{"id":123290,"date":"2021-06-22T17:16:27","date_gmt":"2021-06-23T00:16:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/69.46.6.243\/?p=123290"},"modified":"2021-06-22T17:16:27","modified_gmt":"2021-06-23T00:16:27","slug":"white-house-briefing-by-press-secretary-jen-psaki-on-june-22-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/?p=123290","title":{"rendered":"White House Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki on June 22, 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Washington, DC&#8230;.Hi, everyone.  Okay.  So, I know some of you are going to have to leave for the pool call, which is absolutely fine.  We will also keep you honest on when the President is getting ready to speak.  So there are a couple of mechanics.  Chris is going to be our special helper on this front today.  Thank you.  Okay, a couple of items at the top.  As you may have seen, today, the FAA \u2014 the Federal Aviation Administrator \u2014 Administration \u2014 announced it will award $8 billion in airport rescue grants from the American Rescue Plan to keep airport workers employed, construction projects going, provide rent relief to in-terminal concession companies, and help U.S. airports recover from the impacts of COVID-19. <\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/aRWwK8oF4tw\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Thanks to the President\u2019s successful vaccination program, America is on the move again.  There are over three times more Americans traveling through airports now than at any time last year, and this funding will help airports ramp up operations, keep travelers safe, and workers employed.  Hundreds of airports across the country will receive this funding, thanks to the American Rescue Plan, including airports in Philadelphia; Charleston, West Virginia; Anchorage, Alaska; Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina; Portland, Maine; and Portland, Oregon.<\/p>\n<p>Last item for the top: It\u2019s the first official week of summer, as you all know, and the onset of peak wildfire season.  We\u2019ve already \u2014 we\u2019re already experiencing extreme heat in the West, several large wildland fires, and we\u2019ve had three named Atlantic storms \u2014 including Tropical Storm Claudette, which led to the tragic loss of life in Alabama this past weekend. <\/p>\n<p>It was important to the President to meet with the FEMA Administrator and members of the Emergency Preparedness team, including the Homeland Security Advisor, to discuss the federal government\u2019s ongoing preparedness and response efforts, as well as how FEMA supports communities in need.  Hence, that\u2019s what he will be doing this afternoon.<\/p>\n<p>Josh, why don\u2019t you kick us off.<\/p>\n<p>Q    Thanks, Jen.  Two subject areas.  First, with regard to voting rights, President Biden described his 2020 campaign as a battle for the soul of America.  What does the administration think is more important for the soul: upholding the tradition of the filibuster or getting the voting rights agenda through?  If you had to make the choice, what is that choice? <\/p>\n<p>MS. PSAKI:  Well, we don\u2019t see it through that prism, which won\u2019t surprise you.  I will say that, first, the President believes that expanding access to voting, making it easier for people to vote should be a fundamental right for the American public across the country.  And it will be a fight of his presidency long past today. <\/p>\n<p>And I will also note \u2014 since you gave me the opportunity \u2014 that this has been a fight that he has been battling through the course of his career.  When he was in the Senate, he fought for an extension of the Voting Rights Act. <\/p>\n<p>And it\u2019s something that he, of course, talked about on the campaign trail, and he will continue to use the bully pulpit but also every lever in government to continue to advocate for moving forward.<\/p>\n<p>Q    And then, secondly, the President is going to meet with the FEMA Administrator this afternoon.<\/p>\n<p>MS. PSAKI:  Yes.<\/p>\n<p>Q    Obviously, we\u2019re seeing a lot of extreme weather and climate events.  Researchers have an event at Columbia University this week to look at moving people out of harm\u2019s way in order to mitigate the effects of extreme weather.  Does this administration believe that more people need to leave the areas adversely affected by climate change in order to address the issue?<\/p>\n<p>MS. PSAKI:  That\u2019s a really interesting question, Josh.  And I don\u2019t know if they\u2019ll be talking about that during the President\u2019s briefing this afternoon. <\/p>\n<p>I will note that, while it\u2019s traditional for Presidents to get briefings on hurricanes and preparedness for hurricanes, it was important to him and to our team to also get a briefing on wildfires and the impacts, and also to take steps that are \u2014 to prepare for that and the impacts on local communities. <\/p>\n<p>Whether that means moving people from their homes \u2014 it\u2019s a great question.  I\u2019ll have to see what comes out of the briefing today. <\/p>\n<p>Go ahead.<\/p>\n<p>Q    Thanks, Jen.  On COVID and missing the 70 percent deadline: As this White House sees it, what went wrong?  What happened there?  Was the goal too high, the number just not attainable?<\/p>\n<p>MS. PSAKI:  Sure.  Well, we don\u2019t see it exactly like something went wrong.  How we see it is: We set a bold, ambitious goal \u2014 something the President has done from the very beginning \u2014 and we are expected to meet that goal just a couple of weeks after July 4th.  And, in fact, at this point, as of today, we\u2019re going to be already at that point for people who are 30 years of age and older. <\/p>\n<p>What we also know, though \u2014 and we\u2019ve learned this as we\u2019ve been working to get the pandemic under control, take on this herculean task where there is no playbook \u2014 is that there are demographic groups and sometimes populations where it\u2019s more difficult to reach.  We\u2019ve seen that and we\u2019ve talked about that as it related to \u2014 early on, to hesitancy we were seeing in communities of color or some more conservative communities. <\/p>\n<p>And we\u2019ve seen it\u2019s been a great deal more difficult to get \u2014 to get young people between the ages of 18 and 26 vaccinated than adults who are older than that.  Hence, we are redoubling our efforts to ensure we are targeting, we are focusing on, we are making the vaccine more accessible for those age groups. <\/p>\n<p>But again, we are on \u2014 we are already meeting the goal of vaccinating with one dose 70 percent of Americans 30 years of age and older.  And we are working toward meeting it for all adults as soon as possible. <\/p>\n<p>Q    And just quickly, if I can follow up on voting rights here.  Yesterday, you said that there\u2019s more work to be done \u2014 among that is including engaging state legislatures.  But the problems, as Democrats at least see it, is not problems in blue states \u2014 state legislatures; it\u2019s Republican-controlled states where many of these decisions are already being made.  So what leverage do you actually have?  And what, realistically, do you think you can accomplish in some of these red states?<\/p>\n<p>MS. PSAKI:  Well, first, I think the point we\u2019ve been making is that it\u2019s, in part, a federal approach that is needed. <\/p>\n<p>And I think it\u2019s important to remember why we\u2019re at this point: State legislatures, as you referenced, across the country are passing a wave of anti-voter laws based on the same repeatedly disproven lies that led to an assault on our nation\u2019s Capitol.  They are putting these laws in place because they did not like the outcome and they\u2019ve continued to perpetuate a lie about the outcome of the election.  That\u2019s why we\u2019re here. <\/p>\n<p>What the President and what the Vice President will do is engage with voting rights groups; engage with legislatures who are supportive of expanding access to voting around the country \u2014 yes, there are \u2014 even in red states, there are many Democratic legislators or legislators who want to expand that access; empower them, work with them, support them in these efforts; and continue to fight to get legislation across the finish line on the federal level. <\/p>\n<p>So this fight is not over.  No matter the outcome today, it is going to continue. <\/p>\n<p>Go ahead<\/p>\n<p>Q    Jen, you mentioned the bully pulpit on the voting issue.  Jamaal Bowman, a congressman, said earlier today, the President needs to be a lot more \u201cvocal,\u201d a lot more \u201cout in front\u201d on the issue.  Do you guys believe the President has elevated this issue enough, given the seriousness that you frame it?<\/p>\n<p>MS. PSAKI:  I would suggest that \u2014 that isn\u2019t a \u2014 that is a fight \u2014 that those words are a fight against the wrong opponent.  The President is passionate about this issue.  He has been passionate through the course of his time in public office.  You know, again, securing a 25-year extension of the Voting Rights Act \u2014 when, I would note, Strom Thurmond chaired the committee.  So that was quite a time to live through. <\/p>\n<p>And he\u2019s absolutely revolted by the wave of anti-voter laws based on the same repeatedly disproven lies that led to our assault \u2014 an assault on our nation\u2019s Capitol, as I know the congressman and many others are as well.  We share their passion.  We share the desire to fight these efforts.  We share the desire to fight against efforts by many Republicans to suppress the vote around the country.  It doesn\u2019t mean that that fight will always be easy, but he is going to stand by them in this effort. <\/p>\n<p>And I would note that it\u2019s not that he has \u2014 you know, it is not just about private phone calls \u2014 he\u2019s certainly done a number of those \u2014 and private meetings \u2014 as he did with Senator Manchin yesterday to convey to him the importance to him, personally, of moving this to a debate on the floor about this important piece of legislation.  The President has also \u2014 gave a speech in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he gave a passionate \u2014 made a passionate case for the importance of voting rights. <\/p>\n<p>He also has taken action, including empowering a number of nominees at the apart- \u2014 at the Department of Justice who have been leading advocates for voting rights, pushing for their confirmation to get through. <\/p>\n<p>The Department of Justice also just announced a few weeks ago that they are doubling their support and their financial support for enforcement of important voting laws around the country. <\/p>\n<p>And he signed a historic executive action, just several weeks ago, that puts in place a number of protections to ensure that people have the ability to vote.  I would say that\u2019s hardly being silent.  That\u2019s hardly sitting on the backbench.  And we are \u2014 he will be standing with advocates in this fight for the foreseeable future. <\/p>\n<p>Go ahead.<\/p>\n<p>Q    Thanks, Jen.  This White House is very good at setting ambitious but achievable goals.  Did the White House believe that 70 percent was achievable when you set it?<\/p>\n<p>MS. PSAKI:  Well, I would say, first, there\u2019s no record \u2014 there\u2019s no playbook for this.  There\u2019s no record to look back and say, \u201cThese were the \u2014 these were the goals that were achieved 5 years ago or 10 years ago,\u201d because we\u2019re dealing with a historic pandemic.  And the President\u2019s view is that we should set bold, ambitious goals and do everything we pas- \u2014 possibly can to achieve them. <\/p>\n<p>And in our view, we have \u2014 part of our objective was to return the country to normal, for people to enjoy backyard barbecues, which people across the country \u2014 millions of people will be.  And we\u2019ll have 1,000 people on the South Lawn here at the White House \u2014 frontline workers, men and women who are serving \u2014 also enjoying life back to normal. <\/p>\n<p>But we also are honest about where we need to continue to redouble our efforts.  And that\u2019s among people who are 18 to 26.  That is a small \u2014 relatively small demographic of the country, but one where there needs to be continued work.  And we\u2019re going to use every tool at our disposal to push for that.<\/p>\n<p>Q    So what is the game plan for getting young people vaccinated in greater numbers?<\/p>\n<p>MS. PSAKI:  Let me give you a couple of examples of what we\u2019re working on.  It\u2019s not just Dr. Fauci on TikTok, though that is happening.  (Laughter.)  So, Dr. Fauci has done several Q&#038;As with TikTok and Instagram influencers to answer questions, to meet people where they are, including young people, give them information they need. <\/p>\n<p>CDC\u2019s COVID Vaccine Chat on WhatsApp is now live to help Spanish-speaking young adults get vaccinated. <\/p>\n<p>We\u2019re working with the private sector as well.  As you all know, Microsoft is giving away Xboxes at Boys &#038; Girls Clubs.  The College Challenge is rallying university students across the country.  Walgreens is giving out $25 to anyone who gets vaccinated there before July 4th. <\/p>\n<p>These are just a couple of examples of some of the approaches we\u2019re taking.  We\u2019ll build on that from there.  What we\u2019ve all \u2014 what we\u2019ll also note is that we\u2019re seeing the same challenges that we\u2019ve seen in other groups, which is that access and making it as easy as possible is the name of the game. <\/p>\n<p>And so, continuing to re- \u2014 to support our pharmacy program, to support our mobile vaccination units, to make this \u2014 the vaccine as accessible to young people.  They lead busy lives; we want this to be just a \u2014 just a box they can check on their weekend to-do list. <\/p>\n<p>Go ahead. <\/p>\n<p>Q    Following up on Phil\u2019s question.  You very ably went through the President\u2019s history on voting rights and related issues, and you\u2019ve laid out all the times he\u2019s spoken about it. But this lectern is available to him today.  We have not heard him talk about it.  He has the biggest megaphone in the world.<\/p>\n<p>MS. PSAKI:  Aside from the Tulsa speech, just a few weeks ago?<\/p>\n<p>Q    No, I\u2019m talking about when the vote is happening \u2014 using the President\u2019s time.<\/p>\n<p>MS. PSAKI:  Mm-hmm.<\/p>\n<p>Q    And so, clearly, the President is choosing not to do that now.  Why?  Where is the President on this issue on a day when they\u2019re voting?<\/p>\n<p>MS. PSAKI:  I would say, first, that the President has spoke \u2014 spoken passionately about his commitment to expanding access to voting rights a number of times, and you will hear him speak about this again. <\/p>\n<p>You certainly will hear us.  We\u2019ll put out a statement from him at the conclusion of the vote today.  And I expect you\u2019ll hear from \u2014 more from him in the coming days as well.<\/p>\n<p>Q    On another subject, with COVID: Former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb is among the voices saying he\u2019s concerned that children who are not yet eligible to be vaccinated could be drivers of the variant, especially with school coming back and camps and all of that.  What specifically does the administration feel needs to be done to address that issue for those not yet even eligible to be vaccinated?<\/p>\n<p>MS. PSAKI:  Yeah.  Well, as a parent of a couple kids myself who are not yet eligible to be vaccinated, I think the challenge is we need to be vigilant and abide by the CDC guidelines.  That\u2019s not always easy to do, and we know that.  And that means, you know, being mindful of social distancing, being mindful of where mask wearing should be essential to keep your kids protected and keep other kids protected. <\/p>\n<p>Certainly, we can\u2019t expedite the work of the FDA.  They\u2019re the gold standard in science, and we want them to abide by whatever timeline works for them.  But it does mean \u2014 which again, is challenging \u2014 abiding by the guidelines for children and those who are not yet eligible until we get to that point.<\/p>\n<p>Go ahead.<\/p>\n<p>Q    Thanks, Jen.  You said, yesterday, the President feels a lot \u2014 a great deal of the crime we\u2019re seeing is a result of gun violence, but the stats show it\u2019s not just gun crimes.  So why does the President think there\u2019s been a 30 percent increase in car thefts in D.C., 47 percent increase in robbery in New York City, or a 98 percent increase in rapes in Atlanta?<\/p>\n<p>MS. PSAKI:  Well, first, I think, if you look at a number of cities across the country, it is actually driven by gun violence.<\/p>\n<p>Take St. Louis: In 2021, 96 percent of homicides where the instrument is known were committed using a firearm.  In New York City, from March 2020 to March 2021, shooting incidents have jumped 77 percent.  The city recorded more than 1,500 shootings in 2020; 97 percent more than 777 in 2019.  There are major cities across the country where gun violence is absolutely the driver, where it is absolutely increasing.  And that will be a central part of what he\u2019ll talk about when he delivers his remarks tomorrow.<\/p>\n<p>Q    And given everything that is going on \u2014 with guns, without guns \u2014 does the President still think that this is the best time to end cash bail?<\/p>\n<p>MS. PSAKI:  I don\u2019t think I have a \u2014 any new position on that for you, but I\u2019m happy to check and see if there\u2019s anything more to report.<\/p>\n<p>Q    So his stated position from his website, which is, basically, end cash bail \u2014 he wants to lead a national effort to end cash bail and reform the pretrial system.  That stands? <\/p>\n<p>MS. PSAKI:  I don\u2019t have a new position for you, but I\u2019m happy to check for you.<\/p>\n<p>Q    And so, for people who are watching who might be worried about a rise in crime, what does the President think is a deterrent to committing a crime if there\u2019s no cash bail in place?<\/p>\n<p>MS. PSAKI:  Well, let me give you just a sense to the degree I can, because we\u2019re still finalizing the specifics.<\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s been, one, an increase in violent crime over the last 18 months; it\u2019s not just over the last few months.  And actually, if you look statistically back, it\u2019s more over the last five years or so. <\/p>\n<p>So there\u2019s an initial set of actions the President has announced to date to address gun violence.  Back in April, strengthening regulations on ghost guns; stabilizing braces that make firearms more legal [sic] \u2014 lethal; investing money in community violence intervention programs \u2014 an investment that he thinks can be quite effective.  He\u2019s talked about, for decades \u2014 and I think you\u2019ll hear him talk about more tomorrow \u2014 supporting additional funding for community policing through his budget request, and helping state and local governments keep co- \u2014 cops on the beat.<\/p>\n<p>So, yes, we believe that a central driver of violence is gun violence and is the use of guns.  We\u2019re seeing that statistically in a lot of areas.  But he also believes that we need to ensure that state and local governments keep cops on the beat, that we\u2019re supporting community policing, and that\u2019s a key part of it as well.<\/p>\n<p>Q    And just the last one.  You just said, again, you guys want to \u201ckeep cops on the beat,\u201d but there are reports that big cities are having a very difficult time recruiting officers right now.  And there are many other reports that morale is at an all-time low in big police departments.  So why does the President think that there\u2019s low morale with police officers on the beat?<\/p>\n<p>MS. PSAKI:  I don\u2019t think we\u2019re the right entity to give an assessment of that.  I\u2019d certainly look to the police departments to give that assessment. <\/p>\n<p>But what I would say to you is that the President has never supported defunding the police.  He\u2019s always supported community policing programs.  He\u2019s supported giving funding to \u2014 to states and localities around the country, including through his American Rescue Plan, because he thinks there is an essential role to play for community policing.<\/p>\n<p>Go ahead, Andrea.<\/p>\n<p>Q    Thanks.  I want to ask you about infrastructure.<\/p>\n<p>MS. PSAKI:  Sure.<\/p>\n<p>Q    So, there was the meeting earlier today.  Can you give us a little \u2014<\/p>\n<p>MS. PSAKI:  It\u2019s still going on.<\/p>\n<p>Q    It\u2019s still going on.  So \u2014<\/p>\n<p>MS. PSAKI:  As far as I know.  When I came out here, yes.<\/p>\n<p>Q    And are you hopeful that you\u2019ll be able to invite those senators to the White House for a meeting with the President?<\/p>\n<p>MS. PSAKI:  We will see.  As we do every day in democracy in action happening here, we assess what the right next step is.<\/p>\n<p>And as I noted yesterday, the President is encouraged by the ongoing talks and discussions that are continuing with Democrats and Republicans.  We\u2019ve sent some \u2014 he\u2019s asked some members of his senior team \u2014 as you noted, Steve Ricchetti, Louisa Terrell \u2014 to go up to Capitol Hill and meet with a group of bipartisan senators.  And once they conclude that meeting, I expect we\u2019ll assess what the next steps are.<\/p>\n<p>Q    You\u2019re getting a lot of criticism already about the paring down of the very ambitious infrastructure proposals.  Things that are falling away are things that you\u2019ve said are top priorities, whether it\u2019s climate, the care economy.  I mean, how do you \u2014 how do you anticipate dealing with and solving those priorities, spending issues, if you get to a compromise now that is, in fact, a slimmed down version of what you initially planned?<\/p>\n<p>MS. PSAKI:  There\u2019s a budget reconciliation process that\u2019s just getting underway, which we expect to be a vehicle to move a number of the President\u2019s bold ideas forward.<\/p>\n<p>Q    Can I ask you a question about Amazon as well?  So the FTC is going to look at the Amazon-MGM merger.  There\u2019s growing criticism about the antitrust legislation that\u2019s being put forth on the Hill. <\/p>\n<p>Are you \u2014 what is your perspective about whether there is, sort of, fundamental reform needed to ensure that large companies don\u2019t get too big?  Do you see this as, sort of, an inflection point? <\/p>\n<p>We\u2019ve seen companies, including Amazon, really profit enormously from the pandemic and during the pandemic, and there have been warnings even from international financial institutions.  So do you see that there\u2019s something sort of fundamental needed now to check the growth?<\/p>\n<p>MS. PSAKI:  It\u2019s a great question.  I don\u2019t think I\u2019m going to be in a position to speak to it from here.  There are legal components of this.  I can see if there\u2019s more we can \u2014 we can give back to you on that.<\/p>\n<p>Q    Just on the Amazon FTC review: Do you \u2014 can you just confirm any details of that review?<\/p>\n<p>MS. PSAKI:  I\u2019m just not going be able to confirm or speak to that specifically from here.<\/p>\n<p>Go ahead.<\/p>\n<p>Q    The President\u2019s remarks tomorrow, just to follow up on policing and crime \u2014<\/p>\n<p>MS. PSAKI:  Yeah.<\/p>\n<p>Q    \u2014 will that detail any efforts on police reform?  Or is that kind of unilaterally focused on crime prevention?  And why or why not?<\/p>\n<p>MS. PSAKI:  Well, first, there\u2019s ongoing negotiations, as you know, on police reform.  And the President would love to have a bill on his desk that he could sign into law. <\/p>\n<p>We\u2019ve seen progress being made, we\u2019ve heard progress being made, and those discussions are ongoing.  So I would expect that his \u2014 his remarks tomorrow will build on \u2014 will build on a number of the announcements that have already touched on that he\u2019s made in the recent months, making guns \u2014 putting in place safety measures to make our streets safer, preventing the use of guns in violent crime across the country, ensuring that we can have more cops on the beat to protect communities. <\/p>\n<p>He, obviously, is a big advocate for the benefit of community policing so we\u2019ll build on that foundation and lay out a comprehensive strategy to address violent crime and gun violence as the \u2014 as we enter the summer months.<\/p>\n<p>Q    Some advocates \u2014 criminal justice advocates have raised concern that potentially having the President raise alarm about, you know, a trend of rising crime \u2014 this crime uptick in American cities \u2014 could actually undercut efforts on police reform, especially since legislation is still being discussed, you know, in Congress.  So is that a concern for the White House at all? <\/p>\n<p>The White House has said that, you know, the administration wants to give members of Congress space to negotiate police reform, but that potentially raising alarm of this crime uptick could hurt those efforts. <\/p>\n<p>MS. PSAKI:  I would say that the negotiations are happening between Senator Booker, Senator Scott, key \u2014 Congressman Bass.  I don\u2019t think they\u2019ve expressed that particular concern.  If there\u2019s a named person who is expressing this concern, I\u2019m happy to speak to that.  But there\u2019s \u2014 those negotiations are ongoing.  We keep them abreast of our work.<\/p>\n<p>And again, I think, in communities across the country who advocate and support police reform, they don\u2019t see it as a mutually exclusive issue; neither does the President.  We need \u2014 police reform is long outdated.  But it\u2019s also important to take steps to \u2014 to put in place gun safety measures, to take any \u2014 use at any lever he can as President to do exactly that, and to ensure there is appropriate funding and resources needed to ensure there\u2019s community policing in communities across the country.<\/p>\n<p>Q    Just one more on FEMA \u2014 the FEMA meeting.  Given that meeting happened today, FEMA is still involved in setting up shelters at the border.  Since we\u2019re going into hurricane season, as you said, is there a deadline on when FEMA will be pulled out of that process of assisting at the border?<\/p>\n<p>MS. PSAKI:  I don\u2019t have anything to assess for FEMA.  Obviously, they\u2019ll make that assessment in coordination with the leadership at the Department of Homeland Security, but I don\u2019t have anything to preview on the timeline for that.  They\u2019ve been a key resource. <\/p>\n<p>Go ahead.<\/p>\n<p>Q    Thanks, Jen.  Going back to the 70 percent goal, the CDC data says that there are 13 states that are falling way short of that 70 percent; they\u2019re less than 55 percent.  Four states are below 50 percent.  Should those states get more of a focus right now and not the nationwide number, as the administration plans their strategy to get vaccinations up?<\/p>\n<p>MS. PSAKI:  Well, we \u2014 we\u2019re not not focusing on those states.  I would say that, one, it\u2019s important to note that when we give the statistics \u2014 including 87 percent of all seniors, 75 percent of people age 40 and over, 70 percent of those age 30 and over \u2014 they\u2019re from red states and blue states and purple states, or whatever color the state may be.<\/p>\n<p>Our focus, from the beginning, has been continuing to redouble our efforts among demographics and groups where we need extra assistance.  That\u2019s why we have taken steps to put in place 24-hour pharmacies, walk-up sites, mobile clinics, free rides.  We have vaccines at barber shops, baseball games, NASCAR races.  Even over the last \u201cMonth of Action,\u201d which we\u2019ve been doing across the country, we\u2019ve had 15,000 events.  We\u2019ve attempted 1.4 million contacts or reached about 500,000 people.  And there are thousands of volunteers in 50 states across the country.<\/p>\n<p>Ultimately, it\u2019s going to be up to individuals to decide if they want to get vaccinated. <\/p>\n<p>Q    Is there something more, though?  You went through all of those incentives, and specifically tying those to that age group \u2014 that younger age group.  But if there\u2019s something that\u2019s regional about this \u2014 if it\u2019s Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Wyoming that are those states below 50 percent, is there something that the administration can do to get those numbers up?  Or at this point, is this governors and states that should be doing this?<\/p>\n<p>MS. PSAKI:  It\u2019s always been a partnership, and it will continue to be a partnership moving forward.  And it\u2019s also up to individuals to make the decision to get vaccinated.  And what we can do from the federal government, of course, is to make it as accessible as possible; make sure we have the supply \u2014 we\u2019ve done that long ago; make sure there are thousands and thousands of sites, vaccinators, opportunities for people to get vaccinated; incentivize it across the country.  That\u2019s exactly what we\u2019ve done.<\/p>\n<p>I will note: We\u2019re not going to stop implementing these programs on July 5th.  We will continue to implement them as we work to get more people in the country vaccinated.<\/p>\n<p>Go ahead, April.<\/p>\n<p>Q    Jen, I want to hit two topics: voting rights, as well as crime.<\/p>\n<p>You keep bringing up former President George W. Bush, in 2006, when he \u2014<\/p>\n<p>MS. PSAKI:  I do?  I keep bringing him up?<\/p>\n<p>Q    Well, you bought him up \u2014 you brought the extension up.  You brought the extension up of voting rights, and \u2014<\/p>\n<p>MS. PSAKI:  What \u2014 I think that happened long before (inaudible).<\/p>\n<p>Q    Right, but you brought it up as to \u2014 it was extended for 25 years. <\/p>\n<p>MS. PSAKI:  Oh, okay.  I didn\u2019t bring up George W. Bush, but, go ahead, you can bring him up.<\/p>\n<p>Q    Yes, I\u2019m bringing him up.<\/p>\n<p>As someone who was here when he did it \u2014<\/p>\n<p>MS. PSAKI:  Sure.<\/p>\n<p>Q    \u2014 he was a Republican who did it.  And that\u2019s one of his pieces that he likes to tout when he talks about efforts in the Black community.  What\u2019s different with Republicans then and Republicans now when it comes to voting rights?<\/p>\n<p>MS. PSAKI:  What\u2019s different?<\/p>\n<p>Q    Yeah.<\/p>\n<p>MS. PSAKI:  Well, I think, April, what \u2014 what should raise some questions for Americans across the country is: Why would anyone want to make it more difficult to vote?  Why wouldn\u2019t we want to make it more accessible?  What are they so afraid of?  And maybe they\u2019re more afraid now of what it would mean to have more people voting across the country than they were back then.  I don\u2019t know.  You\u2019ll have to ask them that question. <\/p>\n<p>Q    And, secondly, on crime: What\u2019s different now as you\u2019re trying to push this effort on community policing, as well as guns?  What\u2019s different now?  What do you think will have the teeth to change the tide that hasn\u2019t been changed before?  In the coming years (inaudible).<\/p>\n<p>MS. PSAKI:  Different now \u2014 do you mean different from a different period of time \u2014<\/p>\n<p>Q    Yes. <\/p>\n<p>MS. PSAKI:  \u2014 or different from \u2014<\/p>\n<p>Q    I mean, you know, community policing was in place during the Clinton years; it was taken away.  There was conversation about it in many years prior.  And now, you\u2019re bringing it back again.  So you\u2019re bringing the issue back again.  What teeth do you believe that will have?  And do you believe that that could become a reality again? <\/p>\n<p>I mean, I understand different police departments can do what they want.  But you\u2019re trying to make an overall sweeping push for police departments across the nation to make this difference.  What\u2019s different now that will make this tide change?<\/p>\n<p>MS. PSAKI:  Well, I would say one difference now is that it\u2019s become a politically charged issue, when it wasn\u2019t historically.  And if you look back, Community Oriented Policing Services, you know, historically had been supported by liberal Democrats; Democrats; civil rights groups, including the NAACP, and \u2014 over the course of time.  And that has always been the case. <\/p>\n<p>I would say we\u2019re not suggesting \u2014 the President isn\u2019t suggesting it\u2019s the silver bullet.  A central part of his remarks and his \u2014 his announcement tomorrow will be about addressing gun violence, which he thinks is a significant driver in violence in our communities and cities across the country. <\/p>\n<p>And, as you know, April, there are laws that were in place: the Assault Weapons Ban, others that are no longer in place.  There are also additional guns \u2014 ghost guns and others that were not a reality just a few years ago. <\/p>\n<p>So, there are some laws he\u2019d like to go back to and some that he\u2019ll continue to work to update. <\/p>\n<p>Q    But, again, what\u2019s different now?  I mean, you\u2019ve got the powerful NRA.  You\u2019ve got Republicans who \u2014 anytime you touch anything about guns, they feel like you\u2019re taking their rights away.  What\u2019s different now?  Where do you think the tide will turn on this?<\/p>\n<p>MS. PSAKI:  Are you asking me about, like, the politics of now or the \u2014<\/p>\n<p>Q    The politics and, you know, this moment in time.  Why do you believe that you have a chance to make a dent when you didn\u2019t \u2014 when Democrats didn\u2019t have to do \u2014 have it before?<\/p>\n<p>MS. PSAKI:  Well, I would just say here\u2019s how the President sees this: There\u2019s been rising crime in cities for the last 18 months, if not before that.  Yes, there needs to be reforms of police systems across the country; the President is a firm believer in that. <\/p>\n<p>But there are also steps he can take, as President of the United States, to help address and hopefully reduce that crime.  A big part of that, in his view, is putting in place gun safety measures, using \u2014 even as Congress is not moving forward currently \u2014 using the bully pulpit, but also using levers at his disposal as President. <\/p>\n<p>Go ahead. <\/p>\n<p>Q    I guess I\u2019ll take another shot \u2014 stab at that, to use a phrase.  Sorry.  (Laughter.)  What\u2019s different for Joe Biden?  Thirty years ago, he was chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, wrote a crime bill, addressed this issue.  What has he learned since then?  And what can we look, tomorrow, that might be the same or different?<\/p>\n<p>MS. PSAKI:  Mm-hmm.  Well, I would say, first, on the campaign: The President said that some parts of the bill worked and some areas did not work.  There are also steps he took as senator when he introduced or supported legislation, I should say, to address the disparities in gun senten- \u2014 in drug sentencing laws.  So he\u2019s taken some specific actions over time in areas where he don\u2019t \u2014  doesn\u2019t think worked as well. <\/p>\n<p>There are some components of that legislation he supported at the time, including the 10-year ban on assault weapons; including the support for \u2014 for the Violence Against Women Act; and including the support for community policing programs that he has been a longtime advocate for.  And I think you will see continuity in terms of his support for those initiatives moving forward. <\/p>\n<p>Q    You said that he aims to build on the announcements he\u2019s made.  Is there anything we can expect to hear tomorrow that we haven\u2019t heard before?<\/p>\n<p>MS. PSAKI:  Stay tuned.  I can\u2019t tell you everything, otherwise you won\u2019t come tomorrow. <\/p>\n<p>Go ahead.<\/p>\n<p>Q    Thanks, Jen.  On the President\u2019s meeting with the chairman of the Federal Reserve yesterday: Did the President bring up interest rates or express his view on the direction of interest rates at all?<\/p>\n<p>MS. PSAKI:  As you well know, that is the purview of the Federal Reserve.  They\u2019ve put out their own projections, as you know, about what it looks like moving forward.  The topic and the focus of the meeting was exactly as it was outlined in our \u2014<\/p>\n<p>Q    So he did not bring up interest rates at all? <\/p>\n<p>MS. PSAKI:  I just have no more to read out for you. <\/p>\n<p>Q    Okay.  And then, on the infrastructure negotiations, do you know \u2014 has White House put anything new on the table as far as payfors?<\/p>\n<p>MS. PSAKI:  I would say we\u2019ve put a lot of different options on payfors on the table.  And our view is there\u2019s a fundamental question right now: Are \u2014 are Dem- \u2014 are Republicans, members of Congress, do they believe that rich people should have to pay the taxes they owe?  Or should we increase the cost of travelers who are just trying to make it to work? <\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s the basic question here.  So we\u2019ll see if they can make progress on that exact point. <\/p>\n<p>Go ahead. <\/p>\n<p>Q    Can you say who the stakeholders will \u2014 who will be at the White House tomorrow for this crime meeting?  Can you say who\u2019s coming?<\/p>\n<p>MS. PSAKI:  The announcement tomorrow?  Sure.  I don\u2019t have it in front of me, but we can venture to get it to you after the briefing.  Sure. <\/p>\n<p>Q    Okay.  Great.  And this is sort of a pullback question, but why now exactly?  Is it just because crime rates are up and the stats are out?  Or why is this the week, of all the weeks, that the President has decided to focus on crime?<\/p>\n<p>MS. PSAKI:  First, I would say that he\u2019s made a number of announcements over the past several months on gun violence, on putting in place gun safety measures.  He\u2019s made \u2014 announced in his budget his support for community policing and providing funding.  Maybe we haven\u2019t drawn that clear through-line for all of you, but this is a continuation of that, in his view.<\/p>\n<p>Q    Labeling it a speech about crime is certainly different than a speech about gun safety or it \u2014 this is \u2014 this is a different focus.<\/p>\n<p>MS. PSAKI:  A central part of it will be on gun violence. <\/p>\n<p>Q    Okay.<\/p>\n<p>MS. PSAKI:  Yeah.  Go ahead. <\/p>\n<p>Q    I\u2019m just going to continue this \u2014<\/p>\n<p>MS. PSAKI:  Sure.<\/p>\n<p>Q    \u2014 crime spree, if you will.  (Laughter.)<\/p>\n<p>MS. PSAKI:  A lot of analogies here that might be threatening. <\/p>\n<p>Q    My colleague, Zolan, had brought up that there are activists who are very concerned that the President\u2019s decision to highlight crime right now could undercut some of the negotiations on the Hill for police reform.  You\u2019d asked for the names of some of them.  The Tampa Dream Defenders is one, the Justice Action Network is another \u2014 just so we, sort of, have that covered. <\/p>\n<p>But can you address how the President is going to sort of walk that line between expressing his concern about crime without undercutting these efforts that, as you point out, have been under- \u2014 you know, have been underway for a while. <\/p>\n<p>MS. PSAKI:  Sure.  Well, what I was trying to get at \u2014 but thanks for bringing up the question again \u2014 is that there are negotiators that are continuing to make progress on the Hill.  And the President supports and stands by a lot of these groups in their support and advocacy for long-overdue police reform.  He believes that, supports it, wants to sign a bill into law.<\/p>\n<p>He does not feel that they are conflicting.  And I don\u2019t think you\u2019ve heard from any of the negotiators on the Hill that they feel they are conflicting either.  So that was the point I was trying to make. <\/p>\n<p>And communities across the country where they are seeing \u2014 if you\u2019re living in St. Louis and 96 percent of homicides were done where \u2014 we know the instrument \u2014 were done using a firearm, you do want to hear more about what the President of the United States is going to do to address that.  If you\u2019re living in New York City, you do want to hear more. <\/p>\n<p>And nationwide, you know, Everytown put out some information that there were 30 \u2014 more \u2014 30 \u2014 3,900 additional firearm deaths and 9,278 additional firearm injuries in 2020 compared to 2019.  That\u2019s impacting people\u2019s lives, people\u2019s communities, people\u2019s families, people\u2019s neighbors.  Of course they want to hear more, and he wants to share more with the American public about what he\u2019s going to do about it. <\/p>\n<p>Q    And then just on COVID: Just given that, you know, the country did not reach this goal of 70 percent of adults being \u2014 getting one shot, is there anything that the country cannot do?  Is there any sort of \u2014 I mean, that was always the, sort of, benchmark for getting back to normalcy.  And since we didn\u2019t get there, are there things that the country cannot do because we haven\u2019t actually achieved the goal that we were supposed to?<\/p>\n<p>MS. PSAKI:  Well, first, I would say it\u2019s a goal we, here, set in the White House.  I\u2019m \u2014<\/p>\n<p>Q    Is there anything you\u2019d recommend the country not do, given that the goal was not reached? <\/p>\n<p>MS. PSAKI:  Well, this was always going to be community to community, right?  When the President set this goal back in March, it was always meant to be a incentive and a driver for people to see what the benefit would be of getting vaccinated.  And at the time, what the President said is, \u201cIf you are vaccinated, your neighbors are vaccinated, you can all have a backyard barbecue.\u201d  We\u2019re doing that times about 100 by hosting 1,000 people here at the White House. <\/p>\n<p>Now, if you\u2019re in a community where you\u2019re at 80 percent vaccination rate, my bet is the community is pretty closely back to normal. <\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re not in a com- \u2014 if you\u2019re a community with a much lower vaccination rate, obviously, you\u2019re going to make your own choices, but you\u2019re not operating in a community where it should be back to normal. <\/p>\n<p>So, it\u2019s always going \u2014 was always going to be local, was always going to be based on what the decisions are made, community to community \u2014 but not nationwide, no.  It\u2019s really dependent on where you\u2019re living. <\/p>\n<p>Q    So, because the President is in Washington, D.C., and they have got \u2014 we have got \u2014 Washington, D.C., has gone beyond their 70 percent goal, it\u2019s okay to do (inaudible).  It\u2019s okay to have 1,000 people in Washington, D.C., at an event because Washington, D.C., has surpassed the 70 percent, but somewhere where it\u2019s a 50 percent vaccination rate perhaps \u2014<\/p>\n<p>MS. PSAKI:  Communities are going to make their own decision.  There\u2019s nothing ever magical through science about 70 percent.  70 percent was a bold, ambitious goal we set to continue to drive to get more people vaccinated across the country.  But it\u2019s not as if, if you\u2019re 67 percent in a community, you\u2019re at a different level of safety than 71 percent.<\/p>\n<p>Communities are going to make their own decisions.  And I think, at \u2014 a fundamental fact is that if you\u2019re vaccinated, if your neighbors are vaccinated, then you\u2019re safe. <\/p>\n<p>Go ahead. <\/p>\n<p>Q    Thank you, Jen.  One quick \u2014<\/p>\n<p>MS. PSAKI:  Oh, I\u2019m sorry.  I\u2019m going to \u2014 I\u2019m going to (inaudible) here.  Go ahead.  Go ahead, Chris. <\/p>\n<p>Q    Oh, thanks.  Can you respond to \u2014 at least a couple Republican senators and one today said that \u2014 want to have talked about signing on to this bipartisan talks right now on the Jobs Plan, that that would essentially stop momentum or stop you guys from being able to do reconciliation.  Can you respond to that idea that they\u2019re basically cooperating so that you can\u2019t do the second half of your plan?<\/p>\n<p>MS. PSAKI:  I don\u2019t think that\u2019s how the process works, fundamentally. <\/p>\n<p>Q    So it will not stop the White House from enacting and Democrats from \u2014<\/p>\n<p>MS. PSAKI:  Well, if you just \u2014 if we just go to our episode of \u201cHow a Bill Becomes a Law,\u201d there\u2019s a budget reconciliation process led by the budget chairman; it\u2019s proceeding.  It needs a certain number of votes.  That\u2019s different from the number of votes that are needed for other pieces of legislation. <\/p>\n<p>That piece of legislat- \u2014 the budget reconciliation process is proceeding.  There\u2019ll be discussions.  There may even be disagreements among people within the Democratic Party about what should be included in there or not.  There needs to be 50 votes to move that forward.  But that process is continuing and proceeding.<\/p>\n<p>Q    But stopping the momentum for it, as well as taking the amount of time that these talks are taking that it \u2014 realistically, that it could gum up the works to get this \u2014<\/p>\n<p>MS. PSAKI:  How would it gum up the works?<\/p>\n<p>Q    I mean, this is their \u2014 this is their plan, their hope of a strategy.<\/p>\n<p>MS. PSAKI:  Sounds like they have some more explaining to do about what they mean.  Or maybe they need to go to \u201cHow a Bill Becomes a Law,\u201d \u201cHow Reconciliation Works.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>Q    I\u2019ll suggest that.<\/p>\n<p>MS. PSAKI:  Senator Sanders could \u2014 he could come to the Republican caucus and teach them.  I\u2019ll offer him.<\/p>\n<p>Q    One on foreign affairs, please?<\/p>\n<p>MS. PSAKI:  I\u2019m sorry, we have to wrap it up because I think the President is about to speak.  But thanks so much everyone.  Sorry it was a little short today. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Washington, DC&#8230;.Hi, everyone. Okay. So, I know some of you are going to have to leave for the pool call, which is absolutely fine. We will also keep you honest on when the President is getting ready to speak. 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