From 10/21/2009
Transcript of Pelosi, House Democratic Leaders, and Economists’ Press Conference Following Economic Forum
Speaker Pelosi. I have time for one more question.
Q: Can you give us an update on the health care … [inaudible] … how close were …
Speaker Pelosi. “...And that is what our purpose is, is to improve quality, lower cost, expand coverage, and retain choice for those who like what they have. And in doing so, as the President has said: “Health care reform is entitlement reform and entitlement reform is essential to lowering the deficit.”
From 10/21/2009
Transcript of Pelosi, House Democratic Leaders, and Economists’ Press Conference Following Economic Forum
Speaker Pelosi. “...Nearly one year ago, or at the beginning of 2009, we passed the recovery package. What we heard across the board from our economists is that it is very positive, is it working, it has brought the great recession — it is bringing that to an end. The lagging indicator is the job numbers and that is what we want to address.
Secondly, on the 100th day of the President’s term in office, the House and the Senate on the same day, passed the President’s budget. It was a budget that was — the framework was to lower taxes for the middle class, reduce the deficit, create jobs, and grow the economy around three pillars — investments in education, energy and climate change, and health care.
We have passed the climate change legislation in the House, we have passed the education bill under Congressman Miller’s leadership, and now we are soon to pass the health care legislation. All of these are good for the economy, will turn it around, are job creators — in addition to being justified as good policy in themselves.”
From 10/21/2009
Transcript of Pelosi, House Democratic Leaders, and Economists’ Press Conference Following Economic Forum
Speaker Pelosi. “Mr. Oberstar has left. Mr. Oberstar made a big pitch for that. Mr. Obey was with us for a long time, for the whole time, and he has an array of initiatives that — we have asked each of the Committee Chairs months ago to give us in their legislation, initiatives that had the most jobs created in the fastest period of time. And so he had an array of initiatives that he brought to me last night, some of which we discussed today.
So of course, we would use the appropriations cycle, we will use the Ways and Means Committee and we have used the budget legislation as well as the authorizations of energy, education and health care to create jobs.”