CANCEL UNSPENT MONEY AND HAVE NO
EFFECT ON CURRENT PROGRAMS.
JOINING ME RIGHT NOW FOR MORE ON
THAT IS THE DIRECTOR OF OFFICE
OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET, MICK
MULVANEY.
IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU THIS
MORNING.
>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.
>> MARIA: DOES THIS ACTION NOT
AFFECT THE $1.3 TRILLION
SPENDING BILL PASSED IN
FEBRUARY?
>> IT DOESN'T.
ACTUALLY, WHAT WE DID IS TRIED
TO WORK WITH REPUBLICANS IN THE
HOUSE AND WITH THE SENATE TO SAY
ALL RIGHT, WHERE'S MONEY THAT WE
APRO PRATED THAT -- APRO PRI
ATED THAT HASN'T BEEN SPENT YET.
WE FOUND THE $15 BILLION.
>> MARIA: THAT'S INTERESTING
THAT YOU COULD LOOK AT MONEY
UNSPENT AND FIND $15 BILLION OF
IT.
>> THERE'S A LOT OF IT.
>> MARIA: WHERE SPECIFICALLY IS
IT, DIRECTOR?
WALK US THROUGH WHERE THE MONEY
CAN BE TAKEN BACK.
>> AS YOU MENTIONED, SOME OF IT
IS IN HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAMS.
IT'S MONEY THAT IS EITHER NOT
OUGHT
AUGHT
AUTHT
AUTHORIZED OR NOT EXPECTED TO BE
SPENT SO WE CAN TAKE THE MONEY
BACK WITHOUT IMPACTING THE
PROGRAMS.
THERE ARE OTHER FUNDS THAT GO
BACK TO THE STIMULUS, THE WAY IT
WORKED BACK THEN, IT STILL WORKS
THIS WAY A LITTLE BIT, BUT
CERTAINLY A LOT MORE UNDER THE
PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION WAS THEY
THREW A BUNCH OF MONEY AT
VARIOUS AGENCIES AND SAID YOU
CAN HAVE THIS MONEY FOR AS LONG
AS YOU WANT IT OR NEED IT.
THEY'RE STIMULUS PROGRAMS THAT
STILL HAVE MONEY IN THEM.
SO WE'RE GOING TO FIND THAT
TAXPAYER MONEY AND CLAW IT BACK
AND PUT IT BACK.
>> MARIA: THERE IS NO PLAN THEN
TO RESKINNED
TO RESCINNED
TO RESCINDED
TO RESCIND THAT $1.3 TRILLION
SPENDING BILL THAT EVEN
CONSERVATIVES, REPUBLICANS WERE
UP IN ARMS OVER.
THERE'S NO WAY TO CHANGE THAT AT
THIS POINT.
>> THERE'S A WAY TO CHANGE IT.
BUT WE'RE BREAKING IT DOWN STEP
BY STEP.
IF THIS PASSES, IT WILL BE THE
LARGEST RESCISSION PACKAGE TO
PASS IN HISTORY.
WE COULD HAVE SENT UP A REQUEST
FOR A QUARTER OF A TRILLION
DOLLARS MANY
DOLLARS.MANY
WE COULD HAVE FOUND THAT MONEY
IF WE WANTED TO.
IF IT DOESN'T PASS, IT DOESN'T
MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
IF THIS PASSES, WE THINK IT'S A
SUCCESS FOR THE ADMINISTRATION
AS THE COUNTRY.
>> MARIA: GO BACK TO THAT
$1.3 TRILLION SPENDING PLAN FOR
A SECOND.
IT'S A HEAD SCRATCHER THAT A
$47 BILLION BUDGET, YOU COULDN'T
COME UP WITH $25 BILLION FOR THE
PRESIDENT'S WALL.
I RECOGNIZE THAT THERE'S SOME
MONEY ALLOCATED TO ISSUES AROUND
THE WALL, BUT HOW IS THAT
POSSIBLE THAT THERE WAS NO THE
$25 BILLION FOR THE WALL IN
THERE IN SUCH AN ENORMOUS
BUDGET.
>> I THINK YOU SAID
$47 TRILLION.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT THAT IS.
>> MARIA: OVER 10 YEARS.
>> LAST YEAR'S DISCRETIONARY
BUDGET IS $1.3 TRILLION.
WE ASKED FOR BETWEEN 20 AND 25
FOR ALL OF THE WALL CONSTRUCTION
AND CONGRESS REFUSED TO DO THAT.
WE BEGGED THEM LITERALLY TO TRY
AND WORK WITH US ON COMING UP
WITH A FIX FOR DACA AND FOR
IMMIGRATION THAT WOULD ALLOW US
TO PACKAGE THAT WITH SPENDING
FOR THE WALL AND THEY SIMPLY
REFUSED TO DO IT.
I CONTINUE TO BELIEVE THAT
DEMOCRATS DO NOT WANT AN
IMMIGRATION FIX BEFORE THE
ELECTION BECAUSE THEY WANT IT AS
AN ISSUE.
WE WANT TO FIX THINGS.
THEY WANT TO RUN ON ELECTIONS.
HE ASKED FOR $1.7 BILLION IN THE
BUDGET THAT WE'RE WORKING ON
NOW.
THE MONEY FROM 2017 IS ALREADY
ON THE GROUND, WALL IS BEING
BUILT TODAY.
THERE'S 30-FOOT WALL GOING UP
ALONG THE BORDER, THE MONEY IS
STARTING TO FLOW THROUGH THE
SYSTEM.
IT'S NOT LIKE THERE'S NO MONEY
BEING SPENT ON THE WALL.
IT IS.
WE ASKED FOR ALL OF THE MONEY
FOR ALL OF THE WALL AT ONE TIME
AND THEY REFUSED TO WORK WITH
US.
>> MARIA: HOW WILL YOU DEAL WITH
THIS GOING INTO THE NEXT TIME
AROUND?
THE PRESIDENT SAID NEXT TIME IF
THERE'S NOT THE APPROPRIATE
MONEY IN THERE FOR THE WALL THEN
THE GOVERNMENT WILL SHUT DOWN.
ARE YOU PREPARED TO ALLOW THE
GOVERNMENT TO SHUT DOWN COME
SEPTEMBER, RIGHT BEFORE THE
MIDTERM ELECTIONS.
>> WE'RE STARTING TO WORK ON IT
NOW.
CONGRESS SAID WHY DIDN'T YOU LET
US KNOW EARLIER.
WE TRIED TO LET YOU KNOW EARLIER
BUT THAT'S FINE.
WE'RE STARTING NOW.
WE SENT INFORMATION YESTERDAY TO
THE VARIOUS COMMITTEE OS WHEN
OUR PRIORITIES -- ON WHAT OUR
PRIORITIES WERE FOR NEXT YEAR'S
BUDGET.
WE ARE ENCOURAGING CONGRESS TO
FOLLOW THE ACTUAL SPENDING
PROCESS THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO
SO WE DON'T HAVE TO FALL BACK ON
TERRIBLE OMNIBUS SPENDING BILLS
THIS TIME NEXT YEAR.
>> MARIA: THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE ARE
SAYING COULD HAVE HAPPENED THIS
TIME AROUND.
WHY NOT JUST LET THE GOVERNMENT
SHUT DOWN?
I KNOW YOU NEEDED THE MONEY FOR
THE MILITARY AND THAT WAS THE
PRIORITY, RIGHT?
>> YEAH.
I DON'T WANT TO REHASH THE WHOLE
OMNI.
WE NEEDED TO DEFEND THE NATION.
THAT'S WHAT THE DEMOCRATS INCEST
OF
INSISTED ON WAS THE NONDEFENSE
MONEY AND NO MONEY FOR THE WALL.
WE NEEDED THE MONEY FOR
MILITARY.
WE HOPE TO REVISIT THE ISSUE
AGAIN.
>> MARIA: OUR ATTORNEY GENERAL,
JEFF SESSIONS, SAID THE JUSTICE
DEPARTMENT AND HOMELAND SECURITY
WILL PROSECUTE ANYBODY ILLEGALLY
CROSSING THE SOUTHWEST BORDER,
SEPARATE CHILDREN FROM PARENTS,
EVEN AS PRESIDENT TRUMP
THREATENED THE SHUTDOWN OVER THE
FUNDING FOR A WALL.
HERE'S WHAT HE HAD TO SAY THIS
PAST WEEKEND.
I WANT TO GET YOUR REACTION.
LISTEN TO THIS.
>> WE MAY HAVE TO CLOSE UP OUR
COUNTRY TO GET THIS STRAIGHT.
BECAUSE WE EITHER HAVE A COUNTRY
OR WE DON'T.
YOU CAN'T ALLOW PEOPLE TO POUR
INTO OUR COUNTRY THE WAY THEY'RE
DOING.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE BORDERS, YOU
DON'T HAVE A COUNTRY.
>> MARIA: YOU SAID YOU STARTED
WORKING ON THIS ALREADY,
DIRECTOR MULVANEY.
HOW?
>> GO BACK TO WHAT I SAID A
SECOND AGO WHICH IS HIS FIRST
PRIORITY IS TO DEFEND THE
COUNTRY.
NOW THAT WE HAVE THE AGREEMENT
ON THE ACTUAL DEFENSE SPENDING,
AS PART OF LAST YEAR'S
AGREEMENT, WE CAN FOCUS ON
DEFENDING THAT BORDER AND THAT'S
A PRIORITY FOR US.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH
CONGRESS TO SAY LOOK, YOU HAVE
TO GET US THIS DOUGH.
WE'RE HAPPY TO DO IT AS PART OF
A LARGER IMMIGRATION DEAL.
WE NEED THIS MONEY TO DEFEND THE
BORDER, WE NEED THIS MONEY TO
PROTECT THE BORDER.
TO THE EXTENT THEY WERE USING AN
EXCUSE WE DIDN'T WORK WITH THEM
EARLY ENOUGH LAST YEAR, WE'RE
FIXING THAT THIS YEAR.
>> MARIA: THEY SAY THEY DIDN'T
WORK WITH YOU EARLY ENOUGH.
THEY'VE BEEN SLOW WALKING
THINGS.
COME SEPTEMBER, NO MATTER WHEN
YOU STARTED WORKING ON THIS, I
SUSPECT THEY'LL BE PUSHING BACK
ON MANY OF THE PRIORITIES OF
THIS PRESIDENT.
WE KNOW THAT.
>> KEEP IN MIND, WHEN I SAY
THEY, THE REAL DIFFICULTY HERE
ARE THE DEMOCRATS IN THE SENATE.
THE HOUSE DID A FINE JOB.
THE HOUSE PASSED ALL OF THE
APPROPRIATIONS BILL LAST YEAR AS
IT SHOULD HAVE AND PROVIDED FOR
A GOOD CHUNK OF MONEY FOR BORDER
PROTECTION.
IT WAS THE SENATE WITH THE CRAZY
60 VOTE RULE THAT IS SORT OF THE
END OF ALL GOOD LEGISLATION.
THAT'S WHERE THE OBSTRUCTION
BEGINS AND ENDS IS THE DEMOCRATS
IN THE SENATE.
COME BACK TO WHY WE'RE DOING
WHAT WE'RE DOING ON THE
RESCISSIONS.
WHAT WE SET UP TO THE HILL TODAY
IS PART OF THE THIS RESCISSION
PACKAGE, WOULD TRADITIONALLY
ALWAYS BE A BIPARTISAN EFFORT.
DEMOCRATS HAVE VOTED FOR
RESCISSIONS LIKE THIS TIME AND
TIME AGAIN.
CHUCK SCHUMER VOTED FOR THESE
THINGS BEFORE.
MANY DEMOCRATS PROPOSED THESE
TYPES OF THINGS BEFORE.
THIS IS A TEST FOR THEM.
IS A GOOD BILL A BAD BILL JUST
BECAUSE DONALD TRUMP IS IN THE
WHITE HOUSE?
WE DON'T THINK SO.
WE'RE TRYING TO FOCUS ATTENTION
ON THE SENATE DEMOCRATS WHO
OBSTRUCTED ON EVERYTHING FROM
OUR NOMINATIONS TO THE WALL TO
SPENDING AND MAYBE TODAY ON
RESCISSIONS.
WE'LL BE ABLE TO FIND OUT THE
NEXT COUPLE DAYS.
>> MARIA: LET ME GET YOUR
THOUGHTS ON WHERE THINGS ARE
GOING FROM A GROWTH STANDPOINT.
TREASURY SECRETARY STEVEN
MNUCHIN CONTINUES TO SAY THE TAX
CUT PLAN WILL ULTIMATELY PAY FOR
ITSELF BECAUSE OF GROWTH NUMBERS
THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE 3% AND
THEN SOME IN THE NEXT COUPLE
YEARS.
THERE'S A NARRATIVE GOING AROUND
RIGHT NOW, DIRECTOR MULVANEY,
THAT THINGS ARE GOING TO SLOW
DOWN WITH INTEREST RATES GOING
UP, WITH DEMOGRAPHICS WHERE THEY
ARE.
DO YOU THINK THE ECONOMY GROWTH
SLOWS DOWN GOING INTO 2019 AND
2020.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN COUNT ON
3% ECONOMIC GROWTH NUMBERS, CAN
YOU?
>> THAT'S THE SAME NUMBERS YOU
HEARD LAST YEAR THE 3% GROWTH
PROGRAMS WERE ROLLED OUT.
WE'RE AHEAD OF THE SCHEDULE THAT
WE ROLLED OUT LAST YEAR.
LAST YEAR WE PROJECTED THIS YEAR
WOULD BE 2.5%.
WE'LL BE WELL ABOVE THAT.
SO I'VE HEARD THAT NARRATIVE
MANY, MANY TIMES AND THE
AMERICAN ECONOMY CONTINUES TO
PROVE THE MAY
PROVE THE NAY-SAYERS WRONG.
WE FEEL WE'VE GIVEN MORE THAN A
SHORT STIMULUS EFFECT TO THE
SYSTEM.
WE'VE FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGED THE
WAY WE TAX WEALTH AND CREATE
WEALTH HAD IN THE COUNTRY.
WE THINK THAT'S SUSTAINABLE.
WE SAW THE INDICATIONS OF THAT
WITH APRIL'S REPORT.
13% ABOVE LAST YEAR.
OUR EXPENSES TRADITIONALLY HAVE
BEEN GROWING FASTER THAN OUR
REVENUES, GETTING THAT REVENUE
BOOST LAST MONTH IS A FIRST GOOD
SIGN THAT THINGS ARE GETTING
BETTER.