Full transcript of “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan,” Nov. 16, 2025

On this “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” broadcast, moderated by Margaret Brennan: 

• Reps. Tom Suozzi, Democrat of New York, and Don Bacon, Republican of Nebraska 
• Military Secretary Dan Driscoll 
• Sen. Invoice Cassidy, Republican of Louisiana
• Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, Democrat of New Hampshire 

Click on right here to browse full transcripts from 2025 of “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan.”   

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MARGARET BRENNAN: I am Margaret Brennan in Washington.

And this week on Face the Nation: The shutdown is over, however the issues that led to the disaster persist, and politicians are scrambling to make costs reasonably priced for Individuals.

Affordability is the brand new buzzword in Washington, and President Trump is testing concepts to assist customers, together with potential tariff dividends and 50-year mortgages. These could also be a tricky promote, however Mr. Trump did transfer to assist customers by rolling again tariffs on some meals imports, like bananas, beef and tomatoes.

(Start VT)

DONALD TRUMP (President of the USA): There’s been a bit little bit of a rollback with some meals, like espresso for instance, the place the costs of espresso had been a bit bit excessive. Now they are going to be on the low aspect in a really brief time period.

By way of affordability, it is not a superb phrase for the Democrats. It is a good phrase for us, as a result of our costs are a lot decrease and can quickly be a lot, a lot decrease.

(Finish VT)

MARGARET BRENNAN: One worth spike that may’t be mounted by easing tariffs, well being care premiums, particularly for these coated below Obamacare.

We’ll search for options for that repair and extra with two members of the Home Downside Solvers Caucus, New York Democrat Tom Suozzi and Nebraska Republican Don Bacon, together with Dr. and Louisiana Republican Senator Invoice Cassidy and New Hampshire Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen.

And as we transfer into a brand new period of warfare, what does our army want for readiness? We’ll discuss with the secretary of the military, Dan Driscoll.

It is all simply forward on Face the Nation.

Good morning, and welcome to Face the Nation.

Though we’re all making an attempt to place the ache of the shutdown behind us, the 43-day standoff on Capitol Hill uncovered and amplified the necessity to handle the rising price of well being care premiums. And our CBS Information polling out right this moment exhibits that two-thirds of Individuals assume their premiums will enhance within the coming months.

We start right this moment with two members of the so-called Home Downside Solvers Caucus, New York Democrat Tom Suozzi and Nebraska Republican Don Bacon.

Good morning. Good to have you ever right here in a bipartisan dialog. You each acknowledge there’s an issue right here.

Congressman Bacon, let me begin with you.

One out of each 5 {dollars} on this nation that’s spent goes to well being care. We all know these COVID period tax credit score subsidies for Obamacare will go away on the finish of the month. That is going to hit about 22 of the 24 million Individuals who use that program. What are you able to do within the subsequent six weeks to make prices go down in January?

REPRESENTATIVE DON BACON (R-Nebraska): Properly, we’d like a short lived extension of those tax credit to maintain these costs down.

Republicans nor Democrats need to see premiums skyrocket. And they’re going to if these expire with nothing as a replacement. That is why I labored with Tom Suozzi and different Democrats and Republicans to discover a compromise. We simply do not need to do a clear extension. Most Republicans do not anyway.

So we predict there must be some caps on revenue, and we need to guarantee all these credit go on to decreasing folks’s premiums. And, proper now, a couple of third of the cash would not make it to the premiums.

So these are some reforms that we want to see. And if we are able to get these completed, then we are able to lengthen these tax credit and preserve these – the costs decrease. However we do want a longer-term repair. The Inexpensive Care Act is unaffordable. And I believe we have to have this extension to present us time to work on one thing larger and deeper and that can assist decrease prices general.

However I am proud to work with Tom Suozzi on this. And I admire his partnership.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Congressman Suozzi, I perceive it is a two-year proposed extension of these enhanced premium tax credit and an revenue cap that phases out for these making between $200,000 to $400,000.

However whenever you take a look at the breakdown, although, that is a fairly small portion of the general recipients of the tax credit. It is like lower than 10 p.c. So what does this accomplish? How does this make it extra reasonably priced and honest?

REPRESENTATIVE TOM SUOZZI (D-New York): Properly, it helps everyone else who makes below $200,000 dramatically.

And the primary concern folks have in America is affordability. And well being care affordability is true on the high of the checklist.

MARGARET BRENNAN: How far more reasonably priced?

REPRESENTATIVE TOM SUOZZI: So we have to do one thing to increase these premium tax credit.

It’s going to save folks hundreds and hundreds of {dollars}, actually $1,000 a month for some folks. So it’s going to be dramatically extra reasonably priced. The individuals who make above $400,000 are the teeny little share of individuals that aren’t – a really small group of individuals that will profit from the present tax credit.

The general public are beneath $200,000. That $200,000 to $400,000 is a approach to taper it off, so there’s not a cliff.

MARGARET BRENNAN: And the way a lot Democratic assist do you may have for this at this level?

REPRESENTATIVE TOM SUOZZI: I believe that Democrats are going to strongly again the concept of extending premium tax credit, in order that we are able to preserve folks’s insurance coverage reasonably priced.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Even with these caps?

REPRESENTATIVE TOM SUOZZI: So, we’ve received to provide you with this compromise and – even with the caps, sure..

Folks – Democrats have all the time stated that they need to direct the coverage in direction of lower- and middle-income of us. Folks making below $400,000 a yr is our – our bread-and-butter points, that we need to attempt to make issues reasonably priced for these of us.

So – and that can be like actually 95 p.c, 99 p.c of the folks which can be affected proper now.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Congressman Bacon, sorry. Go forward.

REPRESENTATIVE DON BACON: I used to be going to say, and Republicans, we pushed again on the considered somebody incomes $600,000 getting all these tax credit.

So after I listened to the Speaker – or Chief Thune, that was one in all his large issues on these. In order that’s why I needed to make sure that we had this in our framework.

MARGARET BRENNAN: However a tweak with a not everlasting, only a two-year extension. Republicans have not actually been proposing a whole lot of various Obamacare choices right here.

Do you assume your complete system must be rebooted? And when will we see that plan?

REPRESENTATIVE DON BACON: Properly, I do assume Republicans and Democrats are going to have to sit down down on the desk and determine, what can we actually do moreover simply throw extra money at this?

Proper now, the premiums are simply going up a lot sooner than inflation. It is unsustainable. And – however we will not do a Republican-only repair. It is not going to work. You are not going to get 60 votes within the Senate to do it.

And I do know some of us suggest that again in Congress: Let’s go up with our plan. Properly, it will possibly’t simply be a Republican plan if we need to move one thing. So we received to sit down down with Democrats and determine, what can we do? And there is some good concepts on the market.

So, for instance, I’ve heard, if we are able to straight subsidize high-risk folks and put them in a separate pool and simply decrease their premiums by way of subsidies, after which the – let’s name it the more healthy of us, their premiums are going to go down considerably if we try this.

So there’s totally different ideas that we are able to do to – that may have an effect. However it is going to must be a bipartisan method ahead. It is not going to be a Republican-only invoice, as a result of you’ll by no means get it handed.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Sure.

Congressman Suozzi, I imply, Aetna pulled out…

REPRESENTATIVE TOM SUOZZI: Sure.

MARGARET BRENNAN: … of the Obamacare market this yr after CVS stated they anticipated to lose as a lot as $400 million. Different large insurance coverage firms have been pulling out.

If insurance coverage firms themselves are having issues with Obamacare, do Democrats must be extra open to broader reforms of the Inexpensive Care Act?

REPRESENTATIVE TOM SUOZZI: Sure, we completely ought to be any type of reform. I need to mend it, not finish it.

You understand that over the previous decade that there have been over 70 makes an attempt, primarily by the Republicans, not guys like Don Bacon, who’s a really affordable man, to attempt to do away with Obamacare altogether. We expect that is a horrible thought.

But when folks need to attempt to make it a greater system to make well being care extra reasonably priced in America and to get well being care to extra folks, we ought to be doing that. That is what the folks need. That is what affordable folks in Congress need. We ought to be working collectively to attempt to develop well being care protection, decrease costs for everyone, and make well being care simpler and cheaper for folks.

Now, that is not going to occur with everyone yelling and screaming at one another. All people who says “Why do not you simply?” would not know what the hell they’re speaking about. You can’t remedy sophisticated issues in an atmosphere of concern and anger. You want affordable folks to sit down down and discuss to one another and say, I believe this, effectively, I believe that…

MARGARET BRENNAN: Sure.

REPRESENTATIVE TOM SUOZZI: … after which work your method in direction of discovering compromise. Very exhausting to do on this poisonous atmosphere.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Sure.

REPRESENTATIVE TOM SUOZZI: Folks like Don Bacon and different members of the Downside Solvers Caucus need to try this sort of factor.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Sure. Properly, however personal well being care prices are additionally going up.

However on this subject of poisonous environments right here, Congressman Suozzi, Democrats, who gained elections just some days in the past, credited their wins to this affordability subject and the message centered on that. Are you able to clarify the main target this previous week within the Home by Democrats on the Jeffrey Epstein recordsdata?

Is that this a tactic to distract from the failure to extract well being care modifications or is there one thing else occurring right here? I imply, does the speaker placing it to a vote finish this subject?

REPRESENTATIVE TOM SUOZZI: I believe it is a mixture of things, of individuals shining their lights on essentially the most – the new subject on the time.

Jeffrey Epstein, in fact, is a vital subject. I am positive I’ll vote to launch his recordsdata, however that is not my precedence.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Proper.

REPRESENTATIVE TOM SUOZZI: My precedence is to concentrate on the issues that the American folks care about, affordability, immigration, taxes, crime, and well being care. That is what individuals are preventing about. That is what they’re involved about. That is what we ought to be centered on in Congress.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Properly, Congressman Bacon, does the speaker placing this to a vote finish the Epstein subject and get you again onto well being care? I imply, the speaker stated that is all a political train. Actually, the households of the victims do not assume it’s.

REPRESENTATIVE DON BACON: I believe the speaker realizes the practice has left the station on this. Let’s rip the Band-Help off and get it achieved.

And I want the president realized that. The extra the White Home pushes again on this, it is – it simply seems to be dangerous, proper? I imply, it was – the legal professional normal got here out and stated, all these white binders, we will launch all this data, after which a month later stated, oh, no, we’re not.

So it has been a P.R. blunder from the start. And I believe the speaker is true. That is going to occur, so let’s get it achieved and vote on it. And we received to appreciate it nonetheless has to go to the Senate. Then it has to go to the president for signature.

In the meantime, our Oversight Committee is releasing hundreds and hundreds of pages of proof regarding Epstein. So, for instance, like 3,000 pages was launched late final week. So the Oversight Committee, Republicans and Democrats, are placing out the info. They’re placing out subpoenas.

I believe it is already working, however, like Tom, when this comes on the ground, I’ll vote sure on it. I would like transparency.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Properly…

REPRESENTATIVE DON BACON: We need to defend the victims.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Sure.

REPRESENTATIVE DON BACON: However all the things else ought to simply be – ought to be open.

MARGARET BRENNAN: You additionally, Congressman Bacon, run the Cyber Subcommittee. I need to ask you about one thing important this previous week, that A.I. agency Anthropic stated that Chinese language state-sponsored hackers used their know-how to automate break-ins and perform the primary cyber espionage operation largely utilizing A.I.

It hit like 30 totally different firms. What are you able to inform us concerning the scope and the targets of this assault?

REPRESENTATIVE DON BACON: I can not say far more than what was simply launched, aside from I can say this.

China has changed Russia as most formidable cyber menace. They’ve a lot greater know-how. They’re utilizing A.I., which provides you much more functionality find weaknesses in your adversaries’ cyber defenses.

What issues me greater than something, whereas China is attacking us each single day and Russia, we’ve had no commander in control of Cyber Command for over eight months. The White Home or the president fired the Cyber Command commander over eight months in the past and has not changed him.

Additionally, the highest two positions on the Nationwide Safety Company, the highest two are vacant for over eight months. And we’ve been reducing CISA, which is the company that protects our personal sector, our companies, our infrastructure, and we’ve lower it by a couple of third.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Proper.

REPRESENTATIVE DON BACON: And so our cyber capabilities are going backwards. We do not – we’re rudderless in a time the place China is attacking us day by day. And that is one thing that basically issues me.

And I’ve been pushing the White Home to cope with this and to confront the cyber menace.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Sure. Properly, we are going to proceed following that necessary story.

Congressmen, thanks for making an attempt to be drawback solvers with us right this moment.

REPRESENTATIVE DON BACON: Thanks.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Face the Nation can be again in a minute. Stick with us.

(ANNOUNCEMENTS)

MARGARET BRENNAN: We need to flip now to a few of the challenges confronted by the U.S. army.

And we’re joined by the Secretary of the Military, Dan Driscoll.

Good morning. Thanks for being right here.

DANIEL DRISCOLL (U.S. Secretary of the Military): Thanks a lot for having me.

MARGARET BRENNAN: So much to get to with you.

Simply shortly on information of day, the president did say he kind of made up his thoughts on Venezuela. I do know that is the Marines, that is the Navy which can be deployed. However does the Venezuelan military pose any type of menace to the U.S. if motion is taken?

SECRETARY DANIEL DRISCOLL: I believe that the president and secretary of struggle have spent a whole lot of time enthusiastic about, what’s the smartest thing they’ll do for the American folks?

And I can converse from the Military’s perspective, which is, we’ve a whole lot of coaching in that a part of the world. We’re reactivating our jungle college in Panama. We’d be able to act on regardless of the president and secwar wanted.

MARGARET BRENNAN: However no orders past these workouts at this level?

SECRETARY DANIEL DRISCOLL: I – we do not speak about these sorts of issues, however we might be prepared if requested.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Sure. OK.

I do need to ask you about what has been occurring with this shutdown. The federal government’s now funded by way of January 30. You probably did get from Congress full- yr funding for Veterans Affairs and army development, a couple of different measures on this short-term invoice.

However in – we’ve seen the shutdown hit army bases and hit army households, expensive, $400 million or extra in emergency loans from USAA. How do you insulate the power in order that the subsequent shutdown would not hit these households the way in which it did this time?

SECRETARY DANIEL DRISCOLL: I believe the shutdown is indicative of one of many larger issues that we’ve a nation have had.

And so in case you look again for the final 30 or 40 years, one of many causes we have had such dangerous outcomes, once we spend the American taxpayers’ hard- earned {dollars}, and we go purchase issues that our troopers might want to struggle, once we construct issues the place our troopers and their households will reside, we’re such a foul buyer, as a result of whenever you’re on the opposite aspect of the cope with us and you must cope with shutdowns – I imply, this shutdown will take months and months for us to get again and occurring these tasks.

And that is a part of the calcification of our system that, below President Trump, we’re uniquely in a position to attempt to go after a whole lot of this stuff and truly get our Military and their households residing in higher areas, and get our troopers prepared for the trendy struggle. And the shutdown doesn’t assist.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Let me ask you concerning the fashionable struggle.

Tom Cotton, who’s the chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, informed our Olivia Gazis right here at CBS that the menace to army websites and huge civilian gatherings is extreme and rising. He cited gaps in regulation enforcement authorities. A few of them lapsed throughout the shutdown, I perceive.

And he is speaking about making an attempt to shut enforcement gaps in the case of drones. What authorizations do you want?

SECRETARY DANIEL DRISCOLL: So, below Secretary of Warfare Hegseth, the USA Military has been put in control of the counterdrone menace for the Pentagon.

After which we’re working hand in fist – or hand in glove with the broader regulation enforcement companies. We simply final week had a gathering proper exterior the White Home, the place what we try to do, as a result of this drawback is totally different from practically something we have confronted in a very long time. It’s a flying IED.

And so this IED…

MARGARET BRENNAN: IED, the explosive.

SECRETARY DANIEL DRISCOLL: IED, improvised explosive machine. They’re low-cost. You’ll be able to 3-D print them at house, and so they cross borders extremely shortly.

And so what you principally want is a digital layer to trade data and trade sensing and permit the closest individual on the bottom or the closest effector on the bottom to have the ability to take out a drone. And Senator Cotton is true. I imply, that is the specter of humanity’s lifetime.

What’s occurring in Ukraine, what’s occurring in Russia, in case you take a look at the pace and scale of the devastation that may come from drones, we as a federal authorities have gotten to guide on it. However I am actually optimistic. That is truly one thing we’re doing proper. We’re partnering with each federal regulation enforcement.

In a few weeks, we’re having the Sheriff’s Affiliation come. We had been simply on the NYPD. We’re together with all the totally different regulation enforcement companies, enthusiastic about the borders and the ports and the upcoming NFL video games and Olympics and World Cup.

Like, that is one thing we as a nation can lead on. And so, below President Trump’s management, we’re transferring quick at this drawback.

MARGARET BRENNAN: And that is about radar jamming of drones to take them out, not exploding them?

SECRETARY DANIEL DRISCOLL: So that you – the issue with the drone struggle is, you want all kinds of layered protection. One answer doesn’t work. When you simply attempt to jam them, in case you take a look at what’s occurring in Ukraine, folks have began to hardwire drones.

And so you’ll be able to’t do R.F. jamming on a hardwired drone. And so there are issues like web weapons which can be coming again. We’re utilizing all kinds of options and instruments, and it makes it much more sophisticated whenever you’re by an airport and also you’re doing it in your personal homeland. You simply have totally different authorities.

And so a whole lot of it is a human drawback of communication, command and management and having a layered set of options that you should use for any given drawback.

MARGARET BRENNAN: So, you are speaking about right here on the homeland, issues just like the U.S. internet hosting the Olympics, the World Cup, even simply the Tremendous Bowl video games which can be developing.

SECRETARY DANIEL DRISCOLL: Sure.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Ought to there be restrictions on this nation on who is ready to personal and function drones?

SECRETARY DANIEL DRISCOLL: I am fairly optimistic that we will determine an answer the place we are going to know what’s within the sky at each second throughout our nation unexpectedly.

And so in case you consider the president’s…

MARGARET BRENNAN: However we’re not there but.

SECRETARY DANIEL DRISCOLL: We’re not there but.

However below the president’s Golden Dome, I’d take into consideration this like a golden mini dome, the place, in case you took one of many websites for the World Cup, we’re closely centered on having the ability to see all the things within the space, have all the interceptors we are going to want, have all the coaching for all the totally different forces that can have to have the ability to act.

And so to your particular query, I believe we try to design a system in order that Individuals are in a position to fly drones, in order that business firms like Amazon – like, the way forward for supply, in a whole lot of methods, is business drones. And so we are going to simply must deconflict the skies, working with the FAA.

However it is a large subject. I verify in with Secretary of Warfare Hegseth on this nearly weekly.

MARGARET BRENNAN: So once we final noticed the president of Ukraine, Zelenskyy, on the White Home, he introduced as much as President Trump, on digital camera, we have nice drones we need to promote to the USA or present to the USA.

You referred to Ukraine as the one Silicon Valley of warfare proper now. What do you imply by that? Are they actually forward of the USA on innovation?

SECRETARY DANIEL DRISCOLL: I believe, in case you take a look at what’s occurring, Operation Spider’s Net in Russia, the Ukrainians used most likely a pair hundred thousand {dollars} price of drones and took out nearly $10 billion price of apparatus in Russia.

And Russia’s in that struggle. And so I believe what’s superb about our nation is, we’re in a position to acknowledge the place we have to innovate shortly. And what we’re doing for drones, fully otherwise, I believe, than we’ve achieved as a military in most likely 50 or 60 years, is, we’re welcoming in American business.

So we simply did an A.I. struggle sport the place we invited 15 of the highest CEOs within the nation.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Sure.

SECRETARY DANIEL DRISCOLL: They had been price most likely $18 trillion in enterprise worth. And we stated, how do you – are you able to please assist us? What do you may have in your tech innovation pipeline to assist us with information in contested environments? How can we do logistics 6,000 miles away if we’re dealing with an enemy who’s making an attempt to contest us?

And we’re working with them, no joke, day by day to principally take their innovation and apply it to this drawback.

MARGARET BRENNAN: However what I heard you saying there’s, you take a look at the battlefield in Ukraine as type of like a take a look at lab for the place warfare goes.

SECRETARY DANIEL DRISCOLL: Sure. Sure. Sure.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Are you able to persuade a few of your fellow Republicans that there’s worth in that struggle, when it comes to, you understand, those that are so isolationist they do not need to be concerned in Ukraine, even financially?

SECRETARY DANIEL DRISCOLL: Properly, I do not assume I’ve talked to a single one that has stated we should not be studying from what’s occurring in Ukraine. All of our gear, all the beautiful options we are going to want are definitionally going to come back – the info set that the Ukrainians are getting for his or her generative A.I. fashions of once they have drones and so they’re flying and so they’re studying and so they’re doing counterdrone, and so they’re taking all of this data from their sensors and making an attempt to determine what is going on on.

There’s not a single individual I do know that does not assume that’s an unimaginable treasure trove of knowledge for future warfare. I believe a whole lot of the questions are, how can we truly execute on the president’s agenda of peace in that a part of the world?

The place – I’ve not been to the White Home the place it has not come up that we simply need peace, in order that the American industrial base can thrive all over the place.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Proper.

SECRETARY DANIEL DRISCOLL: And we’ve to concentrate on that a part of the world unnecessarily proper now.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Properly, you are on the Division of Warfare.

SECRETARY DANIEL DRISCOLL: Sure.

MARGARET BRENNAN: So that you introduced that the Military desires to purchase one million drones over the subsequent two to 3 years. Navy, Marines, Air Power, they are going to clearly be very concerned in any struggle within the Pacific, however you have to defend these American bases.

SECRETARY DANIEL DRISCOLL: Sure.

MARGARET BRENNAN: So how do you consider the menace from China there? As a result of I’ve learn that you simply assume they’re forward of America.

SECRETARY DANIEL DRISCOLL: So we’re engaged on one thing with Congress referred to as SkyFoundry.

And principally the concept is to, once more, do it proper from the start. What the Military has traditionally gotten mistaken within the final couple of a long time is, we’re both all in or all out, which means we both use our natural industrial base and we make the drones ourselves, or we are saying, that is too sophisticated for us, we will have personal business do it.

We’re not doing that with drones, as a result of, in case you take a look at – Ukraine is manufacturing 4 million a yr. China, I believe, is at 12 to 14 million drones a yr.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Wow.

SECRETARY DANIEL DRISCOLL: And we as a nation must have our personal sector in a position to assist us.

And so what we’re going to do is, we’re going to spend money on issues like sensors and brushless motors and circuit boards and a whole lot of the parts which can be actually exhausting for the personal sector to get proper now.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Sure.

SECRETARY DANIEL DRISCOLL: The USA Military goes to construct these on our bases and empower the personal sector to buy from us. And so we are going to make drones, our personal companions will make drones, and we are going to catch up and surpass the Chinese language extremely shortly.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Secretary, thanks to your time.

And I do need to make the purpose that you’re taking questions. And that’s uncommon nowadays, for the reason that Pentagon has restricted entry to reporters. And we predict it is necessary right here that the American folks hear about their very own safety in addition to the army’s three million or extra workers. So thanks.

We’ll be proper again.

(ANNOUNCEMENTS)

MARGARET BRENNAN: The Trump administration has launched one other immigration enforcement operation, this time in Charlotte, North Carolina, a blue metropolis with one of many quickest rising immigrant populations within the nation.

The operation, referred to as Charlotte’s Net by the Division of Homeland Safety, began Saturday. Federal brokers from the CBP, U.S. Customs and Border Safety, have been seen making arrests, questioning gardeners, patrolling a Dwelling Depot car parking zone, and smashing home windows.

Trump administration officers inform our immigration reporter Camilo Montoya-Galvez that New Orleans is the subsequent Border Patrol operation deliberate for this month.

(ANNOUNCEMENTS)

MARGARET BRENNAN: Welcome again to “FACE THE NATION.”

On Friday, we spoke with the chairman of one of many Senate committees accountable for crafting well being care laws. Louisiana’s Invoice Cassidy, who can be a physician.

We started by exhibiting him what the president is considering of for a well being care repair.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (President Of The USA): I am calling right this moment for insurance coverage firms to not be paid, however for the cash, this large sum of money, to be paid on to the folks of our nation, in order that they’ll purchase their very own well being care, which can be much better and much cheaper than the catastrophe often known as Obamacare.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MARGARET BRENNAN: So are you, Senator, coordinating with the White Home on this proposal?

SENATOR BILL CASSIDY (R-LA): So, we’re completely in communication with the White Home and with the administration, as a result of there’s a whole lot of stuff that you must work out to do this.

However let me give a bit meat on the bones of what the president’s talking about. When you take a look at an Obamacare coverage now, there is a $6,000 deductible. Democrats are preventing to decrease the premiums. You decrease a premium on one thing which has a $6,000 deductible, it is principally a catastrophic coverage.

Now, I like to talk to the price of being insured, not simply the price of the medical insurance. The president is proposing that we take the $26 billion that will be going to insurance coverage firms if we simply do a straight out extension. And, by the way in which, 20 p.c of that $26 billion, 20 p.c will go for revenue and administration overhead. Give it on to the American folks in an account by which 100% of the cash is used for them to buy well being care on their very own phrases.

Now – now, that makes them an knowledgeable shopper. It additionally helps handle the necessity to have protection for that deductible. And in the event that they get that coverage with the next deductible, they’ll truly decrease their premium. It is a candy spot. Decrease premiums assist with the deductible, making the persistence the knowledgeable shopper. The president and I are united. We should always all be united about that.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Properly, the president’ financial adviser, Kevin Hassett, was on this program final Sunday. He stated the president was simply brainstorming, issues aren’t formally put collectively amongst Republica senators but.

However I simply need to make clear what you’re coordinating with the president on right here as a result of, is it to purchase your personal insurance coverage coverage which is type of sophisticated, or is it, to make use of this versatile spending account you have talked about for associated well being care wants, like a – are there restrictions on how you should use that cash?

SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: So, first, there’s two kinds of premium tax credit. There’s the baseline premium tax credit score, which was a part of Obamacare. That may keep in impact and folks would nonetheless purchase a coverage, for instance, they get in a automotive wreck, one thing disastrous, they want anyone negotiating on their behalf with all of the suppliers. That stays the identical.

MARGARET BRENNAN: OK.

SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: What we’re speaking about, and the shutdown was over, the improved premium tax credit. Insurance policies have grow to be so costly below Obamacare that below Joe Biden Democrats handed one other subsidy on high of the primary subsidy. That is what we’re preventing about. And what Republicans are saying, and I might wish to hope Democrats will too.

Hey, wait a second, if we are able to have decrease premiums and assist folks with their deductible, by giving the cash on to the affected person, by the way in which, 20 p.c would not go for insurance coverage firm revenue and overhead, 100% goes for well being care, why do not we unite Republicans and Democrats in doing that? That is the place the president is. You have to determine some issues out, however we’re quite a bit farther alongside than you may think.

MARGARET BRENNAN: So, would you like it repair Obamacare, or do you need to remove Obamacare?

SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: First, you must, like, we’re going into 2026. That is like a month and a half from now.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Proper.

SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: And so you have to work with what you may have.

However then again, Obamacare was a top-heavy – administratively heavy sort system by which some huge cash is – some huge cash and duty is taken from people and given to insurance coverage firms as one instance.

I am a physician. I labored for 20 years in a hospital for the uninsured. I discovered that in case you give the affected person the facility, good issues occur. That is supported, by the way in which, by the medical literature. If the affected person is engaged in her well being care and the well being care of her household, she’s going to be a clever shopper, clever for her well being and clever for her pocketbook. We have to have a brand new mannequin. And that mannequin is to interact the affected person in her personal well being care. Doing so is sweet for her and good for us all.

MARGARET BRENNAN: OK, however you stated we – we have to work with what we’ve. That’s, as you simply stated, you may have a brief period of time earlier than the – the top of the yr. Do you assume it’s good to lengthen the well being care tax subsidies which can be at present in place till you determine all the remainder of this sophisticated coverage making?

SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: Let me again you up a bit bit, Margaret, to say, everyone assumes it is simple simply to increase the premium tax credit. The improved premium tax credit. It is not that simple. Fifty p.c of the states didn’t plan on them being prolonged, and so they haven’t got charges as in the event that they had been to be prolonged. So, which means if we move this mid-December, they have to recalculate charges in time for, wait a second, by that point we’re already into 2026. It is not a straightforward matter.

And, by the way in which, did I point out, the insurance policies that folks need to decrease their premiums for have $6,000 deductibles? It’s principally one thing for insurance coverage firms to earn a living off of, and for the person to wade by way of $6,000 of debt earlier than they’ll lastly entry it.

Now, the type of proposal I’m proposing, Republicans are, and I hope Democrats will be a part of, is let’s take that cash, and we’ve a mechanism to take action.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Sure.

SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: We giving it to the affected person. By giving her that cash, she will be able to select a bronze stage plan, with is to say decrease premiums. So, now her premiums are down, however she has cash in an account to assist with the deductible. And I believe we are able to determine that out about as simply we are able to determine what we might do if we simply did a straight out extension.

MARGARET BRENNAN: So, you need to do all this, although, by the second week of December, when the Democrats have been promised they will have a vote on an ACA invoice of their alternative?

SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: Sure. And I inform my Democratic colleagues, first, let’s not be Democrats and Republicans. Let’s be Individuals representing all of Individuals. Let’s acknowledge what you are doing simply offers cash to insurance coverage firms. However we are able to do it higher with decrease premiums and with cash in accounts to pay deductibles. After which why do not we come collectively?

There’s going to be a Democratic invoice and a Republican invoice and each fail. Let’s do an American invoice the place the American folks profit.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Sure.

SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: And let’s work collectively, collaborate, to decrease these premiums and to assist them with that first greenback protection and the – and the deductible.

MARGARET BRENNAN: So, we seemed and there are about 293,000 Louisianans, your state, enrolled in Obamacare at present. Six weeks from now, these expanded tax credit that you have been speaking about will go away for people making $62,000 or above. People making lower than that quantity will see their tax credit shrink.

So, are you telling these a whole lot of hundreds in Louisiana that that tax credit score goes away it doesn’t matter what? That they need to make plans for greater costs?

SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: No. I am telling them that we’re working to make it work higher for them. And they might inform you, by the way in which, wait a second, I received a $6,000 deductible. That doesn’t work for me.

Margaret, I am a physician. I’d discuss to folks once they’d come to see me, and they might inform me, I can not afford that, my deductible is just too excessive. That is actuality. And that actuality is being misplaced on this dialogue.

We have got to do one thing about sky-high deductible.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Sure.

SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: Possibly you’ll be able to afford the premium. You’ll be able to’t afford the coverage. Let’s decrease the price of having medical insurance, focusing by not simply on the premium, however the deductible, and I believe we are able to do each.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Properly, even within the personal market, well being care prices have gone up about six to 9 p.c whenever you take a look at the projections.

SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: Oh, sure.

MARGARET BRENNAN: However I need to ask you about your oversight rule. Secretary Kennedy has this hand-picked panel of vaccine advisers, you understand them at ACIP, they’ll meet in a couple of days and probably vote on altering the hepatitis b vaccine schedule for infants. That very same vaccine advisory group can be contemplating the protection of vaccine components, like aluminum, which might impression plenty of childhood pictures. This could matter for American mother and father.

Are you comfy with what they’re about to place to a vote?

SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: I am very involved about this. Because it seems, my medical apply centered on hepatitis b. And so, we all know that due to a really useful dose at start of hepatitis b vaccine, really useful not mandated, the variety of kids born contracting hepatitis b at start or shortly thereafter has decreased from about 20,000 20 years in the past to love 200 now. That is 20 – successfully a clerical error. We now have decreased the incidents of persistent hepatitis b by 20,000 folks over the past twenty years with this sort of advice.

And by the way in which, in case you’re contaminated at start, you are extra seemingly – you are 95 p.c more likely to grow to be a persistent service. The vaccine is protected. It has been established. And these components they’re talking of have been proven to be protected. That is coverage by individuals who do not perceive the epidemiology of hepatitis b or who’ve grown comfy with the truth that we have been so profitable with our advice that now the incident of hepatitis b is so low, they really feel like we are able to relaxation on our laurels.

I am a physician. I’ve seen folks die from vaccine-preventable illness. I would like folks to be wholesome. I need to make America wholesome. And you do not begin by stopping suggestions which have made us considerably more healthy.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Properly, the president of the USA additionally informed American girls to not take Tylenol or give it to their children. That is primarily based on a concept that it causes autism one way or the other. And he additionally, in a social media submit, the identical one, referred to as for the measles, mumps, and rubella shot to be damaged up into three totally different pictures. That was then endorsed by the appearing CDC director.

Are you involved by this sort of suggestive linkage on the high of the CDC and from the White Home?

SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: Once more, I am a physician, and so I’ll go the place the proof takes me. And one of the best proof is a research out of Sweden with two million kids that discovered no – no causality, no affiliation, if you’ll, between taking Tylenol in being pregnant and getting autism. And, in fact, that issues me, as a result of there’s going to be a mama on the market, once more, I am a physician, I discuss to – I discuss to sufferers in a – in a room. And her little one has autism. She took Tylenol for a excessive fever throughout being pregnant and now blames herself. That is simply the way in which mamas assume. And that is mistaken. We do not need her to assume that.

The perfect proof, that there isn’t a relationship. By the way in which, if in case you have a excessive fever throughout being pregnant, that could be a threat for autism. Now, in fact, in case you’re pregnant, discuss to your doctor earlier than you’re taking something. However level being, one of the best proof is that there isn’t any relationship between the 2. And I do not need girls placing themselves on a guilt journey when one of the best proof exhibits not.

By the way in which, the president has spoken out strongly in favor of immunizations in different instances. And I famous when he received his bodily, he received the flu and covid pictures. So, the president has demonstrated that he believes in immunization.

MARGARET BRENNAN: However that is why clarifying these statements, I believe, is necessary, because you interpret them otherwise.

I’m wondering, do you remorse your affirmation vote for Secretary Kennedy?

SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: I smile as a result of each reporter asks me that. You reside life ahead.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Properly, as a result of these questions run proper right into a pledge that you simply extracted from him to not tinker with a few of the constructions that had been set in place to have oversight of those vaccines and this course of.

SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: Sure, so you reside life ahead. Once more, you simply do. Let the day’s personal troubles be enough for the day. And I am going to credit score the secretary. He is introduced consideration to issues like extremely processed meals that has frankly by no means obtained this kind of consideration earlier than. And other people reward him for that. So, he and I’ve publicly disagreed on some issues, however I strongly agree with him on others. And so – so, that is how I am going to reply your query.

MARGARET BRENNAN: That appears like sure.

Is – if that is your remaining yr in workplace, sir, will you make overhauling well being care your high precedence?

SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: Properly, I positive hope it is not my remaining yr in workplace. However I’ve been enthusiastic about well being look after 30 years, as a result of after I labored in a public hospital for the uninsured, I noticed the burden it may very well be on center revenue households who’ve center revenue however could not afford the insurance coverage or could not afford the well being care. And so, it has been my precedence for 30 years. And I’ll proceed to do this.

And if there’s a silver lining – if there is a silver lining within the shutdown we simply had, the silver lining is now we’re centered on, how can we make well being care extra reasonably priced for the American folks? That ought to be our purpose, to not be partisan by hook or by crook. How can we make it extra reasonably priced for fellow Individuals? If we are able to accomplish that, I’ll really feel like I’ve achieved my job.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Senator, thanks to your time.

And we’ll be proper again.

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MARGARET BRENNAN: We go now to New Hampshire Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen.

Good morning to you, Senator.

SENATOR JEANNE SHAHEEN (D-NH): Good morning. Good to be with you.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Properly, you may have spent a superb a part of the previous yr making an attempt to get laws by way of to increase these Obamacare tax credit score subsidies. Final Sunday you crossed the aisle. You agreed to reopen the federal government, finish the shutdown with out a assured extension, however with a promise to have some type of vote on an ACA invoice of Democrats personal selecting.

Do you may have consensus amongst Democrats that this must be a vote merely to increase the tax credit as they stand now, or are you open to a broader reform of Obamacare?

SENATOR JEANNE SHAHEEN: From the start this shutdown, I’ve had two targets, one is to get the federal government up and working once more to finish the struggling that too many Individuals had been experiencing as a result of they misplaced meals help or they weren’t getting paid, federal workers, and the second was to deal with the excessive price of premium – medical insurance that individuals are as a result of insurance coverage firms are setting charges primarily based on the truth that these premium tax credit will not be – are speculated to go away on the finish of this yr.

I believe folks at the moment are very conscious of the very fact that they will see big fee will increase, double for therefore many individuals, and an unaffordable price of medical insurance if these premium tax credit go away. And what I believe we have to do, and these are conversations that we have to have, is we have to work with our Republican colleagues to attempt to get a invoice that may be supported, that may get by way of each homes of Congress the place we have been speaking to our Republicans, Senator Cassidy, all through the shutdown about what we would be capable of comply with. We have been speaking to Home members on either side of the aisle. And so now we have to work collectively.

I agree with Senator Cassidy, this ought to be a invoice that isn’t partisan, but it surely ought to be a invoice to increase these premium tax credit as a result of, as everyone has talked about, there’s actual urgency to get this achieved. And if we do not handle it, then individuals are going to see big fee will increase.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Sure.

SENATOR JEANNE SHAHEEN: So, we are able to work collectively. We are able to lengthen the credit, however we most likely cannot implement important reforms that Senator Cassidy was speaking about in the time-frame that we have. So, we have to look, each within the short-term and within the long-term for the way we handle the price of well being care.

MARGARET BRENNAN: OK, in order that’s an necessary level there. So, the $26 billion or in order that he talks about as the fee for extension of those that he desires to redirect into these money accounts, these versatile accounts, you are saying, you’ll be able to’t get that achieved in six weeks’ time?

SENATOR JEANNE SHAHEEN: No, you’ll be able to’t.

MARGARET BRENNAN: OK.

SENATOR JEANNE SHAHEEN: And, once more, there’s actual urgency to do that. There’s some good, bipartisan laws that has come out of committee within the Senate that I believe we must always take up, issues that will expedite approval of generic medication and biosimilars, that will handle PBM reform, which is a big price enhance for well being care. However that is a long term subject. Proper now we have to handle what individuals are dealing with when it comes to these excessive fee will increase due to the threats that these premium tax credit are going to finish.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Simply to place a high quality level on it. Once we heard the congressmen on the high of this system speaking about, you understand, caps on revenue and restrictions on who can profit from these tax credit, are you able to get your fellow Democrats, who, by the way in which, are fairly offended at one another, offended at you as effectively, about this choice to reopen the federal government, are you able to get everybody on board, or are you able to not less than get to 60 votes to have the ability to lengthen these subsidies with tweaks?

SENATOR JEANNE SHAHEEN: Properly, initially, we have to put the shutdown behind us, finish the round firing squad, and bear in mind why we’re on this state of affairs. We’re on this state of affairs as a result of Donald Trump and Speaker Johnson and the Republican majorities within the Home and Senate have refused to deal with the price of well being care and try to throw folks off their well being care. Can we get to consensus? Properly, we have to if we will get a bipartisan invoice out of the Congress.

I believe we have seen and heard from medical insurance firms that implementing important modifications within the first yr goes to be actually tough to do, nearly not possible. However we ought to have the ability to agree on some modifications, like capping the revenue of people that obtain these premium tax credit. Proper now 94 p.c of people that get the credit earn below $200,000 a yr. And the typical revenue for a single recipient is about a bit over $30,000 a yr. So, most people who find themselves getting these tax credit will not be in that top revenue stage.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Sure.

SENATOR JEANNE SHAHEEN: And so we must always be capable of agree on that. We should always be capable of agree that we do not need any fraud and abuse in this system.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Proper.

SENATOR JEANNE SHAHEEN: That is one thing Republicans and Democrats consider in. So, let’s concentrate on what we are able to comply with. Let us take a look at what we are able to get achieved in the time-frame we’ve, and acknowledge there’s actual urgency to get these premium tax credit prolonged.

MARGARET BRENNAN: So, you are going to have this vote across the second week of December, however premiums are already notified out.

SENATOR JEANNE SHAHEEN: Proper.

MARGARET BRENNAN: They’re already kind of baked in right here for – definitely for Individuals who purchase authorities well being care. Is it too late to increase open enrollment? I imply Senator Cassidy was saying, like, ship has sailed right here.

SENATOR JEANNE SHAHEEN: No, we might truly determine that we had been prepared, as a part of this laws, to increase open enrollment. Clearly, we’d like assist from the administration. However insurance coverage firms, in assembly with the insurance coverage business, they’ve indicated that whereas it will be tough, they might handle a few of the challenges round not getting settlement till December. Once more, that is why there’s urgency to get this achieved.

MARGARET BRENNAN: I need to ask you about one other matter. Survivors of convicted little one intercourse offender Jeffrey Epstein, in addition to a few of the households of these survivors, wrote a letter to lawmakers supporting the discharge of Justice Division inside communications in regard to his case. In that letter they stated, “there was no center floor right here. There was no hiding behind get together affiliation. We’ll bear in mind your choice on the poll field.”

You understand this Home vote is ready to come back up this week. Ought to there be a vote within the Senate? And would you assist it to see the discharge of those paperwork?

SENATOR JEANNE SHAHEEN: Completely. We have to launch the paperwork. The American folks must see what’s in them. And if President Trump says there’s nothing there that he is involved about, then why would not he assist launch of the paperwork?

MARGARET BRENNAN: Properly, we are going to see if the Republican chief within the Senate takes up your proposal there. There has not been a dedication to have that type of vote.

However on Venezuela, since you’re rating member on Senator Overseas Relations, I need to be certain I ask you, the president has stated he has kind of made up his thoughts on what to do about Venezuela. You had been one of many only a few senators who’ve obtained briefings inside the previous few weeks from Secretaries Rubio and Hegseth relating to the strikes which can be being carried out on these small, fast-moving boats. Is there a transparent finish sport right here? And is your understanding that ousting Nicolas Maduro from energy is a part of the administration’s plan?

SENATOR JEANNE SHAHEEN: I do not assume it is clear what the top sport is for this administration with respect to Venezuela. They’re counting on a authorized opinion – excuse me, when it comes to the boat strikes that they haven’t launched. They’ve lastly made it out there to members of Congress, however they have not launched it to the general public. They’re escalating in a method that – – speaking a couple of land strike by way of particular operations that places in danger our women and men within the army. We now have a lot hearth energy now within the Caribbean, the Gerald R. Ford has been taken from the Crimson Sea in order that now we haven’t any hearth energy actually within the Center East as we take a look at the threats there. We do not have what we’d like, I believe, within the Indo-Pacific, or in Europe. And so, what the president has achieved right here is to place in danger different elements of the world and Individuals in different elements of the world for this fascination on making an attempt to do away with Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela, who clearly is a foul character.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Sure.

SENATOR JEANNE SHAHEEN: He is been concerned in drug –

MARGARET BRENNAN: Sure.

SENATOR JEANNE SHAHEEN: Unlawful medication. However he isn’t a menace to the USA of America.

MARGARET BRENNAN: OK.

SENATOR JEANNE SHAHEEN: And what the president is doing is elevating actual questions.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Senator Shaheen, thanks to your time this morning.

We’ll be again in a second.

(ANNOUNCEMENTS)

MARGARET BRENNAN: That is it for us right this moment. Thanks for watching. Till subsequent week. For “FACE THE NATION,” I am Margaret Brennan.

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