Sen. Tom Cotton's entire SOTU interview

THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.
>> GOOD MORNING, JAKE.
GREETINGS FROM THE HOLY LAND.
>> APPRECIATE IT.
>> FBI DIRECTOR COMEY SCHEDULED
TO TESTIFY TOMORROW BEFORE THE
HOUSE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE.
LAWMAKERS HAVE ASKED HIM TO
CLEAR UP THIS WILD ALLEGATION BY
PRESIDENT TRUMP THAT FORMER
PRESIDENT OBAMA WIRETAPPED HIM
AT TRUMP TOWER BEFORE THE
ELECTION.
YOU'RE ON THE SENATE
INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE.
IF COMEY TESTIFIES THAT THERE'S
NO EVIDENCE WIRETAPPING, DO YOU
THINK PRESIDENT TRUMP NEEDS TO
APOLOGIZE TO THE PUBLIC AND TO
PRESIDENT OBAMA SO THAT THIS
WHOLE EPISODE CAN BE PUT BEHIND
HIM?
>> JAKE, WE'LL SEE WHAT DIRECTOR
COMEY TESTIFIES ABOUT TOMORROW.
I'VE BEEN ON THIS TRIP SINCE
THURSDAY NIGHT, BUT I DO
UNDERSTAND THAT DOCUMENTS WERE
ALSO DELIVERED TO THE COMMITTEE
ON FRIDAY BY THE DEPARTMENT OF
JUSTICE AND THE FBI.
LIKE THE HOUSE COMMITTEE, THE
INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE WILL
REVIEW THE SPECIFIC CLAIM BUT I
THINK WE LOOK AT THE BROADER
CONTEXT HERE.
AS YOU SAID, THE HOUSE COMMITTEE
HEARING TOMORROW WILL BE IN PART
ABOUT THE UNSUBSTANTIATED
ALLEGATIONS IN THE MEDIA AND BY
DEMOCRATS OF COLLUSION BETWEEN
TRUMP ASSOCIATES AND RUSSIAN
INTELLIGENCE AND WE HAVE TWO
VERY HIGH RANKING OBAMA
ADMINISTRATION INTELLIGENCE
OFFICERS WHO HAVE DISPUTED THAT
CLAIM, FIRST, JIM CLAPPER, THE
DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL
INTELLIGENCE UNDER BARACK OBAMA
A COUPLE WEEKS AGO SAID HE HAD
SEEN NO EVIDENCE OF SUCH
COLLUSION AND THEN JUST THIS
PAST WEEK, MICHAEL MOREL, THE
ACTING DIRECTOR OF THE CIA AND
ENDORSED HILLARY CLINTON SAID
THERE'S NO FIRE HERE, NOT A CAMP
FIRE, NOT A CANDLE, NOT EVEN A
LITTLE SPARK OF ANY KIND OF
COLLUSION.
I THINK ULTIMATELY THAT MATTERS
MORE TO MOST AMERICANS GIVEN THE
NATURE OF THE ALLEGATIONS MADE
IN THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS ABOUT
DONALD TRUMP AND HIS CAMPAIGN
AND SOME OF HIS ASSOCIATES.
>> WELL, I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY TO
WHOM YOU'RE REFERRING IN TERMS
OF ACCUSATIONS OF COLLUSION BUT
CERTAINLY IF ANYBODY WHO GOT
THAT WRONG SHOULD CORRECT THE
RECORD IF THERE'S NO EVIDENCE AT
END OF THE INVESTIGATION TO
SUGGEST IT, BUT WHAT I WAS
ASKING YOU ABOUT IS THE
EVIDENCE-FREE ALLEGATION MADE BY
PRESIDENT TRUMP, SPECIFICALLY
THAT PRESIDENT OBAMA HAD HIM
WIRETAPPED AT TRUMP TOWER.
JUST AS A MATTER OF RECORD,
YOU'RE ON THE SENATE
INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE, DO YOU
KNOW OF ANY EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT
THAT ALLEGATION?
>> JAKE, NOT THAT I'VE SEEN OR
I'M AWARE OF BUT AS WITH ALL THE
OTHER CLAIMS RELATED TO THIS
MATTER THE SENATE INTELLIGENCE
COMMITTEE WILL BE TAKING THEM
SERIOUSLY AND APPROACHING IT IN
A DELIBERATIVE FASHION TO REVIEW
NOT ONLY DOCUMENTS FROM THE PAST
YEAR BUT ALSO TAKING TESTIMONY
OF SEVERAL WITNESSES.
THE HOUSE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE
IS HOLDING AN OPEN HEARING
TOMORROW.
THE SENATE INTELLIGENCE
COMMITTEE WILL BE FOLLOWING IN
THAT PATH A LITTLE BIT LATE THEY
ARE MONTH.
WE'VE BEEN LOOKING INTO RUSSIA'S
ACTIVITIES NOW FOR QUITE SOME
TIME.
WE'VE ALSO HAD HEARINGS ON SOME
OF THE ALLEGATIONS MADE PUBLICLY
AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO SO AND
I HOPE WE CAN MAKE AS MANY OF
OUR FINDINGS PUBLIC AS POSSIBLE.
>> TURNING TO OBAMACARE, YOU'VE
BEEN VERY CRITICAL OF THE BILL
SUPPORTED BY OUR PREVIOUS GUEST
DR. PRICE, PRESIDENT TRUMP,
HOUSE REPUBLICANS TO REPEAL AND
REPLACE OBAMACARE.
YOU'VE WARNED THAT THIS BILL
COULD PUT THE HOUSE REPUBLICAN
MAJORITY AT RISK.
ONE MAJOR CONCERN ABOUT THE PLAN
IS THE WAY IT MIGHT IMPACT LOWER
INCOME AMERICANS.
YOU COME FROM ARKANSAS WHICH IS
ONE OF THE POOREST STATES IN THE
COUNTRY.
IF YOU WERE DESIGNING THE PLAN
ON YOUR OWN, WOULD YOU GET RID
OF THE MEDICAID EXPANSION THAT
BROUGHT COVERAGE TO 250,000
PEOPLE IN YOUR STATE?
>> JAKE, FIRST, LET ME SAY I
SERVED WITH TOM PRICE IN THE
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND
CONSIDER HIM A GOOD FRIEND.
HE HAD LEGISLATION AS A CO
CONGRESSMAN THAT I THINK IS A
LOT BETTER THAN THE HOUSE BILL
CURRENTLY UNDER CONSIDERATION.
THE MEDICAID EXPANSION I THINK
NEEDS TO BE PART OF MEDICAID
TRANSFORMATION AND THAT'S WHAT
THE HOUSE BILL MOVED FORWARD.
IT CAN BE IMPROVED TO SOME
DEGREE, BUT IT'S ABOUT A 70% OR
80% SOLUTION, JAKE.
THE BIGGER PROBLEM WITH THIS
LEGISLATION IS ON THE PRIVATE
INSURANCE MARKET.
I SIMPLY THINK THAT IT'S NOT
GOING TO WORK TO BRING DOWN
PREMIUMS FOR WORKING ARKANSANS
ORR
ORR WORKING AMERICANS AROUND THE
COUNTRY.
WE NEED TO ROUM OUR SLEEVES AND
FIX THOSE PROBLEMS REAR THAN
TRYING TO RUSH TO SOME ARBITRARY
DEADLINE.
>> SO I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU
THINK MEDICAID TRANSFORMATION
NEEDS TO TAKE PLACE, BUT YOUR
GOVERNOR JUST WROTE A LETTER TO
THE SENATE MAJORITY LEADER AND
THE HOUSE SPEAKER, GOVERNOR
HUTCHINSON, SAYING THAT THIS
HOUSE BILL, THE OBAMACARE
REPLACEMENT THAT TRUMP --
PRESIDENT TRUMP AND DR. PRICE
ARE PUSHING DOESN'T PROVIDE
ENOUGH FLEXIBILITY TO GOVERNORS
AND ALSO DOESN'T PROVIDE ENOUGH
RESOURCES.
IN SHORT, THEY ARE SAYING
THIS -- BY REMOVING THE MEDICAID
EXPANSION THAT HAPPENED DURING
OBAMACARE, THAT HELPED PROVIDE
HEALTH INSURANCE TO 250,000
ARKANSANS, THIS REPLACEMENT IS
GOING TO TAKE IT AWAY.
DOES THAT CONCERN YOU?
>> JAKE, FIRST, I AGREE THAT THE
LEGISLATION COULD PROVIDE MORE
FLEXIBILITY, MORE DISCRETION TO
GOVERNORS AND LEGISLATURES.
IT ALSO OUGHT TO INCLUDE TOUGHER
PROVISIONS ON ACCOUNTABILITY,
BUT, SECOND, THERE IS AN
INTERACTION BETWEEN THE MEDICAID
PARTS OF THIS BILL AND THE
PRIVATE MARKET PARTS OF THIS
BILL.
MEDICAID IS A WELFARE PROGRAM.
IT'S PRIMARILY DESIGNED FOR THE
INDIGENT ELDERLY, THE DISABLED,
THE BLIND AND CHILDREN.
IT'S NOT DESIGNED FOR
ABLE-BODIED ADULTS.
WE WANT TO GET THOSE PEOPLE OFF
OF MEDICAID INTO A JOB AND INTO
MARKET-BASED INSURANCE.
THAT'S ONE REASON WHY I WORRY
THAT THE PRIVATE MARKET
PROVISIONS OF THIS BILL AREN'T
ADEQUATE TO BRING DOWN PREMIUMS,
BECAUSE ULTIMATELY IN ARKANSAS,
FOR INSTANCE, TENS OF THOUSAND
OF PEOPLE LEAVE MEDICAID EVERY
YEAR.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE
MARKET INSURANCE SYSTEM IS
WORKING FOR THEM SHOW THEY CAN
AFFORD HEALTH INSURANCE AND GET
OFF MEDICAID.
>> "THE WASHINGTON POST"
REPORTED THIS WEEK THAT THE U.S.
MILITARY IS LIKELY TO SEND UP TO
1,000 MORE U.S. TROOPS INTO
NORTHERN SYRIA IN THE COMING
WEEKS AS PART OF THE FIGHT
AGAINST ISIS.
YOU ARE A VETERAN AND HAVE
SERVED ON THE ARMED SERVICES
COMMITTEE.
DO YOU SUPPORT SENDING THESE
ADDITIONAL TROOPS?
>> JAKE, I'LL REVIEW WHAT
SECRETARY MATTIS AND THE CENTRAL
COMMAND RECOMMEND AS I'M SURE
PRESIDENT TRUMP IS DOING SO.
I DON'T THINK WE OUGHT TO SET
ARBITRARY TROOP CAPS AND THAT'S
WHEN BARACK OBAMA DID FOR EIGHT
YEARS IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN.
WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE TYPES AND
NUMBER OF TROOPS NECESSARY TO
ACCOMPLISH THE MISSION.
ON THIS TRIP TO LEBANON AND
JORDAN AND ISRAEL AND ONE
CONSISTENT THING I'VE HEARD IS
THE THREAT THAT IRAN POSES.
THE ANSWER SAID TO MOST
QUESTIONS IN THE MIDDLE EAST IS
IRAN AND WITHOUT IRAN AND
HEZBOLLAH AND THEIR ACTIVITIES
IN SYRIA IT'S A BIG QUESTION
WHETHER OR NOT THE ISLAMIC STATE
WOULD HAVE RISEN TO THE POWER
THAT THEY HAVE NOW, SO WE HAVE
TO ULTIMATELY DESTROY THE
ISLAMIC STATE, BUT IF WE DON'T
ROLL BACK IRAN'S GAINS
THROUGHOUT THE REGION WE'RE NOT
GOING TO HAVE STABILITY AND
WE'RE NOT GOING TO DEFEND U.S.
INTERESTS TO THE DEGREE THAT WE
SHOULD.
>> I WANT TO THE ASK YOU ABOUT
THE SCANDAL INVOLVING THE
SHARING OF SEXUALLY EXPLICIT
IMAGES OF MARINES BY MARINES.
SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHOSE PHOTOS
HAVE BEEN SHARED ARE COMPLAINING
THAT THE PENTAGON IS NOT MOVING
QUICKLY ENOUGH TO INVESTIGATE
THIS MATTER, THAT THEY DON'T
TAKE THE BASIC CHARGE OF SEXUAL
HARASSMENT AND SEXUAL ASSAULT
AGAINST WOMEN SOLDIERS, WOMEN
MARINES SERIOUSLY NEW.
AS A VETERAN, AS A MEMBER OF THE
ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE, DO YOU
AGREE WITH THAT CONCERN?
>> WELL, THIS BEHAVIOR BY
MARINES AND LIKELY WHEN THE
INVESTIGATION EXPANDS BY TROOPS
FROM THE OTHER SERVICES IS
EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTING.
YOU DON'T NEED TO HAVE THE LAW
READ TO YOU.
DON'T NEED A REGULATION OR
POLICY STATED TO YOU AS A YOUNG
MAN OR WOMAN IN OUR ARMED
SERVICES TO KNOW THAT THIS KIND
OF BEHAVIOR IS UNACCEPTABLE.
WE HAD TESTIMONY EARLIER THIS
WEEK FROM THE COMMANDANT OF THE
MARINE CORPS AND THE SERGEANT
MINIMUM WAGE ORTHOOF THE MARINE
CORPS.
I CAN TELL YOU THEY TAKE IT WITH
EXTREME SERIOUSNESS AND THEY ARE
MOVING FORWARD AS QUICKLY AS
THEY CAN WITH THE INVESTIGATION.
THIS INFORMATION JUST RECENTLY
CAME TO LIGHT SO THE
INVESTIGATION IS STILL IN ITS
EARLY STAGES.
I'M CONFIDENT THEY ARE GOING TO
HOLD EVERY MARINE ACCOUNTABLE
AND THE SERVICE CHIEFS OF THE
OTHER THREE SERVICES IF SUCH
BEHAVIOR OCCURRED IN THEIR
SERVICES AS WELL WILL DO THE
EXACT SAME THING BECAUSE WE HAVE
A ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY FOR THIS
KIND OF BEHAVIOR IN OUR ARMED
NORSES AND EVERY SOLDIER,
SAILOR, MARINE AND AIRMAN KNOWS
BETTER, WHETHER OR NOT THEY HAD
A LAWYER READING THE LAW TO THEM
OR NOT.
>> JUST TO CLARIFY.
DO YOU KNOW THAT THERE ARE OTHER
INSTANCES OF NOT JUST JUST
MARINES AND SAILORS, SOLDIERS,
ET CETERA, DOING THIS, OR YOU'RE
JUST SUPPOSING THAT IT PROBABLY
IS TRUE?
>> I DO NOT, JAKE, BUT BASED
UPON THE TESTIMONY WE'VE HEARD
EARLIER THIS WEEK AND THE
BRIEFINGS WE'VE RECEIVED IT'S AT
LEAST A POSSIBILITY.
WE'RE STILL IN THE VERY EARLY
STAGES.
IT'S UNCLEAR, FOR INSTANCE, HOW
MANY OF THESE -- THE MEMBERS OF
THIS MESSAGE BOARD WERE STILL ON
ACTIVE DUTY OF THE RESERVES
VERSUS HAS RETIRED AND WERE
CLAIMING TO STILL BE IN THE
MARINE CORPS.
THAT'S WHY I SAY IT'S IN THE
EARL EL STAGES AND WE WILL
FOLLOW FACTS WHERE THEY TAKE US
BUT EVEN ONE PERSON
PARTICIPATING IN THIS KIND OF
ACTIVITY IS TOO MUCH AND ANY
YOUNG MAN OR WOMAN IN THE ARMED
NORSES KNOWS BETTER THAN THIS.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT

Sen. Tom Cotton's entire SOTU interview

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