Assistance to puerto rico. This is 15 minutes. The speaker i dont know about your guys, pretty awesome being in the capitol today. Little ell you, im a emotionally pushed. It was really nice to see steve today. I dont think i can add much. But we are so grateful and so relieved to have Steve Scalise back. He is such a fighter and force of nature and that was before this ordeal, watching him fight through the struggles and do so well, we are in awe of this. And i tell you what, im in awe of his family, jennifer, rrison and madison, im in awe. We are so grateful. Crystal and dave, they are amazing people who just completely stepped up, followed their training and through courage to the wind and we are really happy to have our friend back and grateful to the people who made this possible. Later today, i will be up in pennsylvania just outside of philadelphia and visit penn machine works. They make pipe fittings. This is a working class town that has been hurt by the slow growth. I represent a lot of towns like ashtown, pennsylvania. Our tax code is a big part of this problem. Under our crazy system, they get crazy carveouts while Small Businesses are paying. Our plan lowers taxes for small familyowned businesses. Their tax rate will go down to 25 . His will revite liz and more jobs, and bigger paychecks. Its about helping the middle class and people to achieve their piece of the american dream. We are encouraged that the framework has achieved. This is clear its time to act and clear to get this done and i look forward to talk about this in pennsylvania. Questions. Reporter the house will be voting on a budget on thursday, o you think it will be deficit neutral . The speaker it has to be deficit neutral. Reporter how do you get there . The speaker youll see. Reporter what was it like to Steve Scalise . The speaker i was a babbling idiot. I could not compose myself and we dont have words for it. We were there when he was basically in a coma and couldnt talk and wasnt conscious and it thatad when he came off hell comenter it was very, very dire. And we thought he we had a chance of losing him. Savaa and eon, dr. He mapped out how how dire the situation was and where he has come from, it is miraculous and just amazing. Just to see him there sitting and standing with a suit on and jennifer, its just amazing. It was really something. I dont have words other than just relief and just thanks. Reporter he talked a lot about prayer and just prayers starting on the ball field. You sometimes talk about your faith. Talk about what you were saying, your family and talk about this being an attack on the institution. The speaker i am a strong person of faith. As catholics, we dont wear it on our sleeves. We pray for steve and crystal and dave. We all know each other and i pray for the country. You know, obviously, the person was mentally disturbed, but to take political emotions and beliefs and turn it into that is an awful thing. And we have a lot of polarization and i think to witness the bipartisanship that occurred right then and after, i think its a good example to follow. I think of that picture of the democrats praying in the cutgoout when they were doing their practice and that is the example. We have differences and keep them in check and pray for each other. Out of these tragedies, good things can come from it and that is a prayer that has been answered as well. And there is a lot to be answered for as well. Reporter the president has commented about nfl players and escribing black players [indiscernible] the speaker i havent seen all of his comments but people have a right to express themselves. What people dont seem to discuss it. Looks like you are were protesting against the prisme. So i dont think the i think it is misguided to protest the anthem and the flag because people dont see it. They see it as protesting against the people against the ideals and thats the point that i think some people are missing in this debate. Porter mr. Speaker, the speaker ex clamation point after that . [laughter] reporter the president has stressed that his tax plan will not benefit the wealthiest of americans and would that include a fourth income tax. The speaker the purpose of our tax plan is to help get jobs created and jobs in america and get money that is overseas get money back into this country. The goal of that is to make sure that the benefit on income earners attributes to the middleincome earners. This is the framework and within this framework we are going to work and up to the committees to specify how that is done. But thats how we introduced the idea that the rate reduction wont be significant for highincome earners because we want the relief to go to the middle class. Reporter within the group that is not in the framework, why do you want to include that . The speaker and something you know how the numbers work, not getting the Health Care Bill assed, that 3. 8 tax and 70 billion and it is about fiscal space and we think rates are a critical thing with growth and International Competitiveness and middleclass tax cut. Hopefully the committee can improve on this, but thats where it stands now. Eporter on health care, i was wondering if you address Vice President pences you legislative wins. Ou know, he rescued this lunch this week and deposit talk about health care. The speaker can i speak about what they talked about at lunch . He played a very instructtive role. He he is a house member and knows and president of the senate and a lot of the people are now over in the senate, mike is a perfect bridge and he is doing a fantastic job. We are disappointed in the house that they couldnt get it over the finish line. We will have to fix this. I tell people there is a reconciliation vehicle next year. Reporter thank you, mr. Speaker. On hurricane harvey, democrats say there is not quick enough response from the Trump Administration and a spending bill needs to be on the floor right now for puerto rico and Virgin Islands and there are funds the speaker in two days. Reporter is moneys the problem right now or is it manpower . The speaker as soon as we get the requests we finance these equests, . 7 billion will be released in the fema account. The president waived with respect to are puerto rico more generous than texas and florida. A huge injection will occur. The resources are there and they will be taxed and what is happening now you have to do Damage Assessments. And you cant do it until the rescue mission, people who are in need of critical care, diesel, water. And that mission is happening right now. You have a surge of manpower to get people relief and you have to time to do Damage Assessment. And the administration is going to collect that data. Clearly because harvey was earlier and irma was earlier than maria and getting Damage Assessment from them. And we believe, i assume its in october that we will get a request from the administration and quickly act on that request because we have to get help to people who need it. And im comforted in the bill we passed earlier in response to the request, that applies to puerto rico. 6. 7 front loaded the billion. That money is there. The challenge with puerto rico, its an island. In gainesville, we loaded 10 trucks with the j. J. Watt foundation. You cant send trucks to puerto rico. Its much more challenging. Im glad the president waived the jones act to get every ship we find to go to puerto rico. And the air traffic system can be up and running and reporter a lot of military needed . The speaker but obviously everything we can do is needed and there is military needed. The hospital ship, the c130s and national guard. We have to make sure to do everything we can for our fellow citizens in puerto rico. Thank you very much everybody