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Understanding 9/11tv Democratic Leader Jeffries Holds News Conference CSPAN April 12, 2024 4:07am-4:37am EDT
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[captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2024] [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. visit ncicap.org] mr. jeffries: good afternoon. earlier today we welcomed the prime minister of japan, his excellencecy, for a joint session of congress. i thought he delivered an incredibly important address as it relates to the very close relationship between japan and the united states of america. a relationship that's endured for decades. a relationship that is echoed in
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principles of democracy. and freedom. and certainly a relationship that is incredibly important during this great moment of turmoil when we see forces of tyranny and totalitarianism and terror. partnering with each other. including but not limited to in ukraine as it relates to russian aggression and it's a real, clear, urgent need for american leadership, as the japanese prime minister made clear, and for the congress to do its part to meet america's national security needs. which requires house republicans to bring the bipartisan, comprehensive, national security bill to the house floor for an
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up or down vote. democrats under the leadership of president biden continue to deliver real results for the american people. job creation remains up. more than 15 million good-paying jobs have been created under the leadership of president joe biden. in less than four years. which represents phenomenal progress from the days of the covid-19 pandemic and the shutdown of our economy. at the same point, democrats realize that there's more that needs to be done to address inflationary pressures. the issue of affordability and to drive down costs for everyday americans and democrats remain committed to building an economy from the middle out and the bottom up, to growing the middle class, and to making sure that
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we bring economic opportunity to every single zip code in the united states of america. for the middle class and all those everyday americans who aspire to be part of the middle class. questions? reporter: thank you. sit hard as leader of the democrats when republicans are in charge and they're constantly unable to move fisa, we don't know the path on ukraine, there's always this toking and froing to say, this is what we're going to do? what's the attitude of democrats when they're hearing this and seeing this pandemonium? mr. jeffries: from the beginning of this congress we made clear as democrats that we will find bipartisan common ground with our republican colleagues on any issue in order to make life better for the american people. and we have repeatedly done exactly that.
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on issue after issue after issue, including most recently making sure we funded the government in a way that met the needs of the american people in terms of their health, their safety, and their economic well being. at the same time, we have also made clear that we are going to push back against republican extremism whenever necessary. and we have had to repeatedly do it because the extreme maga republicans are determined, for instance, to rip away reproductive freedom from the women of america and to impose their draconian economic philosophy, which is anchored in tax cuts for the wealthy, the well off, and the well-connected. we're going to continue to stay on this track of doing what's right for the american people and finding bipartisan common ground whenever and wherever possible. but at the same time pushing back against their extremism.
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specifically, as it relates to what we've seen over and over and over again from this group of maga extremists on the other side of the aisle, it's clear to the american people that in washington, d.c., we need more common sense, and as the house democratic governing philosophy, common sense, and less chaos. unfortunately, what we've seen from house republicans from the very beginning of this congress is chaos, dysfunction, and extremism, and it hurts the american people. reporter: is the speaker getting marching orders from the former president? he's going to meet him at mar-a-lago, have you heard that? mr. jeffries: that's a question that speaker johnson has to answer himself. reporter: what are democrats doing to make sured agets to haiti and what are house
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democrats doing to make sure members back bills to fund the reconstruction of the collapsed bridge in baltimore? mr. jeffries: both are important. i'm going to have a conversation with governor moore later today, i've been in close touch with him, our offices have been in touch with're other. and congressman mfume has been leading the effort on behalf of the maryland delegation to make sure we are able to provide the city of baltimore, the people of baltimore, and certainly the immigrant families who have experienced the loss of a loved one, with the support that they need in this moment of great crisis. america needs to stand with the people of haiti. haiti is not in our backyard, hey tee is in our -- haiti in in our front-yard. it is a part of the americas.
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haitian americans are an important part of this country's gorgeous mosaic. the united states has secured a commitment from kenya and other nations in africa and the caribbean to provide security assistance on the ground in haiti. but we need the congress to do its part and release the $40 million in security assistance that is necessary for the kenyans and others to be able to have the resources necessary to turn around the security situation in haiti. we sent a letter to speaker johnson weeks ago, urging him to urge the republican chairman of the foreign affairs committee to
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release the hold so that the $40 million in security assistance for the people of haiti can be distributed in a manner that will allow for the chaotic situation to be addressed. and it should have happened yesterday. it needs to happen immediately. reporter: thank you. have you begun discussions with speaker johnson about a new ukraine package, and if he move and that would you save him from the motion to vacate? mr. jeffries: the only way forward at this late hour is for house republicans to put the bipartisan, comprehensive national security bill on the house floor for an up or down vote so we can provide support for our democratic allies in ukraine, israel, the indo-pacific, including japan, as well as make sure we can get
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humanitarian assistance to palestinians who are in harm's way in gaza through no fault of their own, and other victims. that's the only path forward. enough with the delays. the obstruction. the gamesmanship. the on fuse case. enough -- the obfuscation. enough. the world is on fire. american leadership is required. the entire post-world war ii, rules-based society on the global stage is at risk. if because of inaction in the do-nothing republican house, we fail to provide ukraine with the support that it needs to push back against russian aggression. there's only one path forward. now i've made the observation, not a declaration, the
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observation that if the speaker were to do the right thing, and allow the house to work its will, with an up or down vote on the national security bill, that i believe that there are a reasonable number of democrats who would not want to see the speaker fall as a result of doing the right thing. observation, not a declaration. because we have to have a conversation, i didn't necessarily mean to rhyme there. [laughter] mr. jeffries: a conversation amongst ourselves as house democrats before making such a solemn decision. reporter: does that mean you're rule ought supporting any other type of package? mr. jeffries: our view, quite clearly, and it was expressed this morning in the whip meeting hosted by the honorable katherine clark who is doing a great job, is that the only path
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forward is an up or down vote on the bipartisan, comprehensive national security bill. reporter: the only path forward for that bill would be on the suspension calendar such as was demonstrated yesterday they can't pass a rule. are you worried about losing democratic votes over the israel aid portion of this, and that you would be in a situation where you couldn't get a 2/3 majority? mr. jeffries: i believe that there are sufficient number of votes to make sure that the national security bill makes it over the legislative finish line if it's brought to the house floor. between the house democratic caucus and the house republican conference. reporter: saw yesterday that the republicans failed to pass a rule on fisa. would democrats support a standalone rule for fisa and has speaker johnson spoken to you about this?
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mr. jeffries: no, and no. reporter: it doesn't have the full support of democrats, have you been talking to your colleagues if they're willing to sign this discharge petition to move forward with the bill? mr. jeffries: i think the discharge petition now has north of the support of 90% of house democrats. i think we are currently somewhere around 194 or 195, some additional members signed today. i think we have two republicans who joined us. the problem is not on the democratic side. the problem is on the republican side. two republicans. out of 217. believe that it's urgent at this moment to put the bipartisan national security bill on the floor so we can provide support for ukraine, israel, japan, south korea, taiwan, and humanitarian assistance to people who are struggling throughout the world.
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two republicans. the problem is not on the democratic side. and just a handful of republicans, 20 or 25 at most, were willing to join house democrats, we can do what's necessary to protect america's national security needs. reporter: thank you. it sounds like speaker johnson, in order to win over some of those conservative critics, is looking at a plan to shrink the re-authorization window from five years to two years. is that something the democrats cowl support? mr. jeffries: i need to have a conversation with jim hymes as well as the democrat -- jim hymes as well as the democrats on the committee who have been close toast this issue, as well as chairman meeks of the foreign afairks soon to be chairman meeks of the foreign affairs committee, once and future chairman meeks. as well as adam smith and
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others. for, you know, before, you know, i'm going to weigh in on the length of time connected to the re-authorization. back to this side. reporter: during your conversations with the japanese prime minister, did you bring up any type of reforms to the status -- let me get this right, to the status of forces agreement between the united states and japan to avoid a situation like the one that happened at ridge alconas from happening again? mr. jeffries: they do -- that did not come up in the private conversations i was part of. we more broadly talked about continued security cooperation between the united states and japan. some of the challenges in the indo-pacific. as well as of course some of the challenges in the world. similar to the themes that the japanese prime minister hit upon in his address. because we're confronting across the world a conflict between the
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forces of freedom and the forces of tyranny. the forces of democracy and the forces of autocracy. the forces of truth, and the forces of propaganda. the united states, japan, our other democratic allies, stand on the right side of that divide. and we'll have to look for ways to continue to make sure we operationalize it. reporter: do you think service members overseas need to be guaranteed to the right to an attorney or a translator? mr. jeffries: that issue didn't come up. i defer to the administration right new for the particulars. reporter: we saw another ruling on abortion in arizona further restricting the practice. do you believe these rulings in the wake of roe vrmt wade being overturned, does that expand your map when you're looking to take back the majority? do you believe donald trump when he says he wouldn't sign a national abortion ban into law? mr. jeffries: donald trump is
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lying. this is an individual who has said, along with the other extreme maga republicans, that they are proud to have taken down roe v. wade. donald trump put three supreme court justices in place, several of whom in my view misrepresented their position before the united states senate, claiming that roe v. wade was settled law. and then the first opportunity they had, took roe v. wade down and put the women of america in a position where abortion care has been criminalized. in state after state after state. the extreme maga republicans have been very clear. they do not believe in a woman's freedom to make her own reproductive health care decisions. the only reason the former president is claiming to be for
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states' rights, is because he knows he's not for women's rights when it comes to reproductive freedom. and he recognizes that he's in a politically vulnerable position. but there is absolutely zero reason to believe that the extreme maga republicans, the first chance that they had with a congress controlled by right-wing conservatives, and god help us all, a republican president, would not impose a nationwide ban on abortion. it's what drives a significant number of the republicans who are part of their base. if roe v. wade can fall, after nearly 50 years, everything is on the table. and it's not just reproductive freedom.
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it's social security. it's medicare. and many of us believe it's democracy itself. reporter: do you think that expand your map? mr. jeffries: that's a question we have to address on the nongovernmental side. what is clear is that the women of america, the enlightened people of america, in november, are going to express themselves, loudly and clearly. and the republicans who want to criminalize abortion care and who want to impose a nationwide ban are on the wrong side of this issue. the wrong side of history. and are likely to be on the wrong side of the election results. reporter: what's your message to the 20 or so democrats in your own caucus who have not signed on to this resolution?
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mr. jeffries: there are ongoing discussions about the best way forward in terms of ensuring and up or down vote on the bipartisan national security bill. but the reality of the situation that we confront is clear. the only way to get the bill over the finish line is with democrats and republicans partnering with each other. we have already demonstrated that we will provide more than our fair share of the votes to get the national security bill done. all we need is a handful of republicans, 20 or 25, to join us. they started this congress with 225 republican members. all we need is 20 or 25. on every single issue of significance throughout this
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entire congress, house democrats who are in the minority have provided the overwhelming majority of votes to get things done for the american people. and on the issue of the national security bill, we are ready, willing, and able to do the same. we just need a handful of traditional republicans to break with the maga extremists and join us to lift up america's national security. reporter: speaker johnson has a one-vote majority in the house. what do you see or hope to see happening in the future, with that in mind? mr. jeffries: speaker johnson. with respect to -- just checking to see fifs paying attention. with respect to the agenda
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moving forward, as we have repeatedly said, as house democrats, we want to work together. to solve problems. for hardworking american taxpayers. we will continue to put people over politics. and to fight for things that matter. like lower costs. growing the middle class. safer communities. defending democracy. and building an economy from the middle out and the bottom up. and if our republican colleagues, with their ever-shrinking majority, are willing to join us on any issue, as long as it will make life better for the american people, we will continue to extend the hand of bipartisanship. reporter: does it change your strategy at all? mr. jeffries: it doesn't change our strategy at all. reporter: on the supplemental did you communicate in any way with speaker johnson about his
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intentions because he's say, you know, a lot of different things. he's talking about the innovation and he's considering all the options. has he indicated what he wants to do and what those innovations might be? mr. jeffries: we continue to make clear that the only path forward is an up or down vote on the bipartisan, comprehensive national security bill, passed by the senate. it's my understanding that the same point has been repeatedly made to house republicans by the biden administration. leader schumer. and leader mcconnell. everybody else in washington, d.c. is in agreement that there's only one path forward. and that's put the senate bill on the house floor for an up or down vote and i guarantee it will pass with a strong bipartisan majority.
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reporter: the affordable care program is expiring at the end of the month, the white house is asking for funding, i want to get your thoughts on that and the extension of that program. mr. jeffries: i strongly support congresswoman clark's efforts as well as the legislation connected to the discharge petition. it is my understanding that her legislation, which would allow the affordable connectivity benefit program to continue to be funded in ways that benefit the american people all across the country, in inner city america, rural america, exurban america, the heartland of america. that's a good thing. that's a win for everyone. congresswoman clark's legislation has bipartisan support and more co-sponsors as
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i understand it, than the number necessary to pass the bill out of the house. and so one way or the other we have to get it to the floor. reporter: you obviously during the last two weeks endorsed congressman bowman for re-election. if he asked, would you campaign with him in that district between now and june. and has apeck impeded your ability on the hill? mr. jeffries: no with respect to the second question and he and i haven't had that conversation about going into the district. reporter: should president biden take executive action to shut down the board her. mr. jeffries: i think the administration should pursue every available avenue to bring about a safe and secure border.
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we also need a humane border. the best path forward, as president biden and the administration has articulated, is a comp reshensively agreed upon legislative proposal that could move out of the house and the senate. unfortunately, we found ourselves in a situation where the extreme maga republicans are taking orders from their puppet master down in mar-a-lago who killed a bipartisan bill designed to address border security in the united states of america because the extreme maga republicans don't want to solve the border security issue, they want to exploit the border security issue. in november. i do not believe that the biden administration has given up hope for a different path forward. but all options should be on the table in terms of executive
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action. if it becomes clear that the legislative avenue has been closed off by republicans preferring partisan political stunts over addressing the needs of the american people, including as it relates to border security. thank you, everyone.
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