English subtitles for clip: File:2-24-15- White House Press Briefing.webm

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Mr. Earnest:
Good afternoon, everybody.

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It's nice to see you all.

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You just got the readout
of the President's meeting

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with the Amir of Qatar.

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They had an opportunity
to speak for themselves

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to readout that meeting.

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Other than noting that, I
don't have anything

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at the top here so we can go
straight to questions.

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Jim, do you want
to get us started?

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The Press:
Sure.

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Thank you.

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First of all, the Keystone
bill is arriving

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at the White House today,
or already has.

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Mr. Earnest:
That's what I hear.

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The Press:
Can you tell us
when the President

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intends to veto it, as
he promised?

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Mr. Earnest:
Well, as I
mentioned yesterday,

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the President does intend
to veto this piece

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of legislation and we intend
to do it without

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any drama or fanfare or delay.

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So I would anticipate that
we'll have an update

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on this later on today.

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The Press:
So you
expect it today?

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We can expect it today?

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Mr. Earnest:
Yes, you
can count on that today.

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The Press:
Coverage
or paper statement?

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Mr. Earnest:
We'll have
a statement

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through the usual channels.

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The Press:
No photo
spray or anything?

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Mr. Earnest:
No.

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The Press:
On DHS --

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The Press:
It's in
the pipeline.

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(laughter)

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Mr. Earnest:
Wouldn't want that news

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to leak out some other way.

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(laughter)

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The Press:
You
physically have the bill now?

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Mr. Earnest:
It's my
understanding that

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Congress did send the text
of the bill

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to the White House
this morning.

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The Press:
On DHS funding,
as you know, the Senate

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Majority Leader has
offered to split

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the bill so that there's a
separate vote on the immigration

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policies of the President
and another

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one on the
funding itself.

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Senator Reid has objected
to the sequencing of that.

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He wants to vote on the
clean funding bill

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first before you go on
to immigration.

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Does the President have
a preference on that?

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Does the President want
to at least just

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get this issue off the
table and it doesn't

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matter on sequencing?

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What's the White
House's position?

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Mr. Earnest:
The official
White House position

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is that the President served
in the United States

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Senate for a period
between 2004 and 2008,

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in which he readily weighed
in on legislative

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maneuvers and strategies related
to the complicated procedures

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that essentially guide the legislative process.

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At this point, it's the
responsibility

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of Congress to figure out how to
perform among their

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most basic functions, which is
to ensure that

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the budget for the Department of
Homeland Security

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gets passed in a
timely fashion.

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The Press:
But, Josh, this
is his party and it could

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essentially end up closing one 
of his executive agencies.

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Mr. Earnest:
The President
has -- well, Republicans

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spent a lot of time and a
lot of money

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and a lot of effort going around
the country about making

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the case why they should
be put in charge

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of the United States Congress.

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They succeeded in that
effort,

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and they persuaded the American
people to hand them

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the responsibility of the
majority of both

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the United States House
of Representatives

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and the United States Senate.

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And the question now
facing Republicans

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is how they're going to use that
authority and whether

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or not they're going to do
it responsibly,

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in a way that's in the best
interest of the country

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and whether or not it's in
the best interest

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of our national security.

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And the fact of the matter
is I can't find anybody

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who thinks it's a good
idea to shut down

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the Department of Homeland
Security,

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which means that congressional
Republicans should simply

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do their job.

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And they should pass
legislation

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that would fully fund the
Department of Homeland Security

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for the remainder
of this year.

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The Press:
And Senator McConnell

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is offering a clean bill like
you demanded,

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so why not get behind this bill?

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Mr. Earnest:
Well, I haven't seen the

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particulars in terms of
exactly what

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he's put forward, but ultimately
it will be up to the individual

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members of Congress to make
their own decision.

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But, again, congressional
Republicans are in charge.

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They're in the majority.

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And this is something that
they sought,

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and these are exactly the kinds
of problems

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that they hoped to have the
opportunity to solve,

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and we look forward
to them doing it.

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The Press:
Next question on Iran.

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The contours of the deal
that are being

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discussed would allow Iran
to potentially

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consider moving toward a
nuclear device after 10 years.

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And I'm wondering if
that's a period of time --

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I know that parts of the
discussion have been

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about a 20-year period before
-- that seems to be

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the compromise number.

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Is that a number that we
can trust the Iranians

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to stick by and not to
begin producing

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a nuclear device
after that?

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Mr. Earnest:
Well, Jim,
I'm loathe to get into

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the negotiating
details of the position

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that is adopted by the United
States and our international

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partners when they are sitting
across the table

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from the Iranians.

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However, I will say that
there was a report

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today indicating that we
were negotiating

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for essentially a
10-year deal.

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Those reports
are not correct.

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That does not reflect
the accurate

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negotiating position of the
United States and our

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international partners.

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But the second part of your
question is important as well.

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It goes to whether or not the
United States

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and the international
community is prepared

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to start trusting the Iranians.

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I think the point, Jim, of
these negotiations

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is to not just reach an
agreement with the Iranians,

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but reach an agreement with the
Iranians that we can

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verify on a continuing,
ongoing basis;

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that there is ample reason for
the international community

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to not put a lot of faith in 
the claims of the Iranians

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when it comes to their
nuclear program.

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It was just a few years
ago that there

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was this covert nuclear facility
in Iran that had previously

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been undeclared that
did yield some evidence

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indicating that Iran was
trying to secretly develop

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a nuclear weapon.

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So what we need is a
clear agreement from the

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international community
and the Iranians

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and an agreement that
is verifiable.

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And any part of an
agreement will include

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ready access by the
international community

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to ensure that Iran is living
up to their end of the bargain.

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The Press:
But you're
saying that reports that

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the deal would clamp
down on Tehran's nuclear

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activities for at least 10
years and then slowly

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ease those restrictions,
that isn't correct?

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Mr. Earnest:
Well, again,
I'm not willing

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to get into the specific details

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of our negotiating position.

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But there are some who are
making the case publicly

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that we are in favor of a
deal that would just

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be 10 years in duration, and
that is not accurate.

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Roberta.

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The Press:
On Keystone,
the veto is one thing,

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but I'm wondering, how long
is it going to take

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the administration to finish
its review of whether

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the project is in the
national interest?

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Is that something that's
going to happen today as well?

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Mr. Earnest: This is a review
that is being conducted by

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the State Department, and so you
can contact the State Department

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for an update on the timing
of that review.

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The Press:
The President
isn't going to announce

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something on that
as well today?

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Mr. Earnest:
Again, the
review is being conducted

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by the State Department,

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so you can get an update from
them about their timing.

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The Press:
Secondly, there
are reports that the DOJ

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is not going to press
charges against

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George Zimmerman for the
shooting of Trayvon Martin.

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Can you confirm that?

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Mr. Earnest:
I can't confirm that.

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So you should check with
the Department of Justice

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about any announcement
they may or may not

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be planning to make at
this point.

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The Press:
Okay.

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Lastly, on Ukraine, Prime
Minister David Cameron

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said he would deploy
military personnel

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in the next month to Ukraine to
help with training,

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and I'm wondering if that's
something that the U.S.

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is considering -- any
measures to help Ukraine

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with military training?

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Mr. Earnest:
Well, let me
say a couple things about this.

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The first is that the
United States continues

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to be concerned by
ongoing violations

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of the Minsk Implementation Plan
by Russian-backed

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separatists in Ukraine.

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We have seen repeatedly
that these Russian-backed

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separatists have continued
to violate the terms

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of the agreement despite the
fact that they made

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firm commitments in the context
of an immediate and

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comprehensive cease-fire.

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In addition to that, we
have seen Russian military

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vehicles -- I'm sorry
-- we have seen Russian

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military personnel have
participated in the recent

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attacks on Vuhlehirsk
and Debaltseve.

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And the Russian military
has put in place

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a robust command structure
in eastern Ukraine.

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We know this because
separatist fighters

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have also previously
acknowledged

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that they are operating under
instructions from Moscow.

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Russia and the separatists
it backs have acted in direct

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contravention of the Minsk
Implementation Plan

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that they agreed to.

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And we continue to call on
all signatories to carry

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out the commitments
undertaken in the plan in

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the September Minsk Agreements
fully and without delay.

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The other thing that we're
concerned about

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is that there are reports that
Russian-backed separatists

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have prevented members of the
OSCE special monitoring mission

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from getting full access to the
conflict areas.

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There are even some
reports that indicate

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that those separatists have
made grave threats

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against members of the OSCE
monitoring team.

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So we have seen continued
behavior that is

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in direct violation of the
agreement that Russia

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and the other parties signed
just a couple of weeks ago.

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So we continue to be
concerned about the situation

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in Ukraine.

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I don't have any updates in
terms of assistance that we

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will provide to the Ukrainians
at this point other than

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to remind you that we have 
already provided substantial

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assistance to the Ukrainian 
military and we have already

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provided substantial
economic assistance

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to the Ukrainian government
and the Ukrainian people.

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And there was additional
assistance the

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administration believes we
should provide and that

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is why we have called on the
United States Congress

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to pass legislation that
would offer additional

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loan guarantees to the
Ukrainians to strengthen

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their economy while they try to
deal with this continuing

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instability in the eastern part
of the nation.

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Cheryl.

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The Press:
Thanks.

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Back on DHS, if I may.

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Senator McConnell is apparently
shopping a compromise

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on the Hill right now to try to
move forward on that.

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Is the White House looking
to find a compromise,

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or are you still certain
you've got to have a clean bill?

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Mr. Earnest:
Well, Cheryl,
the administration

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has been clear that we stand
ready to compromise

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00:10:29,762 --> 00:10:32,532
with members of Congress,
including Republicans,

248
00:10:32,531 --> 00:10:35,671
when it comes to trying to
address the many

249
00:10:35,668 --> 00:10:38,138
problems caused by our broken
immigration system.

250
00:10:38,137 --> 00:10:40,137
In fact, we spent a lot of
time over the last

251
00:10:40,139 --> 00:10:42,139
couple of years trying to reach
that compromise,

252
00:10:42,141 --> 00:10:44,781
and in the United States Senate,
we succeeded in doing so,

253
00:10:44,777 --> 00:10:47,117
that we got more than a dozen
Republican senators to sign

254
00:10:47,113 --> 00:10:50,583
on to a compromise bipartisan
immigration reform proposal.

255
00:10:50,583 --> 00:10:53,323
That was a proposal that was
blocked by House Republicans,

256
00:10:53,319 --> 00:10:56,559
even though we knew that had the
House Republican leadership

257
00:10:56,555 --> 00:10:59,755
allowed it to come to the floor,
it would have passed

258
00:10:59,759 --> 00:11:01,359
with bipartisan support.

259
00:11:01,360 --> 00:11:04,960
So we do stand ready to have
those kinds of conversations

260
00:11:04,964 --> 00:11:06,264
with members of
Congress.

261
00:11:06,265 --> 00:11:11,535
But we shouldn't compromise our
homeland security just because

262
00:11:11,537 --> 00:11:13,537
Republicans want to pick a 
political fight.

263
00:11:15,875 --> 00:11:17,875
That certainly is
not responsible.

264
00:11:17,877 --> 00:11:20,117
It's not consistent
with the Senate Majority

265
00:11:20,112 --> 00:11:22,582
Leader's aspirations
to send a signal

266
00:11:22,581 --> 00:11:24,581
to the American people that
Republican leadership

267
00:11:24,583 --> 00:11:27,123
shouldn't be "scary --
that's his word, not mine.

268
00:11:29,155 --> 00:11:31,355
So we're hopeful that
Republicans will

269
00:11:31,357 --> 00:11:33,757
do the responsible thing,
that they'll join with

270
00:11:33,759 --> 00:11:37,129
Democrats to support a
full-year extension

271
00:11:37,129 --> 00:11:39,729
of funding for the Department
of Homeland Security

272
00:11:39,732 --> 00:11:41,432
prior to the deadline.

273
00:11:41,434 --> 00:11:43,434
And then if there are
Republicans that

274
00:11:43,436 --> 00:11:45,436
want to have a legitimate
conversation with

275
00:11:45,438 --> 00:11:49,278
the administration about how
to solve the problems

276
00:11:49,275 --> 00:11:51,815
that are created by our broken
immigration system,

277
00:11:51,811 --> 00:11:53,651
then we stand ready to do that.

278
00:11:53,646 --> 00:11:55,616
We'd even host those
meetings right here

279
00:11:55,614 --> 00:11:59,184
at the White House if
they would like.

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00:11:59,185 --> 00:12:00,085
Fred.

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00:12:00,086 --> 00:12:01,286
The Press:
Thanks.

282
00:12:01,287 --> 00:12:04,557
As far as the meeting
today with the leader of Qatar,

283
00:12:04,557 --> 00:12:09,227
there are reports that
Qatar has lent support

284
00:12:09,228 --> 00:12:11,068
to Hamas in the past.

285
00:12:11,063 --> 00:12:13,063
Do you think there's an
issue with the President

286
00:12:13,065 --> 00:12:15,605
meeting with the leader
of Qatar while not meeting

287
00:12:15,601 --> 00:12:17,701
with the leader
of Israel?

288
00:12:17,703 --> 00:12:19,573
Mr. Earnest:
Well, Fred,
I can tell you that --

289
00:12:19,572 --> 00:12:20,872
let me say a couple
things about that.

290
00:12:20,873 --> 00:12:24,213
As it relates to Prime
Minister Netanyahu,

291
00:12:24,210 --> 00:12:26,810
as we've said this many
times, there is no foreign

292
00:12:26,812 --> 00:12:28,252
leader with whom the
President has spent

293
00:12:28,247 --> 00:12:29,687
more time than Prime
Minister Netanyahu.

294
00:12:29,682 --> 00:12:33,522
And that is a testament
to the deep and ongoing

295
00:12:33,519 --> 00:12:36,259
security relationship that
exists between

296
00:12:36,255 --> 00:12:38,155
the United States
and Israel.

297
00:12:38,157 --> 00:12:40,157
Prime Minister Netanyahu
himself has said that

298
00:12:40,159 --> 00:12:42,159
the level of security
coordination between

299
00:12:42,161 --> 00:12:44,401
the United States and Israel
under the leadership

300
00:12:44,396 --> 00:12:46,866
of President Obama is
unprecedented,

301
00:12:46,866 --> 00:12:49,106
and we certainly would share
that assessment.

302
00:12:49,101 --> 00:12:53,171
As it relates to the
leader of Qatar,

303
00:12:53,172 --> 00:12:55,642
I can tell you that there are
a number of important

304
00:12:55,641 --> 00:12:57,511
interests that we
share with Qatar.

305
00:12:57,510 --> 00:12:59,450
Like all partnerships,
especially in this region

306
00:12:59,445 --> 00:13:01,085
of the world, the
United States does

307
00:13:01,080 --> 00:13:04,280
not necessarily agree with the
Qatari government

308
00:13:04,283 --> 00:13:07,623
on every issue, but we have the
kind of relationship

309
00:13:07,620 --> 00:13:10,060
that allows us to be frank
and open about

310
00:13:10,055 --> 00:13:12,125
where we disagree and why.

311
00:13:12,124 --> 00:13:14,194
But the bottom line is
that our interests

312
00:13:14,193 --> 00:13:18,733
with Qatar converge somewhat
more often than

313
00:13:18,731 --> 00:13:21,331
they actually diverge;
that Qatar has been

314
00:13:21,333 --> 00:13:23,373
a significant help on a
range of regional

315
00:13:23,369 --> 00:13:26,239
issues, including
Afghanistan, Iran.

316
00:13:26,238 --> 00:13:29,278
As you know, the Qataris
have even agreed to host

317
00:13:29,275 --> 00:13:32,745
a regional training site for the
moderate Syrian opposition.

318
00:13:32,745 --> 00:13:35,045
So we certainly
welcome the efforts

319
00:13:35,047 --> 00:13:38,587
of the Qataris to participate in
this broad international

320
00:13:38,584 --> 00:13:42,184
coalition to degrade and
ultimately destroy ISIL.

321
00:13:42,188 --> 00:13:44,628
We also know that the
Qataris have indicated

322
00:13:44,623 --> 00:13:46,723
a willingness to work
closely with

323
00:13:46,725 --> 00:13:49,025
us in other aspects of our
strategy against ISIL,

324
00:13:49,028 --> 00:13:52,928
too, particularly as it relates
to terror financing.

325
00:13:52,932 --> 00:13:55,402
And this is a focal point
of the administration's

326
00:13:55,401 --> 00:13:58,371
efforts to shut down
terrorism across the globe,

327
00:13:58,370 --> 00:14:00,910
but it certainly is an important
part of our strategy

328
00:14:00,906 --> 00:14:02,906
for degrading and ultimately
destroying ISIL --

329
00:14:02,908 --> 00:14:04,978
that if we can shut off the
financing of their operations,

330
00:14:04,977 --> 00:14:08,917
we're going to add even further
strain to their ability

331
00:14:08,914 --> 00:14:13,324
to carry out the terrible things
that we've seen them do.

332
00:14:13,319 --> 00:14:15,319
So we're working closely
with the Qataris

333
00:14:15,321 --> 00:14:17,321
on that aspect of our
strategy, too.

334
00:14:17,323 --> 00:14:19,493
And I think that is
precisely why the President

335
00:14:19,491 --> 00:14:22,461
convened the meeting with him in
the Oval Office today.

336
00:14:22,461 --> 00:14:23,461
Michelle.

337
00:14:23,462 --> 00:14:24,462
The Press:
On the
same subject,

338
00:14:24,463 --> 00:14:27,033
do you acknowledge that Qatar
has been a significant

339
00:14:27,032 --> 00:14:29,732
source of especially private
donations

340
00:14:29,735 --> 00:14:32,175
to ISIS and other terrorist groups?

341
00:14:32,171 --> 00:14:33,341
Mr. Earnest:
Well, Michelle,

342
00:14:33,339 --> 00:14:35,339
what we acknowledge is
that there are areas where

343
00:14:35,341 --> 00:14:37,581
we disagree with the Qataris,
but more often

344
00:14:37,576 --> 00:14:39,576
we find that our interests
overlap, that our

345
00:14:39,578 --> 00:14:41,578
interests with the
Qataris are consistent.

346
00:14:41,580 --> 00:14:44,980
And whether it's our work
with the international

347
00:14:44,984 --> 00:14:48,084
community to try to
ease the international

348
00:14:48,087 --> 00:14:50,557
community's concerns about
Iran's nuclear program,

349
00:14:50,556 --> 00:14:54,126
to dealing with the situation
in Afghanistan, or even

350
00:14:54,126 --> 00:14:56,096
the ongoing campaign
against ISIL,

351
00:14:56,095 --> 00:14:58,335
that there are a variety of ways
in which the United States

352
00:14:58,330 --> 00:15:00,970
has been able to work
effectively with the Qataris

353
00:15:00,966 --> 00:15:03,036
to protect and advance our
national security interests

354
00:15:03,035 --> 00:15:05,005
in the region and
around the globe.

355
00:15:05,004 --> 00:15:06,274
The Press:
And for a long time,
the Qataris

356
00:15:06,272 --> 00:15:09,442
have been accused of trying
to play it both ways --

357
00:15:09,441 --> 00:15:12,611
of welcoming hate preachers,
as we might call them,

358
00:15:12,611 --> 00:15:15,751
to their biggest mosque, of
continuing the financing,

359
00:15:15,748 --> 00:15:18,688
and only really trying to
stop it when pressure is put on.

360
00:15:18,684 --> 00:15:21,824
So can you say whether
pressure is on them now

361
00:15:21,820 --> 00:15:24,460
to stop that financing and
whether there has been any

362
00:15:24,456 --> 00:15:28,596
progress either in that area or
with supporting these people

363
00:15:28,594 --> 00:15:31,494
that come in and preach against
Jews and other faiths?

364
00:15:31,497 --> 00:15:33,497
Mr. Earnest:
Well, Michelle, I can tell

365
00:15:33,499 --> 00:15:35,499
you that the administration
does continue to work closely

366
00:15:35,501 --> 00:15:38,501
with the Qataris to try to
improve our efforts to shut down

367
00:15:38,504 --> 00:15:40,974
the financing for terror operations.

368
00:15:40,973 --> 00:15:43,143
And the Qataris have been
an effective partner

369
00:15:43,142 --> 00:15:45,612
in that endeavor so far, but
we do believe

370
00:15:45,611 --> 00:15:47,611
that there is more that they can
do and more that

371
00:15:47,613 --> 00:15:49,613
we can do together to shut down
the financing

372
00:15:49,615 --> 00:15:51,615
of terror operations
around the globe.

373
00:15:51,617 --> 00:15:53,617
The Press:
And was that
made clear today to them,

374
00:15:53,619 --> 00:15:54,619
that they can do more?

375
00:15:54,620 --> 00:15:56,660
Mr. Earnest:
Well, I don't
have a detailed readout

376
00:15:56,655 --> 00:15:57,695
of the meeting.

377
00:15:57,690 --> 00:15:58,690
It just ended.

378
00:15:58,691 --> 00:16:00,691
But you can check with my
NSC colleagues to see

379
00:16:00,693 --> 00:16:02,763
if you can get a better
sense of how this issue

380
00:16:02,761 --> 00:16:03,761
was discussed in the meeting.

381
00:16:03,762 --> 00:16:05,762
The Press:
And shortly
after the video

382
00:16:05,764 --> 00:16:07,734
came out of the burning of the
Jordanian pilot,

383
00:16:07,733 --> 00:16:11,073
it was said that this could be
a way to bring in more

384
00:16:11,070 --> 00:16:12,970
of the Arab participation.

385
00:16:12,971 --> 00:16:14,971
Do you anticipate
that happening?

386
00:16:14,973 --> 00:16:17,643
Because really it's only been
about 3 percent of the

387
00:16:17,643 --> 00:16:21,283
airstrikes have come from Arab
partners and other countries.

388
00:16:21,280 --> 00:16:22,550
Do you see that growing?

389
00:16:22,548 --> 00:16:24,388
It just seems like it
hasn't changed

390
00:16:24,383 --> 00:16:26,053
for the duration
of this.

391
00:16:26,051 --> 00:16:28,221
Mr. Earnest:
Well, Michelle, I think there

392
00:16:28,220 --> 00:16:30,220
are a lot of different
ways to evaluate this,

393
00:16:30,222 --> 00:16:32,222
and certainly the easiest way
to evaluate this

394
00:16:32,224 --> 00:16:38,694
is to take a close look at the
way in which Arab countries have

395
00:16:38,697 --> 00:16:41,937
participated in our military
operations against ISIL.

396
00:16:41,934 --> 00:16:44,704
And as we pointed out on a
number of occasions,

397
00:16:44,703 --> 00:16:48,943
there are important Arab
partners who are taking action

398
00:16:48,941 --> 00:16:52,211
alongside American military 
p
ilots to strike ISIL targets

399
00:16:52,211 --> 00:16:53,211
in Syria.

400
00:16:53,212 --> 00:16:55,212
And we certainly welcome
that contribution

401
00:16:55,214 --> 00:16:58,584
and it is making a tangible
contribution

402
00:16:58,584 --> 00:17:02,024
to our ongoing effort and to
our broader strategy.

403
00:17:02,020 --> 00:17:04,020
There also was an
important role for them,

404
00:17:04,022 --> 00:17:06,022
for our partners in the region,
to play when it comes

405
00:17:06,024 --> 00:17:08,494
to shutting down
ISIL financing;

406
00:17:08,494 --> 00:17:10,494
that there is a lot of money
that's moving through that

407
00:17:10,496 --> 00:17:14,966
region -- whether it's the black
market for oil to other

408
00:17:14,967 --> 00:17:19,407
sources of illicit financing
for their operations.

409
00:17:19,405 --> 00:17:22,305
We're also working with
the Qataris and other

410
00:17:22,307 --> 00:17:27,617
regional partners to
combat ISIL's efforts

411
00:17:27,613 --> 00:17:32,053
to move foreign fighters
into that region.

412
00:17:32,050 --> 00:17:33,820
You'll recall that the
President convened

413
00:17:33,819 --> 00:17:35,389
a meeting of the United
Nations Security Council

414
00:17:35,387 --> 00:17:37,457
to discuss this important
issue last fall.

415
00:17:37,456 --> 00:17:39,426
We continue to work with
our partners around

416
00:17:39,425 --> 00:17:41,425
the globe and in the region
on those efforts.

417
00:17:41,427 --> 00:17:44,097
And we also work with
Muslim leaders

418
00:17:44,096 --> 00:17:51,206
in the region to try to counter
the extremist ideology

419
00:17:51,203 --> 00:17:53,503
that ISIL propagated on
social media;

420
00:17:53,505 --> 00:17:57,045
that there is an important role
for more moderate voices

421
00:17:57,042 --> 00:18:00,582
in the Muslim world to
stand up and to use their

422
00:18:00,579 --> 00:18:03,619
influence to try to
counter that messaging.

423
00:18:03,615 --> 00:18:06,855
And we certainly welcome
the influence

424
00:18:06,852 --> 00:18:10,252
of political leaders in that
effort as well.

425
00:18:10,255 --> 00:18:12,655
The Press:
And really
quickly, on Bob McDonald

426
00:18:12,658 --> 00:18:15,098
misstating his past
service --

427
00:18:15,093 --> 00:18:17,933
does that bother the President
or the administration?

428
00:18:17,930 --> 00:18:19,930
Mr. Earnest:
Well,
Michelle, I can tell you that,

429
00:18:19,932 --> 00:18:22,632
obviously, as you know,
Secretary McDonald

430
00:18:22,634 --> 00:18:24,104
went to West Point.

431
00:18:24,102 --> 00:18:25,602
He served in the
82nd Airborne.

432
00:18:25,604 --> 00:18:28,144
He is somebody who, when
he was in the military,

433
00:18:28,140 --> 00:18:32,080
completed jungle, arctic,
and desert warfare training.

434
00:18:32,077 --> 00:18:34,077
So he is somebody who
understands firsthand

435
00:18:34,079 --> 00:18:36,079
the sacrifice that our men and
women in uniform

436
00:18:36,081 --> 00:18:37,451
make on a regular basis.

437
00:18:37,449 --> 00:18:40,449
He is also somebody who
understands firsthand

438
00:18:40,452 --> 00:18:42,452
about why what he said
about his service

439
00:18:42,454 --> 00:18:45,354
was wrong, and that certainly
is why it was appropriate

440
00:18:45,357 --> 00:18:47,127
for him to apologize.

441
00:18:47,125 --> 00:18:49,125
But there is no reason
to think that the mistake

442
00:18:49,127 --> 00:18:51,127
that he made should
interfere with his ability

443
00:18:51,129 --> 00:18:53,129
to continue to lead
the fight for our veterans

444
00:18:53,131 --> 00:18:56,071
and to continue to implement
the kinds of reforms at the VA

445
00:18:56,068 --> 00:18:58,408
that are so critical to making
sure that our veterans

446
00:18:58,403 --> 00:19:00,903
are getting the benefits
that they deserve.

447
00:19:00,906 --> 00:19:01,836
Jon.

448
00:19:01,840 --> 00:19:03,380
The Press:
A couple
of quick follow-ups.

449
00:19:03,375 --> 00:19:06,515
First, yesterday I asked
you about whether or not

450
00:19:06,512 --> 00:19:08,812
the President would be
calling congressional

451
00:19:08,814 --> 00:19:11,984
leaders to the White House
to try to work out some

452
00:19:11,984 --> 00:19:14,324
agreement to prevent the
Homeland Security shutdown

453
00:19:14,319 --> 00:19:15,219
from happening.

454
00:19:15,220 --> 00:19:16,260
Is that going to happen?

455
00:19:16,255 --> 00:19:17,155
Mr. Earnest:
I don't know
of any meeting like that

456
00:19:17,155 --> 00:19:18,495
that's planned
at this point.

457
00:19:18,490 --> 00:19:21,060
But like I said, I believe
that members of Congress

458
00:19:21,059 --> 00:19:22,659
are still returning from
their week-long recess

459
00:19:22,661 --> 00:19:25,201
last week and once they're
all back in town, if it's

460
00:19:25,197 --> 00:19:26,737
necessary for the
President to bring some of

461
00:19:26,732 --> 00:19:27,932
them down to the
White House and have a

462
00:19:27,933 --> 00:19:30,303
conversation about this,
then we'll do that.

463
00:19:30,302 --> 00:19:32,102
The Press:
Do you think it
would be productive given

464
00:19:32,104 --> 00:19:34,644
what you just said about
how the President has been

465
00:19:34,640 --> 00:19:36,410
out of the Senate for a number 
of years, he doesn't

466
00:19:36,408 --> 00:19:39,178
want to get engaged in these
questions of procedural --

467
00:19:39,177 --> 00:19:40,447
Mr. Earnest:
I think the point is that

468
00:19:40,445 --> 00:19:43,745
it's their responsibility
to work this through.

469
00:19:43,749 --> 00:19:45,749
And again, Republicans
spent a lot of time trying

470
00:19:45,751 --> 00:19:47,891
to persuade the American
people that they should

471
00:19:47,886 --> 00:19:49,886
be entrusted with the reins
of the United States

472
00:19:49,888 --> 00:19:52,188
Congress and be entrusted
with the power of the purse.

473
00:19:52,190 --> 00:19:55,630
And we need to see if
they're going to step up

474
00:19:55,627 --> 00:19:57,227
and assume responsibility.

475
00:19:57,229 --> 00:19:59,229
Again, there are probably
going to be some times

476
00:19:59,231 --> 00:20:01,231
over the course of this
year where Republicans

477
00:20:01,233 --> 00:20:03,233
in Congress are going to have
to make some really tough

478
00:20:03,235 --> 00:20:05,875
decisions and take some
really difficult votes.

479
00:20:05,871 --> 00:20:07,871
I'm not really sure why
funding the Department

480
00:20:07,873 --> 00:20:09,873
of Homeland Security and
making sure that that

481
00:20:09,875 --> 00:20:13,615
funding doesn't lapse is
considered a difficult task.

482
00:20:13,612 --> 00:20:17,112
But again, this is a
challenge for Republican

483
00:20:17,115 --> 00:20:19,455
leaders to decide if they
can demonstrate to the

484
00:20:19,451 --> 00:20:21,451
American public that
they're going to continue

485
00:20:21,453 --> 00:20:23,453
to act in the country's
best interests.

486
00:20:23,455 --> 00:20:25,455
The Press:
On the Iran
nuclear talks, you said

487
00:20:25,457 --> 00:20:28,857
that the White House is
not negotiating for

488
00:20:28,860 --> 00:20:33,500
a 10-year sunset, basically,
a 10-year -- a point where

489
00:20:33,498 --> 00:20:37,098
Iran would be able to become
effectively a nuclear power.

490
00:20:37,102 --> 00:20:40,642
Is the administration,
is the White House,

491
00:20:40,639 --> 00:20:43,639
the President opposed to a
timeline that is so short?

492
00:20:43,642 --> 00:20:47,082
You said you're not
pushing for it, you're not

493
00:20:47,079 --> 00:20:49,079
arguing for it, you're
not negotiating for it.

494
00:20:49,081 --> 00:20:50,881
But is that a non-starter?

495
00:20:50,882 --> 00:20:52,882
Is that something you
would not agree to?

496
00:20:52,884 --> 00:20:55,424
Mr. Earnest:
Well, again,
Jon, I've used this

497
00:20:55,420 --> 00:20:59,190
analogy on other occasions,
or on other topics.

498
00:20:59,191 --> 00:21:01,131
It's not something that
you and I can negotiate

499
00:21:01,126 --> 00:21:02,626
from here, that ultimately
we're going to have

500
00:21:02,628 --> 00:21:05,328
a conversation with the
Iranians about the way

501
00:21:05,330 --> 00:21:07,370
that they can resolve the
international community's

502
00:21:07,366 --> 00:21:12,706
concerns with their
nuclear program.

503
00:21:12,704 --> 00:21:14,944
At this point, there's
not more detail

504
00:21:14,940 --> 00:21:18,810
that I can share about the
negotiating position

505
00:21:18,810 --> 00:21:21,550
of the United States other
than to say that those

506
00:21:21,546 --> 00:21:23,786
reports from earlier today
were not accurate and did

507
00:21:23,782 --> 00:21:26,022
not accurately reflect
our negotiating.

508
00:21:26,018 --> 00:21:28,018
The Press:
I understand
why you wouldn't want

509
00:21:28,020 --> 00:21:30,360
to negotiate it here,
obviously, but this seems

510
00:21:30,355 --> 00:21:32,355
to be a pretty
fundamental question.

511
00:21:32,357 --> 00:21:35,497
The report which you now
said was inaccurate,

512
00:21:35,494 --> 00:21:37,134
but I'm trying to
get how much of --

513
00:21:37,129 --> 00:21:39,069
I don't want to use the word red
line, but how much

514
00:21:39,064 --> 00:21:43,004
of an absolute
non-starter that is.

515
00:21:43,001 --> 00:21:45,771
The report suggested a
deal taking place with

516
00:21:45,771 --> 00:21:49,141
the Iranians after a
period of just 10 years,

517
00:21:49,141 --> 00:21:51,641
where it would basically have
no restrictions on their

518
00:21:51,643 --> 00:21:54,043
ability to enrich uranium.

519
00:21:54,046 --> 00:21:56,446
And I'm just asking if
that's -- I know that's

520
00:21:56,448 --> 00:21:59,748
not the position you're
trying to get, but is that

521
00:21:59,751 --> 00:22:01,051
simply unacceptable?

522
00:22:01,053 --> 00:22:04,553
Mr. Earnest:
Well, what is
unacceptable is the idea

523
00:22:04,556 --> 00:22:07,326
that Iran would obtain
a nuclear weapon.

524
00:22:07,325 --> 00:22:10,865
And that has been our policy
for quite some time.

525
00:22:10,862 --> 00:22:12,862
And the whole purpose of
these negotiations is

526
00:22:12,864 --> 00:22:15,204
to make sure that Iran doesn't
obtain a nuclear weapon.

527
00:22:15,200 --> 00:22:16,840
And the reason for
that is that

528
00:22:16,835 --> 00:22:18,835
it would be terribly
destabilizing for the region.

529
00:22:18,837 --> 00:22:21,407
It could precipitate, and
I think we could even say

530
00:22:21,406 --> 00:22:24,076
is likely to precipitate a
nuclear arms race in what

531
00:22:24,076 --> 00:22:26,716
is already a very volatile
region of the world.

532
00:22:26,712 --> 00:22:28,712
That would not be in the
best interests of American

533
00:22:28,714 --> 00:22:30,714
national security, and it
certainly would not be in the

534
00:22:30,716 --> 00:22:33,586
best interest of our closest
ally in the region, Israel.

535
00:22:33,585 --> 00:22:37,385
So that's why we're engaged
in these negotiations.

536
00:22:37,389 --> 00:22:42,299
And once we have -- the
President has indicated

537
00:22:42,294 --> 00:22:44,764
that the time for
conducting these kinds of

538
00:22:44,763 --> 00:22:47,363
negotiations is running
short, and so once we've

539
00:22:47,365 --> 00:22:49,665
sort of reached the other
end of these things,

540
00:22:49,668 --> 00:22:52,268
we can have a more detailed
conversation

541
00:22:52,270 --> 00:22:53,270
about what that deal is.

542
00:22:53,271 --> 00:22:55,271
The Press:
And can you confirm --

543
00:22:55,273 --> 00:22:57,273
there was some confusion
about the deadline.

544
00:22:57,275 --> 00:22:59,245
Is the deadline for these
talks March 24th,

545
00:22:59,244 --> 00:23:02,614
as White House officials have
suggested in the past,

546
00:23:02,614 --> 00:23:03,614
or is it March 31st?

547
00:23:03,615 --> 00:23:07,215
Mr. Earnest:
You mean March 24th or 31st?

548
00:23:07,219 --> 00:23:09,219
I know that it's -- I've
always heard people say

549
00:23:09,221 --> 00:23:10,221
it's the end of the month.

550
00:23:10,222 --> 00:23:12,222
So let me see if I can
get back to you

551
00:23:12,224 --> 00:23:13,394
with a specific -- if
there's a date certain.

552
00:23:13,391 --> 00:23:14,961
The Press:
And just one quick thing.

553
00:23:14,960 --> 00:23:17,700
The Republican leaders
have said that the

554
00:23:17,696 --> 00:23:22,296
President vetoing Keystone
would be a political move

555
00:23:22,300 --> 00:23:23,970
to please environmental
extremists.

556
00:23:23,969 --> 00:23:26,339
What is your
response to that?

557
00:23:26,338 --> 00:23:29,238
Mr. Earnest:
Well, the reason the
President will

558
00:23:29,241 --> 00:23:32,541
veto this legislation that
has passed the Congress

559
00:23:32,544 --> 00:23:36,014
is that it circumvents a
longstanding administrative

560
00:23:36,014 --> 00:23:39,714
process for evaluating whether 
or not infrastructure projects

561
00:23:39,718 --> 00:23:43,988
like this are in the best 
interest of the country.

562
00:23:43,989 --> 00:23:46,359
And it does not represent
a specific position

563
00:23:46,358 --> 00:23:48,228
on the pipeline itself.

564
00:23:48,226 --> 00:23:52,166
It just merely says
that the benefits,

565
00:23:52,164 --> 00:23:54,164
the consequences of building
that pipeline should be

566
00:23:54,166 --> 00:23:57,906
thoroughly evaluated by
experts and through this

567
00:23:57,903 --> 00:24:00,473
administrative process that
has existed for decades

568
00:24:00,472 --> 00:24:03,342
and has been used by previous
Presidents of both parties

569
00:24:03,341 --> 00:24:05,881
to evaluate similar
infrastructure projects.

570
00:24:05,877 --> 00:24:08,777
And that's the proper
path moving forward,

571
00:24:08,780 --> 00:24:12,680
but does not represent a
final disposition

572
00:24:12,684 --> 00:24:15,724
of the Keystone
project, okay.

573
00:24:15,720 --> 00:24:16,990
John.

574
00:24:16,988 --> 00:24:19,558
The Press:
Thanks Josh, I know the
Vice President and the

575
00:24:19,558 --> 00:24:22,328
Secretary of State will
be out of town next week

576
00:24:22,327 --> 00:24:25,527
during the start of --
actually during the whole

577
00:24:25,530 --> 00:24:26,530
AIPAC conference.

578
00:24:26,531 --> 00:24:29,501
Will an administration
official be addressing

579
00:24:29,501 --> 00:24:31,341
the AIPAC
conference at all?

580
00:24:31,336 --> 00:24:33,476
Mr. Earnest: We'll have more
information on that soon.

581
00:24:33,471 --> 00:24:36,741
Obviously we've received
an invitation from AIPAC

582
00:24:36,741 --> 00:24:38,111
and we'll get
back to them.

583
00:24:38,109 --> 00:24:42,009
The Press:
So we should
expect just a name --

584
00:24:42,013 --> 00:24:44,153
it's not whether you're going
to have an administration

585
00:24:44,149 --> 00:24:45,419
official attend
the conference.

586
00:24:45,417 --> 00:24:47,957
It's just a matter
of figuring out which

587
00:24:47,953 --> 00:24:49,953
administration official
actually addresses AIPAC?

588
00:24:49,955 --> 00:24:51,955
Mr. Earnest:
Well, again, I think --

589
00:24:51,957 --> 00:24:54,697
we have received the
invitation from AIPAC.

590
00:24:54,693 --> 00:24:56,693
We're considering
the invitation.

591
00:24:56,695 --> 00:24:58,695
And once we've made a
decision we'll get back

592
00:24:58,697 --> 00:25:00,697
to AIPAC about who the
speakers will be,

593
00:25:00,699 --> 00:25:04,369
and then we'll be in a
position to talk about it.

594
00:25:04,369 --> 00:25:05,369
Alexis.

595
00:25:05,370 --> 00:25:08,570
The Press:
The President has
expressed more optimism

596
00:25:08,573 --> 00:25:11,373
about bipartisan support for 
criminal justice reform.

597
00:25:11,376 --> 00:25:15,646
(inaudible)

598
00:25:15,647 --> 00:25:18,017
Can you explain whether it's
just Democrats coming?

599
00:25:18,016 --> 00:25:20,456
Who's been invited and
what the President's ambitions

600
00:25:20,452 --> 00:25:23,122
are for that legislation?

601
00:25:23,121 --> 00:25:24,461
Mr. Earnest:
Alexis, I
would anticipate that we'll

602
00:25:24,456 --> 00:25:28,096
have a list of lawmakers who
participate in that meeting.

603
00:25:28,093 --> 00:25:30,493
Both Democrats and
Republicans were invited,

604
00:25:30,495 --> 00:25:33,135
and I would anticipate
that there will be

605
00:25:33,131 --> 00:25:36,071
a bipartisan group of
members at the meeting.

606
00:25:36,067 --> 00:25:38,137
The President, as you
point out, does view this

607
00:25:38,136 --> 00:25:40,936
as an opportunity for us
to find some common ground

608
00:25:40,939 --> 00:25:43,239
to move the country
forward; that there

609
00:25:43,241 --> 00:25:48,651
are some Republicans who have
raised similar concerns

610
00:25:48,647 --> 00:25:51,447
that the President himself
has discussed about our

611
00:25:51,449 --> 00:25:53,489
criminal justice system,
about reforms that could

612
00:25:53,485 --> 00:25:58,055
make our system more
consistent with our values

613
00:25:58,056 --> 00:26:00,596
of fairness and justice
and equality that

614
00:26:00,592 --> 00:26:02,592
certainly the President
believes are really

615
00:26:02,594 --> 00:26:04,594
important, and I know that
many of the members --

616
00:26:04,596 --> 00:26:06,566
that all the members who
are participating

617
00:26:06,564 --> 00:26:08,564
in the meeting also
believe are important.

618
00:26:08,566 --> 00:26:14,536
So this is an area
that's worthy of careful

619
00:26:14,539 --> 00:26:17,009
consideration and
consultation because there

620
00:26:17,008 --> 00:26:19,008
might be an opportunity
for Congress to act

621
00:26:19,010 --> 00:26:21,010
in bipartisan fashion with
the strong support

622
00:26:21,012 --> 00:26:23,412
of the President to put in place
reforms to our system

623
00:26:23,415 --> 00:26:26,115
that would make our
nation more just.

624
00:26:26,117 --> 00:26:27,787
So the President is looking
forward to that discussion.

625
00:26:27,786 --> 00:26:30,686
I would anticipate that
we'll have, like I said,

626
00:26:30,689 --> 00:26:34,229
a list of the members who
participate and at least

627
00:26:34,225 --> 00:26:38,635
a general overview of that
meeting once it concludes.

628
00:26:38,630 --> 00:26:41,000
The Press:
Josh, yesterday, Governor Fallin,

629
00:26:40,999 --> 00:26:44,599
after she met with the National
Governors Association,

630
00:26:44,602 --> 00:26:46,402
with the President,
reported that the President

631
00:26:46,404 --> 00:26:50,844
said he was "open to crude
exports from the U.S."

632
00:26:50,842 --> 00:26:53,882
Is that an accurate
characterization of what

633
00:26:53,878 --> 00:26:55,378
the President told
the governors?

634
00:26:55,380 --> 00:26:58,550
And is that sort of a
shift in position

635
00:26:58,550 --> 00:27:01,190
from what he has
previously said?

636
00:27:01,186 --> 00:27:04,386
Mr. Earnest:
Angela, I was not
in the room when that

637
00:27:04,389 --> 00:27:09,559
exchange occurred, so it's
hard for me to accurately

638
00:27:09,561 --> 00:27:11,161
reflect the way the
question was asked

639
00:27:11,162 --> 00:27:12,932
and the way it was answered.

640
00:27:12,931 --> 00:27:15,271
What I can do, though, is
assure you that the policy

641
00:27:15,266 --> 00:27:17,606
of the administration has
not changed,

642
00:27:17,602 --> 00:27:22,472
that crude oil export
regulations are administered

643
00:27:22,474 --> 00:27:23,644
by the Department
of Commerce.

644
00:27:23,641 --> 00:27:28,551
That's where these kinds of
regulations are considered.

645
00:27:28,546 --> 00:27:32,956
And I don't have sort of change
to announce at this point.

646
00:27:32,951 --> 00:27:34,451
Major.

647
00:27:34,452 --> 00:27:36,692
The Press:
Following
up on Iran, is it the

648
00:27:36,688 --> 00:27:39,358
administration's position
that you would want

649
00:27:39,357 --> 00:27:44,067
a permanent agreement,
one that has no timeline

650
00:27:44,062 --> 00:27:47,502
whatsoever, to meet the goal
that you said repeatedly,

651
00:27:47,499 --> 00:27:50,799
which is to ensure there's
never a development

652
00:27:50,802 --> 00:27:52,742
of a nuclear weapon?

653
00:27:52,737 --> 00:27:55,877
Mr. Earnest:
Well, I think
what we want is we want

654
00:27:55,874 --> 00:27:59,414
an agreement that's verifiable
and we certainly want one

655
00:27:59,411 --> 00:28:02,851
that all parties
live up to.

656
00:28:02,847 --> 00:28:05,487
And again, in terms
of what kind of time

657
00:28:05,483 --> 00:28:08,123
constraints are placed
in the context of the

658
00:28:08,119 --> 00:28:10,719
negotiations and how long
people would be signing

659
00:28:10,722 --> 00:28:14,222
up, that's not something
I'm going to prejudge

660
00:28:14,225 --> 00:28:15,865
or be in a position to
talk about from here.

661
00:28:15,860 --> 00:28:17,930
Obviously, this is the
subject of ongoing --

662
00:28:17,929 --> 00:28:19,669
The Press:
-- answer suggests
that the administration

663
00:28:19,664 --> 00:28:23,364
is open to a timeline
of some kind.

664
00:28:23,368 --> 00:28:25,308
It has to be one
or the other.

665
00:28:25,303 --> 00:28:27,703
Mr. Earnest:
I recognize that.

666
00:28:27,705 --> 00:28:29,445
I guess what I'm trying to
say is I'm just not going

667
00:28:29,441 --> 00:28:31,181
to be in a position to
talk about the details

668
00:28:31,176 --> 00:28:33,076
of our negotiating position
with the Iranians.

669
00:28:33,078 --> 00:28:36,548
And the reason for that is
simply that we have agreed

670
00:28:36,548 --> 00:28:38,448
on the front end with our
international partners

671
00:28:38,450 --> 00:28:40,720
who are joining us at the
table and with the Iranians

672
00:28:40,718 --> 00:28:43,618
that we can have an open,
candid dialogue in the context

673
00:28:43,621 --> 00:28:46,221
of these negotiations
with the goal

674
00:28:46,224 --> 00:28:48,224
of trying to reach
an agreement.

675
00:28:48,226 --> 00:28:52,626
And attempts to try
to influence those

676
00:28:52,630 --> 00:28:54,630
negotiations by talking
about them outside

677
00:28:54,632 --> 00:28:56,832
of the context of the
negotiations are not going

678
00:28:56,835 --> 00:28:58,475
to be helpful
to that process.

679
00:28:58,470 --> 00:29:01,410
But my point is, we will
have an opportunity

680
00:29:01,406 --> 00:29:07,616
at some point -- on or
around the end of March,

681
00:29:07,612 --> 00:29:09,512
we'll have an opportunity
to discuss either

682
00:29:09,514 --> 00:29:13,214
the framework for an agreement
that's been reached,

683
00:29:13,218 --> 00:29:16,688
or we'll be able to discuss
why we were not able

684
00:29:16,688 --> 00:29:18,928
to reach an agreement
despite the common-sense,

685
00:29:18,923 --> 00:29:20,923
reasonable proposal
that's been put forward

686
00:29:20,925 --> 00:29:21,925
by the international community.

687
00:29:21,926 --> 00:29:24,026
And your interest in
understanding exactly

688
00:29:24,028 --> 00:29:26,028
what was put forward
is a reasonable one,

689
00:29:26,030 --> 00:29:28,070
but one that I can't
discuss right now.

690
00:29:28,066 --> 00:29:30,036
The Press:
Well, let me
just ask you this:

691
00:29:30,034 --> 00:29:33,904
Have you reconciled in your
own mind how you could

692
00:29:33,905 --> 00:29:35,705
describe to the country
an agreement that had

693
00:29:35,707 --> 00:29:38,547
a timeline that also
met the standard

694
00:29:38,543 --> 00:29:41,083
of Iran never obtaining a
nuclear weapon?

695
00:29:41,079 --> 00:29:43,519
Mr. Earnest:
Well, again,
once --

696
00:29:43,515 --> 00:29:44,815
The Press:
They're almost irreconcilable.

697
00:29:44,816 --> 00:29:46,856
Can both be true?

698
00:29:46,851 --> 00:29:49,491
Mr. Earnest:
Well, again,
the most important thing

699
00:29:49,487 --> 00:29:52,487
is to figure out what
exactly Iran will agree

700
00:29:52,490 --> 00:29:54,260
to, and understand whether
or not --

701
00:29:54,259 --> 00:29:56,099
The Press:
-- whether or not
Iran can obtain

702
00:29:56,094 --> 00:29:57,264
a nuclear weapon.

703
00:29:57,262 --> 00:29:58,262
Mr. Earnest:
-- and
whether or not it will

704
00:29:58,263 --> 00:29:59,933
resolve the international
community's concerns about

705
00:29:59,931 --> 00:30:03,771
their efforts to obtain
a nuclear weapon.

706
00:30:03,768 --> 00:30:07,168
So that is the focal point
of these negotiations.

707
00:30:07,172 --> 00:30:11,472
And again, once we are
in a position to evaluate

708
00:30:11,476 --> 00:30:14,776
either an agreement that
has been reached,

709
00:30:14,779 --> 00:30:17,049
or an offer that was made
an then rejected

710
00:30:17,048 --> 00:30:20,788
by the Iranians, we can talk
in more detail about the

711
00:30:20,785 --> 00:30:23,525
negotiating position that
was assumed by the

712
00:30:23,521 --> 00:30:25,521
United States and our
international partners,

713
00:30:25,523 --> 00:30:29,093
and how it was possible
to reconcile that with

714
00:30:29,093 --> 00:30:31,933
the policy goals that we have
stated, the most important

715
00:30:31,930 --> 00:30:34,730
of which you've reiterated
here, which is to ensure

716
00:30:34,732 --> 00:30:36,732
that Iran does not
obtain a nuclear weapon.

717
00:30:36,734 --> 00:30:38,734
The Press:
On Secretary
McDonald -- a couple of

718
00:30:38,736 --> 00:30:40,736
veterans groups have said
they accept his apology,

719
00:30:40,738 --> 00:30:43,078
but said it raises
questions in their minds

720
00:30:43,074 --> 00:30:44,974
about his trustworthiness.

721
00:30:44,976 --> 00:30:47,016
And they don't talk just
about this, but they've

722
00:30:47,011 --> 00:30:50,111
also made mention of
misstatements that the

723
00:30:50,114 --> 00:30:51,754
Secretary may have
intentionally

724
00:30:51,749 --> 00:30:53,189
or unintentionally made about
how many people have been

725
00:30:53,184 --> 00:30:55,224
fired and held accountable
in some of the

726
00:30:55,220 --> 00:30:57,120
implementation of reforms.

727
00:30:57,121 --> 00:30:59,761
Is the President satisfied
that Secretary McDonald

728
00:30:59,757 --> 00:31:03,257
is trustworthy and is, in
fact, implementing all

729
00:31:03,261 --> 00:31:07,661
of the reforms and legislation
he recently signed?

730
00:31:07,665 --> 00:31:09,765
Mr. Earnest:
The President
believes that

731
00:31:09,767 --> 00:31:13,707
Secretary McDonald has a very
difficult task in front

732
00:31:13,705 --> 00:31:15,475
of him to try to bring
much-needed reforms to the VA.

733
00:31:15,473 --> 00:31:18,643
And this is a task that
generations of VA secretaries

734
00:31:18,643 --> 00:31:20,513
have tried to accomplish.

735
00:31:20,511 --> 00:31:22,511
Many of them have made
progress, and the President

736
00:31:22,513 --> 00:31:24,513
is pleased with the progress
that Secretary McDonald

737
00:31:24,515 --> 00:31:25,555
has made so far.

738
00:31:25,550 --> 00:31:27,650
But again, this is a
very difficult challenge.

739
00:31:27,652 --> 00:31:30,692
And the reason that
Secretary McDonald

740
00:31:30,688 --> 00:31:33,928
has been successful so far
is that not only does he

741
00:31:33,925 --> 00:31:36,725
bring with him some
private sector management

742
00:31:36,728 --> 00:31:39,598
experience that I do think
is useful when trying

743
00:31:39,597 --> 00:31:42,537
to get his arms around a
large government agency

744
00:31:42,533 --> 00:31:44,873
like this and manage it
efficiently, or at least

745
00:31:44,869 --> 00:31:48,869
as efficiently as possible,
this task also reflects

746
00:31:48,873 --> 00:31:50,873
his own personal
commitment to these issues

747
00:31:50,875 --> 00:31:54,415
that starts with his own
military service to our country.

748
00:31:54,412 --> 00:31:56,412
But even after he
left military service,

749
00:31:56,414 --> 00:31:59,084
Secretary McDonald was
committed, even using his

750
00:31:59,083 --> 00:32:02,553
free time, to try to
support military families,

751
00:32:02,553 --> 00:32:04,553
our veterans and
their families.

752
00:32:04,555 --> 00:32:07,125
And that's a testament
to his character.

753
00:32:07,125 --> 00:32:10,325
It's a testament to
what drives him,

754
00:32:10,328 --> 00:32:12,598
and it's why he's well
suited for this job.

755
00:32:12,597 --> 00:32:14,667
But I don't think there's
anybody who sits around --

756
00:32:14,666 --> 00:32:17,436
who wakes up in the
morning thinking, boy,

757
00:32:17,435 --> 00:32:19,605
my job is really hard today,
I wish I could just go

758
00:32:19,604 --> 00:32:21,604
walk in Bob McDonald's
shoes because that sure

759
00:32:21,606 --> 00:32:23,606
would be a weight
off my shoulders.

760
00:32:23,608 --> 00:32:25,608
I think everybody
recognizes that he's a got

761
00:32:25,610 --> 00:32:27,610
a very difficult
task in front of him.

762
00:32:27,612 --> 00:32:29,882
And that's why his skill
and personal commitment

763
00:32:29,881 --> 00:32:32,451
to these issues are so
important to his success.

764
00:32:32,450 --> 00:32:35,290
The Press:
When the VA was
in a lot of trouble,

765
00:32:35,286 --> 00:32:38,656
the President tasked Rob
Nabors to go over and assist.

766
00:32:38,656 --> 00:32:40,096
Is he still there?

767
00:32:40,091 --> 00:32:42,531
Is he still working in
carrying out essentially

768
00:32:42,527 --> 00:32:45,397
a conduit role from the
White House to the VA,

769
00:32:45,396 --> 00:32:49,236
and serving as that sort of
presidential intermediary

770
00:32:49,233 --> 00:32:51,403
or liaison with
this new Secretary?

771
00:32:51,402 --> 00:32:52,842
Mr. Earnest:
Rob is still working at the VA

772
00:32:52,837 --> 00:32:56,977
and is still providing the
Secretary and other members

773
00:32:56,974 --> 00:33:01,814
of the senior leadership
at the VA the kind of advice

774
00:33:01,813 --> 00:33:04,213
and expertise that they continue
to benefit from.

775
00:33:04,215 --> 00:33:06,885
So we certainly are
pleased to have Rob still

776
00:33:06,884 --> 00:33:11,254
serving his country and
our veterans over at the VA.

777
00:33:11,255 --> 00:33:12,295
The Press:
Last question.

778
00:33:12,290 --> 00:33:14,590
Senator McCain raised his
concerns about the Choice Card,

779
00:33:14,592 --> 00:33:18,162
which is part of the legislation
the President signed.

780
00:33:18,162 --> 00:33:19,902
We had a couple of
questions at the budget

781
00:33:19,897 --> 00:33:21,767
briefing, but it doesn't
appear that every member

782
00:33:21,766 --> 00:33:24,136
of Congress is satisfied
that this Choice Card

783
00:33:24,135 --> 00:33:26,005
is going to be
implemented in the budget

784
00:33:26,003 --> 00:33:27,673
and the financial flexibility
is going to be there

785
00:33:27,672 --> 00:33:30,842
for veterans to obtain care
outside of the system

786
00:33:30,842 --> 00:33:32,982
if they meet the criteria.

787
00:33:32,977 --> 00:33:35,247
Can you assure veterans,
from this podium, that,

788
00:33:35,246 --> 00:33:38,286
in fact, financing will be
there and the Choice Card

789
00:33:38,282 --> 00:33:41,482
will be implemented fully
as written by Congress?

790
00:33:41,486 --> 00:33:43,756
Mr. Earnest:
Well, I'm not
intimately familiar with

791
00:33:43,755 --> 00:33:45,895
this issue, so let me take
this question to the VA

792
00:33:45,890 --> 00:33:48,460
and see if we can provide
you some data to help you

793
00:33:48,459 --> 00:33:50,459
understand our
position on this.

794
00:33:50,461 --> 00:33:53,901
The Press:
Josh, thanks.

795
00:33:53,898 --> 00:33:56,968
I want to take you back
to Keystone for a moment.

796
00:33:56,968 --> 00:34:01,538
Is there any way in your
mind, if the process plays

797
00:34:01,539 --> 00:34:03,439
out -- you've made the
point that this has

798
00:34:03,441 --> 00:34:06,311
sort of circumvented
longstanding processes --

799
00:34:06,310 --> 00:34:09,180
if they were to play out,
in your mind, is there any

800
00:34:09,180 --> 00:34:11,350
way the President signs
off on the Keystone XL?

801
00:34:11,349 --> 00:34:14,349
Mr. Earnest:
That possibility still does exist.

802
00:34:14,352 --> 00:34:17,192
This is an ongoing review
that's being conducted

803
00:34:17,188 --> 00:34:18,188
by the State Department.

804
00:34:18,189 --> 00:34:20,189
They're going to evaluate
the impact that this

805
00:34:20,191 --> 00:34:22,191
project would have
on the country.

806
00:34:22,193 --> 00:34:24,193
They're going to have the
opportunity to evaluate

807
00:34:24,195 --> 00:34:26,195
the impact that this
project would have

808
00:34:26,197 --> 00:34:28,437
on contributing to
climate change.

809
00:34:28,433 --> 00:34:30,903
And it certainly is
possible; the President

810
00:34:30,902 --> 00:34:33,802
will keep an open mind
as the State Department

811
00:34:33,805 --> 00:34:38,145
considers the wide range
of impacts that this pipeline

812
00:34:38,142 --> 00:34:41,442
could have on the country,
both positive and negative.

813
00:34:41,446 --> 00:34:43,886
And so we'll see what happens
once the State Department

814
00:34:43,881 --> 00:34:45,881
has completed their --
what's called the national

815
00:34:45,883 --> 00:34:49,483
interest determination --
what essentially is a report

816
00:34:49,487 --> 00:34:51,957
evaluating whether or not
the completion of this

817
00:34:51,956 --> 00:34:54,996
infrastructure project would
be in the best interest

818
00:34:54,992 --> 00:34:56,892
of the United
States of America.

819
00:34:56,894 --> 00:34:58,894
The Press:
You said as far
as Israel was concerned

820
00:34:58,896 --> 00:35:02,366
there's a deep, longstanding
security relationship

821
00:35:02,366 --> 00:35:05,136
between our country and theirs.

822
00:35:05,136 --> 00:35:08,536
I'm curious, as it relates
to the Iranian talks,

823
00:35:08,539 --> 00:35:12,009
is it fair to characterize
a level of frustration

824
00:35:12,009 --> 00:35:14,479
on behalf of the
administration to this

825
00:35:14,479 --> 00:35:17,219
notion that some people
are cherry-picking bits

826
00:35:17,215 --> 00:35:20,085
and pieces and maybe as an
outside actor attempting

827
00:35:20,084 --> 00:35:21,924
to influence the
negotiations?

828
00:35:21,919 --> 00:35:24,389
Mr. Earnest:
Well, Kevin,
I think you asked about

829
00:35:24,388 --> 00:35:27,328
this last week, I believe,
where I did express some

830
00:35:27,325 --> 00:35:34,235
frustration that we have
seen some people take

831
00:35:34,232 --> 00:35:36,902
information that they had
obtained about the U.S.

832
00:35:36,901 --> 00:35:39,901
negotiating position and
cherry-pick information to

833
00:35:39,904 --> 00:35:42,804
try to distort the public
impression of exactly what

834
00:35:42,807 --> 00:35:45,507
that negotiating
position was.

835
00:35:45,510 --> 00:35:49,380
So that is why, at least, even
in the context of the questions

836
00:35:49,380 --> 00:35:51,920
that I've taken today, that
I've been loathe to get into

837
00:35:51,916 --> 00:35:54,916
the details of the U.S.
negotiating position.

838
00:35:54,919 --> 00:35:56,919
Everybody will have an
opportunity to evaluate

839
00:35:56,921 --> 00:35:57,921
that soon enough.

840
00:35:57,922 --> 00:36:00,862
The Press:
But as the
details come out, albeit

841
00:36:00,858 --> 00:36:02,858
you're saying they're
not accurate, you can

842
00:36:02,860 --> 00:36:05,400
understand why many
perhaps in Israel might

843
00:36:05,396 --> 00:36:07,636
say, you see, this is
exactly what we were

844
00:36:07,632 --> 00:36:09,102
talking about
to begin with.

845
00:36:09,100 --> 00:36:11,570
Mr. Earnest:
Well, I think
what people around the

846
00:36:11,569 --> 00:36:15,569
globe can be confident of
is that the United States

847
00:36:15,573 --> 00:36:18,243
is negotiating with one
clear goal in mind, which

848
00:36:18,242 --> 00:36:20,282
is to make sure that Iran does
not obtain a nuclear weapon.

849
00:36:20,278 --> 00:36:22,718
And we are working closely
with the international

850
00:36:22,713 --> 00:36:25,413
community to
achieve that goal.

851
00:36:25,416 --> 00:36:27,656
That was the goal of the
sanctions regime that

852
00:36:27,652 --> 00:36:30,492
Congress passed and this
administration implemented

853
00:36:30,488 --> 00:36:32,488
in close coordination
with our allies around

854
00:36:32,490 --> 00:36:35,660
the globe, to compel the
Iranians to come to the

855
00:36:35,660 --> 00:36:38,160
negotiating table and try to
resolve the international

856
00:36:38,162 --> 00:36:40,162
community's concerns with their
nuclear program.

857
00:36:40,164 --> 00:36:43,104
And those talks are
underway, and we certainly

858
00:36:43,100 --> 00:36:48,310
wouldn't want anything
that I say from here or

859
00:36:48,306 --> 00:36:50,576
any other efforts to try
to distort our negotiating

860
00:36:50,575 --> 00:36:54,575
position to negatively
impact our ability to try

861
00:36:54,579 --> 00:36:57,019
to bring those
negotiations to conclusion

862
00:36:57,014 --> 00:37:00,284
in a way that yields a
strong and verifiable

863
00:37:00,284 --> 00:37:02,484
agreement that's clearly
in the best interest of

864
00:37:02,486 --> 00:37:04,486
not just the United States
and not just Israel

865
00:37:04,488 --> 00:37:07,128
and not just our international
negotiating partners,

866
00:37:07,124 --> 00:37:09,294
but is clearly in the best
interest of the whole country --

867
00:37:09,293 --> 00:37:12,063
or of the whole globe.

868
00:37:12,063 --> 00:37:13,493
The Press:
Quick housekeeping.

869
00:37:13,497 --> 00:37:16,297
As far as AIPAC is
concerned, there is zero

870
00:37:16,300 --> 00:37:18,940
chance that someone won't
be going to AIPAC, right?

871
00:37:18,936 --> 00:37:20,936
Mr. Earnest:
Well, again,
they have extended

872
00:37:20,938 --> 00:37:22,938
an invitation to the
administration;

873
00:37:22,940 --> 00:37:24,940
once we have decided how
we're going to respond

874
00:37:24,942 --> 00:37:26,942
to the invitation, we
will let them know.

875
00:37:26,944 --> 00:37:29,384
And then once we let them
know, we'll let all of you know.

876
00:37:29,380 --> 00:37:33,820
The Press:
But you will accept
it, someone is going, right?

877
00:37:33,818 --> 00:37:34,518
The Press:
Somebody
is going, right?

878
00:37:34,518 --> 00:37:35,688
Mr. Earnest:
I hear you.

879
00:37:35,686 --> 00:37:41,026
It does seem just as a
matter of common courtesy,

880
00:37:41,025 --> 00:37:43,025
it seems like we
should respond to their

881
00:37:43,027 --> 00:37:44,397
invitation first and then we can
talk about it publicly.

882
00:37:44,395 --> 00:37:46,065
Chris.

883
00:37:46,063 --> 00:37:48,603
The Press:
So you're not
suggesting that no one is going?

884
00:37:48,599 --> 00:37:51,599
Mr. Earnest:
I certainly didn't
come close to saying that.

885
00:37:51,602 --> 00:37:53,002
The Press:
Yes, you did.

886
00:37:53,004 --> 00:37:55,774
(laughter)

887
00:37:55,773 --> 00:37:58,413
The Press: I want to ask a
question a different way.

888
00:37:58,409 --> 00:38:00,109
Given the President is
going to make obviously

889
00:38:00,111 --> 00:38:03,911
the final call on XL, is
there no communication

890
00:38:03,914 --> 00:38:05,254
between the White House
and State Department

891
00:38:05,249 --> 00:38:08,889
about when you might
expect their report?

892
00:38:08,886 --> 00:38:12,656
Mr. Earnest:
Well, I don't
know -- I can't account

893
00:38:12,657 --> 00:38:14,657
for every single
conversation that occurs

894
00:38:14,659 --> 00:38:16,659
between the White House
and the State Department.

895
00:38:16,661 --> 00:38:18,661
I think it's certainly
possible that somebody

896
00:38:18,663 --> 00:38:20,733
in the White House has gotten
an update in terms of how

897
00:38:20,731 --> 00:38:22,731
much longer it would take
the State Department to complete

898
00:38:22,733 --> 00:38:25,773
their review, but I'm not
aware of those conversations.

899
00:38:25,770 --> 00:38:27,670
But even if I were, I'm
not sure I'd be in a position

900
00:38:27,672 --> 00:38:30,742
to announce for the
State Department what

901
00:38:30,741 --> 00:38:32,281
their timeline
is going to be.

902
00:38:32,276 --> 00:38:34,276
If they're prepared to
announce a timeline

903
00:38:34,278 --> 00:38:35,578
then they'll announce it.

904
00:38:35,579 --> 00:38:37,179
The Press:
As you know,
there are a lot of people

905
00:38:37,181 --> 00:38:38,421
anxious about this.

906
00:38:38,416 --> 00:38:41,116
They waited six years and
there are others who

907
00:38:41,118 --> 00:38:45,388
are concerned about a
political implication for 2016

908
00:38:45,389 --> 00:38:47,829
depending on when the President
does make his decision.

909
00:38:47,825 --> 00:38:51,295
Is the expectation that once
the State Department report

910
00:38:51,295 --> 00:38:53,465
comes out, the President will
make a decision fairly quickly?

911
00:38:53,464 --> 00:38:56,334
Does he feel like he
needs to do that quickly?

912
00:38:56,333 --> 00:38:58,133
Mr. Earnest: Well, I wouldn't
want to prejudge

913
00:38:58,135 --> 00:39:00,875
the outcome here, but I
would anticipate that

914
00:39:00,871 --> 00:39:05,411
once the review has been
completed that there would

915
00:39:05,409 --> 00:39:07,779
not be a significant delay
in announcing the results

916
00:39:07,778 --> 00:39:09,878
of that review and
ultimately making

917
00:39:09,880 --> 00:39:11,350
a decision on
this project.

918
00:39:11,348 --> 00:39:13,988
The Press:
But on DHS,
as you know, there are

919
00:39:13,984 --> 00:39:15,784
critics who have suggested
that the White House

920
00:39:15,786 --> 00:39:20,456
has overstated the potential
impact if there's a delay

921
00:39:20,458 --> 00:39:23,858
in funding, saying that
because everyone who

922
00:39:23,861 --> 00:39:28,531
is essential will still be
working that it won't make

923
00:39:28,532 --> 00:39:31,772
a significant difference
to national security.

924
00:39:31,769 --> 00:39:34,909
The White House's -- you
and others have said

925
00:39:34,905 --> 00:39:37,305
that obviously an
impact would occur.

926
00:39:37,308 --> 00:39:39,878
And we heard from some
people, including the FEMA

927
00:39:39,877 --> 00:39:42,717
Director yesterday,
about what that would be.

928
00:39:42,713 --> 00:39:46,953
So given that, what kind of
preparations are underway

929
00:39:46,951 --> 00:39:49,021
for a possible shutdown?

930
00:39:49,019 --> 00:39:50,589
And is the White House
confident that DHS is ready,

931
00:39:50,588 --> 00:39:52,228
should that occur?

932
00:39:52,223 --> 00:39:53,923
Mr. Earnest:
Well, Chris,
I can tell you that it's not

933
00:39:53,924 --> 00:39:55,894
just the administration
who is making the case

934
00:39:55,893 --> 00:39:58,663
that shutting down the
Department of Homeland Security

935
00:39:58,662 --> 00:40:00,832
would have a bad impact on 
national security.

936
00:40:00,831 --> 00:40:03,531
I know that Congressman
Peter King was on

937
00:40:03,534 --> 00:40:05,534
television today making
exactly that case.

938
00:40:05,536 --> 00:40:07,906
So he doesn't often agree
with the administration,

939
00:40:07,905 --> 00:40:09,875
but at least in this case
he's making the same case

940
00:40:09,874 --> 00:40:10,874
that we are.

941
00:40:10,875 --> 00:40:12,875
He's not the only one
who's making that case.

942
00:40:12,877 --> 00:40:14,877
I do know that the
Department of Homeland

943
00:40:14,879 --> 00:40:17,079
Security has been engaged
in a planning process

944
00:40:17,081 --> 00:40:20,551
to ensure they are prepared
and can take the steps

945
00:40:20,551 --> 00:40:22,621
necessary to try to
mitigate the impact

946
00:40:22,620 --> 00:40:26,190
of a shutdown of
that department.

947
00:40:26,190 --> 00:40:29,890
But as I've mentioned
before, the impact of that

948
00:40:29,894 --> 00:40:32,364
shutdown will include tens
of thousands of Homeland

949
00:40:32,363 --> 00:40:34,603
Security personnel
being furloughed.

950
00:40:34,598 --> 00:40:40,668
It will include many
Homeland Security officers

951
00:40:40,671 --> 00:40:42,671
showing up for work to
protect their country

952
00:40:42,673 --> 00:40:44,673
but not getting a
paycheck on time.

953
00:40:44,675 --> 00:40:46,975
And that doesn't seem
particularly fair,

954
00:40:46,977 --> 00:40:49,777
and I'm not sure why anybody
thinks that would be

955
00:40:49,780 --> 00:40:53,120
a good outcome
for the country.

956
00:40:53,117 --> 00:40:57,587
So we've been clear that
this is not a good thing.

957
00:40:57,588 --> 00:41:02,828
But DHS is doing the
responsible thing, which is,

958
00:41:02,827 --> 00:41:05,267
even as they try to talk
to members of Congress

959
00:41:05,262 --> 00:41:08,402
and encourage them to fulfill
their responsibility and pass

960
00:41:08,399 --> 00:41:11,239
a budget, they're also engaged
in the planning to try

961
00:41:11,235 --> 00:41:14,805
to mitigate the potential impact 
of shutting down their agency.

962
00:41:14,805 --> 00:41:15,575
The Press:
Can you give us
a sense of what's involved

963
00:41:15,573 --> 00:41:16,803
in that planning?

964
00:41:16,807 --> 00:41:20,307
Mr. Earnest:
I can't, but they probably can.

965
00:41:20,311 --> 00:41:21,481
Yes, sir.

966
00:41:21,478 --> 00:41:22,818
The Press:
A couple
questions, Josh.

967
00:41:22,813 --> 00:41:25,913
A few days ago, a Mexican
citizen was killed

968
00:41:25,916 --> 00:41:28,916
by two police officers in
Pasco, Washington.

969
00:41:28,919 --> 00:41:30,719
Is the President
aware of the incident?

970
00:41:30,721 --> 00:41:32,091
Or the White House?

971
00:41:32,089 --> 00:41:34,289
What's his
reaction to that?

972
00:41:34,291 --> 00:41:35,891
Mr. Earnest:
Can you
say it one more time?

973
00:41:35,893 --> 00:41:37,763
The Press:
A Mexican
citizen was killed in

974
00:41:37,761 --> 00:41:40,501
Pasco, Washington, the
state of Washington.

975
00:41:40,497 --> 00:41:42,837
My question was, was the
President aware of the incident,

976
00:41:42,833 --> 00:41:45,033
or the White House, and what is
the reaction to that?

977
00:41:45,035 --> 00:41:47,275
Mr. Earnest:
I've certainly seen the news reports.

978
00:41:47,271 --> 00:41:49,271
I haven't talked to
the President about it.

979
00:41:49,273 --> 00:41:52,013
I don't know if he is aware,
although knowing he's an avid

980
00:41:52,009 --> 00:41:55,179
consumer of news, I
assume that he is.

981
00:41:55,179 --> 00:41:57,319
But I don't know a lot of
the details of the case

982
00:41:57,314 --> 00:41:59,684
beyond what I've
read in news reports.

983
00:41:59,683 --> 00:42:03,153
So for questions about sort of
where that investigation stands,

984
00:42:03,153 --> 00:42:05,853
I'd refer you to the local
authorities there.

985
00:42:05,856 --> 00:42:07,196
Mara.

986
00:42:07,191 --> 00:42:09,231
The Press:
I have a
question about Ukraine.

987
00:42:09,226 --> 00:42:11,926
You said earlier that you
continue to be concerned

988
00:42:11,929 --> 00:42:14,269
by these violations.

989
00:42:14,265 --> 00:42:18,635
And the President said
when Merkel was visiting

990
00:42:18,636 --> 00:42:22,406
that if Russia continued
to do this he would

991
00:42:22,406 --> 00:42:25,606
seriously consider sending
arms to the Ukrainian

992
00:42:25,609 --> 00:42:30,279
government and also possibly
increasing the sanctions.

993
00:42:30,281 --> 00:42:32,081
So you're seeing
these violations.

994
00:42:32,082 --> 00:42:33,482
Now what are
you going to do?

995
00:42:33,484 --> 00:42:36,654
Mr. Earnest:
Well, what we're
doing right now is we're

996
00:42:36,654 --> 00:42:38,754
continuing to support
the ongoing efforts

997
00:42:38,756 --> 00:42:40,926
to try to implement
this agreement.

998
00:42:40,925 --> 00:42:43,765
And I know that there was
a call that was scheduled

999
00:42:43,761 --> 00:42:45,761
among the foreign
ministerial level

1000
00:42:45,763 --> 00:42:50,063
of the four groups that have
been involved in these

1001
00:42:50,067 --> 00:42:51,767
negotiations -- the Russians,
the Ukrainians, the French,

1002
00:42:51,769 --> 00:42:53,139
and the Germans --

1003
00:42:53,137 --> 00:42:54,267
The Press:
Today?

1004
00:42:54,271 --> 00:42:55,411
Mr. Earnest:
I believe
that was yesterday --

1005
00:42:55,406 --> 00:42:57,006
I don't know if it was
yesterday or today,

1006
00:42:57,007 --> 00:42:59,847
but I know that those efforts
are ongoing and we continue

1007
00:42:59,843 --> 00:43:00,843
to support them.

1008
00:43:00,844 --> 00:43:05,654
And the consequences that
you cited of failing

1009
00:43:05,649 --> 00:43:08,649
to live up to those kinds of
commitments continue

1010
00:43:08,652 --> 00:43:09,652
to be on the table.

1011
00:43:09,653 --> 00:43:12,553
So we're going to continue
to closely watch the situation

1012
00:43:12,556 --> 00:43:14,696
with the President,
the Vice President,

1013
00:43:14,692 --> 00:43:16,692
and other senior members
of the team,

1014
00:43:16,694 --> 00:43:19,264
continue to be
in close touch with our

1015
00:43:19,263 --> 00:43:22,733
partners who are working
this situation and we're

1016
00:43:22,733 --> 00:43:24,103
going to monitor
it closely.

1017
00:43:24,101 --> 00:43:31,341
But certainly there is
the potential of offering

1018
00:43:31,342 --> 00:43:33,142
additional assistance to
the Ukrainian military or

1019
00:43:33,143 --> 00:43:36,083
ramping up our sanctions
regime against the Russians.

1020
00:43:36,080 --> 00:43:38,320
The Press:
Look, right
now they're violating it.

1021
00:43:38,315 --> 00:43:44,025
How long will they go
on violating it

1022
00:43:44,021 --> 00:43:45,291
until you do something?

1023
00:43:45,289 --> 00:43:47,959
I'm just wondering, how
long do you give this process?

1024
00:43:47,958 --> 00:43:49,728
I mean, they're not
living up to it now.

1025
00:43:49,727 --> 00:43:51,097
You're monitoring it.

1026
00:43:51,095 --> 00:43:52,695
How long are you going
to monitor the violations

1027
00:43:52,696 --> 00:43:54,096
before you do something?

1028
00:43:54,098 --> 00:43:55,768
Mr. Earnest:
We'll we're
going to continue to try

1029
00:43:55,766 --> 00:43:57,766
to work diplomatically to
resolve this situation.

1030
00:43:57,768 --> 00:43:59,768
And that has been
our approach from

1031
00:43:59,770 --> 00:44:01,770
the beginning, which is that
it is our view that

1032
00:44:01,772 --> 00:44:04,412
the only way we're going to
resolve this is not with

1033
00:44:04,408 --> 00:44:06,808
a military solution but with
a diplomatic solution.

1034
00:44:06,810 --> 00:44:12,080
And that is why we're continuing
to press that option.

1035
00:44:12,082 --> 00:44:14,082
But, you're right, at some
point you have to start

1036
00:44:14,084 --> 00:44:16,554
considering some other
alternatives, which is why

1037
00:44:16,553 --> 00:44:18,993
the United States has already
provided substantial

1038
00:44:18,989 --> 00:44:21,059
military assistance to the 
Ukrainian military.

1039
00:44:21,058 --> 00:44:23,498
It's why we've already
worked with our partners

1040
00:44:23,494 --> 00:44:26,334
in Europe to put in place
a sanctions regime and

1041
00:44:26,330 --> 00:44:32,870
isolate President Putin and --
or Russian political leadership.

1042
00:44:32,870 --> 00:44:36,370
And that was a response to
their earlier violations

1043
00:44:36,373 --> 00:44:39,443
of generally accepted
international norms.

1044
00:44:39,443 --> 00:44:43,713
But, yes, the potential of
increasing our assistance

1045
00:44:43,714 --> 00:44:46,854
to Ukraine and increasing
the costs that are sustained

1046
00:44:46,850 --> 00:44:48,290
by Russia has the potential
to be implemented.

1047
00:44:48,285 --> 00:44:52,855
But we're going to
continue to watch this

1048
00:44:52,856 --> 00:44:53,896
and make decisions
accordingly.

1049
00:44:53,891 --> 00:44:57,831
The Press:
Well, is it also
possible that these violations

1050
00:44:57,828 --> 00:45:00,698
could continue and you decide
to do nothing else?

1051
00:45:00,697 --> 00:45:04,067
Mr. Earnest:
Well, I think
our level of pessimism

1052
00:45:04,068 --> 00:45:06,608
is not quite that
high, but we'll --

1053
00:45:06,603 --> 00:45:07,673
The Press:
You say there's the
potential that you might

1054
00:45:07,671 --> 00:45:08,641
do something else.

1055
00:45:08,639 --> 00:45:09,739
Mr. Earnest:
That's right.

1056
00:45:09,740 --> 00:45:11,210
The Press:
I'm just wondering,
if the violations continue,

1057
00:45:11,208 --> 00:45:12,748
might you also decide
that it's not worth doing

1058
00:45:12,743 --> 00:45:14,443
anything else on
sanctions?

1059
00:45:14,445 --> 00:45:17,715
Mr. Earnest:
Based on our
past response to Russia's

1060
00:45:17,714 --> 00:45:22,784
provocations and failure
to live up to generally

1061
00:45:22,786 --> 00:45:24,786
accepted international
principles, I think you

1062
00:45:24,788 --> 00:45:26,888
could rightly conclude
that it's unlikely that

1063
00:45:26,890 --> 00:45:29,560
that is the outcome.

1064
00:45:29,560 --> 00:45:34,530
But as we see Russia
continue to destabilize

1065
00:45:34,531 --> 00:45:36,531
eastern Ukraine and
continue to take steps

1066
00:45:36,533 --> 00:45:38,703
that are clearly in
violation of agreements

1067
00:45:38,702 --> 00:45:41,702
that they've signed,
that the risk of further

1068
00:45:41,705 --> 00:45:45,105
sanctions only increases.

1069
00:45:45,109 --> 00:45:46,339
Mark.

1070
00:45:46,343 --> 00:45:48,143
The Press:
Josh, I want to
come back to Iran one more time.

1071
00:45:48,145 --> 00:45:50,715
I just want to be clear
about what you're denying.

1072
00:45:50,714 --> 00:45:54,984
You're denying that the
United States has proposed

1073
00:45:54,985 --> 00:45:56,655
a 10-year agreement,
is that right?

1074
00:45:56,653 --> 00:45:59,123
Mr. Earnest:
My understanding
of the reports --

1075
00:45:59,123 --> 00:46:01,923
that I will confess that I have
not seen firsthand --

1076
00:46:01,925 --> 00:46:07,935
but my understanding of the
reports indicate that --

1077
00:46:07,931 --> 00:46:10,501
they wrongly indicate that 
the agreement that's being

1078
00:46:10,501 --> 00:46:12,541
negotiated right now will 
be 10 years in length,

1079
00:46:12,536 --> 00:46:15,106
and that's not our negotiating
position at all.

1080
00:46:15,105 --> 00:46:17,345
The Press:
But you're not
denying that there is some

1081
00:46:17,341 --> 00:46:20,111
substantially longer
agreement of which there

1082
00:46:20,110 --> 00:46:23,680
is a 10-year opening
phase to it, right?

1083
00:46:23,680 --> 00:46:26,950
Mr. Earnest:
Well, what
I'm reluctant to do is

1084
00:46:26,950 --> 00:46:28,920
to sort of wade in on a
detailed assessment

1085
00:46:28,919 --> 00:46:30,619
of where the negotiations
currently stand.

1086
00:46:30,621 --> 00:46:31,651
The Press:
I'm not
asking for details.

1087
00:46:31,655 --> 00:46:34,155
Just are you denying
something longer?

1088
00:46:34,158 --> 00:46:36,158
Mr. Earnest:
That's certainly more detail than

1089
00:46:36,160 --> 00:46:37,160
we've talked about so far.

1090
00:46:37,161 --> 00:46:39,161
But again, we will have an
opportunity in the coming

1091
00:46:39,163 --> 00:46:43,103
weeks to consider either
to evaluate an agreement

1092
00:46:43,100 --> 00:46:46,500
that's been reached, or to
evaluate an agreement that

1093
00:46:46,503 --> 00:46:48,373
the Iranians
walked away from.

1094
00:46:48,372 --> 00:46:50,642
But suffice it to say the
United States continues

1095
00:46:50,641 --> 00:46:53,711
to negotiate from the
position that there should

1096
00:46:53,710 --> 00:46:56,410
be an opportunity for
the Iranians to ease

1097
00:46:56,413 --> 00:46:58,413
the international community's
concerns about their

1098
00:46:58,415 --> 00:47:02,415
nuclear program to, in a
verifiable way, make clear

1099
00:47:02,419 --> 00:47:04,419
to the international
community that they

1100
00:47:04,421 --> 00:47:06,421
will not acquire a
nuclear weapon.

1101
00:47:06,423 --> 00:47:08,423
The Iranians have said
many times that that

1102
00:47:08,425 --> 00:47:10,895
is consistent with their view
and with their national policy.

1103
00:47:10,894 --> 00:47:12,994
It's the view of the
international community

1104
00:47:12,996 --> 00:47:15,366
that they just need to be
able to verify that

1105
00:47:15,365 --> 00:47:17,335
for the international
community.

1106
00:47:17,334 --> 00:47:19,434
And ultimately, if we
can come to an agreement

1107
00:47:19,436 --> 00:47:21,506
around those outlines that
would be a good outcome

1108
00:47:21,505 --> 00:47:23,475
for not just the United
States and Israel,

1109
00:47:23,473 --> 00:47:24,613
but it would be good
for the world.

1110
00:47:24,608 --> 00:47:27,478
The Press:
Can we
follow on this?

1111
00:47:27,477 --> 00:47:28,477
Mr. Earnest:
Go ahead, Connie.

1112
00:47:28,478 --> 00:47:30,478
The Press:
At this point,
would you still call on

1113
00:47:30,480 --> 00:47:32,480
Prime Minister Netanyahu
to cancel the speech

1114
00:47:32,482 --> 00:47:33,482
before the Congress?

1115
00:47:33,483 --> 00:47:35,483
And if so, would the
President meet with Netanyahu?

1116
00:47:35,485 --> 00:47:37,485
Mr. Earnest:
Connie, we
have not called on

1117
00:47:37,487 --> 00:47:40,187
Prime Minister Netanyahu
to cancel his speech.

1118
00:47:40,190 --> 00:47:42,230
And we've indicated the
reason that the President

1119
00:47:42,226 --> 00:47:44,226
will not meet with him
during this visit to the

1120
00:47:44,228 --> 00:47:46,228
United States is that it
comes just two weeks

1121
00:47:46,230 --> 00:47:47,230
before his election.

1122
00:47:47,231 --> 00:47:49,271
And in order to avoid
even the appearance of

1123
00:47:49,266 --> 00:47:53,606
interfering with a democratic
election in another country,

1124
00:47:53,604 --> 00:47:55,604
the President will not meet with
the Prime Minister.

1125
00:47:55,606 --> 00:47:58,076
But I would anticipate
that at some point after

1126
00:47:58,075 --> 00:48:00,615
the elections, regardless
of who wins, that the

1127
00:48:00,611 --> 00:48:05,981
President will convene a meeting
with the leader of Israel

1128
00:48:05,983 --> 00:48:08,483
and will continue the
very close coordination

1129
00:48:08,485 --> 00:48:11,125
on security issues that has 
characterized his relationship

1130
00:48:11,121 --> 00:48:13,361
thus far with Prime
Minister Netanyahu.

1131
00:48:13,357 --> 00:48:14,357
JC.

1132
00:48:14,358 --> 00:48:17,298
The Press:
As the United
States and her allies try

1133
00:48:17,294 --> 00:48:19,294
to come to an agreement
with Iran about its

1134
00:48:19,296 --> 00:48:22,196
nuclear ambitions, what is
this administration doing --

1135
00:48:22,199 --> 00:48:25,269
how is it engaged to
reduce nuclear weapons

1136
00:48:25,269 --> 00:48:27,509
in nations that actually do
have these weapons,

1137
00:48:27,504 --> 00:48:31,344
like China and North Korea,
Russia, Pakistan, et cetera?

1138
00:48:31,341 --> 00:48:34,911
Mr. Earnest:
Well, JC, the
President -- I think each

1139
00:48:34,911 --> 00:48:36,911
of those situations is
a little bit different.

1140
00:48:36,913 --> 00:48:40,853
But we certainly have even
worked closely with Russia

1141
00:48:40,851 --> 00:48:42,851
to reduce our nuclear
stockpile, and this is

1142
00:48:42,853 --> 00:48:46,153
something that the President did
early in his tenure.

1143
00:48:46,156 --> 00:48:48,426
And that, he believes, is
in the best interest

1144
00:48:48,425 --> 00:48:51,525
of not just U.S. national 
security, but also the safety

1145
00:48:51,528 --> 00:48:55,928
of citizens and people
around the globe.

1146
00:48:55,932 --> 00:48:59,302
But, certainly, we continue to
be focused on these issues.

1147
00:48:59,303 --> 00:49:00,533
(inaudible)

1148
00:49:00,537 --> 00:49:01,977
The Press:
Thank you Josh.

1149
00:49:01,972 --> 00:49:05,372
Last Friday, a
federal judge appointed

1150
00:49:05,375 --> 00:49:08,875
by President Obama issued an
injunction on a separate

1151
00:49:08,879 --> 00:49:11,049
immigration executive
action, specifically

1152
00:49:11,048 --> 00:49:15,918
stopping the detention of
migrants coming across

1153
00:49:15,919 --> 00:49:17,389
the border in Texas.

1154
00:49:17,387 --> 00:49:19,057
Is the Department of
Justice going to seek

1155
00:49:19,056 --> 00:49:20,626
a stay of this injunction
in the same way they are

1156
00:49:20,624 --> 00:49:22,864
seeking a stay of
Judge Andrew --

1157
00:49:22,859 --> 00:49:24,829
Judge Andrew
Hanen's injunction?

1158
00:49:24,828 --> 00:49:28,168
Mr. Earnest:
I'd encourage you to 
check with DOJ about

1159
00:49:28,165 --> 00:49:30,335
sort of the next step in that
legal process.

1160
00:49:30,334 --> 00:49:34,134
I do know that the issue
in question in that legal

1161
00:49:34,137 --> 00:49:37,637
proceeding was related
to our efforts to address

1162
00:49:37,641 --> 00:49:40,181
what at the time was a
rather urgent situation

1163
00:49:40,177 --> 00:49:43,477
that we saw a substantial
number of unaccompanied

1164
00:49:43,480 --> 00:49:47,250
minors at the southern
border attempting

1165
00:49:47,250 --> 00:49:50,020
to illegally enter the
United States of America.

1166
00:49:50,020 --> 00:49:53,060
And one of our efforts
to try to respond to that

1167
00:49:53,056 --> 00:49:57,696
situation was to detain
recent border-crossers

1168
00:49:57,694 --> 00:50:00,994
near the border, and to
try to find an environment

1169
00:50:00,997 --> 00:50:03,867
in which families could be
detained together,

1170
00:50:03,867 --> 00:50:05,867
and to try to make sure that
we're doing that in the

1171
00:50:05,869 --> 00:50:06,969
most humane way possible.

1172
00:50:06,970 --> 00:50:09,510
So I know that there are
some who raised concerns

1173
00:50:09,506 --> 00:50:12,976
about that policy, but that is
what the administration

1174
00:50:12,976 --> 00:50:14,976
believed was an appropriate way
to respond to that

1175
00:50:14,978 --> 00:50:16,418
urgent situation.

1176
00:50:16,413 --> 00:50:19,583
Since that time, we
have seen the numbers

1177
00:50:19,583 --> 00:50:22,723
of undocumented immigrants,
particularly unaccompanied

1178
00:50:22,719 --> 00:50:26,989
minors, in that sector of the
border decline substantially.

1179
00:50:26,990 --> 00:50:30,490
And that's thanks to the
comprehensive strategy

1180
00:50:30,494 --> 00:50:32,494
that this administration
has put in place, working

1181
00:50:32,496 --> 00:50:34,496
with Central American
countries, working with

1182
00:50:34,498 --> 00:50:36,998
our partners in Mexico,
and stepping up some

1183
00:50:37,000 --> 00:50:40,140
of our law enforcement
capabilities on the border

1184
00:50:40,137 --> 00:50:42,137
to try to address
the situation.

1185
00:50:42,139 --> 00:50:45,709
And that situation has --
or at least the urgency

1186
00:50:45,709 --> 00:50:50,079
of the situation down there
has subsided dramatically.

1187
00:50:50,080 --> 00:50:53,280
The Press:
-- your
administration argued that

1188
00:50:53,283 --> 00:50:56,383
this detention served as
a deterrent to make sure

1189
00:50:56,386 --> 00:51:01,226
that wasn't another
ongoing flood of migrants.

1190
00:51:01,224 --> 00:51:02,124
That's part of the comprehensive
strategy you just mentioned.

1191
00:51:02,125 --> 00:51:05,265
Is the administration at
all concerned now that

1192
00:51:05,262 --> 00:51:08,132
this deterrent is gone,
that you'll see another

1193
00:51:08,131 --> 00:51:09,731
wave of migrants?

1194
00:51:09,733 --> 00:51:10,863
Mr. Earnest:
Well, it certainly
wasn't the only deterrent.

1195
00:51:10,867 --> 00:51:13,107
I think the most effective
deterrent that we have

1196
00:51:13,103 --> 00:51:15,643
is to have the President of
the United States making

1197
00:51:15,639 --> 00:51:17,879
very clear that people in
Central America should not

1198
00:51:17,874 --> 00:51:20,014
send their kids on this
very dangerous journey;

1199
00:51:20,010 --> 00:51:25,220
that too often, we saw reports
of kids who didn't complete

1200
00:51:25,215 --> 00:51:28,755
the journey safely,
that they were killed.

1201
00:51:28,752 --> 00:51:31,092
This is a very
dangerous trek.

1202
00:51:31,087 --> 00:51:33,087
In some cases, we saw
the kids were actually

1203
00:51:33,089 --> 00:51:35,759
funneled into human
trafficking rings.

1204
00:51:35,759 --> 00:51:38,459
So we've continued to make
the case very clearly

1205
00:51:38,462 --> 00:51:41,862
and very publicly that
parents should not even

1206
00:51:41,865 --> 00:51:45,005
contemplate to putting
their kids in the hands

1207
00:51:45,001 --> 00:51:47,701
of human traffickers in
trying to move them into

1208
00:51:47,704 --> 00:51:48,774
the United States illegally.

1209
00:51:48,772 --> 00:51:50,772
So we've been really clear about
that, and that is probably

1210
00:51:50,774 --> 00:51:53,314
the most effective
deterrent that we have.

1211
00:51:53,310 --> 00:51:55,310
But to the extent that
other things can also deter

1212
00:51:55,312 --> 00:52:01,652
and reinforce that message, we
obviously want to support them.

1213
00:52:01,651 --> 00:52:03,791
The Press:
The Congressional Budget Office

1214
00:52:03,787 --> 00:52:09,427
sent a letter to Thad Cochran,
scoring the President's

1215
00:52:09,426 --> 00:52:13,226
executive actions for
DACA and DAPA, and it found

1216
00:52:13,230 --> 00:52:16,700
that his executive actions would
actually increase budget

1217
00:52:16,700 --> 00:52:21,100
deficits by $8.8 billion 
over the next 10 years.

1218
00:52:21,104 --> 00:52:23,274
I was wondering if you
could square that CBO

1219
00:52:23,273 --> 00:52:25,513
finding with the
President's budget,

1220
00:52:25,509 --> 00:52:28,679
which claims immigration
reform and executive actions

1221
00:52:28,678 --> 00:52:30,478
would reduce the budget.

1222
00:52:30,480 --> 00:52:32,520
Mr. Earnest:
We may have
to follow up with you

1223
00:52:32,516 --> 00:52:34,216
on this, because my reading
of that report was

1224
00:52:34,217 --> 00:52:36,217
actually that removing the
executive actions would

1225
00:52:36,219 --> 00:52:38,759
actually add $8
billion to the deficit.

1226
00:52:38,755 --> 00:52:40,755
The Press:
Off-budget, you're right.

1227
00:52:40,757 --> 00:52:43,697
That's if we don't consider --
that's if the payroll taxes

1228
00:52:43,693 --> 00:52:46,393
from the DAPA and DACA
recipients didn't go to the

1229
00:52:46,396 --> 00:52:47,866
Social Security trust fund.

1230
00:52:47,864 --> 00:52:49,964
But if the Social Security
trust fund exists,

1231
00:52:49,966 --> 00:52:52,036
if those payroll taxes
are going to the Social

1232
00:52:52,035 --> 00:52:55,275
Security trust fund, then
that CBO letter found that

1233
00:52:55,272 --> 00:52:57,272
the immigration actions do
add to the deficit

1234
00:52:57,274 --> 00:52:59,814
by $8.8 billion over the
next 10 years.

1235
00:52:59,809 --> 00:53:01,809
Mr. Earnest:
Well, I may
have somebody who is more

1236
00:53:01,811 --> 00:53:03,811
steeped in the
budgetary details.

1237
00:53:03,813 --> 00:53:05,813
My understanding is that this
would have a positive impact

1238
00:53:05,815 --> 00:53:07,785
on our deficit precisely
because for the first time

1239
00:53:07,784 --> 00:53:09,784
what we'd be doing is we'd be
bringing people out of

1240
00:53:09,786 --> 00:53:12,056
the shadows and actually making
them pay taxes.

1241
00:53:12,055 --> 00:53:14,725
That would be a good thing
for the life of Social Security.

1242
00:53:14,724 --> 00:53:16,724
It would be a good
thing for our economy.

1243
00:53:16,726 --> 00:53:18,726
And ultimately, it would
be a good thing for the deficit.

1244
00:53:18,728 --> 00:53:20,128
But we can have somebody
follow up with you on your --

1245
00:53:20,130 --> 00:53:22,070
on what may be a
more detailed question.

1246
00:53:22,065 --> 00:53:23,065
The Press:
Thank you very much.

1247
00:53:23,066 --> 00:53:24,196
Mr. Earnest:
Mark.

1248
00:53:24,200 --> 00:53:26,740
The Press:
Josh, back on
Keystone, does President Obama

1249
00:53:26,736 --> 00:53:31,306
believe that 2,300 days is
a reasonable length of time

1250
00:53:31,308 --> 00:53:34,378
for the State Department to
conduct an evaluation?

1251
00:53:34,377 --> 00:53:37,717
Mr. Earnest:
Well, I think
it's certainly fair to suggest

1252
00:53:37,714 --> 00:53:41,814
that the State Department is
conducting an in-depth review.

1253
00:53:41,818 --> 00:53:42,818
(laughter)

1254
00:53:42,819 --> 00:53:44,819
The other thing that is also
true is that there have been

1255
00:53:44,821 --> 00:53:48,061
some legal proceedings that have
interfered with the completion

1256
00:53:48,058 --> 00:53:49,058
of this review.

1257
00:53:49,059 --> 00:53:51,059
There was this
long-running court case in

1258
00:53:51,061 --> 00:53:53,061
Nebraska about the proper
route of the pipeline.

1259
00:53:53,063 --> 00:53:55,363
And that certainly did impact
the State Department's ability

1260
00:53:55,365 --> 00:53:58,065
to evaluate the route of the
pipeline since it wasn't

1261
00:53:58,068 --> 00:54:02,738
finalized and was subject to 
this ultimate court ruling.

1262
00:54:02,739 --> 00:54:04,979
But within just the last
few weeks the Nebraska

1263
00:54:04,975 --> 00:54:08,215
court has issued a decision
that has finalized the proposal,

1264
00:54:08,211 --> 00:54:13,221
and now that final proposal can
be evaluated

1265
00:54:13,216 --> 00:54:14,216
by the State Department.

1266
00:54:14,217 --> 00:54:16,217
That's what they're
doing right now.

1267
00:54:16,219 --> 00:54:18,219
The Press:
Can you imagine
what he would say if he

1268
00:54:18,221 --> 00:54:20,221
gave you an assignment and
you said, I'll get back

1269
00:54:20,223 --> 00:54:21,523
to you in 2,300 days?

1270
00:54:21,524 --> 00:54:22,524
(laughter)

1271
00:54:22,525 --> 00:54:23,665
Mr. Earnest:
I can't.

1272
00:54:23,660 --> 00:54:24,790
(laughter)

1273
00:54:24,794 --> 00:54:25,664
I can't.

1274
00:54:25,662 --> 00:54:26,492
Goyal.

1275
00:54:26,496 --> 00:54:27,496
The Press:
Thank you.

1276
00:54:27,497 --> 00:54:28,267
Mr. Earnest:
I'll give you the last one, Goyal.

1277
00:54:28,264 --> 00:54:29,334
The Press:
Two questions here.

1278
00:54:29,332 --> 00:54:31,572
One, when last year Prime
Minister Modi came to

1279
00:54:31,568 --> 00:54:35,038
the United States, late last
year -- and including at

1280
00:54:35,038 --> 00:54:38,508
the United Nations and at
the White House, at the U.N.

1281
00:54:38,508 --> 00:54:43,578
he announced that India
should be a member of the U.N.

1282
00:54:43,580 --> 00:54:46,180
Security Council, and
which President in India

1283
00:54:46,182 --> 00:54:48,522
also announced and endorsed.

1284
00:54:48,518 --> 00:54:49,888
What is happening
with that membership?

1285
00:54:49,886 --> 00:54:53,226
And also Prime Minister
Modi addressed in

1286
00:54:53,223 --> 00:54:55,463
Washington the U.S.-India
Business Council

1287
00:54:55,458 --> 00:55:00,568
and calling on the Fortune 500
companies make in India,

1288
00:55:00,563 --> 00:55:02,763
which will create thousands
of jobs in the U.S.

1289
00:55:02,766 --> 00:55:04,806
and thousands of
jobs in India.

1290
00:55:04,801 --> 00:55:06,801
So what's happening
with that issue?

1291
00:55:06,803 --> 00:55:11,173
And the two leaders
also set up a hotline.

1292
00:55:11,174 --> 00:55:15,574
The two have spoken ever since
his visit to the White House?

1293
00:55:15,578 --> 00:55:18,478
Mr. Earnest:
Goyal, I can
tell you as it relates to

1294
00:55:18,481 --> 00:55:21,621
India's membership on the
Security Council, I know

1295
00:55:21,618 --> 00:55:26,388
the President endorsed them
acceding to the Security Council

1296
00:55:26,389 --> 00:55:30,559
in the context of a variety of
other important reforms

1297
00:55:30,560 --> 00:55:33,700
to the operations of
the United Nations.

1298
00:55:33,697 --> 00:55:36,197
I don't have an update for
you on the status of those

1299
00:55:36,199 --> 00:55:38,199
ongoing reforms, or at
least efforts to try to

1300
00:55:38,201 --> 00:55:40,201
bring about some
of those reforms.

1301
00:55:40,203 --> 00:55:42,373
But I'm sure my colleagues
in Ambassador Power's office

1302
00:55:42,372 --> 00:55:47,882
can give you some additional
information on this.

1303
00:55:47,877 --> 00:55:53,717
Goyal, the President often
discusses his view that we need

1304
00:55:53,717 --> 00:55:56,587
to have more products that
are stamped with Made in America

1305
00:55:56,586 --> 00:55:58,456
and that that would be good
for the U.S. economy.

1306
00:55:58,455 --> 00:55:59,885
It would be good
for job creation.

1307
00:55:59,889 --> 00:56:02,929
The President also does believes
that, as Indian consumers

1308
00:56:02,926 --> 00:56:05,826
have the opportunity to buy
American goods,

1309
00:56:05,829 --> 00:56:08,399
that it could be good for the
Indian economy, as well.

1310
00:56:08,398 --> 00:56:11,198
So the President did have
the opportunity to discuss

1311
00:56:11,201 --> 00:56:13,201
some of these economic
issues and our trade

1312
00:56:13,203 --> 00:56:14,603
relationship with India.

1313
00:56:14,604 --> 00:56:17,004
In the context of his
visit to India just last

1314
00:56:17,006 --> 00:56:19,046
month, the President spent
a lot of time with Prime

1315
00:56:19,042 --> 00:56:21,042
Minister Modi and they
spent a lot of time

1316
00:56:21,044 --> 00:56:23,044
talking about some of
these economic issues.

1317
00:56:23,046 --> 00:56:26,216
You'll recall that there
was a CEO summit in the

1318
00:56:26,216 --> 00:56:28,486
context of those meeting,
and that there were

1319
00:56:28,485 --> 00:56:30,455
American and Indian
business leaders that

1320
00:56:30,453 --> 00:56:32,653
spent some time talking
through some of these issues.

1321
00:56:32,655 --> 00:56:35,195
And the President himself
had the opportunity to sit

1322
00:56:35,191 --> 00:56:38,361
down at a roundtable with
a couple dozen of them

1323
00:56:38,361 --> 00:56:40,361
and talk about some of the
challenges that they face

1324
00:56:40,363 --> 00:56:42,663
as they try to do more
business together in a way

1325
00:56:42,665 --> 00:56:46,875
that benefits the economies and
job creation in both countries.

1326
00:56:46,870 --> 00:56:51,610
So there is an opportunity
for us to try to advance

1327
00:56:51,608 --> 00:56:53,608
the interests of both
our countries by working

1328
00:56:53,610 --> 00:56:55,610
together and by
coordinating our efforts.

1329
00:56:55,612 --> 00:56:56,882
And the President is
certainly committed to

1330
00:56:56,880 --> 00:56:59,620
that, again, in part,
because the substantial

1331
00:56:59,616 --> 00:57:05,826
economic benefits that could be
enjoyed by the American people.

1332
00:57:05,822 --> 00:57:07,822
And that ultimately
is his goal.

1333
00:57:07,824 --> 00:57:10,264
I know that Prime Minister
Modi has a similar interest.

1334
00:57:10,260 --> 00:57:13,630
And I don't know of any
recent conversations that

1335
00:57:13,630 --> 00:57:16,370
they have had, but that
continues to be a priority

1336
00:57:16,366 --> 00:57:19,106
of both the President
and his administration.

1337
00:57:19,102 --> 00:57:21,442
The Press:
Second, Josh, as far
as the immigration is concerned,

1338
00:57:21,437 --> 00:57:24,037
when President issued executive
order millions of people

1339
00:57:24,040 --> 00:57:26,740
were happy in that they will
come out of the shadow.

1340
00:57:26,743 --> 00:57:28,383
Now they're confused.

1341
00:57:28,378 --> 00:57:30,648
What message you think
President has for them?

1342
00:57:30,647 --> 00:57:34,147
They are waiting to come out
of the shadow and apply

1343
00:57:34,150 --> 00:57:37,250
for their status.

1344
00:57:37,253 --> 00:57:38,593
Mr. Earnest:
Well, Goyal,
this is something that

1345
00:57:38,588 --> 00:57:39,618
we are concerned about.

1346
00:57:39,622 --> 00:57:41,622
The President does believe
and we have said on many

1347
00:57:41,624 --> 00:57:45,664
occasions that we believe
that there is a very clear

1348
00:57:45,662 --> 00:57:47,632
precedent for the
executive actions the

1349
00:57:47,630 --> 00:57:49,530
President announced at
the end of last year;

1350
00:57:49,532 --> 00:57:53,672
that taking executive action
to try to address some

1351
00:57:53,670 --> 00:57:56,010
elements of our broken
immigration system is consistent

1352
00:57:56,005 --> 00:57:59,245
with the way that Presidents of
both parties for several decades

1353
00:57:59,242 --> 00:58:01,242
have used their executive authority.

1354
00:58:01,244 --> 00:58:03,314
And there is no doubt that
these kinds of changes

1355
00:58:03,313 --> 00:58:05,313
would be good for our
economy, would be good

1356
00:58:05,315 --> 00:58:08,585
for job creation, and would
be good for bringing about

1357
00:58:08,585 --> 00:58:10,855
greater accountability to
our immigration system.

1358
00:58:10,854 --> 00:58:12,894
And that ultimately
is what the President

1359
00:58:12,889 --> 00:58:16,259
believes is the benefit
here -- that we can bring

1360
00:58:16,259 --> 00:58:18,259
millions of people out of
the shadows, that we can

1361
00:58:18,261 --> 00:58:20,831
make them submit to a
background check,

1362
00:58:20,830 --> 00:58:23,970
that they will pay taxes, and
that they can also get

1363
00:58:23,967 --> 00:58:25,967
a work permit and they can
start contributing to this

1364
00:58:25,969 --> 00:58:29,309
country in a way that
doesn't require them to

1365
00:58:29,305 --> 00:58:32,005
live in fear of being
deported at a moment's

1366
00:58:32,008 --> 00:58:34,008
notice and separated
from their families.

1367
00:58:34,010 --> 00:58:36,010
Now, this, of course, does
not apply to people who

1368
00:58:36,012 --> 00:58:38,082
have recently
crossed the border.

1369
00:58:38,081 --> 00:58:40,651
In fact, we want to focus
our enforcement efforts

1370
00:58:40,650 --> 00:58:42,590
on people who have recently
crossed the border and

1371
00:58:42,585 --> 00:58:46,585
on others who may pose a
threat to community safety

1372
00:58:46,589 --> 00:58:48,789
or national security.

1373
00:58:48,791 --> 00:58:52,901
But that is the crux of this
debate, and we're going to

1374
00:58:52,896 --> 00:58:56,166
continue to move this through
the legal process because

1375
00:58:56,165 --> 00:58:58,935
we're confident that the
strongest legal arguments

1376
00:58:58,935 --> 00:59:00,505
around on our side.

1377
00:59:00,503 --> 00:59:01,673
Thanks, everybody.