We have a few updates for you all at the top this morning. First today the president is signing three executive orders to rebuild and strengthen our immigration system. These actions are centered on the basic premise that our country is safer, stronger and more prosperous with a fair, safe and orderly immigration system. Todays actions do a number of things. The First Executive order creates a task force chaired by the secretary of Homeland Security to reunify families which will work across government to find parents and children separated by the Prior Administration. The second executive order develops a strategy to address the root causes of migration across our borders and creates a humane asylum system, including directing dhs to take steps to end the Migrant Protection Protocol Program which led to a humanitarian crisis in northern mexico. It ensures that our system operates fairly and efficiently by instructing agencies to review the related policies. Ma been on the Briefing Call we had a little bit earlier today, but for those of you who have not, jeff zion announced our covid coordinator starting february 11 our government will direct pharmacies across the country additional vaccine thats coming online next week. This will provide more sites for people to get vaccinated in their communities and is an important component to delivering vaccines equitably. More than 90 of americans live within 5 miles of a pharmacy. And my motherinlaw my family calls me all the time figuring out how they can call the cvs to get their vaccine. Supply will ultimately go to 40,000 pharmacies nationwide. Secondly, we can work to ensure states, tribes, territories have the resources they need to turn vaccines into vaccinations. President biden has already directed fema to fully reimburse states for the cost of National Guard personnel and other personnel. And today we go further for reimbursing states for the Eligible Services they provided back in the beginning of the pandemic in january 2020. More item. And as you all have seen reports this morning of the fbi confirmation, the two fbi agents are deceased and two are wounded in a shooting. President biden was briefed this morning by Homeland Securityads visor Lynn Sherwood randall. This is obviously a terrible tragedy. I expect youll hear more from the president later this afternoon when he speaks to all of you. I know that was a lot. With that, lets kick us off. Two questions. Congressional democrats are moving forward with covid relief with ledgesilation set to hit the House Budget Committee by february 16th. What kind of time line does that create for you . Well, as many of you who have covered capitol hill know there is a process the budget reconciliation process is a lengthy one. And because i suspected that people would want to talk about the meeting last night today, i just wanted to take the opportunity to talk a little bit about that process and where we see there being opportunity. So first as you know once a well, maybe you know what a lot of people watching do not know that once a budget resolution is passed the house and Senate Negotiators will work to develop a reconciliation bill. As we look to the weeks ahead republicans can engage and see their ideas adopted. At any point in the process a bipartisan bill can pass on the floor. So just creating the option with a budget resolution does not foreclose other options. This is when a bill comes a law moment of my briefing today. Second, republican ideas can be adopted during the reconciliation negotiations and its likely several bipartisan ideas may be, or were certainly hopeful of that. And third, republicans the ability to offer amendments both during budget resolution and instruction phase of the process and later during the reckon sailiation phase and that way can ensure their ideas are heard. I did all that because theres been some misunderstanding about how this process works. I think there was some view the final vote was this week. You all know thats not the case. Theres some time. Hes conveyed hed like to continue doing that in the days ahead. Secondly, moskow court sends Alexei Navalny for 2 1 2 years for going to germany to recooperate to be treated for poison. Does the white house plan any additional response . Secretary of state tony blinken put out a statement in response to the sentencing. I will just let me reiterate some of the pieces from here. Were deeply concerned by the hes entitled to the rights provided in the russian constitution and russia has obligations to respect the quality of the law and the rights to freedom of i will say to your specific question theres an on going review we announced i think it was early last week of a number of the reported or concerning actions i should say by the russian government, which includes the treatment of Alexei Navalny, includes a full assessment of the solar winds hack, a review of the reports around bounties on troops and also includes reports of an assessment of engagement in the 2020 election. Thats an ongoing review by the National Security team. When they conclude that, that will launch whatever policy process to determine what steps we will take from here. On the relief bill democrats are moving ahead with this process. You all are still hopeful you can get bipartisan support, but youve also made it clear youre not going to slim down this bill significantly. Where right now is the greatest potential for compromise to try to achieve that bipartisanship . Youre right, mary. And this was evident in the discussion last night as we said in our read out, it was civil, constructive, this is how democracy should work. Wed be engaging democrats and republicans should be engaging with each other, but there certainly is a gap between where we are and where the proposal last night was. There were some, you know, bottom lines i think the president has which he has conveyed in the meeting last night and reiterated to us this morning, which is to put it simply or accessibly for people. One is a nurse, the other is a teacher making 120,000 a year should get a check, thats in his plan. And the in plan presented by republicans would not get a check. In his view at this point in the country when 1 in 7 American Families dont have enough food to eat, we need to make sure people get the relief they need and are not left behind. As also part of our read out, theres some technical followup where theres opportunity to discuss Small Business issues like covid relief. And those technical discussions at a staff level will be part of whats ongoing over the next couple of days. But the president s bottom line is this package, the risk here as hes said many times is not going too big, it is going too small. That continues to be his belief, and thats why he supports the efforts by senator schumer, leader schumer and Speaker Pelosi to move this package forward. The impeachment managers have now laid out their case. Trumps team is leaving open the door it seems to arguing Election Fraud those same false claims that fueled the riot. Is this administration concerned that the former president s defense could incite further violence . Certainly watching the potential for violence is something well do in the white house across the country no matter what prompts is, and thats something we will certainly keep an eye on. But i think in this case as you know there have been dozens and dozens of court cases that have been debunked. The president of the United States is sitting in the oval office engaging in governing the country, and obviously we have moved forward even more than we were prior to the inauguration in delivering what the American People decided in november. Advocates have criticized these actions of being reviews of certain programs like the remain in Mexico Program rather than cancellations. Why review is not reverse some of these programs . Sure. Part of our effort, mary, is to assess the damage thats been done by the policies that were put in place by the Prior Administration. We want to act swiftly, we want to act promptly, but we also need to make sure we are doing that through a Strategic Policy process. And the president s commitment to immigration is indicative in the fact he announced an immigration bill his first day in office and hes signed after this afternoon a number of bills to overturn the amoral actions of the Prior Administration. But we want to ensure that our team led by the new hopefully newly confirmed homeland secretary. What if people see this in the next few days and think oh, theyre changing policy . Well, the message continues to be what it has been and i appreciate you asking questions because it is confusing as we take steps forward. One is that this is not the time. We want to put in place an immigration process here that is humane, that is moral, that considers applications for refugees, applications for people to come into this country at the border in a way that treats people as human beings. Thats going to take some time. Its not going to happen overnight. Obviously we have a bill that we are hoping well be able to move through congress. But we also feel i dont think any parent can look at whats happened to those kids over the last couple of years and not feel we should do everything in our power to get those kids back with their parents. So were trying to repair the damage and the horrific actions of the Prior Administration by trying to do everything we can to reunite these kids with their families. But it remains a dangerous trip, a dangerous time. This is not the time to come to the United States. We need the time to put in place an immigration process so people can be treated humanely. One other thing immigration groups have been talking about, some democrats as well, is the idea of potentially some kind of executive action and shield immigrant workers who are considered essential workers from the threat of deportation. Is that being considered or worked on . This will not be the end of our efforts to work on these issues. I dont have anything on that policy consideration for you, though. That was my next question. This is still being worked on. Can you give us a sense what else could still be coming. Then i would be getting ahead of a policy process, which i cant do from here. But this is the role of the president to do everything he can putting forward the bill but taking the executive actions he had to take to overturn the immoral steps of the last administration. Thats why hes talking all these steps in the first two weeks of being inaugurated. I suspect the answer to this might be similar but i want to ask it anyway. One of the things being addressed title 42, the idea they could be sent back right away because of the pandemic, is that up for review, and why was that perhaps not addressed right away since its been concerned for a lot of advocates for immigrants. Certainly i know it has been. I would just say continuing to take policy steps to address the plight of migrant families, to do so in a humane and moral way is a priority of this administration. We bs obviously are going to continue to work on the immigration bill weve promised to congress. These executive actions are just part of our strategy. And if theres more to report to you on that. Im happy to get to you directly. Let me follow up on the immigration question. The executive orders that have been described so far dont actually change or raise the refugee cap. It doesnt also order the Immediate Release of children from i. C. E. Protection. Why didnt he do it today . I think were going to have more again soon in the coming days and weeks on more steps and actions that the president is interested in taking so im just not going to get ahead of that right now. They might still do it but just not doing it immediately . Again im saying there are additional steps the president will take, our policy teams will take, our experts will take to address immigration in a humane and moral way. Theres also a number of steps under the purview of Homeland Security and secretary mayorkas, some of those are going to be under his purview. There is more the president will have to share on refugees and other issues soon. Whether the president has made a decision on keeping the scope of space force . Wow, space force. Its a plane of today. It is an interesting question. Im happy to check with our Space Force Point of contact. Im not sure who that is. I will find out and see if we have any update on that. He was going to vote for the Budget Proposal but made clear his final vote needs to be an a proposal targeted. Hes opposed to the 15 minimum wage. Is the 15 minimum wage is a must have for this white house . I should also bring you up here to talk about how a bill becomes a law because i think you know. You know, phil, i think there are a lot of points of view as should not be as a surprise to anyone of different members of congress. We respect all of them. Were happy to hear them hence the president met with ten republican senators last night, but were not going to negotiate from here or frankly in public about what is going to be in and out of the package. We want that to work through the legislative process that is ongoing now. And on the meeting with the republican senators you said the word reiterated in the Statement Last night. We like that word. Its a good word, a solid word. It underscores your position is firm, so i guess my question is staff talks on technical details. Is that basically the detail in the ball game, but broadly this is what it is and its moving . Well, i think the president s commitment is to urgently deliver relief to the American People. And that is what hes conveyed in every meeting hes had or engaged with democrats and republicans. As weve just talked about theres a process just in the early stages beginning on capitol hill to do exactly that. But there are also steps that can be taken or changes that can be made through negotiations that also through the legislative process have to happen through the house and senate. There are amendments that can be proposed and voted on, and were going to allow that process to go through. As thats happening, the president will continue to be engaged. Hell continue to have more discussions with a variety of members of congress from both parties to see if theres places to come to consensus and agreement on how to approach some of the issues and challenges the American People are facing. Last one quickly. You guy have made clear the 130 billion for k12 is crucial to opening schools. I think theres something along the line in 66 billion in past proposals thats been obligated but mostly unsent right now on the school front. What are you guys doing to ensure that gets out the door . Sure. My understanding from talking to our Economic Team is that the funding that was in the 900 billion package i think if thats what youre referring to will be spent in the next couple of week. What were trying to look ahead to is what are the needs as we look across Public Schools across the country that many of them need funding, ppe, many of them need test, better ventilation in their schools to ensure we have adit kwt funding needed to open the majority of schools in a hundred days which remains the president s goal. Today there was new data on the sputnik b vaccine showing its quite effective. And im wondering if the administration is concerned at all that russia could use this vaccine to exert geopolitical power with nations in need in perhaps latin america. That is not a concern ive discussed with our National Security team. Obviously our focus is on our own fda approval process here and ensuring that we make as much of the vaccine available to the american public. And we just rejoined as you know the World Health Organization because we believe that the more people who are vaccinated around the world, the safer we all are, but im happy to speak with them about it and see if thats a concern they have. One other question on the covid travel ban that is in place. Is that a temporary thing while the cdc and the Biden Administration figure out a safe way for International Travel to occur . Or is that seen as more longterm especially given that the variants are already here . Well, these were steps taken as you know by our team in order to increase the safety of the american public. And certainly we dont want them to be forever because we want to get the pandemic under control, but they will be in place as long as our health and medical experts believe theyre necessary or essential in order to keep the public safe. So the impact of variants which is a very good question is something, you know, they assess, and i would certainly encourage you to ask them that question on our next covid call. Go ahead. There have been calls to boycott chinas 2022 olympics. Does President Biden support calls to support a new host country ive seen some reports of that, and i dont have any update for you or preview of our change to the approach of the beijing olympics, no. President biden has promised to make these visitor logs public. Obviously you guys arent having a lot of visitors due to the pandemic. Is there any talk about a virtual visitors log or any transparency how those are being disclosed to the public . Our venture is to be the most ethically stringent government in history, and hes put in place a number of steps and policies to deliver on exactly that. Youre right that theyre n