Hoyer Discusses President Obama's Meeting with Congressional Leadership on CNN's "The Lead with Jake Tapper"

WASHINGTON, DC - House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) appeared on CNN's "The Lead with Jake Tapper"  this afternoon to discuss President Obama's meeting with Congressional leadership. Below are excerpts from the interview and a link to the video.

Click here to watch the video.

On President Obama’s Meeting with Congressional Leaders

“I think both sides made it very clear that they don't want to simply be throwing bricks at one another for two years as has been the case. And the American people have sent, I think, a very strong message that they want to see us work together and that's why you hear so many people talking about that. Now the proof of whether that talk is going to be walked is whether or not, in fact, we do it. There were areas of significant agreement, I think. An agreement that we wanted to do an omnibus and that we wanted to do that hopefully by December 11… The Ebola crisis funding that is going to be necessary so that we can do what the President and all the health experts agree and that is make sure that in the sites in Africa where this epidemic has been generated, that we need to deal with it there on site. I think there was general agreement to that. I think there was also general agreement on ISIL itself, as I've expressed, that we need to make sure we are successful in this effort to defeat ISIL and stabilize the Middle East.”

On Immigration Reform

“The President's position is, look, ‘I've waited for a year and a half after a comprehensive [immigration reform] bill passed [in the Senate], everybody says the [immigration] system is broken, we ought to fix it.’ Families are being wrenched apart, children are being left without a parent or parents, and that is unacceptable. And given that [the President] believes he can act with his authority, but he also made it very clear that if the Congress acted, that would be the law, and that is the preferable option that he wants. Furthermore, he pointed out correctly, and the Republicans clearly acknowledge this, that if he acts and then a law is passed as the Speaker has indicated in the past he wants to see happen, then that would supersede any action that the President took.”

On Bipartisan Action in Congress

“Let me say that I am hopeful, and I will be urging the Speaker and others on the Republican side of the aisle, we're going to have disagreements and some are going to be serious disagreements, but if we allow the things on which we disagree to undermine the things on which we agree, we're going to further anger the American public. They're going to be frustrated, and they’re going to think their government doesn't work. So we ought to take those things on which we disagree, understanding that we're going to have honest disagreements, set those aside, not abandon them, but set them aside and focus on that on which we can agree. If we do so, I think the next Congress can be a positive not a negative.”