CQ Transcriptswire

SPEAKER: SEN. HARRY REID, D-NEV., SENATE MAJORITY LEADER

[*] REID: This is a good day for the American people. You could not find a more popular piece of legislation than that that just passed the Senate, and soon will be taken up and finished by the House. When this debate began, I mentioned a story about a woman in Nevada. Her name was Shelley Lyons. Her story is all too familiar to the American people.

Like many honest and hard-working American, Shelley and her family played by the rules. She was very responsible. Then one day out of the blue her credit card company almost doubled the amount of interest she would have to pay on her balance. She tried to get out of her credit card. “Let me get out.” You couldn’t -- the contract said you couldn’t. You had to pay off that balance.

So, Shelley, understandably, wanted out of the contract. Company said, “No, you have to pay off the balance at the higher interest rate -- the doubled interest rates.”

Last night, Shelley contacted me again. Here’s what she said: “My husband has canceled his card and I’ll be paying my card off by taking a loan from my 401(k). I felt so helpless and angry. I’d rather take a lien against my retirement then let them have any more of my money.” So, she, in effect, borrowed the money and paid it off. They won’t get that exorbitant interest.

Today, the Senate stood by Shelley and all those just like her around the country. We stood up for consumers who stood up to abusive credit card companies. We said that big banks could not longer take advantage of Americans who work hard every day. We demanded that when Americans use a credit card -- as almost every person does -- they no longer have to fear that they’ll be abused.

This is just the latest example of how Democrats are working for Main Street, not only Wall Street.

In the last few weeks, we’ve cracked down on corporate and mortgage scams that was taken care of by the House last night. We helped more struggling homeowners keep their homes.

In the coming weeks, we’ll continue to protect the people, like Shelley, who keep our economy moving, and we’ll restore their confidence in the things that we do here.

Questions?

QUESTION: (inaudible)

REID: Change course on what?

QUESTION: On funding the closing of Guantanamo Bay.

REID: Well, the decision to close Guantanamo was a right one.

I agree with President Bush. I agree with John McCain . I agree with Barack Obama . Guantanamo makes us less save.

However, this is neither the time nor the bill to deal with this. Democrats under no circumstances will move forward without a comprehensive, responsible plan from the president. We will never allow terrorists to be released into the United States.

QUESTION: (inaudible)

REID: No, I really don’t think so.

We have -- of course, coming in July, there’s going to be a study that will be put forth on detainees -- what should be done in that regard. The president knew that was coming.

REID: I think this is a very -- the thing that we did is waiting for the plan from the president. He didn’t hold us out to dry at all -- hang us out to dry, not at all.

QUESTION: If the United States -- if the United States thinks that these people should be held, why shouldn’t they be held in the United States? Why shouldn’t the U.S. take those risks, the attendant risk of holding them, since it’s the one that says they should be held?

REID: I think there’s a general feeling, as I’ve already said, that the American people, and certainly the Senate, overwhelmingly doesn’t want terrorists to be released in the United States. And I think we’re going to stick with that.

QUESTION: What about in imprisoned in the United States?

REID: If you’re...

(CROSSTALK)

REID: If people are -- if terrorists are released in the United States, part of what we don’t want is them be put in prisons in the United States. We don’t want them around the United States.

QUESTION: Senator Reid, what changed between today’s action and the position the committee had last week?

REID: Well, in looking at the position of the House, that was more logical.

We -- we have clearly said all along that we wanted a plan. We don’t have a plan. And based on that, there’s no -- this is not the bill to deal with this.

We have a lot of other pieces of legislation moving through here in the next couple of months and we can take care of it then. Or -- we’re only talking about four months. October 1st, that’s how long this bill has to go.

QUESTION: Senator Reid, I understand you...

(CROSSTALK)

QUESTION: ... I understand you had a conversation with the White House today in which you informed them of this decision. Can you tell us what the reaction is? And then -- well, I’ll let you...

REID: Of course, I don’t discuss conversations I’ve had with the White House, and I’m not going to discuss this conversation.

QUESTION: Do they approve of this policy? Can you say that?

QUESTION: (inaudible) you said this before, you don’t want them to be -- you don’t want them around. The House position is -- the House position is to withhold -- not to have any money, but to set up a situation where they send a report (inaudible). If he sends a plan and they’re going to be around somewhere (inaudible).

(LAUGHTER)

QUESTION: (inaudible) say, “No.” Are you basically going further than say, “Send us a plan”?

REID: I’m saying that the United States Senate, Democrats and Republicans, do not want terrorists to be released in the United States. That’s very clear.

QUESTION: No one’s talking about releasing them. We’re talking about putting them in prison somewhere in the United States.

REID: Can’t put them in prison unless you release them.

QUESTION: Sir, are you going to clarify that a little bit? I mean (OFF-MIKE).

REID: I can’t -- I can’t -- I can’t make it any more clear than the statement I have given to you. We will never allow terrorists to be released in the United States. I think the majority -- I speak for the majority of the Senate.

QUESTION: But you don’t want to (OFF-MIKE).

REID: Only until we get the plan.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE) of your position (OFF-MIKE)

REID: We’ll wait until we get the plan.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE) mean that Guantanamo will remain open indefinitely (OFF-MIKE)

REID: I repeat: I agree with McCain, Bush and Obama: Guantanamo should be closed because it makes us less safe and it will be closed. We’re waiting for a plan from the president and (OFF- MIKE).

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

REID: Can’t say anything but what I’ve said, and re-said it three times. Can’t say it four times. That’s how I feel.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE) because if a detainee -- if a detainee is adjudicated not to be a terrorist, could that detainee then enter the United States?

REID: Why don’t we wait for a plan from the president? All we’re doing now is nitpicking on language that I have given you. I’ve been as clear as I can. I think I’ve been pretty clear.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE) what have you heard about (OFF-MIKE)

REID: What you want me to be is not very clear.

QUESTION: But Senator, Senator, it’s not that you’re not being clear when you say you don’t want them released. But could you say -- would you be all right with them being transferred to an American prison?

REID: Not in the United States.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

REID: I think I’ve had about enough of this.

(LAUGHTER)

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE) Senator Kennedy’s health. Have you heard anything?

REID: Pardon me?

QUESTION: The latest on Senator Kennedy’s health?

REID: Yes, I had a conversation with Mrs. Kennedy in the last couple of days.

He’s doing fine. He’s going through another regimen of treatment which he is not unusual. This is something that was expected. He wanted to have the treatment next week. They had to move it up a week, as I understand it.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE) as far as you know?

REID: As far as I know it is, yes.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE) about Senator Byrd? What have you heard about his health?

REID: Senator Byrd, we expected him to be out of hospital today. That still could be the case. I have not had the chance to talk to his chief of staff today. I talked to her last night. I didn’t, but my staff did. And it’s my understanding that he’s -- he’s going to be out today, if not in the next few days. QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

END

.ETX

May 19, 2009 15:06 ET .EOF

Source: CQ Transcriptions

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