Face the Nation — Nov. 16, 2025: Shutdown Fallout, Health‑Care Crunch, Cyber Threats and Army's Drone Push

Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan — Nov. 16, 2025 (Full transcript)

Host: Margaret Brennan (Washington)

On the Nov. 16 edition of Face the Nation, Margaret Brennan led conversations about the political and practical fallout from a 43‑day federal shutdown, the rise in health‑insurance costs, emerging cyber threats, and how the U.S. Army is preparing for future conflicts — including a large drone acquisition and expanded industry partnerships. Guests included Reps. Tom Suozzi (D‑N.Y.) and Don Bacon (R‑Neb.), Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, Senators Bill Cassidy (R‑La.) and Jeanne Shaheen (D‑N.H.), and other officials.

Key topics

1) Health care and affordability

Brennan opened by noting that, although the shutdown ended, the forces that produced it remain — especially the urgency around rising health‑insurance premiums. CBS polling cited on the broadcast found two‑thirds of Americans expect premiums to rise in the coming months.

Representatives Don Bacon and Tom Suozzi, members of the bipartisan House Problem Solvers Caucus, discussed a compromise to extend enhanced premium tax credits for the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Their framework would temporarily extend the enhanced credits (they discussed a two‑year timeline) while phasing those enhancements down for higher earners, with a proposed phaseout between about $200,000 and $400,000 in household income.

Points raised:

• Bacon argued for a temporary extension paired with reforms that ensure subsidy dollars reduce premiums directly and suggested targeted high‑risk pools as one longer‑term approach.
• Suozzi emphasized affordability for lower‑ and middle‑income households, saying many families could save substantial amounts — in some cases hundreds to thousands of dollars annually — if credits are extended.
• Both lawmakers stressed bipartisanship is essential; a one‑party solution would likely not clear the Senate.

Senator Bill Cassidy, a physician, described an alternative proposal discussed with the White House: redirecting some federal subsidy dollars into accounts for patients to use directly — a move he said could lower premiums while helping with high deductibles (he cited typical deductibles near $6,000). Cassidy and Senator Jeanne Shaheen agreed on urgency, but Shaheen emphasized that some reforms Cassidy described would be difficult to implement quickly and said a near‑term extension of credits was the immediate priority.

2) Oversight and public records

The program discussed House floor action to release Justice Department records related to the Jeffrey Epstein case. Guests expressed support for transparency; several survivors and families have urged release of the documents.

3) Cybersecurity and AI‑enabled intrusions

Bacon, who chairs a House cyber subcommittee, discussed a report from AI firm Anthropic alleging that Chinese state‑linked actors used AI to automate intrusions against roughly 30 companies. He warned that China has emerged as a leading cyber threat, now using AI to scale attacks, and raised concerns about vacancies in senior U.S. cyber leadership posts and about funding cuts at CISA that could weaken U.S. defenses. Bacon urged faster White House action to restore leadership and resources.

4) Army readiness, drones and industry partnerships

Army Secretary Dan Driscoll discussed readiness and modernization. He warned that shutdowns degrade long‑term construction and readiness projects and said the Army is reactivating jungle training in Panama and standing ready for contingencies if ordered.

On counter‑drone and drone strategy, Driscoll described unmanned systems as a major modern threat — "a flying IED" — and said layered defenses, interoperable sensing and command‑and‑control are needed to protect bases and mass gatherings. He outlined efforts to work closely with federal and local law enforcement and the FAA to deconflict civilian and commercial drone activity.

Driscoll announced an ambitious procurement posture: the Army plans large‑scale drone acquisitions (the interview referenced a target of about one million drones over two to three years) and is pursuing a program called SkyFoundry to partner with industry and produce key components (sensors, motors, circuit boards) to scale U.S. output. He also noted battlefield innovation in Ukraine as a source of lessons and data for future warfare, and he described recent Army outreach to major tech companies for AI, logistics and contested‑environment solutions.

5) Immigration enforcement and other items

Brennan reported on a Trump administration immigration enforcement operation in Charlotte, N.C., dubbed "Charlotte's Web," noting federal agents were conducting arrests and questioning people in public spaces; reporters were told New Orleans may be next.

Takeaways

• Lawmakers across the aisle agree there is urgent work to avoid premium spikes when enhanced ACA credits expire; short‑term extension plus targeted reforms is the prevailing path discussed.
• Cybersecurity threats are accelerating as adversaries leverage AI; gaps in leadership and funding for cyber defense were highlighted as immediate vulnerabilities.
• The Army is accelerating modernization with large drone buys and deepening public‑private partnerships to catch up with global production and battlefield innovation.

Full program note: Guests on the broadcast included Reps. Tom Suozzi and Don Bacon; Sen. Bill Cassidy and Sen. Jeanne Shaheen; Army Secretary Dan Driscoll; and other officials. Margaret Brennan closed by highlighting related headlines on homelessness, deepfakes and other topical items.