Transcript of Pelosi Press Conference Today
Washington, D.C. – Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi held her weekly press conference today. She was accompanied by her Democratic colleagues Rep. Frank Pallone, Ranking Democrat on the Energy and Workforce Committee, Rep. Richard Neal, Ranking Democrat on the Ways and Means Committee, Rep. Bobby Scott, Ranking Democrat on the Education and Workforce Committee, and Rep. John Yarmuth, Ranking Democrat on the Budget Committee. Below is a transcript of the press conference.
Leader Pelosi Opening Remarks
Leader Pelosi. Good morning, everyone. Some guests with us here today. Very honored to be here with our Ranking Members on the Committees that are dealing with the health care legislation. Representative [Frank] Pallone of New Jersey, Ranking Member on the Energy and Commerce Committee. Mr. [Richard] Neal, Ranking Member on the Ways and Means Committee. Representative [Bobby] Scott, Ranking Member on the Education and the Workforce Committee. And Mr. [John] Yarmuth, Ranking Member on the Budget Committee.
All of these Committees had a role in shaping the Affordable Care Act. All of these Committees and our Members, Democratic Members, have a role in protecting our care. So I am honored that they are here.
We of course all were struck by the news this morning and last night about Senator [John] McCain and send him our prayers. I am a big believer in the power of prayer. So I have great confidence. Over the years, one of things I always remember him saying to all of us, under any circumstances, was, ‘Keep on fighting.’ And I know that’s what he will do, to keep on fighting.
I was just sharing with my colleagues, at 10:30 I had a conversation with our colleague [Rep.] Steve Scalise, who sounds wonderful. And I just told him about our prayers for him, our hopes for his recovery, but not sooner than he really is recovered, not to come back any sooner. And of course we try to comfort his wife, Jennifer, children Harrison and Madison. But their strength is a comfort to the rest of us, in any event.
So here we are, six months to the day when the President was inaugurated. We are here with no jobs bill, no infrastructure bill, no tax reform legislation, no plan to avert the debt default. It is just one of the most miserable six months, unproductive six months of any presidency that I can think of.
Instead, the Republicans have spent all of their time trying to raise America’s health costs and reduce the ability for Americans to have the financial and health security that we owe them.
We are here today as those who had fought for the Affordable Care Act, and we are very proud that more than 20 million people, additional people, have access to affordable care and insurance. The protections, no lifetime limits, children can be on their parents’ policy, no denying of coverage for preexisting condition, no longer being a woman is a preexisting condition. I would say it’s really important to recognize all of the benefits of it.
And since ACA [Affordable Care Act], health care costs have grown at the slowest rate on record. The life of the Medicare Trust Fund has been extended by 12 years. And the Republicans want to do away with all of that.
Trumpcare, this new bill, they just introduced a new version this morning, which is repeal and replace. They have now walked away from repeal and delay. Higher costs, pushing millions off their coverage, gutting key protections, crushing age tax, stealing from Medicare and Medicaid.
And really the bill they just had, and the headlines today are 32 million people by 2026 would lose their coverage and premiums would double. So now supposedly today we will see a CBO report on their newest monstrosity.
But I am hopeful. Earlier this month, Senator [Mitch] McConnell said, ‘If my side is unable to agree on an adequate replacement, then some kind of action with regard to the private health insurance market must occur.’
So again, our door has always been open, our hand always extended to work with the Republicans in a bipartisan way to improve and update the Affordable Care Act. Again, they have to set aside repeal, abandon cuts to Medicaid that are there and abandon their huge tax breaks for the wealthy that are in the bill.
In the bill, one of the manifestations of their bill that they put forth, Senator [John] McCain has provisions for cost-sharing reduction payments, which is a positive thing, and possibly money could be used for reinsurance and other initiatives like outreach. So that is a place that we can come together to improve the Affordable Care Act that is already suggested in their legislation.
Again, we have to work to reduce the cost of prescription drugs, expand tax credits for middle class families, and ensure options for bare counties.
And over the past weeks we have not been waiting for the failure of this bill; we have been working in our Caucus, and Members have made suggestions publicly and to our Ranking Members on how we should go forward. Today, we will talk about a few of those things. And next week, in our Steering and Policy Committees, we will take testimony on all of that.
So that is to say we are pivoting. It is time for the Congress to pivot away from these bills that are going nowhere, thank God, but to complete, to make sure that happens.
And as I conclude, I want to thank again the outside groups, the moms across America who have come here and spoken to Members of Congress, here and in their districts, called in, told their stories, have made a tremendous difference. The people have spoken in terms of this legislation. It’s not good news for the Republican initiative. Let’s pivot to how we can get the job done for the American people.
And with that, I am pleased to yield the floor to the distinguished Ranking Member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Mr. [Frank] Pallone.
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Leader Pelosi. I thank my colleagues for their presentations and for their extraordinary leadership on all of this and the ideas that have been conveyed, Mr. [Frank] Pallone talking about cost sharing, reinsurance, Mr. [Richard] Neal talking about tax credits and how we expand access for millennials and others, Mr. [Bobby] Scott talking about the threat that is there, 32 million people. Imagine, imagine that they would propose such a thing while cost premiums double, according to CBO.
And Mr. [John] Yarmuth has been talking, working on this individual market, insurance market issue for a long time. And I appreciate his suggestions there, as well as those that have come from our colleagues. These, among others, we will hear about them at our Steering [and Policy] Committee meetings next week.
Any questions for my colleagues on the subject of health, health insurance? No? Okay, well, we have a vote. Yes, ma’am. We have a vote, so thank you.
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Q: Thank you, Madam Leader. Are you in any talks with Speaker Ryan about this?
Leader Pelosi. Well, I wrote a letter, which you probably saw, it is a matter of public record. On July 18, the American people have spoken. They rejected Trumpcare’s assault on the good health of America’s hard-working people.
And I do say, as Senator [Mitch] McConnell said, what I said earlier, if we cannot do anything, then we are going to have to address the cost sharing reduction payment issue. So I suggested that we get on with that. But we have had no conversations.
All along, though, when we did the Affordable Care Act, contrary to this, we had hours and hours of hearings and weeks of hearings in a bipartisan way and accepted scores of Republican amendments, scores of Democratic amendments and modifications to Democratic and Republican amendments.
So we are ready to work in a bipartisan way on this. But so far I have not gotten a response to my letter. And some of my colleagues are writing to him, too, with some other suggestions.
But it is a pretty exciting time because this Affordable Care Act is something we feel very proud of, a pillar of economic and health security for the American people. Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act. It took a hundred years to pass, starting with Teddy Roosevelt, a Republican. Well, then a Bull Moose. No, he was not, he was a Republican when he proposed it. And then we go to a situation that they would place this in doubt.
But remember this: President Trump, President Trump wanted to repeal and delay. Trumpcare, 32 million people kicked off the rolls.
Thank you. We have votes.