Joe Manchin on Reconciliation Bill & Filibuster: Press Briefing Transcript

Joe Manchin: (00:02) Let me make it very clear on some things so you all know where we are. I'm going to make a statement and I'm not going to take any questions because I think my statement will speak for itself. And I know you all have a job to do and I really respect that and appreciate it. I know during the day, you always want to me say something. I always try to accommodate everybody I can. I'm not going to be speaking after this today. I think we just got to let it go where it's going to go, and hopefully we do the right thing. Joe Manchin: (00:28) Let me make it very clear. There's been a lot of speculation about what number on reconciliation. My number's been 1.5. I've been very clear and I think you all have gotten an outline of how I got to 1.5. I think it's very important we understand that we need to do a tax reform to make sure the wealthiest, they got the best advantages, the biggest advantages from the 2017 tax cuts, pay their fair share. I think the corporations that enjoy this great country and the comfort and the protection of this great country pay their fair share. I think also we have to make sure that we're committed to children, children at the beginning of life, that we can help them, and also our seniors at the end of life, that we can give them the dignity and the quality of life of living in your home if you desire to do that. These are all things we can set priorities. This is not a heavy lift. Joe Manchin: (01:19) I think also lowering the price of drugs. It makes no sense at all that we don't go out and negotiate. The VA does a tremendous job. Medicaid does it. Why doesn't Medicare? These are things we all can agree on very easily. And also, I've been very clear when it comes to who we are as a society, who we are as a nation, and why we are still the hope of the world. I don't believe that we should turn our society into an entitlement society. I think that we should still be a compassionate, rewarding society. I think that fares best for all of us. Compassion means taking care of those who can't take care of themselves, whether they're young, whether they've had some type of a challenge in life, whether it be mental or physical, those are responsibilities that we have and we can all meet those responsibilities, and I feel very strongly about that. And we will continue. This is going to take time to get this done. Getting it done quickly is not going to benefit anybody. So let's make sure that we do it and do it right. Joe Manchin: (00:00) On the default that we're... the crisis that we have a time zone, time table for, we are not going to default as a country. We will not default. That's the responsibility we have as senators, as congressman, as 535 of us responsible to protect this great country in an equal branch of government. Joe Manchin: (00:23) I truly implore both leaders, my caucus leader and the majority leader, is Chuck Schumer and, basically, the minority leader is Mitch McConnell. I implore them to engage, start working, work this out. This should not be a crisis. I've been very, very clear where I stand, where I stand on the filibuster. I don't have to repeat that. I think I've been very clear, nothing changes, but the bottom line is we have a responsibility to be the adults. Our leadership has the responsibility to lead, and that's what I'm asking and imploring them to do. Joe Manchin: (01:00) We should not have these artificial crises, we are not going to default on our debt. We are still, basically, the currency of the world and we will remain that. So anybody who thinks any different than that is basically speculating for the sake of theatrics. Joe Manchin: (01:14) Let's get on with the business of this country and making sure that people have the opportunities, get through this COVID crisis that we have right now with the variant, please accept the science and get vaccinated. Please help us move forward. This is what we're asking everybody to do. Joe Manchin: (01:31) So, the only thing I can say at this time to Leader Schumer and to Minority Leader McConnell is please lead. Lead. Work together. This is a democracy. Democracy only works when all sides work for the same common goal and that is to keep the United States of America united. Thank you all.