House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy Press Conference Transcript September 15

Kevin McCarthy: (00:12) Let's wait a couple minutes till everybody comes down. Well good morning. Sorry for taking a little longer. As you can see there's a lot of Republicans here this morning because each and every one of us understand that America is worth fighting for. Republicans helped build the greatest economy in a generation, and the American way of live was thriving. We will do it again, that is our commitment to you. Kevin McCarthy: (00:54) Two years ago, Speaker Pelosi promised the American people that Democrats would serve a responsibility to seek common ground and she did the complete opposite. The question is simple, what are the Democrats' results? Name me one problem the Democrat majority in the House has solved. Democrats support defunding our police, and when asked about the violent protests, the speaker expressed her support by saying people will do what they do. Democrats want to dismantle our institutions. The Democrats conducted the most partisan impeachment in history simply because they wanted to undo the results of an election that didn't go their way. Democrats want trillions in new taxes and to use small business loans in the middle of a pandemic as ransom for their liberal wishlist. Democrats are okay with destroying our economy. Kevin McCarthy: (02:02) Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats broke the promise they made two years ago. Americans are fed up with politicians who say one thing and do another. Instead of empty rhetoric, they deserve results. This is why we are announcing our commitment to America, with three specific objectives. First, restore our way of life, second, rebuild the greatest economy, and third, renew the American dream. Kevin McCarthy: (02:40) Now let me say a few words about each objective. Republicans will restore our way of life. We will defeat the coronavirus and keep America healthy and we will ensure the safety and security of all communities and uphold the constitutional liberties of every single American. Republicans will rebuild the greatest economy in history. We've done it once and we'll do it again. Specifically we will add 10 million good paying jobs with investments in distressed communities and support for American small businesses. While Democrats choose to ignore the threat from China, we will increase American manufacturing and supply chain resilience by ending America's dependence on China. Americans will renew the American dream. America is the land of opportunity and we're going to make sure every child can attend the best school for them. Our commitment to the next generation is also our commitment to the American worker. [inaudible 00:04:03] new skills and thrive [inaudible 00:04:06] industry that [inaudible 00:04:07] each and every person. As you can see the enthusiasm and the energy from our members, that is why they've offered more than 150 policy proposals in building the commitment to America. We are united and ready to lead. Kevin McCarthy: (04:28) So in contrast to our Democratic colleagues, we're taking the crisis before this country seriously and we are taking the sacrifices our fellow citizens are making seriously. This is what the commitment to America is all about. We will not abandon the American people, but we will match their dedication. I urge all Americans to join us. Go to commitmenttoamerica.com and we will reunite this country once and for all. With that I want to introduce our whip, Steve Scalise. Steve Scalise: (05:07) Thank you Kevin and thank you for your leadership and for the vision to confront the challenges that our country faces. Let me first start by expressing my thoughts and prayers to the people of the Gulf Coast from Louisiana to Mississippi to Alabama to Florida today who are facing Hurricane Sally. We're strong, resilient people, the preparations have been made over the last few days, but now just keep everybody in your prayers as that storm gets ready to touch ground. Steve Scalise: (05:45) Now I want to talk about this important commitment to America. Let's first start by recognizing just how great this country is. When you just look at that Capitol dome and everything that's represented from the Statue of Freedom on down to the people who fight for freedom not just here in America but for anybody around the world who yearns for freedom, this is the place they look to, America is worth fighting for. That's what this commitment is all about. We know we have challenges, we know we've been through great challenges before as a nation and we know as we pull together, we're going to get through these challenges. We're going to do it by first restoring our way of life as we confront this COVID crisis. We've worked with this president to make sure there's funding at the National Institute of Health and there's funding at CMS, HHS and other agencies that are working feverishly to find a vaccine and other remedies and we're on the doorstep of a safe and effective vaccine for COVID-19 because of that work. Steve Scalise: (06:59) We also know that we need to confront China. While some want to shy away and hold their head in the sand and act like it didn't even start in Wuhan, China, we know that not only did it start there but they lied to the world. They corrupted the World Health Organization while they were hoarding PPE and other vital life-saving equipment. We should no longer be reliant on China for the things that are vital to America's national security. We need to bring that manufacturing and those jobs back to America and that's our commitment. Steve Scalise: (07:32) As we get through this pandemic, we need to then focus on rebuilding the greatest economy this world has ever seen. We had already done that once, working with President Trump to rebuild the strongest economy that was working for every American that sought opportunity. People at every income levels were benefiting, but people at the lowest income levels were benefiting the most because we were losing our middle class under the previous administration. Great jobs and great companies going to foreign countries and we finally put an end to that with smart, effective policy. We built that great economy once before. We will build that great economy once again. Steve Scalise: (08:12) Finally, this gets back to this great dome, this great Statue of Freedom, and all it represents and that is renewing the American dream. Because ultimately that's why we come here. That's why we serve, that's why we leave our families, to come and ensure that every American, people of all walks of life who seek that same American dream have that opportunity. Every American deserves that opportunity. Under this commitment to America, every American will have the opportunity to seek the American dream and it will be real and alive for them, just like it has been for every generation before us. We will renew, restore, and rebuild this great nation that is our commitment to America. Please join with us. We want everybody to be a part of this great journey. With that, I will bring up our conference chair, Liz Cheney. Liz Cheney: (09:07) Thank you very much Steve. Thank you all for being here today. America is facing truly unprecedented challenges and the outcome of this election is going to determine how we face and address those challenges. The election is going to be about whether or not we defeat the virus, bring our economy back, whether we support our men and women in uniform, do what's necessary to defend our nation, to defend our nation from the threat of China and Russia, and whether we stand for our history and our founding values. Every single day, the Democrats tell us what they would do in as Kamala Harris put it yesterday "a Harris administration with Joe Biden". They would defund our police, dismantle our freedom, destroy our history, and abandon our founding values and every day, you see the damage of years of Democrat policies. Today we see the fires ravaging in the American West, fires that are there because of the policies of neglect, Democrat administrations leaving our forests to die. Our cities are burning because the Democrats won't stand up against the rioting of thugs who are destroying the lives built by hardworking Americans over decades. Schools that are failing to teach our children the most basic history about this most essential and exceptional nation, and every single day, you see Speaker Pelosi acting like a partisan hack instead of the leader of this greatest representative body in the history of mankind. Liz Cheney: (10:48) The Democrats leading this House care so little about the American people that they have squandered 17 months, trying to score political points while our nation faces unprecedented challenges. We are committing today to the United States of America that if you give us the chance, we will change that. We will defeat this virus and rebuild our economy. We will restore American strength, hold the Chinese Communist Party accountable, and return power to the people all across this republic and we will make sure that our children know the truth about this nation, this exceptional nation. We will make sure that our children know the unparalleled contribution to freedom this nation has made and that they know that we enjoy the blessings of every one of those freedoms because of the men and women who wear the uniform of this country and who have sworn to protect us all. Please join us today. Thank you, God bless you and God bless the United States of America, and now I'd like to turn things over to our colleague, the gentleman from Minnesota, Mr. Pete Stauber. Pete Stauber: (12:00) I am very proud to be here with my Republican colleagues this morning, standing united in support of our common goal, to restore our way of life. Restoring our way of life ultimately means getting back to the strong and prosperous nation that we were before this pandemic reached our shores. Restoring our way of life means defeating this virus and keeping Americans healthy and safe and we have already begun to accomplish this by modernizing our stockpile, investing in testing and telemedicine and making great strides to develop a safe and effective vaccine. Pete Stauber: (12:46) Restoring our way of life means preserving our freedoms under this constitution and we will always do this by defending the unborn, safeguarding our Second Amendment rights, and protecting freedom of speech. Finally restoring our life means ensuring the safety and security of our streets and our communities and we will achieve this by continuing to stand in support of our brave men and women in law enforcement. Pete Stauber: (13:17) As a former law enforcement officer of 23 years, I know that the vast and overwhelming majority of police officers are good people who serve with integrity and honor. It breaks my heart to see and hear about the senseless, unprovoked and brutal attacks on our police officers. The war on police must end. The terrorizing and elimination of law enforcement must stop. Law and order will be restored in our communities. We will not abolish or defund the police. Pete Stauber: (14:10) Policing is a noble and honorable profession and we will increase funding by $1.7 billion for better police training, the implementation of community policing, and purchasing equipment, 500,000 more body cameras. The investment in community policing is paramount. Community policing is a philosophy which means you don't police your community, you police with your community. So far, we have made great strides in restoring our way of life and I look forward to continuing these efforts in order to guide our nation down the road of recovery, rebuild the greatest economy this nation has ever experienced, and ensure every American family can feel safe in their neighborhood again. Thank you, and now it is my pleasure to introduce the great congressman from Texas, Congressman Kevin Brady. Kevin Brady: (15:30) Leader McCarthy, Whip Scalise, Chairman Liz Cheney, thank you for spearheading the House Republicans' commitment to America. Who would have imagine, who would imagine that in just a matter of weeks, COVID-19 could turn America's strongest economy in 90 years into its worst economy in 90 years? But Americans are battling back, defying expectations. Together we've already gained back nearly half the jobs lost, but we can't stop now. Our Republican commitment is to rebuild the greatest economy in modern time, the economy we delivered plus more. Our commitment is to get America working again, adding 10 million new good paying jobs and rebuilding our Main Street businesses. We'll make the Republican tax cuts permanent. We'll make President Trump's tax cuts permanent because the proven way to rebuild local communities is to let families and businesses keep more of what they've worked so hard to earn. Kevin Brady: (16:46) We'll guarantee moms can keep their $2,000.00 child tax credit. We'll make sure opportunity zones keep driving hope and investment into America's poorest neighborhoods. Kevin Brady: (17:04) And mark our words, Republicans will end America's dependence on China for crucial medicines, medical supplies, and technology. We'll rebuild and anchor that manufacturing here in America, with American workers and American knowhow. Kevin Brady: (17:25) But we won't stop there. We'll build the United States into the number one nation on the planet for innovation. Imagine, an innovation nation for research, technology and advanced manufacturing to create a healthy, thriving future for our grandchildren right here at home. When it comes to trade, we'll go beyond buy American, we'll sell American, in every corner of the globe, with rebuilt trade agreements that are free and fair so American workers and farmers can compete and win anywhere in the world, including here at home. Kevin Brady: (18:07) What a contrast, isn't it? While Democrats want to defund, dismantle and destroy America's economy with more Washington control over your paycheck and your business, this is our commitment to America, to restore, to renew, and rebuild the greatest economy in the world. Kevin Brady: (18:34) With that, I am proud to introduce the newest member of Congress from California, a former Navy fighter pilot, Representative Mike Garcia. Mike Garcia: (18:45) Well thank you Kevin and welcome all. Very historic day we have here. Folks, we have every right as Americans to dream tremendous and heroic dreams. Our ownership of this small segment within the arc of American history requires us to unite now more than ever, to renew the splendor and greatness of our beautiful nation like never before. As Americans we need to take pride in our nation and make our children proud and teach our kids our nation's history with pride. We need to reinvigorate and renew the American dream. I am that American dream. I'm a first-generation American, a former Navy fighter pilot, a businessman, a family man, and now I'm a citizen legislator in the halls of Congress. Mike Garcia: (19:42) I firmly believe that we as a nation are too capable and have too much potential to limit ourselves to simple hopes and small dreams. Within this renewal of national pride, we need to think big. We need to stand up, we need to wave the American flag with honor and be courageous in the face of stupendous challenges. Now we need to double down on the commitment to God, the constitution, capitalism, and competition. To reward hard work and be proud of our successes, rather than being penalized for our achievements or being ashamed of our awards. We need to make bold moves, we need to strive for endeavors beyond the moon and we need to go to Mars. It's time to renew our pride and our commitments to our veterans, our military personnel and their families. Mike Garcia: (20:39) Through programs like our commitment to America, we expand veterans' healthcare options. We allow them to choose their doctors, we give them the GI benefits that they deserve so that if they want a job, they will get a job. It's time to be crystal clear and completely unambiguous that we support law enforcement in this country. Mike Garcia: (20:57) The police in our nation provide a security blanket that none of us can take for granted. We are a nation that will stop at nothing to ensure our nation's safety and to ensure that our streets are also safe. On the world stage, we are once again becoming a superpower without peers, but we can never forget that there are two giant bears just outside of our tent in the form of both Russia and China and now more than ever we need a first class military to ensure that we remain the preeminent superpower on this planet. Mike Garcia: (21:36) Right now, right now folks, we need to give parents the choice to send their kids to the best schools, to the safest schools, and to the right schools for their children. Our commitment is to invest heavily in high quality STEM education programs and to ensure that parents never lose school choice. As Americans, we need to remind ourselves and our children that we are all Americans and we are all on one team. There is no affiliation, not one of color, race, creed, religion, not even a political party, that should divide us, and not one that should unite us more than our affiliation with being part of this beautiful country that we call the United States of America. Mike Garcia: (22:25) I'll finish with this. As I said, our ownership of this small segment within the arc of American history does require us to unite now more than ever, and with that, we will see the renewal of our gracious lands. I am the American dream but at my core I am a patriot and the responsibility and role that I cherish most is that of being an American. Our commitment to America today is that the right path forward is to restore our way of life, to rebuild our economy, and renew the American dream. Ladies and gentlemen, thank you very much and God bless the United States. I'll turn it over to Leader McCarthy. Kevin McCarthy: (23:01) This is our commitment to you, to every single American, regardless of party, gender, or color of skin. We will restore your way of life, we will rebuild the greatest economy, and we will renew the American dream. Join us and let's reunite this nation. Thank you. Speaker 7: (23:38) Leader McCarthy, Leader McCarthy, can we get a couple of questions? Leader McCarthy, can we get a couple questions? Speaker 10: (28:18) [inaudible 00:28:18] how are you? Hey. [inaudible 00:28:37] Yeah. Testing, one, two, three, four, no sound.