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Feb. 6, 2026 19:59-22:01 - CSPAN
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Congresswoman Morrison's Concerns 00:15:28
115th birthday, led by former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
Then, several Minnesota House Democrats speak to reporters after touring an ICE detention center in Minneapolis.
And later, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont delivers his state of the state address on the impact of federal cuts on his state, education policy, and public safety.
The White House has removed a video from President Trump's Truth Social account that included a depiction of former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as apes.
There was swift backlash from lawmakers and others after it was posted.
CNN White House correspondent Elena Treen reports that sources told her Republican lawmakers called Trump directly about the post, asking for it to be removed.
She also notes that a senior White House official told her a White House staffer erroneously made the post, which remained online for 12 hours before it was taken down.
Among those criticizing the president was South Carolina Republican Senator Tim Scott, who wrote on X, praying it was fake because it's the most racist thing I've seen out of this White House.
The president should remove it.
Maine Senator Susan Collins agreed with her colleague on X, saying, Tim is right, this was appalling.
Mississippi Senator Roger Wicker also weighing in, calling the post totally unacceptable and demanding the president apologize.
That same opinion echoed by Nebraska Senator Pete Ricketts, another Republican, who writes, even if this was a Lion King meme, a reasonable person sees the racist context to this.
C-SPAN's Washington Journal, our live forum inviting you to discuss the latest issues in government, politics, and public policy from Washington and across the country.
Coming up Saturday morning, KFF Health News senior editor Stephanie Stapleton talks about the decline in Affordable Care Act enrollment after the enhanced subsidies expired at the end of last year.
Then the executive director of the Arms Control Association, Darrell Kimball, discusses the expiration of a nuclear arms pact between the U.S. and Russia.
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Next, Minnesota House Democrats Representatives Betty McCollum, Angie Craig, and Kelly Morrison speak to reporters after touring an ICE detention center in Minneapolis.
So I'm Congresswoman McCollum, and my colleague, Congresswoman Craig, I'll speak in a second.
I've been in detention centers since the first Trump administration.
I'm on the Appropriations Committee where we just wrote into the appropriations law that the president signed again Saying that we would have access to detention centers to do life health and safety checks.
And I've been denied.
I'm going to follow up with the appropriate committees and report.
The reason that they gave me is totally bogus.
As I said, I've been in many detention centers around the United States, including Gitmo.
So I'm Congresswoman Angie Craig.
I represent the 2nd District of Minnesota.
And for the second time, I have been denied entry into this facility.
My congressional duties, the job that I was elected to do by the people of Minnesota's 2nd District, ICE continue to not allow me to do.
It's just extraordinary.
We have constituents in this facility.
We are bound by our duties as members of Congress to be able to check on their health, their safety.
Look, I've received reports that family members are being detained who have serious medical issues and family members are not able to get their prescription drugs to them.
We've received reports that there are U.S. citizen sections in many of these facilities.
And at the end of the day, it is our job to show up and check on our constituents.
So again, Christy Noam and Donald Trump's ICE are not following the law.
To clarify, what was the reason that they gave you?
They said because of the lawsuit, there's only 13 people allowed in.
And that's why in the last appropriations bill that was passed, we included, again, language that's been standard boilerplate language since the first Trump administration, that members of Congress can go and fulfill their congressional obligation for life health and safety and to make sure that people are treated in humane conditions.
As well as to Angie's point, you know, we used to be able to have a regional person here in the Homeland Department of Security.
So if somebody was detained, our staff could directly interface with somebody.
Now we're told to email one big national number.
So getting a hold of anybody over there to follow up on whether it's a citizen, somebody with a green card, or somebody that we need to make sure has their medicine, they've made it impossible for us to do that.
So I'm so glad that they allowed our colleague who's one of the plaintiffs, Congresswoman Morrison, to go back in because she really can have ears and eyes on what's going on being a physician herself.
So you've all read the stories, people going to the ERs with eight fractures on their skull, people not having their medication.
I mean, this is not the way the United States and the Congress wants to see people treated.
We're better than that, and we're here to make sure that...
Can you speak on what Morrison saw inside the submission?
She can speak for herself.
You were in there quite a while, what, I mean, was this just...
Well, we got farther than we normally did.
Well, I got farther than I did the first time.
Look, I will tell you one of the most concerning things that Congresswoman Morrison and I have experienced here is they put members of Congress in a waiting room when we come to perform our congressional oversight duties.
What are they doing to get those detention facilities ready before we finally get to go down and look?
We don't know.
But there should be no way.
It is absolute law that members of Congress have the responsibility and right to perform these oversight visits.
Again, this is the second time that Christy Gnome's ICE has not allowed me in.
And look, I've been very critical of Christy Gnome's ICE.
I have filed articles of impeachment against Christy Noam.
That does not take away my right to perform my congressional duties and look at these detention centers.
People have told us that people are sleeping in Hong Kong with floors in there.
They're shackled all the time.
Toilets are overflowing.
What are your thoughts about these situations?
I've seen situations like that.
And we, once we see them, we bring them to the Department of Homeland Securities and the folks that are running these facilities.
We put a spotlight on it.
That's our job, then, to come talk to the press.
So just like they have these administrative warrants which don't follow the law, which are against the Constitution, their little rule, keeping the two of us out, is also against the law.
And we're going to speak up and we're going to speak out and do everything we can to make sure that the next time we come back, we're in there to do our duties of oversight.
Can Congress hold hearings to look into this on Capitol Hill and say, why is this happening?
Well, they could if my congressional Republican colleagues would speak out and grow a spine and show just a tiny bit of patriotism.
You know, I understand that Republicans have a Republican president, but I would remind my colleagues that they did not take an oath to a president.
They took an oath to the Constitution and would just continue to encourage them to follow their oath.
How much does situations like this where you're not allowed in, again, play into ongoing discussions about funding the Department of Homeland Security?
Well, unfortunately, in the legislation that was passed in the big, not-so-beautiful bill, the Department of Homeland Security to carry out this operation here and around the country.
This isn't the only place it's happening, has enough funding for the next five to six years.
It's mandatory funding, so even in a shutdown, they get that funding.
So many of us, especially on the Appropriations Committee, working with our colleagues on the authorizing committees, are figuring out a way we can keep that from happening.
And I think this will just drive home, I think you might agree with me, what we're going to be asking for for the vote that should come up in the next six to seven days as we not negotiate, demand that the laws and the Constitution of this country be followed.
And this is going to be part of that.
Yeah, we absolutely not more, not one more penny to Christy Noam's ICE until they start following the law, until they stop profiling our neighbors, until they stop wearing masks, until all of the things that we've been talking about, body cameras, accountability.
It is simply unacceptable the tactics that ICE are using in our communities right now.
And we are going to be doing everything in our power to ensure that these guardrails are put in place before any funding bill will be supported by a number of us.
I'm sure as hell not voting for a penny to Trump's ICE until these guardrails are put in place.
I want to make a comment on the body cameras.
In 2021, in an appropriation bills, we funded body cameras.
In 2022, President Biden said the body cameras will be worn and the information will be transmitted.
When President Trump took office, before these searches even started, he told them that they could put the body cameras away.
So we just don't want to fund some of these things that are in this bill.
That's why it's not a negotiation or we're being nice about it or we're asking the president's permission.
We are demanding that the constitutional law be followed.
This is something that, and I've been in Congress longer than Angie has.
I've never seen anything like this.
No president has ever behaved this way.
Breaking the law, breaking the Constitution, and having his administration just decide what they want to do and what they don't want to do, whether it's the Department of Defense or Homeland Security, it is out of control.
How long were you in there before they gave you the bill?
Did you have to wait for that or was it pretty quick?
I asked at 3 o'clock was probably, what time is it now?
A good 40 minutes.
Yeah, 40 minutes.
They pulled us in for about 40 minutes into a waiting area before they announced that Representative McCollum and I would not be allowed in.
And who was it that was denying you?
Who was this?
That's an interesting question.
That's a great question.
We don't know.
I don't think it was the gentleman here.
No, I want to be honest.
I don't think it was the gentleman here.
I think they were following their orders, doing their due diligence, made a phone call, and some attorney who doesn't know how to read appropriations law that's been signed by the president or follow the Constitution made a decision to exclude us from doing our jobs.
Two questions.
Is Representative Morrison still inside?
Yes, she is.
Okay, second question.
You said they told you that if there's 13 people are allowed.
Do you know where they got that number or who are the 13?
That's part of a, that's part of a, I've got a copy of the lawsuit here.
But that is part of a suit that was brought in a.
A judge came up with a small number for now while things are still going through the courts and being heard.
But as Representative McCollum just said, the appropriations bills that passed last week had the language that would allow us to perform our congressional oversight duties.
And Donald Trump just signed it into law again and now is ignoring a bill and law that he just signed.
Which tells me they don't want us in these facilities.
So I'm so glad Congresswoman Morrison's in there because she'll speak the truth.
Do you think they're trying to hide stuff?
Not having you guys get in there?
Well, look, anytime you have somebody who shows up with eight skull fractures after they were in a facility, it's got to tell you something that things that are happening here aren't the way that they should be.
Right?
A couple of weeks ago, we were working to try to get insulin to someone who had been detained who desperately needed their medication.
The week before that, we were desperately trying to find a constituent before he was moved to El Paso who needed his medication.
So do I think things are happening in this facility that are anti-American and anti-patriotic?
You bet I do.
Okay.
Thank you all.
Thank you so much.
Good afternoon.
I just completed my constitutional right and congressional duty to conduct oversight here at Whipple.
This is the third time that I've been here.
I was denied entrance the first time.
I came here last night and I wanted to return today with my colleagues.
They were denied entrance, but I wanted to be able to follow up on some questions and have a contrast from what I saw last night.
Whipple Detention Facility Inspection 00:07:02
The problem remains that Whipple is considered a holding facility.
It is not considered a detention facility.
So the typical rules and regulations that apply to a detention facility do not apply here at Whipple.
It is further evidence that Operation Metro Surge is a misguided and cruel campaign.
ICE and CBP need to cease this operation and allow Minnesota, our people, and our communities to heal because it's going to take a long time to recover from what has happened to our people in our community.
Can you give us a laundry list of what you're seeing in there today when you went into the town?
You know, I'm seeing a lot of people in leg shackles.
There is a nurse on site today.
I did learn that they have hours from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
There aren't posted medical protocols.
People, I'm told that people are not subject to a complete history and physical exam, for example, until they are in a detention center in Texas.
Flights are going out several times a day to Texas, to New Orleans.
In some cases, if there's a final removal order to their country of origin, and third country deportations are still occurring as well.
People sleeping on concrete floors, things like that.
People are sleeping on concrete floors.
They don't have real blankets.
They have those kind of tin foil temporary blankets.
It's a very, it's a very disheartening scene, and I think it's beneath what we should expect in the United States of America.
How much a rough estimate of how many people you saw in there today?
It appeared to be, they had a number on a board of 37.
It appeared to be around 40 around.
Did you talk to any of them?
They did not allow me to speak with any of the detainees today.
This is kind of a layout inside is as a holding facility.
I mean, how many different rooms are there?
How big of an area?
I mean, what?
It's not a very large area.
There are two larger holding cells that I have been told were designed to hold a maximum of 30 people.
We've all heard reports that there have been times when there have been many more than that.
There are some smaller rooms, about half the size of those.
There are a couple of those.
And then there are several single stall rooms.
There is a community toilet in the middle of the bigger rooms that has kind of a wall that comes up to about here on people.
So there is no real privacy to speak of.
It's very dehumanizing.
Everyone is in legals.
Thank you.
Everyone is wearing leg shackles.
For reasons that aren't clear to me, because there's nowhere really to run.
It just, it feels like part of the dehumanization of this experience for people.
What are your thoughts on your colleagues not being allowed access here?
Well, I think Representative McCollum had a pretty compelling case to be made that the dollars actually would mean that she and her and Angie Craig should have been granted access.
But I did join the lawsuit.
I joined 12 members of the House in the lawsuit that a temporary restraining order was issued on Monday to allow us to do unannounced visits.
Apparently it just applies to the 13 plaintiffs right now.
But clearly Representatives Craig and McCollum should be allowed entry to conduct oversight as well as part of their congressional duties.
Is there any action that Congress should take now to rectify the events?
Absolutely.
I've been calling on my Republican colleagues all year long to finally stand up to this administration and stop this nonsense.
This is madness.
It is hurting people.
It's hurting our country.
It's bad for everyone.
What I will say though is I'm really proud of Minnesota.
Minnesotans have stood up in a very inspiring way.
Minnesotans have a deep connectedness, deep civic engagement, and people are standing up for their neighbors and standing together saying this is not the community in the country that we want.
So what is it that you will do with your visit last night, what you saw today?
I mean, what does this give you to inform next steps?
What happens?
Yeah, well, I will continue to perform congressional oversight.
I will continue to share what I saw.
And we need reforms.
We need a huge reimagining of this entire immigration policy of this administration.
It is wrongheaded.
Can you just say immoral, inhumane?
Sorry, guys.
People are very dejected.
It's horrifying to be present in that place.
People have leg shackles on.
They are lying on concrete floors or they're huddled on short benches together.
They universally look dejected in many cases, desperate in other cases, and tearful.
Representative, two questions.
Yeah.
Can you just touch up?
I've spoken with U.S. citizens who were detained for like 10 or 12 hours and they're released, and they described it in there as extremely chaotic, not a lot of order, not a lot of coordination, officers not really knowing what to do.
Do you see that as your investment?
I wouldn't say that it was chaotic today, but there was a long delay from when they knew that we were here and when we were actually allowed in.
So this was an unannounced visit with almost an hour of notice for things to kind of get buttoned down.
So I don't know, but I've heard those same things from American citizens who have been detained here.
I've had several constituents describe that same experience.
Second question for you.
You've already expressed concern online with the measles outbreaks and patients going back and forth from our facility.
Can you elaborate more on that for us?
Yeah, well, as we all know, there is a big measles outbreak at the Dilley facility in Texas, and we know, and they're downstairs right now, there are two people who were brought back from Texas today.
I don't know from where, but I did ask, what is the policy, what is the protocol to prevent measles, which is one of the most infectious, contagious, infectious diseases that exists.
They couldn't answer because, again, this is not a detention facility, so there aren't elaborate medical protocols here.
They said that that would happen in Texas.
Were you able to find out if they have access to medications?
That is about the only medical screening that is done.
I think people are asked if they are taking a medication, and then their family members can bring it here to them.
Of course, for some people, there may be risk in coming to Whipple to bring.
So I'm learning that we, our office, for example, and other congressional offices can assist families by having our staff or our team bring papers, medications, whatever people may need directly to Whipple.
Family Medications at Whipple 00:02:33
Some of your conversional colleagues have said that they will vote to withhold funding to ICE unless some reforms are done to you.
Would you be interested in doing that same kind of thing?
It would have to be pretty dramatic reform for me to vote for a bill for the Department of Homeland Security given the situation right now.
Thank you all so much.
Appreciate it.
This is your third visit inside, right?
Yeah.
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Ronald Reagan's Birthday Celebration 00:04:40
Up next, a commemoration ceremony for Ronald Reagan, the 40th president, on the anniversary of his February 6th, 1911 birthday.
The event was led by former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy at the Reagan Presidential Library.
Am I free?
Well, good morning and welcome to the Reagan Presidential Library.
For those of you I have not yet had the opportunity to meet, my name is David Trullio and it is my privilege to serve as the president and CEO of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute.
Well, thank you, but wasn't that a wonderful flyover by the Tiger Squadron?
Let's get, I know they can't hear us, but let's give them a hand anyway.
Thank you for joining us today as we celebrate what would have been Ronald Reagan's 115th birthday.
I'd like to begin by recognizing some of the special guests with us today.
And we've certainly been blessed over the last two decades for as long as we've been holding these birthday celebrations to have Michael Reagan regularly join us for the president's birthday every year.
As you may know, very sadly, Michael passed away last month.
He lived a life shaped by purpose and an abiding devotion to President Reagan's ideals.
He used his voice to champion freedom, personal responsibility, and the principles that defined his father's presidency.
And above all, he was a devoted son and a deeply loyal friend to the Reagan Foundation and Institute.
And Michael is sorely missed.
We are beyond honored to have with us today members of Michael's immediate family.
His wife, Colleen, Colleen and Michael's adult daughter, who is President Reagan's granddaughter, Ashley Reagan Dunster.
And I would also like to recognize Ashley's husband, Joe.
Thank you all so much for being here, especially at this time.
We also have with us several members of the Board of Trustees of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute.
Ask that you please hold your applause for Andrew Little Fair, Ben Sutton, Alia Tudor, and former Governor of California Pete Wilson and his wife Gail.
We are also fortunate to have with us the former congressman from this district, Elton Gallagher, and his wife Janice.
From the United Kingdom, the Right Honorable Sir James Cleverly, Member of Parliament, and his wife Susanna.
And from the Republic of Poland, Paulina Kapuchynska, Consul General in Los Angeles.
It is now my honor to introduce Mr. Fred Ryan, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute.
Did we get a bonus flyover?
No, it's just a helicopter.
Okay.
Fred has served President and Mrs. Reagan since 1980 in roles including Director of Presidential Appointments and Scheduling in the White House and as President Reagan's first post-presidency chief of staff.
In addition to being our board chairman, Fred heads our Center on Civility and Democracy, which supports Ronald Reagan's vision of fostering informed patriotism where Americans can disagree about issues without villainizing each other and can find common ground and trust in our democratic institutions.
So ladies and gentlemen, please join me in welcoming Mr. Fred Ryan.
Thank you, Dave, and welcome everyone.
Today we gather to celebrate Ronald Reagan's 115th birthday, or as we know he would describe it, the 76th anniversary of his 39th birthday.
I'd like to begin with a very special thank you to all of the servicemen and women here today from Camp Pendleton.
This is the Reagan Library's 21st year.
Yes, thank you.
For 21 years, we have worked with Camp Pendleton to pay tribute to President Reagan on his birthday.
21 Years Of Tribute 00:06:00
And we're honored to have the support of our servicemen and women here from such an important military installation.
On behalf of everyone here, and I know all Americans, thank you for all you do to honor our country.
Now, to officially begin our program in honor of the 115th birthday of Ronald Wilson Reagan, please rise for the March on of the Colors, the playing of our national anthem, and the invocation by Lieutenant Commander Ed Hadley, United States Navy Chaplain.
Free, set, out!
Do you want me to shoot by?
We are here today in the memory of a life well lived.
Ronald Reagan was born in Pampico, Illinois, and entered public office as the 33rd governor of California and then as the 40th President of the United States.
Under his leadership, America's moral trajectory turned.
His policies strengthened our economy.
He ended the Cold War and gave due attention to the armed forces so that America could remain as a city on a hill that our founders envisioned.
Honoring Reagan's Legacy 00:15:05
Now, Lord, as we pray the prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, who prayed that we have heard of the awesome works of God, now, Lord, renew them in our day in this generation.
We ask that you raise up statesmen and patriots to do your bidding, because we know that unless the Lord builds the house, the builders build it in vain.
And we stand here under the Heavenly Council and ask for the hand of Providence to guide the President of the United States, his cabinet, and all elected authority over us, that they may be just in purpose and wise in counsel, unwavering in duty, and in the administration of their solemn responsibilities, may they uphold the honor of our nation and secure the protection of our people.
All of this we ask in the name and through the merits of Jesus Christ, thy Son and our Savior.
Amen.
As part of this ceremony each year, we're privileged to be joined by the commanding general at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton.
And although these Commanding General posts change every few years, we're delighted to welcome back Brigadier General Nick Brown to the Reagan Presidential Library for his second celebration of President Reagan's birthday.
Brigadier General Brown has held numerous key operational assignments, including deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Monrovia, Liberia, in support of Operation Onward Liberty.
General Brown's personal decorations include Defense Superior Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal with three gold stars, Joint Service Commendation Medal, and the Navy Achievement Medal with a gold star.
Please join me in welcoming General Nick Brown.
Thank you very much.
Well, good morning, everyone.
All right.
Good morning.
I'm ecstatic for the opportunity to be here with you again this year on what is just a gorgeous, gorgeous Friday morning.
Now, before I go any further, I just have to say that you all look amazing today.
And against this beautiful backdrop behind me, that serves as a perfect compliment to your smiles, your energy, and the gracious hospitality that you have shown me, my family, and all the Marines and civilians that have traveled here from just down the road at Camp Pendleton.
For those of us that are here, and particularly our younger Marines that may have not yet been born or who are too young to know or remember our 40th President and First Lady, I would ask that during this visit you simply observe the class and the graciousness from everyone that represents this great presidential library,
including the friends and admirers of President and Mrs. Reagan, and of course the president's wonderful extended family that are here, especially Stetson.
Because just a year ago, Stetson was on the way, but now Stetson is here.
I am certain that after you've experienced the professionalism, the care, and the kindness from everyone on these grounds today, that you will then understand and you will feel who Ronald and Nancy Reagan were.
Not just as servants to our nation or as a commander-in-chief, but more importantly, you will understand who they were as a mom and dad, as grandparents, as a brother or sister, or simply as millions of us knew them across America as our friends.
So, on behalf of every Marine here, I want to say thank you for welcoming us and giving us a presidential welcome to this great place.
I am humbled this morning and each day to represent the roughly 60,000 Marines and sailors and their families who work, live, and train on one of our Southern California bases, as well as the thousands who are deployed overseas or actively serving in defense of our homeland.
These are the young men and women who represent the best of our society, exactly the type of protectors of our Constitution that President and Mrs. Reagan would be extremely proud of.
There are individuals along with the families who are the definition of duty, sacrifice, and a willingness to serve.
So please allow me a brief moment to introduce a few of them today.
Representing your Marine Corps team is a talented group of warrior musicians, Warriors First, from the 1st Marine Division Band, whose precision and sound have a way of making all of us stand a little prouder and a little straighter.
So thank you, Marines, for enriching us with your amazing talent.
Our color guard you saw this morning joins us from Camp Pendleton, led by National Color Bearer, Sergeant Christopher Scott from Cincinnati, Ohio, and with our organizational colors held by Sergeant Keanu Cooks from Miami, Florida.
Marines, you both look great today.
Along with our Razor Sharp Honor Guard, who will render America's highest ceremonial military honor.
And there's absolutely no more honorable duty than that for any rifleman.
So Marines, thank you for everything you're doing today to honor our president and everything you do to protect this nation.
Since the last time we came together to honor President and Mrs. Reagan, a lot has changed.
Government and national security, and that's an understatement.
But change is normal.
It comes with every new administration.
It brings change in national priorities, defense policy, organizational structures.
We are now the Department of War, as you know.
And it evolves naturally with changes in global affairs.
For your Marine Corps, change means learning, transforming, and modernizing.
But there are certain constants that must never change, because they are as necessary both today and tomorrow as they were in 1980 and 1988.
For the Marines, it's our core values of honor, courage, and commitment that never change.
For the Department, for any commander-in-chief, it is a commitment to the safety and security of a nation that never changes.
We are fortunate that President Reagan provided the doctrinal blueprint as early as 1981 for our current defense strategy that makes peace through strength a security imperative.
For both the Department of War and the Marine Corps, a strong military, as President Reagan noted, prepares us for peace.
And today, President Reagan's philosophy is driving smart investments in military readiness and technology, improving our acquisitions process, expanding our defense industrial base, and continuing to attract smart, fit, and respectful young men and women to volunteer for service in defense of our nation.
President Reagan said it plainly in a statement on defense policy in 83 when he said, a strong, credible American defense is indispensable to protecting peace and preserving the free way of life our people cherish.
It is a simple yet valuable lesson that I can assure you will continue to serve as a guide for this department and your Marine Corps as we address the challenges of a dangerous world.
For President Reagan to preserve the peace and deter aggression throughout the 1980s must have appeared on many days to be an insurmountable task.
Even a historian's view of global events throughout President Reagan's administration is only to see a mere fraction of the forces and variables that could threaten our way of life and frankly our world existence at that time.
So I can only surmise that nearly every national security decision was an agonizing one.
We know that presidents rarely get the opportunity to make easy decisions.
President Reagan wisely chose and relied on phenomenal advisors to help him make complex decisions.
Names we know, like Baker, Meese, Gergen, Deaver, Schultz, just to name a few.
And albeit hard decisions, history and our presence here tells us that those decisions were the correct ones.
But whether you are a president, a congressional leader, or a general, there are times when these complex national security decisions or policy decisions require an advisor that can also serve as your conscience, your moral compass, or even your counterbalance.
A person, in this case, a lady named Nancy, brought for the President and this nation the perfect blend of humanity, empathy, and discipline that may not always be readily available in the situation room or in a cabinet meeting.
At a 1988 RNC luncheon in New Orleans, President Reagan gave us perspective on Nancy's impact when he noted, she once said that a president has all kinds of advisors and experts who look after his interests when it comes to foreign policy or the economy or whatever.
But no one who looks after his needs as a human being.
Well, Nancy has done that for me throughout the recuperations and crisis.
Every president should be so lucky.
And by extension, we are all lucky that Mrs. Reagan was there to provide wisdom and protection through their White House tenure and 52-year married journey.
We are all grateful to the First Lady, and we thank her for her service to our nation, love for her husband, and care for us all.
As Marines and all members of the military and veterans can attest, we proudly sworn oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States because that document is the foundation of our freedom and our way of life.
And that makes it a document and an idea worth defending.
We are all fortunate today to have the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Kevin McCarthy, with us, a Californian and patriot who led for nearly 20 years in what my fellow Marines might call the engine room of democracy, our House of Representatives.
His career of service shows us why the founders nearly 240 years ago mandated this system of co-equal branches of government and thought it important enough that the first two sections of Article I of our Constitution would establish a Congress that directly represents the will of its citizens.
And democracy gets ugly sometimes, but it has worked for centuries, and to protect it as a Marine or sailor is a solemn duty, and we take it seriously.
And I know that these Marines here today would swear that oath over and over again.
Speaker McCarthy, thank you for your years of service in Congress and beyond.
Thank you for helping us maintain peace to string through your many votes in support of a strong military, especially in support of those that were in combat.
And thank you for taking what I can only imagine were the many bumps and bruises while confirming the value of a functioning democracy.
For that, sir, we owe you a debt of gratitude.
For the great citizens of this nation, your support of our Marines and sailors is the reason that we serve, the reason that we fight, and the reason that we are able to win in any clime and place.
So as I close this morning, I would like to take this chance to renew a pledge your Marines made last year to our former Commander-in-Chief, First Lady, and everyone that is here today.
This nation will celebrate its 250th birthday here in just a few months.
So it's important that we collectively reflect on our history and always look toward a better future.
So similar to last year, our pledge is that we, the Marines, will continue to do the work necessary to be most ready when the nation is least ready.
We will continue to be good stewards of the taxpayer dollars and the resources that we're given.
And we will always conduct ourselves with integrity and never compromise our core values of honor, courage, and commitment.
Because that's who we are, and that's what you would expect from us.
Thank you, Mr. President and First Lady, for your example, for being faithful to our nation, and for being a dear friend of the United States Marine Corps.
May God bless you all, and God bless the United States of America.
Thank you, General, for those thoughtful and inspiring words.
As I mentioned earlier, we've been fortunate to have the General here for the last two years, and could you circle your calendar for February 6th, 2027?
We'd love to have you back.
Well, we're gathered here today to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the birth, the 115th anniversary of the birth of President Ronald Reagan, a man whose life and leadership continue to inspire our nation and the world.
Born 115 years ago in a small Midwestern town, President Reagan carried with him a deep love for America and a firm belief in the goodness and potential of its people.
Those values guided him from humble beginnings to the highest office in the land.
President Reagan believed in freedom, opportunity, and the dignity of every individual.
He trusted the American people and reminded us that our nation is strongest when government is limited and citizens are empowered.
Even in difficult times, he spoke with optimism and confidence, encouraging Americans to look forward, not backwards, and to believe that our best days are still ahead.
Just as important as what President Reagan believed was how he led.
He valued civility, respect, and grace, especially toward those with whom he disagreed.
He showed us that strong convictions and good manners are not opposites, but partners.
President Reagan understood that progress is possible when we listen, when we treat one another with dignity, and when we seek common ground without sacrificing principle.
So as we honor President Reagan on his 115th birthday, we do more than remember his achievements.
We recommit ourselves to the values that he lived by.
Through the work of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute, we strive to carry forward his legacy by educating future leaders and reminding all Americans that freedom, optimism, and civility are tireless virtues.
So may his example continue to guide us, and may we always work to build a nation worthy of his enduring faith in America.
It is now my honor to introduce our keynote speaker.
Like President Reagan, our speaker did not begin his political journey as a Republican.
Lessons from Reagan 00:15:10
He was raised a Democrat.
And like Ronald Reagan, it was the clarity of conservative principles and President Reagan himself that ultimately shaped his path.
He has said many times that Ronald Reagan is the reason he became a Republican, a testament to the enduring power of President Reagan's ideas and leadership.
And as we approach America's 250th anniversary, our keynote speaker embodies the very spirit of the American dream.
At just 19 years old, he turned a $5,000 lottery win into an opportunity, opening his own deli and then selling it to pay for college.
Now, that story is more than just a fun fact.
It reflects ingenuity, determination, and an entrepreneurial spirit that President Reagan so deeply admired.
He rose quickly as a leader in California politics, becoming minority leader in the United States Assembly before representing California in the United States House of Representatives from 2007 to 2023.
In 2023, he became Speaker of the House, one of the highest offices in our democracy.
And during his tenure, he championed freedom around the world, including having then-President Tsai of Taiwan here at the Reagan Presidential Library for a bipartisan summit, underscoring the library's role as a place of principle, leadership, and global engagement.
Please join me in welcoming a leader shaped by the Reagan legacy and dedicated to the values, principles, and ideas that continue to define our nation, Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
Welcome, Kevin.
Thank you so very much.
It is true the reason I am a Republican is because of Ronald Reagan.
And people asked if there are any similarities.
We're both Irish.
We both loved this state.
We might not recognize it today.
And we both inspired and rejected what we heard from Democrats back home.
So we believed in this party stronger than others would ever think.
So I thank you for allowing me the opportunity to be here today.
It is a large honor.
To Governor Pete and Gail Wilson, thank you for what you have done for our country as well.
In the 100th anniversary of Ronald Reagan, I wasn't here.
Elton and Janice Gegli, we were going to the Eastern Bloc of Europe.
We went to Warsaw, to Budapest, to Prague, and then to London, dedicating statues of Ronald Reagan, realizing that the greatest strength of America is not our military, but the idea.
And the greatest communicator of all times of that idea was the man we honor today.
Thank you, Fred, for that introduction, and thank you for your leadership of the Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute.
To the board and the staff and the supporters of this foundation, it is a true honor to join you.
You are not just admirers of Ronald Reagan.
You are stewards of his legacy.
Many of you knew him.
Some of you worked for him.
All of you continue to carry his values, principles, and ideas forward long after his presidency ended.
You believe his ideas, our ideas, are worth fighting for.
And let's remember, they are.
Before I continue, I want to offer my condolences to the passing of Michael Reagan.
Michael devoted his life to preserving his father's legacy.
That includes the work of this foundation.
He was a good and honorable man who believed his father's ideas still mattered, and he was right.
Ronald Reagan once said, the greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things.
He is the one who gets the people to do the greatest things.
Michael lived out those wise words.
Would you please join me in honoring Michael's life and legacy with a moment of silence?
Thank you.
Michael will be missed.
We gather here today to mark the 76th anniversary of Ronald Reagan's 39th birthday.
You know, no one loved to tell a joke more than President Ronald Reagan.
He was great at self-deprecating humor, especially about his age.
This was one of his favorites.
Thomas Jefferson once said, we should never judge a president by his age, only by his works.
And ever since he told me that, I've stopped worrying.
But you and I are here not just to laugh.
We are here to learn.
Ronald Reagan loved to give gifts.
Today may be his birthday, but he has given us a tremendous gift.
That gift is the gift of the ability to apply the traditions of the past to a changing future.
I want to talk about the three lessons which I believe I learned from Ronald Reagan.
Lesson number one, peace without freedom is meaningless.
Think of that.
Peace without freedom is meaningless.
Lesson number two, trust ordinary people to control their own destinies.
And lesson three, America is too great for small visions.
But first, let's take stock of where we are today.
Mankind faces many challenges across the globe.
It could be hard to keep up with the headlines, to focus on the big picture, or even to know what is true.
But there is no better place than the Reagan Library to cut through the noise to tell us the truth.
If we listen closely, we can still hear Ronald Reagan whispering words of wisdom to guide our way.
When I was speaker, I had this painting of President Reagan in my office behind my desk.
It was in color.
It was smiling because he was an optimist, a conservative who believed.
And if he gave you one lesson, he would tell you, if you believe your principles bring people more freedom, there's no reason to be angry.
You should be happy.
Be a happy conservative.
That's how he brought others to the party and to the beliefs.
You know, during my most difficult challenge that I face, I would look up at the painting and think, what would President Reagan do?
Because so many of those challenges are exactly the same today.
They still are.
Think about the tests Reagan faced when he entered office in 1981.
America was a nation in retreat.
We ran from Vietnam and surrendered the Panama Canal.
We were humiliated by the hostage crisis in Iran.
Meanwhile, the Soviet Union had invaded Afghanistan.
At home, inflation was crushing families.
Taxes were too high and relentless crime made communities unsafe.
I still remember as a child the lines for gasoline, not being able to go down south to visit my grandmother because our car license plate ended in an even number, but it was an odd day.
That was America.
Perhaps worst of all, I remember hearing about the loss of confidence in the American dream.
I remember in elementary school turning on the TV, listening to our president Jimmy Carter, give a firehouse chat and tell me the best days of America were behind us.
But then Ronald Reagan told us something different.
He said, tomorrow will be better than today, and he made it so.
Our challenges today are similar to Reagan's back then.
As we have been warned, history doesn't repeat itself, but it certainly does rhyme.
On the world stage, China has replaced the Soviet Union as our greatest adversary.
The greatest threat to America in the 21st century is the Chinese Communist Party.
The challenge is we are as much closely connected to China than we were to the Soviet Union.
Ronald Reagan had to deal with the Soviet nuclear arsenal.
Today, the number of adversaries with nuclear weapons has grown.
The Chinese nuclear arsenal has doubled in recent years.
Reagan's answer to make a nuclear attack unthankable was through missile defense.
Ronald Reagan had Star Wars.
We now have created the Golden Dome.
In foreign policy, Reagan worked to reassert America's interest and strengthen alliances.
Today, so are we.
NATO is paying more.
Our relationship with Israel has never been stronger.
Military deterrence is back.
Instead of Grenada, we have Venezuela.
Reagan crippled Iran's Navy.
We destroyed Iran's nuclear program.
And after four years of weakness, our adversaries are being reminded of the true meaning of peace through strength.
The question is, will bold strikes lead to lasting democracy?
Economically, Reagan had regonomics.
He recognized the threats presented by big government, big institutions, and big monopolies.
Today, Reaganomics has been reapplied.
After the worst inflation since Jimmy Carter, the American economy is booming.
Entrepreneurship is live and well again.
Reagan had mourning in America.
We now have the golden age.
Reagan faced the challenge of socialism.
So do we.
Like Reagan, we are unequivolently on the side of freedom.
As for technology, President Reagan's years saw the computer revolution.
We're living through the AI revolution.
Just like with computers then, artificial intelligence is replacing and reshaping how we work, how we think, and even how we understand what it means to be human.
All these are pressing challenges facing America today.
In times of uncertainty, it is tempting to believe our challenges are new.
History says otherwise.
Like Reagan, I believe that America is too great for small visions.
Like Reagan, I believe that the future calls for optimism over fear.
Like President Reagan, I believe that you and I have a rendezvous with destiny.
By reapplying Reagan's lessons for today, the American idea can be renewed, rebuilt, restored, and revitalized now and for the future.
On foreign affairs, we face the test of keeping peace.
Peace depends on strength.
Economic strength, military strength, and the moral strength of American leadership.
Ronald Reagan lived through four bloody wars.
He understood that peace must be built, preserved, and passed on through strength.
He famously said in 1986, peace does not exist on its own will.
One of the most courageous decisions of Reagan's presidency was the major military buildup.
Reagan had seen the consequences of the Soviet aggression in the 1970s.
He felt America had no choice but to respond.
So Reagan rebuilt American strength.
He restored deterrence.
In his first year of office, despite the criticism from the left, America had the largest peacetime expansion of our defense budget ever.
And a testament to Reagan's statesmanship, that we live in the longest period in history without a great powers war since the Roman Empire.
We owe the peace we enjoy today to Reagan's courage.
We must guard it.
To again quote President Reagan, freedom is a fragile thing and is never more than one generation away from extinction.
Today, America faces another challenge of power.
This time, it's a multipolar world.
Reagan famously proposed the Strategic Defense Initiative Missile Defense Program.
His critics laughed at it.
Remember what they called it? Star Wars.
But the Soviet Union feared it because they could not keep up.
And Reagan's decision, roundly criticized by the media at the time, helped drive the Soviet Union collapse.
Today, I think President Trump is right to stress the need for a nuclear missile shield, the Golden Dome.
At the same time, Reagan would tell us that alliances matter.
Today, we fear that Europe is not paying their fair share in NATO.
That criticism is justified.
Our allies should pay more.
In his time, Reagan also faced allies who wanted America's protection without fully sharing America's burden.
As the world faced the renewed threat of the Soviet aggression, he pushed our allies in Europe to carry their weight.
When combined with American military buildup, Reagan accomplished two things.
He made the world safe for democracy, and he made America the number one power.
Four decades later, we remain the world's superpower, thanks to President Reagan.
As Reagan said in 1984, to continue the peace we enjoy, we must show clear support of our allies and exhibit strength and steadiness to those who wish us ill.
As Speaker of the House, I took those words from Reagan to heart.
When I hosted the President of Taiwan, I chose to meet right here at the Reagan Library.
You know why I picked this site?
Choosing Reagan's Legacy 00:10:58
I wanted the setting to speak before anyone else spoke.
This place stands as an iron proof that communism and oppression can be defeated without firing a single shot.
The meeting was the first time a president from Taiwan had met a Speaker of the House on American soil.
She was welcomed not only by me, but also by members of both parties from the Select Committee on China, Republicans and Democrats.
I wanted to show the world that America spoke with one voice on this question, despite our many differences.
We met for more than two hours.
Then we held a press conference behind Air Force One.
Then I brought the Republican and Democrat members together right in front of that piece of the Berlin Wall.
We had 173 cameras.
The Chinese Communist Party paid people $500 an hour to wave and protest us out front.
We welcomed the protest.
But I will never forget what the first question from the press that day.
It was Andrea Mitchell.
She looked at me and said, I was there with President Reagan when he made the famous speech to say, tear down this wall.
And I was moved with emotion as a media from the press.
But when I look at you, the Republicans and Democrats alike, standing hand in hand, meeting the President of Taiwan for the first time on American soil, I am just as emotional today.
He may not be physically here, but he's still changing the world and proved it that day.
It was clear to me then and it's clear to me now that peace through strength makes America the world safer.
On the challenge of inflation, affordability, and cost of living, we face the challenge of rising prices and unfortunately the rise of socialism right here at home.
One of the most lasting policy changes of the Reagan years were Reaganomics.
When Reagan took office, inflation was at 13%, interest rates hitting 20% and unemployment was high.
People had lost faith.
In response, Reagan cut taxes.
He slashed regulation.
He unleashed free enterprise and he made it easier for Americans to save and start a family.
He did all this in less than two years.
What were the results?
Inflation declined.
Incomes rose across every demographic.
America saw one of the longest peacetime expansions in American history.
In short, it was mourning in America again.
In January 1984, as the recovery took hold, Reagan said, progress begins when trusting people.
Reagan believed ordinary people were capable of extraordinary things.
He never forgot that the American people, not the government, are the ultimate engines of growth.
Today, polls show that Americans, particularly younger Americans, prefer socialism to free enterprise.
Now, we could dismiss this as the ignorance of youth.
While that may be true, that would be a mistake on our part.
Young Americans faces challenges today that would test anyone's faith in the system.
For one, let's look at housing.
A typical home during Reagan's presidency cost three times the average salary, and that was with 20% interest rates.
Today, it costs five times the average annual salary of a working family.
Young people today work hard, play by the rules, but still can't afford to start a family.
That's not sustainable.
But here's what Reagan would tell us.
Free markets are not the problem.
Market distortions from the government are.
So let's apply those principles today.
On housing, punishing regulations have created a bottleneck for building new homes.
In California, I'm not quite sure President Reagan would recognize it today.
The governance has been different than when he and Governor Wilson were governor.
You wouldn't pay twice the price for gas in California as you would in another state.
You wouldn't leave, the population wouldn't shrink in California, it would grow.
Reagan deregulated energy and transportation.
We need to deregulate housing so young families can afford homes in California again.
On education, student debt has skyrocketed.
Why?
Because student loans backed by government had inflated costs.
If President Reagan was alive today, I'm sure he would ask this question.
Why are we subsidizing colleges that charge $100,000 a year to teach our kids capitalism is evil?
We need more competition, more transparency, and more accountability.
And most of all, we need more truth.
On opportunity, Reaganomics used tax reform to encourage savings and investment.
This allowed families to build wealth.
Last year, Republicans did pass the historic tax cuts.
Republicans even created historic new investment accounts for newborn Americans.
And we can all invest in it.
What America will look like 30 years from now will be much different based upon what Reagan has taught us.
Allowing families to invest in their future, to save without being crushed by inflation, to start businesses without drowning in red tape is why more Americans will choose free enterprise over socialism.
As Reagan said in 1982, today's young people must never be held hostage to the mistakes of the past.
The only way to avoid making those mistakes again is to learn from them.
Our job is to continue to prove all Americans benefit from his conservative principles.
On artificial intelligence, we face the dual tests of limitless opportunities and serious challenges.
We should not fear the future.
We should shape it.
During the technological surge of the 1980s, President Reagan responded by daring America to lead.
We live in the new age of discovery.
The 20th century was shaped by the microchip.
The 21st century will be shaped by artificial intelligence.
AI is already transforming industries, redefining work, and raising questions about the balance of freedom and control.
Winning the AI era will require capital, talent, energy, and speed.
It will require America regulatory environment for private sector companies, large and small, that allows for risk rather than suffocating it.
It will require more energy, natural gas, oil, nuclear energy as well.
It will require remembering that America's innovators, thinkers, founders, and builders have always been one of our nation's greatest strategic strengths.
Technology does not change human nature, but it does magnify the values of the society that builds it.
You know, as we celebrate President Ronald Reagan's 115th birthday, we are also preparing to celebrate America's 250th birthday.
This is altogether fitting.
Reagan believed in America.
He called America a shiny city on the hill because he believed our example mattered, not just to us, but to the world.
He called this nation the last best hope of man on earth because he knew that if freedom fails here, it retreats around the world.
And he reminded us, as long as we remember our first principles and believe in ourselves, the future will always be ours.
Today, the torch has been passed to us.
We must not drop it.
Our task is not just to remember.
Our task is to renew.
As Ronald Reagan taught us 40 years ago, the future does not belong to the faint-hearted.
It belongs to the brave.
That same courage that won the Cold War.
That same confidence that sent a man to the moon and brought him back again safely.
The same commitment that restored opportunity, rebuilt our economy, and made us the envy of the world.
The same ideas that restored our pride in the country we all love.
They are still alive and well in every single American.
And if we trust the people, as President Reagan did, then America's best days are surely ahead of all of us.
Thank you, and God bless.
Thank you.
Kevin, thank you for those very thoughtful remarks and for all you do to carry forward Ronald Reagan's legacy.
Now I'd like to ask everyone to please rise for the laying of the wreath and honors to President Reagan.
I will read the presidential order that's been issued by every president since President Reagan's passing.
Presidential Wreath Order 00:03:40
The President of the United States has directed that a presidential wreath be laid at the resting place of all former presidents on the anniversary of their birth.
Brigadier General Nick Brown, Commanding General of Camp Pendleton, California, is designated to place a wreath on the tomb of the 40th President of the United States, Ronald Wilson Reagan, on 6 February, 2026, in honor of the 115th anniversary of his birth and in tribute to his distinguished service to a grateful nation.
The White House has removed a video from President Trump's Truth Social account that included a depiction of former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as apes.
There was swift backlash from lawmakers and others after it was posted.
CNN White House correspondent Elena Treen reports that sources told her Republican lawmakers called Trump directly about the post, asking for it to be removed.
She also notes that a senior White House official told her a White House staffer erroneously made the post, which remained online for 12 hours before it was taken down.
Among those criticizing the president was South Carolina Republican Senator Tim Scott, who wrote on X, praying it was fake because it's the most racist thing I've seen out of this White House.
The president should remove it.
Swift Backlash Over Ape Video 00:02:16
Maine Senator Susan Collins agreed with her colleague on X, saying, Tim is right, this was appalling.
Mississippi Senator Roger Wicker also weighing in, calling the post totally unacceptable and demanding the president apologize.
That same opinion echoed by Nebraska Senator Pete Ricketts, another Republican, who writes, even if this was a Lion King meme, a reasonable person sees the racist context to this.
American History TV, Saturdays on C-SPAN 2, exploring the people and events that tell the American story.
As the nation celebrates the 250th anniversary of its founding, join American History TV for our series, America 250, and discover the ideas and defining moments of the American story.
This week at 11 a.m., historian Charles Dewey explores the role of spies during the American Revolution.
And at 4.30 p.m., in anticipation of NASA's upcoming Artemis II mission, we talk with former NASA Flight Director Gerald Griffin about the history of the American space program.
Then at 5.15 p.m., we tour Manhattan's oldest surviving residence built in 1765 for British officer Roger Morris, headquarters of General George Washington during the American Revolution and later home to Stephen and Eliza Jumel and her second husband, Aaron Burr.
And at 8 p.m. on Lectures in History, Brown University's Marion Orr recounts the life of Congressman Charles Diggs Jr., the first chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus and the only federal official to attend the trial of Emmett Till's killers.
And at 9.30 on the presidency, Fox News's Brett Baer talks about the life of President Theodore Roosevelt and the evolution of the United States into a superpower.
Exploring the American story, watch American History TV Saturdays on C-SPAN 2 and find a full schedule on your program guide or watch online anytime at c-span.org slash history.
Democracy.
Higher Taxes for Working Families 00:13:09
It isn't just an idea.
It's a process.
A process shaped by leaders elected to the highest offices and entrusted to a select few with guarding its basic principles.
It's where debates unfold, decisions are made, and the nation's course is charted.
Democracy in real time.
This is your government at work.
This is C-SPAN, giving you your democracy unfiltered.
Next, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont delivers his state-of-the-state address to the legislature in the capital of Hartford.
He discussed the impact of federal cuts on his state, education policy, and public safety during his nearly 40-minute speech.
Well, thank you, and good morning, everybody.
Good morning.
So, Mr. President, Mr. Speaker, Senator Harding, Representative Candalora, Lieutenant Governor Bisowitz, members of the General Assembly, Annie, and the people of the great state of Connecticut.
250 years ago, Thomas Paine wrote Common Sense, that America's fight for freedom was not radical rebellion, but simply common sense.
He was what we called today a social influencer.
His pamphlets, his pamphlets were handed out by the hundreds of thousands.
His call to revolution was debated from taverns in Windsor to coffee houses in Fairfield.
But by the end of that year, 1776, his optimism was tempered by hard times.
Payne concluded, these are the times the try men's souls.
So 250 years later, we find ourselves again in times the try men's souls.
Mass federal agents have descended on Minneapolis, terrorizing communities, tearing families apart.
Two young Americans, a mom and an ICU nurse, shot dead.
And some of our folks worry that another government shutdown, sudden federal cuts.
What will that mean?
No dinner tonight?
No roof over their head?
Too expensive to take care of a sick child?
These are times the try men's souls.
And that said, I feel fortunate to be in Connecticut, and I hope that you do too.
You are the birthplace of freedom, four signers of the Declaration of Independence, penning the words that we live by.
All men and women are created equal.
These words should still be our North Star 250 years later.
I live by these words as I think about our values and our budget.
And unlike many other states which are facing federal cuts or a deficit of their own, Connecticut is stepping up to protect our most vulnerable.
And we're trying to make life a little less expensive for working families in the middle class who are getting slammed by higher costs.
And because we've used Connecticut common sense, we've been able to make up for some of the harsh cuts coming out of the White House.
We were among the very first states to backstop food support for working families.
You remember those scared faces, long lines at the food pantries?
That was just a few months ago.
The federal budget could have increased your family's health insurance costs by thousands of dollars, hitting many, many middle-class families.
Instead, Connecticut is making up for most of those federal cuts.
We saved you money and ensured that Connecticut has more citizens with health insurance today while the rest of the country has less.
And we continue to provide primary care regardless of background thanks to additional funding for our friendly qualified health centers and Planned Parenthood.
So when confronted with these cuts, most states said, tough luck.
Blame the feds.
You're on your own.
In Connecticut, we assured our residents, we've got your back.
And I want to thank the legislature for giving us the resources to protect the most vulnerable.
And we still have over $300 million to backfill any other unanticipated cuts coming from Washington.
And I respectfully ask all of you to extend that fund through the end of the next fiscal year, because you hope for the best, but you've got to be prepared for the worst.
All right, that said, we can't make up forever what the federal government used to support.
And I hope that the feds and the states can reestablish a new partnership in the year ahead.
But I'm not so optimistic.
As our country faces government shutdowns and herky-jerky federal policy, the tariffs are on, the tariffs are off, wind power is shut down.
No, wait a second.
The chaos in Washington, D.C. is the opposite of what we're trying to do here in Connecticut together.
Governors and legislators are supposed to deliver budgets on time and in balance while the feds are screaming in the wrong direction.
Here in Connecticut, working together, we've delivered over seven balanced budgets in a row.
On time.
This will be our seventh balanced budget.
Let's get it on time.
All the while building up a $4 billion rainy day fund in case of a recession, and they do happen.
and also paying down over $10 billion in pension debt.
Unlike our predecessors, who put the pension costs on their credit card for our kids, the next generation, to pay.
And by the way, I want to thank Treasurer Russell and the investment team.
You know, for the first time in a long time, our investment returns are much higher than the national average.
Higher than the national average.
Hey, they like you.
They're higher than the national average.
And that's helping our funds go from 35% funded to almost 65% funded.
State employees and teachers, your retirement is secure.
All right, the Connecticut economy is strong for now.
We have faster economic growth, the fourth highest in the country in the last quarter.
More new business startups, lower unemployment than most of the nation, all of which contributes to higher state income.
And that allows our 2027 budget to increase investments in education and not-for-profits and housing, not to mention the emergency reserve.
Look, it's bad for a budget, your family budget, budget of your small business, our state budget.
It's bad for any budget to grow faster than your income can support.
We've been down that deficit road before.
But our strong economic growth allows us to do more without compromising our honestly balanced budget.
Look, I get it.
Many of you over here wanted to add a $500 million tax cut, and folks over here want $500 million tax credits.
And that just leaves deficits in future years.
We've been down that road before.
We'll figure out how to pay for it.
Been there, done that, not again.
But that said, How can we help folks who are suffering through one of the coldest winters in decades, facing enormous heating bills, not to mention inflationary food and housing?
Well, thanks largely to seven very volatile AI artificial intelligence stocks, the so-called magnificent seven, our streaky capital gains revenue is very strong for this year.
That said, I propose sending each and every one of you an energy rebate, $200 per person or $400 for a family, to help you and your family manage through these tough times, a $400 energy rebate.
Look, every year we've been here, I'm trying to do everything I can to make life a little less expensive and a little more affordable.
Look, working families earning a little more sure helps.
Remember cheering on those essential workers during COVID?
Many of them were earning the minimum wage, which today is almost $17 an hour, up from about $10 an hour when we took office.
And after receiving no increase for several years, zeros, our state employees have received a wage increase every year that we've been in office.
Look, employees, look, we appreciate your extraordinary work.
Please tell your friends we need a few more nurses and corrections officers and state police.
Look, we've been told by naysayers that the higher wage would crash the economy.
Well, instead, a little more money in your pocket is allowing more families to get back on their feet and our economy to prosper.
And how about keeping a little more of what you earn?
Many of our essential workers receive an expanded money-back earned income tax credit, about $1,000.
Thank you Marty Looney.
And the middle class received a $400 million income tax cut which we did on a bipartisan and sustainable basis.
Sustainable.
Politicians talk tax cuts.
We got it done.
Look, our budget eliminates the licensing fees for nurses and the trades.
Does a plumber really have to pay to maintain their certification every year?
And a few years back, we eliminated the income tax for most of our seniors.
Florida is a great place to visit.
want to live there.
And getting our fiscal house in order has also allowed us to save young and growing families thousands of dollars per year, tens of thousands of dollars in child care costs.
Reduces Child Care Costs 00:15:08
Our budget is still in surplus, allowing us to make another sizable deposit in the child care endowment.
We're well on our way to making universal early childhood education a reality for all of our families here in Connecticut.
Making it just a little bit easier for parents to get back to work, giving your child the very best Head Start in life.
Then your kid is on to some of the best K through 12 schools in the country.
I want to ask you, whenever you can, thank a teacher for everything, since we're asking them to do more and more and more and more.
Thank your teacher.
Thank the teachers and help your teacher teach.
Read to your child at night and turn off the damn smart phone.
I used to carp that smart phones make you stupid.
Well, social media can also feed a sense of isolation and persecution and anger.
That's a dangerous psychological cocktail.
Look, thanks to you, Connecticut was a leader in getting these phones out of the classroom.
Let's go one step further.
No phones bell to bell in any of our schools.
Not bad.
Let's work with our neighboring states in requiring that no child under the age of 18 has access to these dangerous apps without parental permission.
Protect our kids.
Protect our kids.
Okay, we tried this last year.
Let's try it again.
Our budget provides for free school breakfasts for all of our students.
All of our students, everybody starts the day right.
No shame, no stigma, no empty stomachs.
Look, Connecticut has one of the best school systems in the country, but that's not true of all of our schools.
So in the coming days, I'm going to sign an executive order, create another blue ribbon commission on K through 12 education and work for early child care is going to work this time as well.
This commission is going to be a bottoms-up look at education with a focus on updated funding strategy, including the foundation grant, and making sure more resources go to the classroom.
More resources into the classroom.
And number two, let's build on our special education reforms, which included $80 million in additional funding in the last session, emphasizing more local and regional options.
Better for the kids and saves you money.
And third, we have 207 school districts.
That doesn't mean we have to replicate every overhead function 207 times.
The Commissioner will be focused on saving money for the classroom and the taxpayer.
Let's get this done together.
All right, so how do you focus on homework?
If you can't, be sure you got a roof over your head.
So let's talk about housing.
Don't worry, it won't be a seven-hour filibuster.
Look, we're making life a little less expensive means more housing in a state where more and more people want to be, as long as they can find a place to call home.
Look, our housing market is very tight, which means your home is worth, say, 40% more than it was just five years ago.
That's good.
You're building wealth.
But if you don't already own a home, it's also a lot more expensive to rent or buy your home.
So we're building more housing in Connecticut than ever, mostly in our larger towns and cities.
And thanks to leaders like Jason Rojas and Bob Duff.
Thank you guys.
Thanks to leaders like Jason Rojas and Bob Duff for trying to make it a little easier and faster and less expensive to build new housing.
That's what I call purbaning reform.
And thanks to mayors and first selectmen, Democrats and Republicans alike.
Thank you for weighing in on our housing strategy.
Towns take the lead.
We're going to get it done together.
Mayors, you tell us where you want housing and where you don't want housing.
Let's say no to building in that open field.
How about yes to reimagining that old parking lot, that old mill sitting empty, that half-empty suburban shopping mall, that underused office building, all of which could be retrofitted for housing.
And we're talking housing for our seniors who may want to downsize.
Housing for our nurses and teachers and firemen and cops who want to live in a town they love and where they work.
And our budget will continue to prioritize mortgage and time to own subsidies for those working in your town.
And remember, housing for your kids, for young people, for families, for singles.
Okay, when I was younger, 10% of folks lived alone.
Today it's about 30% live alone.
Two options.
One, build more housing for singles.
Two, get married.
All right.
Every business thinking about moving to Connecticut and expanding here always asks me the same question, workforce housing.
When they ask, where will the next generation of workers live?
We no longer have to look at our shoes and mumble that we're working on it.
Have you visited New London?
They've added more new homes in the last five years than the last 15 years.
Nice going, Mike.
Everybody loves New London.
And the Naugatuck Valley is booming.
More housing alongside more frequent rail service and new train stations.
the poster child for transit-oriented development.
Focus on housing next to those train stations and busways.
We're finding much less need for cars, for parking lots, less traffic, and less cost to you.
And by the way, Zillow just announced that Hartford is one of the hottest housing markets in the United States of America.
Hartford, where are you?
Where's the rodent?
And economic growth is good for our state budget.
And mayors, a growing economic pie helps your local budget as well.
Look, we had decades of shrinking grand lists and shrinking schools.
That's driving up the cost of education per student with a smaller tax base to pay those bills.
That drives up property taxes.
I've said it a million times.
I'll say it again.
No to more taxes, but yes to more taxpayers.
Grow that economic pie.
And look, as we work with mayors to reduce your tax bill by expanding the economic pie of more housing and local business, and our budget will also continue to strengthen our cogs.
That's the regional back office, so every town doesn't have to hire its own building inspector or its own housing planner, just trying to save you a little bit of money.
So yes, our budget builds on our ongoing commitment to municipal aid and pilot programs.
We're sources that have doubled over the last seven years.
But the long-term answer is economic growth and real reform.
Let's take energy.
The answer isn't just more subsidies or moving costs from the ratepayers onto the backs of the taxpayers.
No more rearranging the deck chairs.
Our electricity prices have been some of the highest in the country over the last generation or two.
We don't have ready access to more energy resources.
We're not Texas.
This isn't Landman.
And demand is picking up as our economy accelerates.
Subsidies are a quick fix, but as a business guy, I believe in the power of supply and demand, which impacts costs for everything from housing to energy.
Look at energy prices.
Seven years ago, we followed the Hippocratic oath, do no harm.
Many states unplugged nuclear power and plugged in energy-sucking data centers, driving up prices around the country.
And here in Connecticut, we did the exact opposite.
We extended our Millstone Nuclear Agreement and said, let's slow down those new data centers unless they add generation as well.
And by the way, that Millstone contract is returning over $100 million to the ratepayers this year.
$100 million.
You know why?
Because the price of natural gas is skyrocketing.
Our energy regulatory authority, Pura, may require a constructive relationship with our utilities.
But Pura should never be afraid to hold utilities accountable.
Look, utilities deserve a reasonable rate of return for maintenance and upgrade of the grid.
And we'll continue to...
But we will continue to scrutinize rates and ensure that ratepayers are only covering costs for infrastructure and energy use.
They're no longer paying for Eversource's charitable contributions, legal, advertising, lobbying expenses.
They should be paid for by your shareholders, not our rate payers.
All right, back to supply and demand.
I continue to believe that energy efficiency reduces demand and reduces your electric bills.
Caulking and insulation, they can save you hundreds of dollars.
It also reduces demand on the grid with zero new carbon emissions.
Meanwhile, we're adding supply with Quebec Hydro and Revolution Wind ready to turn on very, very soon.
And we're still awaiting that proposal from the pipeline companies.
The White House threatens to put a tariff on Canadian energy, and that stop, start, stop, start on wind only drove up costs for you.
So I want to personally thank all of you and many of you for standing up loud and clear, saying these erratic federal policies are no way to run a business.
And thanks to some legal help from the energetic Attorney General Tong, we got the wind power turned back on.
The turbines are spinning.
Supply and demand.
More housing reduces the cost of housing.
More generation reduces the cost of electricity.
More economic growth reduces taxes.
We're making progress.
We still have a way to go.
I highlighted more housing and electricity as affordability priorities over the last years.
Accelerating health care costs are the looming iceberg on our radar system.
don't applaud that look just as we're getting our pensions under control health care costs are eating more and more of our budget Especially Medicaid, retiree health care costs, budget for your school board or small business.
We can't wait for innovations from the feds.
So far, those reforms from the White House include increasing insurance premiums on the exchange and cutting Medicaid so any increase is borne by the states.
And all the while, our population is getting a little older and hospitalizations are way up.
But we have not been waiting.
Health Care Crisis & Solutions 00:03:03
Sean Scanlon has been on this for years.
Not bad.
And as health care guy, Josh Wojek, is now our interim OPM secretary.
Let's get rid of that interim soon.
And getting health care, getting control over health care spending is a big reason why.
So Sean and Josh and Andrea Barton-Reeves are working hand in hand to find efficiencies on both the state employee plan and Medicaid that will bend the cost curve and save taxpayers money and keep health care affordable.
Here is just one example.
The cost of one of the most commonly prescribed drugs, brand name drugs, for plaque psoriasis just kept rising and rising and rising.
By switching to the generic version, Sean saved our plan $15 million this year and hopefully $50 million a year by year three, all with the same or better outcomes.
And that's just one drug.
At a time of rising costs, we're doubling down on what we've always done, being tough as nails on medical fraud and looking under the hood for big savings wherever we can.
And let's work together on the Connecticut option.
Let me tell you what it is first.
This plan will encourage state employees and retirees and small business to go to hospitals where you get the best value.
Because, you know, some hospitals charge 50% more than others for the exact same outcome.
We'll be able to offer health care with no co-pays or deductibles if you sign up for the Connecticut option, saving you money, saving the state money, and making sure our top-line health care is affordable for you.
Let's work on this together.
Labor and business, hospitals and insurance, don't let the lobbyists scare you.
We can and will finally move to universal, affordable health care here in the state of Connecticut.
Rather than pushing people off health care, we'll make sure that you're taken care of.
The Divide in Connecticut 00:04:02
All right, look, I've been around for a while and never have I seen the world so divided, people so divided, drilling down on what separates us rather than what we have in common.
That's true of people and politics and also true of policing.
I want to give a shout out to the Connecticut State Police and the Connecticut, thank you for standing.
For the Connecticut State Police and their brothers and sisters in the Municipal Police Forces as well.
Because they are, by, for and of the community, keeping you safe like looking out for a neighbor.
Cops are best when they can afford to live in the community where they serve.
Many of them know the kids from the Police Athletic League, and the kids know them.
Innovation from Waterbury.
Thank you, Waterbury.
We have perhaps the best trained police force in the world, making Connecticut one of the very safest states.
ICE is just the opposite.
They see the world as us versus them.
They're not trained to de-escalate.
I think they're barely trained at all.
They hide behind a mask.
They come to Connecticut and Minneapolis to arrest people outside of schools, courthouses, often based upon the color of their skin.
Some of our Hispanic kids are scared to go to school.
Those kids at Wilbur Cross High School in New Haven, we call them dreamers.
The White House calls them criminal aliens.
That young mother shot twice in the head in Minneapolis.
The White House called her a domestic terrorist.
She reminded me of my daughter.
Connecticut is protecting our schools and courthouses where people go not to break the law because they're following the law.
ICE, everywhere you go, uninvited, violence follows.
Go home.
We're keeping our Connecticut safe without you.
Yes, these are the times that try men's souls.
But Thomas Paine went on to warn that when the going gets tough, the summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from service to their country.
He warned what he called tyranny sneaking up on us step by step because good people didn't speak out.
Times That Try Men's Souls 00:02:56
I also believe that he'd feel at home in Connecticut where we're staying true to our founding principles of life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, where all men and women are created equal.
I think he would have been as moved as Susan and I were during the swearing-in ceremony for the new mayor of Norwich, Connecticut.
It's a it's a beautiful town hall not quite as old as our country and all lit up It's a backdrop to many a Hallmark Christmas movie.
The ceremony was packed, including our first Native American legislator, Larry Pemberton.
Welcome, Larry.
It's about time.
That same ceremony, the walls were lined with photographs of former mayors, a bunch of old white guys looking down on the crowd, and they saw turbans and colorful garbs celebrating their Sikh heritage.
Since Mayor Singh is our first mayor of Sikh Heritage, this is America.
Norwich has a rich history, first settled by Native Americans.
Puritan revolutionaries to build the ships.
Later, the Irish built the railroads.
Eastern Europeans came to work in the mills.
Later, the Sikhs from Punjab running the stores.
Today, there are 25 different languages spoken in Norwich, Connecticut.
And for Mayor Singh's swearing-in ceremony, everybody put their hand on their heart and said, I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.
That's the Connecticut I love.
That's the America that we fight for.
God bless America and the great state of Connecticut.
Thanks, guys.
Bridge the Divide 00:00:40
Welcome to Ceasefire, where we try to bridge the divide in American politics.
I'm Dasha Burns, Politico White House Bureau Chief, and joining me now, two guests who have agreed to keep the conversation civil even when they disagree.
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