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Jan. 30, 2025 00:41-01:17 - CSPAN
35:58
President Trump Signs Laken Riley Act
Participants
Main
d
donald j trump
admin 17:15
Appearances
m
muriel bowser
02:38
s
sean duffy
admin 01:24
Clips
r
roger marshall
sen/r 00:18
|

Speaker Time Text
unidentified
At 10 a.m. Eastern, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will be back on Capitol Hill testifying at a second confirmation hearing.
Mr. Kennedy, who is President Trump's pick to head up the Health and Human Services Department, will take questions from members of the Senate Health Committee.
The U.S. Senate returns to session and will continue work on more of President Trump's cabinet nominees, including Doug Bergham to be Interior Secretary and later Chris Wright to be Energy Secretary.
And on C-SPAN 3, live at 9.30 a.m. Eastern, Kash Patel, President Trump's pick to lead the FBI, will speak to senators about his nomination before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
These events all stream live on the free C-SPAN Now video app and online at c-SPAN.org.
President Trump signed into law the Lake and Riley Act, which calls for the detention of undocumented immigrants accused of theft or violent crime.
It's the first piece of legislation he signed into law in his second term.
The president also commented on his mandate for federal workers to return to the office or resign by the end of September of this year and a freeze on federal grant aid, rescinded just hours prior, that he said had allowed administration officials to save hundreds of millions in misspent federal dollars.
Ladies and gentlemen, the President of the United States.
donald j trump ▲ ● ▼
you very much.
Please, thank you very much.
Before we begin, I want to provide a brief report on the unprecedented success our country has been witnessing in recent weeks.
Since even before the election, we've been making extraordinary progress.
The American people gave us a clear mandate to save our country and we won all seven swing states by large margins, historic.
Very importantly, we won the popular vote by millions and millions of votes.
Also, all 50 states, as you know, shifted toward the Republican Party, and that's never happened before.
All 50, every single one of them.
In our first week in office, we set records taking over 350 executive actions.
That's not been done before.
And it has reportedly been the single most effective opening week of any presidency in history.
And we want to keep it that way.
We want to keep it going.
We want to keep it going.
We've broken from decades of failed Washington policies and restored common sense and sanity to our government.
We've unleashed American energy and we've already achieved record low illegal immigration.
As you see, there's nobody trying to get in.
And that's what we've been waiting for for a long time and gotten woke ideologies out of our government and out of our military.
The water has now begun flowing in California as we continue to increase the flow in coming days.
Nobody's seen anything like that.
And I've also taken strong action to regain control of the Washington bureaucracy.
Just for clarification purposes, because it was incorrectly reported yesterday, we have informed the federal workforce, which they've looked to do for many years, that if they're working for the federal government, they must show up to the office on time and on schedule.
We don't want them to work from home because, as everyone knows, most of the time they're not working, they're not very productive, and it's unfair to the millions of people in the United States who are in fact working hard from job sites and not from their home.
As federal employees, they must meet a high standard.
They're representing our government.
They're representing our country.
If they don't agree by February 6th to show up back to work in their office, they will be terminated and we will therefore be downscaling our government, which is something that the last 10 presidents have tried very hard to do but failed.
Most of the people we're talking about have not been going to their federal offices in many, many years, from even before COVID.
But they have nevertheless been paid.
Some have worked, some haven't worked, and most of the studies say that some have just gone through the motions.
We may ask these people to prove that they didn't have another job during their so-called employment with the United States of America, because if they did, that would be unlawful.
As you understand, a lot of people are getting paychecks, but they're actually working other jobs, so they'll have to prove that to us, that they weren't.
In any event, we're requiring them to show up to work or be terminated.
We think a very substantial number of people will not show up to work, and therefore our government will get smaller and more efficient, and that's what we've been looking to do for many, many decades, frankly.
Thank you.
In addition, there was a short-term pause or funding freeze on certain discretionary spending payments, such as government grants, only for us to quickly look at the scams, dishonesty, waste, and abuse that's taken place in our government for too long.
As was explicitly stated, this in no way affected Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, or other entitlements that Americans depend on.
I've made abundantly clear from the very first day that I ran from office.
That was a long time ago now.
That's 2015.
If you think about it, I announced in 2015 and we won in 2016.
We did very well in 2020, but we did really well just recently.
And I'm restating right now to correct any confusion that the media has purposely and somehow for whatever reason created Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid have not been affected by any action we're taking in any way, shape, or form.
We are merely looking at parts of the big bureaucracy where there has been tremendous waste and fraud and abuse.
In that process, we identified and stopped $50 million being sent to Gaza to buy condoms for Hamas.
50 million.
And you know what's happened to them?
They've used them as a method of making bombs.
How about that?
We stopped an attempt to make an illicit payment for illegal alien resettlement.
We canceled $181 million in DEI training contracts.
This is just for the training of people in DEI, which has been terminated and completely terminated.
And we paused $1.7 billion in unauthorized payments to foreign organizations, including stopping more than $40 million that was on its way out the door to the very corrupt World Health Organization, which has not done its job and not done it properly.
We also blocked $45 million for diversity scholarships in Burma.
$45, that's a lot of money for diversity scholarships in Burma.
You can imagine where that money went.
These were the types of payments and many others.
I could stand here all day and tell you things that we found.
And we have to find them quickly because we want the money to flow to proper places.
But these were the payments and types of payments affected by the temporary freeze.
And the American people strongly support these efforts.
I talked about it during the campaign, and they voted for us in record numbers.
Every single day we're now putting America first and fighting to get the most out of every single tax dollar for our great citizens.
We've gathered this afternoon to take another historic action.
However, in a few moments, the Lakin-Riley Act will become the very first bill that I proudly sign into law as the 47th President of the United States.
Lakin was a brilliant and beautiful 22-year-old nursing student from Georgia, the best in her class.
She was always the best.
They would say, Lakin, how do you do this?
And what do you do?
They were always asking her questions.
She was respected by everybody, even her teachers.
They respected her so much.
From the time she was in first grade, Lakin knew she wanted to spend her time caring for others.
That's what she did.
To her friends and classmates, she was a light of warmth and kindness in every single room.
To her parents and family, she was everything in the world.
They've had a miserable period of time.
Just after 9 a.m. last February 22nd, Lakin went out for a jog on the campus of the University of Georgia, but she just never returned.
She never came back, did she?
Parents are here.
Sister, all of her relatives.
While on her run, Lakin was attacked, viciously assaulted, beaten, brutalized, and murdered by an illegal alien gang member who was set loose into our country by the last administration.
We are deeply honored to be joined today by Lakin's parents, Allison and John, and her sister Lauren.
Thank you very much.
unidentified
Thank you.
donald j trump ▲ ● ▼
So sad.
We were together right after that happened, and it's a tremendous tribute to your daughter, what's taking place today.
That's all I can say.
But it's so sad we have to be doing it at all.
Thank you very much for being here.
To Lakin's family, we will keep Lakin's memory alive in our hearts forever, everyone's hearts.
With today's action, her name will also live forever in the laws of our country.
And this is a very important law.
This is something that has brought Democrats and Republicans together.
That's not easy to do.
Lakin did it.
Lakin did it.
America will never ever forget Lakin Hope Riley.
The vicious criminal who murdered Precious Lakin was an illegal alien member of the barbaric Venezuelan prison gang known as Trende Aragua.
He trespassed across our southern border in 2022 and was apprehended by Border Patrol, but under the cruel policies of the last administration, instead of being deported as he should have been, he was released into the United States, as were millions of other people, many of them very dangerous people.
And you see what we're doing?
We're getting the hell out of here.
He was soon arrested again in New York City on charges of endangering a child, but because of New York City's deadly sanctuary policies, as we have in California and many other places, which we're ending.
we're going to end them.
He was released again to reoffend.
The Biden administration then provided this illegal alien criminal with a free taxpayer-funded flight from New York to Georgia, where he was arrested yet again, constantly, this time for stealing from a Walmart along with his gang member brother, who was a bad one.
Only after being released a third time by the U.S. law enforcement did this cold-blooded criminal go out in that fateful morning hunting for women on whom to prey.
That's what he did.
He hunted.
He hunted.
It was like a hunter.
I'm going to show him who the hunter is.
This horrific atrocity should never have been allowed to happen.
And as president, I'm fighting every single day to ensure that such a tragedy never happens again.
We don't want this to happen.
And under the law, thank you.
Under the law I'm signing today, the Department of Homeland Security will be required to detain all illegal aliens who have been arrested for theft, burglary, larceny, shoplifting, assaulting a police officer, murder, or any crime that results in death or serious injury.
In addition, for the first time ever, this act gives state governments the ability to sue the federal government for immediate injunctive relief if any future administration ever again refuses to enforce the immigration laws of the United States like happened for four long years.
And that was happening for four long years, frightful years.
Amazing.
You'd say, how can people do this?
How can they allow this to happen?
How can they allow criminals to pour into our country and then try and defend it?
And they're still trying to defend it, but they can't.
That's why I'm here instead of somebody else, actually.
It's the biggest reason.
I believe it's the single biggest reason.
Inflation was horrible.
Many things were horrible during that administration.
When you look at what took place in Afghanistan, the way they got out, not that they got out, but the way so many things were horrible.
But to me, this was the worst of all.
It's a landmark law that we're doing today.
It's going to save countless innocent American lives.
I want to thank every House Republican, every Senate Republican, as well as the 12 Senate Democrats and the 48 House Democrats who voted to pass this vitally important bill, and many of them are with us today.
And I really do appreciate it.
And I very much especially appreciate the bipartisan support.
The Democrats, really a big percentage of them came through, and plenty of them wanted to.
They probably felt they couldn't, but they really wanted to, that they don't understand that would have made them a lot more popular, would have made them a lot better with their people.
The ones that didn't are going to be, they're going to be sorry because the people are not going to forget that they wouldn't sign.
This is a perfect, incredible tribute to an unbelievable young lady.
We're joined today by many great supporters of our new strong border policies, and they are indeed strong, including Vice President Vance.
Thank you, JD.
The Secretary Scott Besant, who just got approved, by the way.
Where's Scott?
He just got approved.
Scott, I'm very impressed.
Got a lot of Democrat votes, too.
He got a lot of Democrat votes.
It's great.
I don't know.
Is that a good thing or a bad thing?
I'll have to think about that.
Secretary of Homeland Security, who's going to be fantastic.
I know her so well.
And I know it's probably not complimentary because she is a woman, but she is tough.
Where is she?
Where is Christy?
Christy, Christy, great.
Stand up, please.
You have such an important job to do.
Really great.
Thank you very much.
And don't let that look fool you.
That look is, she's tough, and she cannot stand what she's, that she's having to sit here and even listen to this today.
Another one who's done a job like nobody that I've seen in a long time, Tom Holman, he's my friend, but he is something special.
He's something special.
Great.
And Tom and Christy, the numbers are unbelievable what's happened.
It's like just shut down.
Nobody thought that was even possible.
It's just shut down.
They showed an area that a year ago had thousands and thousands of people rushing into our country.
And today there was nobody there.
It was like a beautiful sight.
And also Senate Majority Whip John Barroso.
Great guy.
Great guy.
Thank you, John.
And I also want to thank the bill sponsors, Senator Katie Britt.
Katie.
Thank you, Katie.
And Congressman Mike Collins.
And Mike, you were fantastic from Georgia.
He took this.
He loves his state, and he took this very personally.
So it's, thank you very much, Mike.
As well as Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley.
Chuck is here someplace.
Chuck, thank you very much.
You look great.
And House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, who's a special guy, special man.
And House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mark Green.
Thank you very much.
Thank you, Mark.
And we have many other congressmen and senators, but I'm not going to introduce because this is about your daughter.
This is about something that's so important, and we're going to just go along.
Thank you also.
We have to say Bert Jones is in the room and Bert is your lieutenant governor and he was on this like you wouldn't believe.
Thank you very much.
I see you sitting there.
Thank you very much.
So we have state, local officials, we have law enforcement organizations, we have everybody.
Most of them are in the room or represented in the room and they're incredible people and I've never seen them come together like they have for this.
I've done many of these, not of this kind, but different bills, different passages having to do with many different things from Homeland Security to inner security to taxes to 50 different items.
Never seen such support as you have today and as your great daughter has today.
So I've never seen anything like it and we have to thank your daughter for that, because she's going to save a lot of lives.
She's going to be responsible for saving a lot of lives.
So I'd like to just say to the angel families, I've been with them and they've been with me from 2015, when I first Got this crazy idea in my head to run for president because we can do better as a country.
I want to thank so many of the people that are here that have been the angel moms and we call them angel moms, but they're angel families, fathers and sons and daughters, but they've suffered tremendously like you have for no reason whatsoever.
I want to thank Alexis Nungari, the mother of 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungari, murdered last summer by two illegal alien gang members.
unidentified
We'll leave this here to get the latest on that mid-air collision between a passenger plane and a military helicopter near Washington, D.C. American Airlines to begin having a direct non-stop flight service to DCA.
That flight has been in existence about a year.
And it is certainly true that in Kansas and in Wichita in particular, we're going to know people who are on this flight, know their family members, know somebody.
So this is a very personal circumstance as well as an official response.
And again, we will do everything we can to make certain that we're supportive of the rescue efforts and we'll do everything we can to make certain that our subcommittee and Congress is engaged in what needs to take place following the outcome of this evening and this month's kind of investigation.
I've talked to NTSB, I've talked to the White House, I've talked to the Department of Defense, and I've talked to the CEO of American Airlines, and there is all of us pulling together for the best outcome possible.
I'm honored to be here with my colleague, Senator Marshall, as we try to make certain that we care for those certainly back in Kansas that were on that flight.
But it's a reminder that there are people here in Washington, D.C., in this region, in Virginia, and Maryland, and many places else that fly to and from Kansas.
And so we're rooting and supporting all those, regardless of where you're from.
And Mayor, I appreciate the gathering here for us to try to provide information to those in Kansas and across your city.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you, Senator Moran and Mayor, Secretary.
roger marshall ▲ ● ▼
You know, when one person dies, it's a tragedy, but when many, many, many people die, it's an unbearable sorrow.
unidentified
It's a heartbreak beyond measure.
And I know Senator Moran and I are here just to say we care.
We wish that there was more we could do, but unfortunately there doesn't seem much at this time.
roger marshall ▲ ● ▼
I want the folks back home to just know that we care, that we love them, and that this is a time when we'll have to join arms together and help each other out.
unidentified
We've been through things like this before, through tornadoes and floods and things, but it's really hard when you lose probably over 60 Kansans simultaneously.
And I don't want to forget the pilots and the flight attendants who are doing their job and the military personnel we lost.
All those lives are so valuable.
And it is such a tragedy that we lost them.
I think often in times like this, I try to find a scripture that is apropos.
And this is from the book of Psalms.
It says, the Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
Certainly, we're crushed in spirit tonight.
We mourn with the families who lost loved ones, and we truly are joining them in prayer and wrapping our arms around them in love and compassion.
Thanks for everybody for coming out tonight, and thank you for your thoughts and your prayers.
muriel bowser ▲ ● ▼
So, certainly, I speak for the people of Washington, 700,000 of us who are extremely sorry for the families who are experiencing loss tonight.
And so, we want you to know that we will continue to work with American Airlines to share information as frequently as possible and make sure that we're getting accurate information out to the public.
But my sorrow for all of the people and crew on the plane and our military personnel on the helicopter is very deep.
I do want to turn to Jack Parter, who is the CEO of our Airports Authority, responsible for Reagan National Airport and Dulles International Airport, to talk to you about how the airport responded and what we're looking, what's going to happen next.
unidentified
Good evening.
As was said, I'm Jack Potter, President and CEO of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority.
Thank you all for being here tonight and under these very, very grim circumstances.
First of all, I want to let you know that we're providing support to all the families who are involved.
American Airlines has established a phone number for them to reach out.
That's been published, but let me repeat it.
It's 1-800-679-8215.
So, families of folks that were on the plane are asked to contact them.
We did have folks who were at the airport to pick up loved ones.
And so, American has set up a center in their American, in their lounge at the north end of the airport, and we've directed the families there.
And there are folks there to councils there to work with the families.
We did have aircraft that were in the air.
They were diverted to Dulles Airport.
Some 19 aircraft, we had personnel united, and others had personnel.
We want to thank WAMATA for extending their hours on the metro to make sure that those folks were accommodated.
Right now, as was said earlier by the chief, we're in a rescue mode.
We will continue in that rescue mode.
I want to thank all of the mutual aid responders, all the counties, the districts, folks from Maryland and Virginia.
Everybody's on site doing the best they can and numerous boats out in the water right now.
NTSB is on site.
I want to thank all of the folks behind me, the Secretary, the Mayor, two senators for all of their support.
And we're going to continue to work through the night.
I do want to make an announcement.
People are concerned about what's going to happen in the morning.
Reagan National Airport will be closed until 11 o'clock.
That's when the first flights will take off.
But we're going to continue to do our best and work through this situation over the course of the night.
And we hope to have more news as it develops.
But for right now, it's a very difficult situation out there with the cold.
It's very dark, but there are numerous boats out there.
There are dive teams out there.
So, again, we'll continue to work this situation.
And I'll turn it back to the mayor.
Thank you very much.
Thanks for that update.
muriel bowser ▲ ● ▼
I do, you've heard that in the National Capital Region, the District of Corus is Washington, D.C., is at the center, but we are a close region.
We have heard from the governors of Maryland and Virginia, the mayor of the city of Baltimore, all who have sent us personnel to help in the rescue operations.
Last thing I'll note is just to our local viewership, and just please let our first responders do their work.
Try to let our vehicles get to scenes and through scenes.
We don't want anybody else to get hurt because of moving vehicles.
unidentified
Okay, so we will be able to take a few questions.
There's not a lot that we can say.
We won't be able to say anything about an investigation.
muriel bowser ▲ ● ▼
As you know, once Fire and EMS completes the rescue operation, then the investigation goes over to the National Transportation Safety Board.
And I'm sure the safety board, NTSB, will provide information about when they will be briefing about an investigation.
unidentified
So we'll take a few.
Yes.
Can you confirm that both aircraft are in the water, and perhaps Chief Donnelly can explain what's involved in conducting an operation like this?
muriel bowser ▲ ● ▼
Yes, both aircraft are in the water.
The focus now is rescuing people, and that's what all of our personnel are focused on.
unidentified
And Chief, I think he's given a pretty good description, but if there's anything else you want to add, Chief, I would just say that the boats are out doing searches.
We have divers on both aircraft, and they're searching the aircraft at this point.
Right.
Yes.
Have any survivors been found and how many bodies have been recovered?
muriel bowser ▲ ● ▼
All we can confirm tonight is the number of people on each aircraft: 64 people on the American Airlines plane and three people on the military helicopter.
unidentified
And we can't provide any more information about recovery efforts.
Two people have talked about lost loved ones.
So how do you know that there might be people who have lost loved ones?
I didn't say I didn't know people had lost loved ones.
I said we can't talk about any of the recovery efforts in specific tonight.
Secretary Duffy, can I?
I'll call one who's next.
Yes?
Thank you, Mayor Bowser.
Will this affect operations at Dallas and VWI?
Will the Potomac River traffic be closed to boats?
Yes.
And so Jack has talked about, Jack, can you talk about Dulles?
I'm not sure we can talk about VWI, but we can talk about Dulles.
There is no impact at BWI or at Dulles.
As I said earlier, our airport here, Ronaldo National Airport, will be closed until 11 o'clock.
Obviously, that will be fluid.
We'll learn more, but we wanted to advise passengers who might be coming to the airport in the morning that we will be closed until at least 11 o'clock.
Secretary Duffy.
A question for Secretary Duffy.
Yes, one second.
You're next.
Hi, Mayor.
Thank you so much.
So, just other than the current situations like we know the water is extremely cold and the virus is very dark outside.
Although, you know, San Francisco now, there are numerous boats in the water.
But what's the still, you know, the biggest challenges for the rescue team?
What past scenario are we going to expect in the coming few hours?
So, the challenges are access.
The water that we're operating in is about eight feet deep.
There is wind, there is pieces of ice out there.
So, it's just dangerous and hard to work in.
And because there's not a lot of lights, you're out there searching every square inch of space to see if you can find anybody.
Divers are doing the same thing in the water.
The water is dark, it is murky, and that is a very tough condition for them to dive in.
The question about the river, we'll make that decision later.
The Coast Guard's on scene, and I would expect that it's not a high-use time in the river, and we should not expect to have recreational traffic on the river tomorrow.
Okay, three questions: one, two, three.
Secretary Duffy, have you been in touch with the airtrack controllers who were in the tower at the time of the crash?
sean duffy ▲ ● ▼
I have not.
unidentified
You have not?
And second question: this is your first several hours in this position.
What are your thoughts?
What are you feeling right now?
sean duffy ▲ ● ▼
My focus is on those who are impacted on this flight.
And again, I've been the Secretary for a little over a day, and the tragedy that we're going to deal with with this recovery I think is touching everyone's hearts, whether it's here in the greater DC area or in Kansas.
And again, I think everyone here is thinking and praying for those who potentially have lost a loved one.
And thank you.
unidentified
Okay, your question?
Can any of you give us any sense about how an accident like this could have happened so close to the airport right in the heart of DC?
There have been reports that the DCA tower contacted the helicopter moments before the crash to ask if they had sight of the aircraft that apparently being helicopter reported that it did have sight of an aircraft.
Is it possible that it had the Roma aircraft in sight?
Do you have any sense of what went wrong in those final moments?
muriel bowser ▲ ● ▼
I know that the National Transportation Safety Board in its investigation will be able to search on all of those questions.
unidentified
We wouldn't be able to talk about that tonight.
Yes?
Two words for Secretary Duffy.
The first thing, you were talking about your own situation when with the President and the Hegseth both being there.
Can you tell us more about the President's initial reactions to this, as well as the exact thing this was a military help?
sean duffy ▲ ● ▼
So I was not in the situation room.
I did have a conversation with the Situation Room where the President was located as well as with Secretary Hegseth.
We're exchanging information.
I would just note that not just the local team but the federal team has performed very well in this crisis.
I know the President is incredibly concerned about what's happened here today.
I'm sure we'll continue to hear more from him and I'll continue to consult with him and Secretary Heckset.
unidentified
When it comes to the resources that he would be able to provide on the federal weapons, you feel you're getting what you need.
sean duffy ▲ ● ▼
Absolutely.
The president has committed to this team and to the NTSB through the DOT that we will provide all resources necessary as we go through this recovery, but also the support from FAA and DOT as the NTSP investigates.
unidentified
Mr. Secretary, do we know the condition of these aircraft?
Are they hole?
Are they split?
Are they pieces?
Again, I don't think we can comment on that.
Our focus is on getting the passengers and crew out of the water.
And just one more clarification, because earlier we've gotten guidance that DCA was going to be shut down at least until Friday at 5 a.m.
I just heard 11 a.m. tomorrow.
Tomorrow.
Tomorrow.
Okay.
Thank you.
Okay, we can take a few more questions.
A question here, a question here, and here.
Mayor Bowser, can you just confirm, has anybody been transported to the hospital?
Again, I can't say anything about the rescue operation right now.
Who was next?
Yes.
Yeah, Chief Donald, can you speak a little bit more about the unified command who leads this phase of the rescue and recovery?
At what point do you then change phases?
Can you describe to us the scene as best you can when first responders first arrive?
So I happened to be listening to the radio this evening when the call came out.
I listened to the responders come in and the initial response, they were very professional trying to locate this.
This is, if you can imagine, the river is a large black spot at night with no lights on it except for a few buoy lights.
So they were out there looking.
The boats pretty quickly were able to locate one of the aircraft and get there.
So that's what's going on right now.
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