Jennifer Rene Psaki

“ No Republicans voted for the COVID relief package. And they argue that this is the sixth package, and it adds to a deficit that’s already a trillion dollars this year alone. What do you say to that criticism that, ultimately, this type of a sweeping piece of legislation will be a drag on the economy down the line? MS. PSAKI: Well, I would say to them we’re in the midst of twin crises, from the pandemic to an economic downturn that is impacting tens of millions of people in this country. ”

“ So this isn’t a — this isn’t a challenge that’s going to be addressed through one step, but certainly, the Central American Minors program is a way. And the reason I talked about it is because it’s a way to help ensure that the application process for these kids happens while — not while they’re sitting in shelters in the United States or even with sponsor families, but when they are still in their home countries. And they will know before they make the journey that they are able to come and stay in this country. ”

“ People are struggling to make ends meet. They are worried about whether their grandparents, their cousins, their friends are able to get a vaccine. And they are suffering because they’re worried about the mental health of their kids who aren’t back in school yet.And the President’s focus is on addressing those crises. And I would point a ques- — send a question back to many of these Republicans as to why the deficit spending wasn’t as concerning when they were giving tax cuts to the highest income, but now it’s concerning when we’re giving direct checks and relief to the American people. ”

“ I mean, the Treasury Department, the IRS will still be the ones who are implementing the direct checks or the direct deposits, which is what the majority of people will get. And, of course, the Department of Education will still be the ones overseeing and working with school districts in order to get funding out to reopen schools.
None of that is changing. We’re just talking about a person to be the coordinator, but it doesn’t delay the implementation of the bill. And, of course, it’s a priority to him and why he wants to have somebody in that position. ”

“ What is President Biden’s response to those Republicans like Senator Wicker?
MS. PSAKI: Well, we invite them to work with us on the agenda moving forward. Because clearly, the bill that the President just signed into law is something that the American people are excited about, that people will benefit from as soon as this weekend, as we conveyed. And we are hopeful that as the President talks about his Build Back Better agenda, has more meetings with members of Congress, we’ll have more people on board from both sides of the aisle. ”

“ Again, we like to deal with facts around here. There’s no higher priority than the health and safety of our federal workforce. And the Department of Homeland Security and CBP has been clear that currently more than 64,000 frontline DHS employees, including members of U.S. Border Patrol, have received a vaccination. So that’s another — just — point — just to provide full clarity.
The other piece is the question about the testing of migrants at the border — or testing of migrants as they are coming across. ”

“ During their trips, they will discuss the benefits of the American Rescue Plan for working families, and they will engage with people at each of these stops about how the American people can benefit from the components of the package moving forward. So they will talk about the $1,400 checks that more than — that 158.5 million American households can expect, in which — and many who will start receiving them soon. ”

“ But — but when he was there, he traveled around the state with Governor Abbott because his view is that when we’re addressing crises, whether it’s a weather crisis, or COVID, or the economic downturn, that, you know, he’s going to govern for all — for all Americans and work with people of both parties. ”

“ Q When you look forward at the rest of the agenda that President Biden has laid out, how do you get even moderate Democrats on board with another big piece of legislation — for example, his climate plan that has a price tag of $2 trillion? MS. PSAKI: There’s no price tag on a plan that doesn’t exist yet. ”

“ You — we all have a conversation about a lot of these issues every single day.Most — millions of Americans out there are living their lives — some of them, you know, dealing with their kids in school, getting their jobs done, et cetera. And this will be an opportunity for many people to really tune in and hear from him on his plan, on what his team has done to date, what steps they’ve taken — an update since he took office, but also concrete steps he wants to take moving forward. ”

“ Q Well, he said, “They see him as the migrant President and so many feel — so many feel they’re going to reach the United States... We need to work together to regulate the flow, because this business can’t be tackled from one day to the next.” MS. PSAKI: Well, first, it’s — Mexico will have to be — is an important partner in ensuring we’re addressing the flow of migrants from Central America through Mexico and many to the border of the United States. ”

“ Q Today is the 50th day, and tomorrow the President is addressing the Quad leader summit. And a few days later, the Secretary of State and NSA are having their bilateral meetings in Anchorage, Alaska, on China. After 50 days, what are your major asks from China? What do you want China to do so that you improve the relationship that the United States has with them? ”

“ The President is committed, during his presidency, to invest in — work with labor unions, with climate activists, with a range of — with the industry to invest in good-paying, clean energy jobs.And he believes that unions have an incredibly important role to play in ensuring that those are high-paying jobs ”

“ We, of course, are working to ensure that the American people are — have access to vaccines. We’ll have enough to vaccine — vaccinate, I should say, all American adults by the end of May. Certainly that includes Olympic athletes, but I would refer you to them on their plans for vaccinating athletes.Go ahead.
Q Thanks, Jen. A couple on topics we haven’t touched on yet. But Politico ran a poll yesterday — I’m not sure if you saw it — finding that 53 percent of Americans think that there should be a ban on transgender athletes competing in women’s sports. ”

“ Q And a number of Indian Americans who came to this country as legal immigrants and want to make this as a home, they feel that this administration is not much focused on resolving the issues related to legal immigrants; rather, they are more focused on illegal immigrants. ”

“ So there’s our — there’s numbers — numbers challenges here, and we’re working through a lot of the operational details and specifics.
But we stand by, you know, the — what we feel is a more humane approach to what is happening at the border. And we are looking for ways, operationally, to make it more efficient to move kids through the system more quickly.
And ultimately, when they get to the point where we’re — they’re with sponsor homes, the — many of them will not be able to stay — most of them. They have to apply, and they’re — they have to go through the process. ”

“ It doesn’t matter what you call it. It is an enormous challenge. It is something that is front and center for the President.As we — I noted yesterday, he had what is a regular meeting, but he had a briefing yesterday on the trip to the border. And there are a number of — while there are no final policy decisions, there are a variety of actions under consideration, including identifying and assessing other licensed facilities that can help add safe capacity for these children; relaunching, as we talked about over the last couple of days, the Central American Minors program ”

“ You’re fine. Go ahead. Q On the $1,400 checks: Consumer advocates are raising concerns that private debt collectors might be able to intercept part of it, because, apparently, language protected that in the last round of $600 checks, but because of the budget reconciliation process, senators had cut that out. Will the President support standalone legislation? I think Senator Wyden says he’s going to be working on that.And how does the President expect to get standalone legislation to take care of that issue? ”

“ So I’m certain that, as we look to implementation, that will continue to be a focus of his as well.Go ahead, in the back.
Q Yeah. A question about the first meeting today of the U.S.-Israel Strategic Group. How important is it to President Biden that the — sort of the U.S. strategy on Iran be coordinated with Israel, given the fact that the Israeli leader, Benjamin Netanyahu, doesn’t like the deal, has been very vocal about it? MS. PSAKI: We feel that — you noticed — you noted a strategy — or a meeting today, I should say — that many here may not be aware of. ”