Good morning. It's a good morning. I came back last night in time to root on the Ravens. Uh to uh have a two point conversion to tie up the game to win an overtime at the same time as the San Francisco Giants won the second second of three games for the uh in terms of baseball. Um more to come on that. Uh it's always a unifying thing sports where we all root for the home team. In my case, it's San Francisco and uh and and Baltimore as well. So, let's uh now that we've dispensed with the truly important in most people's lives. I want to just report on um uh a very important visit that I had uh the end of last week and over the uh holiday weekend. Uh as you may of no. Climate issue was my flagship issue when I was speaker the first time uh when President Bush was president and we passed the biggest uh uh environment uh energy bill in the history of our country. Some of which was used as authority by President Obama when he was president for executive orders regarding uh climate and energy. We weren't able to pass the legislation for climate needing sixty votes in the Senate uh but it has always been of the highest priority. And so this weekend I had this end of last week and this weekend had the privilege of representing uh the Congress of the United States at the G twenty meeting which largely felt well it's always about security. economy and governance specifically focused on COVID and uh climate uh in this case and then uh to in addition to uh being part of that opening uh to also participate in the opening ceremonies of the pre cop twenty-six session. Of the um of the uh uh of the uh legislators uh gathered there. It was particularly exciting because while we were there, the announcement of the uh Nobel Prize winners for physics was named and one of them was an Italian who then participated in the opening ceremonies as well because he received it. I won't try to describe it to you. Never tried to describe why somebody gets a Nobel Prize in physics Um but it relates uh to climate and his early uh understanding of how things are interconnected. Uh George Parisi, that's his name and uh it was an honor uh to be on a an opening ceremony with him uh showing us a path for what we must do in addition to what we uh know uh from our experience but knowing it from uh from the standpoint of physics. It was um it was interesting because every country is ready. We're all sort of uh measuring each other's commitment to meeting our emissions goals and the presidents is a strong one. Uh basic what we said at this meeting is that uh America is back. That's exactly the message of President Biden back in terms of multilateralism back in terms of the transit lines of charter which was AA poor part of our discussions as well as back in terms of leading the way. Again, on the climate crisis. His uh is not only to meet the Paris goals but to beat them and we would have over um uh over a 50% goal by twenty, thirty, 100% uh by twenty fifty. Part of the commitment in addition to meeting our own uh goals is to make sure we help developing countries with the technology and resources to meet theirs. Uh they have are not responsible for many of their missions uh but they pay a big price in terms of rising sea levels, encroachment of deserts, melt, melting of glaciers, the uh uh drying up rivers and the rest that have an impact on uh their lives. It's a it's a it's a very big issue. The World Health Organization is just issued something less within the last twenty-four hours. I believe. I saw it when I got off the plane that that they uh think that the climate issue is the biggest health uh challenge that we have. And it is a health issue. Clean air, clean water uh for our children. It's a jobs issue. Good green uh green jobs. Uh for many new many more people to uh take advantage of the opportunities that present. It's a national security issue as our foreign policy experts tell us that the competition for habitat resources etcetera uh is is a security issue because of the migrations that it may uh may cause from drought and famine and all the rest. Um natural disasters that spring from that. But it is a moral issue as well. We have a moral responsibility has this planet on and uh response way to future generations and that was much of the conversation I was able to have with his holiness. Pope Francis uh that was so thrilling to bring the greetings of the congress to his holiness uh to thank him for his strong message on climate Laudalte C, his first encyclical which he spoke about when he spoke to the Congress in a joint session uh 5 years ago and uh to continue on that conversation as we prepare uh for uh COP twenty-six in Glasgow. It was um It was just a remarkable experience uh to have that private audience uh with his holiness and again, to bring the thanks and gratitude of our colleagues and his blessings uh back back to us. The uh then I went to as in the region to um join a congressional delegation of bipartisan delegation in Portugal uh for the Nato meeting. The other was G twenty, etcetera and this was the Nato meeting. Uh uh presided over by our own Jerry Connolly, Congressman Connolly of Virginia, has been elected for the the entire Nato parliamentary assembly. Uh he is uh the president of it. So, he presided over the presentations by the president of Purgical, the the Prime Minister, the speaker, and of course the uh Secretary General of the um of Nato uh and uh it it was and I had the privilege once again to address them and talk about women insecurity and I was honored to receive their first award in that regard because women insecurity are one of the answers to it and uh so in any event, if you want, I can talk to you more about that. The whole time though, we were all focused on building back better. The Europeans and others are from all over the world, the G twenty were interested in what was happening here and uh of course, uh these discussions went into the nights because of the time, the time difference. Uh we had some important decisions to make in the next few days so that we can proceed. I'm very disappointed that we're not going with the original three 3.5 3.5000000000000 dollars which was very transformative. But in the uh whatever we do we'll make decisions that will continue to be transformative about women in the workplace. So uh so uh transformed because of childcare and and uh universal pre K which sort of go together. The child tax credit home. Health care workers. benefit too but largely women and women are those caregivers as well. So, not only to um free up women to go into the workplace for their own professions and and interest but also to recognize the work that women do and and uh providing that health care issues that relate to family medical leave and the rest. The uh build back better is three baskets. It's climate which we spent some time talking about already. Health, job security and moral responsibility It's health care. than uh the issues that relate to the Affordable Care Act, Medicare, and Medicaid and Family Care by mentioned some of those issues already. And so uh whatever we do it will be transformative. It will produce results and we would are very grateful to our president for saying I wanna pass the bipartisan bipartisan um legislation on infrastructure I will not confine my vision for the future to what is can be in that bill. Hence, we need the build back better. The uh in addition to that, of course, and and that again, let me just say that's really a very important jobs, Bill. It's a jobs bill and it's a bill about our children and it is about our values. So, I'm pretty excited about the prospect that we have. To make some difficult decisions, of course, because we had less fewer resources but nonetheless no diminishing of our commitment uh to a transformative agenda for the children. Uh as you know, we're back today to do the uh that that ceiling and we will be, this will go until nearly 500 billion dollars until december 3rd uh in the meantime, we'll be working to try to have bipartisanship as we always have had uh on that on legislation. I just wanna you know what, let me just say some of the things that could happen if we do not achieve that. We could uh if we don't lift the sale, it could be a loss of 6 million jobs, fifteen tri 15 trillion dollars in household wealth, and drastically increase the cost. Do you have a credit card? Do you have a car loan? Car loans, mortgages, student loans, credit cards, and other bother borrowing. So, domestically, and when I say domestically, I don't just mean within the United States. I mean, at the kitchen domestically. It will have a tremendous impact. It it uh it's about the economy that we're preventing decline in the GDP of up to four percent. The GDP could go down and a surge in the unemployment rate as the economy. Right now, we're recovering from a pandemic. We don't need that. And then just to say what it does globally, a default would send shock waves to global financial markets and would likely cause credit markets worldwide to freeze up and stock markets to plunge. Employers around the world would likely have to begin laying off workers. Again this is a report from the White House on that. So, I'm assure you to that and again, it's it's about kitchen table. It's about global, our economy, global economy but it's also about our constitution which says the full faith and credit of the United States shall not be in doubt. Fourteenth amendment section four. So, um uh is the validity of the public debt of the United States authorized by law shall not be questioned. Okay? Got any questions? Let me see how to reward those who are here the most. That's the way it goes. Well, let me talk to some of the women first. I'll come back to you, man. The uh supply chain that we're seeing right now. The uh disrup going on. Right now, we're seeing our American courts that are percent capacity Um but the problem is right now that they were closing at night and on Sundays. And do you think the president right now should be talking to the loosen up some of their regulations as as to when more often to start off our supplies. Well, the supply chain issue is not just an issue of what happens here. The supply chain is an issue globally and that was something that we talked about at at the meeting because there's uh there um uh obstructions and other countries of product even making it to the ships to come to our country. Yeah, we've got to address that issue because it has a direct impact on everything because we are so dependent on uh global, on global trade, and our trade going out as well. Yes, sir. because your letter last night to the caucus. Yes. You said that you should be doing, you need me to do fewer things well. That's the guidance you got from the members. So, are you suggesting that this package may ultimately drop either universal pre K, child tax, credit expansion, wishing for community college, gave my family leave or even Well, let me just say that a 3.5000000000000 dollars. We were doing everything well. So, not a question of now we're doing it well because it's less money but the fact is, is that if there is a fewer dollars to spend, their choices to be made and members have said, let's get the results that we need but we will not diminish the transformative nature of what it is and it is um uh some members have written back to me and said, I wanna do everything. So, we'll have discussion. Uh but again uh in the family section of it the transformative nature that Biden Child Tax Credit. Childcare and um universal pre K really go together. That that's sort of a they go together. They they're part of the same meeting the same need. Issues that relate to home health care. There's certain things that we I mean we're still talking about a couple trillion dollars. But it's not you know it's more um it's it's much less. So mostly we would be cutting back on years and something like that. But those are decisions that we have done. Programs do you think? Excuse me? Would you have to drop one of programs? Well, we hope not. We hope not but we just, we have to make sure we have a bill which I also said is that we have to have something that will pass the house and pass the Senate. Pass the House and pass the Senate and I'm not asking members to vote for something that has no chance to pass in the Senate. Sir. So, II I'm optimistic that um we will get to where we need to be in timely fashion. two more questions. Do you think that? Two part or two parts allowed? I mean, there are a lot of questions here. Do you believe you'll get this done this month still and also on the debt limit? Are you still of the view that you should not do this as part of reconciliation? Yeah, I did tell you that, didn't I? No, I don't think you did actually. I think you said it. Well, you asked me and you forgot. You said, are you gonna do it in reconciliation? I said, no. Well, it's only extended for about a month. Maybe I didn't recognize you with the mask. Uh yeah, no, I'm optimistic that uh we, these decisions have to be made. There's been a lot of discussion and we are uh a Democratic Party. We are not a rubber stamp or AA lock party. We have our discussions and I'm very proud of the values that all the members have brought to the table, the knowledge of the issues that they're advancing, that they bring, and the realization that even a three point five, you have to make decisions. So, again, we have to make a tighter decisions. Now, my last letter previous to this one, I said, everybody, sharpen your pencil. I mean, it's an an old phrase. Nobody uses a pencil anymore, I guess, but sharpen your pen literally figuratively in any other way. The uh but I'm I'm optimistic, yeah. In terms of the dead ceiling, well, we're just hoping that we can do this in a bipartisan way. There are all kinds of um suggestions that members have. One, that really was endorsed a while back by Mitch McConnell but who knows that you know, who knows but it was to to um the the manifestation of it now. Mister Yarmouth Mr. boil and put forth, puts a responsibility on the secretary of the treasury to make the determination to lift the debt ceiling That decision could be overruled by the Congress. it would take sixty votes under the present. custom but nonetheless Congress would have to overrule that. That seems to have some appeal uh to both sides of the aisle because of the consequences. To people of not lifting it. But why would they I mean many many Democrats and Republicans have voted against lifting the dead ceiling but never to the extent of jeopardizing it. This is the first time. Is that idea? Are you in favor of that idea? I think it has merit. Yes. I do think it has merit. But in the meantime, we're gonna pass a bill today to take us uh to December with the hope that when people realize what the implications of or this is not a technical thing. This is has ramifications as I say. From the kitchen table to our economy uh to global and constitutional. Yeah. know. Yeah. Yes ma'am. Pelosi Pelosi . One of the K fours in the build back better bill that's been proposed is IRS cracking down Banks are starting to get calls from customers and they're reporting these calls. They're concerned about this tracking of pay of transactions that is greater than Um so, Americans are starting to worry Do you think that this of getting the IRS more money to crack down on going to stay into reconciliation. Yes. What do you see? Yes. To avoid. Yes. Yes. About that. Yes. Well, II don't, I mean, with all due respect, uh the plural of the anecdote is not data. I've said that before here. Yes, there are concerns that some people have but if people are breaking the law and not paying their taxes, one way to track them is uh through the banking measure. I think 600 but that's a negotiation uh that will go on as to what the amount is but yes, Yes, sir. Madam speaker. Well, these people in the front row have an advantage here. You you go. Thank you, madam speaker. Our latest CBS news poll of 10% of Americans describe themselves as knowing a lot of specific. things that are in the reconciliation packaging of the majority don't know anything at all. So, do you think you need to do a better job at messaging and going forward, how do you sell this if ultimately. Well, I think you all could do a better job of selling it to be very frank with you because every time I come here, I go through the list. Family Medical Leaf, climate uh the the issues that are in there and um but it is true. It is hard to break through when you have such a comprehensive package. Uh but uh as we narrow it down and and put it out there, I think that it will. Um for example, one of the things in the bill is the continuation of the Biden tax credit that is child tax credit that is in the um was in the rescue package. That has great appeal. Do people know where it it springs from though but it is AA vast bill. It has a lot in it and we'll have to continue to make sure the public does but whether they know it or not, they overwhelmingly support it and by the way, much more than men. Men like the infrastructure of this one here. God's question. To get the price down the price of the package down. Excuse me? Will it be the first to go to get the price of the pack You must be kidding. That's a negotiation. That's not something that I would be announcing here and I don't even know what that would be. Uh no, what would be the first go? What would be uh uh probably in timing that the timing would be reduced in any cases to make the uh cost lower. But it only would be in such a way that does not undermine the transformative nature of it because some of it has to have enough money in order to be have sustainability that is can be on. So, again, the first thing would be uh timing. Thank you. Thank you all. Oh, by the way, I have to go. I have um a foreign minister LePed coming to my office now. He's in Washington for meetings with the administration and I will have a bipartisan, a meeting with him and perhaps some of you will even attend our press uh availability in in a short period but it's pretty exciting uh to welcome here to once again uh take great pride in the relationship between Israel and the United States that Israel's security is essential to US security uh that we have those shared values, security, security, security but also values and to talk about some of the uh uh the issues about it um uh two state solution. It had to be AA solution uh to commend them for their work. The Israelis have been in the lead on covid. Small country but big enough to make an impact. And for us to learn from. So I'm very excited of that. That meeting and perhaps I'll see some of you at that press bail. Thank you all. Bye bye.
