CNN "The Situation Room" - Transcripts

Interview

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BLITZER (On camera): Joining us now, two senators, Senator Dick Durbin and Senator John Barrasso.

Guys, thanks very much for joining us. Both of you attended that Blair House summit with the president last week. Senator Barrasso, like it or not, the president is pushing forward. He says the House is going to pass it with a simple majority. Then it is up to the Senate to pass it with a simple majority. Is there any way realistically, you believe, this won't be enacted into law?

SEN. JOHN BARRASSO (R), WYOMING: Absolutely, Wolf, because the American people are so opposed to it. Look at the CNN poll. Half of Americans say stop and start over; 25 percent of Americans told CNN, just stop. And only one in four Americans said they wanted to have this passed.

Right now there is still bipartisan opposition to this bill in the House. It is far from being passed. And the thing they're going to have to pass first is the bill that includes the Cornhusker kickback, the Louisiana Purchase, all of the unseemly deals that were made to get the 60 votes to pass the Senate in the first place.

This is still the bill, in spite of the president's new sales job, it still cuts Medicare by $500 billion, raises taxes by $500 billion, and will cause so many people who buy insurance personally for their rates to go up.

BLITZER: Senator Durbin, you're the majority whip, the No. 2 Democrat in the Senate, do you have the votes?

SEN. DICK DURBIN, (D) MAJORITY WHIP: Oh, I hope we do, because we need to get this done. And let me say this about the polls, you know, God bless the CNN polls, but there was one a week ago that said 58 percent of the people said don't leave Washington without getting this job done. Among those who oppose it are those on the left who think it should be single payer or have a public option. To say there is opposition to it, it comes from both sides. I think we struck the right balance and I think the president is right.

We need to move forward to start reducing the cost of health insurance across America. We know that it is beyond the reach of businesses and families today. The Republicans, for all of their rhetoric, are not supporting our efforts to give people the right to fight health insurance, companies that turn you down because of pre-existing conditions.

BLITZER: Senator, just quickly, walk us through what is going to happen over the next -- you want this resolved before the Easter recess at the end of the month. You want the House to take action first. Walk us through the legislative process.

DURBIN: I can't walk you through it because, frankly, Speaker Pelosi has to come up with her approach on the House side. I don't want to presume how she will approach it.

BLITZER: Do you expect the House to pass the Senate version that passed Christmas Eve?

DURBIN: One option is, of course, to pass this Senate bill. The pass was 60 votes on Christmas Eve, and then pass reconciliation, which will modify that, make some changes in it. I think some positive changes. I would love to have Republican support. The president asked for it today. I don't know if we'll get any support for it.

BLITZER: In the letter yesterday released, Senator Barrasso, he referred to the recommendation you made to him at the summit at Blair House last week. He said, you know what, Senator Barrasso who himself is a physician, has some good ideas, I'll accept them. He's trying to reach you at least partially, isn't he?

BARRASSO: And that's why I would love for the president to say let's go with the ideas that everyone agrees with, and pass those immediately. So that people who have insurance could never be thrown off of their -- out of their insurance, so that there would be no lifetime limits, so that young people age 21 don't get thrown off of their parents' policy and can stay on until they're 25. Pass those things today. Look for the common ground where there is agreement.

BLITZER: But he says you can't do that unless you do everything, it just won't work mathematically, Senator Barrasso.

BARRASSO: Well, I disagree. I think best thing we should do is go in a step by step way, in a positive direction to number one focus on the cost of care. That's what Warren Buffett said on Monday. That the big threat to this is the cost of care. And then get rid of all of the nonsense in the bill, all of these backroom deals that the American people have just rejected.

BLITZER: You're going to get rid of all of the back room deals, the Louisiana Purchase and the --

BARRASSO: He only got rid of one. He only got rid of Cornhusker kickback.

BLITZER: What about the other ones?

BARRASSO: The others are still there.

BLITZER: The one in Florida that Senator McCain complained about, the one in Nebraska. What about that, Senator Durbin, are you going to get rid of all those?

DURBIN: Change is going to be made.

But let me tell you something, if that's the worst thing you can find in this bill, for goodness sakes, we extend health insurance coverage to 31 million Americans. That is a significant historic accomplishment. We give people the right to battle these insurance companies when they say no because of pre-existing conditions. And to ignore all of that, to ignore all of that because of one small provision in the bill, these are trifles.

(CROSS TALK)

BLITZER: Are you saying that special treatment for Florida, the special treatment for Nebraska will stay in the legislation when the dust settles?

DURBIN: I don't know what the final version will be. I can tell you most of these will be addressed through reconciliation. I am supporting those changes and reforms are being made, there is no final product.

BLITZER: What about the fact that the president stated today, Senator Barrasso, I don't think you disagree with him, the Democrats plan will bring in 31 million Americans, they'll be able to get insurance. The Republican plan brings in 3 million Americans. That's a huge gap.

BARRASSO: He ignores the fact that part of our plan is to allow people to buy insurance across state lines, and you would have 12 million more Americans insured today, Wolf, if people, like in California, could shop around when they see those rates going up, to shop in other states. That's what we need.

But the president offers to provide coverage, which is different than care. He's going to put 15 million more people on Medicaid, a program where half the doctors in America won't see those people because the reimbursement rates are so low, even lower than the cost of even keeping the doors open.

BLITZER: Is that true, Senator Durbin?

BARRASSO: The Mayo Clinic won't see Medicaid patients. The Mayo Clinic won't see them. They say we can't afford to stay open with Medicaid rates.

DURBIN: Millions of Americans receive medical care through Medicaid. Many of those who will be covered by this bill are walking into hospitals with no insurance and no payment whatsoever. My hospital administrators in Springfield, Illinois, say we would welcome Medicaid reimbursement from people who are paying nothing.

Let me just also say about buying across state lines, we support it. Here's the difference. We believe there should be basic requirements in health insurance so you don't end up buying a policy that is worthless when you need it. Say you can buy a policy from faraway state, that isn't there when you need it, is no comfort to the family involved and an added burden to society and the government.

BLITZER: On that note, we'll leave it. We'll continue this discussion. A few weeks the president says he wants it done. I hope both of you will come back several times. Lots more to discuss, Senator Durbin, Senator Barrasso, thanks very much.

DURBIN: Thank you.

BARRASSO: Thank you, Wolf. Great to be with you.

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