Washington, D.C. – Speaker Nancy Pelosi, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn, Assistant to the Speaker Chris Van Hollen, Democratic Caucus Chairman John Larson, and Democratic Caucus Vice Chair Xavier Becerra held a news conference this afternoon following their elections to new leadership positions in the 112th Congress. Below are the Speaker’s opening remarks and the question and answer session:

Speaker Pelosi Opening Remarks:

“Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.  I wish all of America could have seen our Caucus today—and yesterday, as you mention, Mr. Chairman.  To hear the commitment that they have for fighting for the middle class, for saving Social Security, for honoring our men and women in uniform and building a future worthy of their sacrifice for our great country. 

“We are just going to speak briefly each of us.  But I am proud to be part of this leadership team.  Our consensus is that we go out there listening to the American people.  It’s about jobs.  It’s about reducing the deficit.  And it’s about fighting for the middle class.  So I look forward to doing that with this great leadership team.

“Let me make one special mention because we have a new position for Chris Van Hollen, who has been chosen to be the Ranking Member on the Budget Committee.  The budget many expect to be a statement of our national values.  I know that Chris Van Hollen will make that fight based on values, based on reducing the deficit, based on fighting for the middle class.  So I want to congratulate him on his new position.”   

Question and Answer Session:

Q: What do you say to Americans who may look at this and say, you know, it’s the same leadership now as it was before November 2nd. They thought they sent some message. What do you say to those voters?

Speaker Pelosi.  The message we received from the American people was that they want a job — they want jobs.  9.5% unemployment is a very tough screen to get through with any other message.  What we want to say to the American people is what Mr. Hoyer was saying, we want them to “Make It In America”  — to manufacture in our country so that their families can make it in America.

This is an experienced, diverse leadership team that is very strong.  It is a team that took us to victory in ’05 and ’06 and will take us to victory again.  In the meantime, I would say to the American people: “We extend a hand of friendship to the Republicans; we look forward to hearing their ideas on job creation and deficit reduction.” 

I hearken back to a President in my youth who inspired me, John F. Kennedy, who said, “We must not seek a Republican way or a Democratic way, we must find the right way” to go forward as we take our own responsibility for the future.  Now I have the privilege of serving under another young inspiring President of the United States, and I want the American people to know that we all strive to work together wherever possible in a bipartisan way to create jobs and reduce the deficit. 

And I’m very, very proud of our leadership team and proud of the role that Mr. Clyburn will serve as Assistant Leader.  He’s an icon in our country in terms of working for the middle class and a new change, Mr. Van Hollen as the ranking Member on the Budget Committee.  And I say then, how sad we are to lose Mr. Spratt, a very distinguished Member of Congress who always put forth a budget that was a statement of our national values, what’s important to our country was reflected there.  That’s what I would say.

Q: Madam Speaker, over 60 House Democrats lost in this cycle.  Your positive rating with independents from our last NBC poll stands at eight percent.  Why are you the best person to lead House Democrats in the current political landscape? 

Speaker Pelosi.  Well, let me put that in perspective. How would your ratings be if $75 million were spent against you?  Because I’m an effective leader, because we got the job done on health care and Wall Street reform and consumer protection, the list goes on.  Because they know that I’m the person that can attract the resources, both intellectual and otherwise, to take us to victory because I have done it before.  And so, again, you take 9.5% unemployment, you throw a dollar bill--$75 million dollars spent against one person and I’d like to say what your ratings would be.

But I feel confident and I’m so proud of our Members and so many of them [who lost] have said to me that they want to keep the door open to running again and to work with this leadership team.

Congressman Xavier Becerra.  Can I just add one thing?  I urge you to speak to the overwhelming number of our membership who elected Nancy Pelosi to be our leader because I believe as each and every one of them has said, that she has led us and she has led us to historic heights.  And many of us believe that we are prepared to take this country to even greater heights and many of us spoke very loudly that the person who could do that here in the House of Representatives for this Democratic Caucus is the woman who is named Nancy Pelosi. 

Chairman John Larson. They know her will.  Most importantly, they know her heart. And that’s what was felt today—the heartfelt feeling of this Caucus behind this great leader.

Thank you very much.

Speaker Pelosi.  We have to go to work now.  Thank you all.