WEBVTT

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mhm .

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Okay , a couple of items for all of you

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at the top . Uh , yesterday I discussed

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the president's announcement about the

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historic partnership between Merck and

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Johnson and Johnson to produce more

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covid 19 vaccines . And , of course ,

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he laid out more details Yesterday

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afternoon . He also directed states to

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prioritize teachers for vaccinations in

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an effort to treat in person learning

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like essential the essential service it

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is . He challenged all 50 states to get

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teachers , school staff and childcare

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workers their first shot by the end of

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this month . To help states do that .

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Starting next week , we will be using

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the federal pharmacy program to

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prioritize vaccinating teachers ,

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school staff and childcare workers

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during the month of March . This is a

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part of the president's effort to urge

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states to prioritize vaccines for all

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essential workers , uh , the special

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enrollment period , which we talked

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about a couple of weeks ago . I have an

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update on that , and , uh , and the

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number of people who have enrolled . On

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February 15th , the Biden Harris

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administration opened healthcare dot

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gov for three months to provide all

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Americans the opportunity to sign up

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for health insurance through a special

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enrollment period . In the two weeks

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since , more than 200,000 Americans

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have gotten covered . These numbers are

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encouraging , but we can't slow down

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until every American has health

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coverage . There is plenty of time left

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to sign up . And , of course , people

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who need health insurance can go to

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healthcare dot gov to sign up before

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May 15th . Uh , today also , and

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there's been a little bit of reporting

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about this , so I just wanted to go

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through this to provide some clarity .

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Um , the president will issue his

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interim national security strategic

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guidance , laying out a vision for how

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the United States can seize what we

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view as a once in a generation

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opportunity to renew America's

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advantages at home and abroad . The

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guidance is designed to communicate the

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administration's strategic approach and

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central priorities for national

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security policy . It describes the

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change strategic landscape the United

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States faces today and affirms our

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enduring core national interests ,

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including protecting the security of

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the American people , expanding

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economic prosperity and opportunity ,

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and realizing and defending the

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democratic values at the heart of the

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American way of life . The guidance

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will provide direction to departments

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and agencies in advance of a new

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national security strategy , which we

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expect to release later this year , as

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many past presidents have done . And we

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will post , uh , this is G on the White

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House website later this afternoon . I

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would also encourage everyone to tune

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into the remarks of Secretary Blinken ,

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uh , delivered this morning a foreign

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policy for the American people , which

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touched on a number of the same pillars .

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This afternoon , the president and vice

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president will also meet with members

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of Congress , which we announced last

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night to begin working together in a

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bipartisan way to end cancer as we know

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it . Defeating cancer is of significant

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personal importance to the president ,

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the first lady and the vice president

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and cancers , of course , disease that

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impacts affects many Americans , no

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matter their political affiliation .

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This has been a priority of the

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president's , as we all know for many ,

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many years , and this is his first

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engagement with members of Congress in

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the Oval Office . About it , um , one

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last piece just to make sure you all

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are all following the activities of the

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vice president , the vice president ,

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we'll be visiting a woman owned small

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business in Alexandria , Virginia ,

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later today called fiber space . The

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vice president heard how the small

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business has been impacted by Covid ,

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19 , and how they had to adjust their

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business model . She also will discuss

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the importance of passing the American

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rescue plan . Of course , as you've

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heard us , I'll talk about a few times

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while she's visiting the small business .

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With that Alex , go ahead and I want to

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start with your own V nominee .

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Yesterday , the last outstanding

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Republican senator , Lisa Murkowski ,

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said that she did not tell the White

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House was stance on Tandon . Um , what

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eventually did stand ins nomination and

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why was she withdrawn ? And can you

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talk a little bit about who you're

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looking at for a replacement ,

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particularly Shalonda Young ? Uh Pelosi ,

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Where and representative Clyburn came

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out in support of her today is the

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White House looking at her as a

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potential replacement ? Well , let me

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first say that given Neera . Tanden

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withdrew her nomination just last night .

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I would not expect , or you should not

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expect any announcement on a future

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nominee this week . Obviously , the

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president's schedule is quite full .

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His focus remains on the American

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rescue plan and the range of meetings

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and engagements he has already planned

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and scheduled . Of course , he has

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nominated Sean Young to serve as Deputy

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O . N . B director and that nomination ,

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along with about a half a dozen

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nominees who have been nominated to

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serve as a as a heading . Agencies are

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still sitting and waiting to be

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confirmed , and so we would certainly

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encourage and urge action and urgent

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action on moving those forward , uh ,

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in terms of the nomination . Neera

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Tanden , as we've talked about for some

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time in here , is someone who's been ,

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uh , was has been leading a head Still

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leads , I should say , a think tank in

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Washington , D . C . She certainly saw

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that the path to her own , uh ,

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confirmation , uh , was was narrowed

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and did not look like there was a path

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forward . Uh , I'm not going to get

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into the details of who was or wasn't

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against her or for her , or was was or

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wasn't going to vote for her against

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her . We can leave that to members of

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the Senate to speak to on their own .

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But it was a recognition that Neera

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Tanden made . We certainly , of course ,

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as we noted in the statement last night

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accepted her decision to withdraw her

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nomination . And when we have an

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announcement about the new nominee , we

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will make that . But again , as we

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noted in the statement , the president

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is looking forward to finding a place

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for her in the administration and

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values her experience , uh , and her

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talents and is looking forward ,

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looking forward to utilizing and the

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threats against the capital tomorrow .

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Uh , is the president monitoring those ?

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Has he been briefed ? And has the

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administration directed law enforcement

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to prepare any better than they were

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prepared ? Considering the January 6

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activities of the Catholic ? Well , we

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certainly have been watching the , um ,

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the hearings that have been happening

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on Capitol Hill over the last two days .

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Our team has been . I know the

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president has caught clips of those ,

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but of course he has a full schedule ,

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as you all well know . And we are ready

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and eager to work in partnership with

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leaders in Congress , uh , with on any

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recommendations that are made to ensure

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their safety and security and to

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prevent the events that happened on

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January 6 from ever happening again .

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What if I can quickly a little homework

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around here ? as it relates to covid

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relief Bill . I know we'll see you

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speaking the president speaker of the

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House Democratic Caucus later today .

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Can you confirm that the President has

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signed off on these reduced income

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thresholds as it relates to those

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direct payments ? Well , um , let me

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let me provide a little context here

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because some of the reporting it's all

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coming out . So some of the reporting

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is aligned with accuracy , and some is

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not no one's fault . Um , for first .

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So one . I talked to the president

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about this this morning . Uh , he's

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pleased with the progress that is being

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made on the rescue plan . As someone

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who served for 36 years in the Senate .

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He is certainly familiar with the

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journey that it takes from a proposal

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to a bill being signed . And in every

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instance in the final stage , which we

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feel we were in , we are in now . There

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are suggestions there are changes .

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There are negotiations between even

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different member , a different parts of

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one party . That's what that's what's

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happening now . And he is open to has

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always said he's open to good ideas and

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to proposals that will strengthen the

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package . What he has been firm on is

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that the package needs to , uh , be

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large enough to meet the scope of the

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twin crises . We're facing a covid and

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the economic downturn . He's been firm

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on the importance of the $1400 checks

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going out to Americans . Uh , and that

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and he has fought for that tooth and

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nail and is , uh , that is a that is a

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bar for him . Uh , and he has also been

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firm on the the thresholds at which

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Americans should receive those checks .

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So as we've seen in the reporting ,

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it's 75 K and 150 k . He has been clear

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that those are important thresholds to

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him what we're talking about here , and

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I realized you didn't actually ask this .

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But just for clarity , for everyone is

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where the Where is the is the ramp up

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and how far the ramp up goes where it

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ends . I should say where it ends . And

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he has also been open from the

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beginning for those that being more

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targeted and for there to be a , uh ,

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steeper , uh , steeper cliff at which ,

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uh , that ramp down ends for clarity is

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he does he support ? I know he's okay

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with what you just said out there . Is

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he okay with it ending at $80,000 for

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individuals . 160,000 for

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couples in 124 heads of households . He

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is comfortable with where the

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negotiations stand . Of course , there

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are going to be ongoing discussions .

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We don't have a final bill . As you

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know , there will be ongoing

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discussions . He is comfortable and

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knows there will be tweets at the

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margin . What his , uh firm viewpoint

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is is that it needs to meet the scope

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of the challenge . It needs to be the

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size he's proposed . It needs to have

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the core components in order to have

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the impact on the American . He's

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confident that he'll have 50 Democrats

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that all support where it stands based

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on those changes to which you just

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referred . Yeah , he is . He is .

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Certainly That's one of the reasons why

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he's meeting with members of Congress .

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You can you can define them any way you

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like . Moderates , progressives ,

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Republicans , because he's not taking

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anything for granted . As we work to

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get this past past the finish line ,

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let me ask you about these new rocket

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attacks took place in Iraq , obviously

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still no formal assessment on who is

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responsible here . A lot of suspicion .

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Iran's behind this , the president said

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to me last week . He said to them , You

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can't act with impunity . Be careful

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here . What do you do about this ? What

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is the response we should expect from

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this administration following this new

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round of attacks ? Well , just to

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confirm some of the pieces you

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mentioned were still assessing the

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impact of this latest rocket attack ,

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including determining precise

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attribution . Of course they just

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happened over the course of last night ,

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as you noted . Also , we responded to

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recent Iranian backed attacks on

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coalition and U . S forces in a manner

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that was calculated , proportionate and

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fully covered by legal authorities .

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That will be our model moving forward .

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If we assess further response is

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warranted . We will take action again

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in a manner and time of our choosing ,

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and we reserve that option . The

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president was briefed by his national

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security team this morning was , of

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course , monitoring the details

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overnight . What we won't do is make a

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hasty or ill informed decision that

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further escalates the decision or plays

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into the hands of our adversaries . Let

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me ask one last question . Given the

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news that came out last night about

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Texas and Mississippi . The president

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was in Texas , met with Governor Abbott

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just a matter of days ago . They have

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now in both of those states , remove

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their mask mandates , and they're

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reopening it 100% . Even as this White

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House says , Now is not the time for

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that . How do you characterize those

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decisions ? And what do you say to the

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governors of those two states that are

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making them ? Well , first , uh , the

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president's position on mask wearing is

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based on the recommendations of health

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and medical experts and , uh , their

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views that it could save 50,000 lives .

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Uh , that is why he asked the American

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people to wear masks for 100 days . Uh ,

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for nearly a year , we've been dealing

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and navigating and coping with this

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pandemic across the country , and this

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entire country has paid the price for

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political leaders who ignored the

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science when it comes to the pandemic .

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Uh , we talked a little bit yesterday

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about how people are starting to feel a

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little bit better in some cases , you

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go to the grocery store and there's

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Clorox wipes available , and a year

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into this that feels better . But

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there's still more work that needs to

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be done . We need to remain vigilant .

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Uh , and , uh , he believes that he's

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hopeful that people in these states

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will continue to follow the guidelines

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that have been set out and the

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recommendations made by health and

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medical experts . Go , Jenn , Thank you .

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I have several questions about teachers

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getting vaccinated , but to follow up

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on Peter first . Does President Biden

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plan to speak to the governors to have

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them reconsider their orders ? And

12:12.880 --> 12:14.880
secondly , what are people in those

12:14.880 --> 12:16.713
states supposed to do if they're

12:16.713 --> 12:19.210
confused about whether to listen to the

12:19.220 --> 12:22.570
governor or the president ? Well ,

12:22.570 --> 12:24.626
first , I would say we're not asking

12:24.626 --> 12:26.903
people just to listen to the president .

12:26.903 --> 12:28.903
Of course , we recommend that , but

12:28.903 --> 12:31.126
we're asking people to listen to health

12:31.126 --> 12:34.300
experts , medical experts , the C D . C .

12:34.310 --> 12:37.340
To , uh Dr Fauci to others who are

12:37.340 --> 12:39.560
basing their recommendations on how to

12:39.570 --> 12:41.792
save people's lives . That's what we're

12:41.792 --> 12:43.570
asking people to do . Uh , the

12:43.570 --> 12:45.792
president's view is well known . We all

12:45.792 --> 12:48.270
know it quite well about why Mask

12:48.270 --> 12:50.400
wearing is important again based on

12:50.400 --> 12:52.567
health and medical experts . He speaks

12:52.567 --> 12:54.567
with governors of both parties on a

12:54.567 --> 12:56.678
regular basis . He obviously traveled

12:56.678 --> 12:58.900
with the governor last Friday , and I'm

12:58.900 --> 13:01.122
sure he will raise this , uh , the next

13:01.122 --> 13:02.900
opportunity he has . And on the

13:02.900 --> 13:05.360
president's goal to vaccinate educators

13:05.370 --> 13:07.910
by the end of this month . Last month

13:07.910 --> 13:11.340
you made it very clear that , as you

13:11.340 --> 13:13.500
well know , it's up to states to

13:13.500 --> 13:16.910
determine how to prioritize vaccines .

13:16.930 --> 13:18.986
And you reminded us that even though

13:18.986 --> 13:21.208
there are federal recommendations , the

13:21.208 --> 13:23.860
process is not to mandate states to

13:23.860 --> 13:26.550
prioritize anyone . What has changed

13:26.560 --> 13:28.810
between then and now ? And what power

13:28.810 --> 13:31.600
does President Biden have to direct

13:31.600 --> 13:34.930
states to prioritize teachers ? Well ,

13:34.930 --> 13:37.730
1st 30 states are already doing this .

13:37.740 --> 13:40.210
Um , so that is the majority of states

13:40.210 --> 13:42.110
in the country who are treating

13:42.110 --> 13:44.330
teachers as essential workers . And

13:44.330 --> 13:46.441
that's what the president is asking .

13:46.441 --> 13:48.330
What he is recommending . We , of

13:48.330 --> 13:50.440
course , uh , the right now the

13:50.450 --> 13:52.339
teachers will have access through

13:52.339 --> 13:54.650
pharmacies . That is , that the supply

13:54.650 --> 13:56.817
that goes to pharmacies is through the

13:56.817 --> 13:58.983
federal supply . And so that is , uh ,

13:58.983 --> 14:01.310
you know , an area where we can work

14:01.320 --> 14:03.042
through a program that we have

14:03.042 --> 14:05.209
instituted to ensure that teachers are

14:05.209 --> 14:07.420
prioritized . Today . You've said that

14:07.420 --> 14:09.720
he is challenging states . He's asking

14:09.720 --> 14:11.609
states he's emerging states . But

14:11.609 --> 14:13.609
yesterday the president said , he's

14:13.609 --> 14:17.370
directing states . So is it just a firm

14:17.380 --> 14:20.940
request , or is he using some mechanism

14:20.940 --> 14:23.940
and authority to direct them well again ,

14:23.950 --> 14:26.350
He is using a federal program that is

14:26.350 --> 14:28.461
works that is , distributing vaccines

14:28.461 --> 14:30.461
to pharmacies across the country to

14:30.461 --> 14:32.628
ensure that teachers are prioritized .

14:32.628 --> 14:34.739
Uh , it is not . It remains , uh , it

14:34.739 --> 14:36.739
does not . It remains the same case

14:36.739 --> 14:38.294
it's been where it is not a

14:38.294 --> 14:40.406
prerequisite for schools to open . It

14:40.406 --> 14:42.350
is just a is one of the mitigation

14:42.350 --> 14:44.572
steps that can be taken for teachers to

14:44.572 --> 14:46.628
be vaccinated . But he believes that

14:46.628 --> 14:48.850
teachers should be treated as essential

14:48.850 --> 14:48.670
workers . There is , of course , the

14:48.670 --> 14:50.726
power of the bully pulpit . There is

14:50.726 --> 14:52.892
the power of the pharmacy program that

14:52.892 --> 14:55.114
the federal government is instituting ,

14:55.114 --> 14:57.226
and certainly as the president of the

14:57.226 --> 14:59.392
United States , um , the leader of the

14:59.392 --> 15:01.614
the country , um , he is conveying This

15:01.614 --> 15:03.837
is important . It's not a Republican or

15:03.837 --> 15:06.059
a Democratic issue . Whether or not our

15:06.059 --> 15:08.226
kids are behind . We have all seen the

15:08.226 --> 15:08.060
impact on mental health . We've seen

15:08.060 --> 15:11.390
the impact on kids being , uh , doing

15:11.390 --> 15:14.020
zoom from from their kitchen tables and

15:14.020 --> 15:16.110
kitchen counters and everybody wants

15:16.120 --> 15:18.287
the president wants kids to be back in

15:18.287 --> 15:20.453
school . This is part of the effort to

15:20.453 --> 15:22.398
ease that one last question on the

15:22.398 --> 15:24.287
effort . You're using the federal

15:24.287 --> 15:26.398
pharmacy program , which was supposed

15:26.398 --> 15:29.160
to establish more equity , especially

15:29.160 --> 15:32.810
for a commune . Okay , um , Dr Celine

15:32.810 --> 15:35.050
Gounder is called the move to

15:35.050 --> 15:38.190
prioritize teachers anti equity . Since

15:38.190 --> 15:42.080
most teachers are white , Um , and it's

15:42.080 --> 15:44.340
taking away from those people who are

15:44.340 --> 15:45.951
underserved . So what is the

15:45.951 --> 15:48.550
administration doing to make sure

15:49.040 --> 15:51.020
teachers and these people who are

15:51.020 --> 15:53.890
underserved we'll have the same access

15:53.920 --> 15:56.280
to that scene ? Well , first we simply

15:56.280 --> 15:58.169
disagree , and not just me or the

15:58.169 --> 16:00.510
president , but the head of our equity

16:00.510 --> 16:02.621
task force and our health and medical

16:02.621 --> 16:05.240
team for a couple of reasons . One is

16:05.240 --> 16:07.129
it's critical . Remember that the

16:07.129 --> 16:09.351
program is beyond teachers includes bus

16:09.351 --> 16:11.073
drivers , janitorial workers ,

16:11.073 --> 16:13.296
childcare workers , a workforce that is

16:13.296 --> 16:15.407
broadly incredibly diverse . Second ,

16:15.407 --> 16:17.629
getting back kids back to school is one

16:17.629 --> 16:19.962
of the most equitable steps we can take ,

16:19.962 --> 16:22.073
because what we've seen statistically

16:22.073 --> 16:24.184
is that black and Latino students are

16:24.184 --> 16:25.962
disproportionately experiencing

16:25.962 --> 16:28.240
learning loss for a variety of reasons .

16:28.240 --> 16:30.573
Interconnect Internet interconnectivity .

16:30.573 --> 16:32.518
Parents who are disproportionately

16:32.518 --> 16:34.407
frontline workers . Uh , and this

16:34.407 --> 16:36.296
compounds the damaging effects of

16:36.296 --> 16:38.518
policies that already leave students of

16:38.518 --> 16:40.740
color with lower quality resources . So

16:40.740 --> 16:42.907
our view is actually that this step is

16:42.907 --> 16:45.018
one that is meant to help communities

16:45.018 --> 16:47.073
of color help . Students who are are

16:47.073 --> 16:49.129
are already being disproportionately

16:49.129 --> 16:51.351
disadvantaged by schools being closed .

16:51.440 --> 16:53.607
Yeah , good , thanks . Following up on

16:53.607 --> 16:56.110
this , you said again that the CDC

16:56.120 --> 16:57.898
recommendations were clear that

16:57.898 --> 17:00.009
educators don't have to be vaccinated

17:00.009 --> 17:02.064
to safely reopen schools . But we're

17:02.064 --> 17:03.564
hearing this big push this

17:03.564 --> 17:03.500
prioritization with the White House

17:03.500 --> 17:05.667
through the pharmacy program . So what

17:05.667 --> 17:07.889
do you say to critics who say this just

17:07.889 --> 17:09.722
isn't about science ? It's about

17:09.722 --> 17:12.470
politics and appeasing the unions . I

17:12.480 --> 17:14.536
would say that our actions have been

17:14.536 --> 17:16.480
clear , that we've been basing our

17:16.480 --> 17:18.702
recommendations to school our work with

17:18.702 --> 17:20.813
school districts to reopen on science

17:20.813 --> 17:22.480
on the recommendations of CDC

17:22.480 --> 17:24.758
guidelines , and that we've been clear .

17:24.758 --> 17:27.380
It's not a pre requisite . It is not a

17:27.380 --> 17:29.102
requirement for teachers to be

17:29.102 --> 17:31.910
vaccinated . However , we also the

17:31.910 --> 17:33.854
president has also been clear . He

17:33.854 --> 17:35.966
believes they should be prioritized ,

17:35.966 --> 17:37.966
as many other frontline workers are

17:37.966 --> 17:39.910
because because they are playing a

17:39.910 --> 17:42.132
vital role of role as essential workers

17:42.132 --> 17:44.021
teaching our kids , educating the

17:44.021 --> 17:46.380
future of the country . So you know

17:46.380 --> 17:48.640
this is a challenging issue . But this

17:48.640 --> 17:50.640
is a step where the president could

17:50.640 --> 17:52.950
take using his ability , his authority

17:52.950 --> 17:55.172
of federal government program to ensure

17:55.172 --> 17:57.339
he's sending the message that teachers

17:57.339 --> 17:59.400
should be prioritized because of the

17:59.400 --> 18:01.400
value of their work , the essential

18:01.400 --> 18:03.233
role they play teaching the next

18:03.233 --> 18:05.456
generation schools across the country ,

18:05.456 --> 18:07.400
many of which keep reopening every

18:07.400 --> 18:09.456
single week . As you know , Dr Biden

18:09.456 --> 18:11.622
and our new secretary of education are

18:11.622 --> 18:13.520
visiting a few today . Uh , we'll

18:13.520 --> 18:15.742
continue to work with them and push for

18:15.742 --> 18:17.742
them . It's not a prerequisite that

18:17.742 --> 18:19.964
nothing has changed on that front . I'd

18:19.964 --> 18:19.700
like to ask about director right , but

18:19.700 --> 18:21.867
if I can just pull up your what's your

18:21.867 --> 18:23.756
message , then to other essential

18:23.756 --> 18:25.867
workers ? Are teachers really more at

18:25.867 --> 18:27.922
risk in the classroom than Americans

18:27.922 --> 18:30.256
who are working in a meat packing plant ?

18:30.256 --> 18:32.367
Well , look , certainly the president

18:32.367 --> 18:34.422
has taken a number of steps over the

18:34.422 --> 18:36.422
last couple of days to expedite the

18:36.422 --> 18:38.644
availability and the access of vaccines

18:38.644 --> 18:40.867
to Americans across the country working

18:40.867 --> 18:43.089
in a range of industries . Um , this is

18:43.089 --> 18:45.144
a step that he felt was important to

18:45.144 --> 18:47.311
take because of the impact on the next

18:47.311 --> 18:49.850
generation of kids of the future of the

18:49.850 --> 18:51.739
workforce . Future leaders in our

18:51.739 --> 18:54.780
country and we It's very clear that ,

18:54.790 --> 18:56.734
um , you know , it's important for

18:56.734 --> 18:58.846
schools to be reopened . That's not a

18:58.846 --> 19:00.957
political issue or a partisan issue .

19:00.957 --> 19:03.123
We all we all agree with that . Okay ?

19:03.123 --> 19:05.290
And thanks . I appreciate it . Just on

19:05.290 --> 19:07.234
the We have all these back to back

19:07.234 --> 19:06.890
hearings on Capitol Hill about the

19:06.900 --> 19:09.620
January 6 riots and so much of the

19:09.620 --> 19:11.842
blame game . All this finger pointing .

19:11.842 --> 19:13.787
Capitol police say they didn't get

19:13.787 --> 19:15.898
information from FBI . The FBI saying

19:15.898 --> 19:18.064
they gave what they knew . How can the

19:18.064 --> 19:20.231
President be confident now in director

19:20.231 --> 19:22.064
raise ability to protect against

19:22.064 --> 19:24.176
another attack ? Well , you know , he

19:24.176 --> 19:27.340
has , uh , remains confident . And FBI

19:27.340 --> 19:29.620
Director Ray he , of course , we will

19:29.620 --> 19:31.800
be monitoring the hearings , and I

19:31.800 --> 19:33.967
think there will be lessons learned as

19:33.967 --> 19:36.440
we come out of the hearings that will

19:36.440 --> 19:38.607
be applied across government , whether

19:38.607 --> 19:40.662
it's that's in Congress or certainly

19:40.662 --> 19:42.607
where they apply , uh , in federal

19:42.607 --> 19:44.773
agencies . Uh , and as you know , it's

19:44.773 --> 19:46.996
not limited to these hearings . They're

19:46.996 --> 19:49.162
also now we have an attorney general ,

19:49.162 --> 19:48.990
and there are investigations that are

19:48.990 --> 19:51.157
underway there , and we certainly want

19:51.157 --> 19:53.101
to do everything we can across the

19:53.101 --> 19:54.879
board to prevent an attack from

19:54.879 --> 19:56.934
happening in the future . Go ahead .

19:56.934 --> 19:58.657
Yeah . So on the congressional

19:58.657 --> 20:00.980
nominations today , your nominee for

20:00.990 --> 20:04.690
health Secretary Xavier be Sarah

20:04.700 --> 20:06.756
was basically got a tied vote in the

20:06.756 --> 20:08.700
Senate Finance Committee . Are you

20:08.700 --> 20:10.533
concerned ? And have you assured

20:10.533 --> 20:13.110
yourself with people like Joe Manchin

20:13.540 --> 20:15.810
that this nomination is also not in

20:15.810 --> 20:17.920
jeopardy ? Can you say a word about

20:17.930 --> 20:21.840
that ? What does it mean That you

20:21.840 --> 20:24.070
had you lost the tandem nomination ?

20:24.080 --> 20:26.136
What does that mean in terms of your

20:26.136 --> 20:28.136
ability to get things done ? Or was

20:28.136 --> 20:30.247
that just an isolated cases ? It does

20:30.247 --> 20:32.302
it send a signal for the rest of the

20:32.302 --> 20:33.858
other nominations and other

20:33.858 --> 20:36.170
legislations . Democrats ? Sure . Well ,

20:36.170 --> 20:38.170
let me start with the last question

20:38.170 --> 20:40.710
first . No , we don't believe in Any

20:40.710 --> 20:42.988
member of the Senate can tell you this .

20:42.988 --> 20:45.210
I'm sure they will tell you this that ,

20:45.210 --> 20:47.321
uh , they look at each nomination and

20:47.321 --> 20:49.154
whether they're going to vote to

20:49.154 --> 20:51.250
support and confirm a nominee on an

20:51.250 --> 20:53.306
individual basis . Otherwise , every

20:53.306 --> 20:55.472
nominee will get the same exact number

20:55.472 --> 20:57.583
of votes , right , And they don't And

20:57.583 --> 20:59.750
we had . Of course . Cecilia Rouse was

20:59.750 --> 21:01.861
confirmed as the first woman of color

21:01.861 --> 21:01.530
to lead the White House Council of

21:01.530 --> 21:04.550
Economic Advisers with 94 votes . A

21:04.550 --> 21:06.590
number of nominees who , who the

21:06.590 --> 21:08.812
president has put forward have received

21:08.812 --> 21:11.290
an overwhelming majority of support

21:11.300 --> 21:13.522
from Democrats and Republicans . Miguel

21:13.522 --> 21:15.411
Cardona was just confirmed . Gina

21:15.411 --> 21:17.578
Raimondo was confirmed as secretary of

21:17.578 --> 21:19.790
Commerce . Uh , and I can go through

21:19.790 --> 21:22.068
and run through the number , of course ,

21:22.068 --> 21:24.068
who have received strong bipartisan

21:24.068 --> 21:26.179
support . Uh , they're each looked at

21:26.179 --> 21:28.457
individually . The president nominated ,

21:28.457 --> 21:30.750
uh , Attorney General Javier Becerra to

21:30.750 --> 21:33.600
lead the Department of Health and Human

21:33.600 --> 21:36.580
Services because , um , he has a record

21:36.590 --> 21:38.590
of fighting alongside Democrats and

21:38.590 --> 21:40.701
Republicans to expand access to covid

21:40.701 --> 21:42.590
treatments and to take on abusive

21:42.590 --> 21:44.812
practices of tobacco companies . He's a

21:44.812 --> 21:46.979
career of working , too , for he has a

21:46.979 --> 21:49.201
career behind him , working to increase

21:49.201 --> 21:51.312
access to quality , affordable health

21:51.312 --> 21:53.368
care and to protect under protecting

21:53.368 --> 21:55.368
underserved communities . He helped

21:55.368 --> 21:55.230
create the Affordable Care Act ,

21:55.230 --> 21:57.341
something of course the president was

21:57.341 --> 21:59.286
in , was serving as vice president

21:59.286 --> 22:01.508
during that period of time and stood up

22:01.508 --> 22:03.619
for it assiduously in court . And his

22:03.619 --> 22:03.450
nomination has been met

22:03.540 --> 22:05.873
enthusiastically by health care experts ,

22:05.873 --> 22:07.651
including the American Hospital

22:07.651 --> 22:09.429
Association , the Kaiser Family

22:09.429 --> 22:11.040
Foundation , multiple former

22:11.040 --> 22:12.818
secretaries of Health and Human

22:12.818 --> 22:15.040
Services and , of course , our very own

22:15.040 --> 22:16.762
Dr . Fauci . Uh , we certainly

22:16.762 --> 22:16.710
understood from the beginning that

22:16.710 --> 22:18.654
every nominee would not receive 93

22:18.654 --> 22:21.480
votes . But we are , um , remained

22:21.480 --> 22:23.536
confident and confidently behind the

22:23.536 --> 22:25.813
nomination . And I will also note that ,

22:25.813 --> 22:27.980
uh , Secretary Cassidy , of course , a

22:27.980 --> 22:30.036
Republican , as you well know , told

22:30.036 --> 22:31.980
the attorney general that Attorney

22:31.980 --> 22:34.202
General Bass or I should say that if he

22:34.202 --> 22:36.369
were a betting man , he bet he has the

22:36.369 --> 22:38.536
votes . So we'll see . Can I follow up

22:38.536 --> 22:40.770
on the other part , how do you do ? You

22:40.770 --> 22:43.470
need to take some measures to ensure

22:43.470 --> 22:46.450
that your policies don't suffer when

22:46.450 --> 22:49.760
there's a defection like moment , Uh ,

22:49.770 --> 22:51.770
in terms of future puzzle , I think

22:51.770 --> 22:54.048
what I was what I was conveying Andrea ,

22:54.048 --> 22:57.320
is that each of these members looks at

22:57.320 --> 22:59.487
each proposal , whether it's a bill or

22:59.487 --> 23:01.487
a nominee through the prism of that

23:01.487 --> 23:03.542
proposal , and I would expect any of

23:03.542 --> 23:05.320
them would convey that to you .

23:05.320 --> 23:07.487
Otherwise , the same people would vote

23:07.487 --> 23:09.542
for or against every single proposal

23:09.542 --> 23:11.431
that is put forward . And that is

23:11.431 --> 23:13.264
certainly not what happens . The

23:13.264 --> 23:15.098
president has , of course , been

23:15.098 --> 23:17.209
engaged with Senator Manchin has been

23:17.209 --> 23:19.376
hearing and listening to his proposals

23:19.376 --> 23:21.580
and ideas and suggestions . And most

23:21.580 --> 23:23.747
importantly , though , Senator Manchin

23:23.747 --> 23:25.524
and others in in the Senate are

23:25.524 --> 23:27.691
negotiating with each other about what

23:27.691 --> 23:29.580
package they can support , moving

23:29.580 --> 23:31.691
forward as it relates to the American

23:31.691 --> 23:33.858
rescue plan . That's ongoing now . But

23:33.858 --> 23:36.024
Senator Manchin has been clear that he

23:36.024 --> 23:38.247
supports a big package . He believes it

23:38.247 --> 23:40.302
should meet the moment . Uh , and so

23:40.302 --> 23:40.060
we're looking forward to working with

23:40.060 --> 23:42.227
him and getting this across the finish

23:42.227 --> 23:44.282
line . Is there some ? Is there some

23:44.282 --> 23:46.504
sort of negotiation that you have to do

23:46.504 --> 23:48.550
where you basically start to offer

23:48.560 --> 23:50.782
proposals as part of the infrastructure

23:50.782 --> 23:54.340
bill to ensure kind of strong support

23:54.350 --> 23:57.370
going forward ? You've only got less

23:57.370 --> 23:59.890
than half of your nominees for Cabinet

23:59.890 --> 24:02.010
level posts confirmed at this point .

24:02.020 --> 24:04.353
Are you starting to get edgy about that ?

24:04.640 --> 24:06.720
We certainly believe that the Senate

24:06.720 --> 24:08.331
should move forward with the

24:08.331 --> 24:10.331
approximately half a dozen or about

24:10.331 --> 24:12.553
five . I believe Cabinet level nominees

24:12.553 --> 24:14.442
who have still not been confirmed

24:14.442 --> 24:16.220
because it is essential we have

24:16.220 --> 24:18.164
somebody leading the Department of

24:18.164 --> 24:20.387
Health and Human Services . Of course ,

24:20.387 --> 24:22.553
as we've been talking about , but also

24:22.553 --> 24:22.310
with the other agencies , given the

24:22.310 --> 24:24.199
range of crises we're facing as a

24:24.199 --> 24:27.340
country , go ahead . I have a question

24:27.340 --> 24:29.507
about minimum wage that on the capital

24:29.507 --> 24:31.910
hearings would the president be open to

24:31.910 --> 24:33.854
sitting down and talking to Senate

24:33.854 --> 24:35.910
Republicans who have offered support

24:35.910 --> 24:38.021
for a minimum wage hike that is below

24:38.021 --> 24:40.550
15 an hour ? Or is he for 100 50 ? He's

24:40.550 --> 24:42.772
been open to hearing ideas from a range

24:42.772 --> 24:45.000
of members of both parties on a bunch

24:45.000 --> 24:47.170
of different topics . He's been clear

24:47.170 --> 24:49.310
that his proposal is to increase the

24:49.310 --> 24:51.740
minimum wage to $15 an hour to do it

24:51.750 --> 24:54.240
over a period of time . Which members

24:54.240 --> 24:56.351
of the Senate , including progressive

24:56.351 --> 24:58.407
Democrats like Bernie Sanders , also

24:58.407 --> 25:00.684
support . Uh , that's what he supports ,

25:00.684 --> 25:02.684
and that's what he proposed at this

25:02.684 --> 25:04.851
point in time . Would he not entertain

25:04.851 --> 25:07.018
anything below 15 an hour ? He's happy

25:07.018 --> 25:06.740
to hear any ideas , but I'm not going

25:06.740 --> 25:08.796
to negotiate from here , obviously ,

25:08.796 --> 25:11.018
and he's been very clear , probably and

25:11.018 --> 25:13.018
privately , about his commitment to

25:13.018 --> 25:15.296
raising the minimum wage to $15 . Then ,

25:15.296 --> 25:17.407
last week , the acting Capitol police

25:17.407 --> 25:19.462
chief testified that there have been

25:19.462 --> 25:22.550
threats to the joint session that the

25:22.560 --> 25:24.671
president Biden , is going to address

25:24.671 --> 25:26.671
Congress to potentially blow up the

25:26.671 --> 25:28.393
Capitol during any address the

25:28.393 --> 25:31.120
president gives . How has that factored

25:31.120 --> 25:33.920
into preparations for a potential state

25:33.920 --> 25:36.087
of the Union ? Well , I wouldn't speak

25:36.087 --> 25:38.198
to any threats under any circumstance

25:38.198 --> 25:40.253
from here . I'd certainly pointed to

25:40.253 --> 25:40.190
the Secret Service . I would say ,

25:40.190 --> 25:42.412
Broadly speaking , what we've confirmed

25:42.412 --> 25:44.468
and talked about in the past is that

25:44.468 --> 25:46.634
when it became clear which it probably

25:46.634 --> 25:48.746
should have been from the beginning ,

25:48.746 --> 25:51.023
but that the American rescue plan , uh ,

25:51.023 --> 25:53.079
would not would take until hopefully

25:53.079 --> 25:54.968
about mid March to get passed and

25:54.968 --> 25:57.023
signed into law . We made a decision

25:57.023 --> 25:59.134
internally that we weren't gonna have

25:59.134 --> 26:01.079
the president proposed his forward

26:01.079 --> 26:03.301
looking agenda beyond that parts of his

26:03.301 --> 26:05.468
build back better agenda . Still being

26:05.468 --> 26:07.690
determined policies , discussions still

26:07.690 --> 26:09.746
going on internally until after that

26:09.746 --> 26:11.968
bill is signed . After those checks are

26:11.968 --> 26:13.968
going out to Americans . After that

26:13.968 --> 26:16.134
vaccine , money is going out after the

26:16.134 --> 26:18.134
money is going out to schools . One

26:18.134 --> 26:20.301
last question . The commanding general

26:20.301 --> 26:22.246
of the D . C . National Guard said

26:22.246 --> 26:24.190
today that it took more than three

26:24.190 --> 26:26.357
hours for approval to come down before

26:26.357 --> 26:28.523
the National Guard was sent to respond

26:28.523 --> 26:30.746
to the interaction . But the Pentagon's

26:30.746 --> 26:30.550
homeland defense chief actually

26:30.840 --> 26:33.062
disputed that and said that it was only

26:33.062 --> 26:35.284
over an hour . Is it starting at all to

26:35.284 --> 26:37.451
the White House that almost two months

26:37.451 --> 26:39.800
later there is still no consensus on a

26:39.800 --> 26:41.910
timeline within even within D o d on

26:41.910 --> 26:44.640
this , uh , I would really send that

26:44.650 --> 26:47.950
question to D o . D . And to the the

26:47.950 --> 26:50.283
hearings that are happening as we speak .

26:50.283 --> 26:52.450
This all happened , of course , during

26:52.450 --> 26:54.506
the prior administration , as we all

26:54.506 --> 26:56.617
well know . Uh , we're watching these

26:56.617 --> 26:56.470
hearings closely . We'll see what

26:56.470 --> 26:58.637
lessons are learned from them and were

26:58.637 --> 27:00.581
eager to work with members of both

27:00.581 --> 27:02.581
parties on putting forward policies

27:02.581 --> 27:04.581
that prevent it from ever happening

27:04.581 --> 27:06.803
again . Party . I have two questions on

27:06.803 --> 27:08.970
two different something . First , um ,

27:08.970 --> 27:12.390
you know this agreement to change the

27:12.390 --> 27:14.640
eligibility rules around the stimulus

27:14.650 --> 27:17.600
checks was something that got moderate

27:17.600 --> 27:19.767
Democrats on board . Are you concerned

27:19.767 --> 27:21.822
at all about the left on this , that

27:22.310 --> 27:24.590
they see this as negotiating against

27:24.590 --> 27:27.030
yourself . And , um , you know , maybe

27:27.030 --> 27:29.197
not living up to the promise that even

27:29.197 --> 27:31.308
that even the president was making in

27:31.308 --> 27:33.308
campaigning with the Georgia runoff

27:33.308 --> 27:35.419
candidates . Are you concerned that ,

27:35.419 --> 27:37.390
um , you know , by by cutting some

27:37.390 --> 27:39.610
people out of eligibility that you're

27:39.610 --> 27:41.860
actually giving people ?

27:43.140 --> 27:45.307
There are people who are going who are

27:45.307 --> 27:47.307
not going to get checks who did get

27:47.307 --> 27:49.473
checks during the Trump administration

27:49.473 --> 27:51.640
and that , in some way , is not living

27:51.640 --> 27:53.640
up to his political comedy . What ?

27:53.640 --> 27:55.418
What the president promised and

27:55.418 --> 27:57.362
committed to was ensuring that the

27:57.362 --> 27:59.850
American people received $2000 in

27:59.850 --> 28:02.720
checks . This $1400 is part of

28:02.730 --> 28:05.380
delivering on that promise . Uh , he

28:05.380 --> 28:07.750
also proposed , of course , a higher

28:07.750 --> 28:09.861
threshold . As you know , uh , in his

28:09.861 --> 28:11.806
own proposal and his joint session

28:11.806 --> 28:13.861
speech that he delivered a couple of

28:13.861 --> 28:16.083
weeks ago , he has also been clear that

28:16.083 --> 28:18.083
he is open to , uh , changes on the

28:18.083 --> 28:20.194
margins of this package . While he is

28:20.194 --> 28:22.194
very firm on the $1400 . And as you

28:22.194 --> 28:24.361
know , there's been negotiations about

28:24.361 --> 28:24.180
trying to lower that to 1000 or change

28:24.180 --> 28:26.402
the size of the check . He is unmovable

28:26.402 --> 28:28.402
on that . Repeated that to me again

28:28.402 --> 28:30.402
this morning . Um , and he has been

28:30.402 --> 28:32.624
very clear that the threshold should be

28:32.624 --> 28:36.340
at 75 k and 150 okay for families . But

28:36.340 --> 28:38.520
he also knows that the sausage making

28:38.520 --> 28:40.790
machine sometimes spits out a different

28:40.790 --> 28:43.120
package . All almost always spits out a

28:43.120 --> 28:45.342
different package than what is proposed

28:45.342 --> 28:47.287
Initially . These are negotiations

28:47.287 --> 28:49.610
primarily through Democrats in Congress

28:49.620 --> 28:51.787
with each other . But he's a part of ,

28:51.787 --> 28:54.009
you know , he rolls up his sleeves , he

28:54.009 --> 28:56.231
gets involved in them , too , and , you

28:56.231 --> 28:58.398
know , he's confident that , um , this

28:58.398 --> 29:00.620
is a package with all of the components

29:00.620 --> 29:02.620
included that and he's hopeful that

29:02.620 --> 29:04.787
Democrats of all political backgrounds

29:04.787 --> 29:06.842
can get behind . Before the previous

29:06.842 --> 29:09.064
package passed , he was already talking

29:09.064 --> 29:11.176
about his hopes for this package . So

29:11.176 --> 29:13.176
before this package passed , I know

29:13.176 --> 29:15.287
you're not going . You're not rolling

29:15.287 --> 29:17.398
out your bigger build better agenda .

29:17.398 --> 29:17.340
But are you already thinking ? Is the

29:17.340 --> 29:19.284
administration thinking maybe that

29:19.284 --> 29:21.451
another stimulus cheque will be needed

29:21.451 --> 29:24.350
at some point in the summer fall ? Well ,

29:24.350 --> 29:26.640
we're only six weeks in , so I can't

29:26.650 --> 29:28.761
predict for you . There will never be

29:28.761 --> 29:30.539
stimulus checks in the future .

29:30.539 --> 29:32.761
Obviously , we're still in the midst of

29:32.761 --> 29:34.817
an economic crisis . Um , that's the

29:34.817 --> 29:37.039
reason why the president has been clear

29:37.039 --> 29:39.206
about the urgency of acting here . The

29:39.206 --> 29:41.150
build back , better agenda or more

29:41.150 --> 29:43.372
pieces of it . I'll just reiterate that

29:43.372 --> 29:45.428
the format , the order , the size of

29:45.428 --> 29:47.650
that has not been determined . Uh , and

29:47.650 --> 29:49.817
you know , there won't be more details

29:49.817 --> 29:51.928
that are finalized or previewed until

29:51.928 --> 29:53.817
after this bill is signed and the

29:53.817 --> 29:55.706
relief is getting to the American

29:55.706 --> 29:57.706
people , so we'll see what it looks

29:57.706 --> 29:59.983
like at that point in time . Obviously ,

29:59.983 --> 30:02.206
we feel these checks and the components

30:02.206 --> 30:04.372
in the package whether it's preventing

30:04.372 --> 30:06.428
11 million people from being dropped

30:06.428 --> 30:08.150
from unemployment insurance or

30:08.150 --> 30:10.261
essential funding to get schools open

30:10.261 --> 30:11.983
or funding to increase vaccine

30:11.983 --> 30:13.928
distribution around the country is

30:13.928 --> 30:15.928
essential to not just the crisis in

30:15.928 --> 30:18.150
this moment , but what we're facing and

30:18.150 --> 30:17.530
looking ahead to the coming months .

30:17.540 --> 30:20.060
Another topic is the administration

30:20.060 --> 30:21.949
providing assistance to Jackson ,

30:21.949 --> 30:23.893
Mississippi , for the water crisis

30:23.893 --> 30:25.727
there is that something that the

30:25.727 --> 30:27.838
president has been briefed on or will

30:27.838 --> 30:30.004
be briefed on , and sort of the equity

30:30.004 --> 30:32.116
issues around that as well sure , I'm

30:32.116 --> 30:34.282
happy to ask . Are acting head of FEMA

30:34.282 --> 30:36.504
about that and where the status of that

30:36.504 --> 30:38.727
and where it sits and I can get back to

30:38.727 --> 30:38.400
you directly , or others who are

30:38.400 --> 30:40.511
interested in that . Go ahead . Yes .

30:40.511 --> 30:42.678
Earlier this week , you talked about a

30:42.678 --> 30:44.844
U . S citizen named Answer Cola's . We

30:44.844 --> 30:47.011
now have defined immunity , but people

30:47.011 --> 30:49.178
in Britain thinks she should come back

30:49.178 --> 30:51.344
to stand trial . You said earlier this

30:51.344 --> 30:53.456
week that she had been working during

30:53.456 --> 30:53.060
the prior administration , and I'm

30:53.060 --> 30:55.227
wondering if you can just clarify that

30:55.227 --> 30:57.171
President Biden see the case of an

30:57.171 --> 30:59.530
circles in any different way than his

30:59.540 --> 31:02.900
predecessor does . I think I was

31:02.910 --> 31:05.132
stating what is accurate , that she was

31:05.132 --> 31:07.077
working previously during the last

31:07.077 --> 31:09.021
administration . I think that's an

31:09.021 --> 31:11.310
accurate statement . Uh , so and I was

31:11.310 --> 31:13.366
conveying that . I think I asked the

31:13.366 --> 31:15.366
person who asked about it . I can't

31:15.366 --> 31:17.421
remember who it was , uh , to go ask

31:17.421 --> 31:17.280
the State Department because they would

31:17.280 --> 31:18.947
certainly oversee things like

31:18.947 --> 31:20.891
diplomatic immunity and all of the

31:20.891 --> 31:23.058
questions that were being asked around

31:23.058 --> 31:25.224
her case . Sure , there was absolutely

31:25.224 --> 31:27.336
accurate . I'm just wondering why you

31:27.336 --> 31:26.870
brought it up and why you thought it

31:26.870 --> 31:29.092
was relevant , since she had not been a

31:29.092 --> 31:31.259
political appointee . And also lots of

31:31.259 --> 31:33.370
people have said that president might

31:33.370 --> 31:35.314
look at this case differently . He

31:35.314 --> 31:37.537
talks about the importance of empathy ,

31:37.537 --> 31:39.426
and certainly the Dunn family the

31:39.426 --> 31:41.592
parents of the boy who was killed in a

31:41.592 --> 31:43.814
car accident , would very much like for

31:43.814 --> 31:45.981
anti close to return to the UK trial .

31:45.981 --> 31:48.148
Certainly , of course , watch the case

31:48.148 --> 31:50.259
as many people , probably on BBC . We

31:50.259 --> 31:50.170
watch have watched coverage of it in

31:50.170 --> 31:52.226
the past . I I would certainly I was

31:52.226 --> 31:54.337
asked the question . So I think I was

31:54.337 --> 31:56.392
just answering the question that was

31:56.392 --> 31:58.559
asked and providing context for people

31:58.559 --> 32:00.892
who are not familiar with the case . Um ,

32:00.892 --> 32:00.480
obviously , the president has not even

32:00.490 --> 32:02.490
nominated ambassadors as I know you

32:02.490 --> 32:04.601
frequently asked about in here . Uh ,

32:04.610 --> 32:06.610
so I was just simply providing that

32:06.610 --> 32:08.610
context to people who have not been

32:08.610 --> 32:10.832
following it closely . But again , it's

32:10.832 --> 32:10.740
under the purview of the State

32:10.740 --> 32:12.962
Department , so I'd certainly point you

32:12.962 --> 32:15.018
to them . And I'm sure my old friend

32:15.018 --> 32:17.240
Ned Price's briefing today and be happy

32:17.240 --> 32:19.407
to answer your questions about it . Go

32:19.407 --> 32:21.296
ahead , trains . Just a couple of

32:21.296 --> 32:23.018
questions of the moratorium on

32:23.018 --> 32:25.129
evictions that the president extended

32:25.129 --> 32:27.296
in January is set to expire at the end

32:27.296 --> 32:29.129
of the month . Since that is not

32:29.129 --> 32:31.240
included , since another extension is

32:31.240 --> 32:33.407
not included in the Covid bill , a lot

32:33.407 --> 32:35.462
of activists are urging him to issue

32:35.462 --> 32:38.100
another . So far , UH , executive order

32:38.100 --> 32:40.380
extended it further . So does he think

32:40.380 --> 32:42.491
that , more important , these are the

32:42.491 --> 32:44.713
extended and is a little bit through an

32:44.713 --> 32:46.824
executive order ? It's a It's a great

32:46.824 --> 32:48.769
question , as you know , because I

32:48.769 --> 32:48.730
think it sounds like you follow this

32:48.730 --> 32:51.430
closely . It is actually , um , agency

32:51.430 --> 32:53.670
action so he can direct it or ask for

32:53.670 --> 32:55.781
them to look at it . But it is really

32:55.781 --> 32:57.948
up to agencies to take those actions .

32:57.948 --> 33:00.114
Multiple agencies are involved in this

33:00.114 --> 33:01.948
particular action . I will check

33:01.948 --> 33:04.059
whether any C team and see if there's

33:04.059 --> 33:05.837
more to preview for you as it's

33:05.837 --> 33:08.003
expiring . I think March , is it March

33:08.003 --> 33:10.114
31st . So we have a couple of weeks ,

33:10.114 --> 33:12.114
but I'm happy to talk to them about

33:12.114 --> 33:14.281
that . One more question . Last year ,

33:14.281 --> 33:13.820
the previous the previous

33:13.820 --> 33:15.987
administration extended the tax filing

33:15.987 --> 33:18.980
deadline to , uh July the 15th because

33:18.980 --> 33:21.202
of Covid . We're still in the middle of

33:21.202 --> 33:23.369
a pandemic . So is that something this

33:23.369 --> 33:25.424
administration is considering and if

33:25.424 --> 33:27.536
not blood ? I would certainly suggest

33:27.536 --> 33:29.647
you ask Secretary Yellen's team and ,

33:29.647 --> 33:31.813
of course , the public affairs team at

33:31.813 --> 33:33.813
the I . R . S . That question . Who

33:33.813 --> 33:35.980
would make that determination go ahead

33:35.980 --> 33:37.869
on ? Give it clear for importance

33:37.869 --> 33:40.036
you're placing on vaccinating teachers

33:40.036 --> 33:39.710
and wonder if there's been any

33:39.710 --> 33:41.766
discussion at all about holding back

33:41.766 --> 33:44.500
some of the federal stockpile outside

33:44.500 --> 33:46.333
of this sort of federal pharmacy

33:46.333 --> 33:48.444
program and going directly and having

33:48.444 --> 33:50.333
some sort of program to vaccinate

33:50.333 --> 33:52.333
teachers ? I think this is the step

33:52.333 --> 33:54.440
that we feel is most effective and

33:54.440 --> 33:57.010
immediately impactful in terms of

33:57.020 --> 33:59.187
ensuring that teachers can go to their

33:59.187 --> 34:01.020
local pharmacies pharmacies that

34:01.020 --> 34:02.576
already functioning already

34:02.576 --> 34:04.798
distributing the vaccine we've seen , I

34:04.798 --> 34:06.742
think , in some New England states

34:06.742 --> 34:06.680
there was some reporting about it

34:06.680 --> 34:08.960
already being underway or about to be

34:08.960 --> 34:11.370
underway . So this was the step that

34:11.370 --> 34:13.600
our team that oversees the operational

34:13.600 --> 34:15.544
components , as well as the health

34:15.544 --> 34:17.822
components felt was the most effective .

34:17.822 --> 34:19.822
Uh , you know , we always reserve a

34:19.822 --> 34:21.989
range of options . We understand we're

34:21.989 --> 34:24.211
still at the height of a pandemic , but

34:24.211 --> 34:26.378
I don't have anything to preview . And

34:26.378 --> 34:25.700
nor am I aware of that being under

34:25.700 --> 34:27.478
consideration . That's my basic

34:27.478 --> 34:29.311
questions . This was never under

34:29.311 --> 34:31.533
consideration . Or you don't know if it

34:31.533 --> 34:33.589
was if it works . Look , there was a

34:33.589 --> 34:35.756
determination made . This was the most

34:35.756 --> 34:37.589
effective way to , uh , get more

34:37.589 --> 34:39.756
teachers vaccine it all . Already , 30

34:39.756 --> 34:41.811
states are already doing it on their

34:41.811 --> 34:44.033
own . But this was a way to ensure that

34:44.033 --> 34:46.144
teachers in states across the country

34:46.144 --> 34:48.422
can go to the local pharmacy and do it .

34:48.422 --> 34:50.422
I can't tell you how many ideas are

34:50.422 --> 34:52.700
considered before an idea is finalized ,

34:52.700 --> 34:54.756
so I'm not gonna speak to that . I'm

34:54.756 --> 34:56.867
not sure anyone here would , but this

34:56.867 --> 34:56.390
was the idea that was determined to be

34:56.390 --> 34:59.410
most operationally effective . Uh , so

34:59.420 --> 35:01.650
that's why we're doing it when you hold

35:01.650 --> 35:03.594
out . States , if they continue to

35:03.594 --> 35:05.539
almost countermand the president's

35:05.539 --> 35:08.140
orders , what are your options again ?

35:08.140 --> 35:10.251
I don't think we're there . 30 states

35:10.251 --> 35:12.490
it was 24 is about a week or so ago .

35:12.490 --> 35:14.340
So an additional six states have

35:14.350 --> 35:16.620
prioritized teachers were hopeful , and

35:16.620 --> 35:18.676
we're encouraging directing whatever

35:18.676 --> 35:20.731
you wanna call it more to do exactly

35:20.731 --> 35:22.898
the same . And the president will make

35:22.898 --> 35:24.898
this case directly to governors are

35:24.898 --> 35:26.953
health and Covid Team will make this

35:26.953 --> 35:29.176
case directly . And , of course , we're

35:29.176 --> 35:31.231
working through this federal program

35:31.231 --> 35:33.398
where we distribute the vaccine supply

35:33.398 --> 35:35.342
to these pharmacies . So that will

35:35.342 --> 35:37.850
continue regardless . Go ahead . Given

35:37.850 --> 35:39.794
the administration's commitment to

35:39.794 --> 35:42.130
preparing foreign relations , when can

35:42.130 --> 35:43.963
we expect to see nominations for

35:43.963 --> 35:45.908
important ambassadorships like the

35:45.908 --> 35:48.220
United Kingdom ? Uh , well , this is a

35:48.220 --> 35:50.387
popular question , including from some

35:50.387 --> 35:52.387
people who want to be ambassadors ,

35:52.387 --> 35:54.609
which won't surprise you . I will say ,

35:54.609 --> 35:56.776
um , you know , I think historically ,

35:56.776 --> 35:58.998
I know we feel like we've all been here

35:58.998 --> 36:01.164
quite some time . But during the Obama

36:01.164 --> 36:03.164
administration , many of these were

36:03.164 --> 36:05.053
done during March in March . Uh ,

36:05.053 --> 36:07.164
obviously , there's been a lot on the

36:07.164 --> 36:06.900
president's agenda . I don't have any

36:06.900 --> 36:08.678
preview for you in terms of the

36:08.678 --> 36:10.567
timeline of one he'll put forward

36:10.567 --> 36:12.511
nominees . Uh , and obviously that

36:12.511 --> 36:14.400
would be done and conjunction and

36:14.400 --> 36:16.344
coordination with the secretary of

36:16.344 --> 36:18.511
state . So I don't have a timeline for

36:18.511 --> 36:20.456
you . I just wanted to convey that

36:20.456 --> 36:20.300
historically , the timeline has been

36:20.310 --> 36:23.240
around the spring . Sure , go ahead

36:23.240 --> 36:25.351
back . Thanks , Jen . A couple on the

36:25.351 --> 36:27.518
economic land and one on immigration .

36:27.518 --> 36:29.573
When you look at the American Rescue

36:29.573 --> 36:31.684
Plan $350 billion for state and local

36:31.684 --> 36:33.740
governments . But when you hear from

36:33.740 --> 36:35.851
economists all across , for example ,

36:35.851 --> 36:38.200
Moody says that number should be 100 to

36:38.200 --> 36:41.510
150 billion . 80 I says strong case for

36:41.510 --> 36:44.090
102 100 billion center on budget and

36:44.090 --> 36:46.310
policy priorities is 225 billion .

36:46.690 --> 36:49.620
That's a big gap to get up to . 350

36:49.620 --> 36:51.676
billion . So can you explain why the

36:51.676 --> 36:53.898
White House believes that should be the

36:53.898 --> 36:56.250
number ? And why not bring it down and

36:56.250 --> 36:58.583
or maybe use the money elsewhere ? Well ,

36:58.583 --> 37:01.590
first , to throw some data back to , um ,

37:01.590 --> 37:03.900
1.3 million state and local government

37:03.900 --> 37:06.122
jobs have been lost since the beginning

37:06.122 --> 37:08.011
of the pandemic . The people were

37:08.011 --> 37:09.900
listening to are the 400 mayors ,

37:09.900 --> 37:11.844
Democrats and Republicans who have

37:11.844 --> 37:13.622
conveyed clearly that they need

37:13.622 --> 37:15.890
assistance . They need funding , uh ,

37:15.900 --> 37:17.956
to ensure that they can keep cops on

37:17.956 --> 37:20.067
the beat . They can keep firefighters

37:20.067 --> 37:22.289
employed , uh , and they can keep state

37:22.289 --> 37:24.233
and local government functioning .

37:24.233 --> 37:26.567
We're still at the height of a pandemic .

37:26.567 --> 37:28.678
The pandemic is not concluded at this

37:28.678 --> 37:28.670
point in time and They're also looking

37:28.670 --> 37:31.090
ahead to what their needs are down the

37:31.090 --> 37:33.257
road . Uh , we've also , you know , we

37:33.257 --> 37:35.440
proposed , as you said , um , 360

37:35.440 --> 37:37.800
billion for this package . And we also ,

37:37.810 --> 37:39.866
uh , let me add one more statistic .

37:39.866 --> 37:41.588
Sorry . 32 states have revenue

37:41.588 --> 37:43.699
shortfalls compared to last year , so

37:43.699 --> 37:45.866
it's clear there is a need out there ,

37:45.866 --> 37:47.921
and we are not going to recover from

37:47.921 --> 37:50.032
this pandemic tomorrow . The economic

37:50.032 --> 37:51.810
recession will not be recovered

37:51.810 --> 37:53.921
tomorrow . And so it's important that

37:53.921 --> 37:56.032
we , uh , listen to and work with the

37:56.032 --> 37:58.143
state and local leaders on what their

37:58.143 --> 37:57.950
needs are on the ground . I also note

37:57.950 --> 38:01.310
that while we proposed 300 more than

38:01.310 --> 38:03.477
300 billion in our package , there was

38:03.477 --> 38:05.600
a proposal of zero from Republicans .

38:05.610 --> 38:07.277
Um , so there wasn't really a

38:07.277 --> 38:09.388
negotiation on this . Uh , this is we

38:09.388 --> 38:11.610
were meeting the needs and the requests

38:11.610 --> 38:13.721
of state and local leaders consistent

38:13.721 --> 38:15.666
with what we've seen statistically

38:15.666 --> 38:17.777
about the job losses and on the issue

38:17.777 --> 38:19.832
of direct payments . I know you said

38:19.832 --> 38:18.900
you can't predict the future .

38:18.900 --> 38:21.510
Obviously , Jen had asked about the

38:21.510 --> 38:23.940
need potentially for another check down

38:23.940 --> 38:26.107
the line . But there was a letter that

38:26.107 --> 38:28.273
was sent yesterday from 10 . I believe

38:28.273 --> 38:30.218
the number was Democratic Senators

38:30.218 --> 38:32.440
asking for recurring payments , not one

38:32.440 --> 38:34.750
off but recurring . Does President

38:34.750 --> 38:37.350
Biden support the idea of recurring

38:37.360 --> 38:39.500
direct payments at this time payments

38:39.500 --> 38:41.722
as a part of the rescue plan or is kind

38:41.722 --> 38:44.090
of a I want to build back . Better Plan

38:44.090 --> 38:45.979
is released . They are calling on

38:45.979 --> 38:48.201
recurring payments being apart . Well ,

38:48.201 --> 38:50.423
I I will say there are a lot of ideas ,

38:50.423 --> 38:52.423
uh , that will be put forward . The

38:52.423 --> 38:54.590
president has already started engaging

38:54.590 --> 38:56.646
and talking with members and outside

38:56.646 --> 38:58.590
groups and stakeholders about what

38:58.590 --> 39:00.868
they'd like to see moving forward . Um ,

39:00.868 --> 39:02.979
but I'm not going to get ahead of the

39:02.979 --> 39:05.201
agenda at this point in time . Um , and

39:05.201 --> 39:07.312
on immigration . Since January 25th ,

39:07.312 --> 39:09.201
at least 108 migrants have tested

39:09.201 --> 39:11.257
positive for Covid 19 after crossing

39:11.257 --> 39:13.350
the border . In some cases , they've

39:13.350 --> 39:15.950
been allowed to hop on buses down for

39:16.320 --> 39:18.542
points across the country . A couple of

39:18.542 --> 39:20.542
questions on this one . What is the

39:20.542 --> 39:22.709
administration doing to make sure that

39:22.709 --> 39:24.931
this doesn't contribute to spreading of

39:24.931 --> 39:26.876
Covid 19 and is the administration

39:26.876 --> 39:29.042
looking at maybe creating shelters for

39:29.042 --> 39:31.850
people who test positive Well , first ,

39:31.860 --> 39:34.082
um , the majority of people who come to

39:34.082 --> 39:37.410
the border families adults are turned

39:37.410 --> 39:39.310
away . And that remains the case

39:39.310 --> 39:43.070
because we are still abiding by title

39:43.070 --> 39:46.360
42 at the border . Uh , in the narrow

39:46.360 --> 39:48.582
and limited instances in which migrants

39:48.582 --> 39:50.804
are placed in alternatives to detention

39:50.804 --> 39:53.138
while their cases are being adjudicated .

39:53.138 --> 39:55.250
Testing for covid 19 is done at the

39:55.250 --> 39:57.417
state and local level and with help of

39:57.417 --> 39:59.583
NGOs and local government . So that is

39:59.583 --> 40:01.694
a consistent part of our approach and

40:01.694 --> 40:04.200
what we do as migrants come in at the

40:04.200 --> 40:06.200
border . Of course , our guidance ,

40:06.200 --> 40:08.089
regardless of status , is testing

40:08.089 --> 40:10.300
positive for covid 19 or experiencing

40:10.300 --> 40:12.580
covid like symptoms is to isolate ,

40:12.590 --> 40:14.590
continue to social distance where a

40:14.590 --> 40:16.670
mask and seek medical attention , if

40:16.670 --> 40:19.190
needed . But as a part of our process ,

40:19.200 --> 40:22.480
uh , individuals are who are

40:22.490 --> 40:25.980
adjudicated are tested for covid 19

40:25.990 --> 40:27.990
in partnership with state and local

40:27.990 --> 40:30.220
authorities . No need to isolate to

40:30.220 --> 40:32.053
make sure that they don't Well ,

40:32.053 --> 40:34.053
certainly isolation are isolating .

40:34.053 --> 40:37.120
Quarantine is a part of , um is a part

40:37.120 --> 40:38.953
of what are recommended . Health

40:38.953 --> 40:41.120
guidelines are , and certainly part of

40:41.120 --> 40:43.231
what happens at the border when there

40:43.231 --> 40:45.398
are symptoms that are displayed . Uh ,

40:45.398 --> 40:47.820
and when testing is done , go ahead .

40:47.830 --> 40:49.941
Oh , sorry I didn't go to April . I'm

40:49.941 --> 40:52.052
sorry . Go ahead . April , I She just

40:52.052 --> 40:54.163
hasn't had a question . And I'll come

40:54.163 --> 40:56.108
right back to you . I promise . Go

40:56.108 --> 40:58.274
ahead . Hello , April . You've been so

40:58.274 --> 41:00.274
quiet back there . I apologize . Go

41:00.274 --> 41:02.470
ahead . Okay . You may not think after

41:02.470 --> 41:04.637
I ask all these questions . Go ahead .

41:04.637 --> 41:06.859
Go ahead . We're not in a rush . I have

41:06.859 --> 41:08.970
a couple of questions . One , several

41:08.970 --> 41:10.914
different topics going back to the

41:10.914 --> 41:12.970
issue of vaccine . Um , when is this

41:12.970 --> 41:15.330
administration expecting herd immunity ?

41:15.340 --> 41:17.410
And I asked that because there are

41:17.410 --> 41:19.890
still populations in this nation that

41:19.890 --> 41:22.380
are not running to this vaccine , even

41:22.380 --> 41:24.547
though you're or these vaccines , even

41:24.547 --> 41:26.602
though you're flooding the zone , is

41:26.602 --> 41:29.360
there concern that her community will

41:29.360 --> 41:32.110
not be reached at the time that you are

41:32.120 --> 41:35.050
hoping for ? Because of this mindset in

41:35.050 --> 41:37.580
certain communities ? Well , I'm not

41:37.580 --> 41:39.524
gonna make a prediction about herd

41:39.524 --> 41:41.636
immunity , but I will say that you're

41:41.636 --> 41:43.802
touching on incredibly important point

41:43.802 --> 41:45.802
in that now that we're at the stage

41:45.802 --> 41:45.500
where the president just announced ,

41:45.500 --> 41:47.833
we'll have enough vaccines to vaccinate .

41:47.833 --> 41:50.400
Uh , all of the American people by the

41:50.400 --> 41:52.622
end of May , we will eventually reach a

41:52.622 --> 41:54.850
point to your point April , where we

41:54.850 --> 41:57.072
will have more vaccines than people who

41:57.072 --> 41:59.017
want vaccines . That feels hard to

41:59.017 --> 42:01.239
believe at this moment in time . But we

42:01.239 --> 42:03.572
are focused on . We are concerned about ,

42:03.572 --> 42:06.310
um , the level of vaccine hesitancy in

42:06.310 --> 42:08.199
a range of communities across the

42:08.199 --> 42:10.254
country and certainly communities of

42:10.254 --> 42:12.477
color or communities where there's been

42:12.477 --> 42:14.588
a higher level of vaccine hesitancy .

42:14.588 --> 42:16.754
Uh , now we are We are working to take

42:16.754 --> 42:16.730
a number of steps . Of course , we have ,

42:16.800 --> 42:19.010
uh , an equity task force led by Dr

42:19.010 --> 42:21.177
Marcella Nunez Smith . To look at this

42:21.177 --> 42:23.343
closely , take the appropriate steps ,

42:23.343 --> 42:25.570
do planning , uh , you know , planned

42:25.570 --> 42:27.570
communication plan outreach that is

42:27.570 --> 42:29.880
going to be effective . But this will

42:29.880 --> 42:31.769
be a focus . We are , of course ,

42:31.769 --> 42:33.991
concerned because we know we will reach

42:33.991 --> 42:36.150
a point which we're already seeing .

42:36.160 --> 42:38.271
But we're which a point where we have

42:38.271 --> 42:40.382
more vaccines than we have people who

42:40.382 --> 42:42.549
want to take them so but at some point

42:42.549 --> 42:44.493
understanding if you listen to the

42:44.493 --> 42:46.716
science , if you have a majority of one

42:46.716 --> 42:49.070
community taking and not a majority and

42:49.070 --> 42:51.126
another , it's all for not you won't

42:51.126 --> 42:53.181
return immunity and you still have a

42:53.181 --> 42:55.237
problem . Is there still a concern ?

42:55.900 --> 42:58.560
There is absolutely a concern about

42:58.570 --> 43:01.350
about , uh , swaths of the population

43:01.350 --> 43:03.660
not taking , not feeling that the

43:03.660 --> 43:06.430
vaccine is safe or effective and

43:06.430 --> 43:10.120
certainly relying on a problematic and

43:10.120 --> 43:12.250
tragic history . Uh , that has

43:12.250 --> 43:14.850
contributed to vaccine hesitancy . So

43:14.850 --> 43:16.961
this is this is a significant concern

43:16.961 --> 43:19.240
of ours and one that we've been focused

43:19.240 --> 43:21.407
on from the beginning . And we will be

43:21.407 --> 43:23.407
focused on direct outreach , direct

43:23.407 --> 43:25.518
communications and a range of efforts

43:25.518 --> 43:27.629
to help address this and reaffirm how

43:27.629 --> 43:29.740
safe and effective the vaccines are .

43:29.740 --> 43:32.340
One s . One D c . Statehood and

43:32.340 --> 43:34.562
statehood for correct or you go . Where

43:34.562 --> 43:36.740
does the president stand on statehood

43:36.750 --> 43:40.010
and the reality for statehood for D . C .

43:40.020 --> 43:41.576
And Puerto Rico this year ,

43:41.576 --> 43:43.631
particularly when it comes to Puerto

43:43.631 --> 43:45.576
Rico ? Because there seems to be a

43:45.576 --> 43:47.750
split in the Latino delegation on the

43:47.760 --> 43:50.490
hill about statehood or some other type

43:50.490 --> 43:52.840
of process for Puerto Rico . Where does

43:52.840 --> 43:54.950
the president stand ? The president

43:54.950 --> 43:57.130
supports a referendum in Puerto Rico

43:57.130 --> 43:59.800
for the people of Puerto Rico deciding

43:59.810 --> 44:02.300
the path forward on D . C . Statehood .

44:02.300 --> 44:04.244
He certainly supports and has long

44:04.244 --> 44:07.950
supported . Hello . Um , has long

44:07.950 --> 44:09.839
supported nice fresh air has long

44:09.839 --> 44:11.950
supported D . C . Statehood . I don't

44:11.950 --> 44:14.061
have a deadline or a timeline on that

44:14.061 --> 44:16.283
April , but it's something he continues

44:16.283 --> 44:17.894
to support . And lastly , on

44:17.894 --> 44:20.061
reparations , the issue of reparations

44:20.061 --> 44:22.283
and the commission . We understand that

44:22.283 --> 44:24.117
President Biden does support the

44:24.117 --> 44:26.380
commission , But digging into the weeds

44:26.380 --> 44:30.370
of this , the commission has before a

44:30.380 --> 44:33.220
chance to either give descendants of

44:33.220 --> 44:34.030
slaves

44:37.490 --> 44:40.800
trip . Wait a day .

44:41.390 --> 44:45.140
Yeah . Uh huh . Okay . So starting over

44:45.140 --> 44:48.570
again . So go ahead . So

44:48.570 --> 44:51.300
basically , um , does the president's

44:51.300 --> 44:55.260
support the idea of giving

44:55.260 --> 44:58.000
descendants of enslaved Africans

44:58.690 --> 45:01.580
financial payouts , which some have

45:01.590 --> 45:04.080
said that it would indeed bankrupt the

45:04.080 --> 45:06.302
nation if that were to happen ? Or does

45:06.302 --> 45:09.030
the president's support the idea of

45:09.030 --> 45:12.420
funding areas that are still

45:12.790 --> 45:15.280
disproportionately negative for the

45:15.290 --> 45:17.750
black community , like housing ? Um ,

45:17.760 --> 45:19.860
closing the wealth gap through job

45:19.870 --> 45:21.926
issues and initiatives , education ,

45:21.926 --> 45:24.150
etcetera . Which way does the president

45:24.160 --> 45:26.500
for me ? Well , I don't think he sees

45:26.500 --> 45:29.450
it as as either or , um he supports ,

45:29.450 --> 45:31.450
as I think , you know , April . But

45:31.450 --> 45:33.506
others may not be as familiar with a

45:33.506 --> 45:35.617
study of reparations and studying the

45:35.617 --> 45:37.839
continued impacts of slavery . Uh , and

45:37.839 --> 45:40.061
that's something . Of course , that's a

45:40.061 --> 45:42.394
part of this package . At the same time ,

45:42.394 --> 45:44.394
he understands that we don't need a

45:44.394 --> 45:46.283
study to take action right now on

45:46.283 --> 45:48.440
systemic racism occurring today . And

45:48.440 --> 45:50.662
that's why he's taken a number of steps

45:50.662 --> 45:52.662
even in the last six weeks since he

45:52.662 --> 45:54.496
took office launching a whole of

45:54.496 --> 45:56.718
government initiative to advance racial

45:56.718 --> 45:58.551
equity , uh , reversed President

45:58.551 --> 46:00.551
Trump's executive order , excluding

46:00.551 --> 46:02.162
undocumented immigrants from

46:02.162 --> 46:04.162
reapportionment count preserved and

46:04.162 --> 46:06.218
fortified protections for dreamers .

46:06.218 --> 46:08.329
Reverse the Muslim ban . Repeal Trump

46:08.329 --> 46:10.496
Interior Enforcement executive order .

46:10.496 --> 46:12.607
And he is looking for in every , uh ,

46:12.607 --> 46:14.773
every instance where he's implementing

46:14.773 --> 46:14.670
policies , whether it's on housing ,

46:14.680 --> 46:16.680
whether it's on addressing economic

46:16.680 --> 46:18.680
disparities , getting assistance to

46:18.680 --> 46:21.310
small businesses , ways to address the

46:21.310 --> 46:23.500
long and historic racial disparities

46:23.510 --> 46:25.950
that we're seeing across government

46:25.950 --> 46:28.720
programs and across , um across our

46:28.720 --> 46:30.970
country . So he's not waiting to

46:30.970 --> 46:32.920
implement new policies he is

46:32.920 --> 46:35.031
instituting and across government and

46:35.031 --> 46:37.198
across the federal government approach

46:37.198 --> 46:39.309
to addressing racial inequality , the

46:39.309 --> 46:41.364
financial payout will will close the

46:41.364 --> 46:43.364
wealth gap in the income gap in the

46:43.364 --> 46:45.364
black . I think he wants to see the

46:45.364 --> 46:47.198
outcome of the study . Um and he

46:47.198 --> 46:48.970
supports , uh , the study of

46:48.970 --> 46:51.260
reparations and what the impact would

46:51.270 --> 46:53.437
be and it would look like , Well , let

46:53.437 --> 46:55.659
me get just to the last our last friend

46:55.659 --> 46:57.826
back here , and then we'll Yeah . No ,

46:57.826 --> 46:59.881
thank you . Thank you . We wanted to

46:59.881 --> 47:01.826
blame Doug Mills . Go ahead . Just

47:01.826 --> 47:04.048
kidding . Go ahead . We can't blame him

47:04.048 --> 47:06.381
for anything . Go ahead . Two questions ,

47:06.381 --> 47:08.460
If I think one International House

47:08.460 --> 47:10.990
question International Yesterday ,

47:11.280 --> 47:13.880
North and South Korea actually stood

47:13.880 --> 47:16.280
together to denounce a Harvard

47:16.280 --> 47:19.790
University professors article . He

47:19.800 --> 47:22.330
claims that the to renounce it

47:22.340 --> 47:24.920
denounced . Denounce it , denounce it .

47:24.930 --> 47:27.480
Okay , Uh , he claimed that the company

47:27.480 --> 47:30.260
woman during the World War two were

47:30.270 --> 47:33.210
actually not slaves , but

47:33.980 --> 47:37.620
voluntary prostitutes . Many Asians and

47:37.630 --> 47:40.900
Koreans are furious , especially the

47:40.910 --> 47:44.700
top university in America supports the

47:45.280 --> 47:47.640
the publication of articles under the

47:47.640 --> 47:51.440
name of Endemic Freedom . So

47:51.450 --> 47:54.450
so with the U . S . A . Canada increase

47:54.450 --> 47:56.590
the tension between South Korea and

47:56.590 --> 47:58.790
Japan , what's the quite an

47:58.790 --> 48:01.260
administration's stance on this ? I'm

48:01.260 --> 48:03.371
happy to take a closer look at it . I

48:03.371 --> 48:05.149
haven't seen the article or the

48:05.149 --> 48:07.316
denouncements , but I will talk to our

48:07.316 --> 48:09.482
national security team and see what we

48:09.482 --> 48:09.250
have for you . And we can get back to

48:09.250 --> 48:11.472
directly in the future . Would there be

48:11.472 --> 48:14.990
any trilateral meeting between

48:15.370 --> 48:18.400
the U . S . And Japan and Korea

48:19.470 --> 48:22.400
in near future ? I'm sure at some point

48:22.400 --> 48:24.289
there will be . I have nothing to

48:24.289 --> 48:26.511
preview for you . But of course , Japan

48:26.511 --> 48:28.622
and South Korea are key components in

48:28.622 --> 48:30.844
addressing the threats in on the Korean

48:30.844 --> 48:32.844
Peninsula and other issues in house

48:32.844 --> 48:34.844
issue . We know today there's a new

48:34.844 --> 48:37.230
copy . Text rules have been

48:37.600 --> 48:41.100
implemented in the White House . Some

48:41.100 --> 48:43.830
suggested that if the White House can

48:43.840 --> 48:46.610
provide vaccinations to the White House

48:46.610 --> 48:49.410
journalist and cameraman this daily

48:49.420 --> 48:51.900
test , the issue could be resolved .

48:52.270 --> 48:54.820
Does the White House have any plans to

48:54.820 --> 48:56.930
do so ? Well , let me first say the

48:56.930 --> 48:58.986
good news is that we now have enough

48:58.986 --> 49:01.330
vaccines to we will by the end of May

49:01.340 --> 49:03.750
to ensure every American is vaccinated .

49:03.760 --> 49:05.871
Uh , well , a little bit after that ,

49:05.871 --> 49:08.038
once they are all in place , including

49:08.038 --> 49:10.149
journalists , of course . And many of

49:10.149 --> 49:12.316
you may be eligible before that , uh ,

49:12.316 --> 49:14.649
we put in place new policies , uh , one .

49:14.649 --> 49:16.816
Our objective is to protect all of you

49:16.820 --> 49:18.764
to protect the people in the White

49:18.764 --> 49:20.764
House and two , abide by covid safe

49:20.764 --> 49:22.931
protocols , as you know , and just for

49:22.931 --> 49:24.931
full clarity , anyone who is in the

49:24.931 --> 49:27.153
briefing room as a part of the briefing

49:27.153 --> 49:29.320
room pool is not paying is not charged

49:29.320 --> 49:31.264
for tests . We cover those tests .

49:31.264 --> 49:33.153
Anyone who is in the pool for the

49:33.153 --> 49:35.264
president , uh , we cover the cost of

49:35.264 --> 49:37.264
those tests , and same for the vice

49:37.264 --> 49:39.098
president . And our objective is

49:39.098 --> 49:41.320
certainly bringing it into the pandemic

49:41.320 --> 49:43.542
and having this room full again without

49:43.542 --> 49:45.764
masks and doing that in a safe way . So

49:45.764 --> 49:47.931
we'll look forward to that . Thank you

49:47.931 --> 49:47.880
so much . Everyone . Have a good

49:47.880 --> 49:50.970
afternoon or I'll see many of you . Oh ,

49:50.980 --> 49:54.720
okay . Sure it's nici , but

49:54.730 --> 49:57.210
that's fine . We like Nietzschean here .

49:57.220 --> 50:00.880
Well , the Department of Justice has ,

50:01.060 --> 50:03.700
under Trump , appealed a decision that

50:03.710 --> 50:06.040
would have allowed Puerto Ricans to

50:06.040 --> 50:08.096
receive supplemental Social Security

50:08.096 --> 50:12.030
intent . Um , that there's been a huge

50:12.030 --> 50:14.720
push , including from the arch Bishop

50:14.730 --> 50:17.060
bishops of Puerto Rico for the Justice

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Department to drop the case . That has

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not yet occurred . And now the Supreme

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Court has scheduled this case . Can you

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tell us what you're thinking is on that

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it would free up $34 billion worth of

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funding for Puerto Ricans who the

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president repeatedly said he supports

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getting more aid to people . He did .

50:37.020 --> 50:39.242
He did . The president has been clear ,

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and he was on the campaign that he and

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his administration will focus on the

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needs of Puerto Rico and its residents .

50:45.742 --> 50:47.853
We have been working . We have worked

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with Congress to address parody in two

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critical areas via the American rescue

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plan , representing an initial step

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forward in the administration's Puerto

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Rico policy . In the plan , Puerto Rico

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will have parody in terms of the child

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tax credit , which I know is a big

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concern , uh , and the earned income

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tax credit , which have been key

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efforts to reduce poverty and support

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working families . We also support

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legislation to ensure residents of

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Puerto Rico have access to Social

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Security benefits . As you noted , uh ,

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and we'll work with Congress on that .

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They're , of course , separately . Just

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for clarity is a Department of Justice .

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The Department of Justice would , of

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course , be able to speak to , uh ,

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more effectively , uh , than we would

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on the Supreme Court case . But as a

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policy , we are working to address the

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parody issues . Thank you , everyone .

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Mara is our new deputy press secretary

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and He's sitting in here and you are

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all welcome to come visit him . Ask him

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all the hard questions , but we welcome

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him to the team . Look , for he looks

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forward to working with all of you .

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That's great . Thank yeah .