Transcripts For WJLA This Week With George Stephanopoulos 20

And, the top House Democrats challenging trump. From abc news, its this week here now, chief anchor george stephanopoulos. Good morning. Is this week President Trumps moment of truth . 50 days in, hes smashed convention, shocked official washington, and created a chaotic new normal in the white house. This week, official washington poised to strike back. It has been eight days now since the president leveled the explosive charge against president obama, accusing him of ordering illegal wiretaps against the trump campaign. A claim that president obama and numerous government officials call flat out untrue. In the eight days, trump has offered zero evidence and refused to answer questions like these from jonathan karl. Any proof on the wiretapping . Thank you, press. Thank you, thank you, press. Thank you. Thank you. Please head out behind you. Are proof . Please head out. Now, theyve asked Trumps Justice Department to put up the evidence or shoot it down. Deadline, tomorrow. And tomorrow, a key day for President Trumps promise to repeal obama care and replace it with something better. Obamacare is a disaster. Were doing to repeal it and replace it. Were going repeal it and replace it. With something great. Less expensive and far better. Were going have great health care. The amazing thing, its going to cost, very amazing. Its going to cost the country less and its going to cost the people less. I mean, how good is that . Better care, lower costs, everyone covered. That is trumps promise. Tomorrow, the independent Congressional Budget Office expected to go public with its assessment on whether the legislation President Trump is backing now will meet the promises he made during the well cover it all today. Right now, mick mull vainny. I want to get a sense of how the president will deal with competing promises. To repeal and replace oobamacar. He wants a plan that will help everyone. Well have insurance for everybody. Much less expensive and much better. And during the campaign, he promised no cuts in medicaid. A tweet from may 7, 015, i was the first and only potential gop candidate to state there will be no cuts to social security, medicare, and medicaid. As you know, so far, the independent Analysis Shows that 6 to 15 million americans will lose coverage they now have under obama care. And about 370 billion less in federal funding for medicaid over the next ten years. How do you square that impact with the president s promises . George, as a lot of moving pieces at one time. Let me see if it can break it down to smaller pieces and paras. Talk about the coverage levels. The number of people covered. We continue to think, and have for a long time, that the cbo is scoring the wrong thing. Theyre scoring obamacare as it exists today. Not tomorrow. It is this close from completely collapsing. I live in South Carolina. Were down to one provider in that state. There are four or five states down to one provider. The cbo is failing to take into consideration what happens to folks in South Carolina when there are no providers chrks there may be as soon as next year. We dont think the cbo is counting incorrectly that way. Go back to the original idea of obama kair. People could afford to go to the doctor. They cant. They can afford to have coverage. A plastic piece of paper that says they have an insurance policy. They cant afford to go to the doctor. The president said insurance for everybody. I was on obama care when i was in the house. My familys deductibles were over 15,000 a year. Other folks who dont make as same plan. Do you think they could afford to go to the doctor . Thats what were trying to fix. Not coverage for people. Coverage they can afford. But care they can afford. When they get sick, they can go to the doctor. Thats what the donald trump plan is working on. Thats where we think it will be wildly successful. Theyll have less money to pay for that coverage right now. Less money to pay for that care. On the point of medicaid, the president said in the campaign he would not cut medicaid. This bill is going to reduce federal medicaid funding by about 370 billion over ten xwreerps. But more care. I was here with governors about two weeks ago. They kept asking for more control over their own medicaid. I was in the state legislature, we would have begged for more control over how our medicaid dollars got spent. Theyre not begging for fewer dollars. But theyre begging for better control efficiency to serve their people. The medicaid system today is a one size fits all system. We fixed that. You can provide Better Services for less if you get the federal government out of the way. Are you saying if the congressnal Budget Office says fewer people will be covered, costs will be going up, youll be wre jekting that anal snis. I dont think the costs will go up at all. In order for this to be passed on budget reconciliation, it has to reduce the debt and thus save money. On the coverage, though, if it says fewer people will be covered, you to reject that . If the cbo is right about obamacare to begin with, there would be 8 million more people on obamacare today than there are. I love the folks in the cbo. They work really hard. Sometimes we ask them to things theyre not capable of doing. It sounds like youll reject. Senator tom cotton coming up next. He says its time to slow this down and start over. He said your bill is going to make the system worse than it is now. Lets listen. Sflooim afraid it could make it worse in some ways. Insurance rates would continue to go up. Americans would have less control and less choice. I say its time to take a pause. Take stock of how we got to where we are. What do you say to senator cotton . Toms good senator cot season a good friend. I would tell him he knows how the house and senate work. Thing move through the house relatively quickly. This is still slower than obamacare wept. Well have another Committee Hearing this week. Another one next week before the vote goes to a vote the bill goes a vote on the floor. Then things will, and as the Founding Fathers sbepded them to, slow down in the senate. Im sure senator cotton will have a chance to review the bill to amend the bill. But lets not get lost on that, george. This is the framework. This is the bill the president has looked at and said, yes, this is what will work. If the house thinks they can make it a little better. If the senate thinks they can make it a little better, were open to talking about those things. Theres though reason to rush it. He says this will increase premiums. I happen to disagree with senator cotton. One of the things many of my friends on the right, i used to be a member of the right wing caucus on the house. I think theyre discounting the value of competition. Again, go back to the example where i live in South Carolina. One provider. Turned plan were talking about now, we have already we though that more providers will come into South Carolina. That competition, the competition republicans so often want in so many parts of our economy, that cpe your former colleagues in the house have met with President Trump. They say hes open to moving up the date to phase out the medicare expansion. I was in those meetings. Ill tell you what we told them in the meetings. The bill here is a framework. Its a nice framework. Its a good we peel and replacement bill. If there are ideas in the house. I think congressman griffin had good ideas. Perhaps putting work retirements in on medicaid. It would improve the bill. If the house cease fit to make the bill betterings they would have the support of the white house. Youre behind that right now. How about the opposition of the aarp. Theyve put out an ad where theyre saying this bill is going to be an age tax on middle income americans. Lets listen. As Insurance Companies to charge an age tax on tax credits, this could mean an 8,000 a year premium hike on those that with least afford it. Unacceptable. Second, the bill gives Big Drug Companies a sweetheart tax break while doing nothing to lower drug costs for everyday americans. The joint Tax Committee shows your bill will provide 157 billion in tax cuts to people with high incomes. Middle income americans will pay for for insurance. How is that fair . Think thats the same group that did the Television Ads of a guy looking like paul ryan pushing granny off the edge of a cliff back in 2010. My guess is that the millions of emails that that group and other groups are sending out today have a click here to donate at the bottom. Theyre not in the business of fixing things. Theyre trying to to raise money. Thats unform gnat. Look, we promised to repeal the taxes for owe be pa kair. Thats what the bill does. I think we should focus more on the benefits folks are going to get from the approved health care, the Affordable Health care, not just Affordable Health coverage, that this new level of protection would provide. Theyre pointing out, Older Americans, those from 55 to 64, are going to be paying more because Insurance Companies will be able to charge them more. I doubt that any of those analysises take into account the use of hsas. The lower premiums from competition. Listen, everybodys got skin in the game. Everybody has an interested party. Theyre trying to protect their own. What were trying to do is make things better for as many people as we can. Right now, the bill is doing that. The burden may be falling hardest on older, middle income a massive transfer of wealth from lower income americans to upper income americans when you combine the tax cuts to lower subsidies. A massive transfer of wealth . Were making sure that the truly indigent still have care. Medicaid is still there. We think its going to be even better. The people who are just above medicaid but still have difficulty buying their own premiums will not only have the refundable tax credit. Theyll have the ability to use hsas to pay for their their health care on a tax advantage basis. Just like you and i get. So, i dont understand the criticisms lobbed in that fashion. The bill actually helps a great many people. And helps them get something hay need. Which is health care. Not health coverage. Millions will be paying more. And the wealthy get a tax break. Let me move on to the state of the union. George, im sorry. Youre taking gospel truth. Its the argument of a dpoup of people who dont like the bill. We repeal the taxes in obamacare. Certain groups will pay less tax is not central to the issue. We have done this in a fashion that allows the people who cannot afford health care now to get it. I dont know why some people are so dead set against other people benefiting at the same time. But those getting subsidies right now, theyre going to be getting the tax credit is worth less than the subsidies Insurance Companies will be free under your bill to charge Older Americans more. Youre falling into the trap. Youre worried about giving people coverage. Its almost as if the president said he wanted everyone covered, sir. The president said that. He want everybody to get care. He said he wants everyone covered. What people want is to get care. En to be able to afford to go to the doctor. Thats where obamacare has failed them several times over. Thats the problem were fixes. When you get sick, you can afford to go to the doctor. I had it, george. I have livered through this first hand. You didnt have obamacare. I did. 1,000, 15,000 a deductible for my family. Luckily, we could afford it. People making much less than i do could had the same plan. They could not afford to go to the doctor. That was a broken system. That was one of the many, many reasons that obamacare was failing and people are begging us to replace it. Finally, congressman couplincoupl couplings is coming up on the program. Heres what he said after the meeting. He was enthusiastic. And, he he was clearly aware of the problem. And clearly, and he made it clear to us that he wanted to do something about it. So is the administration going get fully behind the idea that medicare negotiate drug prices . Were try to find a way to drive down drug prices. Congressman cummings and i served on the oversite committee. We presided over the epi pen problem. He and i both learn together, its government regulation. The inability for Drug Companies and medical Device Manufacturers to get things aprooud. Government intervention that is driving up the cost. I do know for a fact the administration is going to be looking at finding a way to fix it. I hope we can count on congressman so he was wrong . I fwhunt that meeting. Trying to drive down the cost of Actual Health care that men and women in this country have to pay. Thank you, director mulvaney. Thank you, george. Were joined by senator tom cotton. I know you were listening to director mulvaney. He say this is is just a framework. This is the framework of repeal and replace. Youll have the chance to fix it in the senate. Can this be fixed . It probably can be fixed. It will take a lot of carpentry on the framework. As written today, kit not pass the senate. I believe it would have adverse consequences for millions of americans and wouldnt deliver on our promises to reduce the cost of Health Insurance to americans. I would say to my friends in the house of representatives, do not bill that cannot pass the senate and then have to face the consequences of that vote. George, you were in the white house in 1993. You remember when House Democrats voted for a btu energy tax. Not only did that not become law, it didnt get a vote in the senate. And those democrats lost their next election because they voted on that tax. Getting btud. I dont think this bill can pasds the senate. I think the house should take a pause and try to get as close as we can to a good result before they send to it the senate. So youre saying House Republicans will pay the price if they vote on this bill without getting any benefit . Im afraid if they vote for the bill, theyll put the House Majority at risk next year. And we have majorities in the house and the senate and the white house. Not only to repeal obamacare and get health kair reform right, to reform or taxes and accomplish any other things. I dont want to see the house ha majority put at ris thats why i think we should fake pause, try to solve as many as the problems on medicaid and the individual Insurance Market in the bill in the house and then allow the senate to take its work up. You heard director mulvaney. He said youre discounting the value of competition. Unfortunately, i dont think this bill, as written is going create the new conditions necessary for the kind of competition that director mulvaney and i and virtly every other republican wants. This levers most of the obamacare Insurance Regulations in place. Those regulations have caused most of the premiums to increase we share the same goals of wanting to repeal obamacare and getting Health Insurance rates down so people can get access to care. As the bill is written, as a practical matter, i dont see the competition occurring as it needs to. Hes questioning the cbos analysis before it comes out. Do you think the congress Budget Office will make the passage of the bill easier or more difficult . They do provide an important amount of information and analysis that allows senators and congressmen to make informed choices. So, whenever that estimate comes out, we need to take it seriously. We dont have to accept everything and every conclusion at face value. Thats a reason we should take a pause and examine all the consequences from every perspective on what is sweeping legislation. It will remake onesixth of the american economy. It will affect every american in a personal and you intimate way. This is not just the latest spending bill that Congress Passes right before the christmas break and goes home months late for. This is permanent legislation trying to remake our health care system. We need to get it right, not get it fast. Youre a member of the Senate Intelligence committee. Have you seen any evidence that president obama ordered a wiretap on President Trump during the campaign . George, i have not seen that evidence. But i want to go back to something that Barack Obamas director of National Intelligence said last weekend. He said he had seen no evidence of cooperation between any Trump Associates and russian officials. I dont think that got the attention it deserved. The director of National Intelligence under barack obama would be in a much better position than any senator or congressman to know such things. While our review on the Intelligence Committee will proceed in an orderly and deliberate fashion, i think we should pay heed to man who said he saw no evidence of such cooperation, rather than do what some democrats have done, spinning conspiracy theories. Is there is no evidence, does President Trump owe an apology . He said he wanted us to take up this matter as a broader look. Were going to do that. I hope we get to the bottom of all these matters. That we make all those conclusions public to the American People. Cant the president get the information himself . The House Democrats<\/a> challenging trump. From abc news, its this week here now, chief anchor george stephanopoulos. Good morning. Is this week President Trump<\/a>s moment of truth . 50 days in, hes smashed convention, shocked official washington, and created a chaotic new normal in the white house. This week, official washington poised to strike back. It has been eight days now since the president leveled the explosive charge against president obama, accusing him of ordering illegal wiretaps against the trump campaign. A claim that president obama and numerous government officials call flat out untrue. In the eight days, trump has offered zero evidence and refused to answer questions like these from jonathan karl. Any proof on the wiretapping . Thank you, press. Thank you, thank you, press. Thank you. Thank you. Please head out behind you. Are proof . Please head out. Now, theyve asked Trumps Justice Department<\/a> to put up the evidence or shoot it down. Deadline, tomorrow. And tomorrow, a key day for President Trump<\/a>s promise to repeal obama care and replace it with something better. Obamacare is a disaster. Were doing to repeal it and replace it. Were going repeal it and replace it. With something great. Less expensive and far better. Were going have great health care. The amazing thing, its going to cost, very amazing. Its going to cost the country less and its going to cost the people less. I mean, how good is that . Better care, lower costs, everyone covered. That is trumps promise. Tomorrow, the independent Congressional Budget Office<\/a> expected to go public with its assessment on whether the legislation President Trump<\/a> is backing now will meet the promises he made during the well cover it all today. Right now, mick mull vainny. I want to get a sense of how the president will deal with competing promises. To repeal and replace oobamacar. He wants a plan that will help everyone. Well have insurance for everybody. Much less expensive and much better. And during the campaign, he promised no cuts in medicaid. A tweet from may 7, 015, i was the first and only potential gop candidate to state there will be no cuts to social security, medicare, and medicaid. As you know, so far, the independent Analysis Shows<\/a> that 6 to 15 million americans will lose coverage they now have under obama care. And about 370 billion less in federal funding for medicaid over the next ten years. How do you square that impact with the president s promises . George, as a lot of moving pieces at one time. Let me see if it can break it down to smaller pieces and paras. Talk about the coverage levels. The number of people covered. We continue to think, and have for a long time, that the cbo is scoring the wrong thing. Theyre scoring obamacare as it exists today. Not tomorrow. It is this close from completely collapsing. I live in South Carolina<\/a>. Were down to one provider in that state. There are four or five states down to one provider. The cbo is failing to take into consideration what happens to folks in South Carolina<\/a> when there are no providers chrks there may be as soon as next year. We dont think the cbo is counting incorrectly that way. Go back to the original idea of obama kair. People could afford to go to the doctor. They cant. They can afford to have coverage. A plastic piece of paper that says they have an insurance policy. They cant afford to go to the doctor. The president said insurance for everybody. I was on obama care when i was in the house. My familys deductibles were over 15,000 a year. Other folks who dont make as same plan. Do you think they could afford to go to the doctor . Thats what were trying to fix. Not coverage for people. Coverage they can afford. But care they can afford. When they get sick, they can go to the doctor. Thats what the donald trump plan is working on. Thats where we think it will be wildly successful. Theyll have less money to pay for that coverage right now. Less money to pay for that care. On the point of medicaid, the president said in the campaign he would not cut medicaid. This bill is going to reduce federal medicaid funding by about 370 billion over ten xwreerps. But more care. I was here with governors about two weeks ago. They kept asking for more control over their own medicaid. I was in the state legislature, we would have begged for more control over how our medicaid dollars got spent. Theyre not begging for fewer dollars. But theyre begging for better control efficiency to serve their people. The medicaid system today is a one size fits all system. We fixed that. You can provide Better Services<\/a> for less if you get the federal government out of the way. Are you saying if the congressnal Budget Office<\/a> says fewer people will be covered, costs will be going up, youll be wre jekting that anal snis. I dont think the costs will go up at all. In order for this to be passed on budget reconciliation, it has to reduce the debt and thus save money. On the coverage, though, if it says fewer people will be covered, you to reject that . If the cbo is right about obamacare to begin with, there would be 8 million more people on obamacare today than there are. I love the folks in the cbo. They work really hard. Sometimes we ask them to things theyre not capable of doing. It sounds like youll reject. Senator tom cotton coming up next. He says its time to slow this down and start over. He said your bill is going to make the system worse than it is now. Lets listen. Sflooim afraid it could make it worse in some ways. Insurance rates would continue to go up. Americans would have less control and less choice. I say its time to take a pause. Take stock of how we got to where we are. What do you say to senator cotton . Toms good senator cot season a good friend. I would tell him he knows how the house and senate work. Thing move through the house relatively quickly. This is still slower than obamacare wept. Well have another Committee Hearing<\/a> this week. Another one next week before the vote goes to a vote the bill goes a vote on the floor. Then things will, and as the Founding Fathers<\/a> sbepded them to, slow down in the senate. Im sure senator cotton will have a chance to review the bill to amend the bill. But lets not get lost on that, george. This is the framework. This is the bill the president has looked at and said, yes, this is what will work. If the house thinks they can make it a little better. If the senate thinks they can make it a little better, were open to talking about those things. Theres though reason to rush it. He says this will increase premiums. I happen to disagree with senator cotton. One of the things many of my friends on the right, i used to be a member of the right wing caucus on the house. I think theyre discounting the value of competition. Again, go back to the example where i live in South Carolina<\/a>. One provider. Turned plan were talking about now, we have already we though that more providers will come into South Carolina<\/a>. That competition, the competition republicans so often want in so many parts of our economy, that cpe your former colleagues in the house have met with President Trump<\/a>. They say hes open to moving up the date to phase out the medicare expansion. I was in those meetings. Ill tell you what we told them in the meetings. The bill here is a framework. Its a nice framework. Its a good we peel and replacement bill. If there are ideas in the house. I think congressman griffin had good ideas. Perhaps putting work retirements in on medicaid. It would improve the bill. If the house cease fit to make the bill betterings they would have the support of the white house. Youre behind that right now. How about the opposition of the aarp. Theyve put out an ad where theyre saying this bill is going to be an age tax on middle income americans. Lets listen. As Insurance Companies<\/a> to charge an age tax on tax credits, this could mean an 8,000 a year premium hike on those that with least afford it. Unacceptable. Second, the bill gives Big Drug Companies<\/a> a sweetheart tax break while doing nothing to lower drug costs for everyday americans. The joint Tax Committee<\/a> shows your bill will provide 157 billion in tax cuts to people with high incomes. Middle income americans will pay for for insurance. How is that fair . Think thats the same group that did the Television Ads<\/a> of a guy looking like paul ryan pushing granny off the edge of a cliff back in 2010. My guess is that the millions of emails that that group and other groups are sending out today have a click here to donate at the bottom. Theyre not in the business of fixing things. Theyre trying to to raise money. Thats unform gnat. Look, we promised to repeal the taxes for owe be pa kair. Thats what the bill does. I think we should focus more on the benefits folks are going to get from the approved health care, the Affordable Health<\/a> care, not just Affordable Health<\/a> coverage, that this new level of protection would provide. Theyre pointing out, Older Americans<\/a>, those from 55 to 64, are going to be paying more because Insurance Companies<\/a> will be able to charge them more. I doubt that any of those analysises take into account the use of hsas. The lower premiums from competition. Listen, everybodys got skin in the game. Everybody has an interested party. Theyre trying to protect their own. What were trying to do is make things better for as many people as we can. Right now, the bill is doing that. The burden may be falling hardest on older, middle income a massive transfer of wealth from lower income americans to upper income americans when you combine the tax cuts to lower subsidies. A massive transfer of wealth . Were making sure that the truly indigent still have care. Medicaid is still there. We think its going to be even better. The people who are just above medicaid but still have difficulty buying their own premiums will not only have the refundable tax credit. Theyll have the ability to use hsas to pay for their their health care on a tax advantage basis. Just like you and i get. So, i dont understand the criticisms lobbed in that fashion. The bill actually helps a great many people. And helps them get something hay need. Which is health care. Not health coverage. Millions will be paying more. And the wealthy get a tax break. Let me move on to the state of the union. George, im sorry. Youre taking gospel truth. Its the argument of a dpoup of people who dont like the bill. We repeal the taxes in obamacare. Certain groups will pay less tax is not central to the issue. We have done this in a fashion that allows the people who cannot afford health care now to get it. I dont know why some people are so dead set against other people benefiting at the same time. But those getting subsidies right now, theyre going to be getting the tax credit is worth less than the subsidies Insurance Companies<\/a> will be free under your bill to charge Older Americans<\/a> more. Youre falling into the trap. Youre worried about giving people coverage. Its almost as if the president said he wanted everyone covered, sir. The president said that. He want everybody to get care. He said he wants everyone covered. What people want is to get care. En to be able to afford to go to the doctor. Thats where obamacare has failed them several times over. Thats the problem were fixes. When you get sick, you can afford to go to the doctor. I had it, george. I have livered through this first hand. You didnt have obamacare. I did. 1,000, 15,000 a deductible for my family. Luckily, we could afford it. People making much less than i do could had the same plan. They could not afford to go to the doctor. That was a broken system. That was one of the many, many reasons that obamacare was failing and people are begging us to replace it. Finally, congressman couplincoupl couplings is coming up on the program. Heres what he said after the meeting. He was enthusiastic. And, he he was clearly aware of the problem. And clearly, and he made it clear to us that he wanted to do something about it. So is the administration going get fully behind the idea that medicare negotiate drug prices . Were try to find a way to drive down drug prices. Congressman cummings and i served on the oversite committee. We presided over the epi pen problem. He and i both learn together, its government regulation. The inability for Drug Companies<\/a> and medical Device Manufacturers<\/a> to get things aprooud. Government intervention that is driving up the cost. I do know for a fact the administration is going to be looking at finding a way to fix it. I hope we can count on congressman so he was wrong . I fwhunt that meeting. Trying to drive down the cost of Actual Health<\/a> care that men and women in this country have to pay. Thank you, director mulvaney. Thank you, george. Were joined by senator tom cotton. I know you were listening to director mulvaney. He say this is is just a framework. This is the framework of repeal and replace. Youll have the chance to fix it in the senate. Can this be fixed . It probably can be fixed. It will take a lot of carpentry on the framework. As written today, kit not pass the senate. I believe it would have adverse consequences for millions of americans and wouldnt deliver on our promises to reduce the cost of Health Insurance<\/a> to americans. I would say to my friends in the house of representatives, do not bill that cannot pass the senate and then have to face the consequences of that vote. George, you were in the white house in 1993. You remember when House Democrats<\/a> voted for a btu energy tax. Not only did that not become law, it didnt get a vote in the senate. And those democrats lost their next election because they voted on that tax. Getting btud. I dont think this bill can pasds the senate. I think the house should take a pause and try to get as close as we can to a good result before they send to it the senate. So youre saying House Republicans<\/a> will pay the price if they vote on this bill without getting any benefit . Im afraid if they vote for the bill, theyll put the House Majority<\/a> at risk next year. And we have majorities in the house and the senate and the white house. Not only to repeal obamacare and get health kair reform right, to reform or taxes and accomplish any other things. I dont want to see the house ha majority put at ris thats why i think we should fake pause, try to solve as many as the problems on medicaid and the individual Insurance Market<\/a> in the bill in the house and then allow the senate to take its work up. You heard director mulvaney. He said youre discounting the value of competition. Unfortunately, i dont think this bill, as written is going create the new conditions necessary for the kind of competition that director mulvaney and i and virtly every other republican wants. This levers most of the obamacare Insurance Regulations<\/a> in place. Those regulations have caused most of the premiums to increase we share the same goals of wanting to repeal obamacare and getting Health Insurance<\/a> rates down so people can get access to care. As the bill is written, as a practical matter, i dont see the competition occurring as it needs to. Hes questioning the cbos analysis before it comes out. Do you think the congress Budget Office<\/a> will make the passage of the bill easier or more difficult . They do provide an important amount of information and analysis that allows senators and congressmen to make informed choices. So, whenever that estimate comes out, we need to take it seriously. We dont have to accept everything and every conclusion at face value. Thats a reason we should take a pause and examine all the consequences from every perspective on what is sweeping legislation. It will remake onesixth of the american economy. It will affect every american in a personal and you intimate way. This is not just the latest spending bill that Congress Passes<\/a> right before the christmas break and goes home months late for. This is permanent legislation trying to remake our health care system. We need to get it right, not get it fast. Youre a member of the Senate Intelligence<\/a> committee. Have you seen any evidence that president obama ordered a wiretap on President Trump<\/a> during the campaign . George, i have not seen that evidence. But i want to go back to something that Barack Obamas<\/a> director of National Intelligence<\/a> said last weekend. He said he had seen no evidence of cooperation between any Trump Associates<\/a> and russian officials. I dont think that got the attention it deserved. The director of National Intelligence<\/a> under barack obama would be in a much better position than any senator or congressman to know such things. While our review on the Intelligence Committee<\/a> will proceed in an orderly and deliberate fashion, i think we should pay heed to man who said he saw no evidence of such cooperation, rather than do what some democrats have done, spinning conspiracy theories. Is there is no evidence, does President Trump<\/a> owe an apology . He said he wanted us to take up this matter as a broader look. Were going to do that. I hope we get to the bottom of all these matters. That we make all those conclusions public to the American People<\/a>. Cant the president get the information himself . The Intelligence Committee<\/a>s have squd the Justice Department<\/a> to come forward by tomorrow . There are reasons the Intelligence Committee<\/a> is reluctant to make public statement. It could reveal what we do and dont know a and how we know those things. That is not something we want our adversary ros understand. Examining the evidence at issue, and determining what we can declassify, i think the Intelligence Committee<\/a>s are in the best position to make those decisions. Suzanne collins said she would be prepared to back a subpoena of President Trump<\/a>s tax returns. Are you . I think thats getting ahead of ourselves. That wasnt done by the obama administration. That was done by the Trump Administration<\/a>. So far, the level of cooperation with our review is something deeper and richer than i have seen in any time in congress. I think we should proceed with the materials we have at hand before we make the decision whether we need to go on to additional materials. Senator cotton, thank you for your time this morning. Thanks, george. Coming up, how will the opposition respond . I talk to two Top Democrats<\/a> from the house. Halfway through the first 100 days, is this a make or braek moment for the president . Our powerhouse roundtable weighs in. Fifty years ago, humpback whales were nearly extinct. They rebounded because a decision was made to protect them. Making the right decisions today for your longterm financial future can protect you and your family, and preserve your legacy. Ask a Financial Advisor<\/a> how retirement and Life Insurance<\/a> solutions from pacific life can help you plan for your future. Cmohappy birthday i survived a heart attack. Another one. And im taking brilinta. For people whove been hospitalized for a heart attack. I take brilinta with a baby aspirin. No more than one hundred milligrams as it affects how well it works. Brilinta helps keep my platelets from sticking together and forming a clot. Brilinta reduced the chance of another heart attack. Or dying from one. It worked better than plavix. Dont stop taking brilinta without talking to your doctor since stopping it too soon increases your risk of clots in your stent, heart attack, stroke, and even death. Brilinta may cause bruising or bleeding more easily, or serious, sometimes fatal bleeding. Dont take brilinta if u have bleeding, like stomach ulcers, a history of bleeding in the brain, or severe liver problems. Tell your doctor about bleeding, new or unexpected shortness of breath, any planned surgery, and all medicines you take. Talk to your doctor about brilinta. Im doing all i can. That includes brilinta. If you cant afford your medication, astra zeneca may be able to help. Or is it your allergy pills . Holding you back break through your allergies. More complete allergy relief in a gentle mist you may not even notice. Using unique mistpro technology, new Flonase Sensimist<\/a> delivers a gentle mist to help block six key inflammatory substances that cause your symptoms. Most allergy pills only block one. And six is greater than one. Break through your allergies. New Flonase Sensimist<\/a>. President elect asked, presumably because hes a new yorker, and is aware of the great work our office has done over the past seven years. Asked to meet with me to discuss whether or not i would be prepared to stay on as the United States<\/a> attorney. We had a good meeting. I said i would absolutely consider staying on. I agreed to stay on. Thats preet bharara. Moments ago, i did not restein. I was fired. Were back to discuss that and more in just two minutes. vo do not go gentle into that good night, old age should burn and rave at close of day; rage, rage against the dying of the light. Do not go gentle into that good night. We cut the price of trades to give investors even more value. And at 4. 95, you can trade with a clear advantage. Fidelity, where smarter investors will always be. And at 4. 95, you can trade with a clear advantage. Cough doesnt sound so good. Take mucinex dm. Ill text you in 4 hours when your cough returns. One pill lasts 12 hours, so. Looks like im good all night some cough medicines only last 4 hours. But just one mucinex lasts 12 hours. Lets end this. And were back with two of the top House Democrats<\/a> chamging the white house. Were joined by congssman elijah cummings. And adam schiff. Congressman schiff, let me begin with you. Sounds like senator cotton doesnt expect the Justice Department<\/a> to come forward with evidence on the wiretap. You have set the deadline for tomorrow, you and your colleagues. To you expect the Justice Department<\/a> to meet snit. I dont expect well see evidence of this either. I agree with tom cotton. There are one or two possibilities here. Either deliberately for some reason made up the charge. Or perhaps, more disturbing, the president really believes this. Heres where i think its consequential, george. If six months from now the president should say iran is cheating on the nuclear agreement, if hes making it up, its real problem. If hes note making it up and its true, its a bigger problem. The question is, would people believe him . Would American People<\/a> believe him . Would people around the world leave him . That has real world consequences. Are there consequences from the jus it the daept . Is there information to be proused. More than that, well have an open hearing on march 20th. Well be able to ask the director of the fbi among others is there any truth of this. Have they seen any evidence of this . They would be in a position to have to no. Think on march 20th, if not before, well be able to put it to rest. The only question is why thing snjt you believe director james comey will answer this in public on that day . I do. And, you know, if the press reports are accurate that he asked the department of justice to knock this down and they refused, he may welcome the opportunity. You heard senator cotton say he was uniting what the former director, james clammer said, last week. Not only had he not seen evidence of the wiretapping. He said hes seen no evidence of collusion or cooperation between Trump Associates<\/a> and russia. Have you seen that . I was surprised to see that state sod categorically. I cant talk about particular evidence. Its not unlike the 9 11 investigation. You had a joint inquiry and investigation. They were looking at who was resp saudi government colluded orred that something connection to the attacks on 9 11. At the end of the investigation, they couldnt corroborate it. I wouldnt want to reach a cop collusion at the outset. Maybe we will. Maybe we wont. Maybe it existed. Maybe it didnt. I think its our obligation to do everything as possible in as nonpartisan a basis as possible to answer those very important questions. I wouldnt start by concluding one way or the other. Senator cotton said it may not be necessary to see President Trump<\/a>s tax returns to complete this investigation. Do you agree . I think if the evidence develops that one of the russian tactics, this was suggested in the dossier, is to financially entangle people as way of exerting influence, if the evidence lead ifs that direction, his tax returns will be pert i investigation. I think we try to develop the evidence. Follow it where it leads, and not leap to any conclusions on the front end. Are you convinced this investigation will go forward in a complete way . Some of your colleagues sthair afraid it will be a partisan exercise. Theyre going to walk away if thats what day see. You know, to be honest, george, doint know whether well be able to conduct it to its completion. If well have the bipartisan cooperation we need. It would be in the National Interest<\/a> for us to do so. If, at the end of the day, we produce two conclusion hs, a majority and my or not conclusion, that wont add any value at all. Its in the National Interest<\/a> to try. If we get to the point where we cant, its our obligation to speak out and say this is not legitimate. Were being walled off from certain areas of investigation. We owe it to the country to try. Thats my intention. One of the signi well have is whether we have the resources to do it in the way we should. For that reason, think we should have an independent commission. I want to give you an update. I have been critical of the fbi and their will. Ingness to cooperate in the investigation. I can say thats changed. Im very pleased with the level of cooperation were getting from the fbi. I hope that continues. Theres more to be ironed out. But its moved in a positive direction. Congressman schiff, thank you very much. Lets bring in congressman elijah cummings. Lets start with the yous from yesterday that the u. S. Attorney here in new york, preet bharara, was fired. Is there in your view, is there anything to look into here or is this just the routine remufl of u. S. Attorneys that we have seen by u. S. President s before . Certainly, the president has the opportunity and the right to fire u. S. Attorneys. But, we i know, just not very long ago, the president was saying that he was going to keep the u. S. Attorney there in new york. And then, suddenly, hes, i guess, changed his mind. Im just curious as to why that is. Certainly, theres a lot of questions coming up as to whether President Trump<\/a> is concerned about the jurisdiction of this u. S. Tern and whether tate might affect his future. You look at everything, george, surrounding the investigations, there are a lot of questions that need to be asked. Again, the president does have that prerogative. Are you referring to the fact that on wednesday, several independent groups asked the u. S. Attorney, asked breet baja ra to investigate where the Trump Organization<\/a> and President Trump<\/a> were in o emoluments clause . What has been happening is that there is an air of distrust that has been brought on by President Trump<\/a> himself. And so many others. We have over and over again heard things that have been just proven to be untrue. And, so, i think that in part, the president has created this situation for himself. But yeah, sure. No doubt about it. When they asked about emoluments clause and possible violations of it and, the u. S. s relationship to that, that had perhaps something to do with it. So you think there might be a connection. There very well may be. But again, george, when you come out and you make allegations as the president has, which cannot be proven, and then, you find out the things are not true, you have now created a new sense of normalcy. That normalcy is one adam schiff just said, you question almost anything that comes out of the president s mouth. And so, i just think that the president has to be ive told him this, by the way, he needs to be careful with what he tweets, what he says. Do less tweeting and more leading. You did meet on the issue of medicare and whether medicare will negotiate drug prices. You said coming out that the president supports that. You heard the director of management and budget, he didnt seem to endorse that. I heard that. Ky tell you the president was enthusesic about not the only proposal that congressman welsh and i had with regard to medicare being able to negotiate drug prices. He was also enthusiastic about another proposal. The importation of drugs from places like canada and other foreign countries. And so he made it clear to me something about it. But not only did he do that. He followed it up. I met with him on wednesday. He fold it up on friday morning. Surprisingly, to me, with a lengthy call, reiterating he was going to do something about it. Then another call on friday evening, around 7 00. So well see. You talked to the president about this three times this week, yet his director of the office of management and budget doesnt come forward on sunday morning and endorse it . Im telling you what happened. The president , i was surprised, on friday evening when he called me. He called me friday morning. And we we have had now three discussions with regard to this issue. I want to move on to a different subject the. We learned this week that the president s former National Security<\/a> adviser, michael frin had registered as a foreign agent. Had received 500,000 as part of during the campaign. You sent him a letter asking him about this. Yet this week he said he didnt know anything about general flynns activities. Is this something that needs to be investigated since your questions went unanswered . Think clearly there are problems with the vetting process. That letter was sent november 18th, as you said. We got a response saying they acknowledged the receipt of the letter. And there were all kinds of red lights and yellow lights to tell the Vice President<\/a> and the administration that there was major problem with general flynn. We i think that we need to look into this. To figure out why it is that we cannot properly vet people. George this is bigger than us. This is bigger than President Trump<\/a>. This is about our National Security<\/a>. And so, im looking forward to trying to work with others in in congress to try to how that happened. Were better than that. Thank you, congressmen cummings and schiff. Well be right back with the powerhouse roundtable. 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You should tell your doctor if you have a heart condition or high Blood Pressure<\/a> before taking it. Symbicort could mean a day with better breathing. Watch out, piggies child giggles symbicort. Breathe better starting within 5 minutes. Get symbicort free for up to one year. Visit saveonsymbicort. Com today to learn more. Roundtable standing by. Well be right back. Happiness is powerful flea and tick protection cough doesnt sound so good. Take mucinex dm. Ill text you in 4 hours when your cough returns. One pill lasts 12 hours, so. Looks like im good all night some cough medicines only last 4 hours. But just one mucinex lasts 12 hours. Lets end this. This car is traveling over 200 miles per hour. To win, every millisecond matters. Both on the track and thousands of miles away. With the help of at t, Red Bull Racing<\/a> can share critical information about every inch of the car from virtually anywhere. Brakes are getting warm. Confirmed, daniel you need to cool your brakes. Understood, brake bias back 2 clicks. Giving them the agility to have speed precision. Because no one knows like at t. Cmohappy birthday i survived a heart attack. Im doing all i can to keep from having another one. And im taking brilinta. For people whove been hospitalized for a heart attack. I take brilinta with a baby aspirin. As it affects how well it works. Brilinta helps keep my platelets from sticking together and forming a clot. Brilinta reduced the chance of another heart attack. Or dying from one. It worked better than plavix. Dont stop taking brilinta without talking to your doctor since stopping it too soon increases your risk of clots in your stent, heart attack, stroke, and even death. Brilinta may cause bruising or bleeding more easily, or serious, sometimes fatal bleeding. Dont take brilinta if u have bleeding, like stomach ulcers, a history of bleeding in the brain, or severe liver problems. Tell your doctor about bleeding, new or unexpected shortness of breath, any planned surgery, and all medicines you take. Talk to your doctor about brilinta. Im doing all i can. That includes brilinta. If you cant afford your medication, astra zeneca may be able to help. Say carl, we have a question about your brokerage fees. Fees . What did you have in mind . I dont know. 4. 95 per trade . Uhhh. And i was wondering if your brokerage offers some sort of guarantee . Where we can get our fees and commissions back if were not happy. So can you offer me what schwab is offering . Whats with all the questions . Ask your broker if theyre offering 4. 95 online equity trades and a satisfaction guarantee. If you dont like their answer, ask again at schwab. We have a phony jobs number. They say its down the 5 . The real number is 25 . Dont believe those phony numbers when you hear4. 9 and 5 unemployment. The 5 number is a total phony number. It was made up by politicians to try to make them look good. I spoke to the president right before this. He said, it may have been phony in the past, but theyre real now. What a difference a good jobs report can be. Joined by rich lowry. Chris tin soltis anderson. And jamal simmons. This Administration Says<\/a> if a group gives you any information you like, its all good. The cbo, according to mick mulvaney, not so good. There are a lot of divides in washington these days. Whats going to make this Health Care Debate<\/a> is can trump pull it over the finish line . A lot of folks in the House Freedom<\/a> caucus who, they would love nothing more than to go back to their districts to say, they stuck to it the man, establishment, leadership. That means sticking to it President Trump<\/a> . I think if it means sticking it to President Trump<\/a> that means a calculation. They wound up having trump win by an achblg of 25 points. A lot harder to vote against it. Do you agree . He could end up being lbj with a twitter feed. It will be uncomfortable in youre a last group of holdouts. He gives you a nickname. He goes after you. Youll face ferocious internal party pressure. He seems to be trying to cajole right now. The house guyses, they are very department on the idea that trump will stick with this thing and help get it through. If this thing passed and goes through the house and senate before easter the way they plan, it will be one of the most significant just sheer exercises of political muscle we have ever seen. So stepping back apart from the transactional, this is a betrayal of trumps own voters. If this goes through as it is, eviscerating medicaid. Cutting health care for the rural people who voted for him for older people. So i think thats something the democrats need to expose and i think, you know, were sitting here 52 days from trumps presidency. Hes tested the values of our country, the stamina of our country. A passel of broken promises. Lots of lice. One thing that i take heart from is that millions of people are engaged now. We talk about the resistance. We need to go from resistance to rebuilds, recommitting, people running for office. I think health care becomes the issue for 2018. You showed pictures of trump saying people will get Better Health<\/a> care at low cost. Im not going to cut medicaid. Hes doing that. Katrina mentioned 2018. Tom cotton said hes telling his colleagues in the house, if you vote for this, youre going to be in trouble. I totally believe theyll be in trouble. Two of these Freedom Caucus<\/a> members voted for the bill. How can you vote for it when you dont know how much it costs . They need to get the cbo numbers out. If there is something wrong with the cbo, its run bay republican appointed by president bush. Get to the bottom of it. Cut there are 54 billion out of domestic spending, it takes things out of the great lakes restoration fund, from 100 million down to 10. Or the Chesapeake Bay<\/a> fund. Clean water is at stake here. People in america are very concerned about that. Let me pick up the point katrina made. The New York Times<\/a> did an analysis this week. First one i have seen. The look at who loses in the repeal bill. They believe that the subsidies losses are falling heaviest, kristen, on those voters who voted, most overwhelmingly, for trump. The impact is on those most supportive of the president. This is going to put a lot of folks in a tough position. Theres a chance that donald trump does not stick with this all the way through until the end. That he begins to see the writing on the wall. If this does not get through the house quickly, does begin to change his posture. Donald trump never likes to be on the losing side of anything. Likes to position himself as having put himself into the winning side. It would not surprise me if trumps voters begin to be very vocal and push back against this. If trumps voters wind up saying they want this less and trump is not able to sell them on it in some way,ky see him going back pedal. The cbo score, i think it will be fine on the the cost. It will be devastating on the president s promise. Its unachievable that everyone is going to be covered. They need to Pay Attention<\/a> to do coverage numbers. This whole process is built on speed, rather than getting it right. Ryan thinks every day that passes, he loses momentum. He does. They should take a breath and try to get it right. Theyre worried about the cbo estimate. 20 Million People<\/a> were not covered prior to the passage of obamacare. Im not being this is not unrealistic. People will die because of loss of coverage. The main thing to me is, just on the broeng promises, President Trump<\/a> promised to drain the swamp. Hes filled wit billionaires and bankers. Its a government of the 1 . This health care, trumpcare, is tenlly a massive redistribution of wealth through tax cuts to the rich. He speaks to voter who i and you cant blame a lot of his voter. Because there is anger in the country. But this is the Bipartisan Committee<\/a> for the responsible budget says the 0. 9 surcharge cut could lead to medicare being insol vept. For an accountable and open gonch government, this is not what were getting. Obamacare was funded with a little taxes here and there. It changes the way that the federal government engauges with medicaid, hoping to make it more fiscally responsible. Oh no. Hold on a second. To rich. I take your point on the repeal. When you look at the specifics of the tax cuts and you heard the director, the overwhelming going to people who earn over 1 million a year. Theyre giving this tax break to Insurance Companies<\/a> that will salaries. Isnt that going to be difficult to defend . I dont think they should play that game. Obama increased taxes on the rich. Theyre just rolling them back. Lets not mistake. Its not just a partisan talking point that obamacare is unraveling. Its a fact. You have premiums skyrocketing. Major executive saying the Obamacare Exchanges<\/a> are in a death spiral. But the buyins stayed stable in the last round of signups. Medicare and medicaid are the two Great Success<\/a> stories of this country. We should be building on medicare and medicaid, which are more efficient than private insurance policy. Building on the costsaving advances of obama care. Not taking us back as the Republican Party<\/a> is doing. Not making America Great<\/a> again. I want to move on to the issue of wiretaps and President Trump<\/a>s charge. The members of congress dont expect the Justice Department<\/a> to come forwd. President go without arding it. He basically went underground this week and refused to answer any questions. Zli think concerns about Donald Trumps<\/a> engagements with countries like russia is whats holding President Trump<\/a> back. 55 approval on the economy. But when you ask about foreign affairs, his worst numbers. 55 disapproval. A lot of it is because we, as americans, are viewing russia as a greater threat than ever before. As long as this continues to be a headline, it will be an anchor on trumps numbers. He tweeted this because he was angry. Its really based on no facts, as far as we can tell. You can tell from the body language at the white house, they want to memoryhole this thing. If they wanted to get to the bottom of it, they would have for any socalled fisa warrants and know immediately what the facts were. Is that okay . No, obviously, he should tweet things that independent investigation into the allegations of russias interference in the election. Think the democrats make the mistake of fixating on it at the expense of other programs. Donald trump is prancing around like a circus barker talking about jobs. The democrats need to lay out a real bold program. Ill quote my dad on this who said something is stinky with the Trump Administration<\/a> when it comes to russia. We dont know what it is. Its like you open the refrigerator, you know something is bad, you cant figure out what sit. Thats why we need an independent investigation. Until we have some sort of independent investigation, there will be a lot of questions a lot of americans will have. This will haunt all the trump and ryan republicans who are helping him on this. Will they hold the line against the independent investigation . Trump is focussed mostly on his own voters. Therar concerned about russia. Do you need an independent prosecutor or is this Something Congress<\/a> can handle . People say, no, no, no, we need something independent. When you ask should there be a special prosecute sner republicans and people who voted for trump think this is much a do about nothing. I dont think trump feeting pressur pressures from his constituency. They walked metaphorically across the street and gave to it wikileaks to distribute. If theyre not guilty, they should stop acting like it. That is the last word for today. Thank you all very much. Well be right back. vo bbut imagine whats possiblee if we build on what works. Like rewarding care providers for achieving quality outcomes and affordability. Giving states flexibility to offer highquality, Affordable Care<\/a> through public and private coverage platforms. And strengthening and growing employersponsored coverage. The foundation exists. It can be the bridge to a modern, highperforming, Simpler Health Care<\/a> system. Unitedhealth group. Built for Better Health<\/a>. That is all for us today. Thanks for sharing part of your sunday with us. Check out world news tonight. And ill see you tomorrow on gma. Bp engineered a fleet of 32 brand new ships with advanced technology, so we can make sure oil and gas get where they need to go safely. Because safety is never being satisfied. And always working to be better. Fios is not cable. Were wired differently. Maybe thats why weve been ranked highest in cutomer satisfaction by jd power 4 years in a row. And now you can love fios too. Get 150 meg internet, tv and phone. All for 79. 99 per month, for the first year with a twoyear agreement. Its the only internet with equal upload and download speeds. Cable only offers upload speeds that are a fraction of the download speeds. Plus get hbo for a year and free multiroom dvr service for two years. Get the best. Go to getfios. Com shame on you shame on you shame on you scott in south florida, temperatures were hotter inside than out, after the miamidade commissioners signed off on the mayors plan for the county to become less of a sanctuary. Mayor gimenez we are also a country of laws. If you are a criminal, if you are arrested, you will be treated like everyone else. Scott the mayors new policy requires local Law Enforcement<\/a> to keep anyone already arrested and jailed for an extra 48 hours if federal immigration authorities want to pick them up. Cheryl little i was shocked, when someone called me and said, did you hear what mayor gimenez did . I didnt believe it. Chris christopherson so if you think about this iceberg here as content up on the internet, the dark web or the deep web represents everything thats underneath that water level","publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"archive.org","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","width":"800","height":"600","url":"\/\/ia801500.us.archive.org\/26\/items\/WJLA_20170312_130000_This_Week_With_George_Stephanopoulos\/WJLA_20170312_130000_This_Week_With_George_Stephanopoulos.thumbs\/WJLA_20170312_130000_This_Week_With_George_Stephanopoulos_000001.jpg"}},"autauthor":{"@type":"Organization"},"author":{"sameAs":"archive.org","name":"archive.org"}}],"coverageEndTime":"20240627T12:35:10+00:00"}