Jennifer Rene Psaki

“ Q Okay, I have another question on impeachment. But just to be clear, so — MS. PSAKI: Sure. Q — if the parliamentarian says no — no $15 minimum wage — that’s the decision the White House is going with? MS. PSAKI: Well, let’s wait and see what they say. And the President remains committed to raising the minimum wage. It’s something he talked about on the campaign trail, something he firmly believes in as a — as a person and as a leader, but there hasn’t been a determination made at this point in time. ”

“ When is it that the Biden administration is going to let the thousands of fossil fuel industry workers, whether it’s pipeline workers or construction workers who are either out of work or will soon be out of work because of a Biden EO, when it is and where it is that they can go for their green job? ”

“ The first is, what should Americans take away from the fact that President Biden campaigned on unity, talked about unity, got into office, about two weeks in has decided — all but decided, it seems, to go with a process where Democrats can pass a $1.9 trillion plan without the support of Republicans?I know that there are Republicans across the country that the White House is pointing to saying, “They support this bill.” But there is this — there is the fact that Democrats don’t have to have Republican support in Congress for this bill, and the President is seemingly supporting that process. ”

“ Well, the President and many Democrats and Republicans in Congress believe that investment in infrastructure — building infrastructure that’s in our national interests, that boosts the U.S. economy, creates good-paying union jobs here in America, and advances our climate and clean energy goals — are something that we can certainly work on doing together. ”

“ When the President ruled out dropping U.S. sanctions immediately, he didn’t then go on and talk about some of the other strategies that are out there, including, for example, that the United States might drop its objections to Iran receiving an IMF loan — credit-related IMF loan. There are a couple other ideas that would allow Iran to get some economic benefit that would not be sanctions and maybe grease the wheel for negotiations. Does the President have a view on that — on those strategies? And were they part of the discussion at the principals meeting on Friday? ”

“ Biden, making clear that social distancing, that mask wearing, that getting the vaccine when you have the opportunity to get the vaccine are vital steps to keeping more Americans safe and saving more lives.And certainly, we know the Super Bowl looked not — like, different from what it has in the past, and he also conveyed that he’s hopeful that next year will be a moment where everybody can celebrate and party. ”

“ That’s why he put it in his first legislative proposal, and he doesn’t — he believes that any American who is working a full-time job trying to make ends meet should not be at the poverty level. And it’s important to him that the minimum wage is raised.He was referring this weekend to, as you noted in your question, the parliamentary process. Obviously, it’s — the most likely path at this point is through a reconciliation process. There is a parliamentarian who will make decisions about what can end up in a final package. ”

“ There are now people out of job once the Keystone pipe — out of jobs once the Keystone pipeline stopped construction. It’s been 12 days since Gina McCarthy and John Kerry were here, and it’s been 19 days since that EO. So what are these people who need money now — when do they get their green job? ”

“ I’m wondering if you could talk a little bit about if that’s a White House commission, a Defense commission; who picks the commissioners — anything more you can say about that commission that’s supposed to be looking at sexual assault in the military. ”

“ Well, you know, a determination of that kind would be made by Congress, as you all know. And his focus, at this point in time, is on addressing the crisis in this moment — right? — which is ensuring that more Americans get shots in their arms, that we are getting the pandemic under control.There has been a report by HHS looking at the prior administration’s handling of the COVID crisis, and we’ve also not held back in areas where we felt that it was handled in a way that impacted the lives of millions. ”

“ I think our view is that the parliamentarian is who is chosen typically to make a decision in a nonpartisan manner in terms of what can be included in a package that goes through reconciliation, is the proper process to — for this to journey through. Q So, when President Biden told CBS that he did not think it was going to survive, what was — who had told him that he — it wasn’t going to make it through likely? MS. PSAKI: Well, the President was in Congress for — in the Senate for 36 years. ”

“ Trumka also indicated in the same interview was that President Biden has proposed a climate plan with transformative investments and infrastructure and laid out a plan that will not only create millions of good union jobs, but also help tackle the climate crisis.And as the President has indicated when he gave his primetime address to talk about the American Rescue Plan, he talked about his plans to also put forward a jobs plan in the — in the weeks or months following. And he has every plan to do exactly that.
Q But there are people living paycheck to paycheck. ”

“ Well, the President proposed the $1,400 checks to make — to — plus $600 is, of course, $2,000 — because he was — felt it was important and vital to get that direct relief to as many Americans as possible and target that relief to the Americans who need help the most. ”

“ There are a range of threats that he’s talked about in the past, and I’m sure he’ll have more to say on his national security approach and strategy in the weeks ahead. Q And then, one question. Last week, a report made by NGOs and universities was sent to the White House, recommending that United States break negotiations on trade and others, with Brazil, over climate and human rights violation. And likewise, some Democrats on the Hill already had expressed the same opposition to expand economic partnership with Brazil. ”