ms. pelosi: what should be universal? reporter: background checks for aides or interns of all staff and interns on capitol hill after concerns about mr. swalwell. ms. pelosi: i don't have any concerns about mr. swalwell. there are those in the congress who believe, and i am among them, that we should be seeing what influence the chinese, aye been fighting them as you know for over 30 years in terms of their undue influence at university -our country and the overtures they tried to make to members of congress. in thes of mr. swalwell, spring of 2015, the leadership of the house and the committee were informed that overtures from a chinese person were being made to members of congress. when that was made known to the members of congress, it was over. that was the end of any communication with those people. so it isn't -- i think we should make sure that everybody knows what they are being subjected to. but i don't know that it means we have to background check every intern who come into the capitol. i do think that it's unf

ms. pelosi reached a budget accommodation two years ago which set the spending levels for two years, and that was agreed to as well. so, we have had an experience where the president has in fact acted consistently with representations made by secretary mnuchin, so we will see. again, the president, i want to make it clear, if you listen to his five-minute whatever adjective wants to apply to it, he did not say that he would veto the bill, he said it was insufficient, which is why we responded to try and, consistent with the president's request to accommodate his corrections. >> you tried to do what he wanted and republicans do not wanted, you ask for some things and republicans do not get it. where can you go from here that does not shut down the government? is. hoyer: understand, today what we call a pro forma session. at a pro forma session, nothing can be done of legislative substance unless it is of unanimous consent. wasonly thing we could do ask for unanimous consent. that will not apply. thank you very much. have a wonderful holiday. and we look forward to seeing you back after a

ms. pelosi that she is willing to concede to sometimes.s. pelosi is the speaker of the house and she runs the house the way she sees fit and if you disagree with her on much of that. the f.b.i. is another question and they can't ignore our demands or requests like ms. pelosi can and why many of us are saying come in and talk to us and share with us what you knew and what other members of congress in leadership and ms. pelosi knew. >> is that going to happen? will there be a briefing? >> yeah, i'm -- >> sandra: we lost the congressman. we appreciate the time he was able to give us this morning as we continue to move forward with that. whether or not lawmakers will demand and congressman i'll bring you back in if you're still with us. my final question to you sir would be does eric swalwell need to be removed from that committee while you dig further into this? >> i think he should be removed while we investigate. he absolutely has questions to answer that he has refused to answer at this point. he can't just remain silent and put out a two

ms. pelosi of california. . you and tell everybody, she certainly is one of a kind. i'm privileged to call her my friend. know, we work very hard here, and sometimes we are so busy working, we do not get to know some of our fellow congress members, particularly those on the other side of the aisle. you know, as people are coming up to me and wishing me the best as i leave congress, it is people from both parties doing it. my republican colleagues are doing it, and my democratic colleagues as well, wishing me the best, and it has been just an honor to serve with them. we have to get to know each other better. i think we've lost some of that. , and youve a colleague do not serve on their committee, and you are not from their state, and you are from the opposite political party, you don't really get to know them. that is a shame because i've learned we have so much talent on both sides of the aisle. people coming up to me and wishing me well, republicans as well as democrats, and that is the way it should be. again, if you don't see somebody in the gym, or travel with t

ms. pelosi because of her hatred of donald trump would not present a budget.e normal process which is an insult. todd: a lot of your colleagues did vote for this i will about. here is some of what they voted for if they voted yes on this bill. billions of remote clean energy. more kennedy center funding. i could go on and on. we will let those at home read you will a the. jillian: programs in pakistan. todd: the pork items on this. to me it sends a message a majority of those in congress really tonight care about the american people as much as they do special interests. i don't mean to impugn a member of congress as i'm speaking to you, isn't that the case? >> it is the case, todd. and why? it doesn't have to be this way. there is no guardrails on spending anymore. there is time for those of us who care about the economy, who care about leaving a massive debt to our children to say no. and it's time to will fight and -- if you are broke, you cannot fund the military. you cannot fund the things that should be funded. but to not read something is just beyond me.

ms. pelosi and not get in front of the cameras and explain what went on and it was reported when asked whatified. somebody explain it to me. >> heavy received a response from nancy pelosi? >>, she will get flippant about it. it is national security and to put up with this. >> this is one of many incidents. do you worry democrats including nancy pelosi, joe biden don't truly appreciate the china threat for what it is? >> know, look at the money purported to go to vice president biden's son hunter, look at the ties, miss pelosi's in action verifies something is not right and it ought to be corrected. jillian: this graphic outlining the potential covid-19 stimulus bill, close to $900 billion, 600 and stimulus checks, no money for state or local aid, no lawsuit protection for businesses, 300 a week in jobless benefits, 332 for small businesses and vaccine distribution, they are inching closer to this. doesn't get done? if so when? >> the timing is a days before christmas. we have been for the last year and now we are bringing this up, she had $130 billion of unspent funds she has refused to bud

ms. hed pelosi of california.erved alongside her for the entire length of my time in tell you, and let me tell everybody, she's certainly kind. a 'm privileged to call her my friend. hard ow, we work very here, and sometimes we're so to working we don't get know some of our fellow congress particularly those on aisle.er side of the you know, as people are coming up to me and wishing me the best leave congress, it's people from both parties that are doing it. my republican colleagues are doing it. as my democratic colleagues well. wishing me the best. just been -- been just them.or to serve with to know each other better. f you have a colleague and you don't serve on their committee and you are not from their state opposite e from the political party, you don't really get to know them. and that's a shame because i've so much hat we have talent on both sides of the aisle. people who are coming up to me me well, republicans as well as democrats, and that's be.ly the way it should again, if you don't see somebody gym,

ms. pelosi puts out the fact that the republican contingent that she has been negotiating with refused tothrowing down the gauntlet saying, okay, let's meet gain. but she's waiting to hear back from leader mccarthy and leader hoyer. they are scheduled to meet tomorrow morning at 9:00 a.m back to you, carl. >> we'll await reaction from mccarthy, sioux. thank you very much. >>> in meantime, the postal service delays are something we've not yet seen in this country, at least around the holidays hi, bertha. >> the postal service is dealing with a cascade of issues that are really causing massive delays right here as we are during the holiday peak postal season one of the things they admit the first week of december, they say that on-time delivery for first-class mail like letters and bills fell to 75%. part of the problem, staffing shortages. some 18,000 workers are out due to covid they're either sick or in quarantine that's up from 4,000 before thanksgiving, according to the postal union representatives and that amounts to about 3% of staff at a time when it's all hands on deck. >> it's not

ms. pelosi. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized. the speaker: thank you very much, mr. speaker. i thank the gentleman for yielding. and i thank him and mr. thornberry for their leadership in bringing this legislation to the floor in a strong bipartisan way. i am proud to support the 2021 national defense authorization act that honors our values, strengthens our security and advances our leadership in the world. i again salute chairman smith and ranking member thornberry and congratulate him for his service in the congress. i know this legislation is named for you. so, that's pretty exciting for all of us. i don't know if it is for you, but it's exciting for the rest of us. and i thank the members of the committee for their patriotic persistence, leadership on this legislation, reflects the brilliance and collaboration we can have, nearly half the members contributed to parts of this bill. while we would have liked to have seen the house version of this legislation, we can all take pride that the ndaa again will strengthen our nation

ms. pelosi and the speaker was always mr. we're so i think them as well. i have been on this eight year missionf mercy along with emily to secure the return and as is known by the people here to pass the house recently and bimeral support. it received attention in the press has this been called to the attention to have them return home is a call to the attention of the president? >> i don't know that personally but knowing the attention the president has given to the issue as well as unjustly detained are missing americans, i cannot imagine it was not brought to the white house attention. so i am a confident. >> so with another question 2254, is that a negotiated return? >> not at all. >> and that resolution has passed into that negotiated return of these two persons i just happen to be familiar with these two and those earlier comments would understand that that is important. >> is there anything you can share with reference to the negotiated return of our iends? and for fully accounting of tha that, what i can say is that we strongly believe that city go

ms. hed pelosi of california. served alongside her for the entire length of my time in tell you, and let me tell everybody, she's certainly kind. a 'm privileged to call her my friend. hard ow, we work very here, and sometimes we're so to working we don't get know some of our fellow congress particularly those on aisle.er side of the you know, as people are coming up to me and wishing me the best leave congress, it's people from both parties that are doing it. my republican colleagues are doing it. as my democratic colleagues well. wishing me the best. just been -- been just them.or to serve with to know each other better. f you have a colleague and you don't serve on their committee and you are not from their state opposite e from the political party, you don't really get to know them. and that's a shame because i've so much hat we have talent on both sides of the aisle. people who are coming up to me me well, republicans as well as democrats, and that's be.ly the way it should again, if you don't see somebody gy

ms. pelosi and her team had every opportunity.d authorized. there was 137 billion dollar still sitting there. we couldn't touch it because she wouldn't deal. so now we have it. it was done at the last minute behind closed doors, and as i said a second ago, that is not the way to run a railroad. and i just didn't feel like it was a responsible thing for me to do to vote for that. and vote on something that i hadn't read. you can't read 6,000 pages. you can't even read a synopsis of it in just a matter of the time that they had given us. and i had actually made requests to have certain items put into it. some of them made it early on. but some of them were not. they shut the door and had a closed operation where you could not get any amendments into it. >> sandra: congressman, as far as what's in the bill we could do our best to show our viewers what we know so far as far as dollar amounts for vaccine distribution, $69 billion, $22 billion to states for testing and tracing. $7 billion for broadband access is in the bill. $45 billion

ms. pelosi: good morning, everyone, as you can see and as

ms. pelosi. not get in front of the cameras and explain what went on.was reported when asked about whatever went on between he and miss fang he said it was classified. somebody explain that to me. >> trace: why isn't he going before the cameras to say here is what happened and here is the timeline? >> that's a question, isn't it? people are making accusations against me that were not true, i would defend myself. i would come out and say these things are not true. and if i didn't the presumption would be why aren't you denying this? why aren't you holding press conferences talking to the american people? and eric has a particular responsibility. every member of congress has a grave responsibility but it is so much more so with those of us on the intelligence committee. the sensitive nature and the incredibly private nature of the information we have holds a special position of responsibility where we have to be honest and forthcoming with our colleagues and with the american people. we have to show judgment. mr. swalwell did not do that. there are all so

ms. pelosi. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from california is recognized for one minute. the speaker: thank you very much, mr. speaker. for the recognition. and i thank the gentlelady for bringing this important legislation to the floor. i thank you and ranking member kay granger for bringing this in a very strong, bipartisan way. i spoke this morning at some length so it's on record as to my attitude here. i salute the legislation that is here and urge passage. but i do want to take a minute to thank madam chair. she has served in the congress for a long time. we've side by side over the years, rosa delauro, steny hoyer, and mr. clyburn as appropriators. i have seen her values-based, astute political knowledge, her strategic thinking, her eng psych peedic knowledge of the ycloped -- -- enc encyclopedic knowledge of the legislation. so thank you. hopefully when the coronavirus goes away, we can all join in embracing your great leadership and expressing gratitude. as i do, mr. speaker, i want to just again take a moment and recognize -- in recognition of the other chairs w

ms. pelosi. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized. the speaker: thank you very much, mr. speaker. i thank the gentleman for yielding. and i thank him and mr. thornberry for their leadership in bringing this legislation to the floor in a strong bipartisan way. i am proud to support the 2021 national defense authorization act that honors our values, strengthens our security and advances our leadership in the world. i again salute chairman smith and ranking member thornberry and congratulate him for his service in the congress. i know this legislation is named for you. so, that's pretty exciting for all of us. i don't know if it is for you, but it's exciting for the rest of us. and i thank the members of the committee for their patriotic persistence, leadership on this legislation, reflects the brilliance and collaboration we can have, nearly half the members contributed to parts of this bill. while we would have liked to have seen the house version of this legislation, we can all take pride that the ndaa again will strengthen our nation

ms. phang? anything in general? [no response] congressman swalwell? >> kennedy: there he is with the playoff beard. mean time, former house oversight chair trey gowdy says speaker pelosi has lot to answer for. watch. >> he berated jared kushner and donald trump jr. for meeting with the russian lawyer. not dating one. meeting with one. meanwhile, for four years the man is not part enough to know he is being played by a chinese spy. that is the best that nancy pelosi could do? i don't think swalwell has denied having a relationship. all you have to say is i didn't sleep with her, eric. that is all you have to say. >> kennedy: maybe say a little bit more, dave rubin. what does it take to get someone off the house intel committee? i thought it was one of the more important committees. >> dave: yeah. well, trey gowdy is totally right there because first off, yeah, he could say he didn't sleep with her. watch, i can do it. i didn't sleep with a chinese spy. there you go. easy enough. but putting that part aside, you know, swalwell is one of the biggest clowns in congress. for four years he was one of the primo guys on twitter screaming about the russian collusion, going cra

ms. velazquez: mr. speaker, i rise in support of this legislation because it will restore justice to our most marginalized communities, and it will boost our economy. i thank speaker pelosi, chairman nadler, and my fellow chairs for bringing this legislation to the floor today. the more act takes meaningful action to address systemic injustices by removing cannabis from its current classification as a schedule 1 drug and incentivizing states to expunge low-level possession records. as chair of the small business committee, i am proud to have championed measures, including in the bill, that will expand capital access and further small business development resources to the cannabis sector. because we cannot forget that while communities of color have disproportionately suffered from the so-called war on drugs, they have also been locked out of traditional capital markets. that is why the more act is the best legislation to advance progress on this issue. i urge my colleagues to vote yes. thank you. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady's time has expired. the gentlewoman from texas reserves. the gentleman from ohio, mr. jordan, is recognized. mr. jordan: th

ms. velazquez: mr. speaker, i rise in support of this legislation because it will restore justice to our most marginalized communities, and it will boost our economy. i thank speaker pelosi, chairman nadler, and my fellow chairs for bringing this legislation to the floor today. the more act takes meaningful action to address systemic injustices by removing cannabis from its current classification as a schedule 1 drug and incentivizing states to expunge low-level possession records. as chair of the small business committee, i am proud to have championed measures, including in the bill, that will expand capital access and further small business development resources to the cannabis sector. because we cannot forget that while communities of color have disproportionately suffered from the so-called war on drugs, they have also been locked out of traditional capital markets. that is why the more act is the best legislation to advance progress on this issue. i urge my colleagues to vote yes. thank you. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady's time has expired. the gentlewoman from texas reserves. the gentleman from ohio, mr. jordan, is recognized. mr. jordan: th