Pelosi, Reid Remarks at Press Availability Following Meeting With President Obama
Tue Sep 8, 2009 5:46pm EDT
WASHINGTON, Sept. 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Speaker Nancy Pelosi and SenateMajority Leader Harry Reid held a brief press availability following theirmeeting with President Obama at the White House this afternoon. Below is atranscript of their remarks followed by question and answer session.
Speaker Pelosi. We had a very productive meeting with the President and theVice President. The main subject was, of course, health insurance reform, butwe talked about other issues that relate to the fall agenda and other issues.
In terms of health care reform, we've come together at a time where threebills have been passed out of Committees in the House, one in the Senate.Hopefully, soon, the Finance Committee will act and we have plenty to workfrom to pass comprehensive, affordable, accessible, universal health care.It's a pretty exciting time.
In the month of August our Members have heard from their constituents and have communicated with them -- they bring back the benefit of that thinking. Theyalso have had a chance to explain to their constituents the opportunity that is in the bill. That again we have legislation that will lower costs, improvequality, expand coverage, and retain choice. You like what you have, you cankeep it. If you have something you would like to improve upon, that can happen. If you are not insured, you will have that opportunity. This will bedone in a fiscally sound way.
It is necessary for us to act. The present situation is unsustainable and asthe President has said, "health care reform is entitlement reform." So, inorder for us to reduce the deficit, it is essential that we have real healthcare reform.
So we go forward welcoming our Members back in a series of caucuses and meetings. We will be prepared to bring our three bills together in the House to prepare to meet the Senate in conference.
Senator Reid, Mr. Leader. . .
Senate Majority Leader Reid. The President and Vice President were very positive and it's in keeping with the conversation I had with my members thepast week, that is we're reenergized, we're ready to do health care reform.Keeping in mind that it's even before the august recess, 80 percent of healthcare is already done. In fact it's the 20 percent we still had to work on. Inour conversations today, we think we're up to 90 percent of things that areagreed upon. We have 10 percent that we need to work on and we can do that.
As far as the speech tomorrow, the President didn't give us a dress rehearsalof a speech, but he did tell us that he's going to be outlining to theAmerican people and, of course, the Congress, the health care reform bill thathe contemplates that we will do. And we're in agreement with him in thatregard. I have every belief that when he finishes his speech tomorrow, theAmerican people will be able to put aside some of the ridiculous falsehoodsthat have been perpetrated these past few weeks and focus on what're going todo for this country.
We have a lot of work to do, we understand that, but we're still approachingthis in the form of bipartisanship. We want a bipartisan bill. We do not wantto do reconciliation unless we have no alternative.
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Q: There's no public option at this point?
Senate Majority Leader Reid. I think that -- I personally am in favor ofpublic option. The majority -- in my mind, there's no question that themajority of -- I can't speak for the House caucus, but if I were betting and Ithink the majority of them also believe in a public option. And we're going todo our very best to have a public option or something like a public optionbefore we finish this work.
Q: Why was there no place for Republicans at the table today at this meeting?
Senate Majority Leader Reid. You know, I think that. . .
Q: The President talks to Republicans, doesn't he?
Senate Majority Leader Reid. Yes, we've had a large table on the FinanceCommittee and Health Committee in the Senate -- there's always a place forthem. And so I think that today it was again a very positive meeting andthat's how I feel.
Speaker Pelosi. The President was meeting with the Speaker of the House andthe Democratic Leader of the Senate. He has other meetings that we are notinvited to that Republicans are at. So I don't know what the point of thequestion is. But the point is also, in our Committees in the House, threeCommittees have passed the bill out. All of them have strong numbers of Republicans on those Committees. I saw to that when we did our ratios. So they had a place at the table as our bills had come through the legislative processand that's what we're engaged in now -- the legislative process.
Q: (Inaudible) essential for House passage (inaudible).
Speaker Pelosi. Yes.
Q: And can you discuss any kind of schedule that would envision (inaudible)bill by the middle of October?
Speaker Pelosi. That's two questions, two separate questions. On the publicoption, I believe that a public option will be essential to our passing a billin the House of Representatives because, as the President has said, and Ilisten to him very carefully -- he believes that the public option is the bestway to keep the insurance companies honest and to increase competition inorder to lower cost, improve quality, retain choice. If you like what youhave, you can keep it -- and expand coverage in a fiscally sound way thatsaves money. And that's why -- but he said, if you have a better idea, put iton the table. And so if somebody has a better idea of how to do that, put iton the table. For the moment, however, as far as our House members areconcerned, the overwhelming majority of them support a public option.
Q: Would a trigger (inaudible) be an acceptable alternative?
Speaker Pelosi. Well, you know, this, as I say, is the legislative process.And right now, we will have a public option in our bill.
Q: (Inaudible) said that (inaudible)?
Speaker Pelosi. We're very pleased, as Leader Reid has mentioned, that thePresident will be making his address [tomorrow] evening. I think that we havebeen on schedule, we continue to be on schedule. But this speech tonight willbe a very important factor -- excuse me -- tomorrow will be a very importantfactor in how we go forward.
Q: Madam Speaker, Congressman Clyburn said that a trigger public option is adoable alternative because it saves the public option. Is that a fairassessment?
Speaker Pelosi. Well, I'm sorry. Out of context, I really can't speak to Mr.Clyburn's remarks. I do know that Mr. Clyburn is a strong supporter of apublic option. Where we go, seeing what the Senate puts forth and the rest isanother place. But I said it before and I'll say it again: The healthinsurance industry, which is out there fighting the public option tooth andnail because it does increase competition, which they don't want. They'd bebetter getting a public option now than one that is triggered because if youhave a triggered public option, it's because the insurance industry hasdemonstrated that they're not cooperating, they're not doing the right thing,and I think they'll have a tougher public option to deal with.
SOURCE Office of the Speaker of the House
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So you ask, where is the lie. Fair question.
First, define a lie. Stating something you know is untrue, OR stating something in such a way as to imply something you know is not true.
Reid simply fumbles, but Pelosi lies:
Q: Why was there no place for Republicans at the table today at this meeting?
Senate Majority Leader Reid. You know, I think that. . .
Q: The President talks to Republicans, doesn't he?
Senate Majority Leader Reid. Yes, we've had a large table on the FinanceCommittee and Health Committee in the Senate -- there's always a place for them. And so I think that today it was again a very positive meeting and that's how I feel.
[He does not answer the question - he simply says - we've always had a large table and there is a place for them, not that any were at the table. Nor does he qualify what it would take for a Republican to be allowed at the table.]
Speaker Pelosi. The President was meeting with the Speaker of the House andthe Democratic Leader of the Senate. He has other meetings that we are notinvited to that Republicans are at. So I don't know what the point of thequestion is. But the point is also, in our Committees in the House, threeCommittees have passed the bill out. All of them have strong numbers of Republicans on those Committees. I saw to that when we did our ratios. So they had a place at the table as our bills had come through the legislative processand that's what we're engaged in now -- the legislative process.
That's the lie. Secret meetings with Republicans. I will pay you $100 per example, to get the President's schedule and show me where/when Obama is meeting with Republicans and Pelosi is not invited.
Note: Sorry - you would have to pay me ... according to www.thehill.com, Obama has not spoken to Republicans about health care since April. The article can be found here.
Her next lie -
But the point is also, in our Committees in the House, three Committees have passed the bill out. All of them have strong numbers of Republicans on those Committees. I saw to that when we did our ratios. So they had a place at the table as our bills had come through the legislative processand that's what we're engaged in now -- the legislative process.
Suggesting that because Democrats have permitted Republicans to have a seat on a Committee is some how providing the opportunity for Republicans to sit at the table is ... disinegnuous at best. She states that the three bills ahd Republicans sign on to them, as if it was a sign they were bipartisan ... the truth is, not one Republican signed anything, nor did they agree to anything.
Misleading, misstating, and knowing that the statements are not the truth, makes it a lie. A real lie.
But no one seems to care, because Democrats care so much that to care about a small lie is a waste when Democrats are trying to improve our lives ....
liarsLiars
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