House Speaker Paul Ryan ran through the gamut of policy issues Thursday night that Republicans in Congress will tackle in the new administration, offering his thoughts on where he and President-elect Donald Trump saw eye-to-eye but also previewing a few looming disagreements.
Here are the top things he said on Thursday evening to CNN’s Jake Tapper:
On the urgency behind plans to repeal Obamacare
“The law is collapsing, and so we’ve got to rescue people.”
On when to replace the Affordable Care Act
“We want to do this at the same time, and in some cases in the same bill.”
On DACA, part of President Barack Obama’s executive orders on immigration
“I can see that you love your daughter and you’re a nice person who has a great future ahead of you, and I hope your future’s here,” Ryan told an undocumented woman who asked if she would be deported.
On whether there will be a “deportation force”
“I’m here to tell you, in Congress, it’s not happening,” Ryan responded, when reminded that Trump promised a “deportation force” on the presidential campaign trail.
On Trump’s attacking him on Twitter
“He did it to me all the time during the campaign. I’m going to go out on a limb here and say this is going to be a very unconventional president.”
On ‘dabbing’
“I actually do know what a dab is,” he said, recalling the moment this month when a congressman’s son confused him by performing the viral move in a photo with the speaker. “I thought he was sneezing.”
On why he supports legislation that defunds Planned Parenthood
“You don’t have these controversies by funding health centers.”
On lobbying reform
“What if you want to become an advocate for the cancer society?” Ryan asked, questioning the need for ultra-tough restrictions on congressional insiders. “What’s wrong with them advocating for causes that they believe in?”
On the intelligence community
“I think it has been politicized,” Ryan said of the intelligence community, agreeing with Trump. “I completely understand why he’s frustrated.”
On Russian President Vladimir Putin
“Russia is a global menace led by a man who is menacing. Vladimir Putin does not share our interests. He frustrates our interests.”