Transcript - Press Gaggle: Olivia Dalton Holds a Press Briefing on Air Force One - March 9, 2023 | Factba.se

Olivia Dalton

00:00:00 - 00:00:07 ()

Okay. Good afternoon, everyone. As you all know, we're on our way to Philadelphia, where the President will lay out his budget for the American people.

Olivia Dalton

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

This year's budget comes at a critical moment for our country and a time when the President's economic strategy is working. The economy has added 12 million jobs. The unemployment rate has fallen to the lowest level in more than 50 years. And we just had the two strongest years for new small business applications on record.

Olivia Dalton

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

OMB Director Shalanda Young is here with me to say a few words about the budget and has time for just a couple of questions on this very busy day for her and on this short flight. But I want to let you know that she and CEA Chair Cecilia Rouse will be in the briefing room tomorrow, so we'll take all of your questions at that time as well.

Olivia Dalton

00:00:40 - 00:00:41 ()

Over to you, Shalanda.

Shalanda Young

00:00:41 - 00:00:46 ()

All right, it's kind of a big day for someone who is Budget Director. This is kind of our Super Bowl, so I'm very excited.

Shalanda Young

00:00:46 - 00:00:53 ()

When you hear the President talk about budgets, he says, "Don't tell me what you value. Show me your budget, and I'll tell you what you value."

Shalanda Young

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

This is not about numbers on a spreadsheet, and we have to remember that. And that's why you'll hear us talk about this budget being built around four values:

Shalanda Young

00:01:02 - 00:01:17 ()

How do we invest in Americans. That means everything from instituting paid leave in this country, boosting manufacturing, lowering taxes for working families, as a contrast to some of our friends on the other side of the aisle.

Shalanda Young

00:01:17 - 00:01:32 ()

Second value is protecting and strengthening Social Security and Medicare, again, in contrast to some on the other side of the aisle who want to cut those programs. We not only protect but we would lengthen Medicare by at least 25 years.

Shalanda Young

00:01:32 - 00:01:50 ()

We also reduced the deficit. We do all those great things and still would reduce the deficit over 10 years by nearly $3 trillion. That's in contrast to those on the other side of the aisle. You add up their various ideas, they would actually add $3 trillion to the deficit.

Shalanda Young

00:01:50 - 00:02:05 ()

So we're going to talk a lot this budget season about values, and we're going to talk a lot about what the other side values. And that leads me to: We've put out a plan today; they need to put out a plan. They owe that to the American people.

Shalanda Young

00:02:05 - 00:02:19 ()

This has all been tied into fiscal talks. This President, remember, presided over $1.7 trillion in deficit reduction his first two years. His budget adds to that, as I talked about, by showing how we can reduce the deficit by three more trillion.

Shalanda Young

00:02:19 - 00:02:28 ()

And we welcome a debate on how we can be fiscally responsible, but we also have to do it in a way that doesn't cut the legs out from working families.

Shalanda Young

00:02:28 - 00:02:37 ()

So we're going to show how we can invest in American people all while being fiscally responsible by asking the wealthiest to begin to pay their fair share in this country.

Olivia Dalton

00:02:37 - 00:02:40 ()

Darlene, do you want to kick us off?

Question

00:02:40 - 00:02:58 ()

Yes, I have one question for the director. So, the budget proposal includes reversals to the 2017 tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations. Does it also include the cost of extending the 2017 cuts that went to the middle class and are set to expire in 2025?

Shalanda Young

00:02:58 - 00:03:08 ()

Thank you for that. Remember: 2025. We're talking about a '24 budget. But we do speak to the tax cuts from 2017 because we want to be crystal clear about our principles here.

Shalanda Young

00:03:08 - 00:03:22 ()

This President has an ironclad commitment. He will not support a penny of new taxes for those making under $400,000. Full stop. That includes ensuring that they don't lose out when these tax cuts expire.

Shalanda Young

00:03:22 - 00:03:46 ()

But we do think there's a way to do this in a fiscally responsible way. Remember, those tax cuts were skewed to the wealthy. Should -- should that be? Or should we focus on those under $400,000? We think that's where the focus should be. And then we ask the wealthiest to pay their fair share. We can actually make sure working-class families keep their taxes low while we do it in a fiscally responsible way and pay for that.

Shalanda Young

00:03:46 - 00:03:53 ()

I know that is a novel approach to cutting taxes -- paying for them -- but we think that's the way to do this.

Olivia Dalton

00:03:53 - 00:03:53 ()

Question

00:03:53 - 00:03:55 ()

And on -- sorry. Go -- go ahead.

Question

00:03:55 - 00:04:17 ()

Thank you. Just a quick question on what Republicans are saying and how they're reacting to the proposal. They seem to suggest that there's very little common ground. I was hoping to get your thoughts on, you know, the criticism, largely, that's coming in, saying that the President is really not willing to make any spending cuts, but he is raising taxes and that's all that they're trying to do.

Shalanda Young

00:04:17 - 00:04:40 ()

Well, what do you call "spending"? They don't call tax giveaways and loopholes that corporations and wealthy people have taken advantage of in this country for far too long "spending." What they call "spending" is food assistance for working families, childcare. I have a 16-month-old. Tell me what childcare costs, and -- I don't know how families are making it.

Shalanda Young

00:04:40 - 00:05:01 ()

Don't focus there. That's what we're saying. Close loopholes. Take these subsidies away from Big Oil. Do they really need to get $31 billion from the taxpayers? If we close those loopholes, literally, with Big Oil and Gas -- $31 billion. Or do you cut food from families? We think there is a choice. That's what we call cutting wasteful spending.

Question

00:05:01 - 00:05:11 ()

Director, just to sort of understand that better, in terms of sort of proposals that can find any kind of common ground and realistic GOP support, what do you think those are?

Shalanda Young

00:05:11 - 00:05:26 ()

So, remember, this President worked with congressional Republicans the last two years. I know they don't trumpet those -- Bipartisan Infrastructure Law; bipartisan veterans act -- the PACT Act, bipartisan; CHIPS and Science, bipartisan.

Shalanda Young

00:05:26 - 00:05:35 ()

He has a record, even when Democrats controlled all of Congress, of working with Republicans. Thirty -- over thirty years in the Senate, he has a record.

Shalanda Young

00:05:35 - 00:05:46 ()

Of course we're going to work with Republicans; we did in December. We know how to do this. This is not novel. We just did a bipartisan funding bill in December. That's going to continue.

Shalanda Young

00:05:46 - 00:05:59 ()

Appropriations bills, which I worked on -- I was a staff director of the House Committee for a long time. We worked with Republicans to get government spending done every year. Is it tough? Yes. But we always find common ground.

Olivia Dalton

00:05:59 - 00:06:01 ()

Okay, I'm really sorry. We got to leave it there. She's got a busy day.

Olivia Dalton

00:06:01 - 00:06:03 ()

If you can make it real quick --

Question

00:06:03 - 00:06:03 ()

Just one question --

Olivia Dalton

00:06:03 - 00:06:04 ()

-- Akayla. Real quick.

Question

00:06:04 - 00:06:15 ()

-- on -- Speaker McCarthy and Leader McConnell have both said they don't support tax increases. Can the President still bring down the deficit without those tax increases and pay for all of these other programs?

Shalanda Young

00:06:15 - 00:06:30 ()

Oh, I'll take it back to high-level. How -- how do you suppose we, again, cut the leg out from the middle class and working families and not ask the wealthiest in this country to kick in a little more?

Shalanda Young

00:06:30 - 00:06:36 ()

Do oil and gas companies -- closing that loophole alone saves $30 billion. So we're going to keep making that argument.

Question

00:06:36 - 00:06:37 ()

But is there absolute hardlines --

Question

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

MS. DALTON. I'm so- --

Question

00:06:38 - 00:06:42 ()

-- for you? Is there absolute hardlines, things that you think absolutely have to get done in the next budget?

Shalanda Young

00:06:42 - 00:06:54 ()

The next budget has -- one, what do you call a budget? If you're talking about the appropriations process, of course, we have to work together. We always do. It's bipartisan. Has to be passed, some version of it, by October 1. And, of course, we'll find a way to get it done.

Olivia Dalton

00:06:54 - 00:06:56 ()

Thank you so much.

Note

00:06:56 - 00:06:56 ()

[Crosstalk by reporters]

Olivia Dalton

00:06:56 - 00:07:00 ()

Thank you so much. She's so busy today. She's going to be back tomorrow in the briefing room, promise.

Question

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

Would you take one on Ukraine, Olivia?

Olivia Dalton

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

Yes. Absolutely.

Question

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

Maybe a reaction to the very intense shelling last night and the use of ballistic missiles by the Russians?

Olivia Dalton

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

Yes, absolutely. You're referring to the nearly -- the around 80 missiles that were launched across Ukraine last night really targeted, it appears, towards civilian infrastructure, which was heavily damaged with the apparent intent of cutting off heating, electricity, and other critical necessities to Ukraine.

Olivia Dalton

00:07:24 - 00:07:39 ()

We saw 11 Ukrainians lost their lives so far. And, of course, that's devastating a year into this -- more than a year into this deadly war that Russia is prosecuting against Ukraine that has been so unjustified, unprovoked.

Olivia Dalton

00:07:39 - 00:07:50 ()

You know, the United States continues to provide air defense capabilities to Ukraine and to make sure, in concert with our allies and partners across the globe, that we're providing what they need to meet this moment.

Olivia Dalton

00:07:50 - 00:07:57 ()

But, of course, devastating to see these brutal, unjustified attacks on civilian infrastructure across Ukraine.

Question

00:07:57 - 00:08:08 ()

Regarding this trip today, the President has been to Philadelphia many times to sell his agenda. Is there a risk to focusing so heavily on Pennsylvania that the White House ends up neglecting other swing states, like Georgia, Nevada, and Michigan?

Olivia Dalton

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

Well, look, I'm not going to speak to elections, but I think you know that Pennsylvania is -- this is a President who was born and raised in Scranton. Pennsylvania is a second home. I think you guys are going to be to Philly a few more times -- [laughs] -- this year, I would -- I would venture to guess.

Olivia Dalton

00:08:21 - 00:08:42 ()

Look, we're headed to a union hall today where working-class Americans are going to feel the impact of a budget designed to lower costs for working people, designed to bring back manufacturing jobs in this country and invest in America, designed to protect Social Security and Medicare programs that folks like these have paid into their entire lives.

Olivia Dalton

00:08:42 - 00:08:48 ()

These are the people who are going to feel the impact of the budget that we're rolling out today. And the President feels it's incredibly important to speak directly to them.

Question

00:08:48 - 00:08:49 ()

Can you tell us --

Question

00:08:49 - 00:08:53 ()

Olivia, has the President reached out to Senator McConnell or his family to get an update on him?

Olivia Dalton

00:08:53 - 00:09:08 ()

Yeah, I don't have a call to read out. But I do want to say that the President and the First Lady saw the news about Senator McCo- -- or Leader McConnell's hospitalization last night, and they are both wishing Leader McConnell a swift recovery and sending him their best wishes to get well soon.

Question

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

Can you tell us any --

Question

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

And another one --

Question

00:09:09 - 00:09:09 ()

Question

00:09:09 - 00:09:23 ()

Last night, Kevin McCarthy said that the President hadn't even reached out to re- -- to schedule another meeting for them to discuss the budget plans. When does the President want to have this discussion with Leader McCarthy? Why -- why hasn't he -- he scheduled that yet?

Joe Biden

00:09:23 - 00:09:41 ()

Well, look, I have to say: Look at what we're doing today. The President, after meeting with Speaker McCarthy, said he was going to put forward a budget; lay out his budget, which is a statement of values, as you just heard Director Young say, for the American people; and that he asked the House Republicans to put out their budget.

Joe Biden

00:09:41 - 00:09:59 ()

Today, the President is putting out a budget that reflects his values -- values that will not be unfamiliar to you. He's talked about growing the economy from the bottom up and the middle out since the earliest days of his campaign. And he's continued to deliver on that progress through the last two years. And today, he's talking about how we build on that progress and carry it forward.

Joe Biden

00:09:59 - 00:10:15 ()

What he's continued to call on House Republicans to do is put forward their plan. So far, we have not seen that plan. And I think you'll hear the President continue to ask the House Republicans to lay that -- that -- that plan out for the American people to detail what their commitments are.

Joe Biden

00:10:15 - 00:10:22 ()

And if they want to have a discussion, that has got to be the basis. They've got to share what they're willing to put forward with the American people and be transparent about that.

Question

00:10:22 - 00:10:24 ()

Can you [inaudible] anything on the President's travel to Canada this month?

Olivia Dalton

00:10:24 - 00:10:32 ()

Don't have any details on the travel to preview at this moment, but we hope to have more to share with you very soon on what he and --

Question

00:10:32 - 00:10:33 ()

Olivia Dalton

00:10:33 - 00:10:42 ()

It will still occur this month, but don't have any details quite yet beyond that. We look forward to sharing with you very soon what he and the Prime Minister intend to discuss.

Question

00:10:42 - 00:10:47 ()

Can you tell us anything more about Biden's meeting with the President of Finland and, specifically, Finland's bid to join NATO?

Olivia Dalton

00:10:47 - 00:10:55 ()

Sure, I think you may have seen that the President dropped by a meeting this morning with the President of Finland and with NS- -- NSA Sullivan.

Olivia Dalton

00:10:55 - 00:11:08 ()

At that meeting, he reiterated our, you know, strong support for Finland's swift accession to NATO, as well as our joint commitment to standing in solidarity with Ukraine in the face of Russia's aggression.

Olivia Dalton

00:11:08 - 00:11:12 ()