1:08 P.M. EDT
MS. PSAKI: Hi, everyone.
Q Good afternoon. MS. PSAKI: Good afternoon. All right, Secretary Fudge would have been impressed with that response this morning. (Laughter.) We’re all awake.
A couple of items for all of you before we get started. This afternoon, the President will take a virtual tour of a Proterra electric bus and battery manufacturing plant in Greenville, South Carolina. He’ll be joined by the Republican Mayor of Greenville, Knox White — of Greenville. Knox White is his name. Sorry. Undersca- — underscoring the bipartisan support for the clean energy infrastructure investments in the American Jobs Plan.
During the visit today, the President will make three stops around the manufacturing plant and speak to employees about different aspects of the company’s work, including battery installation, body assembly, and final inspection of the buses.
The American Jobs Plan includes a total of $45 billion to accelerate the adoption of zero-emission transit buses and school buses to achieve the President’s goal for all U.S.-made buses to be zero-emissions by 2030. This includes $25 billion for zero-emissions transit vehicles and $20 billion for electric school buses.
There are currently 475,000 yellow school buses — that sounded like a lot to me — that serve 25 million children, and 95 percent of them are powered by diesel. And there are addition- — are nearly 85,000 transit vehicles, including buses, that still run on diesel or gas, which are linked to asthma and other health problems that hurt our communities.
So replacing these buses with clean technologies will create good jobs, support domestic manufacturing, tackle a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, and improve the health for many around the country.
Also, this morning, the — our COVID Coordinator, Jeff Zients, had his weekly call with governors. He announced that this week, 28 million doses will go out across channels, with the vast majority going to jurisdictions. This is consistent with last week’s allocation.
He also reminded the governors that there is a significant amount of vaccine supply in the system and the federal government stands ready to help states put shots into arms as quickly as possible.
With that, Jonathan, why don’t you get us started.
Q Thank you, Jen. Just a few minutes ago in the Oval Office, the President spoke about the trial of the Minneapolis Police officer, Derek Chauvin. And he says, quote, “I’m praying the verdict is the right verdict.” And then he says, “I think it’s,” quote, “overwhelming, in my view.” So, I have a couple questions on this if we could start there. MS. PSAKI: Well, the President has clearly been watching the trial closely, as many Americans have been. He was also moved by — he is moved — he was moved by his conversations with the family yesterday. He knows the family. And as somebody who has been impacted by grief himself, that was a large part of their conversation — the conversation he had just yesterday.
Q You’re not able to clarify what is “overwhelming” — the evidence, the case presented by the prosecution? MS. PSAKI: We’re not going to get ahead of the outcome. I expect when there is a verdict, he will have more to say.
Q And will you — as you say, the President made note that he only spoke out today because the jury was sequestered. But, of course, everyone else in Minneapolis and around the country could hear what he said; they’d be in a position to hear what he said today. We know there are worries about unrest. Is there now concern that the President’s words could add to that if the, quote, “right verdict” is not reached? MS. PSAKI: Well, first, I would say that, regardless of the outcome, the President has consistently called for peace. And our focus, as we’re working with state and local authorities, is on providing the space for peaceful protest. And that will be consistent regardless of what the outcome of this verdict — of the verdict is.
Q Okay. And then one more on this. The judge overseeing the case was pretty — in pretty harsh language, yesterday, sort of asked politicians to not weigh in on the matter. Is there concerns now that this — the President’s comments — could be grounds for an appeal or even causing a mistrial? MS. PSAKI: Well, I wouldn’t — I think those were comments the judge made yesterday. Again, the jury is sequestered, which the President also noted in his comments. He certainly is not looking to influence, but he has been touched by the impact on the family. Hence, he called the family yesterday and had that discussion. And again, I expect he will weigh in further once there is a verdict.