Vice President Mike Pence visits Phoenix, meets with Gov. Doug Ducey
Mar 5, 2019, 12:18 PM | Updated: 6:27 pm
PHOENIX — Vice President Mike Pence visited Phoenix on Tuesday to meet with Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey and participate in several business-oriented events.
Pence arrived at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport around 11:30 a.m., where Ducey and dozens of other reporters and officials greeted him.
Welcome back to Arizona, Mr. Vice President! ☀️🌵 @VP pic.twitter.com/m4qY1FMdBq
— Doug Ducey (@dougducey) March 5, 2019
Pence delivered remarks at the National Association of Manufacturers’ Board of Directors meeting at the Phoenician in Scottsdale.
NOW: @VP addressing @ShopFloorNAM, saying thanks to its leadership, “American manufacturing is back.” @KTAR923 pic.twitter.com/0T9zg0JFRK
— Peter Samore (@ktarpetersamore) March 5, 2019
In his speech, Pence called on the Senate not to reject President Donald Trump’s emergency declaration freeing up money to build a wall on the southern border.
The vice president urged business leaders to call on Congress to “stand up for border security and put the safety and security and well-being of America first.”
The Democratic-led House voted recently to upend Trump’s emergency declaration.
Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell acknowledged Monday that there are enough votes in the Senate to follow suit, though he said Trump will veto it and his veto will likely be sustained.
Channeling themes that are likely to be featured prominently in Trump’s 2020 re-election bid, Pence told the business leaders that the “Medicare for all” and “green new deal” policies championed by some Democrats are un-American.
After the speech, Pence took part in a roundtable discussion with Small Business Administrator Linda McMahon and the National Association of Manufacturers executive council.
“It’s going to be very interesting to hear from executives of the National Association of Manufacturers…who are going to talk to us about some of the issues that are facing both small and large manufacturers around the country,” McMahon told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Arizona’s Morning News on Tuesday.
He also received a briefing and tour of a Drug Enforcement Administration facility.
Pence spoke again on border security after the tour.
There, he singled out Arizona’s senators, Republican Martha McSally and Democrat Kyrsten Sinema, who have not said whether they’ll support the resolution opposing the emergency declaration.
“We call on every member of the Senate – and your senators from here in Arizona – to stand for border security, stand with President Trump, and uphold the president’s call for a national emergency and additional resources to secure our border,” he said.
Ducey participated in all the events with Pence, the governor’s office told KTAR News 92.3 FM.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
