ultimately be something that the president accepts? josh earnest: these are negotiations between democrats and republicans on capitol hill, it is the responsibly to reach the agreement. the white house has been kept in the loop on negotiations and we frankly have been in conversation, mostly with democrats, but there have been conversations with republicans as well. so everybody is aware of two things, both at the president will have to sign off on the agreement and they are aware of what our views are and some of the critical issues they are discussing. we felt confident that that is a mechanism that can succeed in producing a bipartisan edit session a budget agreement, hopefully something that the president can support. that anyt with warning you have a bipartisan negotiation like this, an

agreement is only produced when both sides compromised. that means the president will have to compromise too, and there will be things in this bill that we do not enthusiastically support. but the president is not going to let a disagreement on one issue become a dealbreaker on all others. so, that is our intend. -- intent. >> secretary kerry will be heading to moscow? josh earnest: that is correct. >> does the president have a specific message that he wants secretary kerry to convey? josh earnest: our posture about our communications with russia has been consistent. high-profile had a discussion with president putin at the u.n. back in september.

over the last couple of overseas trips that the president has taken this fall, he has had private, relatively informal conversations with president clinton -- putin. in the most recent one was in france, and then one in turkey, as i recall. and with those discussions -- we have been quite clear it would be irresponsible to pursue a resolution to our differences. it could be available in talks. so that is, that is the reason that the president has chosen to engage in confrontations with that is whytin and secretary kerry will do the same. the first item on secretary kerry's agenda is the item at the top of the president's agenda on each of his interactions with the president of russia, that simply is

russia's continued resistance to following through on their commitment to implement an providet, continuing to support and encouragement to russian backed separatist and eastern ukraine, destabilizing the country. undermining their territorial integrity. and that has isolated russia from the rest of the international community, almost the rest of the international community. there are some rogue nations that are standing with them in other pursuits. but there are significant sanctions that the u.s. and allies have put in place against russia that persist to this day, that we know are having a negative impact and have heard russia's standing in the world. over the last 18 months we have meetingated in two g7

some of those were originally scheduled as g8, so that is an illustration of a russia's isolation. one of those meetings was supposed to be in russia and it got moved. that is a clear indication of how solid are international coalition continues to be. in terms of pressing upon russia the need to respect basic international norms and the integrity of ukraine. i am confident that secretary kerry will have an opportunity to talk about russia's involvement in military actions inside of syria and repeat our view that russia should focus efforts on isil and integrate efforts into the broader coalition led by the united states to ultimately destroy isil. jeff? >> the follow-up on the phone

call today between the president and president shea. can you tell us who called whom? josh earnest: i do not have information about who initiated the call. i can tell you a couple of things about it. the call lasted about half an hour. and when president obama had an opportunity to sit down with president chi impairs a couple of weeks ago, they talked about a broad range of things. these conversations are taking place at the start of the international climate talks, the climate agenda was at the top of their meeting agenda. facen the context of that to face conversation, both leaders agreed that they would stay in touch with each other as the talks in paris progressed. i was the focus of their conversation -- that was the

focus of the conversation last night. i guess i would describe the motivation from the call as their mutual interest in continuing to consult as we get to the end of the ongoing climate talks. >> one of the sticking points in those talks, is that china and others are resisting the call for early reviews of the rising emissions, is that something that the president pressed upon him during the call? josh earnest: i think there has actually been -- given all of the differences between the united eight and china -- states and china on a variety of issues, the view of our two countries when completing a climate agreement has been quite similar. and i do think that there is a broad agreement about countries

making a substantial commitment to reducing carbon pollution. about specific transparency measures, so can -- so that people can demonstrate the commitment to those commitments. there has also been obviously, discussion about the importance of investing in renewable energy and other technologies that can assist countries that are experiencing the impact of climate change already. to have mored impact on the years ahead. i want to know whether the president is adjusting china to --low reviews question mark reviews? josh earnest: there is a commitment, in the years ahead,

on a rigler schedule to -- regular scheduled to consider the commitments already made and whether additional commitments can be made by each of those countries to further reduce carbon pollution. and on principle there is an agreement between the u.s. and china on this, but anytime you talk about an agreement that is significant involving so many countries there will be details to work out. i guess to get your direct question monday united states and china have been playing a leading role in getting talks of far and- talks this there continues to be agreement incredible on what an outcome should look but there is more work to be done before we are able to come to the final agreement. bet means there will continued discussions between

the u.s. and chinese negotiators. and negotiators of other countries, including the brazilians on this issue. the president had an opportunity to call on brazil this week. and the french, who are leading the discussions. and the president talked to the president of france earlier this week as well. michelle? >> mitch mcconnell is saying that the daschle will not be taken up until after the presidential election or even after president obama leaves office, what do you think about that? josh earnest: there have been others who mentioned this prospect. while congress did pass something someone described as negotiations, looking at the results of that

negotiation is clear that fast is's definition of different than others'definition of fast. they have had time to consider details of what i would at knowledge as a rather long and detailed agreement. is -- view is that there it is possible for congress to carefully consider the details agreement. this and to review all benefits associated with this agreement for states and communities across the country. taking the vote following 2 -- there is no reason to wait that long. when you consider the views of shared by some leaders in the business community about how important it is read this agreement to get and limited so american workers and businesses can reap the benefits, that is a

message that congress can listen to. think -- i think as they listen to leaders in the business community, they will wait for a year from now to take action. >> i have heard interesting language from you on donald trump this week, saying -- josh earnest: i think that his language is more interesting than mine. >> you are saying that his proposal to ban muslims is disqualifying, that it goes against american values. one in four americans support that proposal, so you could say that this is surprising to the administration. josh earnest: i have not seen specific goals, but based --

polls, but based on what you trump'sd -- about mr. offensive and divisive comments. newow that mr. trump is politics, but i do not think that he will -- i do not think that any candidate, frankly, will be satisfy with a poll that shows that only one in four americans hold this position. and i think that is why the president and i have both expressed confidence about how, in the end, the american people and fornd behind american values and recognize that the values that are central to the founding of this country are worth fighting for. >> as much as you can separate out one particular view from a majority view, the numbers do not lie. that is a big chunk of people,

what would you which are be that amount of support as a something that you described as morally reprehensible? i can onlyt: imagine the role reversal we would have if you are standing up he or saying -- up here saying that 25% supported this. if i were to make this -- >> this is something that you said morley ever has the bulk, 25%. this is -- josh earnest: it is not a proposal that a majority of americans support my that is mostly my point. the second is that what we are seeing here is a pretty cynical attempt on the part of one republican politician to

andtalize on people's fears anxieties and divide the american public solely for personal political gain. is offensive. here is the thing and i will go back to this, because this in some ways is the most important part of this whole episode that we have witnessed and participated in. the continued insistence on the part of republican candidates for president and other leaders in the republican party, that they would vote for somebody, potentially, for president of the united states that holds such offensive and divisive views that run counter to the views -- morals of this country. it is alarming. and it does not bode well for the future of the republican already. as i noted, again i think this is a sense -- substantiated by

the polls you provided, i do think that the quality of mr. count -- trump's campaign persists in the risk of the modern republican party being dragged into history with them and it will until we see the courage, and so we see some republicans somewhere demonstrate the courage to stand up and say that they would not vote for him for president. we have not heard that yet, not just from fellow candidates but others in the party. >> you say that it is capitalizing on fears and anxieties, if you look at the number i cited as well as the support numbers in polls, you cannot deny that there is a lot of fear and anxiety out there behind swelling up this movement. josh earnest: and i think the president of the united states delivered an address from the

oval office on sunday night, speaking to 46 million americans , to discuss exactly this concern and fear and anxiety that is evidence in many community in the country. i actually think this is a testament to the courage of the american people that so many of them are resisting the effort of at least this one politician to capitalize on fears for his own political gain. again, that is part of what makes us the greatest country in the world. >> there is something wrong with that. a group is now organizing, they want to hold something called a koran roast. it is unclear if they will actually burn korans, but the secret service believes they are committed to do that and we are waiting to hear from the park service. but what do you think of that?

they are allowed to do that, but is that a dangerous thing to do now? josh earnest: my understanding, in applying for permits like abideindividuals agree to by rules that prevent setting fires on federal property. so the park service can walk you through those details, but i think that is worth mentioning. >> i am pretty sure it will not happen. josh earnest: i am not making predictions but i am telling about the role that govern those permits. more generally, religious freedom and tolerance are fundamental american values and president obama has repeatedly described the valuable role that muslims play in the united states and globally and has stated unequivocally that the united states is not in conflict or fighting a war with muslims

around the world. the united states and the rest of the civilized world is at war with isil and we have laid out a strategy and are pursuing a strategy that is showing progress to destroy that terrorist organization. and that international coalition includes muslim majority countries in the middle east and of theudes the efforts united states military service personnel, thousands of him -- whom who are themselves muslim. of that is an indication frankly what are -- our view as a nation is in defeating this terrorist threat. ok. bob? , theyotiators on the hill

may unveil something on monday as we understand it. veto -- is outhe of it. are you telling democrats to get rid of something from their side to get this deal through? um, think we have been clear about what should be included in the bill. levels have been negotiated, there obviously has been some details that need to be worked out on specific programs. as i noted, it is not uncommon for other policy items to be with theto ride along budget process. what we object to is the seek ton of riders that advance an ideological agenda

that does not enjoy strong support in congress and is not supported by the president who is supposed to sign off on the bill. it has been a sticking point in these negotiations and it has been consistent on the part of republicans to include those measures in the agreement. i am not the dusting that the -- suggesting that the administration is opposed to thehing else included in bill, but they are opposed to controversial ideological riders in the bill. --i do so i am trying to say i guess what i am trying to say issues theycontrol want to include are they considered ideological? josh earnest: what they advocate

of four was ending the ban on research into gun safety or gun violence. that sounds to me like they want to remove an ideological rider that has been historically included in this process, so that is a sentiment that the president agrees with. follow-ups couple of . under the terms of fast track, i think the earliest the president could send this to the capital is february 4, said given what was said, will the president signed it at the earliest possible date? josh earnest: i didn't have a date to share with you. the reason that this is structured in this way, jordan, is that the president believes congress and the american public should have an opportunity to take a look at the agreement that has been reached and consider all details. when they do, they will see that

one thing agreed to in the context of the ppp trade agreement is that there are tax cuts -- 18,000 different tax cuts on american goods that will be shipped overseas. we have gone through a righty of things that that would -- variety of things that that would include. there are a lot of reasons from embers of congress representing communities across the country to support this agreement for economicly -- purely reasons. it will lead to job creation, expand economic growth in communities all across the country. time forcome ample people to take a look at the details, because we believe the more people understand what is included in the agreement and u.s.impact it will have on

products, the more likely they are to support legislation. is the time when this asigned a factor -- signed factor? josh earnest: it is not a factor. when heident will sign is ready and certainly not before. once it is done, we will urge congress to get started on the process of getting this passed and approved. this is not just the white house advocating for this, there are leaders in the business community that are here at the white house, just the last week or so. they have been talking to officials about this impact -- the impact of this would have on their business and workers. you heard the expression from some business leaders, it is important for congress to not

waste time. they should carefully consider this agreement and hold a vote and get this approved so that u.s. companies and workers can start to reap benefits. >> on the business leaders, are you citing their support on the u.s. chamber of commerce and the national association of manufacturers, having them publicly endorse the deal, is that hurting your effort to win over those on capitol hill? groups hold: those a lot of sway on some lawmakers. that we will see influential representative in the business communities to gout -- speak out in support of this bill. i will point out that there are

leaders of organizations that do not agree with the president, but when you find common ground it is important to see that. -- sieze it. that isis, it was reported an important city, because of its proximity to tripoli, what -- ie united states doing know that yesterday there was a briefing held in talking about the progress made in theory, but it does look like isis is making progress in libya. are we paying attention that? josh earnest: the united states has been concerned about the chaos in libya.

that is why we have seen a number of military actions in libya against isis. earlier this week, there was an airstrike that had taken out the top isil official in libya. that is an indication that we are focused on this and that we are taking tangible action that .s yielding progress we do continue to be concerned about the security situation and it is onea that we continue to be focused on. >> do you think that your billy is in danger of falling as well? josh earnest: i have not heard. has the united states found in the allies on the ground that they can trust or that we are supporting their? -- there? josh earnest: there are some

important relationships in libya. obviously, there is more to be done to try to deal with the security situation in that country and also to deal with significant political instability there. it continues to be a dangerous part of the world. announcedans just they have reached an agreement with the united states to reopen postal service between the united states and cuba for the first time in 50 years, can you talk about this in the finance of that -- significant of that? josh earnest: if it is true, it would be part of a series of steps that president obama has committed to taking in conjunction with the cubans it to normalize relations between the two countries. i would refer to the state department on that. -- on u.s. soil?

josh earnest: i would refer you to the intelligence community. what i can tell you is that our law enforcement, national security, homeland security, they are remaining quite vigilant in applying pressure to terrorist organizations and the threats they pose to the united states and our interests around the world. homeland security has announced that they are working on reforms of the national terror alert system that would enhance the ability of homeland security officials to comedic it with the american public on this. it is the response ability to put out any guidance they have for u.s. citizens in this regard. if they have information on that, they would share it. >> and the white house comment on it?

josh earnest: what would we do -- in terms of seeking information, people should seek information on potential foreign travel and they should talk to homeland security on any steps that the u.s. government believes that u.s. citizens should take to protect themselves. we want people to remain vigilant and we want people to say something if they see something. and that is something that secretary johnson regularly encourages people to do and the president does as well. [inaudible] any earnest: there is not specific information i can share that would relate to what citizens should do to keep themselves safe. they should be confident that our homeland security professionals and everybody else

in the federal government is oriented to the top priority that president obama has identified, keeping the american people think. -- people safe. questions about donald trump. you have been more aggressively responding to comments in recent days. there seems to be a shift in thinking in the democratic party when it comes to donald trump. doesn't the president think that the party -- does the president think that the party should prepare for him to become the nominee? josh earnest: ultimately result in voters will determine who will represent their party. there is a constant ongoing right now to make that determination. >> has there been a shift in thinking, has the president taken his candidacy more

seriously? josh earnest: i think the president on a number of locations has spoken out against the divisive rhetoric we have heard, not just from donald trump, but other republican candidates for president. >> let me ask you about something the president said, he said that muslim leaders around the globe need to work with us and rejected the ideology of groups like isis. what kind of action can we expect for this administration to follow through on that and conversely there have been reports about an uptick in attacks against muslim americans, what can be administered to do to prevent that at a grassroots level? josh earnest: there is a lot there.

i will walk you through a couple of things. the state department is very focused on listing countries around the world, particularly , to be a partes of the effort to stand up, speak thosed push aside sections of extremism. and there are a number of countries that have demonstrated their commitment to that effort. that is one way that some muslim majority countries in the middle east are supporting our broader coalition against isil. the uae for example houses one of these fusion centers that is a hub of information that is communicated through social media, around the world and also in the region, to counter isil's radical ideology by promoting the more authentic view of

islam. this is actually something that the president discussed in malaysia. he met with the prime minister in malaysia where they talk about how malaysia had also agreed to host one of these centers. there is a substantial population of muslims in malaysia and in southeast asia more generally. by locating one of these centers in the region, we are hoping it can be more effective in ability toisil's spread their ideologies in that part of the world. at home, we know there is lawing work, not just in enforcement but other government agencies to reach out to leaders in muslim communities and to enlist them in the effort to

prevent those who are vulnerable beingl's ideology from radicalized. >> do you think that the president will play a role in that? josh earnest: i would not rule it out. this obviously is a priority of the administration and that was an event, a year ago, where we brian -- we brought in not just government leaders, but law enforcement leaders from across the country and the leaders from across the country including muslim leaders. , with the deadline being today, that did not happen. do you anticipate there will be a deal over the weekend and will the president -- will it include an outside auditor? loathe tost: i

reached byagreement so many nations, that is going out on a limb. i can tell you that we are pleased with the momentum that continues to move in the right direction. but when reaching these agreements, details are important and another that is what our negotiators are focused on. they are having discussions, not as with the chinese and french, but with other countries that have demonstrated a commitment to working on a good agreement, including the indians, brazilians and others. so they will move forward on these efforts and we need to be pleased with their progress, but i do not know when the world -- they will be done. negotiations, those in paris can give you a more granular understanding of what is happening. manypoll today found that

55% -- isas reached there a reflection on the president and administrative policy. josh earnest: the gallup organization predicted that mitt romney would be president of the united states, so maybe that will be a poll question of time. theink seriously that president is aware of the concern across the country and when we see an attack like the one we saw on paris and we saw so many young innocent lives taken. and when that is combined with the heinous terrorist attack we saw in san bernardino, that are elevatederns and that is entirely understandable and that is what

the president -- why the president took the step of asking the u.s. publishing networks for a short amount of time on sunday evening when 46 million people were watching television, to address the nation. said that they understood what steps we are taking and that they are aware of those steps taken at home to protect the homeland. so again, i think the sentiment reflected in that poll, regardless of how accurate it may be, i think it is part of what prompted the president to address the nation. in regards of public perception, is the government better able to protect the country now, is it safer? josh earnest: we believe that is the case and there are a variety of reasons why. i will give you a few ideas. the first is that the united

buildings succeeded in the kind of international coalition to ultimately destroy isil, that assures that the united states is not in this fight alone. of course the united states is leading the effort and we are making a substantial commitment in that regard, but we are not doing it alone, we are doing it in a way that provides commitment from friends. under president obama, there has been an historic commitment and tightening -- and tightening border security, both in terms of personnel and technology that has been deployed to protect the borders. there has been in investment in that. there could have been a more investment, but even

despite congressional republican obstruction, we have made a substantial investment in border security that makes us safer. , when yout,i think the fact servicethe numbers of members serving in afghanistan and iraq, there are not thousands of troops on the ground, that is an indication that our priorities are oriented in a position that reflects national security interest. we have an enduring presence in those countries today, but they are focused on counterterrorism and they are focused on supporting federal governments that are trying to take responsibility for the security situation in their own countries . that better reflects our broader onerests and has an impact our security here at home.

i would anticipate that the reforms that secretary johnson is prepared to make to our system, which further enhances our ability to speak with the , those are aic, so few ideas. those are some examples that substantiate my confidence in the assertion that the united states is safer today than when the president took office. >> you mentioned border security. the border patrol has a scene an uptick in families and children crossing the border and what is typically a quiet season of -- er crossing, what josh earnest: i think one thing that reflects what i have been saying, this addictive -- the statistics we have on those apprehended at the border, that is an indication of the greater

commitment of resources used for securing the border. you raise a question that we are carefully considering, we have seen an uptick in apprehensions and is the source of some concern. i will go to great lengths to s that we are level seeing right now in terms of the uptick, is not as substantial that we saw in the summer of 2014. but the administration is oriented to trying to prevent the kind of uptick we saw last year. so that is why, for example, you hhs make an announcement about the steps they were taking to prepare facilities where those apprehended could be held.

and it is why the administers and is continuing to strongly advocate that congress follow through on the kind of investment we believe would be beneficial, which is investing in tighter security and even some economic development programs in central america. the countries precisely where those who are being apprehended are leaving. and we believe that would have an impact on the situation as well. we are trying to stay ahead of what is a source of concern. migrants comese from central america, they are crossing the border claiming economicditions -- bad conditions. it is the white house believe there is a -- these are refugees, like the syrians, so

why are they trying to deport them? josh earnest: it is a broad brush. essentially there are case officers and others who work for the u.s. government who carefully consider the cases of these individuals and determine whether it is appropriate for them to remain or be returned home. the thing we have continually encouraged people to do is to be mindful of this in the forget risks of the dangerous journey -- mindful of the dangerous risks of this journey to the united states. there are many stories of tragedy, of children and teenagers being victimized as they set out on that journey. that is why we have strongly urged people not to entrust the care of themselves or and their

children with human traffickers who are praying on people in a desperate situation. that is why you have seen the department of justice and other agencies double efforts to double down on traffickers. that effort continues unabated. but we are mindful of the situation and hopeful that a kind of steps we are taking now can be done with the support and in conjunction with members of congress and can prevent further and sent lost of life. -- innocent loss of life. to expect thestic government to stop every terrorist attack from a lone wolf? josh earnest: this is something the president has observed, that preventing a lone wolf attack is one of the most difficult

ourges that is given to intelligence and law enforcement officials. that said, we have seen the department of justice response quite aggressively -- respond quite aggressively to that threat. over the course of this year, the department of justice has taken into custody 15, more than a dozen homegrown violent extremist individuals who are accused of being radicalized and planning to carry out acts of violence. the department of justice is also detaining individuals who are seeking to travel to syria to take up arms with isil. again, that is based on evidence collected by the department of justice and it is in indication of how vigilant they are. our concern is that once

individuals leave the united states and fight with isil in syria, they could use their u.s. passport to come back to the united states and the use their -- or further radicalized ideology to carry out acts in the united states. we are vigilant about this threat and have taken a number of steps to prevent it. >> on the climate conference, even before it started the president acknowledged that the individual commitments of different nations would not be enough to slow the warming of the planet. if china and other nations dig in their heels and do not agree to the five-year review of their commitment, is that a sign of a long-term failure of the plans? josh earnest: the agreement that is being contemplated in pairs would be historic, because it

certainly would make a tostantial contribution reducing carbon pollution. and the kind of factors that lead to climate change. hope would beuld agreed to in pairs, would not be sufficient to entirely solving the problem and that is why we believe a core component of the agreement should be a commitment on the part of countries who are signing on the dotted line to repeat the commitment they have made at regular intervals. those who sign up and follow through, with their likely to after 5-7 years , that they are capable of making a more substantial commitment. if they invest in technology

that would make their economy more efficient, as they develop alternatives for renewable energy, that those would allow them to make a greater commitment. there is optimism that if you get the ball rolling, you can move momentum a positive direction in terms of cutting pollution. essentially, that is the crux of the paris agreement. movement in a positive direction when it comes to energy efficiency and the kinds of things that results in cutting carbon pollution. kevin? >> on to ask you about executive action on guns. is that something that the white house hopes happens across the country, the governors will enact more executive action? josh earnest: i have not looked at the details that the governor announced today, based on news coverage i have seen, this is

evidence of what we have encouraged for the last two weeks. that those -- preventing those on the no-fly list from purchasing a gun. we would welcome steps from cities and states across the country to implement laws, passed laws, that are consistent with common sense and that could potentially make their cities and the country safer. we believe that there are you number of things that could be considered and implemented that would not underline the basic constitutional rights of americans. >> can you what we do -- can you walk me through a few of those? because when you say common many think that in could do that congress

that. so can you walk me through these? josh earnest: the first idea is the idea that there should be a law in the books that those who are too dangerous to board airplanes should not be able to purchase guns. that is common sense and at least 85% of new hampshire republicans agree with that notion, according to the poll i read at the top. about half of those households have guns, so that is an indication that there is strong bipartisan support for that common sense. and closing the gun show loophole, that loophole that allows individuals to purchase firearms at a gun show, being able to purchase a firearm without submitting to a background check. again, this is the kind of proposal that would make it harder for criminals, those who are the subject of a restraining

order, to buy a gun -- from being able to buy a gun. again, that would not undermine the basic right of americans. guns on therchasing internet, there is a loophole there. republicans support closing that gun show loophole. that is an indication, that these are consistent with common sense. they have strong bipartisan support, we just need to get congress to act. >> will the president then inpose that, will he do that an executive order. if you're saying that this is legal, one of just have him do it? josh earnest: the question on whether or not he has the authority to do that is a different thing. his attorneys at the white house

and the department of justice are looking carefully at the law to determine what kind of authority the president has to pass executive actions that would implement some of these commonsense steps. that is under consideration by the legal team. >> is there a timetable on when he will get a review from the legal time -- legal team? .osh earnest: i do not this is something that they have been working on for quite some time. aware of white house an intelligence assessment that isis has the capability to create fake syrian passports, have you heard about this? josh earnest: i have seen some reports on this, i do not know how accurate they are. but i would refer you to the intelligence community. >> do you have a response to what has happened at the spanish embassy that was under attack, has that raised a watch for

folks there? josh earnest: we certainly condemn that type of violence and terrorist activity. i know that u.s. personnel were responsible for assisting the afghans in their response to the specific incident. it raises ongoing security concerns that we have across afghanistan and we continue to be confident in the commitment that has been shown by the afghan government and security forces to prevent these acts of violence. our personnel that are there are going to be supportive of this. angela? >> yesterday afternoon after you on the crude oil export, -- to potentially include the export ban in that bill, is

there a scenario that the demonstration would -- administration would support that with the bill? josh earnest: i do not have a lot of details on the ongoing negotiations. i think i have been clear for a number of months, your colleagues have asked about our position on this policy, and i think this is reflected in their reporting. our opposition to this has been consistent. we have proposed legislative action that would list -- a list the van -- lift the ban on crude oil exports, because this is something that we have already looked at with the executive branch. so we do not think that congress should take legislative action in this area and that is why we actionposed legislative in this area.

we have seen republicans float all kind of proposals, with all kinds of things they would let to see included in the eventual budget bill. shy inhave not been saying that we disagree with legislation that would lift the ban or that we would oppose legislation that would undo, for example, an nlrb ruling that would make it easier for fast food workers to form a union and advocate for higher wages. the fact we have seen some rebuttal and suggest we should shut down the government, unless the president makes it harder for fast food workers to get a raise is crazy. indicativeainly is of misplaced priorities. so unfortunately you and i will not be able to negotiate from

here, we could probably find a common sense solution before the end of the day if we were doing that, but ultimately a number of other people are involved and what we are hopeful for is that we will see the kind of budget agreement that will reflect our needs to give the government open and adequately fund our economic and national security priorities. -- the talks may actually include the lifting of the ban, are you disagreeing with what , or arey durbin said you saying there is no way that the white house would sign the bill? josh earnest: negotiations are taking place between democrats and republicans, this is there response ability and they are their responsibility

and they are the ones to make the decision. we are in the loop. our priorities are afflicted in those negotiations, because -- are reflected in those negotiations, because the president will need to sign off on it. i am not at liberty to share information on these ongoing discussions, but i have tried as these negotiations are ongoing, to be as clear with you on these talks. francis says he is speaking on the climate talks. saying that the ecological crisis is near suicide, has the white house reached out to the pope to help on these efforts?

josh earnest: i am not aware of any committee cases between this administration and the vatican on this issue recently. obviously during his high profile visit to the united states earlier this fall, he had powerful comments to make about why he considered fighting climate change a top priority. i think you spoke quite movingly about his conviction to this issue. a lot of time we talk about politics and even the economic implications of this issue, and those are not insignificant, i do not mean to belittle them, but they also do seem like we should spend time talking about the moral question here. the president talked about that a little bit when he did an interview on cbs when he talked about how climate change

would be part of his legacy and it would affect him down the road when he would be enjoying the outdoors with a grandchild. i think it is the president's moral desire to enter the people around the world have that same opportunity that motivates him every bit as much as these other considerations in politics and the economy. >> you mentioned before that in february the white house convened on a summit in battling extreme is a pair that was before we had an attack on american soil. can you give us an indication on what the white house will do on this issue again, a year later? josh earnest: i do not have any new announcements to share. i do think that this

terrorist attack we saw a little over a week ago does highlight the need for, not just the u.s. government, but for leaders in communities across the country to to redouble our efforts -- leaders in communities all across the country to redouble our efforts to combat violent extremism. i encourage you to stay tuned. ron, i will give you the last one. reporter: while you have been pressng, there has been a conference about police brutality. is that something -- summit something that the white house would consider? sec. earnest: i'm just hearing about this for the first time. we will have to get back to you on this. reporter: is there some level of -- i think i asked you this the other day -- about the president's level of engagement. regarding the situation in ch