yet another entitlement, very similar to the entitlement of obama care that are different in form. how do you convince them since it's going to take tax credits to make this work that they need to swallow this and move forward with the bill. i mean, you're getting an awful lot of opposition on this central tenant of this whole thing. >> this is all about patients, and in order to provide that hello. i'm wolf blitzer. transition and in order to make it so that nobody falls through it's 1:00 p.m. here in washington. the cracks, we've got to have a from wherever you are watching from around the world, thank you system that allows for very much for joining us. individuals to gain the kind of coverage that they want. >> the white house briefing is conservatives and others have set to get underway this hour. said for a long time that we believe it's important to you look at a live picture coming in from the white house equalize the tax treatment for briefing room. the press secretary sean spicer those purchasing coverage, gaining coverage through their will be taking reporters' employer and those not, and the questions in this first on tax credit is the opportunity to camera briefing in more than a be able to equalize that tax week. we're going to bring that to you treatment. folks have talked about this for live. president trump, meanwhile, he was out of the public eye for many years actually. several days, but we saw him there's not a distortion in the earlier today actually greeting tax code for who is able to gain guests on a tour of the white a benefit for being able to house. we'll see him at two other purchase coverage and not. events later today. he leads a meeting of house

members and then meets with >> you were talking about making sure people don't fall through the cracks. afl-cio president richard the last administration with obama care focused in on making trumpka. president trump's explosive and sure the underserved were part unsubstantiated wiretap claims and the republican plan to of the equation. what is the safety net of the replace obama care just two of the issues the press secretary sean spicer will no doubt be safeguard that you have to make sure to insure people don't fall through the cracks beyond the questioned about this hour. let's go to our senior white tax snentives but also for the house correspondent jim accosta underserved who are now part and our senior congressional of -- many are now part of the reporters manu raju. they're both up on capitol hill, program that weren't -- actually. >> this is extremely important jim accosta is not on capitol as well, and it's -- the current hill. he is over at the white house. system, as you likely know, for jim, spicer was asked about those vulnerable in our population, especially in the president trump's allegation medicaid population, this is a system that is broken. that president obama tapped his you've got one-third of the phones. he did not provide any evidence at all, but he said, quote, physicians. one-third of the doctors in this country that would be eligible there is no question that something happened. to see medicaid patients who what more are we hearing from aren't seeing medicaid patients right now. the white house? >> as of this point, wolf, it's not because they've forgotten how to take care of nothing. we are hearing no new patients. it's because of the rules that information, no new proof, no new evidence from this white house to back up the president's are in place that make it too claim that he tweeted over the own russ. we believe it's important to allow states to have that weekend that somehow former flexibility, to fashion the president obama orchestrated the program for their vulnerable tapping of his phones up at population, and actually

trump tower, and so at this responds to that population in a way that gives them the point it is still something that the president is claiming authority, them the choices, happened without any proof and them the opportunity to gain at this point the white house is coverage and the care they not offering any additional believe most appropriate. proof. now, mike pence, the vice >> when you goive it to the president, was asked about this states, is there some type of earlier this morning on a radio punishment or some type of piece program. here's a bit of that. that you're going to put in place to make sure that that happens, that they follow >> i think the president's tweet through on your intent? speaks for itself. >> absolutely. there's accountability he has expressed himself on it, throughout the plan that we have and you know, we're very prelead that would allow for the secretary and the department to that the congressional be certain that the individuals that we believe need to be cared committees have made it clear that they will look into that matter, just as they're looking for, are being cared for in the into every aspect of it. state at the appropriate level, >> now, of course, coming up in but we believe this is a just about half hour from now is the first on camera white house partnership. it's about patients and briefing that we've had in a partnership. the previous administration tended to make it about week, wolf. government. yesterday the white house press we believe it's about patients secretary sean spicer held a and partnership, and we want to briefing. it was off camera. partner with every single person that goes along with some off in this land who wants to make certain that we allow the kind camera briefings that we had of choices and quality to exist. last week, although we should point out the press secretary did a round robin of oncamera yes, ma'am. >> is there anything in this interviews with reporters. he was taking many of the same questions he would have taken in the briefing room, but this is a

part of that washington theater, i guess you could say, wolf, bill that we have not really had a chance to look at in some time, and it's going to be a chance as you know this has been for just about everybody in that going on for over a year, the room to press the white house work that i had the privilege of press secretary for some kind of proof, some dive evidence to praerting in when i served the back up what the president tweeted over the weekend, but as we heard from the vice president house of representative was open in that radio interview earlier this morning, there is a lot of and transparent and we invited attention being paid to the obama care repeal and replace folks to come in and tens if not proposal that was put up on hundredshad input in capitol hill, and so i imagine that the white house press secretary will be spending a lot of time talking about that promoting that. the president tweeted about it that process. we've been having conversations this morning, and the vice president also indicated that he with the folks on the hill and is somewhat on board as well. other stakeholders so this is a of course, all of these details still need to be worked out. work product as a result of all the house health care plan has of that process. the president and the not obviously been rectified on administration support this step the senate side, and so they have a long way to go. in what we believe is in the >> they have a really long way right direction. a step that repeals obamacare to go. manu, you spoke with republican and gets us going in the senator john cornyn of texas, one of the republican leaders in the senate. he is also a member of the principals that i outlined. intelligence committee. what is he saying about the >> -- everything that's in the bill sitting on the table, sir?

wiretap claims by the president? >> this is a work in progress and we'll work with the house and the senate. >> well, he doesn't know whether to believe the president of the it's a legislative process that united states. i asked him that directly. occurs. i'm glad you pointed out the do you believe the president of bill is on the table there. the united states? he said it's going to be part of the senate intelligence the bill was introduced in 2009 committee's investigation, which is a bit of news that's going further than what the senate and 2010, notice how thick it is intelligence committee has said. here's a little bit of our i actually turned through some exchange. to have pages in a you tube, the pile on the right is the current bill and what it means is that we are making certain that the process, that the decisions that are going to be made are not >> members of the select committee to review. going to be made by the federal government. they're going to be made by >> and that was the purpose of patients, families and doctors. your meeting there yesterday. >> i was there for other >> given the opposition that reasons, but that was part of john and others brought up, does it. this plan already need to be >> have you seen the flynn salvaged your view? transcripts with him and the russian ambassador? and how do you do it? >> i haven't seen that. >> you know what happens with these things. you start at starting point. >> you guys been briefed on that as a committee? >> you know, manu, i can't people engage and they get really talk about things that involved the process. are classified, so i can't sometimes to a greater degree, answer that question. nothing focuses a mind like a

bill currently on the table and what i can assure you is that vice chairman warner, a as a work in process. democrat, and chairman burr, a and we'll work through it. republican, have committed to a bipartisan investigation which this is an important process to will be thorough and will follow be had. the facts wherever they may the american people have said to lead. their elected leaders that the that's all i think anybody can reasonably ask for. >> will you also look into the obamacare process for them allegation of wiretapping and the president being wiretapped gaining coverage and care is not working. by president obama? that's what they have said, and >> i think all of that is part so we believe it's important to respond to the american people of the investigation. >> do you believe the president when he says that? and plierovide a health care sym >> like i said, it needs an that allows the type of coverage investigation so we can find out what the facts are, so we'll follow the facts wherever they and care they desire. may lead. >> your letter to the house >> so interesting to hear a top chairman that necessary, technical appropriate changes republican leader not able to might need to be made to reach say, wolf, whether or not he believes the president of his the president's desk, so what own party by making such an specific changes is the white eyebrow raising, stunning accusation against his house and administration looking predecessor for wiretapping, but for in this bill? >> there are three different interesting, also that the committee plans to look into phases, one is this bill, the this. that is go is that the house legislation working through intelligence committee also aur plans to look into. under the rules of devin nunez, a republican reconciliation, meaning there chairman of that committee,

announcing over the weekend that he would look into the white are only certain things that you house's allegation of obama wiretapping the president of the can do that affect spending, united states, but one thing that we do know, wolf, is that other things we plan on doing the senate intelligence committee now going through a lot of data, handed over by the across the horizon in the cia, looking into this issue, but also interesting that john regulatory legislation and then cornyn has not seen those another piece of legislation that would be going through transcripts between michael flynn and the russian ambassador house and nat with the super majority in the senate. that led to michael flynn's that process will incorporate resignation from that post as all of the kind of things we national security advisor during believe are absolutely necessary that time, discussing possibly to reconstitute that individual the issue of sanctions. and small group market and to get us in a position again where patients, families and docst a although part of that larger investigation, taking shape here on capitol hill. wolf. >> manu, i'm glad you caught up with senator cornyn. one of the republican leaders. less than a ringing endorsement making the decisions. of what we heard from the president over the weekend. i can say that the goal and manu, jim accosta, thanks very desire i know of the individuals much. on the hill is make is certain we'll stand by for that white house briefing. this does not increase cost to we'll have live coverage. the federal government. also, happening right now the >> two elements of the bill. senate judiciary grilling the questions about how they control costs and how they help with

deputy attorney general nominee access. rod rosenstein, maryland's top the medicaid per capita block grant to states how is that sort federal prosecutor. questioning the nominee right of fundamentally different than now. president trump nominated him to be jeff sessions' second in this the obamacare regime on medicaid command over at the white house in terms of expanding access. department. second, why doesn't this bill do with sessions now recusing away with the cost sharing himself of any investigations of community ratings regime that russia's interfering in the 2016 presidential election here in obamacare has? the united states, rosenstein, >> to the per capita cap, if confirmed, would now be in medicaid is a system that charge of that investigation, doesn't work for patients. you have folks out there who but things got heated for a need care, who need to see moment when minnesota senator al particular physicians which franken said sessions needs to aren't able to see them. all americans should be saddened come back before the judiciary committee and explain himself. by the situation that we have when there are patients out listen p to this exchange. there that can't get the care they need. >> for me to make sure that you we believe one of the keys to providing appropriate care in clearly understand this the medicaid population is obligation, and you do allowing the states to have the understand this obligation, right? it. >> i believe i do, senator. flexibility to address the medicaid population, remember, >> okay. i think senator sessions should it is four different demographic come back. i think he owes it to this groups, those disabled, seniors,

committee to come back and to healthy kids and moms by in explain himself because he also large and we the federal government force states mostly says in his letter which says i to take care of those individuals in exactly the same way. if you describe that to the folks back home on maine street they say that doesn't make any sense at all. you need a program for the healthy moms and kids to respond to their needs than to the folks will not -- this will be very that are disabled and seniors, so we need to say to the states short. you know your population best. he says i did not have you know best how to take care communications that i had with the russian ambassador over the of your vulnerable population, years because the question did not ask about them. we're going to watch you do so, but that will decrease spending i asked him what he would do as attorney general if it was true markedly, not because they're that members of the campaign had getting too much care, but because there's significant abuse in the system. met with the russians. the cost sharing measures are he says i did not mention being addressed. communications i had with the it's important we run through russian ambassador over the

years because the question did process, we felt the previous not ask about them. administration was spending money they didn't have the authority to spend and congress for him to put this in his is working through that to make letter as a response is sure the rightful holders to spend money in this nation is insulting. the congress of the united i -- i -- he should come back states exercises that authority. and explain himself, >> how does the white house and you filled out the label trump mr. chairman. i think he owes that to us. care. >> i'll let others provide a description for it. this appears to me like he i call it patient care. this is about patient care at the end of the day, this isn't was -- i have been -- i have about politician, this is about bent over backwards not to say that he lied. he needs to come back. i have bent over backward. patients. i had the privilege of going to i have given him the benefit of cincinnati with the vice president last week to a small business round table and one of the doubt. he has to come back. the small busy owner there is >> strong words from senator al said he had 18 employees last franken of minnesota. our correspondent jessica year this time, this year 15 schneider has been watching the hearing for us. employees not because of he jessica, what more have you doesn't have enough work, but learned? >> wolf, you can see the tempers starting to flare there, and what would normally be a routine because the coverage forced him hearing for the number two

position at the justice to let them go, because the department became fireworks in that relentless back and forth. russia and wiretapping at the federal government has made i forefront of that hearing and really it was attorney general virtually impossible to provide sessions even though he wasn't coverage for their employees. this is a system that's not there, he has been overshadowing the actual nominee, rod working for people. so if we focus on the patients. rosenstein by that lingering anger among democrats. i'll call it patient care. now, rosenstein, the career if you focus on the patient prosecutor, facing relentless we'll get to the right answer. questioning about whether or not he would appoint a special >> a major complaint of prosecutor. now that sessions has recused conservatives with phase one of the obamacare repeal and replace himself from the investigation into russia's meddling in the is that it is missing a measure 2016 election, it would be rosenstein that would be the one that would allow health care to in charge, but the long-time be sold across state lines. the president said this morning prosecutor did dance around that would be in either phase numerous questions on whether two or phase three. special counsel is necessary. is that something that you >> this is an historic believe the president could do through executive action then constitutional moment in our you yourself could do or is that history, so i would like to ask you, mr. rosenstein, will you something you believe has to be addressed legislatively? commit that if you are >> there are different aspects confirmed, you will not impede to the purchase across state or shut down any fbi or justice lines that will allow individuals to gain the choices department investigation into they want. some of this might be able to do russian inference to influence from a regulatory or rule

the 2016 presidential election? standpoint, some will require >> on the issue of foreign interference in american legislation. that's where we're going to need elections, i can assure you that you and i are on the same side. the assistance of our friends on i will certainly support any the other side of the aisle. properly predicated the americans have demanded they investigation related to interference by the russians or be able to purchase health anybody else in american elections. >> i might say for the record insurance across state lines, so that attorney general sessions those in small business groups was asked that same question at like i just mention today pool his confirmation hearing, and he together nationally to purchase would not make that same coverage or whether it's mom and commitment. >> so, again, the attorney general front and center there, dad who don't gain coverage but, of course, rosenstein will not commit to appointing a through their employer called special prosecutor. he would only say that he individual health coverage commits to an independent solely for the purpose of purchasing coverage otherwise investigation overall. now, also, wolf, wiretapping was they're not economically aligned front and center. rosenstein was asked about the president's tweets accusing the there are 18 million folks that former president of wiretapping would allow them to get the at trump tower. purchasing power of millions. that's huge power and authority rosenstein stayed away from that and only said it was the that we want to put in the hands of people that we want to put in president's first amendment rights to tweet whatever he the hands of patients and some wants to. wolf. of that may in fact require >> all right. jessica, thank you. jessica snyder reporting for us. legislation. >> mr. secretary. coming up, the new republican thank you.

two questions, but first, health care plan is facing some headwinds, including from inside congressman john fa ssaw of new the republican party. we'll ask the chief deputy york said the issue of denying republican whip how he plans to get his members all on the same funds to planned parenthood page as the bill makes its way should be separate from whatever through the house. health care bill finally emerges from congress and sign into law also, take a look at this live pictures from the white by the president, is that the house briefing room where the same feeling of the press secretary sean spicer administration as well, and you getting ready to give his first mentioned earlier people who had oncamera briefing in more than a week. we'll go there live once it their health care plans begins. cancelled when they thought they could keep it. i believe in your state of georgia more than a million had across new york state, from long island to buffalo, that experience, would some be able to come back under the new from rochester to the hudson valley, from albany to utica, health care plan? >> in terms of planned creative business incentives, infrastructure investment, parenthood we think it's university partnerships, important the legislature work and the lowest taxes in decades it's process, it's important we are creating a stronger economy and the right environment in new york state not violate anybody's conscious. for business to thrive. let us help grow your company's tomorrow - it's also important to today at esd.ny.gov appreciate through health community centers the bill

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as this important legislation rolls out. christina and congressional correspondent phil mattingly. he is up on capitol hill. christina, this new plan gets rid of what is called the individual mandate. healthy young people, especially to go out and buy health insurance, replaces what's called with a refundable tax credit. how is that going to work? >> the refundable tax credit essentially functions as a subsidy, but experts are worried that lower income americans won't receive as generous benefits as they did under obama care. take the average 27-year-old earning $20,000 a year, under obama care that person got a $3,000 subsidy under the republicans new plan, he is getting $2,000. that's a concern. that said some middle income americans may see an increase in benefits, and to your point another distinction between obama care and this plan is that the republicans took away the

individual mandate, but -- and there's a big but here -- they have incentiveized people to keep their health insurance plans because if you cancel your plan and you go restart it, there's a 30% surcharge that the insurance company can charge you. there is an incentive here. if it's not a mandate, there's a financial incentive to keep your coverage. >> it also restructures medicaid, and millions and millions of americans got health insurance through medicaid health benefits through medicaid thanks to the affordable care act or obama care. >> that's right. 11 million people got medicaid under obama care. the concern here is that the republicans want to take away federal funding for medicaid. they want to get rid of those enhanced subsidies for that program, and as a result, the state will have to make up for the shaortfall. the problem is most states don't have the money to coverage that, wolf, so again, there's concern that medicaid participants will not get the kind of coverage

they're getting under obama care. >> phil, the white house worked very closely with members of the house, the republican leadership to craft this bill, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's going to be -- a lot of conservative republicans, they are making public statements right now. they're not happy with this proposed plan. most prominently some members of what's called the house sfreefr caucus. what are their main concerns? >> the policies that christina just laid out, specifically the refundable tax credits, they say that creates a new entitlement program. they would have preferred deductions instead of credits when it came to tax policy. i think the big question right now is, wolf, are these just concerns that they feel like they need to air at the beginning of the process, or are these concerns that can sink the bill altogether? there's not a lot of space for speaker paul ryan. he needs votes in the house to move this forward, get it over to the senate. that means he can afford to lose 22 republicans based on their current majority. we've already got a handful who have come out and said if this bill, that was introduced last night, is the bill that will

move forward. they will oppose it. the big question now is can they limit those defections? you also have to worry about moderates as well on that medicaid piece that christina was talking about. we haven't seen a full blown blitz yet. health and human services secretary tom price this morning sending a letter up to capitol hill saying the administration explicitly endorses what was proposed last night, but that's not going to be enough. secretary price will all be needed not just to publicly sell this plan, but to work behind the scenes, try and mollify those conservatives threatening to go in the opposite direction. the big question now is if one of those individuals gets a phone call from president trump saying, look, i need, you have to get behind this bill, can they still vote no? the house republican leadership says they believe that push will help, will help get them over the finish line, but until that actually happens and until those phone calls are made, no question about it. they see a lot of problems going

forward and no real clear pathway yet to get this through the house, wolf. >> phil mattingly up on the hill. christina in the studio with me, guys. it is chief deputy whip, also scheduled to meet with president trump in less than two hours from now. thanks very much for joining us. >> he released a statement just a little while ago saying, in part, let me read it to you, this is not the obama care repeal bill we've been waiting for. it is a missed opportunity and a step in the wrong direction. we would drain the swamp and end business as usual in washington. this bill does not do that.

what do you say to that critici criticism? >> well, you shouldn't be criticizing the bill that the president, the vice president, the secretary of health and human services support and have explicitly endorsed. we've been doing in the house what they've been doing in the senate, among republicans. certainly that's the case. we've been at writing this proposal for the last year. we brought in every republican in the house of representatives. we've had 150 republicans come through with briefings, policy discussions, substantive debate behind closed doors over the last two months, and we've crafted a very good piece of legislation that really worked with the three corners of republicans right now. the house, the senate, and the presidency. i think we've got a piece of legislation that can pass the house, pass the senate and be signed by the president, and repeal an entitlement program for the first time in our nation's history. >> you know, congressman, you've got a whole bunch of republicans, conservative

republicans, including some members of the house freedom caucus, expressing deep concerns. this is just a new entitlement program. you're the chief deputy whip. how are you working to get those republicans on board because you're probably not going to have any democrats supporting this legislation in the house or the senate. >> we have refundable tax credits to enable those that are on the margins to buy more affordable health insurance. certainly as dramatically different than what is obama care, and those that are benefitting from that established corporate interests that are benefitting from obama care as it now stands. certainly they are not quite as warm to our proposal because it doesn't benefit their corporate interests as much. we certainly have republicans that say they don't like the nature of the tax credits, and almost every one of those republicans criticizing this plan have in the past or are currently co-sponsors of

legislation that use tax credits to increase affordability of health insurance. they need to look at their own policy portfolio before criticizing what is in the piece -- this piece of legislation that we've been working on. >> there are moderate republicans that aren't very happy with some of the proposed changes in the plan that would cut medicaid expansion, for example, that happened under obama care. if that program is cut, as we just heard from christina, it could potentially leave millions of people relying on that medicaid coverage without any coverage. what do you say to those fellow republicans, governors, who are especially concerned about that? >> again, look, ronald reagan proposed this in the early 1970s. block grant medicaid to to the states. it was in the house republican budget in 1995. passed by the house and senate in 1995. this has been long-held republican orthodoxy that we return medicaid back to the

states and allow flexibility and that innovation that occurs state by state in order to better deliver for those that are i understand jendegent and . for those that are facing yearly spending, they don't want to change that system and reduce that increase. wolf, there is no cut to medicaid. medicaid will spend more next year and the following year and for the next decade, two decades. what we're talking about is trying to control the increase and give states full control over this population. one of the complaints out of our plan is that we are generous to those that are disabled and the most sickly in the medicaid population. i think there's just a natural discussion we have to have about our social safety net and making sure we deliver to those that are truly in the most need and our plan does that in the house.

>> you have the votes. presumably you have the votes in the house and the senate to repeal obama care. you need 218 in the house. you have that presumably unless a whole bunch of republicans bolt. you're not going to get many -- you're not going to get any democratic support, i don't believe. in the senate you need a simple majority to repeal. you need 51 votes. you have a 52-48 majority in the senate. as you well know, in the senate given their complicated filibuster rules, to row plaeple existing law, you need 60 votes. 52 republicans. you don't have the democrats. is this whole conversation really going to end up moot? >> this is the reason why we've done repeal and replace in this package. that was the need out of our house republican members that said we have to do as much replace as possible because we don't know --

>> in this legislation you can't completely replace it. you need subsequent legislation that will require 60 votes in the united states senate, and i take it you haven't worked with any democrats in crafting this legislation that might make it more appealing to them. >> this one we can do on our own. that next package will have to be a bipartisan majority for these fundamental insurance marketplace reforms that are going to make health insurance much more portable, more competitive. this is the opening discussion on repealing obama care. if you recall how obama care is put in place, they had a 60 vote package. when they had 60 votes in the democrat-controlled senate, 60 democrats in the senate, and they used the reconciliation package to make changes to it. likewise, to fully undo the damage of obama care, we're going to need both packages. this is an opening act, wolf. this is the first opening -- major opening in this republican congress, with this republican president and more will be --

will have to be done. it's going to be an exciting year. as you asked about the question of votes here in the house and the senate, we had the votes for this package. we'll pass this package almost as it has been introduced with some minor changes, and i think we'll have this on the president's desk in the next month or three, four weeks, and i think that will show results for us. we are republicans here, so we're not going to do this in a simple fashion, and it won't be without drama. that's the nature of the republican party with various interests as they are arrayed and independent-minded people that we have to bring together for some level of consensus. that's my job. that's the work that we do here on the hill, and that's why it's going to be exciting. >> yeah. it's going to be very exciting, congressman. patrick mchenry. as you know, in the senate you got 52 republicans, but a few of them are already saying they don't like the cuts to planned parenthood. they may vote against it.

if three republicans bolt, potentially the repeal part could be in deep trouble as well. when you say it's going to be dramatic and wiegt exciting, i agree with you. it certainly will be. congressman patrick mchenry, north carolina. thanks for joining us. >> thanks, wolf. >> the secretary of homeland security john kelly says that apart from the six countries listed in the president's new and revised travel ban, there are more than a dozen other nations with questionable vetting procedures. tony blink is standing by, and he will join us to discuss. also, i want you to take a look at live pictures coming in from the white house briefing room. expecting to hear more about the travel ban, wiretapping, all sorts of issues. the press secretary sean spicer getting ready to answer reporters' questions. we'll have live coverage. ur pet, you should know more about the food you choose. with beyond, you have a natural pet food that goes beyond telling ingredients to showing where they come from.

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momentarily white house

press briefing will begin press secretary sean spicer. you will have certainly no short ajs of topics to discuss at this briefing. expected to get underway momentarily. some of the aides are already inside. others are behind the scenes over there getting ready to walk out with sean spicer. as we await the start of this briefing, let's bring in tony blinken. he is our former deputy of state. thanks for joining us. as we await sean spicer, i know one of the subjects coming up will be the revised travel ban. they've taken out certain steps. they've taken out iraq, for example. is it more acceptable to you now that they've gone through some of these revisions? >> it's still effectively what it was. it's still effectively a muslim ban, and it won't make us any safer. it will make us less security. it still covers countries that are 96% muslim in their population, and it's aiming at the wrong target. the threat is not coming from refugees. it's not coming from people coming from these countries. it's a home grown threat, and that's what we need to deal

with. this will make it worse. >> this is one of the arguments they're making over at the white house, legal arguments, and they're referring to your administration, the obama administration, says what you did, and they're citing a december 2015 piece of legislation -- a law that the president signed or maybe an executive order. i'm not exactly sure. it placed limited restrictions on individuals coming from these countries, iran, iraq, sudan, syria on or after march 1st, 2011. they're saying the idea to have restrictions, limited restrictions, from some muslim majority countries is really an obama idea, not their idea. >> no, all that did was to cut off a loophole that existed. >> was that an executive order or a law? >> no, it was a law, and it was the process of negotiation with congress and the administration, but it cut off a loophole. if you had a passport from a country that we allowed to come in without a visa, say the united kingdom or france, but you also had a passport from one of these countries, you could get in without a visa. we -- this law cut that off.

>> muslim majority countries only, and they're argue, you know what, there are other problems in vetting right now in somalia, yemen, syria. some of the other countries that are included in the list of six right now. they say they got that idea from the obama administration. >> well, they're putting the focus on the wrong problem and making the real problem worse. it's the wrong problem because not a single american has been killed by a refugee or by anyone from any of these now six countries. at the same time -- >> why did you have that list of four that you included in that law? >> again, this was something that congress did. it did it in response to a home grown terrorist attack, and we had to negotiate with. >> we're going to continue this. in the meantime, let's go to sean spicer. >> first off at the top, i want to acknowledge that there's been an additional wave of threats to jewish community centers and anti-defamation league offices. according to some reports, there have been over 100 bomb threats phoned into jewish institutions since the start of this year

alone. as the president said at the beginning of his joint address, "we're a country that stands united in condemning hate and evil in all of its forms. we denounce these latest anti-semitic and hateful threats in the strongest terms. it's incredibly saddening that i have to continue to share these disturbing reports with you, and i share the president's thoughts that he vihamently hopes that we don't have to continue to share these reports with you. as long as they will -- as long as they do continue, we'll continue to condemn them and look at ways in which we can stop them." now on to news of the day. you saw president trump yesterday continue to deliver on two of his most significant campaign promises, protecting the country between radical islamic terrorism and repealing and replacing obama care with a patient centric alternative. we talked a lot about the executive order protecting the nation from foreign terrorist entry into the united states yesterday. so on to obama care. i would like to introduce the secretary of health and human

services, dr. tom price, to come up and talk to you a little bit about the plan to repeal and replace obama care. dr. price. >> thanks, sean. good afternoon. first, let me just share with you what an honor it is to serve as the secretary of health and human services. i'm the third physician out of 23 individuals who have had the privilege of serving as the secretary of health and human services, and the mission at our department is to improve the health and safety and well being of the american people, and we take that mission very, very seriously. for many americans right now their ability to gain health care or health coverage is a real challenge. for most americans they receive their health coverage through their employer. it's about 175 million folks. those individuals will see no significant change other than there won't be a penalty. for the folks in the medicare system, there will be no changes at all in the current law. we're talking about those people in the individual and small

group market. the folks that run the corner grocery store or corner cleaners, those individuals out there are having huge challenges gaining care and gaining coverage. then medicaid is a program that by and large has decreased the ability for folks to gain access to care, and we want to make certain that we address that. this is about patients. this is not about money. this is not about something else. this is about patients. sadly, the costs are going up for those folks in the individual and small group market. the access is going down, and it's only getting worse. you know the stories. premiums increase 25% over the last year on average. arizona had an increase of 116%. deductibles are going up for many, many folks. if you are a mom or a dad out there and you make $40,000, $50,000, $60,000, your deductible in that market, in that individual and small group market, oftentimes is 8,000, 10,000, 12,000 a year. what that means is you have an insurance card, but you don't get care because you can't

afford the deductible, and we know that this is happening by talking to the folks who are out there trying to provide the care. one-third of the counties, one-third of the counties in the united states have only one insurer offering coverage on the exchange. five states only have one insurer offering coverage on the exchange. one insurer is not a choice so we need to make certain that we correct that. in tennessee this morning it was announced that there are a number of counties that have no insurer offering coverage on the exchange. insurers are leaving the market on the exchange. last year there were 232 insurers that were providing coverage that were offering coverage the on exchange. now there are 167. that's a loss of about 30,000 in one year alone. all of this means that patients are not getting the care that they need. now, the principals that we have as our guiding star are affordability. we want a system that's affordable for everybody. accessibility. we need a system that's accessible for everybody. a system that's of the highest quality. a system that innocentivizes

inslow yags and a system that empowers patients through both transparency and accountability. the president spoke last tuesday to a joint session of congress, and he laid out his principles. first, i want to make certain that those with preconsist existing injury and illness are not priced out. nobody ought to lose their coverage because they get a bad diagnosis. in terms of affordability, health savings accounts, growing choices for patients is incredibly important. tax credits that allow individuals to be able to purchase the kind of coverage that they want. not that the government forces them to buy. we've always talked about in terms of what kind of reforms need to be put in place that we need to equalize the tax treatment for the purchase of coverage. those, again, in the employer-response every onned market, they get a tax benefit for providing health coverage. those in the individual small group market, no tax benefit. that's what this plan would do. state plflexibility. it's important we allow the

states to be able to be the ones to define what health coverage is, have the flexibility, especially in the medicaid program to be able to respond to their vulnerable populations. the president mentioned, the practice of defensive medicine, wastes billions and billions of dollars every single year, and we need to make certain that we're addressing that as well. the president talked about a glide path, an appropriate transition to this new phase for health care, for our country, and that's important as well so that nobody falls through the cracks. buying across state lines, insuring across state lines. the president talked about this on the campaign over and over. american people understand the commonsense nature of purchasing across state lines, and it increased competition, and we need to make certain that that happens, and then addressing the incredible increase in drug prices. there are three phases of this plan. one is the bill that was introduced last evening in the house of representatives. that's the start of all of in fe were 192 specific rules that were put out as they relate to

obama care. over 5,000 letters of guidance and the like, and we are going to go through every single one of those and make certain that they -- if they help patients, then we need to continue them. if they harm patients or increase costs, then obviously they need to be addressed. there's other legislation that will need to be addressed that can't be done through the reconciliation process. the goal of all of this is patient-centered health care, where patients and families and doctors are making medical decisions and not the federal government. we look forward to working with all individuals in this process, and look forward to a few questions. >> the house with the cloud -- conservative groups like club for growth and -- what does it say about this legislation that these groups are already out with opposition to it? >> i think that it's the beginning of the process. we look forward to working with them and others to make sure we come up with that process that aligns with the principles that

we've defined, that they actually adhere to or agree to as well. it's a system that's affordable for folks and it's accessible for individuals, that's of the highest quality, that incentivizes innovation and that empowers patients. we look forward to working with them through this process. >> to pay for health care, and they'll have to kind of make these choices. does the administration agree with that? will americans under this plan -- will they need to maybe sacrifice other goods to pay for their health care? >> this is an important question because what's happening right now is that the american people are having to sacrifice in order to purchase coverage, and as i mentioned, many individuals can't afford the kind of coverage that they have right now. they've got that insurance card, but they don't have care. what our desire is to drive down the health care costs for everybody, and the way that you do that is to increase choices for folks, increase competition, return the regulation of health

care where it ought to be, which is at the state level, not at the federal level. all of these things thaten in their aggregate will decrease the cost of health care and o be able two questions for you. first has to do with guarantees that you can make as the administration's point person on this legislation. can you grauarantee that whatev legislation emerges and makes it to the president's desk will allow individuals if they like their doctor, they can keep their doctor, and the second guarantee is can you also guarantee that health care premiums for individuals will come down with this new legislation? >> again, remarkably important question because as you'll recall, the promise from the last administration is if you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor. if you like your plan, you can keep your plan. both of those promises turned out to be not true. we think it's incredibly important for the american people to be able to select the position and to place where

they're treated that to make p. in terms of the ms, we believe strongly throughhis who effect that we'll see a decrease in not only the premiums that individuals will see, but a decrease in the cost of health . remember, there was another promise that the previous administration made that you would see a decrease in dars 2,500 on average for families across this land. in fact, what they've seen is an increase of $2,500 or $3,000. we're going to go in the other direction. t as