English subtitles for clip: File:6-2-15- White House Press Briefing.webm

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Mr. Earnest: Good
afternoon, everybody.

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I appreciate you venturing
out to the White House

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on a rainy Tuesday.

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It's nice to see you all.

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I don't have anything
at the top, so we'll

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go straight to
your questions.

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Josh, welcome back.

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It's nice to see you.

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The Press: Thanks, Josh.

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It's great to be
here with everyone.

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I wanted to ask
about the NSA bill.

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I know you were pretty clear
yesterday that the White House

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does not want to see
the Senate start playing

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a lot of games with this
bill that would slow

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it down and require
another House approval.

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But it looks like that's
kind of what's going

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to happen anyway.

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So I'm wondering if the
White House has had

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a chance to review any of
the specific amendments that

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Senator McConnell plans to
have votes on today to see

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whether they are changes
that would be amenable

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to the President.

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Mr. Earnest: Josh, what's
clear is we've seen

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Republicans in the United
States Senate already play

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far too many games with a
piece of legislation that's

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critical to the national
security of the

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United States and the civil
liberties protections

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of the American people.

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It's time for
the game-playing

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to come to an end.

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And we continue to believe
that the best course of

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action, now that the Senate
has blown through the

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deadline that they have been
aware of for more than

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a year and a half, that they
should vote to pass the bill

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in its current form, in the
form that already passed the

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United States House of
Representatives with the

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support of 338 Democrats
and Republicans.

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If they will pass that
piece of legislation, the

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President will quickly sign
it into law and give our law

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enforcement professionals
once again tools that they

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say are critical
to their efforts

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to keep the country safe.

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The Press: So if the Senate
does pass this bill but they

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make some changes -- for
instance, a provision

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dealing with the
declassification of FISA

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Court decisions -- and
they're able to get

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the House to sign off on
that, will the President

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accept an amended piece
of legislation?

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Mr. Earnest: Well, let me
just be clear that the

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administration and certainly
the President would view

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efforts to water down the
civil liberties reforms that

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are included in the House
version as contrary to the

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kinds of values
that he's advocated.

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It certainly is not
consistent with his view

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that reforms should be
incorporated into these

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programs to better protect
the privacy and civil

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liberties of the
American people.

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So what we believe the
Senate should do is pass a

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piece of legislation that
appropriately balances the

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need to protect the country
with the need to protect the

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privacy of the
American people.

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That's what the House bill
does -- 338 Democrats

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and Republicans agree.

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Our national security
professionals agree.

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That bipartisan ground
was reached by the House.

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And the Senate has already
done enough to try to spoil

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that common-sense
bipartisan compromise.

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They should just do the
bare minimum -- pass this

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bipartisan piece of
legislation so the President

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can sign it into law, and
our national security

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professionals can avail
themselves of all of the

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necessary tools to
protect the country.

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The Press: There was this
counter-ISIL meeting this

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morning that Secretary Kerry
took part in by phone prior

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to his surgery.

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Tony Blinken was there and
said something kind of

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interesting -- he said, "We
will redouble our efforts."

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And considering that
the U.S. has committed

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publicly to the same
strategy that it's

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been pursuing against ISIL,
I'm wondering if you can

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elaborate on what does
that mean, we're going

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to redouble our efforts?

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Does that mean we're
going to increase

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training, weapons
that we're sending?

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What exactly did
he mean by that?

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Mr. Earnest: Well, I think
it means that the U.S.

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government, in partnership
with the members of the

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coalition, are always in
consideration of ways that

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we can offer additional
support and assistance to

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the Iraqi central government
and to the Iraqi people as

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they face down the ISIL
threat in their country.

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This could take a
variety of forms.

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This could include the
provision of additional

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equipment to Iraqi
security forces.

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I would note that in the
last week, the United States

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did provide 1,000 AT4
weapons to Iraqi security

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forces.

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These are weapons that could
be used to counter some of

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the car bombs that we have
seen ISIL deploy in advance

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of some of their offensive
military operations.

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There has been an interest
in trying to ramp up the

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training capacity of the
Iraqi security forces, and

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the United States, our
coalition partners have

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played an important
role in this.

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There are some of our
coalition partners that do

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have a special expertise in
terms of training security

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forces, police officers,
intelligence -- or special

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operations forces.

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And we certainly want to
boost the capacity of those

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forces that are under the
command-and-control of the

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Iraqi central government.

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So there may be several
things that we can do.

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The President has been very
clear about something that

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we won't do -- and I know
that Deputy Secretary

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Blinken agrees with this
sentiment -- that the

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President does not believe
it's in the best interest of

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our country to deploy a
large-scale ground operation

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that is manned by U.S.

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military personnel,
principally because the

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President believes that the
security situation in Iraq

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is the responsibility of the
Iraqi government, the Iraqi

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security forces, and
the Iraqi people.

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And the President
will not put the U.S.

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military in a situation
where we are doing something

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for the Iraqis that they
should be doing for

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themselves.

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The Press: Because the
Iraqis are saying that

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they're not really seeing it
on the ground from there.

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Just this morning, Prime
Minister Abadi said as far

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as ammunition and armament,
they're seeing basically

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nothing and they're relying
only on themselves.

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So is he exaggerating -- or
perhaps under-exaggerating

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-- the degree of U.S.

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support that they're
currently receiving?

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Mr. Earnest: I didn't see
the precise comments from

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Prime Minister Abadi, but
there is no doubt about the

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substantial assistance that
has already been provided by

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the United States and
our coalition partners.

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That assistance has been
in the form of efforts to

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coordinate airstrikes at the
Joint Operation Centers in

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Baghdad and Erbil.

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That assistance has taken
the form of training Iraqi

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security forces.

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That assistance has taken
the form of providing

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important military
equipment, including AT4s

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that have been valuable and
will be valuable as Iraqi

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security forces take the
fight on the ground to ISIL

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fighters in their country.

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That will also take the form
of some advice that U.S.

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and other coalition military
officers have provided to

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Iraqi security forces
as they've carried out

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operations against
ISIL on the ground.

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But the other thing that is
true -- and I know this is

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something that Prime
Minister Abadi has indicated

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he would like to see more of
-- is that there's also been

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important intelligence
support that's been provided

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by the United States and
our coalition partners.

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And so, again, in all of
these areas, the United

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States and our coalition
partners are considering

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additional steps that we
can take to ramp up the

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extensive support that has
already been provided to

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Iraqi security forces.

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The Press: And the President
lost his distinction

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yesterday as the fastest
person to hit 1 million

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Twitter followers
to Caitlyn Jenner.

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Mr. Earnest: It was good
while it lasted there, Josh.

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(laughter)

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The Press: It was
a short period, but it was a

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good.

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And I saw that there was
a tweet from one of the

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accounts associated with the
President regarding this

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very public transition that
the country is witnessing.

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But I'm wondering if he had
any other thoughts that he

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shared with you either about
that, or about losing this

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honor of --
related to Twitter.

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(laughter)

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Mr. Earnest: I don't
think the President is

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particularly concerned.

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Again, while he enjoyed
holding that distinction

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while it lasted, I would say
that the sentiments that

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were expressed by OFA that
tweeted about this are

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consistent with the
President's views, which is

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that the President does
believe that Caitlyn Jenner

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has shown tremendous courage
as she has undergone

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this transition in a
very public way.

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And that's worthy
of our respect.

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Roberta.

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The Press: The House is
going to be moving to

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consideration of the
TPA sometime soon here.

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And I'm wondering how
the White House --

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Mr. Earnest: That
would be great.

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The Press: I'm wondering how
the White House feels about

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the labor-sponsored
campaign against Democratic

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Representative Bera over
his support for the

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President's trade agenda.

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Mr. Earnest: Well, I haven't
seen a lot of the details of

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those campaign tactics.

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The President has made clea,
and he believes that he has

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a pretty compelling case to
make about why Democrats and

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progressives can be strongly
supportive of the most

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progressive trade promotion
authority bill that the

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Congress has ever considered
and has ever been passed by

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the United States Senate.

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It includes built-in
protections related to

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raising labor standards
and raising environmental

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standards.

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It includes important
human rights protections.

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And all of this is
consistent with the

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President's view about the
way that we can implement

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trade agreements that will
level the playing field, put

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upward pressure --
particularly in those areas

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of the world that are
growing so quickly right now

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economically -- in a
way that will open up

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opportunity for American
workers and American

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businesses around the world,
and that ultimately will

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have a positive
impact on the U.S.

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economy and on job creation
right here in the United

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States.

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So the President
believes that he's

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got a strong case to make.

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And if it becomes necessary
for the President to make

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that case in the context
of a Democratic primary

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contest, the President is
committed to those members

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of the House of
Representatives that face

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that kind of pressure that
the President will stand

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with them.

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The Press: So what
does that mean --

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he'll stand with them?

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What sort of support is
he going to give them?

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Mr. Earnest: Well, we
haven't seen that that kind

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of support is necessary
at this point.

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But if it does, those
members of Congress,

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I think, having received
personal assurance from the

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President, know that they
can go out and vote their

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conscience; that they can
put the best interest of

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their constituents ahead of
the claims and criticisms

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from those who are focused
on the next election.

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The Press: I wanted to also
ask about a report today.

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A detainee at Guantanamo Bay
has said that the CIA used

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a broader, wider array of
sexual abuse and torture

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than had been disclosed
in the Senate torture

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report last year.

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And I'm wondering if the
White House is aware of this

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new report and what the
response is, if any.

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Mr. Earnest: I haven't seen
those claims, but if we

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do have a response, we
can get it to you.

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00:10:31,697 --> 00:10:32,697
Cheryl.

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00:10:32,698 --> 00:10:33,698
The Press: Thanks, Josh.

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00:10:33,699 --> 00:10:34,699
New topic.

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00:10:34,700 --> 00:10:37,970
This afternoon, the House
Oversight Committee is

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00:10:37,970 --> 00:10:40,740
beginning two days of
hearings into agency

252
00:10:40,740 --> 00:10:43,940
compliance with FOIA, the
Freedom of Information Act.

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00:10:43,943 --> 00:10:47,613
And they're claiming that
agencies are falling way

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00:10:47,613 --> 00:10:50,053
behind and not complying
with the timelines in the

255
00:10:50,049 --> 00:10:52,019
bill -- in the law.

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00:10:52,018 --> 00:10:54,558
Does the administration have
any plans to improve that?

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00:10:54,553 --> 00:10:58,623
Mr. Earnest: Well, Cheryl,
I can tell you that the

258
00:10:58,624 --> 00:11:01,994
administration continues to
be justifiably proud of our

259
00:11:01,994 --> 00:11:05,434
ongoing efforts to respond
to Freedom of Information

260
00:11:05,431 --> 00:11:07,801
Act requests.

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00:11:07,800 --> 00:11:11,840
In the last fiscal year, the
administration processed

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00:11:11,837 --> 00:11:18,677
647,000 FOIA requests that
we received from the public.

263
00:11:18,677 --> 00:11:22,417
I would note that that is
647,000 more FOIA requests

264
00:11:22,415 --> 00:11:24,915
than were processed by the
United States Congress.

265
00:11:24,917 --> 00:11:27,817
And those who are interested
in advocating for genuine

266
00:11:27,820 --> 00:11:32,390
transparency in government
should advocate for Congress

267
00:11:32,391 --> 00:11:37,401
being subject to those kinds
of transparency measures.

268
00:11:38,130 --> 00:11:40,100
So this has been the
administration approach to

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00:11:40,099 --> 00:11:43,299
this and we're
proud of our record.

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00:11:43,302 --> 00:11:45,572
The Press: Also, there are
a couple bills pending that

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00:11:45,571 --> 00:11:48,871
would reform the FOIA law.

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00:11:48,874 --> 00:11:49,814
Does the administration --

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00:11:49,809 --> 00:11:51,239
Mr. Earnest: Will they

274
00:11:51,243 --> 00:11:52,513
reform the FOIA law in such
a way that Congress would be

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00:11:52,511 --> 00:11:53,341
subject to it?

276
00:11:53,345 --> 00:11:54,215
The Press: It would not.

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00:11:54,213 --> 00:11:55,083
Mr. Earnest: They
wouldn't, huh?

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00:11:55,081 --> 00:11:56,981
Well, hopefully the
transparency advocates who

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00:11:56,982 --> 00:11:58,282
are testifying before
Congress today will urge

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00:11:58,284 --> 00:11:59,584
them to do that.

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00:11:59,585 --> 00:12:01,855
I guess we'll wait
and see if they do.

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00:12:02,721 --> 00:12:03,961
Annie.

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00:12:03,956 --> 00:12:04,726
Nice to see you.

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00:12:04,723 --> 00:12:05,563
The Press: Thank you.

285
00:12:05,558 --> 00:12:06,958
It's nice to be here.

286
00:12:06,959 --> 00:12:11,329
I'm here to ask about a letter
that Senator Elizabeth Warren

287
00:12:11,330 --> 00:12:13,570
sent to the SEC
this morning.

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00:12:13,566 --> 00:12:15,536
Mr. Earnest: Yes, I heard
a little bit about that.

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00:12:15,534 --> 00:12:16,504
The Press: She said in
her letter that she is

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00:12:16,502 --> 00:12:19,602
disappointment
Chairwoman White.

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00:12:19,605 --> 00:12:22,745
And I'm curious if the
President shares any of her

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00:12:22,741 --> 00:12:25,111
disappointment, or if he
believes that White has been

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00:12:25,111 --> 00:12:28,081
aggressive enough in
prosecuting Wall Street

294
00:12:28,080 --> 00:12:29,580
banks?

295
00:12:29,582 --> 00:12:32,982
Mr. Earnest: Well, Annie, as
you know, Mary Jo White is

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00:12:32,985 --> 00:12:36,655
the Chair of an independent
regulatory agency.

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00:12:36,655 --> 00:12:41,195
And for me to spend a lot
of time talking about the

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00:12:41,193 --> 00:12:44,933
performance of her in that
role or her agency under her

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00:12:44,930 --> 00:12:48,800
leadership could be
construed by some as

300
00:12:48,801 --> 00:12:51,071
undermining that
independence.

301
00:12:51,070 --> 00:12:54,410
But let me just say as a
general matter that the

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00:12:54,406 --> 00:12:57,706
reason that the President
appointed her to this very

303
00:12:57,710 --> 00:13:01,950
important position is
because she has a strong

304
00:13:01,947 --> 00:13:05,847
track record both as a
lawyer in the private sector

305
00:13:05,851 --> 00:13:08,051
but also as the U.S.

306
00:13:08,053 --> 00:13:10,853
Attorney for the Southern
District of New York early

307
00:13:10,856 --> 00:13:14,156
in her career; that she
earned her reputation as

308
00:13:14,160 --> 00:13:22,130
somebody who was tough but
fair, and maintained a

309
00:13:22,134 --> 00:13:27,274
sophisticated understanding
of a complex set of issues

310
00:13:27,273 --> 00:13:29,273
related to the
financial markets.

311
00:13:29,275 --> 00:13:34,515
And the President also is
confident that she shares

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00:13:34,513 --> 00:13:39,753
his values and the priority
that he has placed on

313
00:13:39,752 --> 00:13:43,122
promptly implementing
Wall Street reform.

314
00:13:43,122 --> 00:13:45,862
And there are a variety of
rules that are related to

315
00:13:45,858 --> 00:13:46,858
this.

316
00:13:46,859 --> 00:13:51,499
She has to make her own
independent judgment about

317
00:13:51,497 --> 00:13:53,237
how those rules should
be implemented and

318
00:13:53,232 --> 00:13:55,372
on what time frame.

319
00:13:55,367 --> 00:14:00,337
And I won't comment on that
from here today, but the

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00:14:00,339 --> 00:14:05,609
President does continue to
believe that the reasons

321
00:14:05,611 --> 00:14:09,151
that he chose her, based
on her experience and her

322
00:14:09,148 --> 00:14:13,388
values, continue to
be important today.

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00:14:13,385 --> 00:14:15,355
And the President does
continue to believe that

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00:14:15,354 --> 00:14:17,694
she is the right
person for the job.

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00:14:17,690 --> 00:14:19,660
Jon.

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00:14:19,658 --> 00:14:22,528
The Press: Josh, I want to
ask you about the IAEA says

327
00:14:22,528 --> 00:14:27,998
that the nuclear fuel in
Iran now has stockpiles

328
00:14:28,000 --> 00:14:32,370
20 percent more than it
was at the start of these

329
00:14:32,371 --> 00:14:34,471
negotiations 18 months ago.

330
00:14:34,473 --> 00:14:37,013
You repeatedly said, I
believe, that their

331
00:14:37,009 --> 00:14:38,849
program is frozen in place.

332
00:14:38,844 --> 00:14:41,484
How do you square that with
the IAEA now saying that

333
00:14:41,480 --> 00:14:42,680
they have a 20
percent increase

334
00:14:42,681 --> 00:14:44,181
in their nuclear fuel?

335
00:14:44,183 --> 00:14:46,053
Mr. Earnest: That's
a good question.

336
00:14:46,051 --> 00:14:48,991
The metrics by which we
determine Iran's compliance

337
00:14:48,988 --> 00:14:51,858
with the Joint Plan
of Action are pretty

338
00:14:51,857 --> 00:14:53,097
straightforward.

339
00:14:53,092 --> 00:14:56,532
Iran is not enriching
uranium above the

340
00:14:56,528 --> 00:14:58,728
5 percent level.

341
00:14:58,731 --> 00:15:02,271
Iran is not installing
new centrifuges

342
00:15:02,268 --> 00:15:05,038
at their nuclear facilities.

343
00:15:05,037 --> 00:15:09,707
Iran is not making progress
at the heavy-water

344
00:15:09,708 --> 00:15:12,348
plutonium reactor in Arak.

345
00:15:12,344 --> 00:15:19,514
And Iran is cooperating with
the IAEA inspections that

346
00:15:19,518 --> 00:15:22,158
have allowed us to
verify their compliance

347
00:15:22,154 --> 00:15:24,554
with the agreement.

348
00:15:24,556 --> 00:15:29,196
Now, as it relates to the
uranium stockpile that

349
00:15:29,194 --> 00:15:33,164
you're talking about,
the IAEA report that was

350
00:15:33,165 --> 00:15:35,805
published at the end
of last week is merely

351
00:15:35,801 --> 00:15:37,701
a snapshot in time.

352
00:15:37,703 --> 00:15:42,243
And the Joint Plan of Action
requires Iran by the end

353
00:15:42,241 --> 00:15:44,641
of that Joint Plan of Action
period -- in this case,

354
00:15:44,643 --> 00:15:50,713
by June 30th -- to be
at the appropriate

355
00:15:50,716 --> 00:15:52,086
cap on their stockpile.

356
00:15:52,084 --> 00:15:55,124
Now, we know that Iran is
enriching at this low level.

357
00:15:55,120 --> 00:15:59,760
And that means that there
are going to be ebbs and

358
00:15:59,758 --> 00:16:04,228
flows in terms of the amount
of uranium -- low-enriched

359
00:16:04,229 --> 00:16:06,199
uranium in their stockpile.

360
00:16:06,198 --> 00:16:09,468
The requirement is for
them to be at the cap

361
00:16:09,468 --> 00:16:10,808
by June 30th.

362
00:16:10,803 --> 00:16:13,603
And our nuclear experts
continue to have confidence

363
00:16:13,605 --> 00:16:15,605
that they will meet
that requirement.

364
00:16:15,607 --> 00:16:16,777
They have in the past.

365
00:16:16,775 --> 00:16:19,215
We've seen this similar ebb
and flow in their uranium

366
00:16:19,211 --> 00:16:22,681
stockpile in advance of
previous deadlines, and each

367
00:16:22,681 --> 00:16:24,681
time they have
met the deadline.

368
00:16:24,683 --> 00:16:26,683
We're confident that
they'll do so this time.

369
00:16:26,685 --> 00:16:31,225
The last thing I'll say
about this is that the size

370
00:16:31,223 --> 00:16:34,993
of Iran's low-enriched
uranium stockpile

371
00:16:34,993 --> 00:16:38,533
is something that is
specifically addressed

372
00:16:38,530 --> 00:16:40,870
in the longer-term
agreement that we're

373
00:16:40,866 --> 00:16:42,836
hoping to reach
by June 30th.

374
00:16:42,835 --> 00:16:45,005
And you'll recall that in
the context of the political

375
00:16:45,003 --> 00:16:48,573
negotiations that completed
the first week in April, the

376
00:16:48,574 --> 00:16:51,144
agreement was that Iran
would reduce that low

377
00:16:51,143 --> 00:16:56,413
enriched uranium stockpile
by 98 percent down to a cap

378
00:16:56,415 --> 00:17:00,385
of 300 kilograms.

379
00:17:00,386 --> 00:17:03,426
That significant, even
dramatic reduction in their

380
00:17:03,422 --> 00:17:06,762
low-enriched uranium
stockpile combined with

381
00:17:06,759 --> 00:17:11,969
several other limitations on
their nuclear capability is

382
00:17:11,964 --> 00:17:17,234
how we can achieve the goal
of significantly lengthening

383
00:17:17,236 --> 00:17:18,936
the breakout period.

384
00:17:18,937 --> 00:17:21,707
So the U.S. government
has assessed that

385
00:17:21,707 --> 00:17:24,007
the current breakout
period that Iran has

386
00:17:24,009 --> 00:17:26,079
to obtaining
a nuclear weapon -- this is

387
00:17:26,078 --> 00:17:28,118
the amount of time that
Iran, if they made the

388
00:17:28,113 --> 00:17:30,583
decision, could develop
enough fissile material

389
00:17:30,582 --> 00:17:34,022
to build a bomb -- is about
two to three months.

390
00:17:34,019 --> 00:17:36,389
Under the significant
limitations that are

391
00:17:36,388 --> 00:17:39,458
contemplated in the
longer-term deal, we would

392
00:17:39,458 --> 00:17:42,358
extend that breakout
period to one year.

393
00:17:42,361 --> 00:17:44,901
So the last thing I'll say
about this -- I already said

394
00:17:44,897 --> 00:17:46,897
that once before, but this
will be the last thing.

395
00:17:46,899 --> 00:17:49,199
(laughter) The last thing
about this actually is this,

396
00:17:49,201 --> 00:17:53,041
is that there are a number
of complicated, even

397
00:17:53,038 --> 00:17:56,708
difficult elements that
remain for us to negotiate

398
00:17:56,708 --> 00:17:58,708
in advance of the
June 30th deadline.

399
00:17:58,710 --> 00:18:00,180
This is not one of them.

400
00:18:00,179 --> 00:18:01,149
The Press: Okay.

401
00:18:01,146 --> 00:18:05,516
But you don't dispute their
finding, the IAEA's finding

402
00:18:05,517 --> 00:18:10,887
that they have a 20 percent
increase in uranium fuel

403
00:18:10,889 --> 00:18:12,929
over what they had at the
start of these negotiations?

404
00:18:12,925 --> 00:18:13,795
Mr. Earnest: No.

405
00:18:13,792 --> 00:18:15,432
The Press: You're not
concerned about that?

406
00:18:15,427 --> 00:18:18,167
You don't see this is as a
sign of Iran cheating, or

407
00:18:18,163 --> 00:18:19,233
not complying?

408
00:18:19,231 --> 00:18:20,401
This is not a problem?

409
00:18:20,399 --> 00:18:21,699
Mr. Earnest: No, and, in
fact, the IAEA doesn't see

410
00:18:21,700 --> 00:18:22,700
it that way either.

411
00:18:22,701 --> 00:18:26,001
The IAEA report that you're
citing -- I think, first,

412
00:18:26,004 --> 00:18:28,204
it's important for us to
note that the reason that we

413
00:18:28,207 --> 00:18:33,817
can verify the precise size
of Iran's nuclear uranium

414
00:18:33,812 --> 00:18:35,812
stockpile is because we
do have these monitoring

415
00:18:35,814 --> 00:18:36,814
measures in place.

416
00:18:36,815 --> 00:18:38,785
And because of that
monitoring, we can

417
00:18:38,784 --> 00:18:40,784
verify their compliance
with the agreement.

418
00:18:40,786 --> 00:18:42,786
And I would note that in
that IAEA report that you

419
00:18:42,788 --> 00:18:47,158
are citing, the IAEA never
says that Iran is not

420
00:18:47,159 --> 00:18:49,299
in compliance with the
Joint Plan of Action.

421
00:18:49,294 --> 00:18:50,264
The Press: Okay.

422
00:18:50,262 --> 00:18:51,962
And then just lastly, you
mention there's a lot

423
00:18:51,964 --> 00:18:53,864
of issues to be resolved.

424
00:18:53,866 --> 00:18:55,436
You don't say this is one of
the tough ones, but there

425
00:18:55,434 --> 00:18:57,334
are tough issues
to be resolved.

426
00:18:57,336 --> 00:18:59,606
Now that John Kerry is in
surgery today, this is

427
00:18:59,605 --> 00:19:01,875
certainly going to
sideline him for a while.

428
00:19:01,874 --> 00:19:03,874
How much does that
complicate things?

429
00:19:03,876 --> 00:19:07,616
Is it conceivable the date
could slip past June 30 in

430
00:19:07,613 --> 00:19:10,183
light of what's happened
with Secretary Kerry?

431
00:19:10,182 --> 00:19:12,922
And is there any scenario
in which the final round of

432
00:19:12,918 --> 00:19:15,758
negotiations could shift to,
say, New York, at the

433
00:19:15,754 --> 00:19:18,324
U.N. so it would be easier
for Secretary Kerry to

434
00:19:18,323 --> 00:19:20,193
participate?

435
00:19:20,192 --> 00:19:21,932
Mr. Earnest: Well, Jon,
it is correct that

436
00:19:21,927 --> 00:19:25,197
Secretary Kerry has undergone
surgery today on his injury

437
00:19:25,197 --> 00:19:28,437
that he suffered as a result of
that bike accident this weekend.

438
00:19:28,433 --> 00:19:31,733
I think anybody who has
spent any time around

439
00:19:31,737 --> 00:19:35,377
Secretary Kerry will know
that he will approach

440
00:19:35,374 --> 00:19:39,114
his recuperation
and rehabilitation

441
00:19:39,111 --> 00:19:41,711
with uncommon zeal.

442
00:19:41,713 --> 00:19:44,383
And I would anticipate
that any expectations that

443
00:19:44,383 --> 00:19:47,283
we have for the timeline
for his recovery that

444
00:19:47,286 --> 00:19:49,626
he's going to work really
hard to shorten it.

445
00:19:49,621 --> 00:19:52,061
And that's because he
believes that he's got

446
00:19:52,057 --> 00:19:54,527
a lot on his plate
-- and he does.

447
00:19:54,526 --> 00:19:58,626
And it's too early to say
what impact his injury will

448
00:19:58,630 --> 00:20:00,970
have on the broader
negotiations.

449
00:20:00,966 --> 00:20:03,406
The thing that I am
confident is true and will

450
00:20:03,402 --> 00:20:07,542
continue to be true is that
he will play a leading role

451
00:20:07,539 --> 00:20:09,539
in our efforts to try
to complete these

452
00:20:09,541 --> 00:20:10,711
negotiations by
the end of June.

453
00:20:10,709 --> 00:20:11,679
The Press: But my
two questions --

454
00:20:11,677 --> 00:20:15,547
could it be delayed
past June 30th?

455
00:20:15,547 --> 00:20:16,547
And could it
move to New York?

456
00:20:16,548 --> 00:20:18,548
Mr. Earnest: It's too early
to say what impact his

457
00:20:18,550 --> 00:20:20,750
injury would have on
either the timing

458
00:20:20,752 --> 00:20:23,252
or location
of the talks.

459
00:20:23,255 --> 00:20:24,255
Chip.

460
00:20:24,256 --> 00:20:27,696
The Press: On the TSA role
where the security failures

461
00:20:27,693 --> 00:20:29,933
that came to light
yesterday, the acting

462
00:20:29,928 --> 00:20:32,268
director has now
been reassigned.

463
00:20:32,264 --> 00:20:36,864
So not only is there
not an acting director,

464
00:20:36,868 --> 00:20:38,168
there's no director, and
there hasn't been for

465
00:20:38,170 --> 00:20:39,500
almost eight months.

466
00:20:39,504 --> 00:20:42,904
And some people on Capitol
Hill are pointing the finger

467
00:20:42,908 --> 00:20:43,908
at the White House.

468
00:20:43,909 --> 00:20:46,009
Mr. Earnest: As
they are wont to do.

469
00:20:46,011 --> 00:20:47,911
The Press: As they
are wont to do.

470
00:20:47,913 --> 00:20:49,913
How do you defend yourself
against them saying that

471
00:20:49,915 --> 00:20:51,915
this is the White House's
fault that it's taking

472
00:20:51,917 --> 00:20:52,917
so long?

473
00:20:52,918 --> 00:20:54,918
Mr. Earnest: Well, I would
note that it was back in

474
00:20:54,920 --> 00:20:56,920
April that the President
actually nominated a

475
00:20:56,922 --> 00:21:00,262
permanent director of the
TSA -- the Coast Guard

476
00:21:00,258 --> 00:21:04,028
Vice Admiral, a gentleman
named Pete Neffenger.

477
00:21:04,029 --> 00:21:06,029
He is somebody who is
eminently qualified

478
00:21:06,031 --> 00:21:08,131
for this position.

479
00:21:08,133 --> 00:21:11,303
And in the several weeks
since he has been nominated,

480
00:21:11,303 --> 00:21:14,373
he has been given one
-- count them -- one

481
00:21:14,373 --> 00:21:15,943
congressional hearing.

482
00:21:15,941 --> 00:21:18,811
We would like to see
Congress act more quickly to

483
00:21:18,810 --> 00:21:20,910
confirm him and allow
him to get on the job.

484
00:21:20,912 --> 00:21:26,082
We certainly have
acknowledged -- and the

485
00:21:26,084 --> 00:21:28,224
Secretary of Homeland
Security acknowledged

486
00:21:28,220 --> 00:21:31,520
yesterday -- that there are
important steps that need to

487
00:21:31,523 --> 00:21:34,423
be implemented to address
the concerns that are raised

488
00:21:34,426 --> 00:21:36,466
by this classified report.

489
00:21:36,461 --> 00:21:40,461
We have confidence that
these changes can start

490
00:21:40,465 --> 00:21:42,865
being implemented at the
specific direction of the

491
00:21:42,868 --> 00:21:44,868
Secretary of Homeland
Security and under the

492
00:21:44,870 --> 00:21:48,010
leadership of Mr. Hatfield,
who will be

493
00:21:48,006 --> 00:21:50,446
the Acting Director.

494
00:21:50,442 --> 00:21:54,712
But we would have more
confidence in all of this if

495
00:21:54,713 --> 00:21:58,353
we could have a permanent
Senate-confirmed director

496
00:21:58,350 --> 00:21:59,350
on the job.

497
00:21:59,351 --> 00:22:01,351
And we're hopeful that the
Senate will act quickly to

498
00:22:01,353 --> 00:22:02,853
get that done.

499
00:22:02,854 --> 00:22:05,424
The Press: Well, there are a
couple of points that they

500
00:22:05,424 --> 00:22:06,424
make about that.

501
00:22:06,425 --> 00:22:08,425
Number one is that, yes, you
did make a nomination in

502
00:22:08,427 --> 00:22:11,067
late April, but that was six
and a half months after John

503
00:22:11,063 --> 00:22:13,063
Pistole announced
that he was leaving.

504
00:22:13,065 --> 00:22:15,765
So the big delay there was
a result of the White House

505
00:22:15,767 --> 00:22:17,807
taking a very long time to
make this announcement.

506
00:22:17,803 --> 00:22:18,773
And secondly, --

507
00:22:18,770 --> 00:22:19,870
Mr. Earnest: To make sure we

508
00:22:19,871 --> 00:22:20,941
had the right
person in the job.

509
00:22:20,939 --> 00:22:23,909
The Press: Six and a half
months is a long time.

510
00:22:23,909 --> 00:22:25,379
Mr. Earnest: Now that we've
found that right person, we

511
00:22:25,377 --> 00:22:26,307
would ask the Senate to move
quickly to get it done.

512
00:22:26,311 --> 00:22:27,981
The Press: Well, they're
moving a lot more quickly

513
00:22:27,979 --> 00:22:29,579
than the White House did to
make the nomination in the

514
00:22:29,581 --> 00:22:30,781
first place.

515
00:22:30,782 --> 00:22:31,982
Mr. Earnest: Well, over
the course of six or seven

516
00:22:31,983 --> 00:22:34,283
weeks, we've seen one
congressional hearing.

517
00:22:34,286 --> 00:22:36,186
So I'm not sure the American
people would judge that as a

518
00:22:36,188 --> 00:22:37,288
particularly prompt action.

519
00:22:37,289 --> 00:22:38,929
The Press: They say
they're ready to confirm

520
00:22:38,924 --> 00:22:39,894
him once they --

521
00:22:39,891 --> 00:22:40,961
Mr. Earnest:
Excellent.

522
00:22:40,959 --> 00:22:41,429
Chip just made
news, everybody.

523
00:22:41,426 --> 00:22:42,666
(laughter)

524
00:22:42,661 --> 00:22:44,101
The Press: Once
they vote on it I'll confirm it.

525
00:22:44,096 --> 00:22:45,026
(laughter)

526
00:22:45,030 --> 00:22:46,130
Of course, everybody
has said that they

527
00:22:46,131 --> 00:22:47,061
think he's a good nominee.

528
00:22:47,065 --> 00:22:48,305
Mr. Earnest: Good.

529
00:22:48,300 --> 00:22:49,570
The Press: But they are
waiting for written

530
00:22:49,568 --> 00:22:51,308
responses from the nominee,
and that is what's holding

531
00:22:51,303 --> 00:22:52,843
things up right now.

532
00:22:52,838 --> 00:23:00,878
Mr. Earnest: I don't have --
I'll see if we can get you

533
00:23:00,879 --> 00:23:02,879
some more information in
terms of what kinds of

534
00:23:02,881 --> 00:23:04,881
questions have been
submitted to him in writing.

535
00:23:04,883 --> 00:23:06,883
I know that, again, he's
already participated in the

536
00:23:06,885 --> 00:23:08,885
hearing in which he answered
a significant number of

537
00:23:08,887 --> 00:23:09,887
questions in
person from them.

538
00:23:09,888 --> 00:23:11,888
We certainly will work to
expedite the follow-up

539
00:23:11,890 --> 00:23:12,890
that's required.

540
00:23:12,891 --> 00:23:14,891
But we'd like to see similar
efforts in the Senate to

541
00:23:14,893 --> 00:23:15,893
expedite his confirmation.

542
00:23:15,894 --> 00:23:18,064
The Press: Any comment on
Sepp Blatter, reports that

543
00:23:18,063 --> 00:23:19,193
he's going to resign?

544
00:23:19,197 --> 00:23:20,897
Mr. Earnest: Somebody told
me about that right before I

545
00:23:20,899 --> 00:23:22,899
walked out here,
but I don't have a

546
00:23:22,901 --> 00:23:24,901
specific reaction
at this point.

547
00:23:24,903 --> 00:23:25,903
Kevin.

548
00:23:25,904 --> 00:23:26,904
The Press: Thank you, Josh.

549
00:23:26,905 --> 00:23:27,905
Mr. Earnest: Yes, sir.

550
00:23:27,906 --> 00:23:29,306
The Press: I would like to
ask you about the comments

551
00:23:29,307 --> 00:23:30,807
made by the French Foreign
Minister, which seem to

552
00:23:30,809 --> 00:23:33,879
suggest that there may be an
arms race in the Middle East

553
00:23:33,879 --> 00:23:36,679
if an Iran deal can't get
done, because other people

554
00:23:36,681 --> 00:23:41,151
may say, if an agreement is
weak and it's just on paper

555
00:23:41,153 --> 00:23:43,193
that other countries in the
region will simply say,

556
00:23:43,188 --> 00:23:46,888
well, we're going to have to
defend ourselves, as well.

557
00:23:46,892 --> 00:23:47,892
Your response to that?

558
00:23:47,893 --> 00:23:50,863
Mr. Earnest: Kevin, I didn't
see the specific comments of

559
00:23:50,862 --> 00:23:51,862
the Foreign Minister.

560
00:23:51,863 --> 00:23:54,533
I'll just say as a general
matter that the President

561
00:23:54,533 --> 00:23:57,573
has made clear that if we
can reach a diplomatic

562
00:23:57,569 --> 00:24:00,569
solution to preventing Iran
from obtaining a nuclear

563
00:24:00,572 --> 00:24:03,272
weapon that that is the most
effective thing we can do to

564
00:24:03,275 --> 00:24:05,245
prevent them from obtaining
a nuclear weapon.

565
00:24:05,243 --> 00:24:08,783
It also will be effective
in forestalling what could

566
00:24:08,780 --> 00:24:13,220
emerge as pressure felt
by other countries in the

567
00:24:13,218 --> 00:24:16,358
region to try to develop a
similar nuclear capacity.

568
00:24:16,354 --> 00:24:19,254
But if we can, in a
verifiable way, demonstrate

569
00:24:19,257 --> 00:24:24,497
that Iran is not developing
a nuclear weapon, then that

570
00:24:24,496 --> 00:24:26,896
would ease the pressure on
others who might be feeling

571
00:24:26,898 --> 00:24:27,998
similar pressure.

572
00:24:27,999 --> 00:24:29,899
The Press: Quick follow
on Jon's question

573
00:24:29,901 --> 00:24:30,901
about the uranium.

574
00:24:30,902 --> 00:24:32,902
I just want to make sure I'm
understanding it correctly.

575
00:24:32,904 --> 00:24:36,074
You're not concerned at all
that there's this 20 percent

576
00:24:36,074 --> 00:24:40,214
increase in the stockpile in
Iran right now during the

577
00:24:40,212 --> 00:24:42,182
freeze period?

578
00:24:42,180 --> 00:24:43,220
Mr. Earnest: Well, as I told
Jon, the requirements under

579
00:24:43,215 --> 00:24:44,815
the Joint Plan of Action
were that Iran would not

580
00:24:44,816 --> 00:24:46,956
enrich above 5 percent, that
they would not install new

581
00:24:46,952 --> 00:24:49,552
centrifuges, that they would
not make progress on their

582
00:24:49,554 --> 00:24:55,524
heavy-water reactor in Arak,
and that the IAEA would be

583
00:24:55,527 --> 00:24:57,527
on hand to verify
their compliance with

584
00:24:57,529 --> 00:24:59,169
the agreement.

585
00:24:59,164 --> 00:25:01,704
Iran has lived up to
all those principles.

586
00:25:01,700 --> 00:25:04,140
That is something that
the IAEA has confirmed.

587
00:25:04,135 --> 00:25:09,705
And to resolve the broader
concerns about the

588
00:25:09,708 --> 00:25:11,848
low-enriched uranium
stockpile that you're

589
00:25:11,843 --> 00:25:14,013
referring to, what we need
to do is reach a final

590
00:25:14,012 --> 00:25:16,012
agreement that would
reduce that stockpile

591
00:25:16,014 --> 00:25:17,654
by 98 percent.

592
00:25:17,649 --> 00:25:18,749
The Press: Will it happen?

593
00:25:18,750 --> 00:25:19,780
Seems a bit ambitious.

594
00:25:19,784 --> 00:25:20,854
Mr. Earnest: I'm sorry.

595
00:25:20,852 --> 00:25:21,992
The Press: It seems
ambitious to get that done

596
00:25:21,987 --> 00:25:24,227
before the end of June.

597
00:25:24,222 --> 00:25:28,562
Mr. Earnest: Well, back up.

598
00:25:28,560 --> 00:25:32,200
The requirement by the
end of June is that the

599
00:25:32,197 --> 00:25:39,507
stockpile level go back to
the 7,650 kilograms of 5

600
00:25:39,504 --> 00:25:41,674
percent enriched uranium
hexafluoride -- since we're

601
00:25:41,673 --> 00:25:43,173
getting into the
details here.

602
00:25:43,174 --> 00:25:45,544
That's what the requirement
is by the end of June.

603
00:25:45,543 --> 00:25:49,183
If we can reach this
longer-term agreement, it

604
00:25:49,180 --> 00:25:53,750
would require Iran to reduce
that stockpile below the

605
00:25:53,752 --> 00:25:59,622
7,650 kilogram level down
to the 300 kilogram level.

606
00:25:59,624 --> 00:26:01,624
That is a reduction
of 98 percent in their

607
00:26:01,626 --> 00:26:04,566
low-enriched uranium
stockpile, and that's what

608
00:26:04,562 --> 00:26:05,562
we're trying to effect here.

609
00:26:05,563 --> 00:26:08,833
The Press: Last, I want to
ask you about comments made

610
00:26:08,833 --> 00:26:11,633
by David Axelrod
to JPUpdates.

611
00:26:11,636 --> 00:26:14,406
He described a moment where
the President expressed

612
00:26:14,406 --> 00:26:17,776
exasperation over
being derided as being

613
00:26:17,776 --> 00:26:19,576
anti-Israel by some.

614
00:26:19,577 --> 00:26:22,017
He said, you know -- talking
about the President -- he

615
00:26:22,013 --> 00:26:25,113
said, you know, I think I'm
the closest thing to a Jew

616
00:26:25,116 --> 00:26:27,716
that has ever sat
in this office.

617
00:26:27,719 --> 00:26:29,059
This is according
to Axelrod.

618
00:26:29,054 --> 00:26:31,794
For people to say that I am
anti-Israel or, even worse,

619
00:26:31,790 --> 00:26:34,530
anti-Semitic, it hurts.

620
00:26:34,526 --> 00:26:35,896
Your comments.

621
00:26:35,894 --> 00:26:38,694
Mr. Earnest: I was not
around for the conversation

622
00:26:38,697 --> 00:26:41,737
between the President and
Mr. Axelrod that Mr. Axelrod

623
00:26:41,733 --> 00:26:43,103
is recounting.

624
00:26:43,101 --> 00:26:46,541
But I can tell you that I
think anybody who listened

625
00:26:46,538 --> 00:26:51,178
to the speech that the
President delivered at Adas

626
00:26:51,176 --> 00:26:55,916
Israel just a week or so ago
heard pretty clearly from

627
00:26:55,914 --> 00:27:02,084
the President the kinds of
common bonds and common

628
00:27:02,087 --> 00:27:08,757
values that are embodied in
his administration that are

629
00:27:08,760 --> 00:27:11,960
advocated by the
Jewish community.

630
00:27:11,963 --> 00:27:17,373
And whether that is our
unprecedented security

631
00:27:17,369 --> 00:27:20,269
cooperation with the nation
of Israel that has saved

632
00:27:20,271 --> 00:27:26,041
Israeli lives, or it's
putting in place and leading

633
00:27:26,044 --> 00:27:28,244
a government and a nation
consistent with the kinds of

634
00:27:28,246 --> 00:27:31,886
Judeo-Christian values that
have long been celebrated by

635
00:27:31,883 --> 00:27:33,983
the Jewish people, the
President does feel that

636
00:27:33,985 --> 00:27:36,025
kind of kinship.

637
00:27:36,021 --> 00:27:38,691
So for a direct response or
for questions about that

638
00:27:38,690 --> 00:27:40,960
specific comment, I'd refer
you to the remarks that the

639
00:27:40,959 --> 00:27:44,629
President delivered just a
week and a half ago or so.

640
00:27:44,629 --> 00:27:45,629
Chris.

641
00:27:45,630 --> 00:27:47,630
The Press: To follow up on
Chip's question, Josh, does

642
00:27:47,632 --> 00:27:50,072
the President have
confidence in the TSA?

643
00:27:50,068 --> 00:27:53,468
Mr. Earnest: Chris, the
President does continue to

644
00:27:53,471 --> 00:27:57,071
have confidence that the
officers at the TSA do very

645
00:27:57,075 --> 00:28:00,115
important work that continue
to protect the American

646
00:28:00,111 --> 00:28:02,781
people and continue to
protect the American

647
00:28:02,781 --> 00:28:04,111
aviation system.

648
00:28:04,115 --> 00:28:08,285
Now, what's also true is
that there were specific

649
00:28:08,286 --> 00:28:11,626
concerns that were raised by
this classified report that

650
00:28:11,623 --> 00:28:13,623
was conducted by the
independent inspector

651
00:28:13,625 --> 00:28:17,025
general, and in response to
that report, the Director of

652
00:28:17,028 --> 00:28:22,798
Homeland Security directed
the TSA to undertake seven

653
00:28:22,801 --> 00:28:26,341
specific steps to try to
address those concerns.

654
00:28:26,337 --> 00:28:30,177
And that's everything from
new, intensive training for

655
00:28:30,175 --> 00:28:33,375
supervisors all across
the country, to revising

656
00:28:33,378 --> 00:28:36,618
standard operating
procedures, retesting

657
00:28:36,614 --> 00:28:39,454
screening equipment and even
redoubling our efforts to

658
00:28:39,451 --> 00:28:41,891
make sure that the most
up-to-date, modern screening

659
00:28:41,886 --> 00:28:44,126
equipment is being used in
airports across the country

660
00:28:44,122 --> 00:28:46,122
to keep us safe.

661
00:28:48,193 --> 00:28:50,633
The other thing that's
notable here is that these

662
00:28:50,628 --> 00:28:53,168
kinds of efforts -- the
screening of individual

663
00:28:53,164 --> 00:28:57,334
passengers that takes place
prior to them entering the

664
00:28:57,335 --> 00:29:00,505
boarding area of airports
across the country -- is

665
00:29:00,505 --> 00:29:03,545
only one level of security
that is in place at airports

666
00:29:03,541 --> 00:29:07,041
all across the country; that
our efforts to develop a

667
00:29:07,045 --> 00:29:12,815
multi-layered security
approach means that we have

668
00:29:12,817 --> 00:29:15,757
effective measures in
place to counter threats

669
00:29:15,753 --> 00:29:16,793
to our aviation system.

670
00:29:16,788 --> 00:29:19,788
And we are always
looking for ways

671
00:29:19,791 --> 00:29:21,661
to strengthen
those efforts.

672
00:29:21,659 --> 00:29:24,059
Efforts to refine that
security strategy are

673
00:29:24,062 --> 00:29:27,232
sometimes plainly visible
to the traveling public;

674
00:29:27,232 --> 00:29:30,602
sometimes those strategies
are not obvious to those

675
00:29:30,602 --> 00:29:32,602
who are going
through an airport.

676
00:29:32,604 --> 00:29:35,944
But what we have sought
to do, even in a very

677
00:29:35,940 --> 00:29:39,340
challenging environment, is
to make sure that TSA has

678
00:29:39,344 --> 00:29:43,514
the kind of leadership they
need to protect the American

679
00:29:43,515 --> 00:29:44,515
traveling public.

680
00:29:44,516 --> 00:29:47,456
And that's why we've urged
the United States Senate to

681
00:29:47,452 --> 00:29:49,652
act quickly to confirm the
President's nominee of this

682
00:29:49,654 --> 00:29:50,654
very important job.

683
00:29:50,655 --> 00:29:52,655
The Press: Even granting
that it's one layer of

684
00:29:52,657 --> 00:29:55,357
security, it obviously is
the one that most Americans

685
00:29:55,360 --> 00:30:00,300
are not only familiar with
but inconvenienced by.

686
00:30:00,298 --> 00:30:02,898
Countless -- hundreds of
thousands, millions of hours

687
00:30:02,901 --> 00:30:06,101
spent in those lines, going
to the airport early to go

688
00:30:06,104 --> 00:30:07,474
through that security.

689
00:30:07,472 --> 00:30:11,742
Two-part question -- one
is, given that that is a

690
00:30:11,743 --> 00:30:14,813
critical level on which
billions of dollars have

691
00:30:14,812 --> 00:30:18,082
been spent, while this
training is going on, while

692
00:30:18,082 --> 00:30:21,852
the retesting is going on,
should Americans feel safe?

693
00:30:21,853 --> 00:30:25,853
And is this proof that
perhaps this is less

694
00:30:25,857 --> 00:30:31,027
important or maybe has been
overstated as part of this

695
00:30:31,029 --> 00:30:34,469
whole security
post-9/11 push?

696
00:30:34,465 --> 00:30:37,435
Mr. Earnest: Well, I think
to answer your question as

697
00:30:37,435 --> 00:30:40,635
directly as I possibly can,
the President does believe

698
00:30:40,638 --> 00:30:42,878
that the American people
should feel confident in

699
00:30:42,874 --> 00:30:45,914
traveling in airports all
across the country because

700
00:30:45,910 --> 00:30:49,110
there are security measures
in place to protect the

701
00:30:49,113 --> 00:30:50,553
American traveling public.

702
00:30:50,548 --> 00:30:53,818
That involves screening at
some gates, but it also

703
00:30:53,818 --> 00:30:55,818
involves
intelligence-gathering and

704
00:30:55,820 --> 00:30:56,820
analysis.

705
00:30:56,821 --> 00:30:58,821
It involves cross-checking
passenger manifests against

706
00:30:58,823 --> 00:31:00,023
watch lists.

707
00:31:00,024 --> 00:31:03,464
It involves random K-9 team
screening at airports.

708
00:31:03,461 --> 00:31:06,131
Even things like federal
air marshals and reinforced

709
00:31:06,130 --> 00:31:09,470
cockpit doors are reforms
that have been put in place

710
00:31:09,467 --> 00:31:12,007
since 9/11 that do
contribute to the safety and

711
00:31:12,003 --> 00:31:14,003
security of the American
traveling public.

712
00:31:14,005 --> 00:31:18,445
And when we get reports like
this that indicate some

713
00:31:18,443 --> 00:31:22,113
vulnerabilities or even
some flaws in the screening

714
00:31:22,113 --> 00:31:25,213
system, the President has
very high expectations for

715
00:31:25,216 --> 00:31:30,486
the kind of response that
will be enacted by TSA and

716
00:31:30,488 --> 00:31:32,488
the Department of
Homeland Security

717
00:31:32,490 --> 00:31:33,490
to address
those concerns.

718
00:31:33,491 --> 00:31:36,561
And that's why the prompt
action that was taken by

719
00:31:36,561 --> 00:31:40,761
Secretary Johnson just last
night is consistent with

720
00:31:40,765 --> 00:31:41,795
that philosophy.

721
00:31:41,799 --> 00:31:43,939
And I know that
Secretary Johnson will

722
00:31:43,935 --> 00:31:47,075
continue to hold TSA officers
to a very high standard.

723
00:31:47,071 --> 00:31:49,071
That's what the
President would expect.

724
00:31:49,073 --> 00:31:52,843
But the best way for us to
ensure that these reforms

725
00:31:52,844 --> 00:31:57,084
are promptly implemented and
that TSA officers are held

726
00:31:57,081 --> 00:31:59,881
accountable for implementing
them is to make sure that

727
00:31:59,884 --> 00:32:02,924
they have a confirmed
permanent director

728
00:32:02,920 --> 00:32:04,320
in that job.

729
00:32:04,322 --> 00:32:07,022
And that's why we continue
to call on the United States

730
00:32:07,025 --> 00:32:10,365
Senate to promptly confirm
the Vice Admiral of the

731
00:32:10,361 --> 00:32:12,761
Coast Guard, Pete Neffenger,
to this very important role.

732
00:32:12,764 --> 00:32:15,904
The Press: A 95-percent
failure rate is pretty

733
00:32:15,900 --> 00:32:19,300
appalling in any field of
endeavor, but particular

734
00:32:19,304 --> 00:32:21,004
where lives are at stake.

735
00:32:21,005 --> 00:32:22,445
I wonder what the
President's reaction

736
00:32:22,440 --> 00:32:24,840
was when he heard.

737
00:32:25,476 --> 00:32:31,116
Mr. Earnest: Well, what's
clear is that this is --

738
00:32:31,115 --> 00:32:35,085
again, this is just one
layer of the multi-layered

739
00:32:35,086 --> 00:32:37,156
-- The Press: But, see,
that was not what he said,

740
00:32:37,155 --> 00:32:40,555
"this is just one layer of
a multi-layer process."

741
00:32:40,558 --> 00:32:43,158
If the President is told
that there's a 95-percent

742
00:32:43,161 --> 00:32:47,001
failure rate on the most
public security system that

743
00:32:46,998 --> 00:32:49,968
the American people see
post-9/11, I just wondered

744
00:32:49,967 --> 00:32:51,507
what his reaction was.

745
00:32:51,502 --> 00:32:52,842
Mr. Earnest: Well, what the
President knows is that

746
00:32:52,837 --> 00:32:55,077
there are multiple layers
in place to protect the

747
00:32:55,073 --> 00:32:57,073
American people at airports
across the country.

748
00:32:57,075 --> 00:32:59,075
And the President certainly
does have high standards for

749
00:32:59,077 --> 00:33:01,077
the TSA, and if there are
vulnerabilities that have

750
00:33:01,079 --> 00:33:03,549
been exposed by this
classified report, then

751
00:33:03,548 --> 00:33:05,548
the President has high
expectations that the TSA

752
00:33:05,550 --> 00:33:08,220
is going to take the steps
necessary to resolve them.

753
00:33:08,219 --> 00:33:10,619
And one important step that
they can take is to get the

754
00:33:10,621 --> 00:33:11,861
leadership that
they deserve.

755
00:33:11,856 --> 00:33:14,796
And we count on the United
States Senate to act quickly

756
00:33:14,792 --> 00:33:19,132
to confirm his replacement
-- or his nominee to be the

757
00:33:19,130 --> 00:33:21,570
permanent head of the TSA.

758
00:33:21,566 --> 00:33:23,336
The Press: And lastly, a
related question -- reports

759
00:33:23,334 --> 00:33:27,004
today that at least five
airlines had bomb threats

760
00:33:27,004 --> 00:33:29,304
called in against them.

761
00:33:29,307 --> 00:33:31,477
And I wonder if the White
House thinks that they may

762
00:33:31,476 --> 00:33:36,276
be related to this report
yesterday, especially given

763
00:33:36,280 --> 00:33:42,120
the speculation -- or I
should say, reports that it

764
00:33:42,120 --> 00:33:44,220
may have been an
ISIS-related lone wolf

765
00:33:44,222 --> 00:33:45,722
who made these calls.

766
00:33:45,723 --> 00:33:46,763
And can you address that?

767
00:33:46,758 --> 00:33:48,288
Mr. Earnest: Yes.

768
00:33:48,292 --> 00:33:49,232
I haven't seen any
evidence to substantiate

769
00:33:49,227 --> 00:33:50,097
any of those claims.

770
00:33:50,094 --> 00:33:52,864
But I'd refer you to
the FAA and the FBI

771
00:33:52,864 --> 00:33:54,604
who are taking
a look at this.

772
00:33:54,599 --> 00:33:55,599
Mark.

773
00:33:55,600 --> 00:33:58,140
The Press: Josh, earlier
you challenged Congress

774
00:33:58,136 --> 00:34:02,336
to subject itself to the
Freedom of Information Act.

775
00:34:02,340 --> 00:34:03,140
Mr. Earnest: I did.

776
00:34:03,141 --> 00:34:04,211
Have they responded yet?

777
00:34:04,208 --> 00:34:05,148
(laughter)

778
00:34:05,143 --> 00:34:05,873
The Press: What
about subjecting the

779
00:34:05,877 --> 00:34:08,617
White House to FOIA?

780
00:34:08,613 --> 00:34:10,613
Mr. Earnest: Mark, as you
know probably as well as

781
00:34:10,615 --> 00:34:14,755
anyone, the White House
is subjected to the

782
00:34:14,752 --> 00:34:19,092
Presidential Records Act
that does have a longer

783
00:34:19,090 --> 00:34:22,590
period of time before those
records are released.

784
00:34:22,593 --> 00:34:26,363
But it does ensure that a
much higher percentage

785
00:34:26,364 --> 00:34:28,934
of those records related to
official work that's done

786
00:34:28,933 --> 00:34:31,533
here at the White House are
eventually released by the

787
00:34:31,536 --> 00:34:33,806
National Archives and
Records Administration.

788
00:34:33,805 --> 00:34:36,145
And that, again, is
consistent with the

789
00:34:36,140 --> 00:34:39,580
standards of transparency
that this President has

790
00:34:39,577 --> 00:34:41,577
established, and it's
consistent with the rules

791
00:34:41,579 --> 00:34:43,579
that were followed by
previous administrations.

792
00:34:43,581 --> 00:34:48,921
And it's certainly a much
greater demonstration of a

793
00:34:48,920 --> 00:34:52,890
commitment to transparency
than Congress submits to.

794
00:34:52,890 --> 00:34:54,590
The Press: But
not immediate.

795
00:34:54,592 --> 00:34:57,192
Mr. Earnest: That's correct,
it's not immediate, but it

796
00:34:57,195 --> 00:35:00,665
is significant in terms of
the records that are made

797
00:35:00,665 --> 00:35:02,965
public after the
President leaves office.

798
00:35:02,967 --> 00:35:04,967
The Press: But you
don't want FOIA

799
00:35:04,969 --> 00:35:05,969
in place here, right?

800
00:35:05,970 --> 00:35:07,970
Mr. Earnest: Well, I think
what we want is some kind

801
00:35:07,972 --> 00:35:09,042
of transparency in Congress.

802
00:35:09,040 --> 00:35:11,780
They're the leading
advocates for ensuring that

803
00:35:11,776 --> 00:35:15,776
the President and his
administration live up to

804
00:35:15,780 --> 00:35:16,780
those kinds of requirements.

805
00:35:16,781 --> 00:35:20,221
And as I mentioned, the
administration, in just the

806
00:35:20,218 --> 00:35:23,758
last fiscal year, processed
more than 647,000

807
00:35:23,754 --> 00:35:25,024
FOIA requests.

808
00:35:25,022 --> 00:35:26,892
Congress processed zero.

809
00:35:26,891 --> 00:35:28,891
So there's a lot of work
that needs to be done in

810
00:35:28,893 --> 00:35:31,693
Congress if they're actually
committed to transparency.

811
00:35:31,696 --> 00:35:32,826
April.

812
00:35:32,830 --> 00:35:35,770
The Press: Josh, a couple of
weeks ago I asked you about

813
00:35:35,766 --> 00:35:37,336
what's going to happen
in the summer for

814
00:35:37,335 --> 00:35:38,335
many of these cities.

815
00:35:38,336 --> 00:35:40,336
And I understand there's
some kind of announcement

816
00:35:40,338 --> 00:35:41,708
coming out of Baltimore.

817
00:35:41,706 --> 00:35:42,976
Could you talk
to us about that?

818
00:35:42,974 --> 00:35:45,074
And is it going to be
something that trickles into

819
00:35:45,076 --> 00:35:47,416
other cities like Chicago
and other cities that are

820
00:35:47,411 --> 00:35:51,181
seeing a spike in violence
and shootings already?

821
00:35:51,182 --> 00:35:53,182
Mr. Earnest: There will
be an announcement

822
00:35:53,184 --> 00:35:54,184
in Baltimore.

823
00:35:54,185 --> 00:35:56,185
I believe that the Secretary
of Interior, Sally Jewell,

824
00:35:56,187 --> 00:35:57,417
will be traveling there.

825
00:35:57,421 --> 00:35:59,921
This is part of a national
program where the

826
00:35:59,924 --> 00:36:04,734
Department of Interior is
funding jobs in cities all
across

827
00:36:04,729 --> 00:36:05,729
the country.

828
00:36:05,730 --> 00:36:07,730
I believe it's up to 50
cities across the country

829
00:36:07,732 --> 00:36:09,732
that would benefit from
this kind of funding.

830
00:36:09,734 --> 00:36:11,734
But I'd refer you to the
Department of Interior for

831
00:36:11,736 --> 00:36:12,636
more details on
the actual program.

832
00:36:12,637 --> 00:36:13,667
The Press: Is it youth jobs?

833
00:36:13,671 --> 00:36:14,841
Mr. Earnest: That's
my understanding.

834
00:36:14,839 --> 00:36:16,309
Yes, youth summer jobs.

835
00:36:16,307 --> 00:36:19,177
The Press: And is this an
outgrowth pretty much of the

836
00:36:19,176 --> 00:36:22,846
spotlight on poverty that's
been happening since we've

837
00:36:22,847 --> 00:36:27,617
seen the Ferguson, the
Baltimore issue, and

838
00:36:27,618 --> 00:36:28,658
Chicago?

839
00:36:28,653 --> 00:36:29,783
Mr. Earnest: Well, it
certainly is consistent with

840
00:36:29,787 --> 00:36:31,827
the President's view that we
need to make sure that we're

841
00:36:31,822 --> 00:36:34,122
expanding economic
opportunity for everybody.

842
00:36:34,125 --> 00:36:36,495
I can't speak to whether or
not this is a previously

843
00:36:36,494 --> 00:36:39,164
existing Department of
Interior program and, if it

844
00:36:39,163 --> 00:36:41,833
was, whether or not this
represents an expansion.

845
00:36:41,832 --> 00:36:43,202
But the Department of
Interior has all those

846
00:36:43,200 --> 00:36:44,740
details and you can
check with them.

847
00:36:44,735 --> 00:36:46,905
The Press: I want to ask
something related to this.

848
00:36:46,904 --> 00:36:51,274
When it comes to hiring, job
training, hiring, places

849
00:36:51,275 --> 00:36:56,145
like Baltimore, we're
hearing there are major job

850
00:36:56,147 --> 00:37:01,487
programs, job-training
programs or trying to put

851
00:37:01,485 --> 00:37:05,425
employers with
potential hires.

852
00:37:05,423 --> 00:37:09,523
I understand Elijah Cummings
has one of the biggest job

853
00:37:09,527 --> 00:37:12,967
fairs in the city, but the
problem is, is that many

854
00:37:12,964 --> 00:37:16,364
companies don't like coming
because they say there's not

855
00:37:16,367 --> 00:37:19,137
any skill there or
talent there to hire.

856
00:37:19,136 --> 00:37:20,406
What do you say?

857
00:37:20,404 --> 00:37:21,904
What does this White House
say to something like that,

858
00:37:21,906 --> 00:37:24,706
when companies -- private
sector companies are not

859
00:37:24,709 --> 00:37:27,909
going into inner cities
that have these problems of

860
00:37:27,912 --> 00:37:29,552
poverty to hire
these people?

861
00:37:29,547 --> 00:37:30,377
What do you say?

862
00:37:30,381 --> 00:37:32,651
I mean, training is
abounding, but the jobs are

863
00:37:32,650 --> 00:37:33,780
not there.

864
00:37:33,784 --> 00:37:35,124
Mr. Earnest: Well, this is
one of the things that the

865
00:37:35,119 --> 00:37:37,919
President has identified as
a real challenge for our

866
00:37:37,922 --> 00:37:39,122
job-training programs.

867
00:37:39,123 --> 00:37:41,763
And when the President
traveled to Lake Area

868
00:37:41,759 --> 00:37:45,329
Technical Institute in South
Dakota, the thing that he

869
00:37:45,329 --> 00:37:47,869
observed is that the
graduation rate from that

870
00:37:47,865 --> 00:37:50,705
community college was twice
the graduation rate that we

871
00:37:50,701 --> 00:37:53,301
see at the average community
college across the country.

872
00:37:53,304 --> 00:37:56,974
And the recipe for their
success was that Lake Area

873
00:37:56,974 --> 00:37:59,244
Technical Institute worked
very closely with local

874
00:37:59,243 --> 00:38:02,083
employers to make sure that
graduates were walking

875
00:38:02,079 --> 00:38:05,519
across that stage with
skills consistent with the

876
00:38:05,516 --> 00:38:08,556
skills that are needed
by local employers.

877
00:38:08,552 --> 00:38:10,552
That is obviously good
for those graduates.

878
00:38:10,554 --> 00:38:12,624
They can walk across the
stage, get their diploma,

879
00:38:12,623 --> 00:38:14,763
and walk right
into a new job.

880
00:38:14,759 --> 00:38:16,759
It's good for those
employers because, as you

881
00:38:16,761 --> 00:38:20,201
point out, those employers
are looking for workers with

882
00:38:20,197 --> 00:38:21,767
a specific set of skills.

883
00:38:21,766 --> 00:38:23,566
It's obviously really good
for the economy if you can

884
00:38:23,567 --> 00:38:26,907
be creating economic
opportunity right there at

885
00:38:26,904 --> 00:38:29,674
home by ensuring that
educational institutions are

886
00:38:29,674 --> 00:38:33,214
partnering closely with
local businesses to churn

887
00:38:33,210 --> 00:38:36,480
out a work force that's
prepared to take jobs and

888
00:38:36,480 --> 00:38:38,850
help those broader
businesses succeed.

889
00:38:38,849 --> 00:38:42,719
So that's a strategy that
has been used to great

890
00:38:42,720 --> 00:38:45,720
effect in one community
in South Dakota.

891
00:38:45,723 --> 00:38:49,463
Obviously that community
faces some very different

892
00:38:49,460 --> 00:38:51,930
challenges than the kinds
of challenges faced in

893
00:38:51,929 --> 00:38:53,629
inner-city Baltimore.

894
00:38:53,631 --> 00:38:56,531
But there is no reason that
that kind of strategy could

895
00:38:56,534 --> 00:39:01,744
not also be tailored to work
in Baltimore in ensuring

896
00:39:01,739 --> 00:39:05,139
that local residents and
local students are getting

897
00:39:05,142 --> 00:39:07,542
the skills they need to
get jobs right there in

898
00:39:07,545 --> 00:39:10,345
Baltimore.

899
00:39:10,347 --> 00:39:11,647
Jordan.

900
00:39:11,649 --> 00:39:12,779
The Press: Thanks, Josh.

901
00:39:12,783 --> 00:39:15,923
The House rolled out a state
and foreign operations bill

902
00:39:15,920 --> 00:39:17,250
today that would withhold
funding for the State

903
00:39:17,254 --> 00:39:20,554
Department until the
administration provides

904
00:39:20,558 --> 00:39:22,858
documents related to the
House Republicans Benghazi

905
00:39:22,860 --> 00:39:23,930
investigation.

906
00:39:23,928 --> 00:39:25,628
And I was wondering if you
had any reaction to that

907
00:39:25,629 --> 00:39:27,699
proposal.

908
00:39:27,698 --> 00:39:28,668
Mr. Earnest: I'm just
hearing it for the first

909
00:39:28,666 --> 00:39:30,266
time.

910
00:39:30,267 --> 00:39:32,837
And even hearing it for the
first time, I'm struck by

911
00:39:32,837 --> 00:39:36,077
the irony that House
Republicans, who profess to

912
00:39:36,073 --> 00:39:40,683
be significantly concerned
about security at U.S.

913
00:39:40,678 --> 00:39:44,018
embassies around the world,
are threatening to withhold

914
00:39:44,014 --> 00:39:49,454
funding for security at our
embassies around the world.

915
00:39:49,453 --> 00:39:52,693
That is consistent with an
approach that puts politics

916
00:39:52,690 --> 00:39:54,890
ahead of the lives
of our diplomats.

917
00:39:54,892 --> 00:39:59,292
And that certainly is not an
approach that would garner

918
00:39:59,296 --> 00:40:00,466
the approval of the
President of the

919
00:40:00,464 --> 00:40:01,764
United States.

920
00:40:01,766 --> 00:40:04,866
The Press: And on trade,
I saw a report that the

921
00:40:04,869 --> 00:40:07,809
President is doing an
interview with an El Paso TV

922
00:40:07,805 --> 00:40:11,605
station to sell the
trade deal, ostensibly.

923
00:40:11,609 --> 00:40:13,849
Can you tell us, are there
any more interviews along

924
00:40:13,844 --> 00:40:15,184
those lines
happening tomorrow?

925
00:40:15,179 --> 00:40:18,949
And what are the President's
other plans as far as trade

926
00:40:18,949 --> 00:40:19,949
outreach this week?

927
00:40:19,950 --> 00:40:21,950
Mr. Earnest: We'll have
some more details on this

928
00:40:21,952 --> 00:40:22,952
tomorrow.

929
00:40:22,953 --> 00:40:24,953
But the President does
intend to do a round of

930
00:40:24,955 --> 00:40:27,325
local television interviews
here at the White House with

931
00:40:27,324 --> 00:40:31,324
local television anchors
to talk about how trade

932
00:40:31,328 --> 00:40:34,198
legislation would benefit
the economy of the

933
00:40:34,198 --> 00:40:36,668
communities where
they broadcast.

934
00:40:36,667 --> 00:40:38,867
And we'll have some
additional data about these

935
00:40:38,869 --> 00:40:42,039
specific markets and the
economic impact of our trade

936
00:40:42,039 --> 00:40:43,779
policies on these markets.

937
00:40:43,774 --> 00:40:46,274
The President will make a
case that's familiar to all

938
00:40:46,277 --> 00:40:52,017
of you that by passing
progressive trade

939
00:40:52,016 --> 00:40:55,456
legislation and opening up
overseas markets to American

940
00:40:55,452 --> 00:40:57,952
businesses and American
goods and services that we

941
00:40:57,955 --> 00:41:03,425
can significantly expand
economic opportunity and job

942
00:41:03,427 --> 00:41:05,567
creation right
here in America.

943
00:41:05,563 --> 00:41:08,463
So stay tuned for
more of that tomorrow.

944
00:41:08,465 --> 00:41:09,465
Michelle.

945
00:41:09,466 --> 00:41:10,336
The Press: Hey, Josh.

946
00:41:10,334 --> 00:41:11,774
You seemed a little
nonchalant in your response

947
00:41:11,769 --> 00:41:14,109
to the TSA questions.

948
00:41:14,104 --> 00:41:17,274
But surely, the 95 percent
failure rate for guns and

949
00:41:17,274 --> 00:41:20,574
explosives -- it must have
surprised or disturbed the

950
00:41:20,578 --> 00:41:22,178
administration.

951
00:41:22,179 --> 00:41:24,719
Mr. Earnest: Well,
obviously, Michelle I don't

952
00:41:24,715 --> 00:41:25,885
agree with that
characterization in my

953
00:41:25,883 --> 00:41:27,183
response.

954
00:41:27,184 --> 00:41:29,254
I think what I would urge
you to do is to consider the

955
00:41:29,253 --> 00:41:30,253
response of
Secretary Johnson.

956
00:41:30,254 --> 00:41:33,624
He's the Secretary of
Homeland Security; the TSA

957
00:41:33,624 --> 00:41:35,764
is underneath his purview.

958
00:41:35,759 --> 00:41:38,799
And he promptly announced
yesterday seven specific

959
00:41:38,796 --> 00:41:41,866
steps that he directed TSA
officials to undertake to

960
00:41:41,866 --> 00:41:43,836
address the concerns
that were raised by that

961
00:41:43,834 --> 00:41:45,034
classified report.

962
00:41:45,035 --> 00:41:47,005
He also announced a
personnel change in the

963
00:41:47,004 --> 00:41:48,304
leadership of the TSA.

964
00:41:48,305 --> 00:41:50,905
And what you're hearing
me say today is that the

965
00:41:50,908 --> 00:41:52,908
President believes that
these kinds of reforms and

966
00:41:52,910 --> 00:41:56,310
changes that are needed can
be best implemented with a

967
00:41:56,313 --> 00:41:59,013
permanent Senate-confirmed
director.

968
00:41:59,016 --> 00:42:01,586
And we challenge and call on
the Senate, if they say that

969
00:42:01,585 --> 00:42:04,085
they're concerned
about security at U.S.

970
00:42:04,088 --> 00:42:06,628
airports that they'll act
quickly to confirm the

971
00:42:06,624 --> 00:42:08,664
President's nominee
to this job.

972
00:42:08,659 --> 00:42:13,099
The Press: Well, you must
understand how people react

973
00:42:13,097 --> 00:42:16,337
to a report like that --
that that failure rate is

974
00:42:16,333 --> 00:42:18,503
something that sticks
in people's minds.

975
00:42:18,502 --> 00:42:21,872
And do you feel like the
kinds of reforms that could

976
00:42:21,872 --> 00:42:25,272
be made would even begin to
restore confidence in that?

977
00:42:25,276 --> 00:42:29,046
I mean, something that so
many taxpayer dollars have

978
00:42:29,046 --> 00:42:32,046
funded -- that that would
make people feel confident,

979
00:42:32,049 --> 00:42:33,919
eventually?

980
00:42:33,918 --> 00:42:35,218
I mean, do you think that's
even possible at this point?

981
00:42:35,219 --> 00:42:36,719
Mr. Earnest: I do
believe it's possible.

982
00:42:36,720 --> 00:42:37,990
And, Michelle, I think what
makes people confident is

983
00:42:37,988 --> 00:42:40,228
that they know that there
are multiple layers of

984
00:42:40,224 --> 00:42:42,964
protection, both seen and
unseen, as a part of the

985
00:42:42,960 --> 00:42:46,760
robust security system at
airports across the country.

986
00:42:46,764 --> 00:42:51,034
The most prominent and most
visible part of that system

987
00:42:51,035 --> 00:42:53,035
is the screening that
individual passengers

988
00:42:53,037 --> 00:42:54,237
undergo.

989
00:42:54,238 --> 00:42:56,778
This classified report did
highlight some concerns with

990
00:42:56,774 --> 00:42:58,714
those screening procedures.

991
00:42:58,709 --> 00:43:02,809
And that's why Secretary
Johnson announced reforms to

992
00:43:02,813 --> 00:43:04,853
the standard
operating procedures.

993
00:43:04,848 --> 00:43:08,288
He announced that additional
and intensive training be

994
00:43:08,285 --> 00:43:11,485
immediately put in place for
supervisors all across the

995
00:43:11,488 --> 00:43:13,828
country in these
important roles.

996
00:43:13,824 --> 00:43:16,394
He called for the testing
and reevaluation of

997
00:43:16,393 --> 00:43:18,363
screening equipment.

998
00:43:18,362 --> 00:43:22,902
And he directed his team to
make sure that the necessary

999
00:43:22,900 --> 00:43:27,570
steps were being taken to
make sure that the most

1000
00:43:27,571 --> 00:43:30,471
up-to-date, modern
technology is being deployed

1001
00:43:30,474 --> 00:43:33,474
at these screening
locations.

1002
00:43:33,477 --> 00:43:37,177
But he does so mindful of
the fact that this is just

1003
00:43:37,181 --> 00:43:39,181
one layer of the multiple
layers of screening that are

1004
00:43:39,183 --> 00:43:41,183
in place in airports all
across the country that

1005
00:43:41,185 --> 00:43:43,455
protect the American people
and the American traveling

1006
00:43:43,454 --> 00:43:44,584
public on a daily basis.

1007
00:43:44,588 --> 00:43:46,588
The Press: And given
this threat environment,

1008
00:43:46,590 --> 00:43:49,630
listening to some of the
possibilities of amendments

1009
00:43:49,626 --> 00:43:51,666
coming up in the Senate
today -- I know you

1010
00:43:51,662 --> 00:43:54,002
mentioned your opposition
to at least one of them.

1011
00:43:53,998 --> 00:43:56,138
And now there's a
possibility that because of

1012
00:43:56,133 --> 00:43:58,503
these amendments the bill
could just fall apart in the

1013
00:43:58,502 --> 00:44:00,172
House.

1014
00:44:00,170 --> 00:44:03,240
But would it be better to
you to see amendments go

1015
00:44:03,240 --> 00:44:07,310
through and be accepted than
for this thing to just break

1016
00:44:07,311 --> 00:44:08,481
apart?

1017
00:44:08,479 --> 00:44:11,019
I mean, you would accept
amendments if they went

1018
00:44:11,015 --> 00:44:12,485
through both the Senate
and the House, right?

1019
00:44:12,483 --> 00:44:14,483
Mr. Earnest: Michelle, I
think this highlights the

1020
00:44:14,485 --> 00:44:15,485
concern.

1021
00:44:15,486 --> 00:44:17,626
The risk here is that these
amendments pass the Senate

1022
00:44:17,621 --> 00:44:19,621
-- again, the Senate
had a year and a half to

1023
00:44:19,623 --> 00:44:21,723
participate in this debate
and to offer up their ideas

1024
00:44:21,725 --> 00:44:24,395
about changes that they
would make to the system.

1025
00:44:24,395 --> 00:44:30,935
And so to be offering up
these reforms a couple days

1026
00:44:30,934 --> 00:44:34,734
after the deadline has
passed is just irresponsible

1027
00:44:34,738 --> 00:44:39,078
and risks further delay
because it would then put

1028
00:44:39,076 --> 00:44:43,646
the House on the hook
for acting once again.

1029
00:44:43,647 --> 00:44:47,887
And, yes, it could threaten
the bipartisan agreement

1030
00:44:47,885 --> 00:44:51,285
that was hammered out in
responsible fashion on the

1031
00:44:51,288 --> 00:44:52,288
House side.

1032
00:44:52,289 --> 00:44:54,929
We had Democrats and
Republicans agreeing that

1033
00:44:54,925 --> 00:44:57,095
appropriate civil liberties
protections were added to

1034
00:44:57,094 --> 00:45:02,064
this legislation and that
appropriate language is

1035
00:45:02,066 --> 00:45:04,266
included in the bill that
would ensure that our law

1036
00:45:04,268 --> 00:45:06,268
enforcement professionals
have access to all the tools

1037
00:45:06,270 --> 00:45:08,910
they need that they say are
important to keeping us

1038
00:45:08,906 --> 00:45:09,876
safe.

1039
00:45:09,873 --> 00:45:13,443
The Press: Also, though,
about the phone companies

1040
00:45:13,444 --> 00:45:16,084
then, after the period of
time elapses, keeping track

1041
00:45:16,080 --> 00:45:23,520
of these records, and
concerns that not only how

1042
00:45:23,520 --> 00:45:26,820
they're going to do that,
but to get to access that

1043
00:45:26,824 --> 00:45:28,094
information, if the
government wants to access

1044
00:45:28,092 --> 00:45:31,892
it, that it could take much
more time to get to it

1045
00:45:31,895 --> 00:45:35,635
because it's now in their
hands and that could miss

1046
00:45:35,632 --> 00:45:36,632
the threat.

1047
00:45:36,633 --> 00:45:39,203
So aren't some of those
concerns -- because the

1048
00:45:39,203 --> 00:45:42,243
system is changing
fundamentally, aren't those

1049
00:45:42,239 --> 00:45:43,269
legitimate concerns?

1050
00:45:43,273 --> 00:45:44,773
Would you call that
irresponsible?

1051
00:45:44,775 --> 00:45:46,815
Mr. Earnest: Well, I think
what's irresponsible is if

1052
00:45:46,810 --> 00:45:50,780
you have genuine concerns
about our national security

1053
00:45:50,781 --> 00:45:52,981
is to allow important tools
that our national security

1054
00:45:52,983 --> 00:45:54,983
professionals say are
important to keeping us safe

1055
00:45:54,985 --> 00:45:58,425
-- to allow them to lapse
because you want to have a

1056
00:46:00,557 --> 00:46:02,927
political fight with
members of your own party.

1057
00:46:02,926 --> 00:46:04,096
That's what's irresponsible.

1058
00:46:04,094 --> 00:46:05,064
The Press: But that's
already happened.

1059
00:46:05,062 --> 00:46:05,932
I mean that's --

1060
00:46:05,929 --> 00:46:07,069
Mr. Earnest: It has already
happened.

1061
00:46:07,064 --> 00:46:07,794
The Press: We're kind
of past that question.

1062
00:46:07,798 --> 00:46:08,598
Mr. Earnest: Not really.

1063
00:46:08,599 --> 00:46:09,529
It's still happening
today, right?

1064
00:46:09,533 --> 00:46:13,173
Right now, if the Senate
wanted to try to get back on

1065
00:46:13,170 --> 00:46:15,170
the wagon, so to speak,
and actually act in a

1066
00:46:15,172 --> 00:46:20,082
responsible fashion, they
would vote to approve the

1067
00:46:20,077 --> 00:46:22,077
USA Freedom Act in the form
that passed the House of

1068
00:46:22,079 --> 00:46:24,079
Representatives with 338
votes from Democrats and

1069
00:46:24,081 --> 00:46:25,081
Republicans.

1070
00:46:25,082 --> 00:46:27,082
The Press: But despite the
question surrounding how to

1071
00:46:27,084 --> 00:46:29,084
best and most quickly access
the information that's now

1072
00:46:29,086 --> 00:46:31,456
going to be held by phone
companies, you feel that the

1073
00:46:31,455 --> 00:46:33,725
USA Freedom Act as is,
is adequate for that?

1074
00:46:33,724 --> 00:46:35,724
Mr. Earnest: Well, more
importantly, our national

1075
00:46:35,726 --> 00:46:37,796
security professionals
believe that the arrangement

1076
00:46:37,794 --> 00:46:40,694
that has been agreed to in
the House is adequate to

1077
00:46:40,697 --> 00:46:43,497
them doing their
important work.

1078
00:46:43,500 --> 00:46:46,340
But I feel confident in
telling you that if, over

1079
00:46:46,336 --> 00:46:48,506
the course of the six-month
implementation period in

1080
00:46:48,505 --> 00:46:51,875
which these reforms are
implemented, if concerns are

1081
00:46:51,875 --> 00:46:55,475
raised by the President's
national security team about

1082
00:46:55,479 --> 00:46:59,219
the way that this is
implemented, he and his team

1083
00:46:59,216 --> 00:47:01,586
will not hesitate to go back
to Congress and say, look,

1084
00:47:01,585 --> 00:47:04,025
we need some additional
reforms that will ensure

1085
00:47:04,021 --> 00:47:06,191
that we have what's
necessary to do our job.

1086
00:47:06,190 --> 00:47:08,260
But based on what we
know now, based on the

1087
00:47:08,258 --> 00:47:10,498
negotiations that have taken
place between Democrats and

1088
00:47:10,494 --> 00:47:13,264
Republicans in the House of
Representatives, and based

1089
00:47:13,263 --> 00:47:15,263
on the constructive
engagement over the course

1090
00:47:15,265 --> 00:47:17,335
of the last year and a half
by the President's national

1091
00:47:17,334 --> 00:47:21,904
security team, we do
feel confident that this

1092
00:47:21,905 --> 00:47:24,505
legislation strikes the
right balance in terms of

1093
00:47:24,508 --> 00:47:26,508
protecting the country
and protecting our civil

1094
00:47:26,510 --> 00:47:27,950
liberties.

1095
00:47:27,945 --> 00:47:28,945
John.

1096
00:47:28,946 --> 00:47:30,586
The Press: Thank
you very much, Josh.

1097
00:47:30,581 --> 00:47:32,621
Two brief questions.

1098
00:47:32,616 --> 00:47:36,286
Earlier this year, with the
tragic shooting of Russian

1099
00:47:36,286 --> 00:47:39,026
dissident Boris Nemtsov, the
President put out a strong

1100
00:47:39,022 --> 00:47:42,562
statement and then
underscored it by sending

1101
00:47:42,559 --> 00:47:44,859
the U.S. Ambassador
to his funeral.

1102
00:47:44,861 --> 00:47:48,601
Six days ago, Mr. Nemtsov's
right-hand man, Vladimir

1103
00:47:48,599 --> 00:47:53,539
Kara-murza, was poisoned
and is in the hospital

1104
00:47:53,537 --> 00:47:55,577
in grave condition.

1105
00:47:55,572 --> 00:47:59,372
Has the administration put
out any statement about his

1106
00:47:59,376 --> 00:48:00,446
situation right now?

1107
00:48:00,444 --> 00:48:01,374
Mr. Earnest: I'm not aware
of any statement that we've

1108
00:48:01,378 --> 00:48:04,618
put out, but I can check
with our national security

1109
00:48:04,615 --> 00:48:07,415
team to see if we have.

1110
00:48:07,417 --> 00:48:08,887
And if we have, we'll get it
to you, and if we haven't,

1111
00:48:08,885 --> 00:48:10,455
then we'll see if we
can get you a response.

1112
00:48:10,454 --> 00:48:11,484
The Press: Okay,
appreciate it.

1113
00:48:11,488 --> 00:48:13,188
The other thing I wanted to
know -- there's some figures

1114
00:48:13,190 --> 00:48:15,830
out from Baltimore -- and
this is following up on

1115
00:48:15,826 --> 00:48:19,996
April's question -- arrests
are down 56 percent in the

1116
00:48:19,997 --> 00:48:23,997
month of May, shootings
are up 60 percent in May.

1117
00:48:24,001 --> 00:48:27,441
And this comes along with
figures from New York that

1118
00:48:27,437 --> 00:48:30,277
murders were up in the
city 15 percent in May.

1119
00:48:30,274 --> 00:48:33,514
The President has spoken a
lot about the situation in

1120
00:48:33,510 --> 00:48:37,010
urban America since Ferguson
and then in Baltimore.

1121
00:48:37,014 --> 00:48:41,384
Is he going to make any
statement about police and

1122
00:48:41,385 --> 00:48:42,455
their own situation?

1123
00:48:42,452 --> 00:48:45,192
Many people attribute these
figures to a decline in

1124
00:48:45,188 --> 00:48:46,658
morale among police.

1125
00:48:46,657 --> 00:48:50,427
Mr. Earnest: John, I think
anybody who has listened to

1126
00:48:50,427 --> 00:48:52,427
the President over the last
several months has heard the

1127
00:48:52,429 --> 00:48:55,569
President on a number of
occasions talk about the

1128
00:48:55,565 --> 00:48:58,705
important work that local
police officers do in

1129
00:48:58,702 --> 00:49:00,772
communities all
across the country.

1130
00:49:00,771 --> 00:49:02,941
These are men and women who
on a daily basis put on the

1131
00:49:02,939 --> 00:49:06,309
police uniform and walk out
the front door of their home

1132
00:49:06,310 --> 00:49:08,310
prepared to put their life
on the line to keep the

1133
00:49:08,312 --> 00:49:11,312
community that they
serve and protect safe.

1134
00:49:11,315 --> 00:49:16,455
And that is something that
is worthy of our respect

1135
00:49:16,453 --> 00:49:19,323
and, frankly, it's something
that the President has

1136
00:49:19,323 --> 00:49:20,353
praised.

1137
00:49:20,357 --> 00:49:23,627
Individuals who are willing
to make that kind of

1138
00:49:23,627 --> 00:49:26,827
sacrifice and that
commitment to public safety

1139
00:49:26,830 --> 00:49:31,130
is something that is
laudable and worthy of the

1140
00:49:31,134 --> 00:49:33,274
praise of everybody in this
country from the President

1141
00:49:33,270 --> 00:49:34,270
on down.

1142
00:49:34,271 --> 00:49:36,711
And the President had the
opportunity to talk about

1143
00:49:36,707 --> 00:49:40,107
this bravery and that
commitment at the Peace

1144
00:49:40,110 --> 00:49:42,550
Officers Memorial that he
spoke at two or three weeks

1145
00:49:42,546 --> 00:49:43,546
ago.

1146
00:49:43,547 --> 00:49:45,547
So I'd refer you to
those specific comments.

1147
00:49:45,549 --> 00:49:49,219
At this point, I'd hesitate
to generalize about broader

1148
00:49:49,219 --> 00:49:51,219
trends that we're seeing
across the country.

1149
00:49:51,221 --> 00:49:56,731
But I do think it speaks to
how important it is for law

1150
00:49:56,727 --> 00:50:01,367
enforcement officers to
build trust with the

1151
00:50:01,365 --> 00:50:03,805
communities that they
serve and protect.

1152
00:50:03,800 --> 00:50:09,770
And that trust only makes
it more safe -- it creates

1153
00:50:12,909 --> 00:50:15,449
conditions that allow law
enforcement officers to do

1154
00:50:15,445 --> 00:50:18,345
their jobs more safely,
but it also makes it more

1155
00:50:18,348 --> 00:50:20,348
effective in fighting crime
if they know that they can

1156
00:50:20,350 --> 00:50:23,850
work in partnership and in
trust with members of the

1157
00:50:23,854 --> 00:50:24,884
community.

1158
00:50:24,888 --> 00:50:27,628
And this is something that
the President's Task Force

1159
00:50:27,624 --> 00:50:29,664
on 21st Century Policing has
spent a lot of time looking

1160
00:50:29,659 --> 00:50:30,659
at.

1161
00:50:30,660 --> 00:50:32,660
And there are a variety of
best practices that they

1162
00:50:32,662 --> 00:50:34,662
have put forward that
we've seen law enforcement

1163
00:50:34,664 --> 00:50:37,234
agencies across the country
adopt to try to address this

1164
00:50:37,234 --> 00:50:39,334
kind of situation in
communities across the

1165
00:50:39,336 --> 00:50:40,706
country.

1166
00:50:40,704 --> 00:50:41,704
Laura.

1167
00:50:41,705 --> 00:50:42,705
The Press: Thank you, Josh.

1168
00:50:42,706 --> 00:50:45,946
Sepp Blatter said a few
minutes ago that he would

1169
00:50:45,942 --> 00:50:48,712
resign from the presidency
of FIFA in the wake of the

1170
00:50:48,712 --> 00:50:50,652
corruption inquiry.

1171
00:50:50,647 --> 00:50:52,447
What's the White
House reaction?

1172
00:50:52,449 --> 00:50:54,589
Mr. Earnest: I was just
informed about this just

1173
00:50:54,584 --> 00:50:56,684
moments before I walked
out here so I don't have a

1174
00:50:56,686 --> 00:50:57,656
specific reaction.

1175
00:50:57,654 --> 00:51:00,494
But if we decide to put one
out, I'll make sure you get

1176
00:51:00,490 --> 00:51:03,730
it.

1177
00:51:03,727 --> 00:51:05,327
The Press: In French.

1178
00:51:05,328 --> 00:51:06,128
(laughter)

1179
00:51:06,129 --> 00:51:09,229
Just to go
back to trade quickly.

1180
00:51:09,232 --> 00:51:12,472
With the debate shifting
over to the House, is your

1181
00:51:12,469 --> 00:51:15,669
sense that the debate in the
House will be more difficult

1182
00:51:15,672 --> 00:51:17,142
than it was in the Senate?

1183
00:51:17,140 --> 00:51:18,580
And if so, it sounds like
you're doing a lot of the

1184
00:51:18,575 --> 00:51:20,345
same things you were doing
in the Senate -- the local

1185
00:51:20,343 --> 00:51:23,483
TV interviews and making the
case that this is good for

1186
00:51:23,480 --> 00:51:25,780
the economy and
the environment.

1187
00:51:25,782 --> 00:51:27,552
Are you planning to do
anything different in the

1188
00:51:27,551 --> 00:51:28,521
House?

1189
00:51:28,518 --> 00:51:31,088
Vote counters say you're a
couple dozen votes short.

1190
00:51:31,087 --> 00:51:34,327
Mr. Earnest: Well, that's
a strategy that we pursued

1191
00:51:34,324 --> 00:51:38,064
that yielded 62 votes on
final passage in the Senate.

1192
00:51:38,061 --> 00:51:40,061
And that's an indication I
think of a pretty effective

1193
00:51:40,063 --> 00:51:41,063
legislative strategy.

1194
00:51:41,064 --> 00:51:47,134
But many observers do expect
that the politics of this

1195
00:51:47,137 --> 00:51:50,007
issue in the House are even
more difficult, and we

1196
00:51:50,006 --> 00:51:53,376
certainly are aware
of that challenge.

1197
00:51:53,376 --> 00:51:58,546
The case I think I would
make to you is that today is

1198
00:51:58,548 --> 00:52:02,218
not the first day that we've
considered how we can make

1199
00:52:02,219 --> 00:52:05,189
the case to Democrats in
the House that they should

1200
00:52:05,188 --> 00:52:07,588
support the most progressive
trade legislation that's

1201
00:52:07,591 --> 00:52:09,761
ever passed the Senate.

1202
00:52:09,759 --> 00:52:13,029
This is a case that we've
been making for weeks, even

1203
00:52:13,029 --> 00:52:15,199
months now, and that
includes the President

1204
00:52:15,198 --> 00:52:17,198
directly in individual
conversations with

1205
00:52:17,200 --> 00:52:19,870
individual members of the
House of Representatives.

1206
00:52:19,870 --> 00:52:23,870
And while challenging, we
continue to be confident

1207
00:52:23,874 --> 00:52:26,544
that we'll be able to build
a bipartisan majority in the

1208
00:52:26,543 --> 00:52:30,183
House consistent with the
bipartisan majority that was

1209
00:52:30,180 --> 00:52:32,180
built in the United
States Senate.

1210
00:52:32,182 --> 00:52:34,182
The Press: And you mentioned
earlier in response to

1211
00:52:34,184 --> 00:52:37,354
Roberta's question that the
President would be making

1212
00:52:37,354 --> 00:52:40,294
assurances -- or had been
making assurances that he

1213
00:52:40,290 --> 00:52:44,260
would stand with Democrats
who stood with him on this.

1214
00:52:44,261 --> 00:52:46,561
I'll try to give another
shot at kind of fleshing out

1215
00:52:46,563 --> 00:52:47,663
what that means.

1216
00:52:47,664 --> 00:52:49,104
Is he telling them that he
is going to campaign for

1217
00:52:49,099 --> 00:52:50,839
them, run ads for them?

1218
00:52:50,834 --> 00:52:54,034
What does he mean when he
says that he is going to

1219
00:52:54,037 --> 00:52:56,637
stand with Democrats who
stand with him on this?

1220
00:52:56,640 --> 00:52:58,780
Mr. Earnest: I guess, let me
just -- again, I'm not going

1221
00:52:58,775 --> 00:53:02,215
to get into specific tactics
more than a year and a half

1222
00:53:02,212 --> 00:53:04,382
before an election.

1223
00:53:04,381 --> 00:53:11,521
But I would just observe
that there's ample data to

1224
00:53:11,521 --> 00:53:18,691
point you to that indicates
the influence that the

1225
00:53:18,695 --> 00:53:20,695
President has among
Democratic voters all across

1226
00:53:20,697 --> 00:53:22,137
the country.

1227
00:53:22,132 --> 00:53:25,302
And having the strong
support of the most popular

1228
00:53:25,302 --> 00:53:28,202
figure in Democratic
politics for your reelection

1229
00:53:28,204 --> 00:53:30,174
I think most Democrats are
going to find beneficial to

1230
00:53:30,173 --> 00:53:32,313
their congressional
campaigns.

1231
00:53:32,309 --> 00:53:35,179
So, again, I don't want to
foreshadow any tactics right

1232
00:53:35,178 --> 00:53:38,618
now, but the President has
been clear that he'll stand

1233
00:53:38,615 --> 00:53:41,085
with the Democrats who stand
with him on this issue.

1234
00:53:41,084 --> 00:53:43,924
The Press: On another
topic, on Russia.

1235
00:53:43,920 --> 00:53:47,290
Vladimir Putin said last
week he signed an order that

1236
00:53:47,290 --> 00:53:52,230
would basically make secret
any of the deaths of Russian

1237
00:53:52,228 --> 00:53:55,228
military officers
during peacetime.

1238
00:53:55,231 --> 00:53:57,871
Some watchers say that that
means that he's preparing

1239
00:53:57,867 --> 00:54:00,507
for an advance into Ukraine.

1240
00:54:00,503 --> 00:54:03,573
I was wondering if there's
a response from the

1241
00:54:03,573 --> 00:54:04,743
White House on that issue.

1242
00:54:04,741 --> 00:54:06,941
Mr. Earnest: Well, Toluse,
unfortunately, we have seen

1243
00:54:06,943 --> 00:54:09,613
significant movements of
Russian military equipment

1244
00:54:09,613 --> 00:54:12,613
and personnel into Ukraine
over the last year.

1245
00:54:12,616 --> 00:54:15,156
That's been the source of
significant concern and

1246
00:54:15,151 --> 00:54:17,221
that's concern that we've
expressed both in public and

1247
00:54:17,220 --> 00:54:20,590
in private to Mr. Putin.

1248
00:54:20,590 --> 00:54:26,230
The fact is there have been
a lot of observers who are

1249
00:54:26,229 --> 00:54:29,229
trying to analyze specific
statements or specific

1250
00:54:29,232 --> 00:54:34,072
actions that are taken by
Mr. Putin, warning that this

1251
00:54:34,070 --> 00:54:39,410
could be the prelude to
an even more significant

1252
00:54:39,409 --> 00:54:42,349
military action.

1253
00:54:42,345 --> 00:54:45,345
All I will say is that the
international community has

1254
00:54:45,348 --> 00:54:49,318
spoken very clearly about
our united view that it's

1255
00:54:49,319 --> 00:54:51,889
critically important for
Russia to respect the basic

1256
00:54:51,888 --> 00:54:54,828
territorial integrity
and sovereignty of their

1257
00:54:54,824 --> 00:54:56,524
neighbors in Ukraine.

1258
00:54:56,526 --> 00:54:59,066
And they made specific
commitments to do so in the

1259
00:54:59,062 --> 00:55:02,002
context of negotiations
that took place at Minsk.

1260
00:55:01,998 --> 00:55:04,468
These are commitments that
Russia has failed to uphold.

1261
00:55:04,467 --> 00:55:09,477
And as a result of that
failure and as a result of

1262
00:55:09,472 --> 00:55:11,812
the continued violation
of the sovereignty of the

1263
00:55:11,808 --> 00:55:15,108
nation of Ukraine, the
international community has

1264
00:55:15,111 --> 00:55:18,411
taken steps to impose
significant costs on the

1265
00:55:18,415 --> 00:55:21,355
Russian economy and on
the Russian government.

1266
00:55:21,351 --> 00:55:27,061
And those are steps that
only further isolate Russia

1267
00:55:27,057 --> 00:55:32,627
and only further diminish an
economy that's already taken

1268
00:55:32,629 --> 00:55:34,769
a pretty substantial
hit over the last year.

1269
00:55:36,800 --> 00:55:38,800
Charlie.

1270
00:55:38,802 --> 00:55:40,702
The Press: Does the
President believe we're in a

1271
00:55:40,704 --> 00:55:44,404
period of setback or a
period of progress in the

1272
00:55:44,407 --> 00:55:45,407
fight against ISIS?

1273
00:55:45,408 --> 00:55:47,808
Mr. Earnest: Charlie, the
President's view on this is

1274
00:55:47,811 --> 00:55:49,851
that there are areas where
we've made important

1275
00:55:49,846 --> 00:55:50,816
progress.

1276
00:55:50,814 --> 00:55:53,554
Just a couple of weeks ago,
the President ordered a

1277
00:55:53,550 --> 00:55:59,920
United States military raid
inside of Syria to take an

1278
00:55:59,923 --> 00:56:02,963
important ISIL leader off
the battlefield and to

1279
00:56:02,959 --> 00:56:06,999
gather a significant
quantity of important

1280
00:56:06,996 --> 00:56:08,236
intelligence.

1281
00:56:08,231 --> 00:56:12,331
That obviously would be
a sign of some progress.

1282
00:56:12,335 --> 00:56:15,805
And then about the same
time, we also saw that Iraqi

1283
00:56:15,805 --> 00:56:20,175
security forces were driven
out of Ramadi, and that

1284
00:56:20,176 --> 00:56:23,346
obviously is something we've
acknowledged as a setback.

1285
00:56:23,346 --> 00:56:28,416
And we're dealing in a
complicated and complex

1286
00:56:28,418 --> 00:56:31,388
military operation,
a military conflict.

1287
00:56:31,387 --> 00:56:33,187
And what the President wants
to do is to make sure that

1288
00:56:33,189 --> 00:56:37,929
our strategy is oriented
to properly reflect those

1289
00:56:37,927 --> 00:56:38,927
challenges.

1290
00:56:38,928 --> 00:56:40,928
And that's why we've built
a coalition of more than 60

1291
00:56:40,930 --> 00:56:41,930
nations.

1292
00:56:41,931 --> 00:56:44,131
It's why we're ramping up
the assistance that we can

1293
00:56:44,134 --> 00:56:46,134
provide to the Iraqi
security forces in the form

1294
00:56:46,136 --> 00:56:48,706
of providing them additional
military equipment like

1295
00:56:48,705 --> 00:56:50,275
AT4s.

1296
00:56:50,273 --> 00:56:53,213
And the President is willing
to consider other steps

1297
00:56:53,209 --> 00:56:56,949
consistent with the strategy
that he has laid out to make

1298
00:56:56,946 --> 00:56:58,946
the delivery of that
assistance even more

1299
00:56:58,948 --> 00:57:00,448
efficient.

1300
00:57:00,450 --> 00:57:01,990
The Press: A new poll today
showed that just 32 percent

1301
00:57:01,985 --> 00:57:04,425
of Americans support the
way that the President has

1302
00:57:04,420 --> 00:57:07,290
handled the fight
against ISIS.

1303
00:57:07,290 --> 00:57:10,260
Is the President worried
that his message isn't

1304
00:57:10,260 --> 00:57:12,860
getting out, or that he's
not doing enough to satisfy

1305
00:57:12,862 --> 00:57:14,332
Americans?

1306
00:57:14,330 --> 00:57:16,370
Mr. Earnest: I think what
the President's foremost

1307
00:57:16,366 --> 00:57:18,836
concern in this regard is
not poll numbers but is

1308
00:57:18,835 --> 00:57:22,275
actually the need to protect
the national security

1309
00:57:22,272 --> 00:57:24,272
interests of the United
States both here at home and

1310
00:57:24,274 --> 00:57:25,274
around the world.

1311
00:57:25,275 --> 00:57:27,375
And the President has led a
coalition of more than 60

1312
00:57:27,377 --> 00:57:32,517
countries to counter the
threat that is posed by

1313
00:57:32,515 --> 00:57:33,485
ISIL.

1314
00:57:33,483 --> 00:57:35,483
And the President has been
clear about what we will do

1315
00:57:35,485 --> 00:57:40,455
in the form of using
military airpower to strike

1316
00:57:40,456 --> 00:57:43,026
at ISIL and extremist
targets inside of Iraq and

1317
00:57:43,026 --> 00:57:44,026
in Syria.

1318
00:57:44,027 --> 00:57:46,867
The President has indicated
a willingness to order

1319
00:57:46,863 --> 00:57:49,903
Special Operations raids
where necessary to take out

1320
00:57:49,899 --> 00:57:51,499
ISIL leaders.

1321
00:57:51,501 --> 00:57:53,641
The President has also
directed his team to focus

1322
00:57:53,636 --> 00:57:57,736
on training and equipping
Iraqi security forces that

1323
00:57:57,740 --> 00:57:59,740
are under the command and
control of the Iraqi central

1324
00:57:59,742 --> 00:58:01,742
government so that they
can be responsible for the

1325
00:58:01,744 --> 00:58:03,884
security situation
in their own country.

1326
00:58:03,880 --> 00:58:05,550
That's the strategy that
the President has laid out.

1327
00:58:05,548 --> 00:58:09,448
It also includes trying to
shut down every method of

1328
00:58:09,452 --> 00:58:12,252
financing that ISIL benefits
from, and trying to prevent

1329
00:58:12,255 --> 00:58:15,155
the flow of foreign
fighters to the region.

1330
00:58:15,158 --> 00:58:17,158
But this is the strategy
that the President has laid

1331
00:58:17,160 --> 00:58:20,530
out, and this is a strategy
that has enjoyed some

1332
00:58:20,530 --> 00:58:24,230
progress even if we're also
facing some setbacks, as

1333
00:58:24,234 --> 00:58:25,234
well.

1334
00:58:25,235 --> 00:58:27,175
The Press: Is there any
response to the news that

1335
00:58:27,170 --> 00:58:30,970
ISIS is, in fact, gaining
more territory in Syria?

1336
00:58:30,974 --> 00:58:34,574
Mr. Earnest: Well, there are
-- again, there are some

1337
00:58:34,577 --> 00:58:35,577
isolated reports.

1338
00:58:35,578 --> 00:58:37,578
It's a little harder to
measure this inside of

1339
00:58:37,580 --> 00:58:38,580
Syria.

1340
00:58:38,581 --> 00:58:42,051
We don't have the same kind
of cooperative ground force

1341
00:58:42,051 --> 00:58:44,651
that we do inside of Iraq.

1342
00:58:44,654 --> 00:58:47,224
There are reports that there
are some places, including

1343
00:58:47,223 --> 00:58:50,363
Palmyra, where ISIL has
made some important gains.

1344
00:58:50,360 --> 00:58:54,360
There are also some areas
in northeastern Syria where

1345
00:58:54,364 --> 00:58:58,704
Syrian fighters, who are
backed by our military

1346
00:58:58,701 --> 00:59:01,971
coalition, are actually
driving ISIL out of some

1347
00:59:01,971 --> 00:59:03,971
territory in
northeastern Syrian.

1348
00:59:03,973 --> 00:59:06,743
So again, I think even just
looking at the situation in

1349
00:59:06,743 --> 00:59:11,243
Syria, you could describe
areas of progress and

1350
00:59:11,247 --> 00:59:12,717
periods of setback.

1351
00:59:12,715 --> 00:59:14,715
And again, this is
consistent with what we see

1352
00:59:14,717 --> 00:59:18,717
in almost any sort of
military conflict.

1353
00:59:18,721 --> 00:59:20,661
Fred.

1354
00:59:20,657 --> 00:59:23,997
The Press: I wanted to get
your response to the reports

1355
00:59:23,993 --> 00:59:27,093
about the premium hikes
for insurance companies.

1356
00:59:27,096 --> 00:59:30,136
Some are going up by -- are
proposing to go up by as

1357
00:59:30,133 --> 00:59:33,533
much as a third during 2016.

1358
00:59:34,804 --> 00:59:37,474
Mr. Earnest: Fred, you've
been following this issue

1359
00:59:37,473 --> 00:59:41,113
long enough to know how
this process works now.

1360
00:59:41,110 --> 00:59:43,880
Because of requirements
under the Affordable Care

1361
00:59:43,880 --> 00:59:47,480
Act, any insurance company
that is proposing to raise

1362
00:59:47,483 --> 00:59:51,953
rates by more than 10
percent has to make public

1363
00:59:51,955 --> 00:59:54,295
the possibility of
those rate increases.

1364
00:59:54,290 --> 00:59:59,200
And what we have seen -- or
I guess what we saw prior to

1365
00:59:59,195 --> 01:00:01,835
the Affordable Care Act
taking effect is that

1366
01:00:01,831 --> 01:00:05,101
insurance companies
would regularly impose

1367
01:00:05,101 --> 01:00:07,701
double-digit rate
increases with impunity.

1368
01:00:07,704 --> 01:00:10,544
They'd do it in secret, or
you'd get a bill in the mail

1369
01:00:10,540 --> 01:00:12,540
knowing that is this
something you were going to

1370
01:00:12,542 --> 01:00:13,542
be subjected to.

1371
01:00:13,543 --> 01:00:18,043
But now insurance companies
have to publicly notify --

1372
01:00:18,047 --> 01:00:20,047
or publicly put people
on notice that they're

1373
01:00:20,049 --> 01:00:22,049
preparing a
double-digit increase.

1374
01:00:22,051 --> 01:00:24,891
Then we see that those rate
increases are reviewed by

1375
01:00:24,887 --> 01:00:26,687
state regulators.

1376
01:00:26,689 --> 01:00:30,689
And the result typically has
been that after that state

1377
01:00:30,693 --> 01:00:32,963
review is conducted, that
insurance companies would

1378
01:00:32,962 --> 01:00:34,502
slash their rates.

1379
01:00:34,497 --> 01:00:39,637
And that's why -- just using
last year as an example -- a

1380
01:00:39,635 --> 01:00:42,875
majority of individuals
who went shopping on the

1381
01:00:42,872 --> 01:00:49,512
marketplace was able to
obtain health insurance for

1382
01:00:49,512 --> 01:00:52,512
less than $100 a month when
you factor in the subsidies

1383
01:00:52,515 --> 01:00:54,085
that were available to them.

1384
01:00:54,083 --> 01:00:59,293
That's an indication that
even more people all across

1385
01:00:59,288 --> 01:01:02,088
the country are getting
access to quality,

1386
01:01:02,091 --> 01:01:05,361
affordable health insurance
and it's primarily because

1387
01:01:05,361 --> 01:01:07,931
of the restrictions and
requirements of the

1388
01:01:07,930 --> 01:01:10,870
Affordable Care Act that
compels insurance companies

1389
01:01:10,867 --> 01:01:14,667
to explain significant
increases in their rates,

1390
01:01:14,670 --> 01:01:17,170
but also to compete with
other insurance companies

1391
01:01:17,173 --> 01:01:18,443
for customers.

1392
01:01:18,441 --> 01:01:21,211
And when subjected to that
kind of competition, it

1393
01:01:21,210 --> 01:01:23,210
means that customers
get a pretty good deal.

1394
01:01:23,212 --> 01:01:25,812
And again, 55 percent of
people across the country

1395
01:01:25,815 --> 01:01:28,955
who went shopping on the
marketplace, when you factor

1396
01:01:28,951 --> 01:01:32,821
in the subsidy that they
were eligible for, was able

1397
01:01:32,822 --> 01:01:35,992
to obtain health insurance
for less than $100 a month.

1398
01:01:35,992 --> 01:01:40,092
The Press: But wasn't the
law initially sold as that

1399
01:01:40,096 --> 01:01:43,766
it would not only not just
reduce increases, but it

1400
01:01:43,766 --> 01:01:47,166
would actually lower the
cost of health care?

1401
01:01:47,170 --> 01:01:48,910
Mr. Earnest: Our goal of
this has been to slow the

1402
01:01:48,905 --> 01:01:50,575
growth in health care costs,
and that has been our

1403
01:01:50,573 --> 01:01:52,813
mantra.

1404
01:01:52,809 --> 01:01:55,479
And we have seen, as our
economists can demonstrate

1405
01:01:55,478 --> 01:01:58,348
to you, that since the
health care law went into

1406
01:01:58,347 --> 01:02:02,287
effect -- since the
Affordable Care Act went

1407
01:02:02,285 --> 01:02:04,955
into effect health care
costs in this country have

1408
01:02:04,954 --> 01:02:09,424
grown at the slowest rate
in recorded history, the

1409
01:02:09,425 --> 01:02:11,425
slowest rate in 50 years.

1410
01:02:11,427 --> 01:02:16,367
And that is obviously
something that has good

1411
01:02:16,365 --> 01:02:18,665
benefits for people all
across the country, and it

1412
01:02:18,668 --> 01:02:21,338
even has important benefits
for our budget deficit and

1413
01:02:21,337 --> 01:02:23,337
has important benefits
for our economy.

1414
01:02:23,339 --> 01:02:25,139
The Press: One
more subtopic.

1415
01:02:25,141 --> 01:02:27,841
The Supreme Court decision
yesterday in the Abercrombie

1416
01:02:27,844 --> 01:02:33,054
& Fitch case, is that
something that -- the Court

1417
01:02:33,049 --> 01:02:37,889
seems to be -- totally
different matter, of course

1418
01:02:37,887 --> 01:02:39,487
-- but that Hobby Lobby from
last year, the Court does

1419
01:02:39,489 --> 01:02:42,489
seem to have had taken sort
of maybe a more expansive

1420
01:02:42,492 --> 01:02:45,392
view of religious liberty.

1421
01:02:45,394 --> 01:02:50,304
Does the White House foresee
that affecting any of the

1422
01:02:50,299 --> 01:02:53,669
possible litigation in the
state religious freedom laws

1423
01:02:53,669 --> 01:02:54,869
that have been passed?

1424
01:02:54,871 --> 01:02:56,441
Mr. Earnest: Well, Fred,
I think what's true -- I

1425
01:02:56,439 --> 01:02:58,439
haven't spent much time
watching the Supreme Court,

1426
01:02:58,441 --> 01:03:03,511
but I do think that veteran
Supreme Court watchers would

1427
01:03:03,513 --> 01:03:08,523
caution us against drawing
bright lines between any two

1428
01:03:08,518 --> 01:03:09,618
Supreme Court cases.

1429
01:03:09,619 --> 01:03:13,059
I think what I would just
say as a general matter, not

1430
01:03:13,055 --> 01:03:15,025
having carefully evaluated
the legal arguments that

1431
01:03:15,024 --> 01:03:18,724
were made in this particular
case, is that it does seem

1432
01:03:18,728 --> 01:03:23,668
to me, based on the
reporting, that the Supreme

1433
01:03:23,666 --> 01:03:27,406
Court did stand up for the
religious liberty of this

1434
01:03:27,403 --> 01:03:28,403
one individual.

1435
01:03:28,404 --> 01:03:30,404
And it certainly is
consistent with the

1436
01:03:30,406 --> 01:03:34,976
President's view that the
American people hold very

1437
01:03:34,977 --> 01:03:38,147
dear to the First Amendment
right to freedom of

1438
01:03:38,147 --> 01:03:39,147
religion.

1439
01:03:39,148 --> 01:03:43,088
And protecting the right of
individuals to observe that

1440
01:03:43,085 --> 01:03:45,525
religion, to practice
that religion and not be

1441
01:03:45,521 --> 01:03:47,791
discriminated against
because of the way in which

1442
01:03:47,790 --> 01:03:50,260
they observe their religion
is an important American

1443
01:03:50,259 --> 01:03:54,459
value, and one that appears
to have been upheld by the

1444
01:03:54,463 --> 01:03:56,563
Supreme Court
just yesterday.

1445
01:03:56,566 --> 01:03:57,336
Thanks a lot, everybody.

1446
01:03:57,333 --> 01:03:58,063
Have a good day.