OFFICE OF THE MAJORITY LEADER

TRANSCRIPT

On Bloomberg TV discussing the upcoming State of the Union Speech
January 28, 2008

JOINING ME IS STENY HOYER FROM MARYLAND. IF I WOULD ASK YOU WHAT IS THE STATE OF MARYLAND WHAT WOULD YOUR RESPONSE BE? >> NOT AS GOOD AS WE WOULD LIKE IT TO BE. NEITHER DOMESTICALLY NOR INTERNATIONALLY. DOMESTICLY WE ARE CONFRONTING A VERY SIGNIFICANT SLOWDOWN IF OUR ECONOMY. A LOT OF MIDDLE INCOME WORKING AMERICANS ARE HAVING THEIR INCOMES STUCK IN THE MUD. THOSE WITH THE HOUSING CRISIS ARE HAVING A TERRIBLE TIME AND WE ARE TRYING TO RESPOND IN A BIPARTISAN, SPEEDY WAY TO TRY TO GET RELIEF TO THOSE PEOPLE AND STIMULATE THE ECONOMY. INTERNATIONALLY, OF COURSE, THE SURGE THAT WAS PROJECTED LAST YEAR WHICH OCCURRED AND DID BRING SOME STABILITY AND SECURITY HAS NEVERTHELESS NOT HAD THE EFFECT OF BRINGING POLITICAL RECONCILIATION WHICH WE KNOW IS THE ULTIMATE SOLUTION IN IRAQ. SO THAT I WOULD PRESUME THAT THE PRESIDENT WILL SPEAK ON BOTH OF THOSE ISSUES. I WOULD HOPE THAT IT IS A BIPARTISAN SPEECH THAT SEEKS SOLUTIONS, NOT POLITICAL ADVANTAGE. >> LET'S TALK ABOUT THE WAR SINCE YOU BROUGHT IT UP. THE $70 BILLION THE ADMINISTRATION WANTS FOR IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN, WILL HE GET IT? >> WELL, THERE IS STILL $110 BILLION PENDING FROM LAST YEAR'S REQUEST THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT AND DETERMINE WHAT THE NEED IS AND DETERMINE WHETHER THAT IS JUSTIFIED. SO, WE WILL GET TO THAT FIRST. THEN ON THE $70 BILLION MY POSITION HAS BEEN AND I THINK THE SPEAKER'S POSITION IS WE ARE GOING TO SUPPORT OUR TROOPS. ON THE OTHER HAND WE WANT TO SEE A CHANGE IN OUR POLICY OF REDEPLOYMENT OF TROOPS, A FOCUS ON AFGHANISTAN WHERE TERRORISM WAS HOUSED AND FROM WHICH IT WAS LAUNCHED. WE BELIEVE WE ARE NOT DOING AS WELL THERE AS WE SHOULD BE. WE THINK THERE NEEDS TO AN REFOCUS AND REDEPLOYMENT. >> IN TERMS OF THE ECONOMIC STIMULUS PLAN WHICH YOU WORKED OUT WITH THE WHITE HOUSE, THE SENATE IS HOLDING OUT FOR AN EXTENSION OF UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE BENEFITS. DO YOU THINK THAT THE PLAN THAT YOU, HOUSE DEMOCRATS, AND THE WHITE HOUSE WORKED OUT IS LIKELY TO GET THROUGH AS IS OR WILL YOU HAVE TO GO WITH THE SENATE VERSION AND CAN THE WHITE HOUSE ACCEPT THAT? >> I THINK THE SENATE IS TALKING ABOUT ADDING ON, NOT...