Pelosi says Trump deal gives Dems leverage
WASHINGTON — House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi predicted on Friday that Democrats will have increased leverage on immigration and other issues, after a debt and disaster aid deal they cut with President Donald Trump passed the House on the strength of Democratic votes.
Pelosi said she makes “no apology” for working across the aisle with a president disdained in her home state of California, arguing that the president now understands Democrats are committed to compromise, “but also to stand our ground.”
The package of Harvey aid money coupled with a short-term increase in the debt ceiling and government spending passed Friday 316-90, with all 90 “no” votes coming from Republicans. Pelosi said that vote suggests that Republicans are going to have a hard time passing other upcoming spending bills on their own, and will have to turn to Democrats again.
“If it’s depending on Democratic votes, it increases our leverage,” Pelosi said. “It gives us a possibility for passing the DREAM Act” as an amendment to spending legislation.
The DREAM Act refers to legislation that would provide legal status to immigrants brought illegally to the country as children. Some 800,000 of these immigrants are currently protected from deportation by temporary work permits granted by an Obama administration program, but Trump has said he will dismantle it. He has given Congress six months to act.
At Pelosi’s urging, Trump sent a tweet Thursday morning reassuring the so-called “Dreamers” that they would not be subject to deportation during that six-month period.
Pelosi said that after talks with Democratic lawmakers about fears in the immigrant community, she had planned to call White House chief of staff John Kelly on Thursday morning to talk about it.
Trump called her first; one purpose reportedly was to boast about positive news coverage of the debt deal struck the day before in the Oval Office over GOP objections. But Pelosi launched into the topic of immigration, telling Trump: “I know you did not mean to instill fear, but that is what is happening.”
“‘Well what can I do?’” the president asked, according to Pelosi.
“I said, ‘Well, what you always do,’ “Pelosi replied, laughing as she recalled the exchange. “‘Put out a message of assurance to people and we want to hold you accountable to that message of assurance.’”