Transcript - Press Conference: Karine Jean-Pierre Holds a Press Briefing at The White House - August 29, 2023 | Factba.se

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:00:00 - 00:00:10 ()

Good afternoon. Oh, it's usually very quiet in here. You guys are, like, chatting about.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:00:10 - 00:00:25 ()

Okay. So, good afternoon. As you know, we have two -- two guests today. Neera Tanden is here, and we'll have the -- the FEMA Administrator with us here shortly. She's currently in the Oval Office briefing the President. So, as soon as she gets out, she'll join us.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:00:25 - 00:00:28 ()

So, a couple of things at the top, and then we'll get going.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:00:28 - 00:00:46 ()

So, in today's bilateral meeting, President Biden and President Chaves of Costa Rica will continue to deepen the strong relationship between our two countries. Costa Rica has been a regional leader. They are a strong democracy with a thriving economy and leading by example on migration management.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:00:46 - 00:00:58 ()

Costa Rica is an endorsing -- is an endorsing country on the Los Angeles Declaration on Migration and Protection, and has led the way in offering protections and legal pathways to vulnerable populations.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:00:58 - 00:01:08 ()

During their meeting, President Biden and President Chaves will discuss how we can continue to expand and strengthen these legal pathways as an alternative to irregular migration.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:01:08 - 00:01:23 ()

The two leaders will also discuss how they can continue to work together to strengthen economic ties and build inclusive and resilient economies by developing supply chains and creating good family-sustaining jobs for our people.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:01:23 - 00:01:34 ()

We'll have a readout after the meeting as we normally do, but one thing you'll see is an even closer partnership between the two countries coming out of today's bilat.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:01:34 - 00:01:53 ()

Also today, the Biden-Harris administration is announcing a new package of security assistance for Ukraine to meet Ukraine's critical security and defense needs. It includes additional mine-clearing equipment, missiles for air defense, ammunition for artillery and HIMARS systems, and over 3 million rounds of small arms ammunition.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:01:53 - 00:02:11 ()

This package will help Ukrainian forces on the battlefield and support its air defenses as Russia continues to launch brutal -- brutal strikes against the people of Ukraine, including attacks this past week that ha- -- that have taken the lives of innocent Ukrainian civilians.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:02:11 - 00:02:28 ()

The Kremlin could send -- could end this war. They can end it today anytime by withdrawing its forces from Ukraine and stopping its brutal attacks. Until it does, the United States and our allies and partners will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:02:28 - 00:02:40 ()

Now today, as you've all been reporting and you've heard from us already, we are taking another important step in bringing the President's historic Infla- -- Inflation Reduction Act to life for the American people.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:02:40 - 00:02:52 ()

This morning, Medicare announced the first 10 drugs selected for price negotiation for the first time ever, which will reduce healthcare costs for American families and lower the deficit as well.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:02:52 - 00:03:03 ()

With more on the President's plan, as I mentioned at the top, I'll turn it over to Domest- -- to the President's Domestic Policy Advisor, Neera Tanden, who's back a second time in just, like, less than two weeks or something like that.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:03:03 - 00:03:04 ()

The floor is yours.

Neera Tanden

00:03:04 - 00:03:08 ()

Thanks, Karine. Good afternoon, everyone.

Neera Tanden

00:03:08 - 00:03:23 ()

Millions of Americans struggle to afford prescription drugs. We understand that. Far too many Americans have to ration prescriptions, cutting a pill in half or taking a lower dose than they need, because their drugs are simply too expensive.

Neera Tanden

00:03:23 - 00:03:34 ()

One in five seniors struggle to pay for prescription drugs. In fact, Americans pay two to three times more for pre- -- prescription drugs than citizens in other developed countries.

Neera Tanden

00:03:34 - 00:03:49 ()

Meanwhile, Pharma has spent hundreds of millions of dollars to stop Medicare from negotiating lower costs. In fact, years ago, they got a special carveout that prohibited drug negotiation that allowed Pharma to charge whatever they can.

Neera Tanden

00:03:49 - 00:04:04 ()

For decades, we've been talking about giving Medicare the power to negotiate lower drug prices. President Biden actually got it done. Under the Inflation Reduction Act, finally Medicare will be able to negotiate lower prescription drug costs for seniors and other beneficiaries.

Neera Tanden

00:04:04 - 00:04:13 ()

This is a historic victory. In fact, over 80 percent of the public supports giving Medicare the power to negotiate lower prescription drug costs.

Neera Tanden

00:04:13 - 00:04:35 ()

Today, as Karine pointed out, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced the first 10 drugs selected for Medicare price negotiation. These 10 drugs are taken by 9 million seniors. They cover chronic conditions like cancer, heart disease, arthritis, and diabetes that can cost up to $14,000 per month.

Neera Tanden

00:04:35 - 00:04:51 ()

For example, over half a million Medicare beneficiaries rely on one of these drugs, Entresto, to treat their heart disease. These -- this drug costs less than $150 in Australia and over $300 here in the U.S.

Neera Tanden

00:04:51 - 00:05:01 ()

Imbruvica, one of the selected drugs that treats cancer, costs $6,000 a month in France. In the United States, it's almost $14,000 a month -- more than double.

Neera Tanden

00:05:01 - 00:05:09 ()

Last year, about 9 million Medicare beneficiaries spent over $3.4 billion in these dru- -- 10 drugs.

Neera Tanden

00:05:09 - 00:05:18 ()

An additional 15 drugs will be selected for negotiation each of the next two years and then 20 drugs a year going forward.

Neera Tanden

00:05:18 - 00:05:29 ()

Allowing Medicare to negotiate lower prices will bring more cost savings to American families. It will give them breathing room and peace of mind. It will make a real difference for millions of Americans.

Neera Tanden

00:05:29 - 00:05:33 ()

And with that, I'm happy to take your questions.

Question

00:05:33 - 00:05:53 ()

This is obviously, you know, a major step forward in the Inflation Reduction Act. The lower prices won't take effect until 2026. The President has sometimes said, you know, the America people need to be patient to see the benefits of this program. Is that, you know, too long for people to wait? And are you worried that Americans may not see those benefits, you know, and the connection to the Inflation Reduction Act?

Neera Tanden

00:05:53 - 00:06:07 ()

Well, first and foremost, the Inflation Reduction Act is already delivering benefits. Already, there's $35 insulin for seniors. And I would note that many providers have replicated that for the private sector.

Neera Tanden

00:06:07 - 00:06:22 ()

There are also lower costs from people who are trying to get healthcare from the America -- the Affordable Care Act; that's $800 a year for 15 million people. It's to lower savings -- lower -- increase savings for them.

Neera Tanden

00:06:22 - 00:06:40 ()

And the inflation rebate aspect of the drug bill, which basically provides that insur- -- drug -- drug -- pharmacy -- pharmaceutical companies that are charging higher than inflation -- that if prices are going higher than inflation, they have to pay a rebat- -- rebate back to the Medicare system.

Neera Tanden

00:06:40 - 00:06:44 ()

So those are all creating savings for Americans now.

Question

00:06:44 - 00:06:59 ()

Thanks, Karine. A quick follow-up on that. Obviously, consumers don't see the benefits until 2026. How concerned is the administration that Republicans could potentially derail the process by then and roll back these negotiations after the next election?

Neera Tanden

00:06:59 - 00:07:11 ()

Well, I would say, first and foremost, this -- Medicare's ability to negotiate drug prices is hugely popular; 80 percent of Americans support the ability to negotiate drug prices.

Neera Tanden

00:07:11 - 00:07:28 ()

I do think it's important to point out that many Republicans opposed the Inflation Reduction Act and, obviously, opposed the ability to negotiate drug prices. So, they are on the side -- they have been on the side of allowing pharmaceutical companies to charge whatever they can, and that's what the American people really oppose.

Neera Tanden

00:07:28 - 00:07:54 ()

As I've said in other -- at other times, I was part of the team that negotiated the Affordable Care Act. I was here during the -- I was -- I was arguing for the Affordable Care Act when Republicans were trying to repeal the Affordable Care Act. During the Trump administration, they fought tooth and nail to do so. But because the Affordable Care Act had delivered lower prices -- basically, it delivered healthcare to 20 million Americans -- they -- they found it hard to do so.

Neera Tanden

00:07:54 - 00:08:14 ()

And I think, given the insulin reduction -- the $35 insulin costs that people are bearing now; the fact that in -- that people will see that these -- these 10 drugs are being negotiated at price will be provided in September of 2024 -- that will be public-ed -- I think it would be hard to repeal the Inflation Reduction Act.

Neera Tanden

00:08:14 - 00:08:31 ()

And it's specifically hard to re- -- take away -- basically claw back these benefits, these lower prices. I think people really rise up against that kind of thing because they know they are paying too much for prescription drugs in the United States and they are paying more than in any other country.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:08:31 - 00:08:33 ()

Go ahead, Selina. Welcome to the briefing room.

Question

00:08:33 - 00:08:44 ()

Thank you so much. The CBO estimates that the government will save around $98.5 billion over a decade with this new program. So how much of those savings will go directly to seniors on Medicare?

Neera Tanden

00:08:44 - 00:09:05 ()

So, that is savings -- there is significant savings to the Medicare program, but seniors pay out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs. In fact, the person who will be introducing the President pays significant out-of-pocket costs. So, the people who have out-of-pocket costs, this will deliver lower prices for them.

Neera Tanden

00:09:05 - 00:09:18 ()

We don't know what the negotiated price will be. This is a subject in negotiation. So, we can't tell you the specific amount that people will save, but there will be savings to people both paying out of pocket and also to the Medicare program itself.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:09:18 - 00:09:19 ()

Go ahead, Jeff.

Question

00:09:19 - 00:09:40 ()

Thanks. Hi, Neera. There are currently eight lawsuits challenging this Medicare drug negotiation program. Which of those lawsuits do you see as the biggest threat to this program? And how confident are you that, you know, between now and 2026 when all this kicks in, that one of these lawsuits won't result in an injunction or preventing this program from actually going forward?

Neera Tanden

00:09:40 - 00:09:53 ()

Well, first and foremost, we should recognize that CMS, HHS negotiates drug price -- negotiates prices for every other element of the healthcare system: doctors' rates, providers' rates, hospital rates.

Neera Tanden

00:09:53 - 00:10:02 ()

The only reason why Medicare has not been negotiating drug prices is because Pharma got a sweetheart deal decades ago to basically prohibit negotiations.

Neera Tanden

00:10:02 - 00:10:07 ()

Negotiations are part of market system. It's very normal for that to happen.

Neera Tanden

00:10:07 - 00:10:22 ()

And so, we are very, very confident because, basically, it is because of the Inflation Reduction Act that we have negotiations. We are very confident in the law, and we should recognize there is no part of the Constitution that prohibits Medicare drug negotiation.

Neera Tanden

00:10:22 - 00:10:30 ()

So, we are very confident and in -- in these cases and very confident that the law will deliver results.

Neera Tanden

00:10:30 - 00:10:46 ()

And just important to remember that basically what Pharma is arguing in these court cases is that they should have -- they should have no limit to be able to charge whatever they want. And that is exactly why Americans support Medicare drug negotiation by 80 percent.

Question

00:10:46 - 00:10:49 ()

So, you're not especially concerned by any of these lawsuits?

Neera Tanden

00:10:49 - 00:10:58 ()

I -- I mean, I refer to the Department of Justice on the particularities of the -- of each litigation -- or each piece of litigation.

Neera Tanden

00:10:58 - 00:11:11 ()

But I would say that, first and foremost, Medicare should -- Medicare's ability to neg- -- negotiate drug prices is clear in the law and is -- is well established.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:11:11 - 00:11:11 ()

Question

00:11:11 - 00:11:24 ()

Thanks. So, one of the main criteria -- criteria for selecting these drugs is lack of competition. But for at least 1 of these 10 drugs, there is actually going to be a competitor coming into the market for 2026.

Question

00:11:24 - 00:11:37 ()

So, given that, I mean, why is the government willing to come in on top of that -- for that drug, and is that a waste of, effectively, a slot, you know, early on here that can be put toward a drug that actually doesn't have competition?

Neera Tanden

00:11:37 - 00:11:48 ()

The Inflation Reduction Act specifies the criteria for selection. That criteria is highest drug spend. Also, that the drugs need to be on the market for nine years or longer.

Neera Tanden

00:11:48 - 00:12:04 ()

So, there will be also additional drugs, as noted. This is the first -- this is the first 10. There'll be 15 next year and 15 after that. So, drugs that haven't made it on this list will -- may well be on in the future.

Neera Tanden

00:12:04 - 00:12:11 ()

And for particu- -- particularities about the specifications of selection, I would -- I would refer you to CMS.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:12:11 - 00:12:13 ()

Question

00:12:13 - 00:12:33 ()

Do you have any concerns that given the lead time here that the pharmaceutical industry will adjust its pricing to, sort of, compensate for an anticipated reduction? You talked about faster than inflation in certain instances. But do you get a sense that broader price inflation will happen anticipating this?

Neera Tanden

00:12:33 - 00:12:42 ()

Well, this -- the -- the selection of the drugs are on -- on current price. So, that will be the source of the negotiation back and forth.

Neera Tanden

00:12:42 - 00:12:58 ()

You know, if -- if Pharma looks at price negotiation and says, "We don't want to be on the list, and we're going to lower our prices," that's all to the better. That would be a way in which this -- this law is actually having the important effect of lowering drug prices across the board.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:12:58 - 00:12:59 ()

Question

00:12:59 - 00:13:09 ()

Let me just take you back to what Chris was asking about first. And that is, again, the delay as to why do we have to wait until 2026 to see these changes?

Neera Tanden

00:13:09 - 00:13:20 ()

Well, the Inflation Reduction Act specified that, but I understand the -- the frustration that can be out there on this topic. It's been 30 years that people have been trying to get Medicare drug negotiation.

Neera Tanden

00:13:20 - 00:13:32 ()

I will say it is this president, President Joe Biden, that actually delivered it. There is a yearlong process. We will have the drug prices out by September of 2024. It takes time to implement.

Neera Tanden

00:13:32 - 00:13:45 ()

But Americans today are seeing lower drug prices from the Inflation Reduction Act from insulin and in other arenas, and we look forward to the process being set by which we have lower and lower drug prices year to year.

Question

00:13:45 - 00:14:00 ()

So, then, let me ask you: Since it was sent by the law, for those who weren't paying attention when the law was being put together, was delaying it until 2026 a big sticking point for the Republicans or others? Why didn't the White House push to have it happen sooner?

Neera Tanden

00:14:00 - 00:14:12 ()

Well, we are -- we were -- we are excited by the fact that we are beginning this process and that we will have these 10 drugs and then 15 drugs after that and then 15 drugs after that and 20 drugs year to year.

Neera Tanden

00:14:12 - 00:14:23 ()

So, we think it is important that these drugs -- that this negotiation will take place over this year and that in September of 2024 people will see this price.

Neera Tanden

00:14:23 - 00:14:47 ()

I will also note that when this price is public, other -- you know, other insurers can look at that price. It is -- in many arenas, private insurance has looked at CMS and Medicare as a leader in how to determine prices. So, it may well be that insurers use this -- the price negotiated as prices that they use for -- that they use in their own insurance models to affect the private sector.

Question

00:14:47 - 00:15:09 ()

Thank you so much. Trying again, I understand you don't want to comment what specific prices you're trying to achieve, but can you give us a sense of what the broader objective is here? You said that seniors paid more than $3 billion out-of-pocket for these drugs. So, in terms of bringing down, like, minus 10 percent, 25 percent -- you know, half, less?

Neera Tanden

00:15:09 - 00:15:24 ()

Well, I'll say a few things. First of all, the VA negotiates drug prices and has always had the power to negotiate drug prices. It sets as -- its drug prices are 50 percent what American consumers pay. But this is all subject to a negotiation.

Neera Tanden

00:15:24 - 00:15:44 ()

So, we can't -- we -- we do not and cannot determine the price that Americans will see because that is -- this is a true negotiation. And -- and that will be subject for this yearlong conversation between CMS and the -- and pharmaceutical companies that put out these specific drugs.

Neera Tanden

00:15:44 - 00:16:02 ()

But we do expect that negotiations will drive prices significantly lower, as they have done for VA and DOD. And just to -- as a reminder, VA and DOD have been negotiating drug prices for decades and pharmaceutical companies have not successfully sued them. In fact, they all stay on the formulary.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:16:02 - 00:16:04 ()

All right, thank you so much.

Neera Tanden

00:16:04 - 00:16:05 ()

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:16:05 - 00:16:07 ()

I know you've got to go.

Neera Tanden

00:16:07 - 00:16:09 ()

Thank you so much.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:16:09 - 00:16:11 ()

Thank you much, Neera. Come back again.

Neera Tanden

00:16:11 - 00:16:14 ()

Okay, great. It was so much fun the first time.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:16:14 - 00:16:15 ()

[Laughs] I know.

Neera Tanden

00:16:15 - 00:16:16 ()

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:16:16 - 00:16:18 ()

Thank you. Thank you so much.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:16:18 - 00:16:36 ()

Okay. Very quickly, you all, as you know, are going to hear from the FEMA Administrator, who is here with us to -- to my right here, and, as you all know, at the President's direction, has been leading -- FEMA has been leading a whole-of-government effort to prepare and respond to the -- to Hurricane Idalia.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:16:36 - 00:16:48 ()

Yesterday, the President approved an emergency declaration. And since then, hundreds of FEMA personnel have pre-deployed ahead of Ida- -- of Idalia making landfall in Florida.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:16:48 - 00:16:53 ()

And with that, I know that you're coming back -- coming from the Oval Office.

Deanne Criswell

00:16:53 - 00:17:09 ()

Thank you very much, Karine. And good afternoon, everybody. I know it hasn't been very long since I have been up here briefing all of you, but I think that this really is indicative of the pace of the major disasters that we are seeing across the nation.

Deanne Criswell

00:17:09 - 00:17:28 ()

And the reality is we are just now approaching peak hurricane season. And in addition to responding to the current storms, as well as other incidents, we have to remain focused on making sure that we are also preparing people across the nation for these types of extreme weather events.

Deanne Criswell

00:17:28 - 00:17:50 ()

I did just come from the Oval Office where I briefed the President on the trajectory of Hurricane Idalia and what the impacts are projected to be. And I want to just give a quick update on the preparations that we are making in response -- or in preparation for the response in Florida, as well as other states that are in the path of Hurricane Idalia.

Deanne Criswell

00:17:50 - 00:18:16 ()

Yesterday, I had an opportunity to speak with Governor DeSantis. I also had an opportunity to connect with South Carolina Governor McMaster and Georgia Governor Kemp to help understand what their concerns were and to identify any unmet needs that they may foresee. And we'll remain in close contact with all of them in the hours and the days to come as Hurricane Idala -- Idalia makes landfall and moves across these states.

Deanne Criswell

00:18:16 - 00:18:26 ()

As the President said to Governor DeSantis in his own conversations yesterday, FEMA and the entire federal family are activated to support the people of Florida.

Deanne Criswell

00:18:26 - 00:18:42 ()

The President also quickly approved an emergency declaration in advance of the storm in Florida, turning on the many tools that are available at my disposal to provide the governor any support or resources he may need in advance of landfall and then after.

Deanne Criswell

00:18:42 - 00:19:09 ()

This allows me to pre-stage people, equipment, and resources in Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas, and I have done just that. We have pre-positioned different types of resources across all three states to include several Incident Management Assistance teams, our Urban Search & Rescue teams, our Disaster Survivor Assistance teams. And they are all ready to pivot to the most impacted areas immediately after the storm passes.

Deanne Criswell

00:19:09 - 00:19:21 ()

We also have warehouses filled with commodities like food, water, blankets, and medical supplies that are re- -- ready to rapidly move into the impacted area at the state's request.

Deanne Criswell

00:19:21 - 00:19:40 ()

But we are not in this alone. We have an entire federal family that is postured to support. Our National Response Coordination Center here in Washington, D.C., is fully activated. And this means that there are several hundred staff from across the federal family that are working together to support any requests for federal assistance.

Deanne Criswell

00:19:40 - 00:20:05 ()

We have our partners from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers who are pre-positioned to support any power restoration needs. Health and Human Services is assisting with evacuations from hospitals and assisted living centers. And the Red Cross has 50,000 meals to support the immediate needs as requested and has pre-staged shelter support to supplement the 19 shelters that are already opened by the state.

Deanne Criswell

00:20:05 - 00:20:29 ()

And this is a really important point that I want to talk about next. It's on preparedness. And again, I really asked for all of your help to help me ensure the people in the storm's path get this message. While we are engaged with our states to prepare for the path of this storm, it's critical that the people that are in the path of this storm are also prepared.

Deanne Criswell

00:20:29 - 00:21:00 ()

And I know that the people of Florida are no stranger to storms, and I encourage all Floridians to take this storm seriously. This storm is very strong and is expected to strengthen to a major hurricane by the time it makes landfall due to high surface temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico. This means heavy winds, high winds, heavy rain, and a forecasted 12-foot storm surge in some of the areas along the western coast.

Deanne Criswell

00:21:00 - 00:21:29 ()

This storm surge -- this is one of the highest-risk parts of a hurricane and is especially problematic along the west coast of Florida due to the underwater geography. The coastal shelf gets shallow very quickly, which increases the amount of the storm surge, putting more people at risk. Very few people can survive being in the path of major storm surge, and this storm will be deadly if we don't get out of harm's way and take it seriously.

Deanne Criswell

00:21:29 - 00:21:48 ()

So I ask all Floridians to be vigilant and heed the warnings of your local officials. Have a plan to communicate with your family and your loved ones, charge your cell phones, your batteries, any devices that you may have, and ensure that you are receiving emergency alerts.

Deanne Criswell

00:21:48 - 00:22:16 ()

And most important, please listen to the warnings of local officials. If they tell you to evacuate, please do so immediately. And remember, you don't have to evacuate far. If you are in a storm surge warning area, it could mean just traveling 10 or 20 miles to get out of the most significant impact areas. It does not mean having to travel hundreds of miles to get out of the storm's path.

Deanne Criswell

00:22:16 - 00:22:26 ()

And finally, we are all in this together. I ask that you check on your neighbors, especially those who are older adults, people living with disabilities, or may need additional assistance.

Deanne Criswell

00:22:26 - 00:22:42 ()

But before I close, I want to provide an update on another topic that has been widely reported in recent days and asked by many of you: FEMA's Disaster Relief Fund, which as of this morning has a balance of $3.4 billion.

Deanne Criswell

00:22:42 - 00:23:08 ()

So, today, I am directing the implementation of Immediate Needs Funding. This means that FEMA will prioritize available funding for critical response efforts to Idalia, the Maui fires, and any other extreme weather events that may come our way without interruption while continuing to meet the immediate needs of survivors through the remaining weeks of the fiscal year.

Deanne Criswell

00:23:08 - 00:23:21 ()

I want to repeat: We are prioritizing funding for Idalia, for the Maui fires, and any other extreme weather events that are coming our way without interruption.

Deanne Criswell

00:23:21 - 00:23:42 ()

And I want to stress that while Immediate Needs Funding will ensure we can continue to respond to disasters, it is not a permanent solution. Congress must work with us on the supplemental request that the administration has made on behalf of FEMA. And you're going to hear more from me on that soon.

Deanne Criswell

00:23:42 - 00:23:53 ()

My primary responsibility at FEMA is to ensure that we are always postured to respond to any disaster and to provide the lifesaving and life-sustaining support when needed.

Deanne Criswell

00:23:53 - 00:23:55 ()

And with that, I'll take any questions.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:23:55 - 00:23:58 ()

Question

00:23:58 - 00:24:07 ()

Can you relate what your conversation -- what you talked about with Governor DeSantis and add any details about what coordination you're undertaking with Florida officials?

Deanne Criswell

00:24:07 - 00:24:20 ()

Yes, when I spoke with Governor DeSantis yesterday, my -- my main question is always: What are your main concerns? What are the areas that you have the greatest concern about? And do you have any unmet needs or resources that we can bring in?

Deanne Criswell

00:24:20 - 00:24:38 ()

He shared with me what his posture at the state is going to be and where he has some great concerns. And we are working and embedded with his staff. And I assured him that we have teams working side by side with our colleagues -- our emergency management colleagues there at the State Emergency Operations Center -- to be able to quickly respond as needed.

Question

00:24:38 - 00:24:43 ()

And can I ask -- following up real quick -- I mean, what were those concerns that he had at that time?

Deanne Criswell

00:24:43 - 00:24:59 ()

He shared with me the concern, again, about people taking this seriously and being able to evacuate as a result of the storm surge. He has concerns about the vulnerable populations -- right? -- and making sure that we are providing any assistance we can to help them get out of harm's way.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:24:59 - 00:25:02 ()

Go ahead, Justin.

Question

00:25:02 - 00:25:17 ()

You mentioned the supplemental request after getting a fuller idea of what has happened in Hawaii and with this storm threatening, you know, a severe impact. Do you anticipate raising the level of that supplemental request as you start to negotiate with Congress?

Deanne Criswell

00:25:17 - 00:25:40 ()

Right now, the supplemental request that we have put in is $12 billion, and that will be a bridge to get us through the end of the fiscal year. If we continue to see more storms, we're going to continuously monitor very closely the health of the Disaster Relief Fund to determine what more may be needed. But right now, as situation stands, the supplemental request will get us through the end of this fiscal year.

Question

00:25:40 - 00:26:04 ()

In some places, there is frustration with institutions and authorities. We've seen that in the wake of some other disasters. Do you have concern about people taking the warnings from public officials, acting on them, and when -- we saw with Hurricane Ian, there was a pla- -- the forecast indicated it was going to one place, it went farther south, and some people did not get out of the way.

Question

00:26:04 - 00:26:17 ()

So, my question is: Given what we don't know, are you concerned that there is any wariness, mistrust, or fatigue about listening to officials in times of crisis like this?

Deanne Criswell

00:26:17 - 00:26:39 ()

I think the important thing to look at -- and when we look at Hurricane Ian -- is it's not just the path of the hurricane that we need to be concerned about. We have to be communicating what the entire risk is and the significant risk and the -- the highest risk for loss of life is storm surge. And that storm surge right now shows impacts all along the western coast.

Deanne Criswell

00:26:39 - 00:26:57 ()

And so, I encourage people -- and I really appreciate your help in getting that message out that it's not just the path of the storm -- and it will continue to change -- but look at all of the risks that are associated with this storm -- storm surge being the most life threatening, not just where the path is going to go or where the eye of the storm is going to make landfall.

Question

00:26:57 - 00:27:05 ()

And in terms of the credibility of authorities, do you sense that there is any erosion of that at a time when you're trying to get that message out?

Deanne Criswell

00:27:05 - 00:27:16 ()

I don't have any indications that there are. I think that what we are seeing right now in Florida is people are heeding their advice of local officials and people are moving out of harm's way.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:27:16 - 00:27:17 ()

Question

00:27:17 - 00:27:39 ()

Thank you. When -- I want to go back to Hurricane Ian. When Hurricane Ian hit, you had many communities of color, you also had poor communities complaining that they were not prioritized during this time. And so, they didn't get necessary -- the relief that they wanted. And they felt like they were, kind of, put on the -- on the back burner. Many of these areas are in places that are more physically vulnerable.

Question

00:27:39 - 00:27:45 ()

What is your message to those who have that concern that there may be a repeat in their community?

Deanne Criswell

00:27:45 - 00:28:07 ()

Yeah. So, during Hurricane Ian, we had a large amount of people that were impacted by that storm. And we had teams of personnel that went out into communities across the state. And as we heard of stories of maybe pockets of people that we had missed, we immediately sent our teams out into those areas to ensure that they were getting registered for assistance and we were bringing all of the resources that are available.

Deanne Criswell

00:28:07 - 00:28:24 ()

And so, what I would say is: If you hear about groups of individuals in parts of the state that, after the storm passes, are in need and they aren't getting that, let me know. I will send my teams out to those areas to make sure that they're getting all of the assistance that they're eligible for and that they need.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:28:24 - 00:28:25 ()

Question

00:28:25 - 00:28:44 ()

Thanks a lot. FEMA, of course, has been dealing with the aftermath of the wildfires in Maui, and now you're preparing for a very powerful hurricane hitting Florida's southwest coast. To what extent is FEMA overextended or stretched too thin in dealing with these two natural disasters?

Deanne Criswell

00:28:44 - 00:28:50 ()

We are certainly postured and have the staff that are available to support multiple large events at the same time.

Deanne Criswell

00:28:50 - 00:28:59 ()

We do have several open recovery disasters that we can pull some personnel from if we needed to extend or increase the amount of personnel we have.

Deanne Criswell

00:28:59 - 00:29:11 ()

We also have a very layered approach, right? We can also reach out into all members of the Department of Homeland Security through what we call the Surge Capacity Force for individuals that have volunteered to support during a disaster.

Deanne Criswell

00:29:11 - 00:29:22 ()

And so, I'm confident right now that with these two storms that we're currently dealing with in Maui and this one -- or even another one to come -- that we have enough personnel to go in and support these immediate lifesaving efforts.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:29:22 - 00:29:25 ()

Last question. Alex.

Question

00:29:25 - 00:29:45 ()

You mentioned just extreme weather that we've seen all -- all summer from, you know, Hawaii, storms in Southern California. Is this -- is this, in your view, the new normal -- just summers where we're seeing these kinds of events more frequently and maybe more intense events than before?

Deanne Criswell

00:29:45 - 00:30:02 ()

What I can say is that we don't have a typical operational season like we've had in the past. We would normally prepare our staff to be on extra alert during the peak of hurricane season, which is where we find ourselves right now. But our operational tempo has been year-round.

Deanne Criswell

00:30:02 - 00:30:20 ()

We started with atmospheric rivers in California in January, extreme tornadoes in the spring, to the wildfires, and now we are in peak hurricane season. And we have had an unprecedented number of disaster requests from governors because of the extreme weather that they're experiencing.

Deanne Criswell

00:30:20 - 00:30:34 ()

This is our new normal. This is the operational tempo that we find ourselves in. We have to continue to invest in mitigation and resilience to help these communities reduce the impact from these storms so we don't have such complicated recoveries afterward.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:30:34 - 00:30:36 ()

All right. Thank you so much.

Question

00:30:36 - 00:30:37 ()

Good luck to you.

Deanne Criswell

00:30:37 - 00:30:39 ()

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:30:39 - 00:30:40 ()

Thank you so much.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:30:40 - 00:30:46 ()

Okay, we have about 10 minutes before we have to move for the President's event.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:30:46 - 00:30:47 ()

Chris, you want to --

Question

00:30:47 - 00:30:57 ()

Reverend Sharpton said he wanted to hold a summit on hate and hate crimes in Jacksonville and that he was going to invite the President and Vice President to attend. What was their response to that? Did he RSVP?

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:30:57 - 00:31:15 ()

So, I believe the date for the summit is still being determined. As you know -- and you've heard this from the President over the past couple of years, talking about the fact that we are in the battle for the soul of our nation. Matter of fact, that's one of the reasons he decided to run back in 2019.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:31:15 - 00:31:34 ()

So, we'll continue to work with civil rights leaders, including Reverend Sharpton, to -- to combat the hate. As you know, he convened the civil rights leaders yesterday to thank them for the work that they have been doing and how critical it is right now for -- for us to continue to fight for this battle.

Question

00:31:34 - 00:31:47 ()

And one more quick thing. Kim Jong Un called the leaders of the United States, South Korea, and Japan "gang bosses" and has said his military will be prepared for action during the exercises that are underway. Any response to those -- those comments?

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:31:47 - 00:32:06 ()

So, that's the first time I've heard those comments. Obviously, we have said many times, you know, the lines of communication with the DPRK remains open. That is something that we are certainly open and willing to have. I just don't have anything to say specifically about -- about those comments.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:32:06 - 00:32:07 ()

Question

00:32:07 - 00:32:13 ()

On another foreign matter, the video of Paul Whelan that surfaced today -- how does the White House assess it?

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:32:13 - 00:32:28 ()

So, U.S. officials have -- have spoken with Paul -- with Paul within the law last several months, I think as you all know that. But it was reassuring to see that he remains -- and this is to use his brother's words -- "unbowed."

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:32:28 - 00:32:39 ()

Paul continues to show tremendous courage. That does not change that his circumstances are truly unacceptable, and we will continue to be very clear about that.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:32:39 - 00:32:45 ()

Russia should release him immediately. And -- and that is something that, again, we have been very consistent about.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:32:45 - 00:32:47 ()

Question

00:32:47 - 00:33:01 ()

Thank you, Karine. A couple of foreign policy questions. The Kremlin, as you're aware, earlier today said Putin will not attend Prigozhin's funeral. And we're just wondering if there is an update on whether the U.S. thinks Putin is behind the Prigozhin plane crash.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:33:01 - 00:33:11 ()

So, I can't speak to President Putin attending or not. That's certainly for him to speak to. Not going to speak about that from here. But I don't have any new assessment for you.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:33:11 - 00:33:22 ()

But it seems pretty evident what happened here. That as -- as the President said -- said this recently -- I believe as early as last week -- that, and I quote, "There's not much that happens in Russia that Putin is not behind."

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:33:22 - 00:33:33 ()

And if it's -- if this is what it seems to be -- this -- this what is -- certainly was not just predictable but it was predictable -- or predicted, if I sho- -- I should say.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:33:33 - 00:34:03 ()

We all -- we all know that the Kremlin has a long history of killing its opponents. That is the history of the Kremlin. And if we take a step back, if you look back for a second, all of this happened because of dysfunction inside Russia. A Russian [DEL: warload :DEL] [warlord] himself -- a cold-blooded killer, a cold-blooded murderer -- became so frustrated by the way that the Russian government was waging its unprovoked war against Ukraine that he criticized Russia's failing policies. You heard that directly from him.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:34:03 - 00:34:18 ()

And so, he called out the w- -- the war's needlessness and marched on Moscow before -- before reaching a deal with Mr. Putin. He made that ver- -- we saw that. You all covered it for -- for multiple hours. And so, now, two months later, after he struck that deal, he's been killed.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:34:18 - 00:34:26 ()

So, you know, it's very clear. It's pretty evident what happened here. I don't have anything else to say.

Question

00:34:26 - 00:34:32 ()

But when will we have an assessment from the administration on the record?

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:34:32 - 00:34:37 ()

I mean, I just said it's very clear of what happened here. There is new assessment --

Question

00:34:37 - 00:34:39 ()

So you're -- so you're saying it, but you're not saying it?

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:34:39 - 00:34:45 ()

It is -- it is very clear. It is very clear. I just laid it out. I don't have any new assessment for you on this.

Question

00:34:45 - 00:35:07 ()

And then one on China -- Secretary Raimondo's comments earlier today that U.S. companies have complained to her that China has become, quote, "uninvestable." Is that increasingly how this administration is thinking about China when it comes to U.S. companies investing there, or was that really sort of an off-the-cuff, undiplomatic remark?

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:35:07 - 00:35:20 ()

I'm -- I'm not going to go beyond what the Secretary said. She's there. She's the Secretary of Commerce. Obviously, she works with the business -- businesses across the country on a regular basis. I'm just not going to go beyond what she stated.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:35:20 - 00:35:21 ()

Go ahead, Zolan.

Question

00:35:21 - 00:35:28 ()

Just to follow up on that -- on your last answer. Understand the context is clear there, but is the administration concluding that Putin was behind the death of Prigozhin?

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:35:28 - 00:35:32 ()

I just -- I -- it is very clear. I literally just laid out --

Question

00:35:32 - 00:35:33 ()

Sure, but is --

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:35:33 - 00:35:34 ()

-- what the Kremlin -- wait. I just --

Question

00:35:34 - 00:35:34 ()

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:35:34 - 00:35:37 ()

-- literally laid out what the Kremlin history has been.

Question

00:35:37 - 00:35:37 ()

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:35:37 - 00:35:41 ()

I don't have any new assessment. I'm just going to leave it to the words that I just gave you.

Question

00:35:41 - 00:35:44 ()

Okay. So, the administration has no conclusion at -- at this point?

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:35:44 - 00:35:55 ()

I -- I just laid out what -- what the history of the Kremlin -- what Mr. Putin tends to do. I just laid that out. So, it is very -- it's very clear what happened here.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:35:55 - 00:35:57 ()

Question

00:35:57 - 00:36:08 ()

Thanks, Karine. Going back to Paul Whelan, does the U.S. have any idea when that video was filmed? I've seen that it was filmed in May. But do you -- do you think that it was actually filmed in May, or is it older?

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:36:08 - 00:36:25 ()

So, I don't -- I don't have any -- any additional -- kind of, any additional comments to the video. Like I said, I -- I clearly quoted his brother and how he said he seemed "unbowed," and how courageous Paul has been, especially over the last several months, and how we have been in touch with him.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:36:25 - 00:36:29 ()

I just don't have anything to say to -- specifically to the video.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:36:29 - 00:36:30 ()

Go ahead, Karen.

Question

00:36:30 - 00:36:38 ()

Tomorrow, the President is going to get the briefing on the Maui wildfires. Will that also turn into a briefing on hurricane latest?

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:36:38 - 00:36:41 ()

So, just a couple of things on --

Question

00:36:41 - 00:36:42 ()

[Inaudible] officially become a dual briefing?

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:36:42 - 00:36:56 ()

Well -- so, as you just stated, the President tomorrow is going to convene the Cab- -- his Cabinet and agency officials who are involved in the administration's whole-of-government response that we have seen in the recovery efforts on Maui, in Hawaii.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:36:56 - 00:37:16 ()

And so, he called this meeting, obviously, to get the -- his administration's ongoing efforts on the ground and to work on -- and the work underway to -- to support the people of Maui. Clearly, he'll also get an update on the current hurricane that we all are keeping an eye on: Hurricane Idalia. And so, that will be part of the conversation, obviously, tomorrow as well.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:37:16 - 00:37:17 ()

Go ahead, Jeremy.

Question

00:37:17 - 00:37:30 ()

Thanks, Karine. The President yesterday told me that he believed that victims of -- sorry, the families of two out of the three victims of the Jacksonville shooting might be open to receiving a call from him. Has he reached out yet? Has he spoken with them yet?

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:37:30 - 00:37:35 ()

So, I don't have any -- any calls to -- to lay out for you at this time or -- or to share.

Question

00:37:35 - 00:37:47 ()

Okay. And then, Congressman Scalise announced today that he's been diagnosed with a form of cancer. Do you guys have any reactions to that? And is -- does the President plan to reach out to him?

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:37:47 - 00:38:06 ()

Well, obviously, that's devastating news. Our hearts and prayers go out to -- to the congressman and his family. Clearly, he's gone through a lot over the past couple of years. I don't have a call to lay out or to -- to announce at this time. But that is very sad news. And, clearly, we are hoping for a speedy recovery for him.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:38:06 - 00:38:07 ()

Question

00:38:07 - 00:38:12 ()

Any updates on if the President is traveling to Jacksonville to meet with families of victims?

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:38:12 - 00:38:13 ()

No, no travel to announce at this time.

Question

00:38:13 - 00:38:27 ()

And then on the drug prices announcement. How has the President been planning to message this? Do we expect travel in the next couple of weeks, talking about this specifically? How is he planning to take this message to -- to voters?

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:38:27 - 00:38:36 ()

Well, you're going to hear from the President in 20 minutes to talk specifically about this -- about this new announcement on the -- the 10 -- the first 10 drugs.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:38:36 - 00:39:07 ()

Look, this is an important -- important announcement. When we talking about -- when we're talking about Medicare being able to negotiate, we're laying out these 10 drugs. This is something, as -- as Neera was saying when she was here moments ago, that folks have been trying to do for 33 years -- for decades. And this is a President that's been able to do that via, obviously, a provision through the Inflation Reduction Act, which, I may add, was only voted by Democrats. This is something that we wanted to make sure that we were able to do: lower cost -- lower healthcare cost for Americans across the country.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:39:07 - 00:39:19 ()

So, it is an important -- I think an important day, important beginning, if you will, of how we're going to move forward with the Inflation Reduction A- -- as it relates to the Medicare being able to negotiate. So, you're going to hear from the President.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:39:19 - 00:39:35 ()

Obviously, the President travels across the country pretty regularly to talk about invest- -- how he's investing in America, how he's lowering costs for Americans. That is one of the -- as he speaks about Bidenomics, lowering costs for Americans is clearly one of -- one of his top priorities.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:39:35 - 00:39:44 ()

So, you'll continue to hear it from the President about this particular issue and other ways that he -- that Bidenomics is working for American families and the economy as well.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:39:44 - 00:39:45 ()

Go ahead, Justin.

Question

00:39:45 - 00:40:07 ()

Thanks, Karine. President Putin said that he's going to go to China in October, I believe. Obviously, one of his first trips recently. Do you guys have any reaction? And -- and is there any concern that this might in some way suggest that China and Russia are -- are growing closer or growing closer on Ukraine, specifically?

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:40:07 - 00:40:19 ()

So, look, I -- look, I'm not going to get ahead of potential travel that another country is going to do with -- with another country. So, I'm not going to get ahead of that.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:40:19 - 00:40:39 ()

We've been very clear about Ukraine -- our allies have been, our partners. The President has been able to bring together more than 50 countries to -- to help Ukraine as they fight in a in a -- in -- as we've seen, in a very brave way for their freedom, for their democracy. And that's something that the President is going to continue to do, as I mentioned at the top, as -- as long as it takes.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:40:39 - 00:40:45 ()

I'm just not going to get ahead of -- of a potential meeting that Putin and President Xi might have.

Question

00:40:45 - 00:40:53 ()

And then, just schedule-wise, I -- I think you were asked about Philadelphia yesterday. I was wondering if you have an update on that or on Labor Day, if the President will be in Rehoboth or somewhere else.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:40:53 - 00:41:01 ()

Yeah. So, don't have any update on -- on Philadelphia or Labor Day. But certainly, we will share -- we'll share any potential travel that the President may have.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:41:01 - 00:41:01 ()

Question

00:41:01 - 00:41:21 ()

Thank you. I have a question about Guatemala. But first, on the meeting this afternoon with President Chaves of Costa Rica. He has expressed the interest of joining the North American trade pact between the United States, Mexico, and Canada -- the USMCA. I was curious to know if that's something that the United States would support.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:41:21 - 00:41:33 ()

So, I'm not going to get ahead of the discussion that they might have today. So, I want to be really careful as that's going to happen later today. We're going to have a readout after the -- after the meeting concludes.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:41:33 - 00:41:59 ()

I will say this: that President Biden -- Biden values Costa Rica's close collaboration on building out of America's partnership for economic prosperity. So, the two leaders certainly are going to discuss how they can continue to work together to strengthen our economic ties and inclusive and resilient economies within -- which includes developing a resilient regional semiconductor supply chain. So obviously, that will be part of the conversation.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:41:59 - 00:42:08 ()

I'm just not going to get into any specifics on your question about US- -- USMCA. Again, we'll have a readout once the -- once the conversation concludes --

Question

00:42:08 - 00:42:09 ()

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:42:09 - 00:42:10 ()

-- or the bilat concludes.

Question

00:42:10 - 00:42:20 ()

Thank you. And on Guatemala, do you have any reaction to the decision the electoral registry took yesterday to suspend the political party of the president-elect -- the Seed Movement?

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:42:20 - 00:42:29 ()

So, we've congratulated Arévalo on his election as the next president of Guatemala, as confirmed by the certified vote results.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:42:29 - 00:42:50 ()

The United States remains deeply concerned with continued actions by those who seek to undermine Guatemala's democracy. These efforts undercut the clear will of the Guatemalan people, so we stand with our partners in the international community, with the Guatemalan people against these unacceptal- -- unacceptable efforts. But obviously, we congratulate the new -- the new elected president.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:42:50 - 00:42:52 ()

Question

00:42:52 - 00:43:09 ()

Karine, question on the big election topic, transgender rights. Former Governor Nikki Haley and presidential candidate says, quote, "The idea that we have biological boys playing in girls' sports, it is the women's issue of our time." Does the President agree that this is a women's rights issue?

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:43:09 - 00:43:22 ()

So, we've talked about this many times. This is the Title 9, specifically. Look -- and, again, we've talked about this multiple times. It's a complicated issue, and there are a wide range of views on this.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:43:22 - 00:43:45 ()

The Department of Education proposed a rule, as you know, that gives schools the flexibility to establish their own athletics policies. And so, while establishing guardrails -- right? -- to -- to prevent discrimination against trander- --gender -- [transgender] kids, and that is something that is incredibly important that the President wants to make sure that we also do that as well.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:43:45 - 00:43:47 ()

So, I'm just not going to get ahead of that.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:43:47 - 00:43:57 ()

As I said, there's a proposed rule for -- and Title 9 -- on Title 9 that the Department of Education has laid out, so I'm just not going to get ahead of that as it relates to Department of Education.

Question

00:43:57 - 00:44:02 ()

The President has granddaughters. Does he care that girls are allowed to compete in sports without the --

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:44:02 - 00:44:02 ()

Question

00:44:02 - 00:44:03 ()

-- fear of injury?

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:44:03 - 00:44:03 ()

Question

00:44:03 - 00:44:07 ()

Does he think it's fair for girls to have to compete against biological males?

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:44:07 - 00:44:26 ()

I just answered the question. It is a complicated issue. It is truly a complicated issue with a wide range of views -- a wide range of views. There is no yes or no answer to this; it is complicated. There's a rule that the Department of Education has put forward. And we're going to let that -- that process move forward.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:44:26 - 00:44:38 ()

And it is -- again, we want to make sure that while we establish guardrails with this rule, that we also prevent discrimination as well against transgender kids.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:44:38 - 00:44:42 ()

But, again, a complicated issue with a wide range of views, and we respect that.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:44:42 - 00:44:42 ()

Question

00:44:42 - 00:45:06 ()

Thank you so much. I have a Latin America question and then an Asia question. Starting with Latin America and Costa Rica, the U.S. and Costa Rica signed a migration agreement, I think, in June. Just wondering if it's worked, if it's slowing the flow of migrants to the southern border of the United States. And what are the legal pathways for people who might be waiting in Costa Rica and trying to claim asylum in the U.S.?

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:45:06 - 00:45:24 ()

So, look, I -- I talked about how they were part of the signing of the L.A. Declaration that we did just last year, which is -- they've been a partner in the region with us. And so, we -- we certainly appreciate that partnership and the collaboration that we've had with Costa Rica.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:45:24 - 00:45:38 ()

I don't have any updates on the specific migration or any data to share with you at this time. But certainly, Costa Rica has been a partner with us as it relates to regional migration. And so, we appreciate their partnership.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:45:38 - 00:45:44 ()

They're going to have a conversation. They're going to check in, as you know, in a couple of hours. And we're certainly -- we'll have a readout on that.

Question

00:45:44 - 00:45:55 ()

All right. Moving on to Asia, why does President Biden believe it's a better use of his time to go to Vietnam instead of to the ASEAN Summit in Indonesia, which he's sending the Vice President to?

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:45:55 - 00:46:21 ()

Yeah, so, look, as it relates to Vietnam and our relationships -- look, since day one, we focused on rebuilding, right? The President has been very clear on rebuilding and investing in our allies. And that is something that the President takes really seriously -- not just our allies, but our partners throughout the world and especially in the Indo-Pacific. And you saw that very recently -- right? -- as we were -- as -- as he had the trilateral in a -- very recently at Camp David.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:46:21 - 00:46:46 ()

So as the United States looks to deepen our ties with the region, Vietnam is a key partner in doing that. So the deliverables that will be announced as part of this visit will reflect both the depth and the -- and the breadth of that relationship that we are -- that the President certainly takes very seriously. The visit will be cul- -- a culmination of -- a shared journey of peace and reconciliation as our two countries look forward to facing the future as our partners together.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:46:46 - 00:47:09 ()

As it relates to ASEAN, look, he has tremendous respect for ASEAN. He has tremendous respect and -- for ASEAN and has -- and was honored to participate in the three U.S.-ASEAN summits, including hosting an unprecedented U.S.-ASEAN leaders sum- -- meeting right here at the White House, as you know. And, you know, he had the opportunity to demonstrate his personal support for ASEAN, certainly.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:47:09 - 00:47:32 ()

Look, the Vice President is deeply committed to -- to the Southeast Asia -- to Southeast Asia and also ASEAN. And so, we will be -- will be her third trip in the region. And so, we -- we believe having the Vice President represent the President, as they are partners in this, is also incredibly important. And you can see from the last two years, the President's commitment to ASEAN.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:47:32 - 00:47:35 ()

Go ahead, Ebony.

Question

00:47:35 - 00:47:58 ()

During the President's first year in office, he directed nine agencies across the federal government to create the Equity Action Plan. He also gave them -- to address discrimination in various -- in communities. But he also directed them to submit those plans in September to the White House Steering Committee on Equity.

Question

00:47:58 - 00:48:05 ()

So, can we expect anything toward the beginning of the month in that? Will those plans be released? Any update that you have?

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:48:05 - 00:48:28 ()

So, it's a very good question. As you -- as you just stated, when the President walked into this administration, he wanted to make sure, at the federal level, we were dealing with an issue that was a crisis across the country, which is dealing with racial inequality, and he wanted to do what he can from the federal government -- obviously asking the different agencies to figure out a way how do we make sure that there is equity in the agencies on the federal level.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:48:28 - 00:48:39 ()

You're right. We're supposed to be -- they're supposed to be reporting back. I don't have any information for you at this time. Certainly, I will touch base with the team and see if there's anything that we can share with all of you.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:48:39 - 00:48:52 ()

But again, as we just saw yesterday with the 60th anniversary on the March on Washington, you saw the President bring the civil rights leaders, he talked about what happened in Jacksonville and that -- a hate crime happening in that community.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:48:52 - 00:49:02 ()

He has been very clear: It is time that all of us step in and do something and really deal with an issue that's affecting -- affecting all of our communities across the country.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:49:02 - 00:49:03 ()

Question

00:49:03 - 00:49:26 ()

Thanks, Karine. The President, while he was in Lake Tahoe, said that he was not interested in dividing the FEMA supplemental assistance from the Ukraine supplemental assistance and in -- in the for- -- foreign aid piece of the puzzle. What would he do if Congress were to present him with a disaster-only supplemental?

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:49:26 - 00:49:39 ()

So, look, I'm not going to get into hypotheticals from here. The President has made it very clear what he is asking from Congress, as it relates to the supplemental ask that he's -- that he is asking Congress for Ukraine.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:49:39 - 00:50:01 ()

Let's not forget: That has been a bipartisan process. And he appreciates the bipartisanship that we have seen over the last two years to make sure that -- to make sure that the brave people in Ukraine who is fighting for their freedom, fighting for their democracy gets the assistance not just from the U.S. but from our partners and allies. That is something that we are looking forward towards and going to work towards.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:50:01 - 00:50:19 ()

As it relates to FEMA, the FEMA Administrator just laid out what's ahead and why the $12 billion was asked. Clearly, we are in a different period -- right? -- as we look at climate change, as we look at extreme weather, as we look at what we've been dealing with -- now we're stepping into hurricane season -- all of these things are incredibly important.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:50:19 - 00:50:36 ()

I'm just not going to get into hypotheticals of what -- what the Congress might present, will present. Our administration, including the OMB Director, as well as the Leg Affairs office, has been in constant communication with -- with -- with congressional members. We're going to continue to have those conversations.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:50:36 - 00:50:43 ()

Again, this isn't -- what we have asked for is incredibly important. And so, we're going to continue to have those conversations.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:50:43 - 00:50:44 ()

Question

00:50:44 - 00:51:01 ()

Thanks, Karine. The White House announced -- or, you announced yesterday that the President will mark 9/11 in Alaska on the way back from Vietnam. Can you explain the decision? And does this reflect any kind of a new phase in how we want to memorialize that? And did you look at potentially going to Vietnam on the way there instead of the way back?

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:51:01 - 00:51:08 ()

So, look, we'll -- we'll have more on -- on 9/11 in Alaska. As you just men- -- as you just mentioned, I laid out -- annou- -- announced that.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:51:08 - 00:51:24 ()

Look, the President wanted to make sure that he, as the president, did some- -- did something to commemorate 9/11. And that's what you're seeing. That's what you're seeing the President do. We'll certainly have more details to share. I just don't have anything more outside of that.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:51:24 - 00:51:24 ()

Question

00:51:24 - 00:51:24 ()

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:51:24 - 00:51:25 ()

Question

00:51:25 - 00:51:32 ()

Thank you, Karine. How is it possible that an ISIS sympathizer is sneaking people into this country?

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:51:32 - 00:51:38 ()

So, just so that folks -- I'm assuming you're speaking to the CNN story, right?

Question

00:51:38 - 00:51:39 ()

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:51:39 - 00:51:46 ()

Okay. So, I just want to make sure that folks who are watching understand the question. So, I just want to be really clear here.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:51:46 - 00:51:59 ()

So, the intelligence alerted us to a human smuggling network. We moved fast and -- and successfully to -- to -- successfully to disrupt it. So, just want to be very clear of that. And we are --

Question

00:51:59 - 00:52:05 ()

When you say that you disrupted it, are you saying that you know where all of the people this ISIS sympathizer snuck into the country are?

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:52:05 - 00:52:10 ()

If I can answer the question, I'm sure I'll touch on every- -- everything that you want to ask me.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:52:10 - 00:52:28 ()

So, again, intelligence alerted us of this human -- human smuggling network. We believe -- and we moved fastly and we successfully disrupted it. So, let's be very clear about that. And we are grateful -- we were very grateful to the law enforcement for their quick work and their vigilance on this.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:52:28 - 00:52:44 ()

Now, to your other part of the question, smugglers have been detained overseas, including one linked to the foreign terrorist organization. No sign -- there's no sign that any- -- anyone moved by the smuggling network has terrorism connections, so I want to be clear there as well.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:52:44 - 00:52:54 ()

And what we were able to do as precaution: People brought here by smuggling network are being subject to extra vetting and are all in removal proceedings.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:52:54 - 00:53:10 ()

And in addition to that -- in addition to that -- anyone coming across the border outside of the network who matches the profile of those in the smuggling network is subject to extra vetting, detained, and put in expedited removal proceedings as well.

Question

00:53:10 - 00:53:21 ()

You said that there's no sign of a plot. But isn't it true that the U.S. has to be right with preventing terrorist attacks 100 percent of the time? They only have to be right once.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:53:21 - 00:53:32 ()

So, let's be very clear. I want to be really clear here: We are committed -- this is -- this is a White House that is committed to making sure that we are protecting our homeland and also protecting the American people.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:53:32 - 00:53:50 ()

That is our commitment. We will continue to be vigilant on that. And so, want to be incredibly clear on this. And -- and we are thankful, we are grateful for our law enforcement who -- who acted very quickly here. And they disrupted -- they dis- -- they successfully disrupted the smuggling network.

Question

00:53:50 - 00:53:59 ()

We've seen human smuggling networks operated by the cartels for years. Why the sudden urgency with this one?

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:53:59 - 00:54:16 ()

We always have -- we have always and will be and have been vigilant here when it comes to making sure that we are protecting our homeland. That is something that this President is committed to. That is something that this administration is committed to. We will always be and we will continue to be.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:54:16 - 00:54:24 ()

Let's not forget that this was successfully disrupted, and it was because of the quick act of our law enforcement that we are incredibly grateful to.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:54:24 - 00:54:28 ()

We have to go because the President is going to be starting his event in a couple minutes.

Karine Jean-Pierre

00:54:28 - 00:54:31 ()

Thanks, everybody. I'll see you tomorrow.