Leader McCarthy on the Air: Washington Must Work for the People, Not Itself

Press Release

This morning, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (CA-23) spoke on five major morning shows and "The Lead" with Jake Tapper to discuss his conservative vision for America and making Washington listen to the American people:

On how Washington needs to change:

"You know, I'm concerned about what I see in Washington. People are very concerned about power and institutions, more so than changing the lives of everyday Americans. That's what fundamentally has to change."

On Washington's disconnect with the American people:

"We want to make sure the people, once again, believe that this is their government, that they are in charge, that we are there to serve them."

On working with the Republican Conference and listening to the people:

"I have a relationship with everybody in this conference. And the most important is to be willing to listen to them. And it's also important that we all have the wisdom to listen to the American public, but the courage to lead at the end."

MSNBC Morning Joe

On changing the culture in Washington:

"But I see what's in Washington. A lot of people care about power, care about institution, more so than they care about changing the lives of everyday Americans. But I see a conference, if it has a new culture--and that's what a speaker does, sets the culture, brings people together, lets every voice be heard and bring it from the bottom up--I think we can make some great accomplishments and make some real change."

On conservative policy innovations:

"If we pass a Highway Bill with tax reform at the same time, that's policy. That changes the inversion process; that means more money comes back to America…. When I sit down and talk to small businesses, which I started at the age of 19, and you know what you learn when you're a small business owner? That you're the first one to work, you're the last one to leave, and you're the last one to be paid. So you want somebody in Washington looking after you. And I find the agencies are there to almost work against you. So why don't we transform these agencies to actually help you? I think those are big policies and I think they'll make a fundamental change to Washington."

CNBC Squawk Box

On lifting the American oil export ban:

"If we want to become energy independent we have to have a free market to be able to drill. We have to have the free market to be able to sell in the same way you have the free market to be able to sell what you refine. That is a fair process that helps all--that in the end will actually lower [prices] because we'll actually produce more and become energy independent. But we'll also be treating ourselves the same as the President treats Iran."

On making the voice of the people heard through Congress:

"If we are the majority in Congress, why wouldn't we lead and not wait until the very end and put our agreement up--what we believe? The majority of the America has voted for this Congress, so why don't those voices get heard?… What it is going to take is work, time, and trust. And when we build that, every voice is heard. Most people believe being speaker is being team manager. I believe it's a team captain. I am part of the team like everyone else. Let's have all the voices heard, let's put our ideas out to the public, and let's do it early enough to solve the problems so that we no longer have cliffs."

Fox Business News

On Bakersfield always being home:

"I still live in the first house I ever bought. I married my high school sweetheart. I actually sleep on my [office] couch inside Washington. I want to make sure I represent the American people--that I have the wisdom to listen to them, but the courage to lead."

On the Democrats' obstruction:

"We need to have leadership to change this. And this is where the president's important. He shouldn't have sat back. He should've engaged those Democrats [blocking the appropriations process] and told them they should have done their job. That's what they were elected to do. Their job is not to be destructive; their job is to actually find a solution."

Fox & Friends

On passing strong conservative legislation:

"Listen, this government is devised to compromised. You can't get 100 percent of whatever you want. But you know what you can get? You can put the idea out there. You win the idea, you win the vote and you want the system to be able to work. We have the majority in the House. We have the majority in the Senate. We should be able to get a good, conservative compromise that solves the problem."

CNN's The Lead

On Ronald Reagan's 11th Commandment:

"I want more people to be part of the Republican Party. It's interesting; today we're looking too much and dividing about what type of Republican you are. When Reagan ran, we talked about the Reagan Democrats. So we want everybody to be a part--we want to be inclusive."

On making Washington work for the American people:

"I went out and recruited candidates different than Washington had looked like. To elect people and get a majority, I've fought hard for that. Look at my background, I'm not an attorney, I'm not a poli-sci [major]. I started my first business when I was 19. You know the values you learn when you're a small business owner? You're the first one to work, last one to leave, and the last one to be paid. So you know what? I want somebody in Washington looking out for me and that's the person I look out for."

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