March 19, 2021
13:30 |
In-town pool report #6 — full AFI gaggle transcript/audio
Cleaned this up a bit, but there might still be errors in here, so make sure to check against the audio...
Have a great weekend everyone!
https://otter.ai/u/J6ERG8nD2HebGWXBj637XdZc9nA
KJP: We made changes to the schedule today. President Biden and Vice President Harris have postponed the previously planned political event for a future date. The President and the Vice President will be meeting with state legislators and community advocates from the Georgia Asian American Pacific Islander community. They will have an opportunity to hear about the impact on their community of Tuesday's heartbreaking senseless acts of violence, as well as their perspectives on increase anti Asian hate incidents. The President will offer his support for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in Georgia and across the country, and talk about his fierce commitment to combating xenophobia, intolerance and hate. The President and the Vice President will also visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, where they will receive an update from health and medical experts who are helping lead the fight against the pandemic. Throughout the day, the President and the Vice President will meet with Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock, Senator John Ossoff and Atlanta's Mayor, Keisha Lance bottoms, and also Stacey Abrams.
Today, the Department of Education took steps to grant full relief to borrowers and approved defense to repayment planes to date where we determined that their institutions, engage in misconduct against them. There are 10s of 1000s of borrowers, whom Education Department determined were harmed by their institution, sometimes years ago, but too many had been blocked from getting substantial assistance, due to formulas for partial relief adopted by the prior administration. We are resending those formulas, and we will be working quickly to grant full relief to borrowers, where a careful review of the evidence showed by — showed they were taken advantage of. Full relief under the regulations will be granted to borrowers with approved claims to date. The ultimate effect of this change will be full cancellation of an estimated 72,000 borrowers discharging $1 billion in loans. This is the department's first step in addressing borrower defense claims as well as the underlying regulations. The department will be pursuing additional actions, including reregulation in the future.
Next week, the President will continue communicating directly and clearly with Americans about how the American Rescue Plan is helping them and their families, and making sure they understand how to utilize benefits available to them. As Jen said yesterday, on Tuesday, the anniversary of the Affordable Care Act being signed into law, President Biden will travel to Columbus, Ohio as part of the Help is Here tour. While there, he will highlight how the American rescue pan will lower health care costs for many American families. On Tuesday, the President will host an event to mark equal pay day on Thursday, the President will hold a formal press conference in the afternoon, as you all know about already. Throughout the week, the Vice President, First Lady and Second Gentlemen will also travel for the Help is Here tour. On Monday, the Vice President will travel to Jacksonville, Florida, and the Second Gentlemen will travel to Des Moines, Iowa, for an event with Secretary Vilsack. More trips will be announced over the coming days. All right, Jonathan, you want to kick us off
Q: I want to start with, can you give us a little more of the about today's events in particular the President's message to the Asian American community, many of whom have expressed real fears about a rise in hate crimes and who have expressed frustration that this one has not been categorized as a hate crime that other incidents have not as well. What's he going to say to them, and he does he believe that work should be done to classify these as bias incidents?
KJP: As you know he's gonna meet with the Asian American Pacific Islander, he's meeting with the local elected, so he'll have a conversation there, and I think there — he's going to hear from them about the impact of this violent incident that we saw just a couple days ago, as you all know in the community, and more broadly their perspective on the rise in anti Asian incidents. The President will offer his support to the community in Georgia and across the country, and highlight his commitment to combating xenophobia, intolerance and hate, as well as establish establishing the establishment in his executive order that he actually announced on January 26 The President, you know, he understands. He understands and knows the past year that the community has been vilified they've been scapegoated. And they've been attacked. And so he is going to speed it up, He's going to be spoken to both nation as we know, last week, he made sure that in his remarks we've lifted up the anti hate that they have seen the loss of capacity here, and he called it out. So, this is what he will continue to do continue to make sure that you're talking to them, to make sure that he's communicating that to the community. And not only that, as I was talking about the executive order, in that executive order he directed the DOJ to do everything that they can to end this violence and and protect the community, and so they have been doing that.
The DOJ has started, and started doing listening sessions with the community on this issue, and also HHS was part of that executive order, just we just confirmed with the secretary there so we will see more action coming from them as well. As far as his remarks I can give you a little bit of what we're talking about in his remarks today, in a second.
So, as, as you all know, given the horrible incidents things, things have changed. So he's going to address the issue broadly in his remarks, and you can expect the President to, to meet the moment that we are in. So very similar to the AAPI meeting, but this will he'll actually do this by addressing by — in a public way, making sure that the country knows what he has to say well he's in Atlanta.
Q: What about the events yesterday in Alaska with the meeting with the Chinese officials obviously got very heated at times. One of the things that's come up is China's failed to live up to their promise to US imports of a trade agreement done with the previous administration. Does the Biden administration plan to hold them accountable for breaking that promise? How much of a priority is the trade deficit with China right now?
KJP: Let me start here. Yesterday, National Security Adviser, Jake Sullivan and Secretary of State Tony Blinken, had their first meeting, had the first meeting in Anchorage. They had two sessions yesterday, they will meet again later this morning. The United States delegation came to Anchorage committed to laying out the principles, interests, and values that animate that enemy, our engagement way big with Beijing, knowing that exaggerated diplomatic presentations, often are aimed at a domestic audience this is the message that they want their, their domestic audience to cover, but we understand the US delegation is continuing with our agenda while we're there, we will still have business to conduct we will use the remaining hours to privately outline for the PRC officials, the same messages. We have consistently delivered in public.
As Secretary Blinken and NSA Sullivan emphasized, Americans approach will be, will be undergirded by confidence in our dealing with Beijing, which we are doing from a position of strength. Even as we happen to know that we are a country internally striving to become a more perfect union ourselves, and I just wanted to quote, what, what, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said yesterday at the start of the talks which is, "we do not seek conflict, but we welcome stiff competition, and we will always stand up for our principles for our people, and for our friends."
Q: Do you worry that this friction with China could filter down and fuel more harassment or discrimination against Asian Americans?
KJP: Look, I think I'm just going to go back to what I said before, which is, you know, what we saw was an exaggeration of diplomatic presentation, often aims, often aimed at a domestic audience, right, and so we're, we're letting the theatrics from other sides stop us from doing what we want to do in Alaska, which is essentially lay out our principles and expectations and have the tough early conversations, we need with the, with the PRC. Look we knew going into this, it was going to be tough. We knew it wasn't going to be easy, but we are ready to have a frank display they are clearly having a frank conversation with them, and we are going to continue, continue those conversations.
Q: About the future of the relationship though, I mean, this is, this, this is a pretty, pretty, you know, pretty difficult first meeting. I mean, is this how you wanted to start off?
KJP: Like I said, we knew this was going to be a tough discussion, a frank discussion and, but we're still moving towards diplomacy, and that is the goal here, and every relationship with every country is different. And so we are just going to continue that, you know, as, as much as I pulled it from, from Jake and Secretary Blinken [inaudible]
Q: Do you think it makes a meeting with President Xi and President Biden more or less likely in the near future, given the tenor of the conversation?
KJP: I don't have anything else to say about that potential meeting. This was a standalone meeting that they're having to pitch right now, like I said this is part of the process, we knew it was going to be intense, we knew it's going to be, you know, a frank conversation was going to be had. And we're going to continue moving forward.
Q: Ma'am I don't want to lose the question that John asked earlier which was really important about China not meeting its commitments under the trade deal that it has agreed to in the United States, it what's the message that you're sending to them as far as that is concerned?
KJP: Having this meeting that they had yesterday, on, on US foreign soil, I think that was the that was a key, kind of, you know, statement as how we wanted to move toward with China. Like we know it's going to be a competitive relationship, but we understand that we're going to continue moving with diplomacy, we're going to continue having those conversations at all levels.
Q: just more broadly, the tough talk from Biden on Russia, tough talk directly to China. What does it say about where you're going in terms of foreign policy just broadly?
KJP: I think, I think with Russia. He was asked a direct question, and he gave a direct answer, and he's not going to back off, he's not going to you know he's going to be very frank and very open about about about that relationship especially when he is asked directly. And so that's, you know, that is going to continue, you know people are having to have asked is when it is, when is he going to be with the President, you know, with the President, the President will be with President Putin when the time is right. And so, you know, President Biden and President have different perspectives on on their respective countries, but where they agree, is that we should continue to look for ways to work together, where it is in our mutual interest, as we did with NEW START, from the first phone call with President Putin, President Biden has been clear that the United States will also respond to a number of destabilizing Russian actions, as you know we have requested new of new or just classified intelligence community assessments in four such areas and try to respond to each of them in the coming weeks, and we said that before but and also earlier this month, you saw the first such response when announced several actions in response to Russia's use of a chemical weapon and the attempted murder of Navalny, as the President has said, there will be more soon and Russia will play a promise for his action.
Q: There's been an influx of migrants at the border, and there are some Republicans saying they don't want to discuss immigration changes until that is brought under control. What does that mean for the prospect of the president getting through reforms that he wants in immigration?
KJP: I'm just gonna step back for a second, because there's a history here that we have to that we have to understand and remember, and what the migrants are going through. And the reason why they're coming, they're coming from, you know, corruption, violence, or a country in countries where they faced that every day, where they have to deal with economic struggle, there's climate change issues they had to deal with two hurricanes in the region, and then on top of that, you're talking about COVID the pandemic, as well. And so, you know, those are things that we have to understand like why are they making this trip, check out this you know, very difficult, difficult kind of journey here to this country. And also we've seen my migrant surges before. In 2014 we saw it and in 2019. So here's the thing, you know, you know we have, we, we have a challenge at the border, and what is clear from the last four years, is that chaos, cruelty and confusion, did not enhance security, and it did nothing to fix our immigration system. So the President is committed to implementing an immigration system that is orderly, that is humane, compassionate and lawful, and his approach is focused on bold action to keep our country safe, strong and prosperous, and one of the things you know we can assure you that we're not going to do, we're not going to tear families apart or send unaccompanied children migrating without their parents back to back to a dangerous situation. That is not what we are going to do. So this administration is going to treat these children with the same care and compassion. As we would treat our own children. So they are working around the clock to move children from CBP to HHS care, to find the sponsors, and family of these children and release children to these individuals once the proper the proper oversight and vetting is completed.
Q: on the border now you've previewed more trips this week, and coming next week on the help is Help is Here tour, but there's no trip to the border planned and he's going to be doing all these trips across the country, why not visit the border? You mentioned multiple times that you change the travel today to respond to the attack in Atlanta. Does the situation at the border not rise to that level, to, you know, change his travel schedule and make a trip to the border to see the crisis itself?
KJP: It's already planned. We announced this trip I believe if not early this week but late last week, I can't remember at the moment. And so we made that very clear that we were coming here. And so we changed the trip because a horrific event happened just a couple of days ago, and we, the President, wants to make sure that he's meeting that moment. When it comes to the border, there's a lot that traveling as you know, takes off takes a lot from from, you know from what is happening on the ground, which is critical work to make sure that we're processing, that we're moving things belong. And so, you know it is right now we have, you know, Secretary Mayorkas who's on top of it and DHS is on top we were gonna have Secretary Becerra very soon, who was just confirmed yesterday, so he has his team who is doing the work and we're seeing if you're trying to get bring bring capacity to the border so we can move this along a lot quicker. And so we're seeing that we saw, we see FEMA down there as well helping with capacity, we have HSS and ORR that's been embedded into CBP, so just to make sure that we're moving this as quickly as possible, but I do I know you Christian had a question about the influx of families, right?
Q: Yes, how that'll impact debate on Capitol Hill over immigration changes. Some Republicans don't want to come to the table until they feel like the situation is under control. What do you say to them about, you know how you move forward now?
KJP: Immigration is a bipartisan issue. It has been for a very long time. And, you know, if we want to come to a solution. You know they want to come to the table and help with the challenge that we're seeing, then they're going to come to the table as well. And so here's the thing, you know, the President is committed to the bill being voted on this week as well as, you know his is a mechanism, you know the different piece meals, his was in a big immigration bill, and so he wants to, he wants bipartisanship he wants Republicans and Democrats to come together on a issue that has, like I said, bipartisanship history of it and saying, you know, let's not make complaints, let's actually come together and try to fix to fix the problem.
Q: The very suggestion that part of the part of the reason, granting some of the vaccines to Mexico is getting help with Central American migration. Can you say whether there is that is part of the reason why the administration is going to be giving some of the vaccine to Mexico was for that kind of help on Central Americans?
KJP: So as you can imagine, when you're when you're having, when you're having conversation with countries, different countries, different issues you're talking about different issues right. And so that is that is what's happening there, there are just conversations on different issues and yes pandemic, which is, you know, unprecedented is part of those conversations that we're having in a parallel way. And so when you think about Mexico we think about Canada, those are our neighbors, right, those are, we have similar interests, and we want to make sure that that we're, we're doing our part as well, in beating back this pandemic. And so, you know the pen, there are no borders, right when it comes to the pandemic, and they don't it doesn't see a border and so it's important that we, that we do that we do our part and making sure that we're mitigating the infections that we're seeing.
Q: getting help on the central american migration, getting help from Mexico. And, you know, stemming some of the flow of migrants...
KJP: That's happening just like I said in parallel, you know, the conversations are happening in you know at levels at levels of the agencies that will be happening,
Q: [inaudible] additional steps in return for the vaccines?
KJP: All I can tell you is that there are always multiple conversations that are happening at the same time it's part of diplomacy, it's part of the process. It's part of how we're communicating with, with a cup of different countries.
Q: And then you guys have said that the threshold for raising taxes on households is going to be $400,000 for household. Have you guys come up with a number for individuals like income level? Where will that threshold hit for tax increases?
KJP: The President has always been very clear that he wants to make sure we invest in a middle class, we invest in working people. And so this is something that's incredibly important to him, as you said, when it comes to the raising taxes are going to be on $4,000 and up, and anyone who's below that before 400,000 — pardon me 400,000 threshold — will not see a tax increase, but here's the thing where it's a little early right we're still working out through the process. And you're right, we said it's for households, and so we'll, we'll we will see, like, what what develops but it's still early in the process,
Q: Georgia, which is right now its state assembly is debating measures that could protect — our critics say would restrict voting rights with access to the ballot for citizens
they're particularly potentially communities of color. I know that the topic of conversation has changed today slightly because of that shooting but it's also the effect impacted a minority community. Is this, is this going to be a moment where the President addresses this? We're in Georgia, against the backdrop, should we expect to hear from him today on this very important topic?
KJP: So, as you know, hhe's going to be meeting with Stacey Abrams. And so, who, who is who has played a leading role in voting access and voter protection and she will be an important partner in tackling this major issue moving forward. The President intends to take an active role of voting rights. Not just in Washington, but also states, you know, and that that is an. I think that meeting is an example of his commitment to to making sure that happens. And also just just about two weeks ago, he signed an executive order on the access of voting access, and how to use, you know, the whole of government the resource of the federal government to make sure that voting is accessible for for eligible American people, but to your point and the cheer to your point, local administration is committed to protecting the fundamental right to vote and making it easier for all eligible Americans. The President's campaign was about fighting for democracy, and we're going to continue to fight for democracy, from the White House. And look, we need to protect voting rights particularly as we see what is happening, the system systematically rolling back and states and states like Georgia, which is one of the leading states really rolling it back, he supports HR 1 for the people. He supports. He supports the Restore the Voting Rights Act, as we saw with John Lewis's Bill HR 4, and so you know the President is pleased to see that HR 1 is out of the House, and so he's gonna continue to show his support in that as well.
Q: We saw the president take a fall on the stairs, is he doing okay.?
KJP: It's pretty windy outside, it's very windy. I almost fell coming up the steps myself, he is doing a hundred percent fine.
Q: Did he hurt his foot that was recently broken at all?
KJP: All I can tell you he's doing fine. He's preparing for the trip today, and he is he's doing just great
Q: Did he get checked out by the doctor?
KJP: All I know is, all I can tell you is he's doing fine. He's doing great
Q: A question about vaccines, we're entering talks possibly or considering donating to Mexico and Canada. Is the thinking that bilateral distribution is the way to do it as opposed to maybe giving some to COVAX, the COVAX partnership of Europe or bilateral the way to go?
KJP: Look when, when, what, like I said when it comes to Mexico and Canada right they are, they are partners they are our neighbors, and they made a request. And so, as, as, as you know as a relationship that has, you know, there were multiple interests in that relationship. We, at least you know we had, we had the vaccine. And so, you know we're we're making sure we're doing our part, and beating back the pandemic.
Q: Has he considered giving vaccines to the COVAX partnership?
KJP: you know what I have to get, I have to get back to you on that. I don't have anything for you right now,
Q: given Vice President Harris's Southeast Asian heritage, can we expect her to see her take a leading role today in the remarks in the meeting?
KJP: She's on this trip as you all know, we're going to meet her in Georgia, and I think it's incredibly important to have her with us so does the President. And so as you said she is a you know, Asian, Asian American Pacific Islander. And so she, she, she will be at the meeting the AAPI meeting, she'll be at the CDC meeting, she'll be at the remarks, but right now the president is the only person who's going to be speaking. Thank you so much.
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