House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (Getty Images/Mark Wilson)

(CNSNeww.com) - House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said in her press briefing on Thursday that she welcomes the Green New Deal even though she has not “seen it.”

“Quite frankly, I haven’t seen it,” she said. “But I do know that it’s enthusiastic. And we welcome all the enthusiasms that are out there.”

“We welcome the enthusiasm that is there,” she said. “The Green New Deal points out the fact that the public is much more aware of the challenge that we face, and that is a good thing, because the public sentiment will help us pass the most bold common denominator, the bold initiatives, with the interest in, again, saving the planet while we create jobs, protect the health of our children and pass the planet on in a very serious way.

“I’m very excited about it all, and I welcome the Green New Deal and any other proposals that people have out there,” Pelosi said.

The discussion of the Green New Deal, which is sponsored by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, began at Pelosi’s briefing when a reporter asked the speaker: “Madam Speaker, today, a number of Democrats unveiled their Green New Deal proposal.”

Pelosi said: “Yes. They will.”

The reporter continued: “It’s quite wide ranging. They’re talking about curbing air travel. They’re talking about retrofitting every building in the country. What’s your reaction to that?”

Here is the transcript of the exchange regarding the Green New Deal at Speaker Pelosi’s press briefing:

Question: “Madam Speaker, today, a number of Democrats unveiled their Green New Deal proposal.” Pelosi: “Yes. They will.” Question: “It’s quite wide ranging. They’re talking about curbing air travel. They’re talking about retrofitting every building in the country. What’s your reaction to that? And can you talk about your own approach to climate legislation? And is it informed by the experience you had in 2009 and 2010 with the Clean Energy and Security Act?” Pelosi: “I thank you for the question, because many of you don’t know, but when I was speaker, my flagship issue under President Bush was climate--addressing the climate crisis and increasing energy independence for our country. “Under President Bush, we, in a bipartisan way, we passed one of the biggest energy bills in the history of our country. It was like taking millions of cars off the road, raising the emission standards. And many good features in it, including a compromise between us. He wanted nuclear. I wanted renewables. We came to agreement and had a magnificent signing ceremony. “Many of the authorities that President Obama used as president to address the issues of pollution and climate were authorities that were in that legislation. So, I’m very, very proud of that. “So now, when we lost the majority, the Republicans dismantled all of the greening of the Capitol--some of the leadership symbols that we wanted to put out there, but also some of the policies that we had. “So, here we are again. I’m forming a select committee. It’s a different world since then. Technology has advanced, so information is available and communicated more readily. We will have to be up to date in terms of hearing from our national security experts on the challenges to stability in the world that a climate crisis--and I can go into detail, if you want me to. “But, in addition to that, it’s a jobs, jobs, jobs issue, as I said, making us preeminent in the world in terms of green technologies. And as we build the infrastructure, which is part of our For the People agenda, we want to do so in a green, informed way. “So, and it’s a public health issue. It’s clean air, clean water, a moral issue to leave the planet in better shape than we found it as we go forward. Question: “To follow up, is the Green New Deal proposal a useful basis—" Pelosi: “Quite frankly, I haven’t seen it. But I do know that it’s enthusiastic. And we welcome all the enthusiasms that are out there. “The purpose, though, of the Select Committee and the tasking that I have given to the committees of jurisdiction--I didn’t even have to task them, they had their own enthusiasms for it--was that we would have an evidence-based, well-defined approach to how we go forward to make a difference. “Because even then in, well, 2007, when we passed the first energy bill but then continuing that debate under President Obama, it was getting too late. And now we’re well past that time. So, time is of the essence. “We welcome the enthusiasm that is there. The Green New Deal points out the fact that the public is much more aware of the challenge that we face, and that is a good thing, because the public sentiment will help us pass the most bold common denominator, the bold initiatives, with the interest in, again, saving the planet while we create jobs, protect the health of our children and pass the planet on in a very serious way. “I’m very excited about it all, and I welcome the Green New Deal and any other proposals that people have out there.