I DON'T KNOW, DO YOU? >> OH MY GOSH, JOINING US,
RANKING MEMBER OF THE HOMELAND SECURITY COMMITTEE DEMOCRATIC
SENATOR CLAIRE McCASKILL. GOOD TO SEE YOU.
>> GOOD MORNING. >> HERE'S PRESIDENT TRUMP
YESTERDAY IN IOWA. HE SAID DEMOCRATS WILL NEVER
SUPPORT ANY HEALTH CARE BILL. I WANT TO HEAR YOUR RESPONSE,
FIRST, LISTEN TO HIM. >> IF WE WENT AND GOT THE SINGLE
GREATEST HEALTH CARE PLAN IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD, WE WOULD
FOUGHT GET ONE DEMOCRAT VOTE BECAUSE THEY'RE OBSTRUCTIONISTS.
THEY'RE OBSTRUCTIONISTS. THE WE CAME TO YOU AND SAID,
HERE'S YOUR PLAN, YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE THE GREATEST PLAN IN
HISTORY, AND YOU'RE GOING TO PAY NOTHING, THEY'D VOTE AGAINST IT,
FOLKS.
>> I MEAN I'M NOT SURE HOW TO FORMULATE A QUESTION OUT OF
THAT. BUT YOUR RESPONSE?
>> THAT'S DUMB. THIS IS DUMB.
OF COURSE, WE WANT TO FIX HEALTH CARE.
MANY OF US HAVE BEEN TRYING FOR SEVERAL YEARS TO PUT FIXES IN
PLACE THAT WOULD STABILIZE THE INDIVIDUAL MARKET.
BUT OUR COLLEAGUES WERE INTERESTED IN USING ObamaCare OR
ACA AS A POLITICAL 2 X 4, THEY WANTED TO WIN ELECTIONS WITH IT.
A HEALTH CARE CARD, OBVIOUSLY, WE MADE MISTAKES AND THINGS DO
NEED TO BE FIXED? SURE.
>> BUT THIS NOTION THAT WE DON'T WANT TO WORK WITH THEM, I THINK
I HAVE, YOU KNOW, HE'S EVERY CABINET PERSON HE PUTS UP, MANY
OF US HAVE VOTED FOR SEVERAL OF THEM, I THINK I VOTED FOR MORE
OF HIS CABINET NOMINEES THAN I VOTED NO WE WANT TO WORK WITH
HIM ON INFRASTRUCTURE. THERE'S NOT OBSTRUCTIONISM GOING
ON HERE, THERE IS A FAILURE OF THIS ADMINISTRATION TO FORWARD
ENOUGH NOMINEES TO KEEP US BUSY AND THERE IS ALSO A FAILURE OF
THE REPUBLICANS WHO WANT TO WORK WITH US ON EITHER HEALTH CARE OR
TAX REFORM. >> SO A DRAFT OF THE SENATE
HEALTH CARE BILL WILL BE RELEASED ONLINE AT 11:00.
YOU GUYS GET TO SEE IT FOR THE FIRST TIME, I GUESS REPUBLICANS
DO AT 9:30. WHEN WILL YOU BE ABLE TO GET
YOUR EYES ON IT? WHAT'S YOUR PLAN IN YOUR OFFICE
TO TRY AND FET YOUR HEAD AROUND THIS THING?
>> WE'LL BE ALL HANDS ON DECK TRYING TO DIGEST WHAT WE GET
SOME TIME BEFORE NOON TODAY. I KNOW THE DEMOCRATS ARE GOING
TO GATHER ON THE FLOOR AT ABOUT THE TIME THAT WE'LL FINALLY GET
A LOOK AT WHAT THEY'RE PROPOSING.
WE REMAIN VERY CONCERNED, AS THE AMENDMENT PROCESS IS GOING TO BE
LIMITED BECAUSE OF THE RULES OF RECONCILIATION THAT THEY'RE
USING. TRZ VERY WORRISOME WE WILL HAVE
SUCH LIMITED DEBATE. IT'S VERY UPSETTING WE'RE NOT
HAVING HEARINGS, WE'RE NOT ABLE TO CHANGE THE BILL IN COMMITTEE
AS THE REPUBLICANS DID ON THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT.
SO WE WILL BE LOOKING AT IT. ONE THING WE KNOW FOR SURE, IT'S
GOING TO BE SIMILAR TO THE HOUSE BILL.
THIS IS A TAX CUT FOR THE VERY WEALTHY, PAID FOR BY CUTS FOR
HEALTH CARE MONEY IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
>> SAM STEIN. >> SENATOR, HI.
IT LOOKS LIKE A 50-50 PROPOSITION AT THIS POINT THAT
THE SENATE WILL PASS THEIR HEALTH CARE BILL WITH STRICTLY
REPUBLICAN VOTES. YOU CAN QUIBBLE WITH THE
PERCENTAGES HERE. ABOUT A COUPLE MONTHS AGO, THERE
WAS SOME TALK, LED PRIMARILY BY FOR BILL CASSIDY ABOUT PUTTING
TOGETHER SOME SORT OF COMPROMISED LEGISLATION THAT
OBVIOUSLY WOULDN'T GIVE DEMOCRATS WHAT THEY WANT AND
WOULDN'T BE IN PLACES LIKE ObamaCare.
DEMOCRATS MADE THE CONSCIOUS DECISION NO NOT PARTAKE IN THOSE
TALKS. YOU HAVE TO TAKE IT FULLY OFF
THE TABLE BEFORE WE JOIN THE TABLE.
WAS THAT A MISTAKE? YOU MIGHT END UP WITH A STRICTLY
REPUBLICAN OFF BILL. YOU COULD HAVE HAD SOMETHING FAR
MORE MODERATE BUT YOU CHOSE NOT TO DO IT.
>> I'M NOT SURE WE WOULD HAVE HAD SOMETHING FAR MORE MODERATE.
THERE WERE NOT MORE REPUBLICANS INTERESTED IN AVOIDING THE
REPEAL AND REPLACE REALITY. SO I'M NOT SURE THAT WAS A
VIABLE ALTERNATIVE. WHAT IS A VIABLE ALTERNATIVE IF
THIS BILL FAILS, IF THEY MAKE CHANGES IN THE SENATE AND PASS
IT AND IT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE TO THE HOUSE, BECAUSE REMEMBER,
THEY HAVE NO MA MARGIN FOR ERROR IN THE HOUSE EITHER.
THIS IS A RAZOR THIN EFFORT THEY ARE TRYING TO PUT TOGETHER.
THEY DON'T OBJECT IT TO BE A BIPARTISAN OR A EXCISE.
THEN I THINK IF IT FAILS, WOOER IN A REALLY GOOD PLACE TO COME
IN AND FIX, MY BILL, IDAHOF TO SEE US GET A VOTE ON IS ALLOWING
PEOPLE TO HAVE THE OPTION. IF THEY DON'T HAVE AN INSURANCE
COMPANY IN THEIR COUNTY, LET THEM BUY ON THE SAME EXCHANGE
WITH THEIR SUBSIDIES MEMBERS OF CONGRESS USE.
OUR STATS ARE ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
THESE ARE NATIONAL PLANS. WHAT AN ELEGANT FIX THAT PEOPLE
COULD COME AND USE THE SAME PROCESS THAT MEMBERS OF CONAND
THEIR STAFF USE TO GET HEALTH INSURANCE.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE A VERY DIFFICULT BILL FOR PEOPLE TO
VOTE NO ON. >> BILLY GEIST, GOOD TO SEE YOU
AS ALWAYS, YOU ACKNOWLEDGED THAT ObamaCare IS NOT PERFECT.
% TAKES HAVE BEEN MADE IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION
OF IT. AS YOU KNOW, BLUE CROSS, BLUE
SHIELD, OF KANSAS CITY PULLED OUT COSTS GOING UP IN OF THE
COUNTIES YOU OWE IN THE STATE OF MISSOURI, WHERE ARE THE
IMPERFECTION OF ObamaCare YOU THINK CAN BE CHANGED WITHOUT
WHOLE SALE REPEAL? >> I THINK WE CAN THINK OF
HAVING EVEN A LOWER PLAN THAT IS TRULY FOR CATASTROPHIC CARE.
>> THAT WOULD BRING IN I THINK EVEN MORE PEOPLE BECAUSE IT
WOULD BE EVEN LESS EXPENSIVE. I THINK WE COULD CHANGE SOME OF
THE RULES ABOUT HOW MANY EMPLOYEES HAVE YOU IN TERMS OF
REQUIREMENT. OBVIOUSLY, THIS IS THE CHALLENGE
AND IT'S THE INDIVIDUAL MARKET CHALLENGE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO
GET ENOUGH PEOPLE IN THE POOL TO BRING DOWN INSURANCE FOR
EVERYONE. AND REALLY, THE THING THAT
PEOPLE NEED TO REMEMBER IS, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO GIVE
CARE TO PEOPLE IN AMERICA IF THEY DON'T HAVE INSURANCE.
WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO PAY FOR IT.
IT'S JUST EVERYBODY IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO HAVE HIGHER AND
HIGHER PREMIUMS BECAUSE OF ININSURES SHOWING UP IN THE
HOSPITAL. THOSE COSTS GET PASSED ON TO
EVERYBODY WITH INSURANCE. WE PAY FOR THOSE COSTS.
SO THIS IS REALLY THE DILEMMA OF HOW DO WE GET MORE PEOPLE IN THE
POOL AND I ACTUALLY THINK THE INDIVIDUAL MARKET IS NOT AS BAD
AS PEOPLE SAY, BECAUSE THE VAST MAJORITY OF PEOPLE ON THE
INDIVIDUAL MARKET ARE GETTING SUBSIDIES.
IN MY STATE IT'S ONLY .5% OF PEOPLE ON THE INDIVIDUAL MARKET
ARE FOUGHT GET, SUBSIDIES SO THE PRICE INCREASES ARE FOUGHT
SIGNIFICANT. >> YOU ARE TALKING SENATOR ABOUT
MODIFICATIONS TO THE EXISTING AFFORDABLE CARE ACT.
WHAT REPUBLICANS ARE TALKING ABOUT IS REPEAL, IT'S WHAT THEY
PROMISE TO VOTERS IN NOVEMBER. DO YOU THINK WITH THAT THIN
MARGIN? YOU KNOW THE SENATE BETTER THAN
ANY OF US. 52 REPUBLICANS, THEY CAN ONLY
AFFORD TO LOSE A COUPLE OF THEM. DO YOU THINK THIS WILL GET
THROUGH THE SENATE RIGHT NOW? >> I WHO YOU WOULD KIND OF AGREE
WITH SAM. I THINK IT'S A COIN FLIP.
I THINK IT'S 50-50. IT DEPENDS.
I THINK THE TALKING POINT IS GOING TO BE, OH, THIS IS BETTER.
WELL, IT'S NOT GEORGETOWN TO BE BETTER.
HERE'S THE THING THAT'S DRIVING ME CRAZY, WHY DO WE NEED TO GIVE
RICH PEOPLE A TAX BREAK TO TAKE HEALTH CARE AWAY FROM AMERICANS?
WHAT IS THE DEAL THERE? WHY DOES THE 1 PERCENT -- THE 1
PERCENT IN THIS COUNTRY IS DOING GREAT.
MY FAMILY DOESN'T NEED A TAX CUT.
WHAT WE NEED IS TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE CAN GET MEDICAID.
64% OF THE PEOPLE IN NURSING HOMES IN THIS COUNTRY DEPEND ON
MEDICAID DOLLARS. RURAL HOSPITALS DEPEND ON
MEDICAID DOLLARS. SO WHY ARE WE GIVING MONEY BACK
TO THE RICH IN ORDER TO TAKE HEALTH CARE DOLLARS OUT OF THE
SYSTEM? IT MAKES NO SENSE TO ME.
>> R. >> SENATOR McCASKILL SPEECHING
GEARS A BIT, AN AREA WHERE ARE YOU IN SUPPORT OF THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION IS THEIR PROPOSED ARMS DEAL TO SAUDI ARABIA.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHY YOU SUPPORT MORE ARMS FOR SAUDI ARABIA AT
THIS POINT WITH THEIR CIVIL WAR WITH YEMEN?
>> I WILL TELL YOU THAT THE REASON I SUPPORTED THAT IS THE
SAME REASON I SUPPORTED ARM SALES UNDER PRESIDENT OBAMA.
NOTHING WOULD BE MORE PARTISAN OR MORE HYPOCRITICAL THAN WE
SAYING WHEN BARACK OBAMA PROPOSED ARMS SALES TO SAUDI
ARABIA THEY WERE FINE BUT WHEN PRESIDENT TRUMP PROPOSED SALES
TO SAUDI ARABIA THEY'RE WRONG. IT WAS THAT REALITY THAT CAUSED
ME TO CAST MY VOTE FOR THE ARMED SALES TO SAUDI ARABIA.
>> SO YOU JUST TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT, YOU DO THINK THAT THE
UNITED STATES SHOULD BE PICKING SIDES IN THIS PROXY WAR AND PICK
THE SIDES OF SAUDI ARABIA? >> OBVIOUSLY, THERE IS MORE TO
OUR RELATIONSHIP IN TERMS OF OUR NATIONAL SECURITY WITH SAUDI
ARABIA THAN JUST WHAT'S GOING ON IN YEMEN AND I DON'T APPROVE OF
WHAT THE SAUDI GOVERNMENT IS DOING IN YEMEN, JUST LIKE I
DON'T APPROVE WHAT QATAR IS DOING AS IT RELATES TO
EXTREMISTS. BUT WE HAVE THOUSANDS OF
AMERICAN SOLDIERS IN QATAR, WE SELL AIRCRAFT TO QATAR ALSO.
THERE'S LOTS OF EXAMPLES WHERE WE NEED TO MAINTAIN
RELATIONSHIPS AND ALLIES IN A LARGER CONTEXT TAN JUST WHAT'S
GOING ON IN YEMEN. I THINK IT'S DISGUSTING THE
PEOPLE THAT HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES IN YEMEN.
BUT THERE IS A LARGER STRATEGY TO SELLING ARMS TO SAUDIS THAN
JUST WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE HOUTHI REBELS IN YEMEN.
>> MIKE BARNACLE. >> SENATOR, LET'S STIPULATE THAT
THE HEALTH CARE BILL IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO THIS
COUNTRY'S FUTURE AND LET'S STIPULATE THAT EVERYONE OUGHT TO
BE CONCERNED ABOUT THE POTENTIAL COLLUSION WITH REGARD TO RUSSIA
IN THE PAST ELECTION. BUT WHAT IS YOUR LEVEL OF
CARDINALS, THEY'RE 33 AND 37, THEY'RE FOUR GAMES UNDER 500,
YOU'RE APPROACHING THE ALL STAR BREAK, YOU NEED A POWER --
>> YOU ARE KILLING ME BARNICAL. YOU ARE KILLING ME.
>> THAT'S WHAT I'M HERE FOR. >> I KNOW, I THOUGHT MAYBE SINCE
JOE WAS OFF PREPARING FOR HIS BIG ROCK 'N' ROLL STARDOM THAT
MAYBE I'D GET THROUGH THIS WITHOUT A REALITY CHECK ON THE
SHORTCOMINGS OF OUR BULLPEN, WE ARE STRUGGLING IN THE 8th AND
9th INNINGS. WE ARE HAVING WAY TOO MANY RUNS
SCORED IN THE 8th AND 9th INNINGS.
WE WON LAST NIGHT. IT AIN'T OVER UNTIL IT'S OVER,
BARNACLE. IF I KNOW MY