIONING THE ELIGIBILITY OF
HIS OPPONENT, POLITICALLY
MOTIVATED INVESTIGATIONS INTO
HIS OPPONENT, SOME SAY, YOU HAVE
A PERSON WHO SAYS A PRESIDENT
WHO REFUSES TO ACCEPT THE
RESULTS OPENLY IF THE ELECTION
DOES NOT COME IN HIS FAVOR, AND
YOU NOW HAVE SOMEBODY WHO IS
ALLEGING HE’S TAMPERING WITH THE
MAIL-IN VOTING PROCESS IN THIS
COUNTRY, DO YOU ASSURE THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE THEY WILL HAVE A
FREE AND FAIR -- AND CREDIBLE
ELECTION?
>> WELL, NOT IF THE PRESIDENT
HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT.
BUT I DO KNOW I’M A FORMER CHAIR
OF THE CALIFORNIA DEMOCRATIC
PARTY, THE LARGEST PARTY IN THE
COUNTRY, STATEWISE, AND WE’RE
GOING TO BE OUT THERE, WE DO NOT
AGONIZE, WE ORGANIZE.
AND WE ARE GOING TO HAVE PEOPLE
VOTING EARLY, WE’RE GOING TO
HAVE PEOPLE ASSISTING PEOPLE IN
TERMS OF -- OUR MONEY IN THE
BILL IS NOT JUST ABOUT ABSENTEE
VOTING, IT IS ABOUT HAVING
POLLING PLACES BE CLEAN PLACES
WHERE PEOPLE CAN GO AND NOT RISK
THEIR HEALTH GOING THERE.
THAT MEANS HAVING MORE POLLING
PLACES, FOR MORE SPACE, MORE
HOURS FOR PEOPLE TO VOTE, MORE
DAYS WHEN THAT IS ELIGIBLE.
SO WE’RE FIGHTING IN THE STATES
TO GET THAT, WE’RE FIGHTING IN
THE COURTS TO PREVENT THEM FROM
PUTTING UP OTHER OBSTACLES OF
PARTICIPATION AND WE ARE
FIGHTING ALONG THE INTERNET TO
MAKE SURE THAT RUSSIA’S ATTEMPT
TO RE-ELECT -- THEIR FRIEND,
DONALD TRUMP, DOES NOT STEAL THE
ELECTION.
WE THINK THAT THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE AND I THINK THEY AGREE
SHOULD DECIDE WHO WILL BE THE
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES,
NOT VLADIMIR PUTIN.
>> FINALLY, ON THIS PARTICULAR
SUBJECT, GIVEN WHAT WE’RE SEEING
PLAY OUT WITH THE U.S. POSTAL
SERVICE, WOULD YOU TELL
AMERICANS THAT IF THIS SITUATION
CONTINUES AS IT IS, WITH THE
PRESSURE THAT THE POSTAL SERVICE
IS UNDER, SOME REPORTS THAT, YOU
KNOW, THEY MAY NOT BE ABLE TO
DELIVER BALLOTS ON TIME, SOME
POLL -- SOME POST OFFICE BOXES
BEING REMOVED AS WE’RE HEARING
IN PORTLAND, SHOULD PEOPLE RISK
THEIR LIVES TO GO TO THE POLLING
STATIONS COME NOVEMBER?
>> WELL, I THINK THAT, FIRST OF
ALL, WHAT I WOULD LIKE AND I
APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO
SO, FOR EVERYONE TO GIVE
GREETINGS TO THEIR MAIL CARRIER.
IF THAT MEANS A FLOWER, A BOW, A
WAVE, A NOTE, LET’S SHOW OUR
APPRECIATION FOR THESE MEN AND
WOMEN WHO CONNECT AMERICA,
CONNECT AS THEY SAY THE SINEWS
OF AMERICA.
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN ESTABLISHED
THIS, THE CONSTITUTION SPEAKSO
IT.
IT IS IMPORTANT.
LET’S SHOW OUR APPRECIATION TO
THOSE WHO ARE DOING THE WORK.
THE -- I WOULD SAY IF YOU’RE
GOING TO VOTE BY MAIL, THAT YOU
VOTE EARLY BECAUSE THEY WILL TRY
TO SAY, WELL, IT DOESN’T HAVE A
STAMP, DOESN’T HAVE TO BE
POSTMARKED, SO WE’LL JUST THROW
IT IN THE CORNER, REDUCE
OVERTIME, EMPLOYEES, AND WE’RE
NOT FILLING IN THE PLACES WHERE
PEOPLE WHO HAVE CORONAVIRUS HAVE
HAD TO BE OFF WORK.
SO THEY’RE GOING TO DO
EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO SLOW THE
MAIL.
AND THAT’S JUST NOT RIGHT.
SO, AGAIN, VOTE EARLY.
SOME PEOPLE MAY NOT HAVE DECIDED
HOW THEY’RE GOING TO VOTE AND WE
SHOULD RESPECT THAT AND THE POST
OFFICE SHOULD TOO, SO THAT THEY
WOULD NOT SLOW DOWN THE MAIL,
BUT EXPEDITE IT TO HONOR THE
CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED
STATES.
SO I WOULD SAY, DEFINITELY DON’T
RISK YOUR HEALTH, VOTE BY MAIL,
BUT IF YOU DO, VOTE PLENTY
EARLY.
WITHIN THIS ADMINISTRATION IS AN
ATTEMPT TO MAKE SURE YOUR VOTE
DOESN’T COUNT AND DOESN’T COUNT
AS CAST.
>> LET’S TALK ABOUT THE
CORONAVIRUS RELIEF FUNDING,
MINORITY LEADER KEVIN McCARTHY
OFFERED THIS SOLUTION ON CNBC
THIS CNBC
THIS MORNING.
TAKE A LISTEN.
>> THERE’S A TRILLION DOLLARS
THAT’S ALREADY APPROPRIATED THAT
HASN’T BEEN OUT LAID YET.
WHY DON’T WE UTILIZE THAT TO
FIND THE COMMON GROUND.
YOU’VE GOT MORE THAN $100
BILLION SITTING THERE FOR
STATES.
YOU HAVE MORE THAN $100 BILLION
SITTING FOR SMALL BUSINESSES
THAT MAY NEED THE PPP AGAIN.
WE HAVE LIABILITY PROTECTION TO
PROTECT THE SCHOOLS.
>> MADAM SPEAKER, IS THIS A
COMPROMISE DEMOCRATS CAN ACCEPT?
>> WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO YOU,
AYMAN, YOU CALL THAT A SOLUTION.
I TOTALLY DISAGREE.
IT IS AN AVOIDANCE OF
RESPONSIBILITY.
THERE IS, AND THE PRESIDENT HAS
SAID IT HIMSELF, HE DOESN’T WANT
TO HONOR OUR HEROES, OUR STATE
AND LOCAL WORKERS, OUR HEALTH
CARE WORKERS, OUR TEACHERS, OUR
FIRST RESPONDERS, OUR
SANITATION, TRANSPORTATION, FOOD
WORKERS WHO MEET THE NEEDS OF
OUR PEOPLE, OF OUR COUNTRY, AND
THIS IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST
STUMBLING BLOCKS AS THE
PRESIDENT SAID THIS MORNING.
THEY SAID AT THE START -- IT’S
91 DAYS SINCE WE PASSED THE
HEROES ACT.
IT’S 81 DAYS UNTIL THE ELECTION.
ISN’T THAT SAD?
AT 91 DAYS MITCH McCONNELL SAID,
BOOM, I’M GOING TO PRESS THE
PAUSE BUTTON, BUT THE VIRUS
DIDN’T PAUSE, THE RENT DIDN’T
PAUSE, OPENING SCHOOLS DIDN’T
PAUSE.
ALL OF THAT MOVES ON AND WE HAVE
IN OUR HEROES ACT WHAT MEETS THE
NEEDS OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
DO WE NEED TO COMPROMISE AND
BRING THAT NUMBER DOWN, WE DID.
WE SAID WE’LL MEET YOU HALF DAY.
WE’LL COME DOWN A TRILLION, GO
UP A TRILLION, TO MEET THE NEEDS
OF THE STATE AND LOCAL
GOVERNMENT WHICH IS NOT ONLY
IMPORTANT TO MEETING THE NEEDS
OF THE PEOPLE, BUT FISCAL
SOUNDNESS IS IMPORTANT TO OUR
ECONOMY, TO CRUSH THIS VIRUS SO
WE CAN SAFELY HAVE OUR CHILDREN
IN SCHOOL AND OPEN OUR ECONOMY.
PUT MONEY IN THE POCKETS OF THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE WHICH IS GOOD
FOR THEM BUT ALSO STRENGTHENS
OUR ECONOMY.
IT’S ABOUT THE LIVES, THE
LIVELIHOOD AND THE LIFE OF OUR
DEMOCRACY
DEMOCRACY.
WHAT YOU HEARD THERE WAS
AVOIDANCE OF OUR RESPONSIBILITY.
>> HOUSE DEMOCRATIC FRESHMEN,
ESPECIALLY THOSE IN PURPLE
DISTRICTS, THEY ARE REPORTEDLY
NERVOUS ABOUT THE LACK OF
PROGRESS ON RELIEF TALKS AND
WHAT THAT MEANS FOR THEIR
CONSTITUENTS AS IT DOES FOR
MILLIONS OF AMERICANS.
ARE YOU POTENTIALLY PUTTING
THEIR RE-ELECTION CHANCES IN
JEOPARDY BY NOT CUTTING A DEAL
WITH REPUBLICANS?
>> OVERWHELMLY THE HOUSE
DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS INCLUDING OUR
FRESHMEN VERY MUCH WANT US TO
MEET THE NEEDS OF THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE.
THERE MAY BE A FEW WHO ARE NEW
TO ALL OF THIS, BUT BY AND
LARGE, WE’RE VERY PROUD OF THE
LEVERAGE THAT THE HOUSE
DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS IS GIVING ME,
AS WELL AS THE SENATE CAUCUS TO
MR. -- LEADER SCHUMER.
SO WITH ALL THE RESPECT IN THE
WORLD FOR HOW EACH MEMBER
RESPONDS TO HIS OR HER OWN
DISTRICT
DISTRICT, THERE’S A VAST
DIFFERENCE FOR WHAT WE’RE DOING.
$67 BILLION FOR FOOD AND
UTILITIES, $250,000 ON THE
REPUBLICAN SIDE.
$100 BILLION TO HELP PEOPLE WITH
THEIR RENT, ZERO ON THE
REPUBLICAN SIDE.
THE LIST GOES ON AND ON.
THAT’S WHY THE NUMBER IS SO
DIFFERENT, BUT AGAIN, BY AND
LARGE, OUR CAUCUS IS SAYING WE
HAVE TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT FOR THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE.
WHAT WE DO IS SAY TO THEM, DO
YOUR USUAL THING, YOUR
TRICKLE-DOWN, YOUR MONEY FOR
THOSE AT THE TOP RATHER THAN
INVESTING IN OUR ECONOMY.
LOOK, RIGHT NOW THE STOCK MARKET
IS DOING WELL BECAUSE THE FED IS
BOLSTERING IT WITH TRILLIONS OF
DOLLARS FOR THE MARKETS, NOT
NECESSARILY THE STOCK MARKET,
BUT THE CREDIT MARKETS AND THE
MONEY MARKETS THAT BOLSTER, AND
THAT MAY BE A GOOD THING.
WHY CAN’T WE SPEND SIGNIFICANT
MONEY TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE WHICH ARE CLEAR
IN A PANDEMIC THAT HAS SERIOUS
ECONOMIC IMPACT.
I’M VERY PROUD OF MY CAUCUS.
OUR CHAIRMEN ARE THE ONES WHO
WROTE THIS BILL DOCUMENTING AND
JUSTIFYING ALL OF THE NEEDS.
WE’RE WILLING TO COMPROMISE IN
TERMS OF THE TIMING, BUT NEEDS
ARE NOT DIMINISHED.
WE’RE NOT DOING A SOPHIE’S
CHOICE OF FEEDING SOME CHILDREN
BUT NOT OTHERS.
>> MADAM SPEAKER --
>> NOT GOING TO SAVE SOME
SCHOOLS AND NOT OTHERS.
>> MADAM SPEAKER, LAST QUESTION
BEFORE I LET YOU GO.
I WANTED TO ASK YOU ABOUT THE
NEW PEACE DEAL BETWEEN ISRAEL
AND THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES.
THE U.S. SAYS WE WANT TWO
STATES, NO ANNEXATION AND NO
SETTLEMENTS.
BUT IF ISRAEL CONTINUES TO BUILD
AND CLOSE AREAS TO PALESTINIANS
MAKING THE TWO-STATE SOLUTION
IMPOSSIBLE, SHOULD AID TO ISRAEL
BE CONDITIONED ON MEETING THESE
OBJECTIVES THAT THE U.S. SAYS IT
WANTS?
>> FIRST OF ALL, WE WELCOME THE
PEACE AGREEMENT, AND I LOOK
FORWARD TO SPEAKING TO THE
AMBASSADOR LATER TODAY FROM THE
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES, BUT I
HOPE, I WELCOME IT.
I HOPE THAT THE COMMITMENT TO
NOT HAVE ANNEXATION IS A REAL
ONE.
THIS COULD BE A WONDERFUL STEP
FORWARD IN ADVANCING PEACE IN
THE MIDDLE EAST WHICH WE ARE
ALL -- JUST WOULD BE A DREAM
COME TRUE, SOMETHING EVERYONE
HAS WORKED FOR FOR A LONG TIME.
WE HAVE PASSED IN THE HOUSE A
RESOLUTION WHICH I REFERENCE IN
MY STATEMENT ON THIS THAT DOES
SUPPORT A TWO-STATE SOLUTION,
AND WE HOPE THAT THAT WOULD BE
CENTRAL TO HOW WE GO FORWARD.