Factbase Transcripts

Joe Biden

Neutral

00:00:00-00:00:06 (6 sec)

"I'm Joe Biden. I'm Jill's husband. [Laughter]" 1

Joe Biden

Somewhat Positive

00:00:06-00:00:37 (31 sec)

"Before I sign, let me start with a few words about what's going on now in -- in Florida. And, you know, the people who are here, who were part of what happened that night at the Pulse nightclub and the scores that I just spoke to a moment ago -- they're online looking at this -- they understand that -- what it's like to have to wait and wonder what happened." 2

Joe Biden

Somewhat Positive

00:00:37-00:00:54 (17 sec)

"The families -- I remember going down there to the Pulse nightclub afterwards and -- and wondering: "Is it my son, my daughter, my husband, someone I love -- is that who got lost?" Because you didn't know for certain initially." 3

Joe Biden

Positive

00:00:54-00:01:08 (14 sec)

"And as -- as Congressman Cicilline knows, there's nothing worse than having to wait and wonder what happened. And I know, Val, when you were a police chief, you had to go through waiting a lot as well." 4

Joe Biden

Somewhat Positive

00:01:08-00:01:35 (27 sec)

"And so, I just want to say, I've spoken to Governor DeSantis. And we've provided all the help that they have -- they need. We sent the best people from FEMA down there. We're going to stay with them; with the disaster declaration we made, provide for everything from housing to, God forbid, whether there's a need for moratoria- -- if there are -- to -- for the bodies to be placed. Everything in between." 5

Joe Biden

Very Positive

00:01:35-00:01:55 (20 sec)

"And -- but I just -- I just want to say -- and I'm sure I speak for all the members of the Congress here today and all the survivors here that -- that it's a tough, tough time. There's so many people waiting. "Are they alive? Will they be -- what will happen?" And so, our heart goes out to them." 6

Joe Biden

Very Positive

00:01:55-00:02:22 (27 sec)

"And I -- to the people of Florida, I want to -- I've spoken to Debbie Wasserman Schultz. I've spoken to most of the folks down there and member -- in authority. And I promise you, the administration, the Congress -- we're doing everything possible to be of assistance now and after this occurs -- after they decide exactly what the state of play is." 7

Joe Biden

Very Positive

00:02:22-00:02:39 (17 sec)

"But I'm glad to welcome everyone here to the adjunct to the White House here, and in person and virtually: survivors and family members, victims, and the path-breaking leaders like Senator Baldwin." 8

Joe Biden

Very Positive

00:02:39-00:03:17 (38 sec)

"Just over five years ago, the Pulse nightclub, a place of acceptance and joy, became a place of unspeakable pain and loss. And we'll never fully recovery, but we'll remember. And we have to -- what we're going to do is what the members of Congress here did, and enshrine in law -- as a consequence of that law, enshrine, in perpetuity, literally a monument to the loss that occurred there, and an absolute determination that we're going to deal with this every single, solitary day and make sure that we're not in a position to see this happen again." 9

Joe Biden

Slightly Positive

00:03:17-00:03:37 (20 sec)

"Behind me, you see, on either board there, the 49 lives lost: family members, parents, friends, veterans, students, young, Black, Asian, Latino -- all fellow Americans. And in their memory and for the countless others forever scarred is why I sign this today." 10

Joe Biden

Very Positive

00:03:37-00:03:52 (14 sec)

"And let me say how much I appreciate it -- and I mean this sincerely -- the -- the commitment of the members of the House and Senate to make sure that we don't forget -- that this isn't forgotten." 11

Joe Biden

Neutral

00:03:52-00:04:08 (16 sec)

"Now, there's a tradition when a bill is signed that the President gives a signing pen to each of the people who had something to do with the law or the decision being made in the first place." 12

Joe Biden

Leans Positive

00:04:08-00:04:17 (9 sec)

"I promise you, I have all the pens, but they're in the other room. I couldn't figure how to sign -- [laughter] -- sign them all. But don't leave without the pen. Okay? All right? All right." 13

Mark Takano

Somewhat Positive

00:04:17-00:04:20 (3 sec)

"Thank you, Mr. President." 14

Darren Soto

Somewhat Positive

00:04:20-00:04:24 (4 sec)

"Thank you, Mr. President." 15

Joe Biden

Neutral

00:04:24-00:04:25 (1 sec)

"[The bill is signed]" 16

Joe Biden

Very Positive

00:04:25-00:04:31 (6 sec)

"May we never have to sign another -- no President ever have to sign another monument like this. [Applause] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you." 17

Joe Biden

Positive

00:04:31-00:05:02 (31 sec)

"And one last thing, as I said to -- to the survivors and their -- those who lost folks, a little earlier, in private: You know, what the Congress has done means a great deal, and it's important. But it's really hard; it brings back everything as if it happened yesterday." 18

Joe Biden

Very Positive

00:05:02-00:05:20 (18 sec)

"And every time there's a memorial service for our son, Beau, you know, you're flattered. You feel good about it. You think it's wonderful -- the recognition. But it's a -- it's tough. It's as if it happened yesterday, it happened the day before, it happened the moment you're signing it." 19

Joe Biden

Very Positive

00:05:20-00:05:31 (11 sec)

"So, I want to thank the folks who are here and the folks who are survivors who are on Zoom with us. I want to thank them for their courage -- I really mean it -- for their courage." 20

Joe Biden

Somewhat Positive

00:05:31-00:05:38 (6 sec)

"But, I promise you, none of the members of Congress that are here, nor I, nor Jill are going to let up until we deal with equity across the board." 21