Speaker Pelosi Remarks at America COMPETES Act Press Event

San Francisco – Speaker Nancy Pelosi joined Representative Barbara Lee, Representative Doris Matsui and Bay Area education, research and private sector leaders to highlight the House's passage of the America COMPETES Act. Below are the Speaker's remarks:

Speaker Pelosi. Thank you, Dr. Witherell. As you were speaking, of course, I was moved by all that you had to say and also impressed by the humility that some of us bring to this conversation. So much that we saw today is about the future. So much of it depends on the intellectual resources that are available here and the opportunity that is here, and we'll talk about that in the bill.

But your remarks prove a point that I make all the time – not at your level of erudition, but – the erudition – but when people ask me, ‘What are the answers to some of the challenges that we face?' I always say the same thing: science, science, science and science.

And as you indicated – that's an applause line. We'll take that.

[Applause]

And that – as — whether we're talking about the health of the American people and the world, whether we're talking about the economy and job creation and being in the forefront of our, for our country, but also lifting up everyone in the world economically, or whether we're talking about the national security of our country, to be qualitatively in the forefront of all of that, for protecting our planet, for protecting the environment. All of these things are our generational responsibility, but also our current – meeting our current needs.

So thank you, Doctor, for your leadership in all of those areas. And it's amazing to see the connection between biology and technology and how everything has benefited, especially in the time of COVID. I also want to thank Dr. Michael Drake, president, thank you for your leadership and your hospitality today. Dr. Steve Kevan, he just – he gave us a beautiful tour just now – where, Steven, is he up here? Where is Steven? Steven, thank you so much for that.

And we are going to be hearing from Dr. Jonelle Basso. Thank you for sharing your exciting work. We also heard from students that I want to acknowledge, and they are – well I know them by their first names, but in addition to Dr. Basso, Tristan Gilbert, Michelle Chow and Alejandro Mora Mendez – the future in all of you.

[Applause]

Because that's really what it's all about. The future. So Berkeley Lab exemplifies America's ingenuity, advancing research that will be bolstered by the America COMPETES Act, which we are here to talk about. It was passed by the House, thanks to – by Congresswoman Barbara Lee, a voice for American values on the world stage. So proud of her own district, of which this is so much a part of. Thank you Barbara Lee for your leadership.

[Applause]

And Congresswoman Doris Matsui, a Member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, who has led the fight for CHIPS funding that is in this legislation. And Pat – oh my goodness, Pat Gelsinger, the – he is the CEO of Intel. And I think, if there has been one relentless, persistent, dissatisfied advocate for this legislation, it was Pat.

[Laughter]

I also want to recognize Intel as a beacon of excellence and innovation. Thank you so much.

So again, it was just a tremendous privilege to tour this facility and meet the brilliant individuals pioneering the future of semiconductors, microbiology and so much more. These researchers embody California's entrepreneurial spirit and technological prowess, helping America deliver the world's biggest breakthroughs. With the America COMPETES Act, the House voted to create jobs, expand research capacity and turbocharge innovation, increasing funds for the Department of [Energy] facilities, like the Advanced Light Source – Dr. Kevan – and more than half of – doubling funds for NSF programs to accelerate – National Science Foundation funds – to accelerate solution-focused research.

COMPETES – let me just talk to you about, a little bit about it, because COMPETES will power the success of our workers as well as our businesses, helping us compete globally. Helping us do that – build more products here at home, cost – lower costs.

This is a piece of legislation that will enable our President, our government – whatever it is, but at this time our President – to declare us independent, self-sufficient in terms of how we address the factors of production needed for us to prevail. Appropriating $52 billion to ensure that America leads the way on semiconductor fabrication, building on the ALS's research to prevent costly chip shortages.

Pat — Mr. Chips.

[Laughter]

And then it authorizes $45 billion to fix our broken supply chains by strengthening American manufacturing and boosting production across key industries, from health and agriculture to energy and IT. These investments will create good-paying union jobs and transport our nation into the future, supercharging our success at home and the ability to win on the world stage. To – thank you all for showing our nation the importance of investing in research, because we can make the argument for more funding when we show the success of what has been done.

Previous COMPETES bills were driven by ideas born in the Bay Area, and that ingenuity continues to drive us today. We started in the Bay Area – now we go 2006 – 2005, 2006 and traveled the country. They said, ‘Why don't you start with MIT?' I said, ‘Because we started in the Bay Area, where it all began.' And we actually – part of that work was to produce ARPA-E, that legislation sprang from that. And now we go beyond.

As we negotiate where – House — what's happening is one bill passed the Senate, one bill the House. We have some differences, not irreconcilable, but nonetheless worthy of discussion. And then that will – we'll go to what we call ‘reconciliation' and then onto the President to be signed into law.

Ensuring that projects like the ALS can do more than keep pace – we need you to continue, as you have, leading the technologies of the future. And it is a pretty exciting thing.

I just want to tell you a couple more things about it, because when it comes to young people – and that's what we talked about earlier, the future. We're investing in our future. The young bright minds here remind us winning the future means supporting our students.

The COMPETES Act — will strengthen and diversify our nation's talent pool by funding greater access to STEM education and K-12 public schools – we've been advocating that for a long time – breaking down barriers to STEM jobs faced by women and people of color, and providing new resources from research funding to high school apprenticeships. By supporting the next generation, America will enhance our technological and economic dominance for decades to come.

Again, thank you here, all of you, for showing the nation the importance of investing in research. Previous COMPETES bills, again, were driven by the Bay Area. As we negotiate, we will do so with the idea of that – science, science, science and science – that it's absolutely essential that we do so.

So now, it's my privilege to yield to a vital partner in all of this. A fighter for everything in her magnificent district, in which she takes great pride. She has been here before. Some of you have met her before. It is not the first visit for many of us. Look, I haven't been here in a while – Barbara's a regular. It's a privilege to yield to Barbara Lee.

You may not know this about Barbara Lee, but let me tell you this: she is so important. Of course, her district comes first. She's always bragging about it and the rest. Our districts abut on the Bay Bridge.

[Laughter]

We have our competition as to our progressive nature of our Districts.

But you may not know this about her: she is the very important Chairwoman of the Appropriations Committee that funds State Department, Foreign Ops, everything to do with foreign policy.

So we were just in Israel, we were in Munich for the Security Conference, and we were in the U.K. to discuss what's happening in Ukraine. And she was the most sought-after person on our delegation. She's got the purse strings for — whether it's loan guarantees for Ukraine, whether it's humanitarian assistance, whether — so many things that deal with our national security.

And it's my honor to present to you – you don't need an introduction to her, but I will present to you – Madam Chair, Barbara Lee.

***

Speaker Pelosi. Thank you. I accept all compliments on behalf of the House Democrats, who have the courage to support all of these. We had an overwhelming vote on this.

We took the time to discuss it. Some of it repetitive, but just to make the point. This is – this is transformative. This is just – a collaboration of such magnitude that it will make a tremendous difference as to the independence of our country, the self-sufficiency of our country — the recognition that science not only plays but leads the way in everything, as I said before, from health to jobs to security to saving the planet.

So we thank Berkeley for what you do. And I want to acknowledge, because it's just – I'm so thrilled to meet Jennifer Doudna. Thank you so much for your leadership.

[Applause]

But in recognizing – you, recognizing so many people, and when you were speaking, Pat, about the 150 – was it yards or miles? What years – whatever the 150 was, it's a horizon and we always – you never reach it, but you always aspire to it, and that aspiration, with the intellectual resources, the training, the opportunity that is provided, is a great thing for our country.

Now if you have any really difficult questions, they're all going to answer them. I would have worn red. I didn't wear blue just to wear blue, but my red was not clean.

[Laughter]

In any event, now that we've got our housekeeping in order, we're happy to take any questions from the press. I want – if you will, stay with the subject at hand at least for the start. Any questions regarding the COMPETES Act and our purpose here today?

Yes, ma'am.

Q. Speaker Pelosi, you know, there's a lot of concern over the raw material supplies and what's going on in Ukraine and Russia, and how that's going to impact – how – where are we going there, with these raw materials that are needed to produce these chips?

Speaker Pelosi. Well, what is very important about the COMPETES Act is that it enables us, as I said – I've used the word a couple of times: independent and self-sufficient. The supply – there are two issues you mentioned: chips and supply chain. The supply chain issue is a big one and, as Doris Matsui said, partially due to COVID but not entirely – more of it just a path that we had been on.

And this relates to inflation in our country, too, because the smaller the supply, the bigger the price. And that's something that we address in this legislation as well by addressing the supply chain.

Well, just a matter of history. A while back some country – companies in our country decided it was cheaper to make some things offshore. So a lot of the factors – the raw materials then moved offshore, and in doing so, it made us dependent. This legislation brings that – much of that home.

And it not only brings it home from countries of concern, shall we say, but it also has some nearshoring of friendly countries that can be – not political in terms of supplying those raw materials. So you really have to read – this bill is very comprehensive and very precise in that regard, offering opportunities for grants, for loans, for loan guarantees and the rest, for companies to bring things home. But some of that in the loan category to nearshore on the way home.

So that's how we're addressing that, in terms of the chips. This is – you know, we – as Pat – [CEO] of Intel said, they – that it is – what is it? $37 billion. You know – Arizona, Ohio? Ohio, Mexico – New Mexico.

So you can just imagine the enthusiasm for our colleagues, for that domestic production being invested here at home. But we feel that this is the – this is the path that we have to take, to get past judgments about offshoring, because the costs are lower. But really, what we're doing now is to bring them home as good-paying jobs in our country and respecting that other countries – on our pathway to bringing it home as soon as possible.

Any colleagues want to say something about that?

***

Q. One quick question. Obviously there's – it's not just American companies – but European companies are starting to rethink their – they have any businesses, close business ties with Russia. Is that – is that impacting Intel at all right now? Any relations that you guys might have with Russian partners, and if you're questioning that, whether to move forward with everything that's going on?

Speaker Pelosi. If we could just talk about Ukraine separately, we'd just like to stay on the bill right now. And your first question was about the bill. Anything else about the COMPETES Act that anyone would like to add? And we anticipate all of your questions. Yes?

Q. To the Speaker or the CEO: what do you see as the key issues to work out with the Senate?

Speaker Pelosi. Well, none of our issues with the Senate are irreconcilable. It's just a different approach that we had in the House to the Senate. But I think that we probably – half the bill is done. Pretty much on the side – already done. And we are right now, evaluating three categories. What do we have in common? What do we have to tweak? And what are some major concerns that we have? That is a very narrow list. Did you want to speak to that?

***

Speaker Pelosi. I'd like to praise our Chair of the Science, Space and Technology Committee, Eddie Bernice Johnson, Chairwoman from Texas. She spent her life focusing – her life in Congress focusing on this, commands respect at the scientific and academic community. And her approach is a little different from the Senate approach. And again, none of it irreconcilable. But it's called a negotiation. We call it a reconciliation because we know it will be reconciled.

Any other questions on – okay, any questions or any other subject? No?

[Laughter]

Speaker Pelosi. Did you want to go back to yours?

Q.A question for all three of you, especially you, Congresswoman Lee. But – we could have a refugee crisis. We could have tens of thousands if not millions of Ukrainians. We're seeing it happen in Poland. Is the United States ready to take in any of these possible refugees coming in from Ukraine?

Speaker Pelosi. Well, Barbara Lee's Committee is in charge of the funding. I'm going to yield to her on that.

Right now – right now, we are just hoping to minimize the loss of life in Ukraine, both – when – in a classified briefing, because I can't go into the exact numbers, but in a classified briefing right before – like about a week and a half ago, the number of civilians that could be killed under this circumstance, as well as the number of military, on both sides. For what reason? For what purpose?

How do you explain to the mothers of Russia that their children are coming home in body bags, to humor the – whatever, of the president of their country.

So again, this – right now, the focus is on that, that resolving of the challenge that is there.

When we were in – in Munich, Barbara and I, we heard from the President of Ukraine – came and spoke to the group. And the President – the Mayor of the City of Kyiv came and spoke to us directly in our small group. And he basically, right now, is taking up arms to fight.

This is an assault on democracy. It's an assault on the Ukraine. It's an assault on the – democracy. It's an assault on the United States. Because that is what the President of Russia wants to do, is to show that democracies don't work and cannot thrive. He cannot stand having a thriving democracy at his doorstep, so that the people of Russia can see what a better life can be. So this is where our focus is.

Now, in terms of refugees, in terms of humanitarian assistance, in terms of funding for lethal weapons and non-lethal weapons for the Ukrainians to defend themselves, I'm going to yield to Barbara on that score.

But I do – will say what the President – this conversation with the President was released this morning – we are not going in. He is not – he, Putin, is not going to provoke the world into – the NATO and the rest of us into World War III. If that's his goal, he will not succeed. If his goal was to split NATO, he has failed. NATO has never been stronger.

But as I said earlier, Barbara was the most – the person in most demand. Madam Chair of the purse strings. I yield to her.

Congresswoman Lee. Thank you, Madam Speaker. Just a couple of things with regard to the humanitarian assistance and refugee assistance.

Currently, the Administration made public, I believe it was yesterday, that we have sent USAID, several — probably close to twenty individuals — as part of a disaster rescue assistance team to make an assessment of what we need to know, what we need to do, how much funding we need to look at, to make sure that this humanitarian crisis – that we're prepared for it, because we know what is taking place right now. And so we're working with the Administration to make sure we have the funding, whatever that is, and we haven't come up with the numbers yet, but our team there, they're based right now in Poland, they're going to give us that – their assessment.

Secondly, on refugee assistance, the Administration talked about and said we're going to do everything we can do to make sure that we allow for refugees to come to our country.

It's important. People are dying. They're fleeing. People are afraid. It's traumatizing – their families are here, their relatives – and it's upon us to do everything we can do to make sure that they are supported as they flee such a – such a slaughter that is taking place.

So thank you again, but we are definitely looking at the funding. But oh — and the loan guarantees are for sure, because there are economic reforms taking place right now in Ukraine but the Administration put forth a $1 billion request for loan guarantees to continue with the economic reform efforts. Of course, the economy needs – right now – well, needs our assistance anyway. Because, prior to the invasion, now and – as whatever takes place, the Ukrainian people are going to still need the economic assistance through our different accounts to help them manage and survive, just through whatever we can do to help through the loan guarantees.

Speaker Pelosi. Thank you, Barbara. Barbara the – I think it's really important for people to understand the brilliance with which President Biden is conducting this. This is a man who served decades as Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee. He knows. He knows the arena. He knows the personalities. He knows what we have to do and what the sequencing of it is. So when people say, ‘Well, why don't we do this on the first day?' Let's trust the judgment that he has in this regard. And this is – apparently, an assault on the world order. You hear – what's his name? Putin, talking about what — everything in his arsenal, including nuclear and the rest.

Well, that – you know – this has to be stopped. It has to be stopped, and not having violence beget violence, but violence to be stopped. And Barbara Lee, I think you would agree that the President is exhausting every remedy, every remedy.

Congresswoman Lee. And has led on the diplomatic front – and has unified, quite frankly, all of our allies in the world really. To put diplomacy, and to develop non-violent approaches to try to get some resolve to this terrible crisis that's taking place. But I can just say, this is one of the few times I've really seen diplomacy, as being the first priority to try to mitigate against the invasion and what has taken place.

Speaker Pelosi. And in the meantime, let us all pray for the people of Ukraine, because they're undergoing a very, very sad situation.

I'll just close by saying – did I say close before, already?

[Laughter]

Well, this time – this time I think I mean it.

I think – yesterday morning, I had the occasion – to have conversation with the Speaker of their Parliament in Ukraine. And what was so sad about it was that he was talking about the children. The children. And some children were being carted off to Russia in those regions that they have tried to take over and – and – but the children seeing, going from a peaceful democratic country to one that is under assault, as he assaults democracy, is such a tragedy.

So again, the unity of not only NATO — it's 30 countries in NATO — but other countries that, New Zealand, Australia, Japan, other countries throughout the world, in solidarity for democracy, for sovereignty, for – peacefully, diplomatically, with sanctions and other tools to stop the violence.

So thank you all very much. And by the way, what we're doing here – on what the chips, and the technology and the rest and Pat referenced – is very important to our global security. Because from the standpoint of our military, we consider the strength of our country, our health and education of our people, the – the technological strength that we have – but this leads to how we digital, how we have digital security measures, whether it's how we arm our troops. And again, if we're not on the forefront of doing this, and we insist on old ways, we will not prevail.

So again, science is about keeping us safe, as well as healthy, well-employed and in a safe planet. Thank you all for making all that possible.