Speaker Johnson speaks to reporters on Capitol Hill.
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00:00I put reconciliation on a very ambitious timetable for a reason for all the reasons we've
00:29discussed. We need to send a message of stability to the bond markets and show job creators and
00:35entrepreneurs and companies that their tax rates are made permanent and do all the other
00:39things that we're going to do in the reconciliation bill as soon as possible. So having set Memorial
00:44Day as that very ambitious timeline was important to keep this momentum going and that momentum is
00:50going strong right now. We had a meeting at the White House on Thursday where we're going to
00:54finalize a few details, coordination, very close coordination as we've maintained between the
00:58White House and the House and the Senate. But that meeting was truncated due to other events and so
01:04we didn't have the full amount of time that we needed with the president to finish that. And there
01:09were some additional calculations on the tax pieces that had not yet been brought in. So we made the
01:14decision jointly. It's not a setback in any way. I've seen it portrayed as some sort of breaking the
01:19momentum. It is not that. We would rather take another week and do it exactly right than rush it
01:25and have to adjust things later. So we decided, we made a call to move the Ways and Means and
01:31Energy and Commerce markups back a week just so that we could make sure we had all the inputs and all
01:37the final decisions made. So it's not a setback at all. In fact, I think it's very productive.
01:42Everybody remains in close coordination on the urgency of the hour and we're trying to get it done. If it's not
01:49done before Memorial Day, we'll be shortly thereafter. But our timetable is on pace and we're going to get
01:56this done ASAP, send it to the Senate so they can do their part and we get this to the president's test for
02:01signature so the American people can get the relief that they deserve. So with this, it's not a setback at
02:05all. We are very excited and encouraged and coming to the final agreement point on some of the big points that are in the
02:12bill. And that's really important. And we'll get there. The president said over the weekend that as a result of
02:18his tariff policies, some kids may have fewer dolls, two and three, 20 or 30, fewer pencils, stores, prices could go up.
02:27Is that the message that you want to send to the American public?
02:30I didn't see the interview, but I'll just say that I think what the president is trying to communicate is,
02:35as he mentioned with the tariff policy and with all the things that are happening, we had to disrupt the
02:40system and we're going to have the desired results. I mean, as you know, by some measures, more than a
02:45hundred countries now renegotiating trade agreements, which would be much more fair for the American
02:49people. And that is exactly what we were hoping and trying to achieve. What the president was trying
02:54to achieve with that tariff policy is more free and fair trade relations. And I think that will be
02:59the result. So whatever short term disruption there is or discomfort, I think what he's trying to say
03:06there, I think is that it will well pay off in the long run. And I think that will happen sooner than
03:10many people anticipate. So we're, we're waiting to see and we'll hold the line, but reconciliation
03:15is, is on track. And if anybody tells you otherwise, they're not in the room with us.
03:18All right. Thanks guys.
03:19We'll see you later.