[000:00:00;00] VED IN THE STREETS
[000:00:00;29] AND MET SOME FRIENDS AND THEY
[000:00:02;04] WERE SELLING DRUGS SO IT WAS
[000:00:03;08] LIKE THE THING TO DO.
[000:00:04;19] >> SUNDAY NIGHT AT 8:00 P.M.
[000:00:07;28] EASTERN ON C-SPAN'S Q & A.
[000:00:12;15] >>> YESTERDAY PRESIDENT TRUMP
[000:00:13;22] ORDERED FEDERAL AGENCIES TO TURN
[000:00:16;04] OVER CITIZENSHIP DOCUMENTS AND
[000:00:18;11] DATA TO THE COMMERCE DEPARTMENT
[000:00:20;09] AFTER THE SUPREME COURT RECENTLY
[000:00:21;25] RULED AGAINST THE
[000:00:23;23] ADMINISTRATION'S EFFORTS TO ADD
[000:00:24;26] A CITIZENSHIP QUESTION TO THE
[000:00:26;26] 2020 CENSUS.
[000:00:28;18] THE PRESIDENT SPOKE ABOUT HIS
[000:00:29;27] LATEST ACTION FROM THE WHITE
[000:00:31;10] HOUSE ROSE GARDEN ALONGSIDE
[000:00:34;03] ATTORNEY GENERAL WILLIAM BARR
[000:00:35;24] AND COMMERCE SECRETARY WILBUR
[000:00:39;14] ROSS.
[000:00:57;22] >>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH
[000:00:59;12] EVERYONE.
[000:00:59;28] ARE YOU A CITIZEN OF THE UNITED
[000:01:02;26] STATES OF AMERICA?
[000:01:04;05] OH GEE, I'M SORRY, I JUST CAN'T
[000:01:07;26] ANSWER THAT QUESTION AND THAT'S
[000:01:09;07] AFTER SPENDING BILLIONS AND
[000:01:11;17] BILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
[000:01:12;12] THERE USED TO BE A TIME WHEN YOU
[000:01:15;00] COULD ANSWER QUESTIONS LIKE THAT
[000:01:16;24] VERY EASILY.
[000:01:18;02] THERE USED TO BE A TIME WHEN YOU
[000:01:19;24] COULD PROUDLY DECLARE I AM A
[000:01:22;23] CITIZEN OF THE UNITED STATES.
[000:01:23;18] NOW THEY'RE TRYING TO ERASE THE
[000:01:26;18] VERY EXISTENCE OF A VERY
[000:01:30;05] IMPORTANT WORD AND A VERY
[000:01:31;19] IMPORTANT THING, CITIZENSHIP.
[000:01:34;24] THEY'RE EVEN COMING AFTER THE
[000:01:36;14] PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE IN
[000:01:38;26] MINNESOTA.
[000:01:39;15] I'M PROUD TO BE A CITIZEN.
[000:01:41;05] YOU'RE PROUD TO BE A CITIZEN.
[000:01:42;25] THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT
[000:01:45;09] PROUD TO BE CITIZENS ARE THE
[000:01:46;00] ONES WHO ARE FIGHTING US ALL THE
[000:01:49;17] WAY ABOUT THE WORD CITIZEN.
[000:01:52;14] TODAY I'M HERE TO SAY WE ARE NOT
[000:01:54;16] BACKING DOWN ON OUR EFFORT TO
[000:01:56;17] DETERMINE THE CITIZENSHIP STATUS
[000:02:01;00] OF THE UNITED STATES'
[000:02:02;20] POPULATION.
[000:02:03;02] I STAND BEFORE YOU TO OUTLINE
[000:02:05;02] NEW STEPS MY ADMINISTRATION IS
[000:02:07;10] TAKING TO ENSURE THAT
[000:02:09;16] CITIZENSHIP IS COUNTED SO THAT
[000:02:11;10] WE KNOW HOW MANY CITIZENS WE
[000:02:14;27] HAVE IN THE UNITED STATES.
[000:02:17;00] MAKES SENSE.
[000:02:17;15] WE WILL DEFEND THE RIGHT OF THE
[000:02:19;18] AMERICAN PEOPLE TO KNOW THE FULL
[000:02:21;03] FACTS ABOUT THE POPULATION SIZE
[000:02:23;17] OF CITIZENS AND NONCITIZENS IN
[000:02:26;15] AMERICA.
[000:02:26;25] IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT WE HAVE A
[000:02:28;13] CLEAR BREAKDOWN OF THE NUMBER OF
[000:02:30;06] CITIZENS AND NONCITIZENS THAT
[000:02:32;13] MAKE UP THE U.S. POPULATIONS.
[000:02:35;26] IMPERATIVE.
[000:02:36;09] KNOWING THIS INFORMATION IS
[000:02:37;21] VITAL TO FORMULATING SOUND
[000:02:40;01] PUBLIC POLICY WHETHER THE ISSUE
[000:02:41;21] IS HEALTHCARE EDUCATION, CIVIL
[000:02:45;28] RIGHTS OR IMMIGRATION, WE MUST
[000:02:47;13] HAVE A RELIABLE COUNT OF HOW
[000:02:50;02] MANY CITIZENS NONCITIZENS AND
[000:02:52;11] ILLEGAL ALIENS ARE IN OUR
[000:02:55;13] COUNTRY.
[000:02:55;25] THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
[000:02:58;26] SENSIBLY DECIDED TO INCLUDE A
[000:03:02;04] CITIZENSHIP QUESTION IN THE 2020
[000:03:05;04] CENSUS AS HAS BEEN DONE MANY
[000:03:08;02] MANY TIMES THROUGHOUT THE
[000:03:10;20] HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES.
[000:03:12;22] UNFORTUNATELY, THIS EFFORT WAS
[000:03:14;23] DELAYED BY MERITLESS LITIGATION.
[000:03:17;03] AS SHOCKING AS IT MAY BE FAR
[000:03:19;02] LEFT DEMOCRATS IN OUR COUNTRY
[000:03:21;21] ARE DETERMINED TO CONCEAL THE
[000:03:22;27] NUMBER OF ILLEGAL ALIENS IN OUR
[000:03:26;10] MIDST.
[000:03:26;19] THEY PROBABLY KNOW THE NUMBER IS
[000:03:28;19] FAR GREATER, MUCH HIGHER THAN
[000:03:32;23] ANYONE WOULD HAVE EVER BELIEVED
[000:03:34;08] BEFORE MAYBE THAT'S WHY THEY
[000:03:36;05] FIGHT SO HARD.
[000:03:37;17] THIS IS PART OF A BROADER LEFT
[000:03:40;02] WING EFFORT TO ERODE THE RIGHTS
[000:03:41;25] OF THE AMERICAN CITIZEN AND IS
[000:03:42;25] VERY UNFAIR TO OUR COUNTRY.
[000:03:45;25] THE SUPREME COURT ULTIMATELY
[000:03:46;24] AFFIRMED OUR RIGHT TO ASK THE
[000:03:51;27] CITIZENSHIP QUESTION AND VERY
[000:03:53;04] STRONGLY IT WAS AFFIRMED BUT
[000:03:55;11] THE SUPREME COURT ALSO RULED
[000:03:56;06] THAT WE MUST PROVIDE FURTHER
[000:03:58;26] EXPLANATION THAT WOULD HAVE
[000:04:00;08] PRODUCED EVEN MORE LITIGATION
[000:04:03;08] AND CONSIDERABLE TIME DELAYS.
[000:04:05;23] THE CASE IS ALREADY IN THREE
[000:04:12;11] FEDERAL DISTRICT COURTS THAT
[000:04:13;06] HAPPEN TO BE TOTALLY HONEST
[000:04:15;18] EXTREMELY UNFRIENDLY TO US.
[000:04:17;14] THESE DELAYS WOULD HAVE
[000:04:18;13] PREVENTED US FROM COMPLETING THE
[000:04:20;27] CENSUS ON TIME.
[000:04:22;09] IT'S DEEPLY REGRETTABLE BUT IT
[000:04:23;28] WILL NOT STOP US FROM COLLECTING
[000:04:25;23] THE NEEDED INFORMATION AND I
[000:04:27;10] THINK EVEN IN GREATER DETAIL AND
[000:04:28;20] MORE ACCURATELY.
[000:04:30;20] THEREFORE, WE ARE PURSUING A NEW
[000:04:31;29] OPTION TO ENSURE A COMPLETE AND
[000:04:34;17] TIMELY COUNT OF THE NONCITIZEN
[000:04:37;03] POPULATION.
[000:04:37;16] TODAY I WILL BE ISSUING AN
[000:04:40;08] EXECUTIVE ORDER TO PUT THIS VERY
[000:04:43;12] PLAN INTO EFFECT IMMEDIATELY.
[000:04:46;09] I AM HERE BY ORDERING EVERY
[000:04:48;22] DEPARTMENT AND AGENCY IN THE
[000:04:50;06] FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO PROVIDE
[000:04:51;11] THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE WITH
[000:04:54;13] ALL REQUESTED RECORDS REGARDING
[000:04:55;16] THE NUMBER OF CITIZENS AND
[000:04:57;05] NONCITIZENS IN OUR COUNTRY.
[000:04:59;17] THEY MUST FURNISH ALL LEGALLY
[000:05:03;06] ACCESSIBLE RECORDS IN THEIR
[000:05:04;09] POSSESSION IMMEDIATELY.
[000:05:05;18] WE WILL UTILIZE THESE VAST
[000:05:07;08] FEDERAL DATABASES TO GAIN A
[000:05:09;17] FULL COMPLETE AND ACCURATE
[000:05:12;15] COUNT OF THE NONCITIZEN
[000:05:15;10] POPULATION INCLUDING DATABASES
[000:05:16;22] MAINTAINED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF
[000:05:18;27] HOMELAND SECURITY AND THE SOCIAL
[000:05:22;02] SECURITY ADMINISTRATION.
[000:05:23;09] WE HAVE GREAT KNOWLEDGE IN MANY
[000:05:25;17] OF OUR AGENCIES.
[000:05:27;02] WE WILL LEAVE NO STONE UNTURNED.
[000:05:29;27] THE CENSUS BUREAU PROJECTED THAT
[000:05:33;04] USING PREVIOUSLY AVAILABLE
[000:05:34;06] RECORDS IT COULD DETERMINE
[000:05:35;26] CITIZENSHIP FOR 90% OF OUR
[000:05:38;19] POPULATION OR MORE.
[000:05:40;06] WITH TODAY'S EXECUTIVE ORDER
[000:05:41;05] WHICH ELIMINATES LONG STANDING
[000:05:43;09] OBSTACLES TO DATA SHARING, WE'RE
[000:05:46;02] AIMING TO COUNT EVERYONE.
[000:05:48;06] ULTIMATELY THIS WILL ALLOW US TO
[000:05:50;05] HAVE AN EVEN MORE COMPLETE COUNT
[000:05:52;24] OF CITIZENS THAN THROUGH ASKING
[000:05:54;29] THE SINGLE QUESTION ALONE.
[000:05:57;17] IT WILL BE WE THINK, FAR MORE
[000:06:01;21] ACCURATE.
[000:06:02;10] THE VENN SUSS BUREAU CAN USE
[000:06:04;02] THIS INFORMATION ALONG WITH
[000:06:05;27] INFORMATION COLLECTED THROUGH
[000:06:06;26] THE QUESTIONNAIRE TO CREATE THE
[000:06:08;17] OFFICIAL CENSUS.
[000:06:10;14] OTHERS AS A RESULT OF TODAY'S
[000:06:12;24] EXECUTIVE ORDER, WE WILL BE ABLE
[000:06:13;19] TO ENSURE THE 2020 CENSUS
[000:06:16;28] GENERATES AN ACCURATE COUNT OF
[000:06:18;09] HOW MANY CITIZENS NONCITIZENS
[000:06:19;27] AND ILLEGAL ALIENS ARE IN THE
[000:06:24;20] UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
[000:06:25;21] NOT TOO MUCH TO ASK.
[000:06:26;29] THIS WILL GREATLY INFORM A WIDE
[000:06:29;04] ARRAY OF PUBLIC POLICY
[000:06:31;20] DECISIONS.
[000:06:32;01] THIS INFORMATION IS ALSO
[000:06:34;05] RELEVANT TO ADMINISTERING OUR
[000:06:36;15] ELECTIONS.
[000:06:36;26] SOME STATES MAY WANT TO DRAW
[000:06:38;05] STATE AND LOCAL LEGISLATIVE
[000:06:41;04] DISTRICTS BASED UPON THE VOTER
[000:06:44;07] ELIGIBLE POPULATION.
[000:06:45;10] INDEED THE SAME WAY THE SUPREME
[000:06:46;29] COURT HANDED DOWN THE CENSUS
[000:06:49;24] DECISION IT ALSO SAID IT WOULD
[000:06:51;18] NOT REVIEW CERTAIN TYPES OF
[000:06:54;05] DISTRICTING DECISIONS WHICH
[000:06:56;01] COULD ENCOURAGE STATES TO MAKE
[000:06:57;13] SUCH DECISIONS BASED ON VOTER
[000:07:01;01] ELIGIBILITY.
[000:07:01;13] WITH TODAY'S ORDER WE WILL
[000:07:03;00] COLLECT ALL OF THE INFORMATION
[000:07:03;27] WE NEED TO CONDUCT AN ACCURATE
[000:07:06;06] CENSUS AND TO MAKE RESPONSIBLE
[000:07:08;22] DECISIONS ABOUT PUBLIC POLICY
[000:07:10;25] VOTING RIGHTS AND REPRESENTATION
[000:07:14;12] IN CONGRESS.
[000:07:14;25] IN EVERYTHING WE DO WE WILL
[000:07:17;07] FAITHFULLY REPRESENT THE PEOPLE
[000:07:19;27] OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
[000:07:21;16] I WOULD LIKE NOW TO INTRODUCE
[000:07:27;06] ATTORNEY GENERAL BILL BARR TO
[000:07:28;13] THE PODIUM.
[000:07:31;25] THANK YOU.
[000:07:36;15] >> GOOD EVENING.
[000:07:37;04] THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, AND
[000:07:39;28] CONGRATULATIONS ON TODAY'S
[000:07:40;27] EXECUTIVE ORDER WHICH WILL
[000:07:42;13] ENSURE THAT WE FINALLY HAVE AN
[000:07:45;03] ACCURATE UNDERSTANDING OF HOW
[000:07:46;10] MANY CITIZENS AND NONCITIZENS
[000:07:48;15] LIVE IN OUR COUNTRY.
[000:07:50;26] AS THE SUPREME COURT RECOGNIZED
[000:07:52;20] IT WOULD BE PERFECTLY LAWFUL FOR
[000:07:55;14] THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO ASK ON
[000:07:57;11] THE CENSUS WHETHER INDIVIDUALS
[000:07:59;11] ARE CITIZENS OF THE UNITED
[000:08:01;28] STATES.
[000:08:02;09] AND IT'S ENTIRELY REASONABLE TO
[000:08:04;08] WANT TO KNOW HOW MANY CITIZENS
[000:08:05;25] AND NONCITIZENS THERE ARE IN THE
[000:08:08;14] UNITED STATES.
[000:08:09;02] IN FACT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
[000:08:10;22] HAS ROUTINELY ASKED QUESTIONS
[000:08:12;26] RELATING TO CITIZENSHIP EVER
[000:08:15;10] SINCE THE 1820s, BUT WHILE THE
[000:08:18;14] SUPREME COURT CORRECTLY
[000:08:20;04] RECOGNIZED THAT IT WOULD BE
[000:08:22;08] ENTIRELY APPROPRIATE TO INCLUDE
[000:08:24;25] CITIZENSHIP QUESTIONS ON THE
[000:08:26;18] CENSUS IT NEVERTHELESS HELD
[000:08:28;15] THAT THE COMMERCE DEPARTMENT DID
[000:08:29;15] NOT ADEQUATELY EXPLAIN ITS
[000:08:32;25] DECISIONS FOR DOING SO ON THE
[000:08:34;18] 2020 CENSUS.
[000:08:37;11] BECAUSE AS THE SUPREME COURT
[000:08:39;05] RECOGNIZED THE DEFECT IN THE
[000:08:40;25] COMMERCE DEPARTMENT'S DECISION
[000:08:42;04] WAS CURABLE WITH A BETTER
[000:08:44;19] RECORD THE PRESIDENT ASKED ME
[000:08:45;23] TO WORK WITH SECRETARY ROSS TO
[000:08:48;21] DETERMINE WHETHER THERE REMAINED
[000:08:50;11] A VIABLE PATH FOR INCLUDING A
[000:08:53;08] CITIZENSHIP QUESTION ON THE
[000:08:55;12] CENSUS.
[000:08:56;09] I DID SO.
[000:08:57;03] IN MY VIEW THE GOVERNMENT HAS
[000:08:59;01] AMPLE JUSTIFICATION TO INQUIRE
[000:09:01;07] ABOUT CITIZENSHIP STATUS ON THE
[000:09:03;08] CENSUS AND COULD PLAINLY PROVIDE
[000:09:06;05] RATIONALES FOR DOING SO THAT
[000:09:08;10] WOULD SATISFY THE SUPREME COURT.
[000:09:11;26] THEREFORE, THERE IS NO QUESTION
[000:09:13;06] THAT A NEW DECISION TO ADD THE
[000:09:15;27] QUESTION WOULD ULTIMATELY
[000:09:17;24] SURVIVE LEGAL REVIEW.
[000:09:20;17] THE PROBLEM IS THAT ANY NEW
[000:09:23;01] DECISION WOULD BE SUBJECT TO
[000:09:24;25] IMMEDIATE CHALLENGE AS A NEW
[000:09:26;25] CLAIM IN THE THREE ONGOING
[000:09:29;21] DISTRICT COURT CASES.
[000:09:30;09] IN ADDITION THERE ARE
[000:09:31;29] INJUNCTIONS CURRENTLY IN PLACE
[000:09:34;05] THAT FORBID ADDING THE QUESTION.
[000:09:37;06] THERE IS SIMPLY NO WAY TO
[000:09:38;22] LITIGATE THESE ISSUES AND OBTAIN
[000:09:40;21] RELIEF FROM THE CURRENT
[000:09:42;29] INJUNCTIONS IN TIME TO IMPLEMENT
[000:09:45;07] ANY NEW DECISION WITHOUT
[000:09:48;01] JEOPARDIZING OUR ABILITY TO
[000:09:49;01] CARRY OUT THE CENSUS WHICH WE
[000:09:52;09] ARE NOT GOING TO DO.
[000:09:53;24] WE'RE NOT GOING TO JEOPARDIZE
[000:09:55;09] OUR ABILITY TO CARRY OUT THE
[000:09:57;22] CENSUS.
[000:09:58;02] SO AS A PRACTICAL MATTER THE
[000:10:00;28] SUPREME COURT'S DECISION CLOSED
[000:10:03;25] ALL PATHS TO ADDING THE QUESTION
[000:10:05;09] TO THE 2020 CENSUS.
[000:10:07;09] PUT SIMPLY THE IMPEDIMENT WAS
[000:10:09;21] NOT -- WAS A LOGISTICAL
[000:10:12;24] IMPEDIMENT NOT A LEGAL ONE.
[000:10:14;01] WE SIMPLY CANNOT COMPLETE THE
[000:10:16;16] LITIGATION IN TIME TO CARRY OUT
[000:10:19;00] THE CENSUS.
[000:10:20;10] ONE OTHER POINT ON THIS.
[000:10:22;09] SOME IN THE MEDIA HAVE BEEN
[000:10:24;24] SUGGESTING IN THE HYSTERICAL
[000:10:27;01] MODE OF THE DAY THAT THE
[000:10:28;11] ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN PLANNING
[000:10:29;10] TO ADD THE CITIZENSHIP QUESTION
[000:10:32;11] TO THE CENSUS BY EXECUTIVE FIAT
[000:10:35;29] WITHOUT REGARD TO CONTRARY CORD
[000:10:38;09] ORDERS OR WHAT THE SUPREME COURT
[000:10:39;20] MIGHT SAY.
[000:10:40;09] THIS HAS BEEN BASED ON RANK
[000:10:43;01] SPECULATION AND NOTHING MORE.
[000:10:44;25] AS SHOULD BE OBVIOUS, THERE HAS
[000:10:47;14] NEVER BEEN -- THIS HAS NEVER
[000:10:50;02] BEEN UNDER CONSIDERATION.
[000:10:51;25] WE HAVE ALWAYS ACCEPTED THAT ANY
[000:10:53;12] NEW DECISION TO ADD A
[000:10:56;24] CITIZENSHIP QUESTION TO THE
[000:10:58;21] CENSUS WOULD BE SUBJECT TO
[000:11:01;16] JUDICIAL REVIEW.
[000:11:02;19] TURNING TO TODAY, I APPLAUD THE
[000:11:04;24] PRESIDENT FOR RECOGNIZING IN HIS
[000:11:07;21] EXECUTIVE ORDER THAT INCLUDING A
[000:11:08;17] QUESTION ON THE CENSUS IS NOT
[000:11:10;22] THE ONLY WAY TO OBTAIN THIS
[000:11:13;24] VITAL INFORMATION.
[000:11:14;22] THE COURSE THE PRESIDENT HAS
[000:11:16;22] CHOSEN TODAY WILL BRING
[000:11:18;11] UNPRECEDENTED RESOURCES TO BEAR
[000:11:21;11] ON DETERMINING HOW MANY CITIZENS
[000:11:23;04] AND NONCITIZENS ARE IN OUR
[000:11:26;07] COUNTRY AND WILL YIELD THE BEST
[000:11:27;22] DATA THE GOVERNMENT HAS HAD ON
[000:11:30;04] CITIZENSHIP IN MANY DECADES.
[000:11:33;09] THAT INFORMATION WILL BE USED
[000:11:34;16] FOR COUNTLESS PURPOSES AS THE
[000:11:36;07] PRESIDENT EXPLAINED IN HIS
[000:11:38;12] REMARKS TODAY.
[000:11:38;26] FOR EXAMPLE, THERE IS A CURRENT
[000:11:41;07] DISPUTE OVER WHETHER ILLEGAL
[000:11:42;22] ALIENS CAN BE INCLUDED FOR A
[000:11:45;25] PORTIONMENT PURPOSES.
[000:11:47;21] DEPENDING ON THE RESOLUTION OF
[000:11:49;03] THAT DISPUTE, THIS DATA MAY BE
[000:11:52;13] RELEVANT TO THOSE
[000:11:54;07] CONSIDERATIONS.
[000:11:54;22] WE WILL BE STUDYING THIS ISSUE.
[000:11:57;11] CONGRATULATIONS, AGAIN, MR.
[000:11:58;19] PRESIDENT, ON TAKING THIS
[000:11:59;20] EFFECTIVE ACTION.
[000:12:04;28] >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH
[000:12:06;02] EVERYBODY.
[000:12:06;13] THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[000:12:07;21] [ APPLAUSE ]
[000:13:17;14] >>> THE ENERGY SUBCOMMITTEE IS
[000:13:18;28] LOOKING INTO THREATS TO THE U.S.
[000:13:20;21] POWER GRID.
[000:13:21;13] TODAY MEMBERS WILL HEAR ABOUT
[000:13:23;06] THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S EFFORTS
[000:13:23;29] TO SECURE THE ELECTRIC GRID FROM
[000:13:26;22] CYBERSECURITY RISKS.
[000:13:27;29] OFFICIALS FROM THE ENERGY
[000:13:28;26] DEPARTMENT AND ENERGY REGULATORS
[000:13:30;12] ALONG WITH A REPRESENTATIVE OF
[000:13:31;22] THE ELECTRIC UTILITY PROVIDERS
[000:13:33;25] WILL BE ANSWERING QUESTIONS
[000:13:34;29] TODAY.
[000:13:35;08] THIS IS LIVE COVERAGE ON C-SPAN
[000:13:36;00] 3.