Good afternoon everyone today Good afternoon everyone today the House Democratic Caucus the House Democratic Caucus convened the first half of our convened the first half of our organizational meeting. Uh I organizational meeting. Uh I wanna thank Speaker Pelosi and wanna thank Speaker Pelosi and her team as well as chairwoman her team as well as chairwoman and her her team for closely and her her team for closely with the caucus uh to be able with the caucus uh to be able to pull off that organizational to pull off that organizational meeting entirely virtually meeting entirely virtually given the dynamics of the given the dynamics of the pandemic and the extreme public pandemic and the extreme public health. Crisis that we continue health. Crisis that we continue to confront but we were able to to confront but we were able to convene with full participation convene with full participation from every single member of the from every single member of the House Democratic Caucus and the House Democratic Caucus and the incoming members elect We are incoming members elect We are unified in our sense of purpose unified in our sense of purpose to go out to work closely with to go out to work closely with Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to fight for the people to make fight for the people to make life. For working families, life. For working families, middle class folks, senior middle class folks, senior citizens young people veterans citizens young people veterans those who aspire to be part of those who aspire to be part of part of the middle class the part of the middle class the poor the sick, the afflicted poor the sick, the afflicted the least the the lost left the least the the lost left behind. That’s what House behind. That’s what House Democrats do. House Democratic Democrats do. House Democratic Caucus elected Nancy Pelosi as Caucus elected Nancy Pelosi as our speaker designate for the our speaker designate for the 117th Congress, Steny Hoyer as 117th Congress, Steny Hoyer as our majority leader for the 117 our majority leader for the 117 Congress, Jim Clyburn as our Congress, Jim Clyburn as our majority whip for the 117th majority whip for the 117th Congress and Catherine Clark as Congress and Catherine Clark as our assistant speaker for the our assistant speaker for the 117 Congress. additional 117 Congress. additional leadership elections will take leadership elections will take place tomorrow. It is now my place tomorrow. It is now my distinct honor and privilege uh distinct honor and privilege uh to introduce Speaker Nancy to introduce Speaker Nancy Pelosi a voice for the Pelosi a voice for the voiceless A defender of the voiceless A defender of the disenfranchised a legendary disenfranchised a legendary legislator, a notorious legislator, a notorious negotiator and a powerful negotiator and a powerful profound prophetic principled profound prophetic principled public servant Speaker Nancy public servant Speaker Nancy Pelosi. It is like it is well. Pelosi. It is like it is well. Thank you so much. Mister Thank you so much. Mister chairman for your kind words, I chairman for your kind words, I always accept any compliments always accept any compliments on behalf of the House on behalf of the House Democratic Caucus because they Democratic Caucus because they enable any what we do to be enable any what we do to be possible by their courage their possible by their courage their integrity and their just uh integrity and their just uh beautiful vision for a better beautiful vision for a better America. I wanna congratulate America. I wanna congratulate you mister chairman on your you mister chairman on your election reelection as chair, I election reelection as chair, I want to congratulate Hoyer on want to congratulate Hoyer on his reelection and mister his reelection and mister Clark. House Democratic Leader Clark. House Democratic Leader House Democratic Whip Mister House Democratic Whip Mister and a new member of the and a new member of the leadership, the newest member leadership, the newest member of the She’s been a member of of the She’s been a member of the leadership as vice chair of the leadership as vice chair of the caucus. Now she is the caucus. Now she is assistant uh Speaker Catherine assistant uh Speaker Catherine Clark of Massachusetts. It was Clark of Massachusetts. It was a beautifully contested race a a beautifully contested race a good um I think members who are good um I think members who are pleased and that’s what I wanna pleased and that’s what I wanna talk about. I wish that you talk about. I wish that you could have seen the nomination. could have seen the nomination. And the acceptance speeches And the acceptance speeches because then you could have because then you could have seen that common thread the seen that common thread the unity of our caucus the values unity of our caucus the values and vision the knowledge of our and vision the knowledge of our subjects of the strategic subjects of the strategic thinking you hear me talk about thinking you hear me talk about that all the time, but all of that all the time, but all of it connected to the hopes and it connected to the hopes and aspirations of America’s aspirations of America’s working families That is what working families That is what unifies us. so I’m very unifies us. so I’m very honored. I’m I’m actually I was honored. I’m I’m actually I was kind of emotional earlier kind of emotional earlier because of some of some of the because of some of some of the things that said in nomination, things that said in nomination, but also listening uh to the but also listening uh to the other nominations as well as to other nominations as well as to not only the vision but the not only the vision but the depth of commitment uh the depth of commitment uh the values of our caucus. So I’m values of our caucus. So I’m thrilled. I’m excited and I thrilled. I’m excited and I can’t wait to be elected uh can’t wait to be elected uh working with a new president of working with a new president of the United States. Joe Biden the United States. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. I’m sure we and Kamala Harris. I’m sure we all share that deal and now I’m all share that deal and now I’m pleased to yield. The pleased to yield. The distinguished House Democratic distinguished House Democratic leader, Mister Hoyer. Thank you leader, Mister Hoyer. Thank you very much uh Madam Speaker and very much uh Madam Speaker and congratulations to you uh your congratulations to you uh your overwhelming uh re nomination overwhelming uh re nomination to be be the speaker of the by to be be the speaker of the by the Democratic Caucus. uh which the Democratic Caucus. uh which was based upon your performance was based upon your performance over the years and leading us over the years and leading us so effectively I am very so effectively I am very honored of course to be honored of course to be reelected as majority leader of reelected as majority leader of the Democratic Party of the Democratic Party of Majority Leader of the House of Majority Leader of the House of Representatives um. 117th uh Congress will have the 117th uh Congress will have the leadership you see in front of leadership you see in front of you on our side of the aisle uh you on our side of the aisle uh as well as uh some others to be as well as uh some others to be elected uh next week. Excuse me elected uh next week. Excuse me tomorrow uh. It will be a tomorrow uh. It will be a leadership team that I think leadership team that I think will be as successful, frankly will be as successful, frankly as I think the leadership team as I think the leadership team in the 116th Congress uh we had in the 116th Congress uh we had a very successful term uh in a very successful term uh in 116th Congress as leadership uh 116th Congress as leadership uh the product that we produced the product that we produced did not pass the Senate for the did not pass the Senate for the most part and that’s to the most part and that’s to the detriment of the American detriment of the American people to their health care uh people to their health care uh to their jobs, their wages and to their jobs, their wages and the assistance they needed. In the assistance they needed. In confronting covid-nineteen, confronting covid-nineteen, whether it was on the health whether it was on the health side or in the economic side, side or in the economic side, uh we’re not through the 116th uh we’re not through the 116th armor and I’m very hopeful uh armor and I’m very hopeful uh with the speakers leadership with the speakers leadership and hopefully with the and hopefully with the cooperation of Senator cooperation of Senator McConnell and others that we McConnell and others that we will pass a covet nineteen will pass a covet nineteen relief bill prior to uh relief bill prior to uh December 11th. I’m very hopeful December 11th. I’m very hopeful that we will pass an omnibus that we will pass an omnibus that will appropriate uh for that will appropriate uh for all of the uh government to all of the uh government to stay in operation. Without uh stay in operation. Without uh any kind of uh pause uh with any kind of uh pause uh with any kind of shutdown so I am any kind of shutdown so I am honored to have been reelected honored to have been reelected as majority leader. I’m honored as majority leader. I’m honored to serve with the two people to serve with the two people that I’ve known for a very long that I’ve known for a very long time I mentioned in my uh time I mentioned in my uh opening speech that Nancy and I opening speech that Nancy and I worked in Senator Bruster’s worked in Senator Bruster’s office together in 1964 and office together in 1964 and that you know see how each one that you know see how each one of us is now attained to the of us is now attained to the age of fifty-two Uh that’s. age of fifty-two Uh that’s. Experience and I’ve known Jim Experience and I’ve known Jim uh since the early 60s when we uh since the early 60s when we were active in the civil rights were active in the civil rights movement, Jim much more than I movement, Jim much more than I uh but also in the young uh but also in the young Democrats together. so we’ve Democrats together. so we’ve worked together for a very long worked together for a very long time. uh Jeffries uh as a time. uh Jeffries uh as a younger uh member uh but a younger uh member uh but a dynamic member uh one of the dynamic member uh one of the best speakers in the country uh best speakers in the country uh and uh a person who has brought and uh a person who has brought great unity to our caucus uh great unity to our caucus uh and uh. Great work ethic to our and uh. Great work ethic to our caucus interpreted means he caucus interpreted means he overwork us, but he keeps us overwork us, but he keeps us focused and and Catherine Clark focused and and Catherine Clark as the speaker indicated she as the speaker indicated she has been in the leadership. has been in the leadership. She’s got a different hat on, She’s got a different hat on, but she’s gonna be in the room but she’s gonna be in the room in the leadership, raising the in the leadership, raising the kinds of issues that are kinds of issues that are critical to the American critical to the American people. Catherine people. Catherine Congratulations to you on your Congratulations to you on your election so um I am pleased to election so um I am pleased to look to the 117th Congress. I’m look to the 117th Congress. I’m focused on the 116th Congress focused on the 116th Congress we need to get work done for we need to get work done for the American people they need the American people they need right now and now I wanna yield right now and now I wanna yield to uh the person who was uh to uh the person who was uh count the votes but much more count the votes but much more than that. he gives us than that. he gives us inspiration as a caucus. Uh he inspiration as a caucus. Uh he gives us experience. He gives gives us experience. He gives us history uh he gives us a us history uh he gives us a sense of purpose and a vision sense of purpose and a vision uh the majority whip in this uh the majority whip in this Congress, the majority whip in Congress, the majority whip in the next Congress, Jim the next Congress, Jim Collaborative of South Collaborative of South Carolina. Thank you very much Carolina. Thank you very much mister Madam speakers. Thank mister Madam speakers. Thank you so much for your leadership you so much for your leadership and your continued service in and your continued service in this great country. Catherine this great country. Catherine welcome uh this particular welcome uh this particular table. Thank you for your table. Thank you for your leadership of mister chairman leadership of mister chairman uh I often uh talk about the uh I often uh talk about the war that I have with myself war that I have with myself over issues like running things over issues like running things and I used to always. Say that and I used to always. Say that the terms efficient and the terms efficient and effective are always at war effective are always at war with each other The more with each other The more efficiency you have sometimes efficiency you have sometimes the less effective the more the less effective the more less efficiency that’s a rule I less efficiency that’s a rule I wanna say to you is you’re wanna say to you is you’re meeting this morning was an meeting this morning was an exception to that rule. I don’t exception to that rule. I don’t think I’ve ever seen. think I’ve ever seen. And effect And effectiveness so closely And effectiveness so closely aligned with each other and aligned with each other and congratulations. Thank you for congratulations. Thank you for your continued friendship as he your continued friendship as he mentioned with us, it goes back mentioned with us, it goes back a long time and I’ve enjoyed a long time and I’ve enjoyed working here with you to be working here with you to be equipped and have the benefit equipped and have the benefit of the experience of the of the experience of the speaker who wants service with speaker who wants service with the leader who wants to serve the leader who wants to serve as uh they’re going to bed. For as uh they’re going to bed. For me, uh pretty often and I thank me, uh pretty often and I thank them for their prayers. I said them for their prayers. I said when I accepted uh this the when I accepted uh this the election this morning the election this morning the Linden Johnson he started his Linden Johnson he started his career as a public school career as a public school teacher in a little Mexican teacher in a little Mexican American school down in Texas. American school down in Texas. Talked about standing before Talked about standing before classroom and watching the classroom and watching the children who you know. Have an children who you know. Have an uncertain future. That’s the uncertain future. That’s the way I started my career. And I way I started my career. And I cannot tell you what it does to cannot tell you what it does to you to stand before a classroom you to stand before a classroom and see a kid that you know is and see a kid that you know is not a trying to learn. That’s not a trying to learn. That’s the kind of challenge that we the kind of challenge that we have today and covet nineteen have today and covet nineteen has exposed how serious that has exposed how serious that challenges. We must in this challenges. We must in this Congress respond to the dreams Congress respond to the dreams and aspirations of the children and aspirations of the children and their families and I am and their families and I am hopeful that we can work hopeful that we can work together within our caucus and together within our caucus and listen out across the aisle to listen out across the aisle to get done what needs to be done get done what needs to be done for the American people This is for the American people This is a very important. Let’s just say journey. To Let’s just say journey. To watch you know perfect union watch you know perfect union and I’m pleased to be a part of and I’m pleased to be a part of this leadership and I’m looking this leadership and I’m looking forward to us getting some forward to us getting some things done for the American things done for the American people and it’s not great people and it’s not great pleasure to now this speaker for the 117 to now this speaker for the 117 Congress Catherine. Thank you Congress Catherine. Thank you so much uh mister whip and two so much uh mister whip and two speaker Nancy Pelosi um just so speaker Nancy Pelosi um just so grateful to your leadership, grateful to your leadership, your mentorship and your your mentorship and your friendship and just study where friendship and just study where our majority leaders an our majority leaders an incredible inspiration someone incredible inspiration someone who keeps our caucus so who keeps our caucus so together to you um mister together to you um mister Clyburn, we owe you our Clyburn, we owe you our Democratic Republic and we are Democratic Republic and we are so grateful for everything you so grateful for everything you do. This caucus and to my do. This caucus and to my partner um chairman Hakim partner um chairman Hakim Jeffries, it has been a Jeffries, it has been a pleasure to serve with you as pleasure to serve with you as your vice chair and I am your vice chair and I am honored and humbled by the honored and humbled by the election today and to join the election today and to join the leadership team in this new leadership team in this new role as Assistant speaker and I role as Assistant speaker and I can tell you this about our can tell you this about our caucus. We are the Guardians of caucus. We are the Guardians of of people’s hopes and of people’s hopes and aspirations and we are going to aspirations and we are going to be the Unified engine for be the Unified engine for change we are going to. And change we are going to. And help the American people with help the American people with the pain they’re suffering the pain they’re suffering through the loss of life and through the loss of life and and from this pandemic and the and from this pandemic and the the racial and economic the racial and economic injustices that they they are injustices that they they are this caucus is ready to serve this caucus is ready to serve ready to lead and I am humbled ready to lead and I am humbled and grateful for everyone on on and grateful for everyone on on this leadership and to the this leadership and to the caucus for my election to it. caucus for my election to it. Thank you and I yield back to Thank you and I yield back to our chairman. Thank you, Madam our chairman. Thank you, Madam Assistant speaker any questions Assistant speaker any questions we have time for a question or we have time for a question or two. The speaker came tell a little The speaker came tell a little bit about how you plan to do. Just a few it’s uh let me Just a few it’s uh let me first. thank you for your first. thank you for your question, but thank our question, but thank our colleagues for their leadership colleagues for their leadership and their remarks and one thing and their remarks and one thing that we all agree on in our that we all agree on in our clock is in this leadership and clock is in this leadership and those who will be elected those who will be elected tomorrow is that elections are tomorrow is that elections are about the future. It’s about about the future. It’s about the future we can talk about the future we can talk about our founders and the our founders and the inspiration they are. We honor inspiration they are. We honor them. We can talk about our them. We can talk about our relationships and how they. US relationships and how they. US well in our leadership roles, well in our leadership roles, but the fact is it’s all but the fact is it’s all looking forward looking to the looking forward looking to the future and our caucus is future and our caucus is unified in that respect looking unified in that respect looking to the future for America’s to the future for America’s working families for the people working families for the people who are lower health care cost who are lower health care cost by lowering the cost of by lowering the cost of prescription drugs. preserving prescription drugs. preserving the preexisting condition the preexisting condition benefit and other events for benefit and other events for the people, we will increase the people, we will increase paychecks by building the paychecks by building the infrastructure and green infrastructure and green resilient way and for the resilient way and for the people we will have cleaner people we will have cleaner government. So we have had a government. So we have had a tremendous amount of unity. The tremendous amount of unity. The fact is to have fewer members, fact is to have fewer members, but the White House but the but the White House but the White House is uh a source of White House is uh a source of sad to have lost the members. sad to have lost the members. We have. We’re ready to go We have. We’re ready to go again. We’re preparing for that again. We’re preparing for that we have been preparing for that we have been preparing for that some of our colleagues are some of our colleagues are ready to go against them are ready to go against them are thinking about it. so we just thinking about it. so we just see the next election right on see the next election right on the horizon, but I want to the horizon, but I want to remind. Cuz I try to uh win the remind. Cuz I try to uh win the house when I wasn’t in the house when I wasn’t in the leadership and then when I was leadership and then when I was when the Republicans had a six when the Republicans had a six or seven vote majority people or seven vote majority people forget that like in a four of forget that like in a four of you look at do we have those you look at do we have those we’ll make them known to you so we’ll make them known to you so they make it look like this is they make it look like this is a historic no, they had a small a historic no, they had a small now. we don’t know what our now. we don’t know what our outcome will be. We’re still in outcome will be. We’re still in New York, Illinois, Iowa, New New York, Illinois, Iowa, New York, Iowa and California. So York, Iowa and California. So we’ll see what that comes out we’ll see what that comes out to, but having the majority. to, but having the majority. Having the go holding the house Having the go holding the house and winning the White House is and winning the White House is time it is opportunity for us time it is opportunity for us to work together with the to work together with the president for and having a president for and having a president is a unifying uh has president is a unifying uh has an unifying impact as well, an unifying impact as well, especially when he’s a unifier especially when he’s a unifier like God, Joe Biden. So I’m like God, Joe Biden. So I’m excited about the prospect and excited about the prospect and sometimes when there’s a small sometimes when there’s a small number of people. The urgency number of people. The urgency of listening to each other of listening to each other respecting each other’s voice respecting each other’s voice because we all have to go down because we all have to go down the path mostly together. Thank you for you. Thank you uh Thank you for you. Thank you uh excuse me. I’m listening our excuse me. I’m listening our other colleagues wanna address other colleagues wanna address to have been united We are to have been united We are united and will be united going united and will be united going forward if you look at this forward if you look at this conference If you look at the conference If you look at the votes, you will see a very votes, you will see a very unified okay. I’m excited with unified okay. I’m excited with that. Yeah um at the start of that. Yeah um at the start of this Congress, there’s a lot of this Congress, there’s a lot of discussion about possibly discussion about possibly putting in place some kind of putting in place some kind of term limits for this leadership term limits for this leadership team. I’m curious if you. That team. I’m curious if you. That this coming Congress would be this coming Congress would be your last speaker well, let me your last speaker well, let me just say that when that just say that when that conversation took place there conversation took place there was a move to put limits on the was a move to put limits on the leadership and the chairs of leadership and the chairs of committees it never came up. committees it never came up. They never brought it up. They They never brought it up. They said They were gonna do it. said They were gonna do it. They didn’t do it, but I said, They didn’t do it, but I said, then what I said then is then what I said then is whether it passes or not I will whether it passes or not I will abide by those limits that are abide by those limits that are there. Sort of kind of there. Sort of kind of statement here, I mean dude, statement here, I mean dude, No. it’s not. It’s. it’s the No. it’s not. It’s. it’s the statement that I made. As a statement that I made. As a statement that I made and we statement that I made and we are uh listen if my husband is are uh listen if my husband is listening, don’t let me have to listening, don’t let me have to be more specific than that be more specific than that because uh we never expected to because uh we never expected to have another term. now, I have another term. now, I consider this a gift and III consider this a gift and III can’t wait to be working with can’t wait to be working with Joe Biden and preparing us for Joe Biden and preparing us for our transition into the future. our transition into the future. so I don’t wanna undermine any so I don’t wanna undermine any leverage I may have but II made leverage I may have but II made the statement a leader he went the statement a leader he went on. Anybody you want to you’re on. Anybody you want to you’re you’re presiding so I didn’t you’re presiding so I didn’t wanna say well, let me just wanna say well, let me just simply say we’re focused on the simply say we’re focused on the future and all that needs to future and all that needs to happen and the speaker was happen and the speaker was elected with unbridled. elected with unbridled. enthusiasm from the House enthusiasm from the House Democratic Caucus. Without any Democratic Caucus. Without any of those people voted for me of those people voted for me saying is this your last term saying is this your last term but nonetheless uh last but nonetheless uh last question really sorry. Um I question really sorry. Um I know that we touched on that know that we touched on that you guys do have a lot to get you guys do have a lot to get done before the end of the 160 done before the end of the 160 Congress. I wanted you to know Congress. I wanted you to know when you guys are looking at when you guys are looking at coveted relief Bill government coveted relief Bill government funding could you put? No funding could you put? No Secretary general well, let me Secretary general well, let me just say this because I just say this because I appreciate your question. I see appreciate your question. I see that one of one of the that one of one of the metropolitan journals uh that metropolitan journals uh that we postpone doing a bill until we postpone doing a bill until after the election, not at all after the election, not at all a bill passed in the middle of a bill passed in the middle of May since then, people have May since then, people have died because the Republicans in died because the Republicans in the in the House and Senate the in the House and Senate would not sign up to crush the would not sign up to crush the virus would not honor. Heroes virus would not honor. Heroes would not respect the needs of would not respect the needs of America’s working families so America’s working families so we have been there since the we have been there since the middle of in the middle of middle of in the middle of November now for a long time November now for a long time and so when they said, Oh, they and so when they said, Oh, they were just trying to wait until were just trying to wait until after the election. No we after the election. No we weren’t because every day weren’t because every day people are dying and we need people are dying and we need this to happen. So we’re hoping this to happen. So we’re hoping Chuck Schumer and I probably Chuck Schumer and I probably saw our letter that we sent to saw our letter that we sent to McConnell to say we’ve got to McConnell to say we’ve got to get this done and this article. get this done and this article. I should have settled for a I should have settled for a smaller, not as it was a smaller, not as it was a smaller deal. It was a deal smaller deal. It was a deal that deal that did not crushing that deal that did not crushing the virus. Adequate honoring the virus. Adequate honoring our heroes adequate addressing our heroes adequate addressing the needs of America’s working the needs of America’s working families. There’s no question families. There’s no question of dollars. There was a of dollars. There was a question of uh what it would be question of uh what it would be spent on while they hesitated spent on while they hesitated to do anything for uh earned to do anything for uh earned income tax credit child tax tax income tax credit child tax tax credit to prevent They didn’t credit to prevent They didn’t hesitate to give $150000000000 hesitate to give $150000000000 and uh. Breaks to the richest and uh. Breaks to the richest people in America, so we have people in America, so we have our difference of opinion, but our difference of opinion, but you would think that not only a you would think that not only a quarter of a million people die quarter of a million people die over 11000000 infected that, at over 11000000 infected that, at least now with the prospect of least now with the prospect of the promise of vaccine they the promise of vaccine they might want to implement some of might want to implement some of the things that take us down the things that take us down that path. I don’t know whether that path. I don’t know whether any of it would be part of the any of it would be part of the uh we will will pass an omnibus uh we will will pass an omnibus We don’t wanna see our and we We don’t wanna see our and we we’re on a good. Path uh to do we’re on a good. Path uh to do that, I would hope that they that, I would hope that they would want to do something would want to do something similar uh with the Corona similar uh with the Corona virus. Thank you. Thank you virus. Thank you. Thank you have you heard back from the have you heard back from the bottom of your weather. Are you bottom of your weather. Are you concerned about coronavirus in concerned about coronavirus in the capital? We all are.