CNBC News Releases

CNBC TRANSCRIPT: HOUSE SPEAKER PAUL RYAN SPEAKS WITH “SQUAWK BOX” TODAY

WHEN: Today, Tuesday, April 17, 2018

WHERE: CNBC'S "Squawk Box" – Live from the U.S. Capitol

Following is the unofficial transcript of a CNBC interview with House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) on CNBC's "Squawk Box" (M-F 6AM – 9AM) today, Tuesday, April 17th. Following is a link to video of the full interview on CNBC.com: https://www.cnbc.com/video/2018/04/17/paul-ryan-im-not-a-political-person-im-a-policy-person.html?play=1.

All references must be sourced to CNBC.

JOE KERNEN: LAST WEEK HE SAID HE WOULDN'T RUN FOR RE-ELECTION AND HE CAME BOUNCING IN HERE. HE'S IN A REALLY GOOD MOOD. HIS RETIREMENT COMES AFTER A CAREER CROWNED BY SUCCESSFULLY SHEPHERDING TAX REFORM INTO LAW. JOINING US NOW, SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE PAUL RYAN. I BELIEVE YOU. ALRIGHT. BECAUSE I KNOW ABOUT KIDS AND I KNOW ABOUT WEEKEND DADS.

REP. PAUL RYAN: YEAH. WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS FOR YEARS.

KERNEN: WE HAVE. I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT YOUR LIFE. NOT ONLY THAT, AS A REGULAR CONGRESSMAN BUT A SPEAKER WHICH IS JUST –

RYAN: YEAH. SO WHEN WE HAVE RECESSES NORMALLY A GUY IN CONGRESS GOES HOME AND SPENDS TIME WITH YOUR FAMILY. WITH THE CONSTITUENTS, I'M ON THE ROAD. SO IT'S A REQUIREMENT OF THE JOB.

KERNEN: IT'S HARD WORK, TOO.

RYAN: YEAH. IT'S AN HONOR TO DO IT AND I'M GLAD THAT THREE YEARS IS GOOD.

KERNEN: WELL THAT'S THE ONLY REASON YOU DID IT. YOU LOOK LIKE THE MOST -- AND I DON'T THINK THAT WAS AN ACT. YOU WERE SO RELUCTANT.

RYAN: YEAH. BECAUSE I KNEW I KNEW WHAT IT INVOLVED. AND I WAS -- I LOVED BEING WAYS AND MEANS CHAIR. IT'S A GREAT JOB. AND IT'S A JOB YOU CAN HAVE A REALLY GOOD FAMILY/WORK LIFE BALANCE. SPEAKER IS A DIFFERENT STORY. IT'S AN ABSOLUTE HONORED TO HAVE THIS JOB.

KERNEN: I COULD GUILT YOU INTO –

RYAN: SEE, THE PEOPLE USED CATHOLIC GUILT TO GET ME IN THIS JOB IN THE FIRST PLACE.

KERNEN: I COULD GUILT YOU INTO – YOU'RE NOT DONE ON ENTITLEMENTS. WE NEED YOUR VOICE. WE GOT TAX REFORM BUT WE NEED YOUR VOICE.

RYAN: RIGHT. SO OBVIOUSLY TAX REFORM, REGULATORY RELIEF, REBUILDING THE MILITARY, WE'RE ABOUT TO DO SOME WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ISSUES THAT I THINK ARE REALLY GOOD FOR LABOR MARKET SUPPLY. ENTITLEMENT REFORM IS THE ONE THING THAT I'VE BEEN WORKING ON PRETTY MUCH MY WHOLE LIFE. I'M REALLY PROUD OF THE FACT THAT EVERY TERM SINCE I WAS BUDGET CHAIR, WE'VE PASSED BUDGETS IN THE HOUSE THAT BALANCE THE BUDGET, THAT REFORM ENTITLEMENTS THAT PAY DOWN THE DEBT. WE PASSED THE BIGGEST ENTITLEMENT REFORM BILL IN THE HISTORY OF CONGRESS IN THE COUNTRY IN THE HOUSE LAST YEAR. IT FAILED BY A VOTE IN THE SENATE. I HATE THE FACT THAT THAT HAPPENED, BUT HERE IN THE HOUSE, WE'VE DONE OUR WORK. WE'VE STILL GOT A LOT MORE TO DO. AND IT REALLY IS ENTITLEMENTS AND IT'S HEALTH CARE ENTITLEMENTS WE HAVE TO GET UNDER CONTROL. BUT THERE'S JUST -- THERE COMES A TIME WHEN YOU'RE AT A STAGE IN LIFE WHERE YOU HAVE TO MAKE THESE KINDS OF DECISIONS. AND THAT'S THE DECISION I HAD TO MAKE. AND WHAT I DIDN'T WANT TO DO IS RUN FOR RE-ELECTION KNOWING I WASN'T GOING TO STAY A FULL TERM, AND BASICALLY BE DISHONEST WITH EVERYBODY, AND THEN HANG IT UP RIGHT AFTER THE ELECTION. WHICH IS WHAT THE POLITICAL PEOPLE SAY YOU SHOULD DO. I'M JUST NOT A POLITICAL PERSON. I'M A POLICY PERSON. AND I JUST DIDN'T WANT TO DO THAT.

KERNEN: WE'VE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS. I REALLY DO THINK YOU'RE -- YOU'RE LIKE A CHOIR BOY. YOUR'E SO STRAIGHT LACED ABOUT EVERYTHING. SO, I UNDERSTAND THAT TRUMP MIGHT AT TIMES BE A DIFFERENT TYPE –

RYAN: HE USED TO CALL ME A BOY SCOUT, BUT –

KERNEN: YOU ARE A BOY SCOUT, OKAY. SO I UNDERSTAND THE TIMES WHERE YOU'VE CHAFED OR HE'S CHAFED OR I UNDERSTAND THAT RELATIONSHIP, BUT I THINK YOU HAD A GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP.

RYAN: VERY MUCH SO.

KERNEN: BUT WHO WRITES THE PIECE THAT YOU'RE LEAVING BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT TO DEAL WITH TRUMP ANYMORE?

RYAN: IT REALLY ISN'T. IT REALLY ISN'T.

KERNEN: WHERE DO THEY GET THAT? DID THEY CITE –

RYAN: PEOPLE WHO DON'T LIKE TRUMP SAY THIS.

KERNEN: IS THAT FAKE NEWS?

RYAN: YES, IT'S FAKE NEWS. OF COURSE.

KERNEN: THAT IS FAKE NEWS. BECAUSE I READ THAT ARTICLE BUT IT SOUNDS ON THE SURFACE TO BE PLAUSIBLE.

RYAN: LOOK WHAT HIS ELECTION GOT US. IT GOT US FINALLY A UNIFIED GOVERNMENT WHERE WE COULD TAKE ON THESE ISSUES.

KERNEN: SO YOU CATEGORICALLY DENY THAT THIS HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH HIM, ANYTHING TO DO WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP.

RYAN: ABSOLUTELY. I'M GRATEFUL THAT HE HAS GIVEN US THIS CHANCE WITH HIS ELECTION TO DO FUNDAMENTAL TAX REFORM THAT IS A LONG TIME COMING AND FINALLY GOT DONE. LOOK AT THE REGULATORY RELIEF. LOOK AT WHAT THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY IS DOING NOW THAT WE HAVE LIFTED THE BAN ON EXPORTING CRUDE OIL. LOOK AT ALL THE LNG PLATFORMS THAT ARE BEING BUILT. LOOK AT ALL THE FRACKING THAT'S OCCURRING. ANWAR NOW IS BACK ONLINE. WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET ANWAR, THE ARCTIC NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE FOR 37 YEARS. AMERICA IS NOW GOING TO BE THE DOMINANT ENERGY PRODUCER IN THE WORLD. WE ARE PUTTING OPEC TO THE SIDE. WHY? BECAUSE DONALD TRUMP GOT ELECTED PRESIDENT WITH A REPUBLICAN CONGRESS AND LOOK WHAT'S HAPPENING. THAT'S JUST ONE SECTOR. THE PERMIAN BASIN THAT WAS DONE IN MIDLAND TEXAS A LITTLE WHILE AGO, THEY HAVE DISCOVERED RECOVERABLE OIL FIELDS THAT ARE AS BIG AS THE SAUDI OIL FIELD, IN JUST THIS PART OF TEXAS. WHY? NOW WE HAVE THIS GREAT OPENING. SO I'M JUST SAYING ONE SECTOR OF THE ECONOMY HAS BEEN UNLOCKED. THERE ARE MANY OTHER SECTORS – OUR DODD/FRANK REFORM AND REPLACE BILL, MOVING IT'S WAY THROUGH CONGRESS.

KERNEN: WHEN ARE WE GOING TO SEE YOU AGAIN? I MEAN, YOU'RE—

RYAN: WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY IS HE'S GIVEN US THIS INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY TO GET A LOT OF GOOD THINGS DONE.

KERNEN: I WANT TO TALK ABOUT YOU.

BECKY QUICK: YOU'RE 48.

RYAN: I'M 48 YEARS OLD.

KERNEN: I'LL GET INTO – I WAS GOING TO -- YOU'RE IN YOUR LATE 20s NOW.

RYAN: I CAME INTO CONGRESS WHEN I WAS 28 YEARS OLD. I'VE BEEN HERE 20 YEARS. I'M LIKE ONE OF THE OLD BULLS AROUND HERE. ISN'T THAT KIND OF FUNNY?

KERNEN: WELL 48 IS –

QUICK: BUT THAT'S YOUNG.

RYAN: I KNOW, I KNOW. SO I'VE BEEN -- THAT'S THE OTHER POINT. I'VE BEEN HERE 20 YEARS.

KERNEN: WHAT ELSE WILL YOU RUN FOR?

RYAN: YOU KNOW, YOU NEVER SAY NEVER TO THOSE THINGS. BUT NOT ANY TIME SOON BECAUSE MY KIDS—

QUICK: THAT'S THE SAME ANSWER I'VE HEARD YOU GIVE SEVEN TIMES.

RYAN: BUT I HAVE NO INTENTION OF RUNNING FOR ANYTHING, SO WHAT ARE YOU REALLY GOING TO DO NEXT.

RYAN: I HAVE NO INTENTION OF RUNNING FOR ANYTHING. MY KIDS ARE AT THAT AGE –

KERNEN: WELL, RIGHT NOW.

RYAN: YOU HAVE TEENAGERS. YOU GUYS – WELL, YOU DON'T YET. THEY'RE STILL PRETTY YOUNG.

QUICK: I DO. I DO.

RYAN: HOW OLD ARE THEY?

QUICK: I HAVE – 15 IS THE OLDEST.

RYAN: ALL RIGHT. 15'S THE OLDEST. SO WHEN YOU NEVER SEE THEM AND YOU ONLY HAVE SUNDAY NIGHT DINNERS AND SUNDAY MORNING MASS, IT GETS TO YOU AFTER AWHILE. YOU JUST – IT IS WHAT IT IS.

KERNEN: SO IS McCARTHY GOING TO BE -- IS HE GOING TO TAKE NANCY PELOSI'S JOB OR IS HE GOING TO TAKE YOUR JOB?

RYAN: NO, HE'S GOING TO TAKE MY JOB. NOT NANCY PELOSI'S JOB.

KERNEN: YOU SURE?

RYAN: WHY? YEAH, BECAUSE I FEEL REALLY GOOD ABOUT –

KERNEN: IS IT GOING TO BE McCARTHY?

RYAN: YEAH, I THINK IT SHOULD BE McCARTHY AND I THINK IT WILL BE. AND I THINK THAT'S AFTER THE TERM. LOOK, WE'VE GOT – THE LAST THING WE WANT TO DO IS HAVE DISRUPTION OF LEADERSHIP ELECTIONS IN THE MIDDLE OF A TERM RIGHT NOW. AND ALSO, THERE'S SO MUCH MORE WE CAN DO TO RUN FOR THE TAPE. WE'VE GOT TO DO OUR VOCATIONAL EDUCATION TECHNICAL EDUCATION BILL. WE'VE GOT TO DO – GETTING PEOPLE FROM WELFARE TO WORK. WE'VE GOT INFRASTRUCTURE BILLS. MORE REGULATORY RELIEF. WE'VE GOT OUR DODD/FRANK REFORMS. SO, WE'VE GOT MORE THINGS WE'RE GOING TO RUN TO THE TAPE AND GET DONE AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO GO TO THE VOTERS AND SHOW WHAT A BIG DIFFERENCE. LOOK AT – TODAY IS TAX DAY. THE AVERAGE FAMILY OF FOUR IS GETTING A $2,000 TAX CUT BECAUSE OF THE TAX BILL. THIS IS THE LAST YEAR OF THIS OLD TAX CODE. AND NOW YOU HAVE A NEW YEAR OF LOWER TAX RATES DOUBLING THE STANDARD DEDUCTION, DOUBLING THE CHILD TAX CREDIT. A SIMPLIFIED SYSTEM THESE ARE GOOD THINGS. PEOPLE KNOW IT. PEOPLE SEE IT. AND THEY KNOW THAT HAVING THIS UNIFIED REPUBLICAN GOVERNMENT IS MAKING A BIG POSITIVE DIFFERENCE IN OUR ECONOMY.

KERNEN: WHAT DO YOU SAY TO PEOPLE WHO SAY YOU OUGHT TO LEAVE NOW BECAUSE YOU CAN'T RAISE MONEY?

RYAN: WELL, THE ANSWER IS I AM AND I CAN AND THERE'S A LOT MORE WE CAN DO AND –

KERNEN: NO WAY YOU LISTEN TO THAT.

QUICK: NO THEY SAY, LEAVE NOW AND LET McCARTHY –

RYAN: THE VAST MAJORITY OF MEMBERS SAY, "DON'T LEAVE. THERE'S SO MUCH MORE YOU CAN DO. WE WANT CONTINUITY. WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE DISRUPTING LEADERSHIP ELECTIONS IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS." AND BY THE WAY, THERE'S A LOT MORE I COULD DO. I'VE RAISED $54 MILLION FOR OUR PARTY SINCE THE FIRST OF THE TERM HERE AND I CAN RAISE A WHOLE LOT MORE.

QUICK: LET ME ASK ONE QUESTION. AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NEWS STORIES AND WHETHER THEY'RE TRUE OR NOT. YESTERDAY I READ A POLITICO STORY THAT SUGGESTED YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH KEVIN McCARTHY WHICH IS VERY TIGHT HAS BEEN STRAINED BY YOUR DECISION TO STAY BECAUSE THAT LEAVES SEVEN MONTHS –

RYAN: COMPLETE AND FULL TOTAL FAKE NEWS. THAT PARTICULAR ARTICLE.

KERNEN: POLITICO, REALLY?

QUICK: WHAT'S THAT?

RYAN: YEAH. LOOK. I DON'T WANT TO SLAM NEWSPAPERS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT HE AND I WERE JOKING ABOUT IT LAST NIGHT.

QUICK: YOU WERE?

RYAN: OH, YEAH. YEAH, WE'RE VERY CLOSE. HE'S MY PARTNER.

QUICK: WHAT HAPPENS BECAUSE YOUR PARTY HAS BEEN A DIFFICULT ONE TO WRANGLE AS MOST PARTIES ARE. YOU DO HAVE THE FREEDOM CAUCUS SAYING, LOOK, WE DON'T LIKE THE BUDGET DEAL THAT WAS JUST CUT. WE DONT LIKE THE SPENDING THAT WAS IN IT THAT WAS GRANTED TO THE DEMOCRATS TO GET THEIR VOTES ON BOARD. WHAT DOES THAT -- WHAT HAPPENS TO YOUR PARTY?

RYAN: WE'RE MORE UNIFIED THAN WE HAVE BEEN IN A LONG, LONG TIME. LOOK AT ALL THIS STUFF. WE PASSED OVER 500 BILLS HERE IN THE HOUSE SINCE THE FIRST OF THIS TERM. UNFORTUNATELY ABOUT 400 OF THEM ARE STILL SITTING IN THE SENATE. WE'VE HAD THE MOST PRODUCTIVE CONGRESS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES IN DECADES BECAUSE OF ALL THE BILLS WE'VE PASSED. THE REASON WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO PASS ALL THESE BILLS IS BECAUSE IT'S UNIFIED. I CAME IN A FRACTURED DISUNIFIED CAUCUS IN 2015. WE'RE SO MUCH MORE UNIFIED NOW. THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I'M COMFORTABLE GOING IS BECAUSE WE HAVE COME TOGETHER AS A TEAM. WE'VE GELLED. WE PUT TOGETHER AN AGENDA IN 2016. WE RAN ON IT. AND NOW WE'RE EXECUTING ON THAT AGENDA. WE'RE TWO-THIRDS OF THE WAY THROUGH GETTING IT ALL DONE IN LAW. SO WE'VE GOTTEN SO MUCH OF OUR WORK DONE. AND BECAUSE WE'RE GELLED, BECAUSE WE HAVE A GREAT LEADERSHIP TEAM THAT COULD HAVE SEAMLESS TRANSFER, THAT'S WHY I FEEL COMFORTABLE DOING THIS. SOMETHING THAT I JUST FEEL OBLIGATED TO DO AT THIS PHASE OF LIFE I'M IN. AND I'M HAPPY. LOOK, I'VE GOTTEN ALMOST ALL THAT I WANTED DONE, DONE. THE ONLY THING IS THE HEALTH CARE ENTITLEMENTS. BUT LOOK, ENTERPRISE ZONES, I WORKED ON THAT WHEN I WAS WORKING FOR JACK KEMP. ENTERPRISE ZONES ARE NOW LAW OF THE LAND. SO THE CRITICAL COMPONENT OF OUR POVERTY FIGHTING AGENDA, THAT'S NOW THE LAW OF THE LAND. REWRITING THE TAX CODE, I'VE BEEN WORKING ON THAT ALL MY LIFE. THAT'S NOW THE LAW OF THE LAND. ALL THE REGULATORY RELIEF THAT WE THINK ARE IMPORTANT TO UNLOCKING CAPITAL, LAW OF THE LAND. SO THERE'S – BY THE WAY, THE MILITARY – WHEN YOU BECOME SPEAKER, YOU SPEND -- YOU GET THE SAME BRIEFINGS THE PRESIDENT GETS. YOU GET THE SAME INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE MILLITARY BRIEFINGS, SO I BECAME REALLY ACUTELY CONCERNED ABOUT THE STATE OF OUR MILITARY AND IT'S READINESS CRISIS. SO I REALLY TOOK TO THAT ISSUE NOW THAT IS THE LAW OF THE LAND. SO WE'VE GOTTEN SO MANY OF THE THINGS DONE THAT I SOUGHT OUT TO DO THAT I FEEL VERY CONTENT WITH THE ACHIEVEMENTS, AND NOW I JUST HAVE THIS FOCUS ON MAKING SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, I CAN DO THE OTHER REALLY IMPORTANT PARTS OF MY LIFE JOB WHICH IS FAMILY. YOU KNOW BEING A GOOD HUSBAND, BEING A GOOD DAD. I FEEL LIKE WE'VE GOT A LOT DONE. I THINK WE HAVE A GREAT TEAM TO PASS THE BATON ONTO.

KERNEN: YOU KNOW, THE ECONOMY AS USUAL SHOULD BE WHAT DICTATES MIDTERMS AND THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. THE GENERIC POLLING NARROWED AGAIN. IT'S GONE BACK AND FORTH.

RYAN: THAT'S RIGHT.

KERNEN: BUT STILL THE POLLING ON THE TAX BILL STILL NOT – IF – LISTENING TO YOU, IT SHOULD BE 80%. IT'S STILL 30%.

RYAN: I THINK IT'S GOING TO GET THERE. HERE'S MY POINT. YOU SAID THE GENERIC BALLOT IS AT A GOOD PLACE, SO IF AN ELECTION WERE TODAY, WE'D KEEP THE MAJORITY, ACCORDING TO THE GENERIC BALLOT.

KERNEN: REALLY?

RYAN: OH YEAH. IF YOU'RE DOWN THREE OR FOUR –

KERNEN: THREE OR FOUR IS KEEPING IT.

RYAN: WE'LL TOTALLY KEEP IT. THERE'S THAT ONE POLL I THINK IT'S YOUR POLL, IT'S A MSNBC OR CNBC POLL.

QUICK: I THINK IT'S A "WALL STREET JOURNAL" "NBC" POLL.

RYAN: YEAH. RIGHT. I – YOU LOOK INSIDE THAT POLL, THEY SAY, "WHO DO YOU THINK IS THE BEST TO RUN THE ECONOMY?" "REPUBLICANS." I REALLY BELIEVE AS THE ELECTION GETS CLOSER AND WE'RE COMMUNICATING MORE SPECIFICALLY WITH CONSTITUENTS WHO SEE THAT BECAUSE OF THIS TAX BILL THEY GOT THEIR BONUSES, THEY GOT INCREASED BENEFITS, THEY GOT AN AVERAGE $2,000 TAX CUT. WHEN PEOPLE LOOK AND SEE, OH, THE CHILD TAX CREDIT GOT DOUBLED. MY STANDARD DEDUCTION GOT DOUBLED. MY TAX RATES WENT DOWN.

KERNEN: LAST YEAR'S TAXES. NO ONE'S SEEING THAT YET.

RYAN: THAT'S WHY THE BONUSES MADE A BIG DIFFERENCE.

QUICK: WHAT IF IT COMES A YEAR FROM NOW?

RYAN: BUT WHEN THEY SEE THIS IS COMING – THIS IS HAPPENING, AND YOU'VE GOT MILLIONS OF BONUSES THAT HAVE BEEN PAID OUT. AND OUR ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE SPECIFICALLY WITH CONSTITUENTS IN THIS DIGITAL AGE IS VERY, VERY GOOD. SO I AM CONVINCED WE ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE THE BENEFITS OF THIS TAX LAW TO PEOPLE THIS FALL, SO NOT ONLY DO THEY RIGHT NOW SAY THEY WANT REPUBLICANS IN CHARGE OF THE ECONOMY BECAUSE THE ECONOMY IS GROWING WELL, NOT ONLY DO THEY WANT TO SAY THE REPUBLICANS IN CHARGE OF NATIONAL SECURITY BECAUSE THEY'RE BETTER ENTRUSTED TO KEEP US SAFE, AND WE HAVE GOOD POLLS RIGHT NOW. I FEEL CONFIDENT WE CAN KEEP THIS MAJORITY. WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IS THE NATIONAL MEDIA IS GOING TO BE DOING THIS BIG NARRATIVE. UNDERNEATH THAT NATIONAL NARRATIVE IN OUR DISCREET CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS, WE KNOW HOW TO INDICATE TO CONSTITUENTS TO SHOW THEM HERE'S WHAT WE SAID WE WOULD DO, HERE'S WHAT WE DID, HERE'S HOW IT'S MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN YOUR LIFE. WE'RE ACTUALLY IMPROVING PEOPLE'S LIVES SPECIFICALLY AND I THINK WE HAVE A GOOD CASE TO MAKE,

KERNEN: YOU KNOW THAT JUDGE IN WISCONSIN? WHAT ABOUT CONOR LAMB? ARE ANY OF THESE THINGS -- ARE THESE ALL ONEOFFS?

RYAN: WELL, I THINK THE JUDGE IN WISCONSIN – THAT WAS GOOD. HE WON MY DISTRICT FINE. BUT IN MADISON AND MILWAUKEE HE DID REALLY WELL. AND THAT'S THE INTENSITY GAP ISSUE. I THINK CONOR LAMB WAS KIND OF A UNQIUE –

KERNEN: WHAT'S SCOTT WALKER TALKING ABOUT? – IN WISCONSIN?

RYAN: YEAH, WE HAD – MADISON AND MILWAUKEE, IT'S DAYTON COUNTY, MADISON AND MILWAUKEE COUNTY, THE TURNOUT WAS ELEVATED THERE SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE TURN OUT OUR VOTERS. THERE'S NO TWO WAYS ABOUT THAT.

KERNEN: YOU SAY -- I MEAN, I LISTEN TO YOU ABOUT THE TAX BILL. AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE CHRIS VAN HOLLEN ON.

RYAN: MY GUESS IS HE'S GOING TO SAY –

KERNEN: HE'S GOING TO SAY THINGS THAT -- WE JUST HAD STENY ON. HE DIDN'T SAY ANY OF THIS. CAN YOU HANG OUT? I MEAN, STAND RIGHT HERE. STAND RIGHT HERE.

RYAN: I'LL JUST YELL FROM THE SIDELINES.

KERNEN: JUST SIT THERE AND GO – JUST LISTEN. AND DO HAND SIGNALS. WILL YOU DO THAT? DO YOU GOT TO GO DO SOMETHING?

RYAN: YEAH. I'VE GOT TO RUN A CONFERENCE NOW.

KERNEN: IS THAT A BIG DEAL?

RYAN: YEAH. IT'S RUNNING CONGRESS – ALL OF OUR MEMBERS.

KERNEN: OKAY. YOU SAY McCARTHY WILL – I HEARD IT'D BE EASIER FOR HIM TO WIN AS MINORITY LEADER BECAUSE OF THE FREEDOM – YOU DON'T NEED AS MANY VOTES. IT'S GOING TO BE TOUGH AS SPEAKER.

RYAN: LOOK, WE ARE MORE GELLED THAN WE WERE EVER BEFORE. ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I'M HERE IS BECAUSE WE HAD A FRACTURED CAUCUS. WE HAVE PATCHED THOSE FRACTURES, WE ARE NOW WORKING TOGETHER TO PASS LEGISLATION. AND SO, I REALLY DO NOT THINK THE SCHISMS EXIST LIKE THEY DID BEFORE. AND THAT'S I'M CONFIDENT WE HAVE A GOOD LEADERSHIP TEAM THAT IS TRIED AND TRUE AND HAS PRODUCED. AND IT'S GOING TO BE A MUCH MORE SEAMLESS TRANSITION THIS TIME AROUND. THAT'S WHY I'M CONFIDENT DOING THIS.

KERNEN: I HEAR CANTOR IS JUST KNOCKING THE COVER OFF THE BALL AT MOELIS. I HEAR HE'S REALLY –

QUICK: ERIC.

RYAN: ERIC.

KERNEN: AND THEN THERE'S BOEHNER. YOU COULD GO INTO THE POT BUSINESS OR SOMETHING. HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT -- WHAT HAPPENED?

RYAN: I JUST ABOUT CHOKED ON MY COFFEE. NO, I WILL NOT BE DOING THAT.

KERNEN: I'M JUST – YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING.

RYAN: NO, MY PLAN IS TO COME UP WITH MY PLAN IN 2019. IN THE MEANTIME RUN TO THE TAPE. I'M GOING TO FIGURE THAT STUFF OUT LATER.

KERNEN: ALL RIGHT. JUST IDEAS FOR YOU.

RYAN: THANK YOU. YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR 20 YEARS TOGETHER.

QUICK: YOU'VE BEEN ON "SQUAWK BOX" LONGER THAN I HAVE. HE'S BEEN ON "SQUAWK BOX" LONGER THAN I HAVE.

RYAN: I HAVE. CARL WAS –

QUICK: YOU HAVE. YOU WERE BEFORE CARL. CARL AND I WERE AT THE SAME TIME.

RYAN: PRE-SORKIN FOR SURE. JOE, YOU AND I.

KERNEN: YEAH, ME AND YOU. I KNOW.

RYAN: SO THIS IS FULL CIRCLE.

KERNEN: LOOK AT YOU. YOU STILL HAD THAT WIDOWS PEAK.

RYAN: THAT'S WHEN I HAD THE GUMBY HAIR CUT.

QUICK: THAT WAS NOT THE BEGINNING THOUGH.

KERNEN: THAT WAS LAST WEEK. YOU HAVEN'T CHANGED.

QUICK: NO BUT YOU WERE GUEST HOSTING BEFORE I WAS ON.

RYAN: YEAH, I GUEST HOSTED I GOT TO THINK, MAYBE A DOZEN TIMES? HALF A DOZEN TIMES? A LOT OF – MANY TIMES.

KERNEN: YOU DID AND WE APPRECIATE IT.

RYAN: BACK WHEN YOU WERE IN ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS. NOW YOU'RE DOWNTOWN.

QUICK: HE'S A CNBC CONTRIBUTOR.

KERNEN: A CNBC CONTRIBUTOR, YEAH. THAT'S ANOTHER THING YOU CAN DO. THAT'D BE A FEATHER IN YOUR CAP. SPEAKER IS ONE THING. ANYWAY. GOOD SEEING YOU.

QUICK: GREAT TO SEE YOU.

RYAN: WELCOME TO THE CAPITOL.

KERNEN: I'M A LITTLE SAD. I MISS YOU. THIS IS THE END OF AN ERA. IT IS SAD. WELL, YOU'LL BE ON AGAIN BEFORE --

RYAN: YEAH, WE'LL SEE YOU AROUND.

KERNEN: IF YOU REALLY LEAVE.

QUICK: THANK YOU, PAUL. GREAT TO SEE YOU.

RYAN: YOU TOO.

For more information contact:

Jennifer Dauble
CNBC
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e: jennifer.dauble@nbcuni.com

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CNBC
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e: emma.martin@nbcuni.com

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