11.13.24 Weekly Press Conference

good morning good to be back joined by the Vice chair house Democrats met our new members today a diverse and passionate group of leaders who will be an integral part of our efforts over the next two years house Democrats are ready to work with the incoming Administration and will extend a hand of bipartisanship whenever possible to make life better for everyday Americans we want to create jobs lower the cost of groceries and everyday Necessities like child care and protect and protect against a National Abortion ban and we'll be ready to push against efforts to throw millions of Americans off their health care or to eliminate retirement benefits that they've spent a lifetime earning recalibrating and re-energizing our party in the coming weeks is the most important thing we can do as elected leaders because that's how we best serve the people that we fight for we're going to need to articulate a positive vision for the future where everyone has a a shot at a better life and where elected leaders keep their promises I look forward to being a part of that solution as we move forward alongside leader Jeff whip Clark and vice chair Lou we're cleare eyed about the challenge ahead of us but I'm confident that we're going to be successful because of the tal talent that we have and the resourcefulness of the members in that caucus Vice chair Ted thank you cheer agular I want to welcome all the incoming freshmen uh to the Democratic caucus we had a great Caucus meeting uh where we were able to meet all our freshmen and just so excited with their energy and enthusiasm and insights they're going to bring to the caucus I also want to thank Matt cartright Susan wild and yir caraveo for their amazing service to US Congress I think it's appropriate for the Democratic caucus to reflect on what happen to listen to Listen to our constituents to listen to American people to listen to our members to gather data and then to chart a path forward and with that look forward to answering any questions you may have questions well I think as Vice chair Lou said I mean this needs to be um Based on data uh and we're going to get a lot more data uh from the voter file in the in the weeks ahead um so I don't want to I don't want to have broad generalizations um of of any group or Geographic or otherwise without that in in front of me but I think it's it's very clear uh to us that for people with two jobs um the economy is gas and groceries and rent uh we need to speak to those issues if we're going to be the party that speaks uh to our community members and and the people in working um everyday Americans then we need to speak to those issues uh and to the extent that they haven't uh felt that um we need to do better uh and that's that's on us to communicate but there will be time in the in the weeks ahead uh to have more conversations Based on data on what we need to do what the path forward is and what we hear back uh from from our members and and our community um but uh talking about those kitchen table issues is going to be very high on the on the list we can and and we will continue to do that we're still we're still counting ballots in in California I think the the leadership team will make um decisions on which spots we're running for once we have a little bit more clarity we'll uh take our cues based on uh what leader Jeff runs for but those of you who wanted to meet me to move on from this role and didn't want to see me every week uh you may be surprised by by uh by what the future holds um but uh we'll have more to say about that uh in the in the days in the coming days there there's plenty of conversations um to be had within the caucus um in the in the weeks ahead on how we how we govern and how we chart a course forward on the governmental on the governmental side we should believe the former president uh the incoming president U when he says he retribution was one of the key pillars of his political platform um we're always concerned uh that he's going to take it out on members of our community even those in the most fragile state of of dealing with a natural disaster uh that's I think why uh we need to pass disaster Aid and assistance um before we get to to January 3rd there are critical priorities uh that need to be funded but we're always going to be very cautious U very concerned about how the incoming president treats uh some states better than others he does not seem to base this on what is an actual emergency or what is a disaster but based on personalities and feelings um and so that will will concern us but we can have conversations with that as a caucus family moving forward with our ranking members of jurisdiction um when those when that time comes I want to give Vice chair Lou an opportunity to answer your question and Nick's as well thank you for your question uh it is our expectation that any president United States will govern as a president for all Americans and when it comes to disasters Mother Nature strikes wherever she wants to whenever she feels like it and it's without regard to party registration victims of disasters are of all political parties or no political party at all in California specific to your question there's also a number of Republican elected officials uh that I believe would oppose any such move to base disaster Aid based on party registration and it's our expectation again that a president governs for all Americans I think it's a good question how Americans receive their information is something that has to be a consideration and concern uh for those of us who are in this in this policy space uh we make policy and then we have to talk about it and we have to convince people that the policies we're advocating for are are good for them uh and good for their the community members who we represent we do this job for a twin purpose uh it is one to meet the needs of our constituents um and Two For the Love of our country uh those are the two objectives uh now how we communicate that message uh is a key part of how we meet those two objectives and so uh I think that that will be uh part of the conversation that we have that is the the deeper dive um once we have the voter file data I think that that's something that that needs to be addressed and needs to be discussed I'll say personally um my focus group uh of an 18-year-old and a 15-year-old in my household often guides my my feelings on this on this topic uh they have encouraged me and us uh to communicate in different ways and I think that that's incredibly Fair uh and very thoughtful of of them of of of our two boys um and so uh to the extent that we need to uh make some changes and and communicate in different ways uh to reach different audiences we absolutely need to be more open to that back everybody is part what one um within the Democratic caucus um presiding over what we what we had today the vice chair and I see the broad Mosaic of the new voices that also come to come to Congress but we're going to learn from them um the richness of what they bring uh in their biography but also just kind of who they are and their experiences that they bring uh to this 119th Congress um that's going to shape uh our our message and our discussion uh it's that family discussion that we have in the caucus that will help shape it but uh clearly we are we are we are learning uh we are listening to our members um and our responsibility as Leaders is to chart a course forward uh and that's what we plan to do uh in the in the weeks ahead um that communicates a a message uh to the American public and advocates for our values and our principles uh you as I said U previously to one of the other questions I mean we should we should take it is it is word we should believe the words that the incoming President says um my my job and and my responsibility is to to represent my institues I did that and I have no concern about the job that we that we did that the January 6 committee members did in telling the truth about what happened that day um and we'll have conversations and we'll see what happens in the future but I'm so proud of the work that that I did along with those committee members and um we'll see what happens yeah and the the incoming uh President also made um a lot of promises uh to to the American public and we'll and we'll we'll see if he has an ability to to live up to those what I can tell you is uh one based on you know we will make decisions um based on the voter file and the data I know I know that there's a lot of Articles and a lot of information out there a lot of it is based on exit data um which is which is generally Fair as as a data point but it is not Precinct level data um and so uh I'm very interested myself in in looking over uh these data sets we have said I've said at this Podium a number of times that the Latino Community is not a monolith uh you cannot speak uh to South Texans the way you speak to South Lans or Southern Californians um and and how people process information mexican-americans like my family or cuban-americans um uh is very is very different and so you know that is what we bring to the table um now bringing that to the table we can have a conversation about what this looks like once we have Precinct level uh data information um on on where the public is but it's very clear from the policies that this uh that the incoming president has advocated um many of them are harmful to members of of our community uh this is an individual who separated families um and uh and put a lot of people through a lot of pain and so so uh we stand ready uh to fight for our community members to tell the truth about what the incoming Administration uh the threat that they that they pose to members of our community well I think it's always about about the economy um and as I and as I said um for um members of our Coalition and and specific to folks in my in my neighborhood um gas groceries rent those are the things that that they're concerned about if we can't communicate a message that helps lower the costs that people pay um then then they may not support us and so we need to be mindful of that um moving forward um but I do think that um poses an an opportunity for us to communicate a message that works for everyday Americans and that's what we what we plan to do moving forward and leader jeffes will help guide that effort as he does and uh and we continue to to have the conversations that we need in order to get there just at that point the Biden Harris Administration did have a large number of pro worker policies it's also true that the Biden Harris Administration was an incumbent Administration in that time of high inflation uh and I think um certainly if you look at the numbers worldwide every incoming party since 2021 basically worldwide lost the election that is not an excuse because I believe this is election Democrats could have won but it does point to the effect inflation has had on people and how hard it was for a lot of folks to make end me and I think it's that focus on that and that we hope the new Administration doesn't do policies that would increase inflation a tariffs would in fact increase inflation so it's our hope that the new Administration does not take actions to make the inflation problem worse I one other point I would note is um you know our background uh Vice chair and I leader jeffre with Clark we come from working class families I mean we don't forget uh where we come from and the communities that send us here Vice chair Lou's parents were small business owners um and know the struggle um that they had to uh endure every day in uh in working to provide for their family my dad was a utility worker a union member U my mom stayed home with us neither went to college uh and were able to have a comfortable middle class living uh that's that's why we do these jobs leader Jeff as I mentioned when I nominated him two years ago the son of two social workers uh I mean that's who Democratic party is you know that's who we represent and and those voices will help shape uh our message moving forward yeah um is caucus chair I announced listening sessions yesterday to members U there will be one each week for the next three weeks uh we heard virtually uh from some members last week and then that continued into uh hearing members thoughts and observations um about the election uh today and we wanted to have another opportunity for uh the membership to directly address uh the leadership um again and this is different than charting a course forward uh that will be based on on voter file information um but an opportunity for us to hear our members is absolutely what we should do our job as Leaders is to to put their thoughts uh and concerns into action and that's what we plan to do over the next couple weeks uh I'll handle the second part first uh look we need we need pass in an Omnibus I think that the easiest path um is for Democrats and Republicans to pass an Omnibus um so we start a new Administration uh free from those concerns they shouldn't we shouldn't put them in a in a position to Fort again and with um a government shutdown but that has been their track record We Stand ready to work with them on Topline numbers and fund government that has been our consistent uh position um and I will note in every scenario it has taken Democrats and Republicans in order to to fund government um any scenario in the future will include Democrats uh as well so we stand ready to to work uh to achieve uh the objectives of of funding of funding government uh the other question is probably best for you know folks you know 16 blocks away from here on on steps they can take um we have been concerned and expressed our feelings that they need to move as much of the resources out as as possible uh from the infrastructure Bill and and the the flagship pieces of legislation that we have passed uh we should uh the administration should focus on putting those resources out um into into the communities we know that our colleagues on the other side of the aisle have very often uh you know voted no and then they show up and and cut the ribbon and take the dough um we anticipate that to continue but we're going to continue to tell the story about what those pieces of legislation do to create jobs and at help communities last question look we we've supported I've supported you know CRS in the past um let's let's see let's see what happens um we need to see what happens and and how these discussions and negotiations happened I know that there's a lot of politics you know going with electing uh Senate leadership today um Mike Johnson has been very clear that he's going to take his cues from the incoming president um that is not new to this topic by the way um it is something that has been consistent so we'll see what the incoming Administration has to say about it um and and what the the posture of our colleagues on the other side of the aisle is over the next few weeks look I I hope I'm always I'm always hopeful um that that bipartisanship will will come through um whether it's uh funding Aid to our allies in Ukraine which we have done in a bipartisan way to funding government as we've discussed we've done this in a in a bipartisan way I'm someone and the vice chair is someone who has a track record and working with our colleagues on the other side of the aisle and having an ability to set aside you know those times when we disagree 60 70 80 90% of the time um he is uh leading bipartisan efforts um to discuss AI policy and what that looks like moving forward uh I've LED on immigration issues with Republicans in in the past so there are always opportunities to to work together I was very hopeful still remain hopeful when JD Vance talks about the child tax credit on the campaign Trail he talked about a child tax credit that's something that is very near and dear to the heart of of many folks um within our caucus we hope that there is an opportunity to have discussions about that moving forward so there's always there's always optimism with newness of any Congress there is uh um renewed optimism about how this place can work work um but we are very cleare eyed as to who this new Administration is uh they do not have a track record of of working well with others uh in fact uh they have a track record of being very divisive so but we remain you know hopeful and optimistic um maybe because it's the holiday year but we choose we choose optimism thank you