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‘It’s pretty broken’: Sen. Scott talks state of affairs in D.C., Venezuela and Puerto Rico

‘It’s pretty broken’: Sen. Scott talks state of affairs in D.C., Venezuela and Puerto Rico
JAZMIN: FOR NEARLY A DECADE, HE LED OUR STATE. BUT AFTER WINNING THE ELECTION LAST YEAR, SENATOR RICK SCOTT WENT TO WASHINGTON. ADRIAN: YES HE DID, AND TODAY, SENATOR RICK SCOTT IS IN CENTRAL FLORIDA TO TALK ABOUT VENEZUELA, AND HE JOINS US NOW IN STUDIO. WHAT DO YOU EXPECT TO HEAR FROM THEM ABOUT WE ARE DOING TO HELP THE COUNTRY, AND WHAT DO YOU THINK WE CAN DO FURTHER? SEN. SCOTT: IT IS GENOCIDE. I HAVE BEEN TO THE COLOMBIAN AND VENEZUELAN BORDER. I HAVE GRANDKIDS. IF THEY WERE DOWN THERE, THE MOM WOULD TELL THEM, YOU WILL PROBABLY NOT GET TO EAT TODAY AND WILL DRINK DIRTY WATER, AND DON’T GET SICK BECAUSE THERE IS NO MEDICINE. THAT IS WHAT IS GOING ON. THERE KILLING THESE POOR KIDS -- THEY ARE KILLING THESE POOR KIDS. THE UNITED STATES HAS DONE THE RIGHT THING WITH SANCTIONS. OTHER EUROPEAN COUNTRIES HAVE NOT DON SANCTIONS, AND THEY ARE STARTING TO DO THAT. I HAVE BEEN TALKING TO LEADERS OVER THERE ABOUT THAT, BUT WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO PUT PRESSURE ON CUBA, RUSSIA, IRAN. THE BIGGEST PLATE IS CUBA AND WE HAVE TO PUT PRESSURE ON THEM. I WAS TALKING TO THE PRESIDENT, SAYING WE HAVE TO STOP OIL FLOWING FROM VENEZUELA T CUBA BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT IS PAYING FOR THE 20,000 CUBANS. ADRIAN: SOUNDS LIKE SOME OF THAT WAS ENACTED RECENTLY. WHAT ABOUT MILITARY ACTION? YOU HAD CALLED FOR THAT. SEN. SCOTT: WE HAVE TO GET HUMANITARIAN RELIEF. IF YOU GO TO THE BORDER, IT IS PRETTY DEPRESSING. I TALKED TO MOM WITH TWO OR THREE KIDS WHO SLEEP ON THE STREET. THEY ARE GIVEN ONE MILL A DAY. -- THEY ARE GIVEN ONE MEAL A DAY. MILITARY OUGHT TO GET THE AID IN. WE HAVE TO LEAVE ALL THE MILITARY OPTIONS, TAB -- ALL THE MILITARY OPTIONS ON THE TABLE. , THE OIL TO STOP FLOWING FROM VENEZUELA TO CUBA -- I WANT THE OIL TO STOP FLOWING FROM VENEZUELA TO CUBA. WE HAVE TO LOOK AT POSSIBLE MILITARY ACTION. THESE POOR KIDS ARE JUST DYING. AND ONE PERSON MADE THE DECISION. HERE IS THE LATEST, MADURA SPENT $200 MILLION TELECONFERENCE THERE. WHILE HE WON’T FEED HIS CITIZENS. JAZMIN: SENATOR SCOTT, LET’S TALK ABOUT YOUR TIME IN D.C. WE HAVE HEARD YOU SAY WASHINGTON IS BROKEN. SEN. SCOTT: IT IS PRETTY BROKEN. JAZMIN: THAT IS STILL YOUR OPINION. WHAT PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE ON FIXING THAT? SEN. SCOTT: THIS IS WHAT OUGHT TO HAPPEN. WE NEED TERM MOMENTS -- WE NEED TERM LIMITS. CONGRESS NEEDS TO HAVE TERM MINUTES. YOU SHOULD NOT G PAID IF YOU SHUT DOWN THE GOVERNMENT. ALTHOUGH CONGRESS PEOPLE GOT PAID AND THAT IS NOT RIGHT. I HAVE ONE PROPOSAL THAT IS, ONE COMMITTEE RIGHT NOW. WE NEED A LINE ITEM VETO. I PROPOSED SOME THINGS TO GET DRUG PRICES DOWN. DRUG PRICES WERE TOO HIGH AND THE PRICE OF INSULIN HAS SKYROCKETED. WHY IS THAT? WHY ARE WE PAYING MORE FOR DRUGS AND EUROPEANS PAPER DRUGS? IT IS THE SAME COMPANY. YOU NEED TO KNOW WHAT THINGS COST WHEN YOU GO TO THE DRUGSTORE. DRUG COMPANIES SHOULDN’T CHANGE OR COPAYMENT. I HAVE STARTED AN ACT. YOUR ONLINE RETAILER TO TELL YOU THE COUNTRY OF ORIGIN FOR PRODUCTS. SAY YOU ONLY WANT TO BUY AMERICAN PRODUCTS AND DON’T WANT TO BUY CHINESE BECAUSE THEY ARE COMPETING WITH THUS, STEALING OUR TECHNOLOGY, AND WON’T OPEN THE MARKETS TO US. LOGICAL TRANSPARENCY. JAZMIN WE WILL TALK ABOUT YOUR PRESCRIPTION PLAN? HOW DOES THAT CHANGE WHAT AMERICANS PAY FOR THE DRUGS THEY NEED? SEN. SCOTT: NEW GO TO A PHARMACY, THEY SHOULD TELL YOU WHAT YOUR OUT-OF-POCKET WILL BE. MAYBE YOU JUST WANT TO USE YOUR OUT-OF-POCKET, AND THEY SHOULD TELL YOU. YOU MIGHT WANT TO DO THAT. THAT SHOULD APPLY AGAINST YOUR DEDUCTIBLE. WHEN YOU BUY INSURANCE, IF YOU ARE ON A STATIN, THEY WILL TELL YOU YOUR COPAYMENT IS X DOLLARS, AND THEY SHOULD NOT CHANGE THAT. AND WE CANNOT PAY HIGHER -- THE AVERAGE PRICE OF GERMANY, FRANCE, AND JAPAN, ALL DEVELOPED COUNTRIES, SO WHY ARE WE PAYING HIGHER PRICES FOR DRUGS? WE’RE SUBSIDIZING FOR THEM AND HURTING AMERICANS AND THAT IS NOT RIGHT. ADRIAN: JUST REALLY QUICKLY, YOU HAVE A BUSY DAY GETTING READY TO MEET WITH THE COMMUNITY HERE. WE ARE ALSO SEEING A LOT OF ISSUES, THE GOVERNOR OF PUERTO RICO STEPPING DOWN, THE PROTESTS HAPPENING THERE. WHAT CAN YOU DO DURING YOUR TIME THAT YOU REMAIN IN WASHINGTON TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT ILAN HAS WHAT THEY NEED? SEN. SCOTT: IT IS MAKING SURE THAT THEY HAD THE FOOD AND NUTRITION PROGRAM IN PUERTO RICO. I HAVE BEEN A PUERTO RICO 10 TIMES SINCE THE HURRICANE AND I WILL BE GOING BACK SOON. YOU JUST SAW PROBLEM AFTER PROBLEM. TH LEADERSHIP THAT WILL FOCUS ON THINGS IMPORTANT TO THEIR FAMILI -- THEY NEED LEADERSHIP THAT WILL FOCUS ON THINGS IMPORTANT TO THEIR FAMILIES. THEY HAVE TO HAVE LEADERS FOCUS ON SERIOUS ISSUES. THE GOVERNMENT HAS TO BE A PARTNER. JAZMIN: SENATOR SCOTT, THANK YOU SO MUCH WERE TALKING TO US. IT WAS
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‘It’s pretty broken’: Sen. Scott talks state of affairs in D.C., Venezuela and Puerto Rico
Sen. Rick Scott is in Orlando on Friday to meet with Venezuelan community leaders.They'll be talking about ways the U.S. is trying to force out Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Venezuela is in the middle of a humanitarian crisis and Maduro has stopped aid efforts from other countries including the U.S. Scott joined WESH 2 News Friday morning to speak in depth about the situation and other issues he’s been tackling on Capitol Hill. See the full interview in the video player above. Scott has frequently said Washington is broken, and when asked about his first months in the Senate, he doubled down Friday. “It’s pretty broken,” Scott said. Scott said implementing term limits in Congress, cutting off pay for members of Congress during a government shut down and lowering the cost of prescription drugs would improve things. When asked about Puerto Rico, Scott said the island needs to get leadership that “is going to focus on things that are important to their families.” Scott said that starts with creating jobs and growing the Puerto Rican economy. Scott also advocated for a better education system in Puerto Rico and improved safety. He also said it’s important that the federal government act as a partner in working to achieve the aforementioned steps.

Sen. Rick Scott is in Orlando on Friday to meet with Venezuelan community leaders.

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They'll be talking about ways the U.S. is trying to force out Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Venezuela is in the middle of a humanitarian crisis and Maduro has stopped aid efforts from other countries including the U.S.

Scott joined WESH 2 News Friday morning to speak in depth about the situation and other issues he’s been tackling on Capitol Hill. See the full interview in the video player above.

Scott has frequently said Washington is broken, and when asked about his first months in the Senate, he doubled down Friday. “It’s pretty broken,” Scott said.

Scott said implementing term limits in Congress, cutting off pay for members of Congress during a government shut down and lowering the cost of prescription drugs would improve things.

When asked about Puerto Rico, Scott said the island needs to get leadership that “is going to focus on things that are important to their families.” Scott said that starts with creating jobs and growing the Puerto Rican economy.

Scott also advocated for a better education system in Puerto Rico and improved safety.

He also said it’s important that the federal government act as a partner in working to achieve the aforementioned steps.