Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki, November 12, | Eastern North Carolina Now

    MS. PSAKI: Yeah.

    Q - quit their jobs after 4.3 million in August. So how are those figures accounted for when the President talks about the record 5.6 million jobs created in the first nine months, when he talks about job growth, economic growth, et cetera?

    MS. PSAKI: Well, what you also see in the data, Weijia - I'm not sure if this data, but other data - is that people feel the vast majority of the American public, even when there - as there are concerns about cost of household goods and other childcare costs, et cetera - that this is a good time to change careers and look for a new job.

    So, we're also seeing that, and I think that's likely reflected in that data as well. And we've seen that happen psychologically during the pandemic and also because people, you know, may have taken the moment to decide what they wanted to do with their lives.

    So, in terms of - we have still created that number of jobs. There are people who are changing jobs. I can check with our economic - I'm not sure what your question is though. Are you asking how many of the new jobs created are people changing jobs? Or -

    Q Well, I'm asking, you know, in two months alone, some 9 million people quit their jobs, and I don't know that they're all going to new jobs. So, is there any concern about this trend dubbed "the great resignation"? Is there anything you can do to reverse it?

    MS. PSAKI: Well, we know we've seen labor shortages in some industries. In some industries, that's because they need to have a more competitive package to offer to workers. It's a worker's market right now. We know that. People are looking for more dependable benefits. They're looking for wages that are higher. And that's something that is incumbent on a lot of industries to meet the moment on.

    But I can certainly dig more into this data and see if there's more to provide.

    Q And then, just a quick question on the infrastructure bill - because, in Baltimore, the President talked about how it will ease congestion at ports.

    MS. PSAKI: Yeah.

    Q But those projects are going to take time. So, when do you think that funding will actually have a direct impact on the bottlenecks we're seeing now? And in the meantime, is there anything more the administration can do ahead of the holiday season?

    MS. PSAKI: Well, one of the steps we took - there's no question that addressing - being able to ensure that goods are moving around the country more safely, more easily, without congestion is a big objective of this infrastructure bill the President will sign on Monday, and it will help, hopefully, address that over the long term.

    As we know, the supply chain issues are global, and we're seeing them - you know, countries around the world impacted by the global supply chain issues.


    So - but what he's doing here and what he's been quite focused on is really attacking the issue at ports and the congestion at ports, which we know is a big way that goods are coming in and where goods are moved.

    So, we announced - I think it was last week or earlier this week; it's all running together - that within 45 days we'll be launching $240 million in grants to improve ports. And in the weeks and months that follow, billions of dollars of additional money will be flowing to improve our critical port infrastructure.

    We've also seen big, dramatic improvements at a number of these ports, where they are quite crowded because the increase in demand and in goods that are moving has increased by about 20 percent. But because of the steps that have been taken, in terms of moving empty containers, in terms of putting in place, you know, requirements or consequences for congestion, that that has dramatically - we've already seen improvements in that.

    So, the President announced this major ports plan. We're going to get these - this funding out. He's really focusing on the areas where we have the largest amount of traffic that's coming into the country, which certainly makes sense. And that's a part of what we can do more immediately.

    Q Thanks, Jen.

    MS. PSAKI: Go ahead.

    Q Following up on Weijia's first question about workforce imbalances, you said that it's a worker's market and that some industries need to create more competitive packages, that it's a good thing people have more choices. Is that your way of saying that the White House doesn't view this as a problem at all?

    MS. PSAKI: I think I also said in response to Weijia's question that there are some industries where we're seeing labor shortages; there are a couple of reasons for that. But some of the people - the workers - and we've seen this statistically in a lot of surveys - people - many people across the country feel this is a good time to change jobs - right? - to look for a more competitive job. What I'm saying is: Ultimately, that's a good thing. It is challenging in certain industries when they do have labor shortages.

    Some industries, in terms of some short-term ind- - industries that have short-term workers or seasonal workers, COVID is an issue there and continuing to address COVID. In our view, putting in place requirements to provide more certainty, that's an issue.

    Another issue is childcare, something we're working to attack and go after aggressively so that we can lower the cost of childcare and make sure people have a range of options to bring more women into the workforce. So, there's a range of issues; I'm not saying it's one thing.

    Certainly, we have concern about any industry that has a shortage of workers, but also, I don't think we should undervalue the fact that many workers feel this is a time to look for a better job with greater pay and more benefits.

    Q And then following up on the questions about gas prices again - just kind of taking a step back, there's some Republicans who have taken this moment where they've seen gas prices spike to criticize sort of the administration, big picture. Right? Canceling the Keystone Pipeline, halting leases for - new drilling leases on federal lands, saying that, sort of, the administration's policies writ large have contributed to the rise in gas prices. What's your response now to that?

    MS. PSAKI: Our response is that, one, we haven't - we haven't cancelled existing. There are existing leases that are continuing. And just to be clear, I know you know -

    Q Sorry. Not new leases.

    MS. PSAKI: Not new leases.

    Q You're right.

    MS. PSAKI: But just to be clear - and I know that's been a criticism - so that's why I said that - and not an accurate one.

    Look, our view is that the rise in gas prices over the long term makes it an even stronger case for doubling down our investment and our focus on clean energy options so that we are not relying on the fluctuations and OPEC and their willingness to put more supply and meet the demands in the market. That's our view.

    We feel that - but we also feel that there are a number of actors here, including price gouging, that we have concerns and we've seen out there - we feel we've seen; we've asked the FTC to look into the need for OPEC to release more - that are the larger issues here and that's why we've been focused on those options.

    Q Jen -

    MS. PSAKI: Let me just keep going around. Go ahead. Go ahead.

    Q Thanks. Just following up on this - and I kind of want to go at this inflation question a bit differently.

    MS. PSAKI: Sure.

    Q I mean, it seems like the White House is making a lot of promises on inflation. But there are some concerns that the White House or a President doesn't have any - a lot power over inflation. And even when you talk about energy prices, in particular, like gasoline - you're talking about the FTC doing investigations - that's a common tactic. It usually doesn't turn out very much. Tapping the SPR, that's a short-term thing; it's not a long-term thing.


    So, I guess my question is: For the White House, you're making these promises - how do you deliver, especially on things like gasoline, food prices? Yes, you can, you know, deal with childcare costs, but these kind of bread-and-butter issues, how do you actually deliver on that?

    MS. PSAKI: Well, the - some of the biggest costs - the reason I touched on those is: Some of the biggest costs for households and Americans - and the way they feel inflation is not typically looking at a graph, right? They're looking at the costs and how things are impacting them - are things like housing and childcare and healthcare.

    Q But also, gasoline is a very big cost.

    MS. PSAKI: Correct. But those are big, big costs on people's households. And that's why I addressed and raised those issues.

    I'd also note that every outside economist - most - a vast majority, I guess I should say - predicts that inflation will come down next year. That is what outside experts are predicting.

    So, what we're really talking about is how we cut costs in the short term. I've outlined a number of ways we would cut costs.

    I would note that we don't have partnership from - with - from most Republicans on that. We hear a lot of screaming about inflation. We don't hear a lot of solution agreements or willingness to participate in a solution, and that's really - or a discussion of a solution. And that's really what we're looking for at this point in time.

    So, I noted that the way that we can, and how outside economists are projecting we can address inflationary issues, is by continuing to push this agenda forward - pass the agenda - because it will help spur economic growth, it will help spur productivity, and also because it's fully paid for. And that's why outside economist Larry Summers, Moody's, Mark Zandi don't think it will have a negative inflationary impact.

    Q On a separate issue: On November 16th, there are about 200 acting positions in the federal government that will kind of lose their authority under the Federal Vacancies Act. Like, what is the White House planning to do about that? You know, is there any - are there plans in place about those acting positions, acting roles?

    MS. PSAKI: We'd certainly love to get more people confirmed, as you know. I will check and see if there's anything we can outline further for you.

    Go ahead.


    Q Just a quick follow-up on Dr. Califf. Obviously, it was - so, when Senator Manchin released his statement yesterday, he talked about his ties to the pharmaceutical industry and then subsequently the industry's role in the opioid pandem- - or epidemic. So, I'm wondering if the White House is concerned that this could be a tough vote for Democrats who come from states where the opioid epidemic is severe, such as New Hampshire and Nevada.