WEBVTT

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Hi Ron . Hi , good afternoon , Good

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afternoon . Okay ,

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we have another special guest joining

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us today . Secretary of Agriculture Tom

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Vilsack , As you all know , this is

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Secretary Vilsack second turn at the

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Department of Agriculture , which he

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led in the Obama biden administration

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from 2000 and 92 through 2017 , making

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him the longest serving member of

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President Obama's cabinet . In those

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years , Secretary Vilsack thought to

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put americans back to work by investing

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in rural infrastructure , renewable

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energy and large scale conservation

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partnerships Under his leadership ,

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USDA introduced healthier food choices

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in school meals to benefit 50 million

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Children and expanded free and reduced

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price lunches for millions of kids

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prior to his appointment or nomination

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and confirmation . I should say

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Secretary Vilsack served two terms as

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the governor of Iowa in the Iowa State

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Senate and as the mayor of Mt Pleasant

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Iowa . With that I will turn over to

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the secretary who will take a few

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questions um , once he concludes his

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remarks ,

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jen , thanks very much . It's certainly

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a pleasure to be here today with all of

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you . I'm here primarily to talk about

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food and nutrition security and you may

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think that that is just about food and

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nutrition security , but in fact it's

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about a lot more than that . When you

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understand that 25 of America's

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workforce is directly or indirectly

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impacted by the food and ag industry .

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That represents a significant

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percentage of our GDP . That

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educational achievement is somewhat

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dependent on youngsters having healthy

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and nutritious food as they begin their

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school year in school day . Uh And the

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fact that it is a uh noted effort in

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reducing poverty , uh Food and

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nutrition security becomes an important

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issue . And certainly we've seen the

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impact of that during the course of the

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pandemic . When the American rescue

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plan was enacted , hunger in the United

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States was at 14 of our population ,

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which was an incredibly high number

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Today . As a result of the investments

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under the American rescue plan , we now

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know that hunger has dipped to eight of

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America's population . That's a

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remarkable drop in a six-month period .

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It is a result of extending snap uh as

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we did in the american rescue plan ,

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creating a summer E . B . T . Program

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uh that will institute opportunities

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for nearly 30 million Children to have

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access to nutrition during the summer

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months , uh increasing our commitment

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to wick uh and basically uh making a

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down payment if you will on hunger

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reduction , we have the opportunity

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over the course of the next several

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months , as congress considers the

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american job plan and the american

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Family plan to cement those uh those

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results and to actually build upon them .

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There are three key investments for

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nutrition and food security In the

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American families plan . Uh first we're

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going to make permanent this incredible

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and historic effort to feed kids during

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the summer months . There are , as I

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said , nearly 30 million American

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Children who are in free and reduced

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lunch status in schools at the end of

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the school year . Uh , there is no

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program other than the summer feeding

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programs which impacted affected

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several million of those 30 million

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Children . Now we have the opportunity

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to provide each one of these families

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with a card that looks like this . This

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is the summary bt card That's available .

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Uh it allows parents the opportunity to

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go to the grocery stores , they do with

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their snap card and be able to purchase

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additional fruits and vegetables and

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other wholesome food uh for their

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Children , ensuring that 30 million

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kids will have the opportunity to have

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nutrition during the summer , which

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means that they will be better prepared

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to begin school ready to learn in the

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fall . We're also extending with this

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effort the opportunity to impact free

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school meals in high poverty school

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areas , uh , by focusing on the

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community eligibility program that

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essentially identifies the ability of a

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school district Where snap

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participation is roughly 40 to extend

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free meals to everyone in that school .

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This is going to expand opportunities

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for youngsters to be well fed . And we

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know from a recent tough study that one

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of the healthiest places in the country

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for Children to eat is now in America's

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schools . Uh , so we're going to see

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that extended and we're gonna focus

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with a specific laser , like focus on

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elementary schools to make sure that

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our youngest learners , I have the best

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possible opportunity . And finally ,

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we're going to invest a billion dollars

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with Congress's help and assistance in

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trying to figure out strategies that

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will improve even more than we already

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have the nutritional value and quality

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of the meals that youngsters receive in

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schools . So these three steps , these

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three key investments on the american

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families plant will allow us to cement

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the gains under the american rescue

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plan and hopefully impact and reduce

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hunger to the point eventually , one

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day where we won't have to have a press

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conference about , about hunger . So

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that would be happy to take questions .

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Andrew . Yeah . Secretary , both have a

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couple questions . One about the mind

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that you , uh , the mind project that

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you had previously blocked . Uh , and

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then the trump administration allowed

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those to open up . Do you have any uh ,

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particular view on whether that should

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be reopened or not since the twin metal

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copper mine ? Uh , there's always a

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very difficult balance to strike in any

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of these questions . Um , and certainly

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in this particular one , you're

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balancing a pristine , incredibly

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important and valuable uh , natural

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site , the boundary waters of the

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Mississippi uh , tremendously uh ,

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unique um area . It's one that the

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late walter Mondale felt very strongly

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about . Uh and I know that from a

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personal experience with former vice

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president , he called me repeatedly on

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this issue . So you've got that on one

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hand , on the other hand , you

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obviously have jobs and economic

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opportunity . And I think the challenge

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is to try to see if you can strike a

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balance . Uh and that's what we

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attempted to do uh in the previous

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administration . And I don't see any

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reason why we should , why we should

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change that calculation , trying to

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find the balance between preserving a

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pristine area and at the same time

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looking for ways in which the job

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growth , economic growth can take place

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uh in rural areas and that's what we're

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going to attempt to do . Uh There are

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no final decisions being made on this .

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This is obviously something we also

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have to do in conjunction with the

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Department of Interior . They have a

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stake in this issue as well . This is

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it , I just want to get to a bunch of

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people and I'm sure one way of

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increasing snap benefits is by

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reforming the thrifty food plan , and I

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know that that is under review right

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now , can you talk a little bit about

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what that review entails and when we

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should expect results in how the

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reforms will be implemented , if it's a

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complicated question and one that

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hasn't been reviewed in detail for

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quite some time . Uh and we expect and

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anticipate during the course of the

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summer months uh that we will complete

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our review , uh and then have an

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opportunity perhaps to have a

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conversation about this in the fall .

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And this will be appropriately timed

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because , as you know , the american

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rescue plan called for an extension of

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the increase in snap over the course of

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the summer months until the end of

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september . So it's timely for us to

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look at this . I would simply say that

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the principles that we're operating

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under in this area are number one , the

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benefit has to be meaningful . Uh

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American families with the american

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rescue plan . We saw an additional $100

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a month for a family of four being

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added to the groceries uh to their

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grocery purchases . It also impacts

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jobs , as I said before , that snap

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benefits increased uh and supported

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tens of thousands of jobs and grocery

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stores and across the food chain . It

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also has to be conveniently available .

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It's one of the reasons why , again ,

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the american rescue plan has provided

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opportunities for us to look at online

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purchasing , make it more convenient .

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It has to be operated with integrity

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obviously . Uh , and it has to be , we

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have to look for ways in which we can

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incent and encourage those dollars to

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be used in the best way possible to

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provide the most nutritious benefit to

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american families . Uh , and that's the

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goal . And that's what we look at .

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When we look at the , uh , the thrifty

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Food's Fine Secretary , a group of

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Midwestern farmers last week sued over

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the Covid , a Covid loan forgiveness

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program , arguing that it's unfair to

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them because they're white . Your

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reaction to that lawsuit and you stand

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by the program's structure . It's a

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great question , appreciate it . Uh , I

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think you have to take you back 2030

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years when we know for a fact that

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socially disadvantaged producers were

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discriminated against by the United

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States Department of Agriculture . We

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know this . We have reimbursed people

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in the past for those acts of

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discrimination , but we've never

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absolutely dealt with the cumulative

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effect and by a cumulative effect . I

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mean this . When I have the full

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advantage of all the USDA programs

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throughout the last 30 years , my

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operation could grow , I could invest

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in more land , I could get the latest

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and best technology . I could plant my

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crops at just the right time . I could

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make more money if I had limited access

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or no access to USDA programs .

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Obviously , my operation significantly

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limited . So the american Rescue Plans

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effort is to begin addressing the

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cumulative effect of that

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discrimination in terms of socially

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disadvantaged producers . Secondly ,

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when you look at the covid relief

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packages that had been passed and

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distributed by USDA Prior to the

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american Rescue plan , and you take a

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look at who disproportionately received

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the benefits of those covid payments .

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It's pretty clear that white farmers

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did pretty well under that program

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because of the way it was structured ,

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it's structured on size and structured

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on production . So I think there is a

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very legitimate reason for doing what

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we are doing . I think it has to be

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complemented with additional steps ,

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which the american Rescue plan provides

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an equity Commission to take a look at

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whether or not they're systemic

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barriers that need to be removed at the

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department . And and also taking a look

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at how we might be able to create

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better technical assistance , better

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access to land , better access to

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markets for socially disadvantaged

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producers and for local and regional

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food production . So we're going to

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continue to proceed forward . I

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understand that uh , litigation is

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going to be what it is and we'll walk ,

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we'll obviously have the Department of

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Justice and others uh , do what they do .

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But in the meantime , the U . S .

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Department of Agriculture is going to

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move forward with that effort . Thank

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you . Secretary Vilsack . You've just

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outlined the plans for the AARP funds

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through the fall to deal with some of

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the issues around hunger . How long do

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you anticipate those funds will last ,

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particularly given that next year's

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school year will be unique coming off

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of a year where most schools have been

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closed for the better part of the year .

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And well , you need more funds from

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Congress to adjust . Well , I think

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that's one of the reasons why the

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President proposed the american

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Families plan as a continuation and as

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allowing us to basically cement and

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make more permanent , the gains that

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we've seen from the american rescue

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plan . In the meantime , we have worked

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with schools understanding they're

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faced with uh a lot of uncertainty

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about the upcoming school year . And so

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we have already decided that we have

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available resources to be able to

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provide for universal free lunch for

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schools throughout the 21-22 school

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year . Um and that will extend , I

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think , until the end of June 2022 with

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the passage of the american Families

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plan , we would then have the Summer

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CBT program to provide additional

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support and help . And that would give

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us I think enough lead time for school

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districts to be able to adjust back to

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what the new normal will be . In the

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meantime , we'll be looking at

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hopefully the use of the pilot under

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the american rescues under american

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families plan to see if there are ways

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in which we can incent additional

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nutritional value uh , for those meals .

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And we'll be using hopefully with the

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passage of the american families plan ,

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a more targeted effort in high poverty

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schools , elementary schools to expand

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universal free free meals . Okay , lets

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the last month on this idea of a carbon

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bank , since you've been on the job ,

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what is the feedback that you've gotten

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from farmers ? And is this something

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that you think needs congressional

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approval ? You know , I was at a

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meeting yesterday with the

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environmental protection agency

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administrator , Michael Regan . He did

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a terrific job . We had probably 25

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farmers . I was very pleased with the

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level of support and interest that the

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farm community has for ways in which

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they can be engaged in this effort to

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reduce emissions and to be engaged in

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this climate effort . Uh , we had

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multiple questions about this in terms

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of how can we do this not were against

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it or we are opposed to it or we don't

12:57.070 --> 12:59.292
think it should happen . It was how can

12:59.292 --> 13:01.626
we do this ? How can we be part of this ?

13:01.626 --> 13:01.510
Because farmers understand something

13:01.510 --> 13:03.566
very , very fundamental about this .

13:03.566 --> 13:05.677
This is the opportunity of a lifetime

13:05.677 --> 13:07.788
for us to create additional revenue ,

13:07.788 --> 13:09.899
opportunities for farmers . Now , why

13:09.899 --> 13:11.899
is that important ? Because today ,

13:11.899 --> 13:14.820
89.6 of American farms , the majority

13:14.820 --> 13:17.042
of income does not come from the farm .

13:17.042 --> 13:19.098
For those farm families , that means

13:19.098 --> 13:21.264
they have to have an off farm income .

13:21.264 --> 13:23.376
So it's the Department of Agriculture

13:23.376 --> 13:23.350
is a job to find more better in new

13:23.350 --> 13:25.130
markets . Climate provides that

13:25.130 --> 13:27.770
opportunity , whether it's a fund ,

13:27.780 --> 13:30.030
whether it's conservation resources ,

13:30.040 --> 13:32.410
whether it's uh investments in

13:32.410 --> 13:34.354
technology that will allow them to

13:34.354 --> 13:36.577
capture methane and reuse it or whether

13:36.577 --> 13:38.799
it's creating new opportunities for bio

13:38.799 --> 13:40.688
processing and new jobs and rural

13:40.688 --> 13:42.799
places . All of that has to be done .

13:42.799 --> 13:45.200
And I think the USDA has has enormous

13:45.200 --> 13:48.160
capacity , an enormous set of tools

13:48.160 --> 13:50.110
that can be used to provide the

13:50.110 --> 13:51.920
resources to work with the farm

13:51.920 --> 13:54.270
community To embrace this future . And

13:54.270 --> 13:56.214
I think they are in agreement with

13:56.214 --> 13:58.270
President Biden when he says the net

13:58.270 --> 14:00.603
goal here is net zero emissions by 2050 .

14:00.603 --> 14:02.770
I think that's doable . And I think in

14:02.770 --> 14:04.937
doing it , I think will improve income

14:04.937 --> 14:06.659
opportunities for farmers will

14:06.659 --> 14:06.630
certainly do right by the environment .

14:06.640 --> 14:08.807
And I think we also have healthier and

14:08.807 --> 14:10.307
better soil and Clearwater

14:10.307 --> 14:12.680
congressional approval . Well , it is a

14:12.680 --> 14:14.680
congressional approval in the sense

14:14.680 --> 14:16.902
that you have resources in all of these

14:16.902 --> 14:19.340
programs that require funding . Um We

14:19.340 --> 14:21.630
have a lot of flexibility already at

14:21.630 --> 14:24.170
USDA and we're gonna be utilizing that

14:24.170 --> 14:26.400
flexibility in a way that creates more

14:26.400 --> 14:28.456
new and better markets . And I think

14:28.456 --> 14:30.511
farmers are going to find that to be

14:30.511 --> 14:32.678
very , they're gonna be very agreeable

14:32.678 --> 14:34.678
with that . Thank you . Thank you .

14:34.678 --> 14:36.900
Thank you . And as always , if you have

14:36.900 --> 14:38.956
followed questions without having to

14:38.956 --> 14:41.178
connect with his team , I would love to

14:41.178 --> 14:43.350
have you back today . Okay , that's

14:45.840 --> 14:48.940
yes . I'll just know . My first

14:48.940 --> 14:51.120
campaign was for the secretaries , um

14:51.130 --> 14:54.230
gubernatorial race in 2002 . So full

14:54.230 --> 14:56.690
circle um a couple of items ,

14:56.690 --> 14:58.857
additional items for all of you at the

14:58.857 --> 15:00.860
top . Uh this afternoon , president

15:00.860 --> 15:02.693
biden as you know , will deliver

15:02.693 --> 15:05.430
remarks on the american Rescue plans .

15:05.430 --> 15:07.486
Restaurant Revitalization Fund , the

15:07.486 --> 15:09.486
administration's program to provide

15:09.486 --> 15:11.650
relief to restaurants , Bars , food

15:11.650 --> 15:13.560
trucks , and other food and drink

15:13.570 --> 15:15.560
establishments . As we all know ,

15:15.570 --> 15:17.770
restaurants were some of the first and

15:17.770 --> 15:20.440
worst hit businesses in the pandemic .

15:20.450 --> 15:22.394
The restaurant revitalization fund

15:22.394 --> 15:24.820
provides $28.6 billion dollars in

15:24.820 --> 15:27.030
direct relief to restaurants and food

15:27.030 --> 15:29.020
and beverage establishments and

15:29.020 --> 15:31.298
prioritizes those that are women owned ,

15:31.298 --> 15:33.131
veteran owned and owned by other

15:33.131 --> 15:35.353
socially and economically disadvantaged

15:35.353 --> 15:36.909
individuals by only funding

15:36.909 --> 15:39.076
applications from these businesses for

15:39.076 --> 15:41.290
the 1st 21 days of the program than it

15:41.290 --> 15:43.870
expands beyond their earlier today .

15:43.870 --> 15:45.926
The president also visited one local

15:45.926 --> 15:47.981
restaurant that was a beneficiary of

15:47.981 --> 15:49.481
relief funding through the

15:49.481 --> 15:51.730
revitalization funds pilot program uh

15:51.740 --> 15:54.410
to Korea Himalayas . I'm gonna butcher

15:54.410 --> 15:56.410
that and I apologize . I want to go

15:56.410 --> 15:58.632
there and have some tacos . Um Is owned

15:58.632 --> 16:00.521
in part by Mexican immigrants and

16:00.521 --> 16:02.354
during the pandemic went from 55

16:02.354 --> 16:05.460
employees to just seven . So clearly in

16:05.460 --> 16:07.460
great need . These funds will allow

16:07.460 --> 16:09.460
business owners to complete delayed

16:09.460 --> 16:11.571
projects , Rehire and raise the wages

16:11.571 --> 16:13.571
of their staff , pay their rent and

16:13.571 --> 16:15.560
operate with confidence again ,

16:15.740 --> 16:17.851
applications for the program opens up

16:17.851 --> 16:19.851
on monday and in just the first two

16:19.851 --> 16:22.930
days of the program , 186,200

16:22.930 --> 16:25.041
restaurants , bars and other eligible

16:25.041 --> 16:26.708
businesses in all 50 states ,

16:26.708 --> 16:28.708
Washington D . C . And five U . S .

16:28.708 --> 16:30.770
Territories . Applied for relief .

16:30.780 --> 16:33.690
97,600 applications came from

16:33.690 --> 16:35.801
restaurants , bars and other eligible

16:35.801 --> 16:37.746
businesses owned and controlled by

16:37.746 --> 16:39.412
women veterans , socially and

16:39.412 --> 16:41.690
economically disadvantaged individuals .

16:41.690 --> 16:44.760
Or some combination of the 3 61,700

16:44.760 --> 16:46.927
applications came from businesses with

16:46.927 --> 16:49.720
under $500,000 in annual pre pandemic

16:49.730 --> 16:51.563
revenue representing some of the

16:51.563 --> 16:53.490
smallest restaurants and bars and

16:53.500 --> 16:57.110
businesses in America . Um And uh

16:57.120 --> 16:59.250
we look forward to implementing that

16:59.260 --> 17:01.810
program With that . I think we can go

17:01.810 --> 17:04.630
Alex to you questions . Uh So the CDC

17:04.630 --> 17:06.797
summer camp guidance is very strict as

17:06.797 --> 17:08.630
Dr Fauci acknowledged today , it

17:08.630 --> 17:10.574
requires even adults who have been

17:10.574 --> 17:12.797
vaccinated to wear masks outside at all

17:12.797 --> 17:14.741
times . It requires Children to be

17:14.741 --> 17:17.340
socially distanced . Can you explain

17:17.340 --> 17:19.120
why that contradicts the

17:19.120 --> 17:20.842
administration's guidance that

17:20.842 --> 17:22.898
vaccinated adults don't have to wear

17:22.898 --> 17:24.787
masks outside ? And also Dr Fauci

17:24.787 --> 17:26.960
suggested that it may change as the

17:26.960 --> 17:29.480
science becomes clear , but uh , is the

17:29.480 --> 17:31.680
administration at all concerned that

17:31.690 --> 17:33.912
there will be compliance with something

17:33.912 --> 17:35.634
this strict and there won't be

17:35.634 --> 17:37.857
compliance if it continuously changes ?

17:37.857 --> 17:40.023
Sure , Well , first , I think everyone

17:40.023 --> 17:40.010
can expect that the guidance will

17:40.010 --> 17:41.830
continue to be updated and will

17:41.830 --> 17:43.941
continue to change . And I think as a

17:43.941 --> 17:46.052
parent myself of kids going to summer

17:46.052 --> 17:48.330
school , not summer school summer camp .

17:48.330 --> 17:50.497
Don't tell them . I said that um , you

17:50.497 --> 17:52.608
know , they would welcome that . Uh ,

17:52.608 --> 17:54.830
and there's no question what the CDC is

17:54.830 --> 17:57.110
trying to do is provide guidance to the

17:57.110 --> 17:59.300
american , public , to parents to

17:59.300 --> 18:01.840
families that they can trust that they

18:01.840 --> 18:03.960
know is reliable based on medical

18:03.970 --> 18:06.950
experts , doctors based on data on how

18:06.950 --> 18:09.117
they can feel safe . The guidance that

18:09.117 --> 18:12.270
was uh that was rolled out last week

18:12.280 --> 18:14.113
does not convey that when you're

18:14.113 --> 18:16.650
outside in a crowd , you cannot , you

18:16.650 --> 18:18.650
should not wear a mask . If you are

18:18.650 --> 18:20.817
outside and you're not in a crowd then

18:20.817 --> 18:22.817
you and your vaccinated , you don't

18:22.817 --> 18:25.070
need to wear a mask . Obviously there

18:25.070 --> 18:27.292
is nuance and all of these applications

18:27.292 --> 18:29.348
and people are still learning how to

18:29.348 --> 18:31.870
apply it , but as kids are dropping off ,

18:31.880 --> 18:34.047
as parents , I should say are dropping

18:34.047 --> 18:35.991
off their kids at summer camp , as

18:35.991 --> 18:37.824
there are tons of kids , tons of

18:37.824 --> 18:39.880
parents counselors , you know , that

18:39.880 --> 18:42.047
certainly wouldn't wouldn't be someone

18:42.047 --> 18:44.440
alone , but I think what dr Fauci was

18:44.440 --> 18:46.950
conveying Alex is that the data ,

18:46.960 --> 18:49.016
they're going to continue to look at

18:49.016 --> 18:50.904
the data and they want to put out

18:50.904 --> 18:52.571
updated guidance as they feel

18:52.571 --> 18:54.738
comfortable and confident in what they

18:54.738 --> 18:56.793
can provide to the american public .

18:56.793 --> 18:58.793
And there's a new evaluation of the

18:58.793 --> 19:00.904
american families plan out by the pen

19:00.904 --> 19:02.849
Gorton budget model and they found

19:02.849 --> 19:04.960
actually that the plan would increase

19:04.960 --> 19:06.904
the deficit and failed to grow the

19:06.904 --> 19:09.127
economy . Um as much as president biden

19:09.127 --> 19:11.890
has planned . And so is there risk in

19:11.900 --> 19:14.067
the long term that the president might

19:14.067 --> 19:16.122
not be able to fully deliver on what

19:16.122 --> 19:18.122
he's promised economically ? Well ,

19:18.122 --> 19:20.400
first , let me say , we strongly agree ,

19:20.400 --> 19:22.344
disagree with the analysis , as do

19:22.344 --> 19:24.456
other independent experts . According

19:24.456 --> 19:26.344
to an analysis out this week from

19:26.344 --> 19:28.456
moody's GDP in 2030 will be more than

19:28.456 --> 19:30.910
$700 billion higher than it would be

19:30.920 --> 19:33.020
without the jobs and uh family , the

19:33.020 --> 19:34.853
jobs act , the jobs plan and the

19:34.853 --> 19:36.964
families plan . This is in large part

19:36.964 --> 19:39.131
because labor force participation will

19:39.131 --> 19:41.020
be nearly a full percentage point

19:41.020 --> 19:43.187
higher due to the effects the benefits

19:43.187 --> 19:45.298
of child care , child support , child

19:45.298 --> 19:47.410
care support and paid family leave .

19:47.420 --> 19:49.531
And that same analysis found that the

19:49.531 --> 19:51.642
economic benefits would only increase

19:51.642 --> 19:53.531
over time due to increase college

19:53.531 --> 19:55.698
enrollment and universal pre K , which

19:55.698 --> 19:57.920
will help some of the two million women

19:57.920 --> 20:00.087
who are no longer in the workforce get

20:00.087 --> 20:02.309
back in the Penn Wharton Model analysis

20:02.309 --> 20:04.531
also , often a number of important ways

20:04.531 --> 20:06.531
it gets the cost of the investments

20:06.531 --> 20:08.476
wrong by about $700 billion . Even

20:08.476 --> 20:10.587
though our estimates come from career

20:10.587 --> 20:12.476
officials at O and B movies , for

20:12.476 --> 20:14.420
example , arrived at deficits even

20:14.420 --> 20:16.476
lower than the administration when ,

20:16.476 --> 20:18.642
than we had when it came to the effect

20:18.642 --> 20:20.698
of the families plan . And of course

20:20.698 --> 20:22.753
our plan would be implemented over a

20:22.753 --> 20:24.920
series of eight years and 10 years and

20:24.920 --> 20:26.976
paid for over 15 . So we're going to

20:26.976 --> 20:28.809
rely on the majority of economic

20:28.809 --> 20:31.031
analysis out there and our own analysis

20:31.031 --> 20:33.142
in here and we are confident we'll be

20:33.142 --> 20:35.142
able to reach both our job creation

20:35.142 --> 20:37.364
projections and of course um do it in a

20:37.364 --> 20:38.976
way we can pay for it by the

20:38.976 --> 20:40.976
international question . Um Israeli

20:40.976 --> 20:42.864
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

20:42.864 --> 20:42.590
missed the deadline to put together a

20:42.600 --> 20:45.820
coalition government yesterday . Um A

20:45.830 --> 20:47.920
new governing coalition . Is the

20:47.920 --> 20:49.976
president monitoring the situation .

20:49.976 --> 20:52.031
And does the administration have any

20:52.031 --> 20:54.198
sort of response or perspective on the

20:54.198 --> 20:54.170
possibility of a new coalition

20:54.170 --> 20:56.226
government there ? Well , we do read

20:56.226 --> 20:58.392
all of your news coverage , but we are

20:58.392 --> 21:00.390
not going to comment publicly on

21:00.390 --> 21:02.279
government formation . While that

21:02.279 --> 21:06.020
process is underway . Going into

21:06.250 --> 21:09.240
the exam follow ups on build answer ,

21:09.240 --> 21:11.184
Secretary Bill answer and the Twin

21:11.184 --> 21:13.240
Medal saying is that a decision that

21:13.240 --> 21:15.351
you think will be coming at any point

21:15.351 --> 21:17.720
soon or is that just carved out ? I

21:17.720 --> 21:19.887
don't have a prediction of that . Um I

21:19.887 --> 21:22.109
would say would refer to the Department

21:22.109 --> 21:24.331
of Agriculture and they would of course

21:24.331 --> 21:23.940
be the right source for that

21:23.940 --> 21:25.940
information . We can see if there's

21:25.940 --> 21:28.107
more follow up on it on the timeline .

21:28.107 --> 21:30.710
Okay . And then on the issue of the G

21:30.710 --> 21:32.543
seven meeting and the subsequent

21:32.543 --> 21:35.100
meetings with Putin . Have you do you

21:35.100 --> 21:37.780
have any news for us on that front in

21:37.780 --> 21:40.360
terms of timing and also the agenda ?

21:40.840 --> 21:44.250
Not quite yet . Um as soon as we have

21:44.260 --> 21:47.790
uh details or any confirmed details of

21:47.800 --> 21:51.400
timing , location , date participation ,

21:51.410 --> 21:53.521
we will of course share that with you

21:53.521 --> 21:55.521
and I would expect we wouldn't have

21:55.521 --> 21:57.743
more specifics on an agenda if and when

21:57.743 --> 21:59.910
we have it confirmed until much closer

21:59.910 --> 22:02.021
and just one more . My favorite topic

22:02.021 --> 22:05.800
of the W . T . A waiver .

22:05.810 --> 22:07.977
So this morning there was a meeting of

22:07.977 --> 22:10.088
the W . T . O . Catherine . Time made

22:10.088 --> 22:12.860
some comments during uh ft session ,

22:12.860 --> 22:15.540
talking about time being of the essence ,

22:15.540 --> 22:17.651
really sort of underscoring there are

22:17.651 --> 22:20.600
multiple reports out also about kind of

22:20.600 --> 22:23.100
a division within the administration on

22:23.100 --> 22:26.240
this waiver issue . Can you just really

22:26.250 --> 22:29.020
walk us through what your perspective

22:29.030 --> 22:31.200
is on this and why ? So that there are

22:31.210 --> 22:34.600
so many people and institutions and

22:34.600 --> 22:37.170
organizations now really putting

22:37.170 --> 22:39.440
pressure on President guidance to back

22:39.440 --> 22:42.180
this waiver ? Well , I think it's

22:42.180 --> 22:44.236
important for us to just take a step

22:44.236 --> 22:46.458
back and remind everyone that President

22:46.458 --> 22:48.569
the President spoke about his support

22:48.569 --> 22:51.270
for this type of a waiver back during

22:51.280 --> 22:54.010
the campaign , but we are running a

22:54.010 --> 22:55.843
process . We have been running a

22:55.843 --> 22:58.330
process uh in the administration that

22:58.330 --> 23:00.163
includes all stakeholders in the

23:00.163 --> 23:02.386
administration . And he is somebody who

23:02.386 --> 23:04.663
has welcomed people of different views .

23:04.663 --> 23:06.774
He wants to know the details , he's a

23:06.774 --> 23:08.830
details guy and he wants to dig into

23:08.830 --> 23:10.663
the pros and cons and all of the

23:10.663 --> 23:13.810
considerations for any decision . As we

23:13.810 --> 23:15.754
look at this decision , what we're

23:15.754 --> 23:17.921
really talking about , I know you know

23:17.921 --> 23:20.032
this Andrea but for others , um we're

23:20.032 --> 23:22.254
really talking about the US position as

23:22.254 --> 23:24.477
it relates to the W . T . O . Process ,

23:24.477 --> 23:26.650
right ? And that process will take a

23:26.650 --> 23:29.730
series of months uh and requires

23:29.740 --> 23:33.090
a unanimous point of view to move

23:33.090 --> 23:35.080
forward . Uh So what we are the

23:35.080 --> 23:37.430
consideration now is the US position ,

23:37.440 --> 23:39.680
our objective overall , as we look at

23:39.680 --> 23:42.220
this decision , is how can we provide

23:42.230 --> 23:44.390
as much supply in the most cost

23:44.390 --> 23:46.620
effective way to the global community ?

23:46.630 --> 23:48.519
And clearly there are steps we've

23:48.519 --> 23:50.519
announced we've take , we're in the

23:50.519 --> 23:52.560
process of taking uh providing a 60

23:52.560 --> 23:54.780
million doses to the global community

23:54.780 --> 23:56.850
once we have that available that are

23:56.850 --> 23:59.330
astrazeneca doses earlier this week ,

23:59.340 --> 24:01.330
Pfizer announced they'll also be

24:01.330 --> 24:03.830
sending doses or manufacturing doses

24:03.840 --> 24:05.784
for the global community and we're

24:05.784 --> 24:07.729
going to continue to work with our

24:07.729 --> 24:09.840
partners . I expect . We'll have more

24:09.840 --> 24:11.951
now that the W . T . O . Meetings are

24:11.951 --> 24:11.920
underway , we'll have more to say very

24:11.920 --> 24:14.087
soon on this . Are you concerned about

24:14.087 --> 24:16.198
setting a precedent ? That could be .

24:16.198 --> 24:18.087
So even if India and South Africa

24:18.087 --> 24:19.890
narrow the proposal , which is

24:19.900 --> 24:21.956
apparently something that's going on

24:22.640 --> 24:24.630
and maybe you can ask , you could

24:24.640 --> 24:27.330
confirm that that is your understanding

24:27.340 --> 24:29.790
if even if that proposal is narrow ,

24:29.800 --> 24:31.967
are you concerned that you're gonna be

24:31.967 --> 24:34.133
setting a precedent that could harm us

24:34.133 --> 24:36.467
companies in the future ? Which is what ,

24:36.467 --> 24:38.578
you know , we hear from us industry ?

24:38.578 --> 24:40.689
Well , clearly as these decisions are

24:40.689 --> 24:42.911
weighed , we take intellectual property

24:42.911 --> 24:45.022
incredibly seriously . Um , and uh we

24:45.022 --> 24:46.911
also though are in the midst of a

24:46.911 --> 24:49.180
historic global pandemic , which

24:49.180 --> 24:52.960
requires a range of creative solutions .

24:52.970 --> 24:55.026
Um , and we're looking at it through

24:55.026 --> 24:57.026
that prism . I'm sorry , can I just

24:57.026 --> 24:59.192
want to be very clear . It sounds like

24:59.192 --> 25:01.192
you're pushing us or leaning toward

25:01.192 --> 25:04.710
some kind of a a waiver of some kind .

25:04.720 --> 25:06.387
I'm not trying to give you an

25:06.387 --> 25:08.498
indication that obviously would be an

25:08.498 --> 25:10.609
announcement or a decision that would

25:10.609 --> 25:12.720
be recommended by the U . S . T . R .

25:12.720 --> 25:14.664
And a decision I would expect that

25:14.664 --> 25:16.720
would be made by the U . S . T . R .

25:16.720 --> 25:18.664
But what I'm trying to give you an

25:18.664 --> 25:18.560
understanding of which I think was your

25:18.560 --> 25:20.782
question is what the considerations are

25:20.782 --> 25:22.616
in the thinking and decision . A

25:22.616 --> 25:25.670
decision will be made soon . Go ahead .

25:26.140 --> 25:27.862
Uh questions about a couple of

25:27.862 --> 25:30.610
different topics . The first is on the

25:30.620 --> 25:32.842
debt limit is the White House concerned

25:32.842 --> 25:35.270
about being able to avoid a government

25:35.270 --> 25:37.400
shutdown and raising the debt limit .

25:37.400 --> 25:39.800
Considering the Treasury's unsure how

25:39.800 --> 25:41.810
long it can use the extraordinary

25:41.810 --> 25:45.060
measures it has . Um what's the White

25:45.060 --> 25:46.949
House and strategy for pressuring

25:46.949 --> 25:48.727
Congress to agree to breathe or

25:48.727 --> 25:50.616
suspended that limit ? Or are you

25:50.616 --> 25:52.893
leaving that to Treasury to figure out ?

25:52.893 --> 25:55.130
Well , first , I will say that um on

25:55.130 --> 25:57.630
the issue at hand raising or suspending

25:57.640 --> 26:00.190
the debt ceiling does not authorize new

26:00.200 --> 26:02.311
spending . Sometimes , I'm not saying

26:02.311 --> 26:04.200
you're confused about that . Some

26:04.200 --> 26:06.200
people sometimes are . Uh it merely

26:06.200 --> 26:08.200
allows Treasury to meet obligations

26:08.200 --> 26:10.422
that Congress has already approved . So

26:10.422 --> 26:12.589
certainly they would be in the lead as

26:12.589 --> 26:12.390
they have historically been in most

26:12.390 --> 26:15.110
administrations on making that case .

26:15.120 --> 26:18.030
Uh We expect Congress to act in a

26:18.030 --> 26:20.230
timely manner to raise or suspend the

26:20.230 --> 26:22.452
debt ceiling as they did three times on

26:22.452 --> 26:24.452
a broad bipartisan basis during the

26:24.452 --> 26:26.452
last administration , including the

26:26.452 --> 26:28.619
same year that the former president uh

26:28.619 --> 26:31.170
signed into law Tax cuts , that added

26:31.180 --> 26:33.850
$2 trillion dollars to the deficit . So

26:33.940 --> 26:36.051
uh we certainly expect they will move

26:36.051 --> 26:38.218
forward uh that this is something that

26:38.218 --> 26:40.329
has been done on a bipartisan basis .

26:40.329 --> 26:42.440
Democrats and republicans have called

26:42.440 --> 26:44.496
for it in the past , and that's what

26:44.496 --> 26:46.273
will be advocating for Senate .

26:46.273 --> 26:48.329
Minority Leader mitch McConnell said

26:48.329 --> 26:50.580
this morning Um when asked about kind

26:50.580 --> 26:53.470
of the issues within his own party , um

26:53.480 --> 26:55.950
that quote , 100 of my focus is on

26:55.950 --> 26:58.580
stopping this new administration . Um

26:58.580 --> 27:00.860
and he touted kind of unity within his

27:00.860 --> 27:03.550
caucus from Susan Collins to take birds .

27:04.040 --> 27:06.460
Um Are you concerned that it will be

27:06.470 --> 27:08.692
difficult to work with republicans when

27:08.692 --> 27:10.692
you're when you have these kinds of

27:10.692 --> 27:12.803
statements coming from their leader ?

27:12.803 --> 27:14.970
Well , I guess the contrast for people

27:14.970 --> 27:17.490
to consider as 100% of our focus is on

27:17.490 --> 27:19.379
delivering relief to the american

27:19.379 --> 27:21.546
people , on getting the pandemic under

27:21.546 --> 27:23.879
control and putting people back to work .

27:23.879 --> 27:26.101
And we welcome support , engagement and

27:26.101 --> 27:28.323
work with the republicans on that . And

27:28.323 --> 27:30.434
there's the president has extended an

27:30.434 --> 27:32.657
open arm to that . The door to the Oval

27:32.657 --> 27:34.768
Office is open . He's invited Senator

27:34.768 --> 27:36.990
Capito to bring a group of her choosing

27:36.990 --> 27:38.990
to the White House next week and we

27:38.990 --> 27:40.712
think there is opportunity for

27:40.712 --> 27:44.090
agreement to deliver on on relief to

27:44.090 --> 27:45.868
the american people . One quick

27:45.868 --> 27:48.380
question . A judge this morning struck

27:48.380 --> 27:50.920
down the cbc s national moratorium on

27:50.920 --> 27:53.170
evictions . Do you have our response to

27:53.170 --> 27:55.226
that and the administration plans to

27:55.226 --> 27:57.392
appeal ? Potentially . Yes , I do . We

27:57.392 --> 27:59.448
understand this just happened as you

27:59.448 --> 28:01.614
alluded to this morning . I understand

28:01.614 --> 28:03.781
the Department of Justice is reviewing

28:03.781 --> 28:05.837
the court's decision and should have

28:05.837 --> 28:07.726
more to say later today . We also

28:07.726 --> 28:09.837
recognize of course the importance of

28:09.837 --> 28:11.948
the eviction moratorium For Americans

28:11.948 --> 28:14.059
who have fallen behind on rent during

28:14.059 --> 28:16.281
the pandemic . A recent study estimates

28:16.281 --> 28:18.600
that there were 1.55 million fewer

28:18.600 --> 28:21.100
evictions file during 2020 than would

28:21.100 --> 28:22.878
be expected due to the eviction

28:22.878 --> 28:25.100
moratorium . So it's clearly hasn't had

28:25.100 --> 28:27.322
a huge benefit but we would expect that

28:27.322 --> 28:29.433
a response and any of course decision

28:29.433 --> 28:31.656
about additional action would come from

28:31.656 --> 28:33.656
doj and you may hear more from them

28:33.656 --> 28:35.989
today . Go ahead , Christine thanks jen ,

28:35.989 --> 28:37.989
facebook has decided to keep former

28:37.989 --> 28:40.211
president trump off of its platform for

28:40.211 --> 28:42.570
now . Senator ted Cruz tweeted the

28:42.580 --> 28:44.802
following for every liberal celebrating

28:44.802 --> 28:47.360
trump's social media ban . If the big

28:47.360 --> 28:49.510
tech oligarchs can muzzle the former

28:49.510 --> 28:51.566
president , what's to stop them from

28:51.566 --> 28:54.250
silencing you ? What do you make of

28:54.260 --> 28:57.460
that comment ? Does he have ? Well ,

28:57.840 --> 29:00.040
let me first say that this is an

29:00.040 --> 29:02.780
independent board's decision . Uh and

29:02.790 --> 29:05.012
we're not gonna have any comment on the

29:05.012 --> 29:07.234
future of the former President's social

29:07.234 --> 29:10.040
media platform . That's a decision that

29:10.050 --> 29:12.140
it sounds like the independent board

29:12.150 --> 29:14.317
punted back to facebook to make in the

29:14.317 --> 29:16.483
next six months as I know you all have

29:16.483 --> 29:18.594
reported . Um the president's view is

29:18.594 --> 29:21.950
that um the major platforms

29:21.960 --> 29:24.360
have a responsibility related to the

29:24.360 --> 29:26.640
health and safety of all Americans uh

29:26.650 --> 29:29.440
to stop amplifying untrustworthy

29:29.440 --> 29:31.420
content , disinformation and

29:31.420 --> 29:33.820
misinformation , especially related to

29:33.820 --> 29:37.270
COVID-19 vaccinations and elections .

29:37.280 --> 29:39.350
And we've seen that over the past

29:39.360 --> 29:41.582
several months , broadly speaking , I'm

29:41.582 --> 29:43.804
not placing any blame on any individual

29:43.804 --> 29:45.971
or group . We've seen it from a number

29:45.971 --> 29:48.193
of sources . Uh He also supports better

29:48.193 --> 29:50.027
privacy protections and a robust

29:50.027 --> 29:52.780
antitrust program . So his view is that

29:52.780 --> 29:54.891
there's more that needs to be done to

29:54.891 --> 29:57.224
ensure that this type of misinformation ,

29:57.224 --> 29:59.224
disinformation damaging , sometimes

29:59.224 --> 30:01.224
life threatening information is not

30:01.224 --> 30:03.336
going out to the american public more

30:03.336 --> 30:05.447
that needs to be done . Are there any

30:05.447 --> 30:07.330
concerns though about uh First

30:07.330 --> 30:09.441
Amendment rights ? And where does the

30:09.441 --> 30:11.774
White House draw the line ? Well , look ,

30:11.774 --> 30:13.941
I think we are of course a believer in

30:13.941 --> 30:16.052
First Amendment rights . I think what

30:16.052 --> 30:18.274
the decisions are that the social media

30:18.274 --> 30:20.219
platforms need to make is how they

30:20.219 --> 30:21.830
address the disinformation ,

30:21.830 --> 30:23.997
misinformation , especially related to

30:23.997 --> 30:26.108
Life threatening issues like COVID-19

30:26.108 --> 30:28.620
and vaccinations that continue to

30:28.620 --> 30:30.731
proliferate on their platforms . Want

30:30.731 --> 30:32.842
to ask you also about police reform .

30:32.842 --> 30:35.009
President Biden said he wanted it done

30:35.009 --> 30:36.953
by the first anniversary of George

30:36.953 --> 30:39.150
Floyd's death ? May 25 . Is he

30:39.160 --> 30:41.271
confident that Congress can meet that

30:41.271 --> 30:43.438
benchmark ? Where did this negotiation

30:43.438 --> 30:45.438
stand ? Well , the negotiations are

30:45.438 --> 30:47.549
between members of Congress . So , uh

30:47.549 --> 30:50.100
and he of course is confident in the

30:50.110 --> 30:52.277
those discussions and the work that is

30:52.277 --> 30:54.166
happening under the leadership of

30:54.166 --> 30:56.332
everyone from Congresswoman Karen Bass

30:56.332 --> 30:58.277
to Senator Cory Booker , obviously

30:58.277 --> 31:00.443
Senator tim scott who he called out in

31:00.443 --> 31:03.170
his speech just last week . And were we

31:03.240 --> 31:05.750
we remain . We are in close touch with

31:05.750 --> 31:08.180
of course negotiators and kept abreast

31:08.180 --> 31:10.402
of their progress . But we will wait to

31:10.402 --> 31:12.736
see what comes out of those discussions .

31:12.736 --> 31:14.624
Do . The math of this puts police

31:14.624 --> 31:16.680
reform in some regard , ahead of the

31:16.680 --> 31:18.791
negotiations . And one good thing for

31:18.791 --> 31:18.520
the american families plan

31:18.520 --> 31:20.740
infrastructure plan , which he set an

31:20.750 --> 31:22.980
end of the summer deadline for . Is

31:22.980 --> 31:25.202
this now the President's top priority ?

31:25.202 --> 31:27.258
Does he want Congress to tackle this

31:27.258 --> 31:29.258
first ? Well , I would say that the

31:29.258 --> 31:31.258
President believes Congress can and

31:31.258 --> 31:33.424
should move forward with multiple uh ,

31:33.424 --> 31:35.480
policies at the same time . And uh ,

31:35.480 --> 31:37.202
certainly that that is what is

31:37.202 --> 31:39.369
happening on Capitol Hill . You know ,

31:39.369 --> 31:41.480
those members who are playing central

31:41.480 --> 31:43.258
roles in these negotiations and

31:43.258 --> 31:45.036
obviously they can speak to the

31:45.036 --> 31:47.091
frequency of the discussions and the

31:47.091 --> 31:49.202
status of them and we defer to them .

31:49.202 --> 31:51.369
Uh they will be important participants

31:51.369 --> 31:53.036
of course , in any outcome of

31:53.036 --> 31:55.147
negotiations around the american jobs

31:55.147 --> 31:57.036
plan . But those negotiations can

31:57.036 --> 31:59.202
happen simultaneously just finally jen

31:59.202 --> 32:01.313
how does he see his role and he's the

32:01.313 --> 32:03.536
one making this call to get this done .

32:03.536 --> 32:03.320
As he reached out to tim scott the

32:03.330 --> 32:05.497
person who's leading the charge on the

32:05.497 --> 32:07.386
GOP S . I don't have any calls or

32:07.386 --> 32:09.552
engagements to read out to you . But I

32:09.552 --> 32:11.719
can say that as you know , a number of

32:11.719 --> 32:13.774
representatives of the families were

32:13.774 --> 32:15.886
here just last week meeting with some

32:15.886 --> 32:17.774
senior members of the White House

32:17.774 --> 32:19.886
leadership . The president has talked

32:19.886 --> 32:21.997
about how it's long overdue to put in

32:21.997 --> 32:23.997
place police reform measures that ,

32:23.997 --> 32:25.997
that will help rebuild trust in our

32:25.997 --> 32:28.219
communities . He used his joint session

32:28.219 --> 32:30.386
speech the highest profile moment uh ,

32:30.386 --> 32:32.386
in a first in the President's first

32:32.386 --> 32:34.441
year to talk about that and make the

32:34.441 --> 32:36.330
case and but the negotiations are

32:36.330 --> 32:38.552
happening between members of Congress .

32:38.552 --> 32:40.663
He feels that's the appropriate place

32:40.663 --> 32:42.774
for them to be . And we will continue

32:42.774 --> 32:44.774
to uh use opportunities to call for

32:44.774 --> 32:46.774
this moving forward going christian

32:46.840 --> 32:48.830
Kristen , Kristen Kristen I got

32:48.830 --> 32:50.830
confused Caitlin . There's a lot of

32:50.830 --> 32:52.830
Kay's , it's a Wednesday . Go ahead

32:52.850 --> 32:55.072
chris and I also been dressing lately .

32:55.072 --> 32:57.660
So it's fine . Ison has a very good

32:57.660 --> 33:00.100
mask on today . This kristen both of

33:00.100 --> 33:02.500
your mask . Go ahead . Ok . My question

33:02.500 --> 33:04.500
is on these restaurant funds . When

33:04.500 --> 33:06.500
will they start being awarded ? And

33:06.500 --> 33:08.611
does the president envision having to

33:08.611 --> 33:10.778
ask Congress for more money for this ?

33:10.778 --> 33:12.778
Well , on the second piece ? Well ,

33:12.778 --> 33:15.000
first , the first awards as part of the

33:15.000 --> 33:17.111
pilot program will be funded friday .

33:17.111 --> 33:19.111
So this program not the pilot , the

33:19.111 --> 33:21.278
sect , the actual part of it . Not the

33:21.278 --> 33:23.500
pilot . Those who applied this week can

33:23.500 --> 33:25.611
expect up to up to 14 days on average

33:25.611 --> 33:27.722
from submission to funding . So it'll

33:27.722 --> 33:29.944
be a very rapid turnaround . Okay . And

33:29.944 --> 33:32.000
does he envision asking Congress for

33:32.000 --> 33:34.222
more money for this when Congress comes

33:34.222 --> 33:36.444
back ? We are happy to discuss the best

33:36.444 --> 33:36.030
ways to further support small

33:36.030 --> 33:38.252
businesses , including restaurants hurt

33:38.252 --> 33:40.419
by the crisis . So he's certainly open

33:40.419 --> 33:42.474
to that . And as I noted , there has

33:42.474 --> 33:44.586
already been a large interest in this

33:44.586 --> 33:46.808
program . Um , and uh , there are great

33:46.808 --> 33:48.808
needs across the country from these

33:48.808 --> 33:48.690
small businesses , from these

33:48.690 --> 33:51.510
restaurants that are , uh , in

33:51.510 --> 33:53.677
communities across the country . So we

33:53.677 --> 33:55.732
will be happy to have a conversation

33:55.732 --> 33:55.710
with Congress about that . And my

33:55.710 --> 33:57.654
question on the patents , you were

33:57.654 --> 33:59.710
talking about how the president last

33:59.710 --> 34:01.821
summer expressed his favor for waving

34:01.821 --> 34:03.932
these countries would be able to mass

34:03.932 --> 34:05.932
produce these vaccines once they're

34:05.932 --> 34:08.099
ready . Of course , that was when they

34:08.099 --> 34:10.266
were not ready at last night . So just

34:10.266 --> 34:12.043
to be clear , is that still his

34:12.043 --> 34:14.210
position that has been , that has been

34:14.210 --> 34:16.266
his position . He also believes that

34:16.266 --> 34:18.321
there needs to be an internal policy

34:18.321 --> 34:20.488
process , that's what's been ongoing .

34:20.488 --> 34:22.543
The recommendation , the appropriate

34:22.543 --> 34:24.599
process , the recommendation to come

34:24.599 --> 34:26.766
from the U . S . T . R . Uh , and then

34:26.766 --> 34:28.988
any announcement about a decision would

34:28.988 --> 34:31.154
come from U S . T . R . And that's how

34:31.154 --> 34:33.266
government should function and should

34:33.266 --> 34:35.377
work . And as and I noted in response

34:35.377 --> 34:37.543
to Andrew's question there , of course

34:37.543 --> 34:39.710
considerations . But we're also in the

34:39.710 --> 34:41.932
midst of a global pandemic and we are ,

34:41.932 --> 34:43.932
our objective is to getting as much

34:43.932 --> 34:46.154
supply out into the global community as

34:46.154 --> 34:48.043
quickly as possible in those cost

34:48.043 --> 34:50.154
effective manner as we can . What did

34:50.154 --> 34:52.154
he communicate to Catherine tie his

34:52.154 --> 34:54.043
trade representative before these

34:54.043 --> 34:56.154
meetings with the W . T . O . On this

34:56.154 --> 34:58.266
are underway . Well , there have been

34:58.266 --> 35:00.488
discussions happening here uh through a

35:00.488 --> 35:02.432
policy process . I don't think his

35:02.432 --> 35:04.377
comments he made last summer are a

35:04.377 --> 35:06.599
secret . Um they're certainly not , but

35:06.599 --> 35:08.710
again , he's a believer that you need

35:08.710 --> 35:10.654
to have all parties at the table ,

35:10.654 --> 35:12.488
everyone providing information ,

35:12.488 --> 35:14.432
hearing details , pros and cons of

35:14.432 --> 35:16.432
every decision . And that's exactly

35:16.432 --> 35:18.766
what he asked for from his policy teams ,

35:18.766 --> 35:20.988
Given what he's heard from . The policy

35:20.988 --> 35:20.900
teams from the health experts . People

35:20.900 --> 35:23.067
like Dr Fauci have weighed in publicly

35:23.067 --> 35:25.233
about whether this would be helpful in

35:25.233 --> 35:27.289
making vaccines right now or if that

35:27.289 --> 35:29.511
would be further down the road . But is

35:29.511 --> 35:31.567
his position still what he said last

35:31.567 --> 35:33.789
summer , which is absolutely positively

35:33.789 --> 35:35.789
he will ensure there are no patents

35:35.789 --> 35:35.740
standing in the way of other countries

35:35.740 --> 35:37.710
and companies mass producing these

35:37.710 --> 35:40.310
lifesaving vaccines . That has been his

35:40.310 --> 35:42.421
position . But he is the president of

35:42.421 --> 35:44.532
the United States who believes in the

35:44.532 --> 35:46.754
advice the council , the considerations

35:46.754 --> 35:48.866
of his policy teams . Uh and that has

35:48.866 --> 35:50.921
been the process that's been ongoing

35:50.921 --> 35:52.921
over the last several weeks . And I

35:52.921 --> 35:54.921
expect we'll have more to say quite

35:54.921 --> 35:56.977
soon . It's also important to note ,

35:56.977 --> 35:59.088
just in response to one of the things

35:59.088 --> 36:01.310
you said that uh this is not this would

36:01.310 --> 36:03.588
not be , this is about the US position .

36:03.588 --> 36:05.810
There would be an entire process at the

36:05.810 --> 36:07.810
W . T . O . That would be likely be

36:07.810 --> 36:10.032
months uh in the making and that's just

36:10.032 --> 36:12.254
how the process works . So there's also

36:12.254 --> 36:12.240
a consideration leading up to that .

36:12.730 --> 36:14.841
Okay , thank you . Good , thank you .

36:14.841 --> 36:17.190
Yesterday he said that the CDC engaged

36:17.190 --> 36:19.412
with around 50 stakeholders when coming

36:19.412 --> 36:21.301
up with these guidelines for real

36:21.301 --> 36:23.523
school . So in addition to the Teachers

36:23.523 --> 36:25.468
Union , the American Federation of

36:25.468 --> 36:27.634
Teachers , who are these other roughly

36:27.634 --> 36:29.690
50 stakeholders ? Well , let me give

36:29.690 --> 36:31.801
you , I'm not gonna read all 50 , you

36:31.801 --> 36:33.912
know , but and I'm happy to send them

36:33.912 --> 36:36.134
to you after . But just as an example ,

36:36.134 --> 36:38.190
will I find this lengthy list um you

36:38.190 --> 36:40.412
know , they include the Y . M . C . A .

36:40.412 --> 36:42.468
They include um the Council of Chief

36:42.468 --> 36:44.523
State School Officers , the National

36:44.523 --> 36:46.468
Association of School Nurses , the

36:46.468 --> 36:48.523
National Governors Association , Big

36:48.523 --> 36:50.850
Cities Health Coalition , autism speaks

36:50.860 --> 36:53.580
Council of Great City schools . Uh so

36:53.590 --> 36:55.980
there's a range of organizations and as

36:55.980 --> 36:58.091
we were talking about yesterday , the

36:58.091 --> 36:59.758
objective is to have a better

36:59.758 --> 37:01.869
understanding of implementation , how

37:01.869 --> 37:03.869
it would work and ensure that these

37:03.869 --> 37:06.036
guidelines can be implemented and they

37:06.036 --> 37:07.702
would not provide harm to the

37:07.702 --> 37:07.480
communities that they would be

37:07.480 --> 37:09.536
impacting . But can you just explain

37:09.536 --> 37:12.440
maybe just a little bit more why the

37:12.440 --> 37:15.180
CDC needs all of this input from so

37:15.180 --> 37:17.236
many outside entities ? Why can't it

37:17.236 --> 37:19.347
just come up with these science based

37:19.347 --> 37:21.513
guidelines on its own ? Well , they do

37:21.513 --> 37:23.800
so to ensure that the recommendations

37:23.800 --> 37:26.022
are feasible to implement and that they

37:26.022 --> 37:28.189
adequately address the safety and well

37:28.189 --> 37:30.356
being of individuals . The guidance is

37:30.356 --> 37:32.244
aimed to protect and that type of

37:32.244 --> 37:34.300
consultation is pretty standard as a

37:34.300 --> 37:36.522
part of their consideration processes .

37:36.522 --> 37:38.600
one other topic right now there is a

37:38.610 --> 37:41.920
huge chinese rocket in outer space

37:41.920 --> 37:43.920
that's going to be crashing down to

37:43.920 --> 37:45.920
Earth likely on saturday and nobody

37:45.920 --> 37:47.920
knows exactly where likely be in an

37:47.920 --> 37:49.976
ocean . But it could or pieces of it

37:49.976 --> 37:52.198
could come down over a populated area .

37:52.198 --> 37:54.142
And this isn't the first time that

37:54.142 --> 37:56.142
china has allowed knowingly allowed

37:56.142 --> 37:58.364
something like this to happen . So does

37:58.364 --> 38:00.531
the White House condemned this kind of

38:00.531 --> 38:02.753
repeated reckless behavior from china's

38:02.753 --> 38:04.864
space program ? Well let me first say

38:04.864 --> 38:07.031
that U . S . Space Command is aware of

38:07.031 --> 38:08.864
and tracking the location of the

38:08.864 --> 38:11.031
chinese long March five B . In space .

38:11.031 --> 38:12.976
Uh And obviously the Space Command

38:12.976 --> 38:14.864
would have more specifics on that

38:14.864 --> 38:17.087
tracking and uh an additional details .

38:17.087 --> 38:19.142
Uh The United States is committed to

38:19.142 --> 38:20.920
addressing the risks of growing

38:20.920 --> 38:22.864
congestion due to space debris and

38:22.864 --> 38:25.087
growing activity in space . And we want

38:25.087 --> 38:26.809
to work with the international

38:26.809 --> 38:26.680
community to promote leadership and

38:26.680 --> 38:29.240
responsible space behaviors . It's in

38:29.250 --> 38:31.417
the shared interests of all nations to

38:31.417 --> 38:33.583
act responsibly in space to ensure the

38:33.583 --> 38:35.639
safety stability , security and long

38:35.639 --> 38:37.680
term sustainability of outer space

38:37.690 --> 38:40.030
activities . So cooperation is a

38:40.030 --> 38:42.197
hallmark of our approach . We're going

38:42.197 --> 38:44.419
to work with our international partners

38:44.419 --> 38:46.530
on that and certainly addressing this

38:46.540 --> 38:48.540
is something we'll do through those

38:48.540 --> 38:50.596
channels . Just a quick follow up if

38:50.596 --> 38:52.651
this rock it does cause some serious

38:52.651 --> 38:54.873
damage . Is here on our would the White

38:54.873 --> 38:57.370
House enforce china paying some sort of

38:57.380 --> 38:59.640
compensation is required by the U . N .

38:59.650 --> 39:01.830
Liability space liability convention .

39:02.020 --> 39:04.470
Well again I think we have of course

39:04.480 --> 39:07.360
refer to the advice and guidance from U .

39:07.360 --> 39:09.193
S . Space Command and Department

39:09.193 --> 39:11.304
offense and others . But we're not at

39:11.304 --> 39:13.471
this point . We are certainly tracking

39:13.471 --> 39:15.416
its location through U . S . Space

39:15.416 --> 39:17.471
Command and hopefully that's not the

39:17.471 --> 39:19.582
outcome that we are working through .

39:19.582 --> 39:21.804
Hey , go ahead your life . Thanks jim .

39:21.804 --> 39:23.749
Um just interested if you have any

39:23.749 --> 39:25.971
response to some of the moves made this

39:25.971 --> 39:28.082
week by a few Republican governors to

39:28.082 --> 39:30.082
get rid of , you know , protections

39:30.082 --> 39:32.249
that were in place for people , public

39:32.249 --> 39:33.916
benefits , also public health

39:33.916 --> 39:35.971
restrictions , basically sending the

39:35.971 --> 39:38.082
message that the pandemic is over and

39:38.082 --> 39:40.249
sort of criticizing Washington D . C .

39:40.249 --> 39:42.304
D . C . Uh the bureaucrats is around

39:42.304 --> 39:44.360
the santas put it for telling people

39:44.360 --> 39:44.240
they still need to wear masks and doors ,

39:44.420 --> 39:46.531
those sorts of things saying that the

39:46.531 --> 39:48.476
vaccines have worked . How are you

39:48.476 --> 39:50.087
trying to thread that needle

39:50.087 --> 39:52.087
celebrating the progress of all the

39:52.087 --> 39:54.309
people have been vaccinated and keeping

39:54.309 --> 39:56.531
these things in place . And also trying

39:56.531 --> 39:58.364
to keep people from viewing this

39:58.364 --> 39:58.180
through a political and any outreach to

39:58.190 --> 40:00.412
any of these Republican state officials

40:00.412 --> 40:02.634
about the message . They're sending any

40:02.634 --> 40:04.968
response to them from the voting . Sure ,

40:04.968 --> 40:07.190
well , first , we not only do a regular

40:07.200 --> 40:09.650
governors call every single week with

40:09.650 --> 40:11.817
governors from across the country from

40:11.817 --> 40:13.761
Red States and Blue States to talk

40:13.761 --> 40:15.983
about implementation , any changes were

40:15.983 --> 40:17.983
making the allocations as we talked

40:17.983 --> 40:20.206
about just yesterday . But we also have

40:20.206 --> 40:22.317
regular engagement with governors and

40:22.317 --> 40:24.261
local officials about uh where the

40:24.261 --> 40:26.039
public health guidance is going

40:26.039 --> 40:28.206
questions they have and even sometimes

40:28.206 --> 40:29.872
challenges they have in their

40:29.872 --> 40:31.872
communities . Our position from the

40:31.872 --> 40:34.094
federal government continues to be that

40:34.094 --> 40:36.094
the public health guidelines are in

40:36.094 --> 40:38.150
place to keep people safe , not just

40:38.150 --> 40:40.206
governors and leaders of states , of

40:40.206 --> 40:42.261
course , but people in communities ,

40:42.261 --> 40:44.261
families , kids , people who are in

40:44.261 --> 40:46.317
vulnerable populations and that will

40:46.317 --> 40:48.428
continue to communicate that from the

40:48.428 --> 40:50.539
federal level . Even as governors are

40:50.539 --> 40:52.900
pulling back uh their implementation in

40:52.900 --> 40:55.233
some places where it might be premature .

40:55.233 --> 40:57.178
As the president was talking about

40:57.178 --> 40:59.400
transitioning from the mass vaccination

40:59.400 --> 41:01.400
centers , largely an urban suburban

41:01.400 --> 41:03.344
areas and trying to really be more

41:03.344 --> 41:05.511
deliberate proactive about getting the

41:05.511 --> 41:07.622
vaccine to people in outlying areas ,

41:07.622 --> 41:09.733
rural areas , uh is there any concern

41:09.733 --> 41:11.678
about having enough vaccinators to

41:11.678 --> 41:13.900
reach people in those areas will mostly

41:13.900 --> 41:16.122
be run through local pharmacies ? Or is

41:16.122 --> 41:18.233
there going to be a similar effort to

41:18.233 --> 41:20.610
authorized different people in medical

41:20.610 --> 41:23.030
fields to be able to administer

41:23.030 --> 41:25.480
vaccines ? Well , we did take that step

41:25.490 --> 41:29.340
some time ago to expand the type of

41:29.340 --> 41:31.340
individuals who are qualified to be

41:31.340 --> 41:33.229
vaccinators , because early on we

41:33.229 --> 41:35.284
recognized that it wasn't just about

41:35.284 --> 41:37.451
supply . It was also about locations .

41:37.451 --> 41:39.451
And obviously , as you alluded to ,

41:39.451 --> 41:41.784
we've made some changes and adjustments ,

41:41.784 --> 41:44.007
but also about vaccinators and ensuring

41:44.007 --> 41:46.062
that a larger group of individuals ,

41:46.062 --> 41:48.284
dentists , veterinarians , others could

41:48.284 --> 41:51.090
also be eligible to uh do the vaccine

41:51.090 --> 41:53.312
and get into people's arms . Because we

41:53.312 --> 41:55.201
want to ensure that in a range of

41:55.201 --> 41:57.034
communities across the country ,

41:57.034 --> 41:59.146
there's a range of options for people

41:59.146 --> 42:01.368
who can do exactly that . So that's not

42:01.368 --> 42:03.534
a concern that we are tracking at this

42:03.534 --> 42:05.701
point in time , a lack of , because we

42:05.701 --> 42:07.646
did a lot of work preparing uh for

42:07.646 --> 42:09.701
those needs . And I would say that ,

42:09.701 --> 42:11.479
you know , there were some mass

42:11.479 --> 42:13.610
vaccination sites we opened even last

42:13.610 --> 42:16.020
week . But what we announced yesterday

42:16.030 --> 42:18.580
is a kind of a phased approach based on

42:18.580 --> 42:20.913
the phase were in at this point in time ,

42:20.913 --> 42:23.960
which is that we are recognizing the

42:23.960 --> 42:25.793
daily numbers will go down a bit

42:25.793 --> 42:28.016
because we're at such a high percentage

42:28.016 --> 42:30.127
rate relative to where people thought

42:30.127 --> 42:32.349
we were at this point in the pandemic .

42:32.349 --> 42:31.910
And we know it will be harder and

42:31.910 --> 42:34.530
harder to reach people and meet people

42:34.530 --> 42:36.697
where they are . Hence the increase as

42:36.697 --> 42:38.790
you suggested . And walking hours or

42:38.790 --> 42:40.846
the announcement of walking hours on

42:40.846 --> 42:43.100
mobile units on partnerships with

42:43.100 --> 42:45.410
primary care physicians and doctors to

42:45.410 --> 42:47.632
make it even easier and more accessible

42:47.632 --> 42:49.410
for people to get the vaccine .

42:49.430 --> 42:51.597
Tomorrow . On the trip to Louisiana so

42:51.597 --> 42:53.708
far , president is mostly traveled to

42:53.708 --> 42:55.597
states that are competitive swing

42:55.597 --> 42:57.708
states . Louisiana is obviously a red

42:57.708 --> 42:59.874
state but has been impacted by covid ,

42:59.874 --> 43:01.930
separate texas and Ohio . Okay . But

43:01.930 --> 43:04.152
there's been a lot of travel to some of

43:04.152 --> 43:06.097
these states . Can you just talk a

43:06.097 --> 43:08.319
little bit about the the take away that

43:08.319 --> 43:07.930
people should have when they see the

43:07.930 --> 43:10.490
president showing up deep red Louisiana

43:10.490 --> 43:12.712
tomorrow on the issues that he wants to

43:12.712 --> 43:14.934
draw attention to . Sure , well , first

43:14.934 --> 43:17.046
the president , when he was elected ,

43:17.046 --> 43:19.157
uh , knew from day one , he was going

43:19.157 --> 43:21.212
to govern for all americans and that

43:21.212 --> 43:23.379
was going to be his objective . And so

43:23.379 --> 43:25.601
even if it's for people who didn't vote

43:25.601 --> 43:24.680
for him , for states , who didn't vote

43:24.680 --> 43:28.220
for him , his focuses on delivering for

43:28.220 --> 43:30.720
them . So tomorrow he'll make two stops

43:30.720 --> 43:32.870
in Louisiana . His focus will be on

43:32.870 --> 43:35.130
talking about the american jobs plan

43:35.140 --> 43:37.930
and how that plan in historic

43:37.930 --> 43:39.652
investment in infrastructure ,

43:39.652 --> 43:42.910
rebuilding the type of bridges roads in

43:42.910 --> 43:45.160
Louisiana that are long overdue to be

43:45.160 --> 43:48.220
upgraded could help not only people's

43:48.230 --> 43:50.610
travel and commutes but also create

43:50.610 --> 43:52.890
jobs in these communities . And it's

43:52.890 --> 43:54.946
not about just delivering for people

43:54.946 --> 43:57.001
who voted for him or people who have

43:57.001 --> 43:59.001
blue check marks next to their name

43:59.001 --> 44:01.168
because they're democrats . And that's

44:01.168 --> 44:03.390
part of what this message should send .

44:03.390 --> 44:05.612
This visitor should send . Go ahead . I

44:05.612 --> 44:07.723
get that . You prefer the movie model

44:07.723 --> 44:09.557
over the Penn Wharton . I'm just

44:09.557 --> 44:09.080
curious the White House is going to

44:09.080 --> 44:12.850
accept whatever CBO and JCT scores the

44:12.860 --> 44:14.860
president's proposals that well , I

44:14.860 --> 44:16.920
think our issue with the pen morton

44:16.920 --> 44:19.087
model was the data it was based on and

44:19.087 --> 44:21.142
that it was off and so we'll have to

44:21.142 --> 44:23.830
look at what the data that any future

44:23.830 --> 44:25.830
analysis is based on and then we'll

44:25.830 --> 44:27.774
give an assessment . Even official

44:27.774 --> 44:29.719
you're not embracing what official

44:29.719 --> 44:31.830
assessment will be from CBO and jCT .

44:32.290 --> 44:34.320
Well hans there is no assessment at

44:34.320 --> 44:36.487
this point in time . Our assumption is

44:36.487 --> 44:38.653
that they would be abiding by accurate

44:38.653 --> 44:40.820
data . So we'll look forward to seeing

44:40.820 --> 44:42.987
those assessments . When do you expect

44:42.987 --> 44:45.153
those assumptions and data to come ? I

44:45.153 --> 44:46.931
don't have a prediction of that

44:46.931 --> 44:49.042
suggests you ask them . Go ahead Alex

44:49.042 --> 44:50.820
does President biden agree with

44:50.820 --> 44:52.930
Governor Whitmer decision on the oil

44:52.930 --> 44:54.810
and gas pipeline . She's citing

44:55.190 --> 44:57.820
essentially water quality issues . It's

44:57.820 --> 44:59.987
really angered Canada , just President

44:59.987 --> 45:02.042
biden . I agree with that decision .

45:02.042 --> 45:04.153
I'd have to take a closer look at the

45:04.153 --> 45:05.876
pipeline . I mean we have been

45:05.876 --> 45:07.987
evaluating in a case by case scenario

45:07.987 --> 45:10.042
which which pipeline and Tagamet the

45:10.042 --> 45:12.410
end bridge . We look at each pipeline

45:12.420 --> 45:15.260
through the prism of the impact on the

45:15.260 --> 45:17.427
environment and also the impact on the

45:17.427 --> 45:19.960
economy . And we make assessments . So

45:19.960 --> 45:22.016
I'd have to talk to our team of that

45:22.016 --> 45:24.238
assessments been concluded or not . And

45:24.238 --> 45:26.404
the president's gonna be talking about

45:26.404 --> 45:28.404
implementation later . What sort of

45:28.404 --> 45:31.540
oversight plans are being talked about

45:31.540 --> 45:33.707
as far as the spending and making sure

45:33.707 --> 45:35.929
it's for the restaurant program or just

45:35.929 --> 45:37.984
the programs in general . General in

45:37.984 --> 45:40.207
general . Inspector General's . Can you

45:40.207 --> 45:41.984
give us an idea of what sort of

45:41.984 --> 45:44.262
oversight is being talked about ? Well ,

45:44.262 --> 45:46.318
first , the president came into this

45:46.318 --> 45:48.430
job having served as the person

45:48.440 --> 45:50.496
overseeing the implementation of the

45:50.496 --> 45:52.780
american rescue and recovery of the A .

45:52.780 --> 45:55.580
R . A . R . A . Back in the early days

45:55.580 --> 45:57.747
of the Obama biden administration . He

45:57.747 --> 45:59.913
takes waste fraud and abuse incredibly

45:59.913 --> 46:01.969
seriously . And we have put in place

46:01.969 --> 46:04.247
changes and reforms to programs that S .

46:04.247 --> 46:06.302
P . A . And other programs that have

46:06.302 --> 46:08.358
been implemented where we've seen um

46:08.358 --> 46:10.413
incidents of that in the past . It's

46:10.413 --> 46:12.580
also why he has somebody Gene Sperling

46:12.580 --> 46:14.950
overseeing uh the american rescue plan

46:14.950 --> 46:16.900
implementation to ensure there is

46:16.910 --> 46:19.310
coordination across government that we

46:19.310 --> 46:22.120
are tracking where we see issues . Uh

46:22.120 --> 46:24.030
And certainly he's somebody who

46:24.040 --> 46:25.873
welcomes oversight , wants to do

46:25.873 --> 46:27.984
everything we can to reduce any waste

46:27.984 --> 46:30.207
fraud and abuse in these programs . And

46:30.207 --> 46:31.929
just finally , I wonder if the

46:31.929 --> 46:31.890
President or anyone in the

46:31.890 --> 46:34.350
administration spoke with Treasury

46:34.350 --> 46:36.870
Secretary yesterday given some of her

46:36.870 --> 46:39.980
remarks that she then sought to clarify .

46:39.990 --> 46:42.610
Well , the Secretary herself addressed

46:42.610 --> 46:44.832
her remarks later in the afternoon . So

46:44.832 --> 46:46.999
I'm not aware of any calls yesterday .

46:46.999 --> 46:49.110
She will be here in the briefing room

46:49.110 --> 46:51.332
and they'll have their regular economic

46:51.332 --> 46:53.388
briefing on friday going back . So I

46:53.388 --> 46:55.721
want to talk about climate for a second .

46:55.721 --> 46:57.943
The President had said in his executive

46:57.943 --> 47:00.054
order in january , um , that he would

47:00.054 --> 47:02.300
call for Green Procurement plan for the

47:02.310 --> 47:04.610
federal government and part of that was

47:04.610 --> 47:07.240
about buying electric cars . The devil

47:07.240 --> 47:10.700
in for that plan was April 27 . You

47:10.700 --> 47:12.811
know what the status of it is and why

47:12.811 --> 47:15.280
the delay . I don't have an update on

47:15.280 --> 47:17.391
the status . It is something , as you

47:17.391 --> 47:19.058
noted , he talked about early

47:19.058 --> 47:20.891
administration , he's absolutely

47:20.891 --> 47:23.002
committed to , but I'm happy to check

47:23.002 --> 47:25.169
with our team and see where our report

47:25.169 --> 47:27.391
on that lives . And um , I also want to

47:27.391 --> 47:29.558
ask does the biden administration have

47:29.558 --> 47:31.613
a timeline at this point for issuing

47:31.613 --> 47:34.360
pardons and commutations ? I don't have

47:34.360 --> 47:37.150
any previewing of that to provide and

47:37.150 --> 47:39.206
probably won't from here . Go in the

47:39.206 --> 47:43.090
back . Uh huh . Yes . Is a Los Angeles

47:43.090 --> 47:45.630
mayor eric garcetti in under active

47:45.630 --> 47:48.800
consideration to be the ambassador to

47:48.810 --> 47:52.060
India or any other country . I don't

47:52.060 --> 47:54.280
have any personnel announcements or

47:54.280 --> 47:56.750
assessments to make here from the

47:56.750 --> 47:59.170
podium . But hopefully we'll have some

47:59.170 --> 48:01.392
more formal announcements on ambassador

48:01.392 --> 48:04.450
soon . The the Tokyo Olympics are 12

48:04.450 --> 48:07.520
weeks out . At what point does the

48:07.530 --> 48:09.870
president need to make a decision about

48:09.880 --> 48:13.880
his attendance , His attendance and hit .

48:13.890 --> 48:16.200
And what factors are delaying the

48:16.200 --> 48:18.670
announcement ? Well , I think the

48:18.670 --> 48:21.100
president and his team assess any

48:21.100 --> 48:23.300
invitation as it comes in , but 12

48:23.300 --> 48:25.467
weeks is some period of time . I don't

48:25.467 --> 48:27.411
have any updates or predictions on

48:27.411 --> 48:29.522
whether or not he'll travel or accept

48:29.522 --> 48:31.411
the invitation made to attend the

48:31.411 --> 48:33.467
Olympics . Go ahead . Thanks , jen ,

48:33.770 --> 48:37.290
few questions . First on the large

48:37.300 --> 48:39.620
sports arenas that are beginning to

48:39.620 --> 48:43.230
allow for fully vaccinated fans in

48:43.240 --> 48:46.370
special sections . Both Citi field in

48:46.370 --> 48:48.426
Yankee Stadium in new york have made

48:48.426 --> 48:50.592
those announcements . And I know there

48:50.592 --> 48:52.092
are some others . Does the

48:52.092 --> 48:54.092
administration think that that is a

48:54.092 --> 48:57.690
good approach for sports teams to take

48:58.070 --> 49:00.550
and maybe other large event venues .

49:00.550 --> 49:02.990
And there are there any concerns about

49:03.470 --> 49:06.870
equity when it comes to access to

49:06.880 --> 49:09.190
facilities if particularly those that

49:09.190 --> 49:11.357
were built with some public money ? In

49:11.357 --> 49:13.640
some cases , I'm sure when it comes to

49:13.650 --> 49:15.706
people who may not have been able to

49:15.706 --> 49:17.594
get vaccinated yet . Well , first

49:17.594 --> 49:19.761
everyone in the country is eligible to

49:19.761 --> 49:21.761
be vaccinated and certainly at this

49:21.761 --> 49:23.872
point in time . So we are and we , as

49:23.872 --> 49:25.983
we've noted here , have taken a range

49:25.983 --> 49:27.872
of steps to ensure we are meeting

49:27.872 --> 49:29.872
people where they are getting these

49:29.872 --> 49:32.094
vaccine doses out to communities around

49:32.094 --> 49:33.983
the country . Uh , in terms of an

49:33.983 --> 49:35.817
assessment of the safety of this

49:35.817 --> 49:37.928
approach , by sports teams , I'd have

49:37.928 --> 49:40.094
to talk to our covid team about that .

49:40.094 --> 49:42.206
And I think it's unlikely we're going

49:42.206 --> 49:44.094
to be weighing into every private

49:44.094 --> 49:45.983
sector decision about how they're

49:45.983 --> 49:47.706
moving forward once people are

49:47.706 --> 49:49.928
vaccinated . But I will check with them

49:49.928 --> 49:51.983
on that . Right . And then the other

49:51.983 --> 49:54.206
the other question , if I can follow up

49:54.206 --> 49:56.206
on the debt limit question , just a

49:56.206 --> 49:58.428
little bit sure has their does does the

49:58.428 --> 50:00.650
president have a position on whether or

50:00.650 --> 50:02.817
not the debt limit itself should exist

50:03.260 --> 50:06.430
at all . Considering every every couple

50:06.430 --> 50:08.597
of years , we go through this question

50:08.597 --> 50:10.763
of what are the extraordinary measures

50:10.763 --> 50:12.819
and how much extra time do we have ?

50:12.819 --> 50:14.986
And we know at the end of the day that

50:14.986 --> 50:16.986
it's going to have to get raised or

50:16.986 --> 50:19.097
else we're going to have some sort of

50:19.097 --> 50:21.263
economic calamity . Does the president

50:21.263 --> 50:23.097
have a view on the question more

50:23.097 --> 50:25.263
broadly of whether or not they're even

50:25.263 --> 50:27.486
should be a debt ? Well , first raising

50:27.486 --> 50:29.652
or suspending the debt ceiling doesn't

50:29.652 --> 50:31.597
authorize new spending . It merely

50:31.597 --> 50:33.597
allows Treasury to meet obligations

50:33.597 --> 50:35.652
that Congress has already approved ,

50:35.652 --> 50:37.763
right . It has been the case for many

50:37.763 --> 50:39.590
years . Um and there have been

50:39.590 --> 50:42.990
bipartisan votes to support . Um , So ,

50:43.160 --> 50:45.271
you know , the President does believe

50:45.271 --> 50:47.382
that treasures should be able to meet

50:47.382 --> 50:49.271
its obligations and believes that

50:49.271 --> 50:51.160
Congress should move forward in a

50:51.160 --> 50:52.882
bipartisan manner as they have

50:52.882 --> 50:54.938
historically in the past , including

50:54.938 --> 50:54.350
three times during the prior

50:54.350 --> 50:56.239
administration . Go in the back .

50:56.360 --> 51:00.230
Thanks on the G seven trip . Is

51:00.230 --> 51:02.090
there any advance on whether the

51:02.090 --> 51:05.120
president will meet with the queen and

51:05.130 --> 51:08.140
separately ? Has the president or first

51:08.140 --> 51:10.290
lady been in contact recently with

51:10.290 --> 51:13.440
Prince Aly ? I don't have any more trip

51:13.440 --> 51:15.680
details . Who among us wouldn't want to

51:15.680 --> 51:17.902
go see the queen , but I don't have any

51:17.902 --> 51:19.960
details to preview at this point in

51:19.960 --> 51:22.182
time . I expect as we get closer to the

51:22.182 --> 51:24.238
trip will have more specifics . Um ,

51:24.260 --> 51:26.450
and uh , I don't have any calls or

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engagements with Prince Harry or uh ,

51:29.590 --> 51:32.260
Meghan Markle to uh , to read out for

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you with the president or the first

51:34.260 --> 51:36.990
lady . Is there a timeline on an

51:36.990 --> 51:39.212
announcement ? The british ambassador ?

51:39.560 --> 51:41.880
A timeline . I don't have a timeline

51:41.890 --> 51:45.010
for that names or any anyone else know

51:45.010 --> 51:46.954
names to float out there for you .

51:46.954 --> 51:48.677
Hopefully we'll have some more

51:48.677 --> 51:51.410
ambassador soon to announce . They say

51:51.410 --> 51:53.577
soon . Will that be before or after he

51:53.577 --> 51:55.743
makes his decision ? I'm going to be a

51:55.743 --> 51:58.021
weapons . I can't order for you , hans .

51:58.021 --> 52:00.243
There's just so much excitement to stay

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tuned for around here , so we'll see .

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Okay . Thanks everyone .