Asa Hutchinson Quotes

Like all Americans, Arkansans hurt for the Syrian refugees. The hardships they face are beyond most of our understanding, and my thoughts and prayers are with them, but I will not support a policy that poses real risk to Americans.

- Asa Hutchinson

My life has never been a part of a big plan. It's more of an unfolding adventure.

- Asa Hutchinson

People resisted having weapons on airplanes, but I oversaw the federal air marshals. It's a deterrent. No one sees that weapon, but they are protected on that airplane, and it's a huge positive impact on safety.

- Asa Hutchinson

This is a true story. The day after Reagan won, I was walking into the courthouse when someone said that they'd bet Reagan would appoint me U.S. attorney.

- Asa Hutchinson

In reference to Cat Stevens, it is very, very important we have accurate information on our terrorist watch list and our no fly list and that you have a remedy.

- Asa Hutchinson

I have serious challenges with Donald Trump and his messaging that is going to make it more difficult for us to bring in minorities, Hispanics, into the party and into our voting base in November. I would be concerned about him carrying the banner for the Republican Party.

- Asa Hutchinson

I was delighted to support Marco Rubio.

- Asa Hutchinson

As we learned after President Herbert Hoover signed the Smoot-Hawley tariff at the outset of the Great Depression, vibrant international trade is a key component to economic recovery; hindering trade is a recipe for disaster.

- Asa Hutchinson

Without any doubt, I'm convinced that Hillary Clinton represents less individuality, flexibility for the states, a weaker national defense. And you know, for all those reasons, we ought to get behind Donald Trump.

- Asa Hutchinson

Well, your premise is correct, that we have to first guard against those who have an affiliation with terrorists and a connection, and so we have watch lists and systems that can make that connection.

- Asa Hutchinson

Proper training and federal supervision in state-federal partnerships are essential to both assuring constitutional rights and enforcing our immigration laws. Our Founding Fathers' concept of federalism does not prohibit such cooperation, and we have learned from experience that joint efforts work best.

- Asa Hutchinson

I believe Timothy McVeigh getting the death penalty for his heinous act of killing over a hundred in Oklahoma City, that could very well deter others that might want to enter into that similar conduct.

- Asa Hutchinson

In an ever-changing global marketplace, the one factor any state can count on is the skills of its upcoming and existing workforce.

- Asa Hutchinson

Here in Arkansas, we are preparing a generation of learners to meet the needs of businesses by equipping students with workforce training opportunities statewide.

- Asa Hutchinson

When I get economic development calls from business leaders who are considering relocating or expanding in Arkansas, the abilities of our workforce are always a critical part of the conversation.

- Asa Hutchinson

I think it's certainly important that we don't have symbols in our society that are offensive to a segment and that arouse racial division.

- Asa Hutchinson

Trump is a juggernaut that is difficult to unravel at this point, but I think Marco Rubio is the right one to do it. I think he can win Arkansas, and he can win in November.

- Asa Hutchinson

My responsibility is to speak out on my own convictions.

- Asa Hutchinson

Whether you're looking at manufacturing and the use of robotics or the knowledge industries, they need computer programmers.

- Asa Hutchinson

To argue that it is unconstitutional for local law enforcement to be a legitimate partner in immigration enforcement is shortsighted. It is evidence of a lack of commitment to securing our borders and a lack of appreciation for the proper role of the states in supporting federal law enforcement priorities.

- Asa Hutchinson

When I was involved in the initial creation of the Department of Homeland Security, we were given a clear twofold mission. The first part of the mission was to secure our borders. The second was to maintain the free and efficient flow of commerce and people.

- Asa Hutchinson

There's been intelligence that terrorists would look to programs such as the visa waiver program to exploit.

- Asa Hutchinson

Well firstly, that points certainly at the need for international standards on biometrics that would move in the same direction so that we can have the same technical requirements.

- Asa Hutchinson

He has a style that is not my style. And that is fine. That's Donald Trump. And guess what? That's exactly who the base of the Republican Party supported and said that's who we want to carry the banner.

- Asa Hutchinson

Hillary Clinton's radical attempts at so-called reform of the nation's health care system would have been more destructive than even Obamacare has been.

- Asa Hutchinson

Strength, boldness, and new energy are not words that describe Hillary Clinton.

- Asa Hutchinson

We get divided generationally and in other ways - libertarians versus more traditional social conservatives, for example - and we've got to provide some flexibility there. But we don't need to have quite so many litmus tests. We need to have our big picture focused on economic issues.

- Asa Hutchinson

You can have bans on assault weapons or whatever weapons you wish, and it's not going to protect from a violent person.

- Asa Hutchinson

The nominee of our party, which at this - is presumed to be Donald Trump - I think that's the right team to support. That's what I've always said I would.

- Asa Hutchinson

Obviously everybody can't go to the convention, but if you're staying away from the convention because you disagree with a style or some substance of Donald Trump, that's a mistake because we've got our country at stake.

- Asa Hutchinson

As we approached our work, my colleagues and I looked to the U.S. Constitution for guidance. It states, 'No person shall ... be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law.' No person, no exceptions.

- Asa Hutchinson

Historically, there is a presumption that the legitimate police powers of the states are not to be pre-empted by federal law unless Congress has made that purpose clear.

- Asa Hutchinson

During my years of services in the government, I have spent a great deal of time studying and managing the spectrum of threats to our borders as well as the diverse ways in which those threats are moved across the border.

- Asa Hutchinson

It is not a crime nor an impeachable offense to engage in inappropriate personal conduct; nor is it a crime to obstruct or conceal an embarrassing relationship.

- Asa Hutchinson

It's almost impossible to have a constructive conversation about health-care reform in Arkansas without passions rising and folks taking sides.

- Asa Hutchinson

We measure very carefully what the positives are and I think it is less than one tenth of one percent, so we are very pleased with the accuracy of our biometric checks and we continue to monitor that.

- Asa Hutchinson

Republicans - well, we're all part of the same family. We need to have some good disagreements with each other; we need to debate, but in the end, it's all about uniting, not dividing.

- Asa Hutchinson

On the campaign trail, Hillary Clinton emphasized her experience. Yes, experience matters, but judgment matters more. Despite her experience, Hillary Clinton's poor decisions have produced bad results. Just think about it.

- Asa Hutchinson

We would certainly welcome the recipient nation to put their inspectors on our shores, if they wanted to make that investment to help protect that shipment that is outgoing.

- Asa Hutchinson

While we don't have the authority on the state level to change federal policy, my fellow governors and I do have a duty to protect our states' citizens, and we have a personal responsibility to act when we have the power to do so.

- Asa Hutchinson

You're never too old to start learning, and you're never too young to aim high and achieve great things.

- Asa Hutchinson

I don't think anybody accepts the idea that somehow I should be punished because I actually served our country during a very difficult time post-9/11. That required me to actually be out of Arkansas for a few years.

- Asa Hutchinson

I don't want to stop and build protectionism out there, but I certainly don't mind tough negotiation with our trade partners.

- Asa Hutchinson

The true credit for our safety and security goes to our men and women who are serving in places like Iraq and Afghanistan in the global war on terrorism.

- Asa Hutchinson

The words are frightening - how you're going to build a wall, how you're going to have Mexico pay for it. What does this mean?

- Asa Hutchinson

When you talk about mandatory minimums, it created a lot of unfairness in our sentencing.

- Asa Hutchinson

We've had an assault rifle ban in our country, and that did not accomplish the objectives. We had Columbine during the time that that ban was in place.

- Asa Hutchinson

As governor, my chief responsibility is to keep our state and people safe, which is why I have decided to oppose Arkansas being used as a relocation center for Syrian refugees.

- Asa Hutchinson

Obviously, we think it's important to make sure that firearms do not get in the hands of people who are criminals, convicted felons or adjudicated as mentally ill.

- Asa Hutchinson

To suggest that immigration is the exclusive domain of the federal government, disallowing partnerships with local law enforcement, defies the will of Congress, not to mention reality. Numerous local jurisdictions have laws on the books dealing with immigration in a variety of ways.

- Asa Hutchinson

The phrase 'private option' itself has become politically toxic.

- Asa Hutchinson

You can expect interior enforcement actions in the future.

- Asa Hutchinson

We recognize that it is not only inbound but also outbound (cargo) that can pose a risk as well.

- Asa Hutchinson

Terrorists can utilize any vulnerability in the system and that would include outbound shipments.

- Asa Hutchinson

Being from the heartland of America, I do not think one should have to go to Washington to seek justice.

- Asa Hutchinson

If we're talking about big-tent thinking in the Republican Party, I think we're all going to unite under a consistent economic theory. That's where our unity is, and that's what unites us.

- Asa Hutchinson

I'm old-fashioned that way. I don't believe you turn the president down.

- Asa Hutchinson

We need a president that values the role of the states, will destroy ISIS and jumpstart the economy.

- Asa Hutchinson

I think in some instances that the death penalty is required.

- Asa Hutchinson

We cannot let our guard down in the face of terror.

- Asa Hutchinson

But as you said, there are going to be those that have no record and cannot be detected in that capacity so that is why you have to have other layers of security.

- Asa Hutchinson