[000:00:00;967] AND MET SOME FRIENDS AND THEY
[000:00:02;135] WERE SELLING DRUGS, SO IT WAS
[000:00:03;269] LIKE THE THING TO DO.
[000:00:04;637] >> SUNDAY NIGHT AT 8:00 P.M.
[000:00:07;941] EASTERN ON C-SPAN'S Q & A.
[000:00:12;512] >>> YESTERDAY PRESIDENT TRUMP
[000:00:13;747] ORDERED FEDERAL AGENCIES TO TURN
[000:00:16;149] OVER CITIZENSHIP DOCUMENTS AND
[000:00:18;351] DATA TO THE COMMERCE DEPARTMENT
[000:00:20;286] AFTER THE SUPREME COURT RECENTLY
[000:00:21;821] RULED AGAINST THE
[000:00:23;757] ADMINISTRATION'S EFFORTS TO ADD
[000:00:24;858] A CITIZENSHIP QUESTION TO THE
[000:00:26;860] 2020 CENSUS.
[000:00:28;595] THE PRESIDENT SPOKE ABOUT HIS
[000:00:29;896] LATEST ACTION FROM THE WHITE
[000:00:31;331] HOUSE ROSE GARDEN ALONGSIDE
[000:00:34;100] ATTORNEY GENERAL WILLIAM BARR
[000:00:35;802] AND COMMERCE SECRETARY WILBUR
[000:00:39;472] ROSS.
[000:00:57;724] >>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
[000:00:59;392] EVERYONE.
[000:00:59;926] ARE YOU A CITIZEN OF THE UNITED
[000:01:02;862] STATES OF AMERICA?
[000:01:04;164] OH, GEE, I'M SORRY, I JUST CAN'T
[000:01:07;867] ANSWER THAT QUESTION, AND THAT'S
[000:01:09;235] AFTER SPENDING BILLIONS AND
[000:01:11;571] BILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
[000:01:12;405] THERE USED TO BE A TIME WHEN YOU
[000:01:15;008] COULD ANSWER QUESTIONS LIKE THAT
[000:01:16;810] VERY EASILY.
[000:01:18;078] THERE USED TO BE A TIME WHEN YOU
[000:01:19;813] COULD PROUDLY DECLARE I AM A
[000:01:22;782] CITIZEN OF THE UNITED STATES.
[000:01:23;616] NOW THEY'RE TRYING TO ERASE THE
[000:01:26;586] VERY EXISTENCE OF A VERY
[000:01:30;156] IMPORTANT WORD AND A VERY
[000:01:31;624] IMPORTANT THING, CITIZENSHIP.
[000:01:34;794] THEY'RE EVEN COMING AFTER THE
[000:01:36;463] PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE IN
[000:01:38;865] MINNESOTA.
[000:01:39;499] I'M PROUD TO BE A CITIZEN.
[000:01:41;167] YOU'RE PROUD TO BE A CITIZEN.
[000:01:42;836] THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT
[000:01:45;305] PROUD TO BE CITIZENS ARE THE
[000:01:46;005] ONES WHO ARE FIGHTING US ALL THE
[000:01:49;576] WAY ABOUT THE WORD CITIZEN.
[000:01:52;479] TODAY I'M HERE TO SAY WE ARE NOT
[000:01:54;547] BACKING DOWN ON OUR EFFORT TO
[000:01:56;583] DETERMINE THE CITIZENSHIP STATUS
[000:02:00;987] OF THE UNITED STATES'
[000:02:02;655] POPULATION.
[000:02:03;056] I STAND BEFORE YOU TO OUTLINE
[000:02:05;058] NEW STEPS MY ADMINISTRATION IS
[000:02:07;327] TAKING TO ENSURE THAT
[000:02:09;529] CITIZENSHIP IS COUNTED SO THAT
[000:02:11;331] WE KNOW HOW MANY CITIZENS WE
[000:02:14;901] HAVE IN THE UNITED STATES.
[000:02:17;003] MAKES SENSE.
[000:02:17;504] WE WILL DEFEND THE RIGHT OF THE
[000:02:19;606] AMERICAN PEOPLE TO KNOW THE FULL
[000:02:21;107] FACTS ABOUT THE POPULATION, SIZE
[000:02:23;576] OF CITIZENS AND NONCITIZENS IN
[000:02:26;513] AMERICA.
[000:02:26;846] IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT WE HAVE A
[000:02:28;448] CLEAR BREAKDOWN OF THE NUMBER OF
[000:02:30;216] CITIZENS AND NONCITIZENS THAT
[000:02:32;418] MAKE UP THE U.S. POPULATIONS.
[000:02:35;855] IMPERATIVE.
[000:02:36;289] KNOWING THIS INFORMATION IS
[000:02:37;690] VITAL TO FORMULATING SOUND
[000:02:40;026] PUBLIC POLICY, WHETHER THE ISSUE
[000:02:41;694] IS HEALTHCARE, EDUCATION, CIVIL
[000:02:45;932] RIGHTS OR IMMIGRATION, WE MUST
[000:02:47;433] HAVE A RELIABLE COUNT OF HOW
[000:02:50;069] MANY CITIZENS, NONCITIZENS AND
[000:02:52;372] ILLEGAL ALIENS ARE IN OUR
[000:02:55;441] COUNTRY.
[000:02:55;842] THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
[000:02:58;878] SENSIBLY DECIDED TO INCLUDE A
[000:03:02;148] CITIZENSHIP QUESTION IN THE 2020
[000:03:05;118] CENSUS, AS HAS BEEN DONE MANY,
[000:03:08;054] MANY TIMES THROUGHOUT THE
[000:03:10;657] HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES.
[000:03:12;725] UNFORTUNATELY, THIS EFFORT WAS
[000:03:14;761] DELAYED BY MERITLESS LITIGATION.
[000:03:17;096] AS SHOCKING AS IT MAY BE, FAR
[000:03:19;065] LEFT DEMOCRATS IN OUR COUNTRY
[000:03:21;701] ARE DETERMINED TO CONCEAL THE
[000:03:22;902] NUMBER OF ILLEGAL ALIENS IN OUR
[000:03:26;339] MIDST.
[000:03:26;639] THEY PROBABLY KNOW THE NUMBER IS
[000:03:28;641] FAR GREATER, MUCH HIGHER THAN
[000:03:32;779] ANYONE WOULD HAVE EVER BELIEVED
[000:03:34;280] BEFORE, MAYBE THAT'S WHY THEY
[000:03:36;182] FIGHT SO HARD.
[000:03:37;550] THIS IS PART OF A BROADER LEFT
[000:03:40;053] WING EFFORT TO ERODE THE RIGHTS
[000:03:41;821] OF THE AMERICAN CITIZEN AND IS
[000:03:42;822] VERY UNFAIR TO OUR COUNTRY.
[000:03:45;825] THE SUPREME COURT ULTIMATELY
[000:03:46;793] AFFIRMED OUR RIGHT TO ASK THE
[000:03:51;898] CITIZENSHIP QUESTION AND VERY
[000:03:53;132] STRONGLY IT WAS AFFIRMED, BUT
[000:03:55;368] THE SUPREME COURT ALSO RULED
[000:03:56;202] THAT WE MUST PROVIDE FURTHER
[000:03:58;871] EXPLANATION THAT WOULD HAVE
[000:04:00;273] PRODUCED EVEN MORE LITIGATION
[000:04:03;276] AND CONSIDERABLE TIME DELAYS.
[000:04:05;778] THE CASE IS ALREADY IN THREE
[000:04:12;352] FEDERAL DISTRICT COURTS THAT
[000:04:13;186] HAPPEN TO BE TOTALLY HONEST,
[000:04:15;588] EXTREMELY UNFRIENDLY TO US.
[000:04:17;457] THESE DELAYS WOULD HAVE
[000:04:18;424] PREVENTED US FROM COMPLETING THE
[000:04:20;893] CENSUS ON TIME.
[000:04:22;295] IT'S DEEPLY REGRETTABLE BUT IT
[000:04:23;930] WILL NOT STOP US FROM COLLECTING
[000:04:25;765] THE NEEDED INFORMATION AND I
[000:04:27;333] THINK EVEN IN GREATER DETAIL AND
[000:04:28;668] MORE ACCURATELY.
[000:04:30;670] THEREFORE, WE ARE PURSUING A NEW
[000:04:31;971] OPTION TO ENSURE A COMPLETE AND
[000:04:34;574] TIMELY COUNT OF THE NONCITIZEN
[000:04:37;110] POPULATION.
[000:04:37;543] TODAY I WILL BE ISSUING AN
[000:04:40;280] EXECUTIVE ORDER TO PUT THIS VERY
[000:04:43;416] PLAN INTO EFFECT IMMEDIATELY.
[000:04:46;286] I AM HERE BY ORDERING EVERY
[000:04:48;721] DEPARTMENT AND AGENCY IN THE
[000:04:50;189] FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO PROVIDE
[000:04:51;357] THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE WITH
[000:04:54;427] ALL REQUESTED RECORDS REGARDING
[000:04:55;528] THE NUMBER OF CITIZENS AND
[000:04:57;163] NONCITIZENS IN OUR COUNTRY.
[000:04:59;565] THEY MUST FURNISH ALL LEGALLY
[000:05:03;202] ACCESSIBLE RECORDS IN THEIR
[000:05:04;304] POSSESSION IMMEDIATELY.
[000:05:05;605] WE WILL UTILIZE THESE VAST
[000:05:07;273] FEDERAL DATABASES TO GAIN A
[000:05:09;575] FULL, COMPLETE AND ACCURATE
[000:05:12;512] COUNT OF THE NONCITIZEN
[000:05:15;348] POPULATION, INCLUDING DATABASES
[000:05:16;749] MAINTAINED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF
[000:05:18;885] HOMELAND SECURITY AND THE SOCIAL
[000:05:22;055] SECURITY ADMINISTRATION.
[000:05:23;289] WE HAVE GREAT KNOWLEDGE IN MANY
[000:05:25;558] OF OUR AGENCIES.
[000:05:27;060] WE WILL LEAVE NO STONE UNTURNED.
[000:05:29;896] THE CENSUS BUREAU PROJECTED THAT
[000:05:33;132] USING PREVIOUSLY AVAILABLE
[000:05:34;200] RECORDS IT COULD DETERMINE
[000:05:35;868] CITIZENSHIP FOR 90% OF OUR
[000:05:38;638] POPULATION OR MORE.
[000:05:40;206] WITH TODAY'S EXECUTIVE ORDER
[000:05:41;174] WHICH ELIMINATES LONG STANDING
[000:05:43;309] OBSTACLES TO DATA SHARING, WE'RE
[000:05:46;079] AIMING TO COUNT EVERYONE.
[000:05:48;214] ULTIMATELY THIS WILL ALLOW US TO
[000:05:50;183] HAVE AN EVEN MORE COMPLETE COUNT
[000:05:52;785] OF CITIZENS THAN THROUGH ASKING
[000:05:54;954] THE SINGLE QUESTION ALONE.
[000:05:57;557] IT WILL BE, WE THINK, FAR MORE
[000:06:01;694] ACCURATE.
[000:06:02;328] THE VENN SUSS BUREAU CAN USE
[000:06:04;063] THIS INFORMATION ALONG WITH
[000:06:05;898] INFORMATION COLLECTED THROUGH
[000:06:06;866] THE QUESTIONNAIRE TO CREATE THE
[000:06:08;568] OFFICIAL CENSUS.
[000:06:10;470] OTHERS, AS A RESULT OF TODAY'S
[000:06:12;805] EXECUTIVE ORDER, WE WILL BE ABLE
[000:06:13;639] TO ENSURE THE 2020 CENSUS
[000:06:16;943] GENERATES AN ACCURATE COUNT OF
[000:06:18;311] HOW MANY CITIZENS, NONCITIZENS
[000:06:19;912] AND ILLEGAL ALIENS ARE IN THE
[000:06:24;650] UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
[000:06:25;685] NOT TOO MUCH TO ASK.
[000:06:26;953] THIS WILL GREATLY INFORM A WIDE
[000:06:29;122] ARRAY OF PUBLIC POLICY
[000:06:31;657] DECISIONS.
[000:06:32;024] THIS INFORMATION IS ALSO
[000:06:34;160] RELEVANT TO ADMINISTERING OUR
[000:06:36;496] ELECTIONS.
[000:06:36;863] SOME STATES MAY WANT TO DRAW
[000:06:38;164] STATE AND LOCAL LEGISLATIVE
[000:06:41;134] DISTRICTS BASED UPON THE VOTER
[000:06:44;237] ELIGIBLE POPULATION.
[000:06:45;338] INDEED THE SAME WAY THE SUPREME
[000:06:46;973] COURT HANDED DOWN THE CENSUS
[000:06:49;809] DECISION, IT ALSO SAID IT WOULD
[000:06:51;611] NOT REVIEW CERTAIN TYPES OF
[000:06:54;180] DISTRICTING DECISIONS WHICH
[000:06:56;048] COULD ENCOURAGE STATES TO MAKE
[000:06:57;450] SUCH DECISIONS BASED ON VOTER
[000:07:01;020] ELIGIBILITY.
[000:07:01;421] WITH TODAY'S ORDER WE WILL
[000:07:02;989] COLLECT ALL OF THE INFORMATION
[000:07:03;890] WE NEED TO CONDUCT AN ACCURATE
[000:07:06;192] CENSUS AND TO MAKE RESPONSIBLE
[000:07:08;728] DECISIONS ABOUT PUBLIC POLICY,
[000:07:10;830] VOTING RIGHTS AND REPRESENTATION
[000:07:14;400] IN CONGRESS.
[000:07:14;834] IN EVERYTHING WE DO WE WILL
[000:07:17;236] FAITHFULLY REPRESENT THE PEOPLE
[000:07:19;906] OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
[000:07:21;541] I WOULD LIKE NOW TO INTRODUCE
[000:07:27;213] ATTORNEY GENERAL BILL BARR TO
[000:07:28;448] THE PODIUM.
[000:07:31;818] THANK YOU.
[000:07:36;489] >> GOOD EVENING.
[000:07:37;123] THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, AND
[000:07:39;926] CONGRATULATIONS ON TODAY'S
[000:07:40;893] EXECUTIVE ORDER WHICH WILL
[000:07:42;428] ENSURE THAT WE FINALLY HAVE AN
[000:07:45;097] ACCURATE UNDERSTANDING OF HOW
[000:07:46;332] MANY CITIZENS AND NONCITIZENS
[000:07:48;501] LIVE IN OUR COUNTRY.
[000:07:50;870] AS THE SUPREME COURT RECOGNIZED,
[000:07:52;672] IT WOULD BE PERFECTLY LAWFUL FOR
[000:07:55;475] THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO ASK ON
[000:07:57;376] THE CENSUS WHETHER INDIVIDUALS
[000:07:59;378] ARE CITIZENS OF THE UNITED
[000:08:01;948] STATES.
[000:08:02;315] AND IT'S ENTIRELY REASONABLE TO
[000:08:04;250] WANT TO KNOW HOW MANY CITIZENS
[000:08:05;818] AND NONCITIZENS THERE ARE IN THE
[000:08:08;454] UNITED STATES.
[000:08:09;055] IN FACT, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
[000:08:10;723] HAS ROUTINELY ASKED QUESTIONS
[000:08:12;859] RELATING TO CITIZENSHIP EVER
[000:08:15;328] SINCE THE 1820s, BUT WHILE THE
[000:08:18;464] SUPREME COURT CORRECTLY
[000:08:20;132] RECOGNIZED THAT IT WOULD BE
[000:08:22;268] ENTIRELY APPROPRIATE TO INCLUDE
[000:08:24;837] CITIZENSHIP QUESTIONS ON THE
[000:08:26;606] CENSUS, IT NEVERTHELESS HELD
[000:08:28;508] THAT THE COMMERCE DEPARTMENT DID
[000:08:29;509] NOT ADEQUATELY EXPLAIN ITS
[000:08:32;845] DECISIONS FOR DOING SO ON THE
[000:08:34;614] 2020 CENSUS.
[000:08:37;383] BECAUSE AS THE SUPREME COURT
[000:08:39;151] RECOGNIZED, THE DEFECT IN THE
[000:08:40;820] COMMERCE DEPARTMENT'S DECISION
[000:08:42;121] WAS CURABLE WITH A BETTER
[000:08:44;624] RECORD, THE PRESIDENT ASKED ME
[000:08:45;758] TO WORK WITH SECRETARY ROSS TO
[000:08:48;694] DETERMINE WHETHER THERE REMAINED
[000:08:50;363] A VIABLE PATH FOR INCLUDING A
[000:08:53;266] CITIZENSHIP QUESTION ON THE
[000:08:55;401] CENSUS.
[000:08:56;302] I DID SO.
[000:08:57;103] IN MY VIEW THE GOVERNMENT HAS
[000:08:59;038] AMPLE JUSTIFICATION TO INQUIRE
[000:09:01;240] ABOUT CITIZENSHIP STATUS ON THE
[000:09:03;276] CENSUS AND COULD PLAINLY PROVIDE
[000:09:06;178] RATIONALES FOR DOING SO THAT
[000:09:08;347] WOULD SATISFY THE SUPREME COURT.
[000:09:11;851] THEREFORE, THERE IS NO QUESTION
[000:09:13;185] THAT A NEW DECISION TO ADD THE
[000:09:15;888] QUESTION WOULD ULTIMATELY
[000:09:17;790] SURVIVE LEGAL REVIEW.
[000:09:20;560] THE PROBLEM IS THAT ANY NEW
[000:09:23;029] DECISION WOULD BE SUBJECT TO
[000:09:24;830] IMMEDIATE CHALLENGE AS A NEW
[000:09:26;832] CLAIM IN THE THREE ONGOING
[000:09:29;702] DISTRICT COURT CASES.
[000:09:30;303] IN ADDITION, THERE ARE
[000:09:31;971] INJUNCTIONS CURRENTLY IN PLACE
[000:09:34;173] THAT FORBID ADDING THE QUESTION.
[000:09:37;209] THERE IS SIMPLY NO WAY TO
[000:09:38;744] LITIGATE THESE ISSUES AND OBTAIN
[000:09:40;713] RELIEF FROM THE CURRENT
[000:09:42;982] INJUNCTIONS IN TIME TO IMPLEMENT
[000:09:45;217] ANY NEW DECISION WITHOUT
[000:09:48;020] JEOPARDIZING OUR ABILITY TO
[000:09:49;021] CARRY OUT THE CENSUS, WHICH WE
[000:09:52;291] ARE NOT GOING TO DO.
[000:09:53;793] WE'RE NOT GOING TO JEOPARDIZE
[000:09:55;294] OUR ABILITY TO CARRY OUT THE
[000:09:57;730] CENSUS.
[000:09:58;064] SO AS A PRACTICAL MATTER, THE
[000:10:00;933] SUPREME COURT'S DECISION CLOSED
[000:10:03;836] ALL PATHS TO ADDING THE QUESTION
[000:10:05;304] TO THE 2020 CENSUS.
[000:10:07;306] PUT SIMPLY, THE IMPEDIMENT WAS
[000:10:09;709] NOT -- WAS A LOGISTICAL
[000:10:12;812] IMPEDIMENT, NOT A LEGAL ONE.
[000:10:14;046] WE SIMPLY CANNOT COMPLETE THE
[000:10:16;549] LITIGATION IN TIME TO CARRY OUT
[000:10:18;985] THE CENSUS.
[000:10:20;319] ONE OTHER POINT ON THIS.
[000:10:22;288] SOME IN THE MEDIA HAVE BEEN
[000:10:24;790] SUGGESTING IN THE HYSTERICAL
[000:10:27;026] MODE OF THE DAY THAT THE
[000:10:28;361] ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN PLANNING
[000:10:29;328] TO ADD THE CITIZENSHIP QUESTION
[000:10:32;365] TO THE CENSUS BY EXECUTIVE FIAT
[000:10:35;968] WITHOUT REGARD TO CONTRARY CORD
[000:10:38;304] ORDERS OR WHAT THE SUPREME COURT
[000:10:39;672] MIGHT SAY.
[000:10:40;306] THIS HAS BEEN BASED ON RANK
[000:10:43;042] SPECULATION AND NOTHING MORE.
[000:10:44;844] AS SHOULD BE OBVIOUS, THERE HAS
[000:10:47;480] NEVER BEEN -- THIS HAS NEVER
[000:10:50;082] BEEN UNDER CONSIDERATION.
[000:10:51;817] WE HAVE ALWAYS ACCEPTED THAT ANY
[000:10:53;386] NEW DECISION TO ADD A
[000:10:56;789] CITIZENSHIP QUESTION TO THE
[000:10:58;691] CENSUS WOULD BE SUBJECT TO
[000:11:01;527] JUDICIAL REVIEW.
[000:11:02;628] TURNING TO TODAY, I APPLAUD THE
[000:11:04;797] PRESIDENT FOR RECOGNIZING IN HIS
[000:11:07;700] EXECUTIVE ORDER THAT INCLUDING A
[000:11:08;567] QUESTION ON THE CENSUS IS NOT
[000:11:10;736] THE ONLY WAY TO OBTAIN THIS
[000:11:13;806] VITAL INFORMATION.
[000:11:14;740] THE COURSE THE PRESIDENT HAS
[000:11:16;742] CHOSEN TODAY WILL BRING
[000:11:18;377] UNPRECEDENTED RESOURCES TO BEAR
[000:11:21;380] ON DETERMINING HOW MANY CITIZENS
[000:11:23;149] AND NONCITIZENS ARE IN OUR
[000:11:26;218] COUNTRY AND WILL YIELD THE BEST
[000:11:27;720] DATA THE GOVERNMENT HAS HAD ON
[000:11:30;122] CITIZENSHIP IN MANY DECADES.
[000:11:33;292] THAT INFORMATION WILL BE USED
[000:11:34;527] FOR COUNTLESS PURPOSES AS THE
[000:11:36;228] PRESIDENT EXPLAINED IN HIS
[000:11:38;397] REMARKS TODAY.
[000:11:38;864] FOR EXAMPLE, THERE IS A CURRENT
[000:11:41;233] DISPUTE OVER WHETHER ILLEGAL
[000:11:42;735] ALIENS CAN BE INCLUDED FOR A
[000:11:45;838] PORTIONMENT PURPOSES.
[000:11:47;707] DEPENDING ON THE RESOLUTION OF
[000:11:49;108] THAT DISPUTE, THIS DATA MAY BE
[000:11:52;445] RELEVANT TO THOSE
[000:11:54;246] CONSIDERATIONS.
[000:11:54;747] WE WILL BE STUDYING THIS ISSUE.
[000:11:57;383] CONGRATULATIONS, AGAIN, MR.
[000:11:58;617] PRESIDENT, ON TAKING THIS
[000:11:59;652] EFFECTIVE ACTION.
[000:12:04;924] >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
[000:12:06;058] EVERYBODY.
[000:12:06;425] THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[000:12:07;693] [ APPLAUSE ]
[000:13:17;463] >>> THE ENERGY SUBCOMMITTEE IS
[000:13:18;931] LOOKING INTO THREATS TO THE U.S.
[000:13:20;699] POWER GRID.
[000:13:21;433] TODAY MEMBERS WILL HEAR ABOUT
[000:13:23;202] THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S EFFORTS
[000:13:23;969] TO SECURE THE ELECTRIC GRID FROM
[000:13:26;739] CYBERSECURITY RISKS.
[000:13:27;973] OFFICIALS FROM THE ENERGY
[000:13:28;874] DEPARTMENT AND ENERGY REGULATORS
[000:13:30;409] ALONG WITH A REPRESENTATIVE OF
[000:13:31;744] THE ELECTRIC UTILITY PROVIDERS
[000:13:33;846] WILL BE ANSWERING QUESTIONS
[000:13:34;980] TODAY.
[000:13:35;281] THIS IS LIVE COVERAGE ON C-SPAN
[000:13:36;015] 3.