House Democratic leadership held their weekly press briefing on Wednesday.
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NewsTranscript
00:00Good morning, good morning.
00:07Before I begin, I wanted to wish the women's softball team good luck as they take on the
00:13Capitol Press team.
00:15I know that could be a source of friction in this room, but we're all raising money
00:21for charity, and I'm grateful that Kim Schrier, one of the stars of our team, is joining us
00:28here today, as well as the DCCC Chair, Susan DelVene, for hosting our caucus meeting this
00:35morning across the street.
00:37This morning, we discussed the two-year anniversary of the Dobbs decision, which has left one
00:42in three women in this country living under an abortion ban.
00:47As we mark this solemn occasion, the choice confronting the American people could not
00:51be more clear.
00:53House Democrats are fighting to restore reproductive freedom for every American.
00:57House Republicans are marching towards a national abortion ban.
01:02House Democrats are fighting for every American's right to access IVF if they choose to do so.
01:08And extreme MAGA Republicans are filing amendments to block funding for IVF, because they were
01:14never going to stop until they overturned Roe.
01:18Joe Biden will be standing on the debate stage tomorrow defending the right of women to seek
01:22an abortion, and Donald Trump must own his devastation – his devastating Supreme Court
01:29justices who have caused this pain to so many across our country.
01:34This is the choice that our country faces.
01:37House Democrats and Joe Biden are Team Roe.
01:40Donald Trump and House Republicans are Team Dobbs.
01:43With that, I'll yield to Caucus Vice Chair Ted Lieu.
01:50As Chairman Argular mentioned, this was the two-year anniversary of the overruling of
01:55Roe v. Wade.
01:56Donald Trump and Republicans campaigned on overturning Roe v. Wade.
02:01Donald Trump nominated extremely conservative Supreme Court justices.
02:07Senate Republicans confirmed those justices.
02:10Those justices then overturned Roe v. Wade.
02:13Donald Trump and Republicans celebrated and bragged about the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
02:19Joe Biden will sign the law to codify Roe v. Wade.
02:24The two parties are not the same.
02:27This week, the U.S. Surgeon General also announced for the first time in U.S. history the truth
02:33that gun violence is a public health crisis, that the Biden administration and House Democrats
02:39are working to reduce gun violence and to make sure that we don't have guns get in
02:44the hands of people who should not have them.
02:47And again, the two parties are not the same.
02:50It is now my honor to introduce our great DCCC Chairwoman, Susan DelBene.
02:55Under her leadership at the beginning of this term, Democrats had to flip five seats to
02:59flip the House.
03:01Now it's four because in February, Tom Suozzi, our amazing candidate, won a special election.
03:07And now Susan's going to tell you about the New York results last night as well.
03:14Good morning, everyone.
03:15Thanks to Chair Aguilar and Vice Chair Liu.
03:17We just finished up a great caucus meeting where folks were fired up and ready and eager
03:22to take back the House in less than five months.
03:26And this week, we're reminded of how high the stakes of this election are.
03:30As we all know, Monday marked the second anniversary of the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
03:36Since that terrible day where American women lost a fundamental constitutional protection,
03:4221 states have either banned abortion or severely restricted it.
03:46We've heard countless stories of women denied life-saving medical care because of these
03:51extreme state bans.
03:53Now more than ever, the public is experiencing the tragic consequences of allowing politicians
03:59to dictate what medical care women can and cannot receive.
04:04After cheerleading the overturning of Roe two years ago, House Republicans refused to stop
04:09their attacks on reproductive freedom.
04:12Despite all of their dysfunction and chaos, they've managed to stay united on at least
04:17one thing, a constant pursuit of passing bills and policies to chip away at abortion rights,
04:24all towards their ultimate goal of passing a national abortion ban.
04:30Their unity behind this anti-freedom agenda is a frightening reminder that there are no
04:34more moderates, no more moderate Republicans in the House.
04:39In fact, in South Carolina, the last three GOP women in the state Senate were ousted
04:46in primaries for the heresy of standing with Democrats to block a near-total abortion ban
04:53in that state.
04:55They're doing all of this despite the fact that support for abortion rights is increasing
05:00across the country, with more than 60% of voters in battleground states supporting legal
05:07abortion.
05:09As support for reproductive freedom grows, it's also clear that it's increasingly
05:13becoming a deal-breaker issue for many voters, meaning they would not support someone who
05:18disagreed with them on these fundamental freedoms.
05:22Knowing this, House Republicans are trying to downplay their extremism by dismissing
05:27as a non-issue or hiding it altogether.
05:30Vulnerable House Republicans have been caught editing and deleting their extreme anti-abortion
05:35positions on their public websites.
05:38We're going to hold them accountable for that.
05:40No matter how hard they try, they won't be able to run away from their anti-abortion
05:44extremism or the role they played in overturning Roe.
05:48Whether in California or Pennsylvania and in all the purple districts in between, we
05:53will make sure that the public is reminded that the loss of reproductive freedom we suffered
05:57two years ago and the constant attacks against our rights is because of them.
06:03This election is about our rights, our freedom, our democracy, and our future.
06:08From November, we'll take back the House of Representatives to get our government back
06:12to work to protect and restore reproductive freedom once and for all.
06:17And now, I want to introduce my colleague right next door in the 8th Congressional District
06:23of Washington, Dr. Kim Schrier.
06:25Thank you, Chairwoman DelBene.
06:37Two years ago, the Supreme Court made the disastrous decision to overturn Roe, upending
06:4350 years of precedent and practically overnight ripping this fundamental freedom away from
06:51a third of the women in this country.
06:54As one of just two pro-choice women doctors in Congress, I was outraged then and I continue
07:01to be just as outraged now.
07:05This decision goes far beyond abortion.
07:08It is about who has power over you as women, who has the authority to make very personal
07:16decisions for you, and who can control your future.
07:21Our rights are no longer safe.
07:24This particular medical decision, when and whether to become pregnant, is one that impacts
07:31every element of a woman's life and the freedom to chart the course of her life.
07:36Now, sometimes this decision has to happen later, after a woman has chosen to start a
07:42family but something goes terribly wrong with the pregnancy.
07:46But either way, I want to emphasize this decision is hers, not the government's.
07:53We are seeing the dangerous consequences of this extreme Dobbs decision every single day.
07:59And with miscarriages not getting the standard treatment that they need, women forced to
08:05carry non-viable pregnancies to term.
08:10And so now, now we're even seeing attacks on IVF, on in vitro fertilization, which so
08:16many families rely on to have a successful pregnancy.
08:21And we're seeing attacks even on birth control.
08:24In the year 2024, this is beyond outrageous.
08:29There is no place for politics in the exam room.
08:33So bring us a Democratic majority, and we will bring a bill to the floor of the House
08:40to make Roe the law of the land and restore these fundamental freedoms for women.
08:46Thank you.
08:47I will now yield to our Chairman, Pete Aguilar.
08:51Thank you so much, Dr. Schreier.
08:53Questions?
08:54Andrew?
08:55Has Congress heard quite a bit from the endorsement of the leadership, and is the leadership
09:01fighting to give her one?
09:03I don't think it would surprise anyone if leadership endorses a Democratic caucus member.
09:10We have in the past, and we will in the future.
09:14We'll have more to say about that in the future, but I don't think that's a surprise
09:18to anybody that we're endorsing our Democratic members.
09:21Max?
09:22Pete, yesterday we saw a caucus member, Jabal Bowman, lose his primary.
09:26Looking back on the way that primary campaign was run, do you think Democratic leadership
09:31could have played a more active role in helping one of your own members?
09:35I endorsed Jamal Bowman.
09:38Democratic leadership endorsed Jabal Bowman.
09:41Obviously, you know, $25 million in spend is a significant amount in a primary.
09:48Our focus as Democratic leadership is exactly what we talked about today.
09:52How do we get the Congress and the country on the right path related to Roe, related
09:57to the affordability concern that many Americans have?
10:01The only way we do that is by having a Democratic control of the House.
10:05And we get there by having 218 votes.
10:08So that's why our focus and our efforts have been on those districts that matter to
10:15us in November.
10:16And so that'll continue to be our focus as we march toward the November elections.
10:22Our expectation is that members do their own, do their business that they need to do in
10:28their districts to secure their, to secure their victory.
10:31Jamal Bowman's a dedicated public servant.
10:33I wish him the best in the future.
10:34I look forward to working with the Democratic nominee, George Latimer.
10:40I think the, I think the data is very clear.
11:05The volume of individuals claiming asylum at the southern border is down.
11:09Joe Biden has been leading on these issues.
11:13He strongly believes in securing our border while also offering pathways to, pathways
11:21for individuals to have work permits in the United States.
11:24Individuals like his order last week that allow individuals who have been in the country
11:29for decades the ability to have a work permit if you're married to a United States citizen.
11:35Those are things that matter to our communities.
11:38And so that balanced approach is what's needed.
11:41That's what Joe Biden has provided.
11:43And that's why you're seeing, that's why you're seeing, you know, his leadership
11:48on the southern border.
11:49Anyone else?
11:50Nick?
11:51Do these kinds of nasty primaries in the party, we have this, Bowman's last, yesterday,
11:57Cory Bush's, and a little more than a bunch, do they make it harder to win the majority
12:04back in the fall?
12:07Every dollar that is expended to protect an incumbent member of our Congress in a Democratic
12:15plus-8, plus-10, plus-20 district is a dollar that can't be spent securing the majority.
12:21So in that sense, you know, there are impacts.
12:27But I'll tell you, our focus is on making Hakeem Jeffries the speaker.
12:32You guys have heard me say this over and over.
12:35You know, I've nominated Hakeem 12 times.
12:37No one is more committed to making this happen.
12:40And so that's where our energy and our focus is going to be, raising the resources and
12:45helping our members to secure 218 votes for Hakeem next January.
12:50That'll continue to be the focus.
12:51Sherry, go ahead.
12:54We are absolutely united against the chaos, dysfunction, and extremism that we've seen
13:00from House Republicans.
13:02And we are united to make sure that we take back the majority in districts all across
13:06the country.
13:07There couldn't be a stronger contrast.
13:09We have great candidates and incumbents running all across the country.
13:13And the difference between us standing up for rights and freedoms and democracy and
13:18the future of our country versus the extremism of Republicans couldn't be more clear.
13:24So the House Republicans have started this push on inherent contempt and possibly forcing
13:30a vote on the House floor on inherent contempt for the Attorney General.
13:35Obviously, they already held the Attorney General in contempt of Congress, but DOJ
13:39says they're not going to prosecute him.
13:41So now they're considering inherent contempt, something that hasn't been done in over 100
13:45years.
13:46Do Democrats have a strategy of how they would respond to such a vote that was forced by
13:52Congresswoman Luna?
13:53Would you move to table?
13:54And has that been discussed within the caucus?
13:57I generally will leave those kind of strategies and floor tactics to Whip Clark and Leader
14:03Jeffries, but I can tell you when it has been strong bipartisan votes, when extremist members
14:09on the House Republican side offer silly privilege resolutions, they are generally joined by
14:15Democrats and Republicans to table these things.
14:18Our hope and anticipation is that that would happen, but we haven't had a lot of conversations
14:21about it.
14:22This is just yet another attempt by House Republicans to have the back of the former
14:27president.
14:28Every day they wake up asking themselves, how do we show him that we love him?
14:33That's just what they do.
14:35And this is just one way that they can continue to show him their affection by carrying his
14:41water.
14:42It's silly the American public sees through that.
14:44We're not going to devote a lot of time and energy to their theatrics.
14:50So I encourage you to look at the substance of what this is all about.
14:56If you watch the Judiciary Committee hearing on the contempt resolution against Merrick
15:01Garland, it's very clear no one disputes this.
15:04We have the written transcript.
15:06This written transcript was authenticated by Robert Herr, a Republican who was nominated
15:12by Donald Trump.
15:14No one disputes that this written transcript is authentic.
15:17So why do they want the audio version of it?
15:20Republican Andy Biggs in Judiciary Committee said, well, we won't know if Biden said,
15:25and, and, and, and, and.
15:28They want this transcript to highlight Joe Biden's stuttering.
15:32Joe Biden overcame stuttering as a child.
15:34He was bullied for stuttering.
15:36And he overcame that and became president of the United States.
15:39It is despicable and shameful that Republicans are seeking to compel this audio transcript,
15:45which is exactly the same as a written transcript, except for the stuttering, and then highlight
15:49the stuttering to American people.
15:51Republicans should be ashamed of themselves.
15:53And I hope you write about that rather than the process.
15:57Yeah.
16:12You know, in these circumstances, my first instinct is to always defer to the Ways and
16:17Means members standing behind me.
16:20But, but broadly, you know, Joe Biden is, is fighting for tax fairness.
16:25Joe Biden is fighting for corporations to pay their fair share and for individuals making
16:33under $400,000, individuals and families to, to, to get, to get a leg up.
16:38And so that's the prism in which the administration and House Democrats view tax policy.
16:44But I'll defer to, to Chair DelBene.
16:49I think there are no specifics, like most proposals from Donald Trump.
16:53There are no specifics behind it.
16:55He's also proposed tariffs instead of taxes that would be hugely regressive and impact
17:02and raise costs for consumers all across the country.
17:05So next year will be a big tax year, but they have no policies.
17:11They have no agenda.
17:13And we've been very clear.
17:15We're focused on making sure that we have policy, tax policy that's fair, that supports
17:20our middle class and families and do important things that can make a difference, like expand
17:26the child tax credit.
17:41I'm not aware of, of any of the, of any of those efforts.
17:45That doesn't mean that they, that they haven't been discussed.
17:48Members are introducing bills and asking for co-sponsorships all the time.
17:52Obviously, this is an issue that is very top of mind related to the two-year Dobbs anniversary
17:58that we've mentioned.
17:59House Democrats will continue to support efforts for women to have reproductive freedom.
18:05That's who we are.
18:06That's why we want to seek the majority, because we want to pass policies that further that goal.
18:12So anything that fits into that frame is, is worthy of consideration when we, when we
18:17have the gavels.
18:19Last question.
18:35You know, that, that opinion that they're going to offer isn't worth the paper that
18:40it's, that it's posted on.
18:42But it reminds me very much of the last time Mike Johnson had his hand in a legal strategy
18:48related to the House of Representatives.
18:50It was December 20th, before January 6th.
18:54And he was the chief legal architect in a document that went to the Supreme Court that
19:01had lies and was completely, you know, terrible, and set the framework for the insurrectionist
19:12marching on the Capitol.
19:14This is a Republican Party that no longer believes in the rule of law.
19:19And Mike Johnson has proven that on December 20th and again here.
19:25This is an opportunity for them to carry the water, for Steve Bannon to make them, to make
19:31them feel good about helping him.
19:33The January 6th committee was proven in multiple courts to be legal and lawful.
19:38That's why you see Peter Navarro behind bars in a federal penitentiary right now.
19:43It's shameful that Speaker Johnson is, is going down this, this route.
19:48But it shouldn't be a surprise to anyone.
19:50Thank you so much.