The next is a transcript of an interview with Home Speaker Mike Johnson, Republican of Louisiana, on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” that aired on Oct. 13, 2024.
MARGARET BRENNAN: And we go now to Home Speaker Mike Johnson, who joins us from Benton, Louisiana. Good morning to you, Mr. Speaker.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE MIKE JOHNSON: Hey Margaret, nice to see you.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Sir, we all know there have been these two devastating hurricanes simply prior to now 16 days. You have got visited a few of these catastrophe zones your self. And Punchbowl Information quotes you as saying that Congress could ultimately need to move an support bundle that would attain as excessive as $100 billion. Final Sunday on this program, Thom Tillis, the senator from North Carolina, stated to us he’d like for Congress to offer some certainty by voting now on support after which come again after the election to do extra. Lawmakers aren’t scheduled to return again for an additional month. Why do you suppose it could wait?
SPEAKER JOHNSON: Effectively, it could wait as a result of keep in mind, the day earlier than Hurricane Helene hit, made landfall in Florida, after which went up by way of the states and wound up in Senator Tillis’s state of North Carolina, Congress appropriated $20 billion further to FEMA in order that they might have the required sources to deal with fast wants, and so we put that into the coffers. I simply checked Margaret as of this morning, lower than 2% of that funding has really been distributed, proper round 2% of it, so we want FEMA to do its job. That- these funds, that cash is supplied in order that storm victims can have the fast requirements met. After which what occurs after each storm is that the states need to assess and calculate the precise wants, after which they undergo Congress that request. As quickly as that’s achieved, Congress will meet and in bipartisan vogue, we’ll handle these wants. We’ll present the extra sources. However it might be untimely to name everybody again now, as a result of these storms are so massive of their scope and magnitude, it’s going to take slightly little bit of time to make these calculations. In North Carolina, I used to be there within the worst hit areas round Asheville with Senator Tillis and Senator Budd, Chuck Edwards, the congressman that represents that space, the devastation is broad, and other people have been nonetheless being rescued 13 days out from the storm. That was only a few days again. In order that they nonetheless have so much to do. It’s going to take a very long time to make these calculations, however Congress is able to act, and we’ll.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Effectively, the FEMA Director says there’s solely $11 billion left from that $20 billion that was allotted. In order that’s a unique accounting than this 2% you say was distributed.
SPEAKER JOHNSON: Yeah. In order that they’ve obligated some funds, however they’ve solely distributed 2%, and once I was there on the bottom, and you must go, I imply, convey the cameras and speak to the individuals there, they’ll inform you, don’t- don’t take politicians phrases for this or the administration’s phrase, speak to the individuals there on the bottom that they had not been supplied the sources virtually two weeks out from the storm that they desperately wanted. And once I was there 13 days, post- you understand, publish the storm hitting that state, persons are nonetheless being rescued. They’re caught within the greater elevations within the mountains as a result of the roads are down and all the remaining. In order that they want every- each obtainable useful resource and all palms on deck. The rescue and restoration efforts are nonetheless happening, after which we handle the remainder of it. However FEMA was sluggish to reply. They didn’t do the job that all of us count on and hope that they are going to do, and there’s going to be quite a lot of evaluation about that as nicely within the days forward.
MARGARET BRENNAN: However hurricane season, as you understand, final by way of the tip of November, you’re from Louisiana. You’ve handled this earlier than. NOAA, the Nationwide Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, is forecasting this might be one of many busiest seasons on file. So why not get forward of this? Isn’t it a little bit of a big gamble to attend?
SPEAKER JOHNSON: No, it’s not. Margaret, as I simply stated, Congress can’t meet and simply ship cash on a guess or an estimate of what the damages are. The best way supplemental catastrophe funding is supplied is that, you understand, the state sends in precise wants. It’s assessed by Congress after which handed out that method. However once more, keep in mind, they’ve billions, tens of billions of {dollars} that have been already despatched to FEMA, sooner or later earlier than Helene made landfall. In order that they have loads of sources. And actually, the administration Secretary Mark- Mayorkas stated himself, DHS, FEMA is division- division of Homeland Safety. He stated only a few days in the past on his telecast to the media that they’ve what they want proper now. Everybody understands and is aware of extra shall be obligatory. But when we meet in just a few weeks, proper after the election, when Congress is about to return, that’s about the correct amount of time the place we’ll be capable to deal with these wants.
MARGARET BRENNAN: And that $100 billion is an accurate evaluation that you simply made?
SPEAKER JOHNSON: Effectively, look, that’s my guesstimate. You understand, I used to be on the bottom within the worst hit areas in Florida. I went the place Helene made landfall. Entire communities are wiped on the market. It’s devastating. It goes all the best way inland. The agricultural areas are devastated by it as nicely. And you then go as much as the Carolinas, Tennessee, Georgia, it’s a broad scope. As Governor Kemp stated, in Georgia, it was as if a 250 mile large twister ripped by way of his state. So that is going to take a while to recuperate from. You talked about, I’m from Louisiana. We’re nonetheless coping with the after results of Katrina virtually 20 years later. So these are huge ones.
And it’s going to take quite a lot of work, however the excellent news is, you understand, the heartening factor about this Margaret, while you’re there on the bottom, you speak to the individuals, you’re reminded of the American spirit, and other people pull collectively, communities, pulling collectively, church buildings, nonprofits, Samaritan’s Purse, all the remaining, they’re doing extraordinary work there, and it it makes you inspired to be among the many individuals, even in regardless of of that devastation, they’re pulling collectively, and that’s that’s the beauty of all this.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We’ve some new CBS polling out this morning, and it reveals a majority of voters do belief their state’s election system. Solely 1 / 4 of voters suppose there shall be widespread fraud on this upcoming 2024 election, however half of Donald Trump voters need him to problem the election outcomes. If Harris wins, a lot of the Vice President’s backers need her to simply accept the outcomes irrespective of who wins.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You’re the Speaker of the Home, which implies you might be one of many officers with some say concerning the safety state of affairs main as much as January sixth and election certification. Are you able to guarantee the nation, we is not going to see the violence that this nation skilled in 2021? What are you doing to cease it?
SPEAKER JOHNSON: Sure, I don’t suppose we’ll see something like that. I actually pray and hope that’s true. There’s quite a lot of nice work that’s been achieved on the federal, state and native degree to stop the chaos that ensued after 2020. The Covid election yr, when all of the states have been altering their legal guidelines and rules with out the legislatures approving that. That introduced up constitutional questions. There have been all types of issues about fraud and irregularity and all these issues. The great factor is, and I feel everyone needs to be inspired, that since that point, a lot of the state legislatures went to work to shore up their programs to make sure that these sorts of issues didn’t occur sooner or later. And I feel that that’s going to provide us a excessive diploma of certainty, and definitely hope that this shall be a free and truthful and authorized election. I feel everyone on either side needs to be praying and hoping for that, and that’s what I hope and count on. And so once we get to January sixth, as you understand, the Structure, our legal guidelines require us to get this achieved on a sure timetable, and we’ll. Congress will observe the Structure. I assure you that I’ve made a profession of that. You understand, I’ve demonstrated it time and again and over all through my life, and as Speaker of the Home. And we’ll deal with this so everyone can can have a way of certainty about that. Now look, there are members on either side of the aisle who could object to slates of electors. That’s commonplace now. In reality, Democrats have objected to slates of electors after each single Republican presidential victory this century. So there’s nothing actually irregular about that. And when individuals say that they’ve obtained to observe it intently, they’re saying that they’ll do their job. So–
MARGARET BRENNAN: however again in–
SPEAKER JOHNSON: We’re going to have the peaceable transition of energy. Yeah, I consider President Trump’s going to win, and this shall be taken care of.
MARGARET BRENNAN: However again in 2020 you supported a authorized problem to the result of the election. The Supreme Courtroom rejected that try to problem it. Since then, the Electoral Depend Reform Act has been handed. Are you sure that on the nation’s capital, the lawmakers who you’re employed with, gained’t be difficult the result?
SPEAKER JOHNSON: Look, we’ll see what occurs. I can simply inform you that we’re going to observe the legislation, and we’ll make sure that our colleagues observe the legislation. The Electoral Depend Act and the Structure itself requires. The explanation for the objection in, you understand, the final election cycle in 2020 was what I referenced earlier, is that we had all types of modifications to election legal guidelines within the states and selecting electors the mechanism by doing that beneath article two, part one, clause two says that solely the state legislatures can select these programs. So when elections officers and secretaries of state and a few state courtroom judges and whomever the governors, once they modified their guidelines due to Covid, they did it in an unconstitutional method. And that was an vital authorized query. The Supreme Courtroom by no means addressed it, as a result of, keep in mind, they only rejected all that on standing. However we’re not re-litigating–
[CROSSTALK]
MARGARET BRENNAN: However 62, no I’m not
SPEAKER JOHNSON: We’re speaking about 2024-
MARGARET BRENNAN: Precisely, and 62 authorized challenges, as you understand, failed with the Trump challenges to
SPEAKER JOHNSON: Yeah however not on that foundation, Margaret. Margaret, wait a minute. Wait a minute. Not on that foundation. That authorized query is, I feel, objectively confirmed to be true. Clearly, everybody is aware of the legislatures weren’t assembly in 2020 due to Covid. So it’s article two, part one, clause two, everyone google it and skim it says solely the legislatures could make these guidelines. However look, I’m comfy to inform you that this yr–
MARGARET BRENNAN: – However on the safety image
SPEAKER JOHNSON: That’s not a problem, proper?
MARGARET BRENNAN: On the safety image on the nation’s capital, what measures are you taking?
[CROSSTALK ENDS]
SPEAKER JOHNSON: Yeah. Look, we’ve an all palms on deck method on this. The Capitol Police and the Architect of the Capitol and everybody have achieved extraordinary measures. They’ve hardened the services across the constructing to stop something sooner or later from overseas terrorists or anybody else who may wish to, you understand, attempt to invade the Capitol, okay. That’s taken care of. However I feel the higher problem and the larger story is that you simply’ve had actually nice work achieved in a lot of the states to shore up their programs and to ensure that that we’ve a free and truthful election. Now look, as President Trump says on a regular basis and I agree, our facet, what we are saying on the rallies you’ve heard is we’ve obtained to make it too huge to rig. I feel that’s actually vital. I feel there’s going to be some dishonest on this election. I feel noncitizens are going to vote. Look, working example–
[CROSSTALK]
MARGARET BRENNAN: You understand that it’s in opposition to–
SPEAKER JOHNSON: Glenn Youngkin, the governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia
MARGARET BRENNAN: The legislation for noncitizens to vote in federal elections that’s established legislation.
SPEAKER JOHNSON: After all it’s, in fact it’s, however in fact it’s. However right here’s the issue, there’s a variety of states that aren’t requiring proof of citizenship when illegals are noncitizens register to vote. We all know that’s taking place. Look, Glenn Youngkin in Virginia, I used to be going to say he issued an govt order to wash up their voting guidelines heading into the election. Lower than 30 days out, a few days in the past, the Obama, I imply, the Biden administration, Division of Justice, Biden Harris administration, sued the governor and the state, the Commonwealth of Virginia, to attempt to stop them from cleansing up their voter rolls. Their voter rolls. See, that form of factor creates quite a lot of doubt and concern within the minds of quite a lot of the American individuals. Why would they try this?
MARGARET BRENNAN: However respectfully, Speaker –
SPEAKER JOHNSON: Everyone ought to need the legislation to be adopted
MARGARET BRENNAN: Completely. respectfully, Speaker, you each, in the midst of this interview, stated that you simply do consider that states have taken measures that may assist the integrity of this election
SPEAKER JOHNSON: That’s true-
MARGARET BRENNAN: – and you then simply additionally appear to undermine confidence within the integrity of the state elections–
SPEAKER JOHNSON: No, no. Margaret. Maintain on. Wait a minute. Wait, wait only a minute. It’s not me undermining it. It’s the actions of the Biden-Harris administration and a few of these states. Noncitizens should not allowed to vote beneath federal legislation
MARGARET BRENNAN: Proper
SPEAKER JOHNSON: However the states have prohibited it. We handed the SAVE act. You understand, in the home, the SAVE Act says you gotta have proof of citizenship earlier than you register to vote. And Chuck Schumer and the Democrats blocked that within the Senate. We might have prevented this, the questions that folks have about that, however the Democrats selected to not. They opened the border large. Lots of people theorize that that was in order that they may have non residents to vote. These are realities, Margaret. I want it weren’t true, however that’s what’s, that’s the priority that folks have. And Wisconsin–
[CROSSTALK]
MARGARET BRENNAN: – However, however. Folks can have numerous issues, however it’s already legislation that noncitizens can’t vote in federal elections.
SPEAKER JOHNSON: It’s a legislation. That’s right, however we’ve to verify the legislation is adopted. And that’s the entire level. That has at all times been the entire level of the SAVE Act and all of the measures that we’ve tried to make sure. I consider, by my rely, we’ve about 16 million unlawful aliens within the nation since Mayorkas and Harris and Biden opened the border large. And due to that, there’s concern, as a result of these persons are distributed throughout the nation, as you understand, there’s concern a few of these individuals will attempt to take part within the elections. Look, a few of our Home races. I consider the Republicans are going to win the home, develop the home majority, win the Senate and the White Home. However in a few of our Home races, I imply, I’ve a colleague who was elected by six votes in 2020. A few of these are determined by tons of or just a few 1000s of votes. So when you have non residents taking part in opposition to the legislation, and you haven’t any mechanism in some states to cease it. That’s the root of a lot of the priority. And naturally, you understand, in California, they’ve poll harvesting proper? Poll harvesting is infamous for opening the door for fraud in Wisconsin, they’re going to place—
MARGARET BRENNAN: — Mr. Speaker, you appear to be
SPEAKER JOHNSON: – In some counties unmanned poll bins in public parks, once more
MARGARET BRENNAN: Contradicting your self. The states are run by the state authorities–
SPEAKER JOHNSON: No. I’m stating the information, Margaret.
MARGARET BRENNAN: – Not the federal authorities.
SPEAKER JOHNSON: That’s proper. That’s right. And that’s yeah we hope and pray-
MARGARET BRENNAN: So in case your problem is with sure governors, shouldn’t you be speaking to them?
SPEAKER JOHNSON: We’ve been- we’ve been and the Republican governors have achieved heroic work. They’ve achieved their very own audits of the voter rolls to attempt to make sure and do their greatest obligation to ensure that it is a free, truthful and authorized election. We’re calling on all of the governors to do the identical factor, Democrat governors as nicely, and Democrat led states within the legislature, they should do the identical factor. Plenty of good work has been achieved since 2020, however there’s nonetheless questions on the market. So what we’ve to do, and we’ve been on the congressional degree, is attempt to pressure as a lot as potential, voter integrity measures. Attempt to encourage that that might be happening in each state. Since you’re proper, your level is nicely taken- these elections– are are dealt with by the person states–
MARGARET BRENNAN: – However you’re not convening Congress till after the election, you stated, Sir, so that you gained’t be capable to do any of what you might be speaking about in idea.
SPEAKER JOHNSON: Hey, Margaret, Margaret, we’ve been doing this for nearly 4 years because the 2020 debacle, that’s what’s been taking place. And the Republican led states and the Republican governors have achieved a unprecedented job. Among the Democrats haven’t. It has not been seen as their high precedence, and that’s the rationale for the controversy and the priority. However once more, I’m going to reiterate what I stated within the outset. Regardless of all that, I feel it’s going to be too huge to rig. I feel we’re going to have a free and truthful and authorized election throughout the board. I actually hope and pray that’s true. And I feel each member of Congress joins in that- that- that hope and concern.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Speaker of the Home Mike Johnson, thanks to your time. We’ll be proper again with much more Face the Nation. Stick with us.