Pelosi Remarks at Photo Opportunity Following Meeting with Vice President-elect Mike Pence

Statement

Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and Vice President-elect Mike Pence delivered remarks today at a photo opportunity following their meeting. Below is a transcript of their remarks:

Leader Pelosi. Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you for being here as I welcome the Vice President-elect to the Leader's office. It is an honor to have also his daughter, Charlotte, with us today. Thank you, Charlotte, the future. It's always nice to have the future in the room. I was honored to, again -- well, welcoming the Vice President-elect here is like welcoming him back home to the House of Representatives. Anyway, we had a straightforward conversation about how we can work together on infrastructure and issues that relate to childcare and the rest, following up on the conversation that I had with President-elect last week. I was honored to share with Vice President-elect the picture of the Bush Family that we treasure with President George Herbert Walker Bush participating in his Points of Light conference in Houston a year or so ago. I did that to make you feel at home in the office of Tip O'Neill.

[Laughter]

Surrounded by Franklin Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy and George Herbert Walker Bush. But anyway, we had a respectful conversation as you all know, those of us who respect the service that we have in Congress, respect the positions that our colleagues have and respect the people who have sent them here and that applies, of course, to the Vice President[-elect] and the President-elect. So, thank you, Mr. Vice President, for the opportunity to share some thoughts of my Caucus -- not just my own thoughts, but of my Caucus -- with the Vice President-elect, Mike.

Vice President-elect Pence. Well, Leader Pelosi, thank you for your hospitality. Thank you for what I trust will be the first of many conversations as we move forward toward inauguration and thereafter. I'm grateful for the time you and I worked together when I served in this building. And I said to you before, I've always found you to be a worthy opponent and leader of the loyal opposition -- but I have great respect for you and for your service to the country. And I was pleased today to be able to convey the respect of President-elect Donald Trump to you personally.

We are working briskly in transition but part of the transition is also making plans for the first 100 days. And at the direction of the President-elect, I'm meeting today, not only with Leader Pelosi but with Leader Schumer and with Speaker Ryan and Senator McConnell -- and we're beginning to discuss areas that we might move forward on together. And I think that's what the American people want us to do, is find ways to revive our economy, improve American lives, enhance the security of this nation, and I'm grateful to begin those discussions on behalf of the President-elect with you today.

Leader Pelosi. Thank you. Let me just say that as you can hear from and as you know, the Vice President-elect's leadership -- I said to him when I spoke to him last week: you're going to be a very valuable player in all of this because you know the territory. And I know -- with no disrespect for the sensitivity and knowledge of the President-elect -- you know the territory. So, in that territory, we will try to find our common ground where we can, and of course, stand our ground when we can. Thank you all very much.

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