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Westminster Attacker British-Born, Known to Police and MI5; Republican Health Bill Faces Crucial Vote Today; White House Press Briefing. Aired 1:30-2p ET

Aired March 23, 2017 - 13:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


[13:30:00] NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: The British authorities did know about him. They had investigated him for connections to radical Islamist groups in the past. Decided that he was peripheral to that. And according to the police, according to the latest police statement that he wasn't under observation, wasn't under investigation for anything in the recent years. They are saying that, therefore, there was no reason for them to believe that he was planning this type of attack. However, these characteristics, the criminal actions, the violence, and to have ISIS claim him as a soldier, not proving any link, it has many parallels to some of the recent acts of similar violence that have been witnessed there in France, the attack in Nice last year. So there are some similarities emerging.

But the arrests here last night, the police are not saying why they have those people. They say that he acted alone but clearly concerns that potentially he had tapped into potentially some broader network here -- Wolf?

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: There's a lot of work to do in this investigation.

Nic Robertson, thank you.

And Nick Paton Walsh joining us as well.

Mark Meadows, a leader of the Freedom Caucus, is now speaking. Let's listen in.

REP. MARK MEADOWS, (R), NORTH CAROLINA: It's one and a half because it has to do all with the Obamacare mandates, the Obamacare rules, and we're trying to move from phase two into phase one. We're not adding anything other than we're taking what was supposed to happen in phase two and bringing it into phase one.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Chairman, the speaker's office says this meeting was do or die, that this all comes down to you.

MEADOWS: Well, obviously, he's the speaker of the House, and he knows the conference better than anybody. We are certainly trying to get to yes. But, indeed, we made very reasonable requests, and we're hopeful those reasonable requests will be listened to and ultimately agreed to.

(CROSSTALK)

MEADOWS: I've got to run, guys. I've got a meeting.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Give us a sense of where your confidence is --

(CROSSTALK)

MEADOWS: I'm going in -- I'm going in right now to make sure that we have that. I don't want anybody to get hurt here, so -- all right. Thank you.

(CROSSTALK)

BLITZER: Representative Mark Meadows, the leader of the Freedom Caucus, saying that he wants what's supposed to be in part two of the implementation of repeal and replace, which is mostly administrative regulations being changed, to be brought into phase one. That's what he is saying. We're going to get some reaction to that momentarily.

This is a critical moment in the future of health care here in the United States.

I want to go to CNN's Dana Bash. She's up on Capitol Hill.

Dana, you're getting new information right now. What are you learning?

DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It's sort of adding to what you just heard from the head of the Freedom Caucus, Mark Meadows. This is from another member of the Freedom Caucus, Dave Brat, who I spoke with right after he walked out of the White House. What he said is that what they specifically asked the White House for is some kind of document that shows numerically, mathematically, quote, "ironclad way," that whatever passes here and, ultimately, obviously, goes to the president for his signature, will bring premiums and other costs for Americans down in the short term. That is, he said, what they are demanding. Now unclear how they are going to get this document, how even if they get a document, they are going to feel comfortable that whatever mathematics is used to make that promise is something that they can trust. Something that can have credibility. So it seems quite murky as to how that's going to happen.

And also you hear that? I heard that from Congressman Dave Brat of Virginia, member of the Freedom Caucus. We just heard from Mark Meadows talking about sort of the -- that same theme but more broadly, the idea of doing -- change some of the regulations in the short term doing it now. It's actually a perfect example of how the frustration that is happening inside the White House. And down behind me inside the speaker's office is palpable because they feel like they're getting lots of different requests and demands from members of this critical, critical Freedom Caucus that might be hard to meet. So we'll see what happens. We'll see if they get this document if it's something they can live with.

Meanwhile, as I'm talking to you, Wolf, down behind me in the speaker's office. Members of the moderate section of the House Republican conference just went down to speak -- to talk with the speaker. Again, that poses the other problem we've been talking about that everyone -- our team here has been reporting on for days and days and days that, let's just say that they give assurances somehow to the Freedom Caucus. Does that mean that by sort of definition, with this dynamic, you're going to lose moderates, which gets you back to the drawing board of not having the votes to pass.

This is very fluid still, and we'll see again the next thing to happen is, will that document come from the White House? What is it going to say? And what's going to happen with this meeting going on right now with moderate Republicans and the House speaker -- Wolf?

[13:35:08] BLITZER: And so is it fair to say that this final floor vote in the House of Representatives, Dana, is supposed to be today, potentially, it could be delayed? Is that a fair assumption? Or is it definitely on, no matter what, later today?

BASH: I don't think you can say definitely for anything right now. That is still the plan, to have the vote. But they certainly are not going to put -- it's hard to imagine them putting this bill on the floor to take the vote without really being sure that they are at least close if not actually there, to having the votes to pass it. So we don't -- I don't think you can definitely say that anything is going to happen as of right now because things are still pretty fluid.

BLITZER: Dana, we'll get back to you. Dana Bash up on Capitol Hill.

We're watching all of this unfold. We're going to take a quick break. The White House press briefing coming up momentarily. Sean Spicer will be answering reporters' questions on this and a whole range of other critically important issues. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:39:19] BLITZER: All right. Here's Sean Spicer, the White House press secretary.

SEAN SPICER, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: -- a great American, Kurt Cochran, was killed in the terror attack in London yesterday. Our prayers are with his family and friends. We're aware of reports that another American citizen was injured, as well as potential -- as this story continues to develop.

We stand ready to provide -- provide consular assistance, but considering some privacy concerns, I'm not going to further discuss the current state of any of those individuals at this time.

As I said yesterday, the president spoke with U.K. Prime Minister May to offer her his condolences and pledge his full cooperation and support of the United States government in responding to this attack, and bringing those responsible to justice.

SPICER: Now, a little bit on to today's schedule. This morning, after receiving his daily intelligence briefing, the president met with over 30 members of the House Freedom Caucus to discuss building momentum towards replacing and repealing Obamacare with the American Health Care Act.

The members of the Freedom Caucus thanked the president for engaging with them throughout their negotiations. And the president likewise thanked the group for their willingness to work closely with the White House and their colleagues to craft the strongest bill possible.

The group agreed that their ultimate goal is to implement a system that will drive down costs and increase access to health care for millions of Americans. And this meeting was, I think, a very positive step towards achieving that goal.

This is just the latest in a series of discussions in person and on the phone the president, the vice president and his team have had holding -- with the Republican House members on the American Health Care Act. This afternoon, we expect the president to continue those meetings with members of the Tuesday Group from the House coming up here later today.

Since the law was introduced, the Legislative Affairs team has been in constant contact with the members of the American -- with members the American people will be counting on to fulfill their promise of repealing and replacing Obamacare by supporting this bill later tonight.

In the past two days, the president's been on the phone with scores of Republican members in addition to the in-persons (sic) meeting you've seen with the Republican Study Committee, the House Freedom Caucus and the Tuesday Group.

This true -- bill has truly been a collaborative effort from the beginning. Through an open and deliberative process, the president and his team have helped to negotiate a very, very strong bill. He was on the phone last night well into the 11 o'clock hour with members on an individual basis discussing their support for the bill.

The amendments that have been incorporated add important aspects to the bill, like removing costly essential health benefit insurance regulations, repealing Obamacare taxes immediately starting in 2017, reforming Medicaid by allowing states to accept funding as a block grant to implement able-body work requirements, and blocking states from receiving enhanced federal medical assistant percentages if they expanded during the transition.

We've already seen the results, with many members coming out and saying they're going to be a yes tonight.

As I've noted before, today is actually the seventh, and we hope the last, anniversary of the day that President Obama signed Obamacare.

The president is looking forward to seeing Republicans fulfill the pledge tonight that they've been making to their constituents for years, that, with a Republican in the White House and with them in Congress, they would once and for all see the end of Obamacare.

The president -- I -- I assume that President Obama must be feeling the time is up for his signature law, since today he came out with a rather lengthy statement about it. But he can't change the facts about where it stands.

President Obama stated that Americans received a, quote, "upgrade" in insurance. But the mandates Obamacare placed on insurance forced millions off their insurance and away from their doctor, which broke the promise that they were given.

President Obama attempted to move the goal post on cost, downplaying the skyrocketed premiums, some in the case of over 100 percent in some places, and unaffordable deductibles. Americans -- he seems to have forgotten that he pushed Obamacare on the promise of reducing costs, not making health care unaffordable.

President Obama said Obamacare isn't, quote, "in a death spiral." But enrollment is nowhere near expectations. And this year, it's actually declining.

Insurers are fleeing the exchanges. And one in three counties in America only has one insurer.

President Obama may not believe that Obamacare is a, quote, "job- killer," but the new law, including its job-killing taxes, mandates, and regulations, speak for itself.

With the passage of the American Health Care Act, we will begin the process of rolling back Obamacare's many disastrous policies.

And of course, it's not just a big day on the House side. Over on the Senate, we begin the final and fourth day of Judge Gorsuch's Senate Judiciary hearings.

Earlier today, Democratic leader Chuck Schumer announced that Senate Democrats will be mounting a filibuster against his nomination.

From day one, we've said that the president made an inspired choice with the nomination of Judge Gorsuch. The American Bar Association has given him their highest rating, of well-qualified.

This week though, through all four days, he has showcased his sterling credentials and a brilliant legal mind. We find Senator Schumer's announcement truly disappointing, because it breaks with the tradition of how the Senate has handled Supreme Court confirmation votes in modern times and represents the type of partisanship that Americans (sic) grown tired of.

In the last half century, only three Supreme Court justices have ever faced a filibuster. The most recent, Justice Alito, was opposed by then-Senator Obama, who voted to uphold his filibuster and later admitted that his vote was a politically motivated act that he regretted. In fact, Senator Republicans didn't filibuster his Supreme Court nominees, Kagan and Sotomayor.

We call on Senator Schumer (inaudible) Democrats to abandon this attempt to block Judge Gorsuch from receiving a fair up-or-down vote that he and the American people have voted for.

Back to the rest of the president's schedule. SPICER: This afternoon, the president, as I mentioned, will meet with members of the Tuesday Group. He had lunch with Secretary of the Treasury Mnuchin and Nelson Peltz.

At 3 o'clock today, we hope you'll come out and join the president to welcome the truck drivers and truck company CEOs who will be meeting with -- on the American Health Care Act, as they arrive to the White House alongside two rather large big rigs.

One in every 16 Americans work for the trucking industry, the backbone of our country's domestic freight transportation, and moves over 70 percent of domestic freight tonnage. The trucking industry has suffered greatly under Obamacare. Many truckers were forced to buy health care plans that weren't necessarily right for them on the exchanges.

Like millions of Americans across the country, they saw their premiums rise and their options plummet. And trucking companies classified as large employers under the law are mandated to provide insurance that we already know doesn't work.

And instead of imposing senseless restrictions from Washington, the president's three-pronged health care reform plan will lower premiums and increase choice by increasing competition. The president looks forward to discussing how these policies, combined with forthcoming tax, regulatory and trade reforms, will provide much needed relief for the trucking industry.

Also today, the vice president met with President Hernandez of Honduras. A readout on that -- this meeting is available from the vice president's office.

And a few notes before I get to your questions. As the president noted during his first Cabinet meeting earlier this month, while many of the specularly qualified choices to lead departments and agencies are already in place, and taking action to fulfill the president's ambitious agenda, there are still some important positions that have not been filled, in large part due to Senate Democrats's obstruction.

I wanted to give you a quick update on still some of the outstanding confirmations. Secretary of Labor-designee Alex ACABQ had a very successful hearing yesterday and we expect markup next week. Secretary of Agriculture-designee, former Governor Sonny Perdue, is currently appearing before the Senate Ag Committee. We expect Governor Perdue to continue to show why he's the best choice to lead the USDA and hopefully his markup to be scheduled in the coming days. We also announced earlier this afternoon that Prime Minister Rasmussen of Denmark will be visiting the White House on March 30th. We'll have further details on the visit in the upcoming days.

Tomorrow, the president will host medal of honor recipients and their guests in celebration of Medal of Honor Day, which falls on Saturday of this year. We'll have some more details of that event coming forward.

The president intends to be here this weekend. So as we have updates on the president's weekend plans, we will let you know as well. I'll also note that we've got coming up on a deadline related to the Keystone Pipeline. We'll have an update on that for you tomorrow.

And finally, I'm proud to announce that on April 19th, the anniversary of the battles of Lexington and Concord, the New England Patriots will be visiting the White House to celebrate their latest in what will probably be a continuation of many more to come, Super Bowl win.

And with that, I will take your questions.

Jeff Mason?

QUESTION: Sean...

SPICER: Is this a Patriots question?

(LAUGHTER)

QUESTION: No, it's not.

(LAUGHTER)

SPICER: Do you know what I think about Tom Brady's jersey? Is this true confessions?

(CROSSTALK)

QUESTION: I've got nothing on that one.

SPICER: OK.

QUESTION: But I have a health care question for you. First, do you expect there to be a vote tonight?

SPICER: My -- that's what I understand the House has scheduled. Yes.

QUESTION: Any chance that that's going to be pushed back?

SPICER: That would be obviously up to Speaker Ryan and Leader McCarthy. But I have been -- nothing leads me to believe that that's the case. QUESTION: Do you -- is the president concerned at all that if draws support for the bill from the Freedom Caucus, that he may lose support from more moderate (inaudible)?

SPICER: He's meeting with members of the Tuesday Group today. Obviously, this is something that he understands there's a little bit of a balancing act that goes on as you try to get 216, in this case. But I think we continue to make progress every day. We walked out with more members in support of the American Health Care Act today than we started the day with. And I continue to see that number climb hour by hour.

And I anticipate that we will -- we will get there.

Blake? QUESTION: Sean, Patrick McHenry said we have an offer -- he's speaking of the House Freedom Caucus -- (inaudible) accept it or reject it. Is that the way that you see it at this moment? Are you just waiting on the House Freedom Caucus to come to your side? Are you (inaudible) at this point? What's -- what is their status as far as you know?

SPICER: I think there are some members who, in the meeting, stood up and told the president "I'm with you now." And I think member by member, that's how they're going to vote. They're going to -- I think we've continued to see that number rise. And the same thing with the Tuesday Group. There are members that have not been with us that are expressing their willingness to want to be part of it.

The president went over several commitments and changes that have been made to assuage different folks; that have continued to evolve. And then I think that we continue to see the number rise.

But -- but I think we continue to see the number go up, not down, and that's a very positive sign.

QUESTION: Do you know how many came across and what -- what it was that brought them across in that meeting?

SPICER: Well, there's -- it depends. Again, I don't think there's any singular issue in a lot of cases. There's a lot -- I think we talked a little bit about sections of the bill that they -- that there was -- there was an issue with.

You know, and -- and so I think there's a couple areas that there is some common ground on. But there was over 30 members there today, and some of them had specific aspects that they wanted to see improved, and some of them, frankly, come -- frankly came to say, "Hey, thank you. I think that -- that what you guys have done already has been an improvement."

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE) essential health benefits; is that their main sticking point...

(CROSSTALK)

SPICER: In -- in a lot of cases, there were some members that that was their -- their number one thing. But, again, it wasn't universal across the board.

But, again, I think some of the measures that have been taken along the way have really -- and, again, it's -- there's also -- beyond that, there's -- there's a lot of discussion about phase two and phase three.

And I think the president and the vice president both committed to continuing working and improving and making commitments on the totality and the comprehensive nature of how we're gonna do this.

For a lot of these guys, it really comes down to premium increases. They're very concerned about what they're seeing their constituents face. And I think the president and the vice president, Secretary Price, Director Mulvaney, Reince Priebus, the chief of staff, the Legislative Affairs team, were all continuing to work them to talk about certain measures that have been put in place to drive down cost.

And I think when you realize it, what we continued to talk about, that costs are too high, premiums are spiking, deductibles are going up, choices are going down, these are real concerns for -- for, you know, constituents of these members. And I think that as they see an overall and total commitment of this, it's -- it's making them feel a lot better about not just this bill, but phases two and three.

Matt? QUESTION: Two questions, both on health care.

First one: Is the president open to removing protections for preexisting conditions from the bill?

SPICER: I think that's been something that he's been very clear needs to stay in there.

QUESTION: OK.

Secondly, about this essential benefits protections, obviously among those is maternity leave. So how would removing that jibe with the president's promise during the campaign to expand maternity leave? Obviously, this would take it out and insurers would no longer have to provide that.

SPICER: Yeah.

And, again, I don't wanna get into a benefit-by-benefit discussion here. But I think that there's a lot of concerns, as I just said to Blake (ph), that part of the reason that premiums have spiked out of control is because under Obamacare there were these mandated services that had to be included.

And what happened was is that, you know, older men, older women who had gone past maternity age were buying benefits that weren't necessary for them; people who were at the younger end of the -- of the age scale were buying end-of-life benefits.

And I think -- this -- this goes back to the nut of this discussion, Matt, which is we have now gone down to a system where in one-third of all counties, there's one choice.

And it's this potpourri of mandated benefits that everyone has to have. We've lost consumer choice. And so people are paying for benefits that neither they, their spouse, their family needs, which is driving up costs for everybody.

And so part of it isn't about necessarily a benefit. It's about -- it's about a series of benefits being mandated (inaudible) everybody. And so what has happened is is that the cost of health care for every individual has gone up and the choice has gone down.

And I think there is a philosophical discussion that is going on about what we can do to make sure that people have actual coverage -- something that we've talked about before -- but doing so in a way that doesn't drive up the cost for everybody.

QUESTION: Just one follow-up on that, then.

Is the president concerned that without having those essential benefits in there, you'll have a situation where women are just de facto paying higher for health insurance? Obviously, they'd be paying for maternity leave...

SPICER: No, you could have a family plan. I mean, in other words, the point is, is that it's not -- it's not -- again, you're picking one benefit and trying to extrapolate it. It -- it's also saying, should young people have to pay for end-of- life care?

Should -- their -- the idea is to instill choice back into the market. So that it's not just about one particular benefit, it's allowing people to tailor a plan and a cost point that's good for them or their family or their and their spouse.

But it's not just about one particular benefit. It's about looking at this and figuring out what are the cost drivers and how do we give people the choice that they need.

Sarah (ph)?

QUESTION: Thanks, Sean.

The White House and House leadership initially defended the way this bill was written by saying it needed to be structured a certain way and exclude certain things to be able to proceed through the Senate through budget reconciliation.

So what's changed to put now these pretty substantive policy changes on the table? What's given the White House and the Republicans confidence that now it can survive through the same process in the Senate?

SPICER: I think there's a lot of discussion that goes on with -- without getting too into it.

The issue at hand is the Byrd Rule and whether or not it affects the budgetary -- that you can't have policy-making things that don't have a budgetary impact.

It -- there are certain things that are being phrased in certain ways and crafted in accordance with -- with the rule. But there's a lot of smart people that are very familiar with the rules and are trying to do things in a way to make -- make this bill conform in a -- in -- in those -- those ways.

Zeke?

QUESTION: Hey, Sean. Two questions for you, one on the health care bill first.

A -- a question that the -- the way this bill is now being modified to basically pick -- pick up votes here on -- on Monday night that managers amendment includes that special carve-out for upstate New York, which had a bunch of good nicknames that I can't do justice for, but then also now, to these -- these -- these latest (inaudible) horse trading.

Is the president concerned that his bill now looks a lot like the -- the -- procedurally what it look like -- what Obamacare looked like seven years ago, that the Republicans have spent seven years criticized the way that bill was brought to the floor. And here they are, seven years later, on the same day, about to do the exact same thing.

SPICER: No, not at all. In fact, it's doing exactly what we intended to do.

I mean, I just -- the exchange that we had with Matt, it's -- it's actually going -- the -- the two goals that it set out to do it's actually doing: driving costs down, finding ways to lower premiums, keep deductibles within reason, or at least giving people the option to choose a plan that fits their budget; and then secondly is doing things that instill competition, choice.

So, the things that are being done actually achieve the goals that -- that have been set forth.

Jim? QUESTION: Sean, (inaudible) different question.

Yesterday, Secretary Mattis and Chairman Dunford testified on Capitol Hill that they were -- that they were willing to work to have Congress have a public debate around a new AUMF.

Is that something that -- traditionally those have started from -- in the executive branch. Is the White House willing to put one forward and willing to begin that round of discussions?

SPICER: I'd refer you back to Secretary Mattis. I think that that is one that the Department of Defense is...

QUESTION: So, we should take that statement -- statement as operative (ph) from the White House, that the White House now is calling -- is -- would -- would like...

(CROSSTALK)

SPICER: No, no, no. I -- I think that that was brought up in the context of a conversation that he is willing to have with respect to overseas contingencies that are existing right now and the battle, especially with respect to ISIS, and the current tools that we have to combat them.

But I -- I think that was a discussion about whether or not we should have a discussion on authorized use of force or not, and how to -- how to have that.

Jim?

QUESTION: Oh, I'm sorry. QUESTION: Now that Chuck Schumer has announced a -- a definite filibuster of Judge Neil Gorsuch, do you think it's time for the White House to take a stand on eliminating the filibuster for Supreme Court nominees?

SPICER: I am not going to -- I'll -- I'll let -- Senator McConnell is -- is a much more apt user and understanding of the Senate rules. I am not going to start to tell...

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

SPICER: ... Senator McConnell what he should be doing from here.

QUESTION: It's your nominee and...

SPICER: I -- I understand that. And it's his rules and his chamber that he leads. So, I'm gonna let that -- John?

QUESTION: Sean, thanks.

Has anybody from the national security team or the homeland security folks been in touch with their counterparts in London in the last 24 hours or so? SPICER: Yes.

QUESTION: Can you give (inaudible) expound (ph) on that all or -- or not?

SPICER: Only to the extent to say that they've been in touch, to evaluate, offer assistance.

And -- and again, I'm not gonna get into classified discussion about what -- what we may or may not discussing.

QUESTION: (Inaudible)?

SPICER: Yes.

QUESTION: OK, thank you.

QUESTION: Thanks, Sean.

Chairman Nunes today refused to (inaudible) rule out that he received the information he announced yesterday on surveillance that he got that from the White House. So, will you rule out that the White House or anyone who's in the Trump administration gave Chairman Nunes that information?

SPICER: I -- I don't know what he actually briefed the president on. But I don't know why he was coming up to brief the president on something that we gave him.

QUESTION: That -- that's why it was confusing to many of us...

(CROSSTALK)

SPICER: Right. QUESTION: Yeah.

SPICER: I don't know that that make sense. I did not sit on that briefing. I'm not -- it just doesn't -- so, I don't know why he would travel -- brief the speaker, then come down here to brief us on something that -- that we would've briefed him on. It doesn't really seem to make a ton of sense.

So, I -- I'm not aware of it. But it doesn't really pass the -- the smell test.

Hallie (ph)?

QUESTION: Thanks, Sean.

On health care, a couple for you.

Mark Meadows said there -- came out of a meeting; he said there is no deal.

SPICER: Right. QUESTION: Does the president acknowledge this bill appears to be in trouble right now?

SPICER: No. I think that we're gonna continue -- I mean, it's not a question of trouble. There's no deal. We weren't asking for a deal. The president...

QUESTION: You wouldn't call this essential health benefits package a deal?

SPICER: No, I think for a lot of members it was. And I think some of 'em stood up and said, "Mr. President, we're with you." I think a lot of 'em said, "We're gonna go back and think about it."

But there was no -- meeting didn't conclude by saying, "Do we have a deal?" That's not why we had it.

I think for some members, this is...

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE) final offer before...

(CROSSTALK)

SPICER: No, I -- I think this has been -- this was a -- a discussion the president continues to have.

[14:00:59]