OFFICE OF THE MAJORITY LEADER

TRANSCRIPT

Efforts in Congress to Pass Health Reform Bill Discussed on WJLA
September 16, 2009

... WILL PASS THIS YEAR. >> OUR EXCLUSIVE SURVEY SHOWS THAT LOCAL RESIDENTS ARE PRETTY MUCH SPLIT. 41% BELIEVE IT WILL PASS, 44% SAY IT WILL NOT. NO ONE KNOWS WHETHER OR NOT A BILL WILL PASS, BUT IF IT DOES, WILL IT BE BIPARTISAN? >> LET'S GO BACK OUT TO CAPITOL HILL, LIVE, TO SCOTT THUMAN. >> MANY PEOPLE WONDER WHY DON'T THE DEMOCRATS FORCE THIS BILL THROUGH? THEY SAY IT IS NOT THAT EASY. THEY CLAIM THEY WANT A BIPARTISAN BILL. HOW CLOSE ARE THEY? WE TALKED TO TWO OF THE KEY PLAYERS. AT STANLEY HOYER'S OFFICE TODAY, A STATUS REPORT AND SOME TOUGH WORDS. >> REPUBLICANS ARE STANDING OUT IN THE COLD AND WILL NOT COME IN. >> HE SAYS REPUBLICANS ARE NOT OFFERING MUCH INPUT, JUST CRITICISM. >> THE REPUBLICANS WANT TO SEE OBAMA FAIL ON THIS AND HAVE IT BE HIS WATERLOO. >> THE DEMOCRATS HAVE THE NUMBERS. >> WE DON'T WANT TO DO IT THAT WAY BECAUSE WHAT YOU REALLY NEED IS A CONSENSUS. THE COUNTRY HAS TO BELIEVE IN THIS. >> WE HAVE TO SPEAK UP AND LOUDER ON THE BEHALF OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. >> THE MINORITY WHIP SAYS THAT KES SURE INCLUDING REPUBLICAN IDEALS. >> WE HAVE IDEAS. >> WITH PRESIDENT OBAMA COMPROMISE? >> HE HAS BEEN UNWILLING TO DO SO THUS FAR. MAYBE HE WILL PERHAPS SEE A DIFFERENT WAY. >> IT IS A BIT OF A STALEMATE. THE LOSERS ARE THE SEC AND STRUGGLING TO PAY BILLS. >> FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WATCHING THIS UNFOLD, AND I AM SURE IT IS JUST AS FRUSTRATING FOR YOU ALL, BUT HOW DO YOU ANSWER THEM? >> WE WANT TO GET IT RIGHT. WE DON'T HAVE A DEADLINE. THIS IS A MATTER OF GRAVE IMPORTANCE. >> KEEP IN MIND, WHEN A PLAN IS ACTUALLY AGREED UPON, IT WILL STILL -- IT WILL STILL GO THROUGH SOME MASSIVE CHANGES. IT WOULD HAVE TO BE VOTED UPON ON EACH FLOOR AND THEN ONLY THEN WILL THAT MAKE ITS WAY TO THE PRIDENT'S DESK. >> WHAT DID YOU HEAR ABOUT WHEN WE SHOULD EXPECT A VOTE? >> NO ONE ON THE HILL SEEMS WILLING TO ACTUALLY BE SO BOLD AS TO CHOOSE A MONTH THAT THEY THINK THIS IS GOING TO BE ACCOMPLISHED. EVERYONE WE TALKED TO KEEP TELLING US THEY ARE CONFIDT THAT SOMETHING WILL BE DONE THIS YEAR, INCLUDING REPUBLICANS. THEY SAY SOMETHING WILL BE DONE THIS YEAR. >> THANK YOU FOR THAT, SCOTT. WITH THAT, THERE IS STILL A LOT MORE TO COME. >> HOPEFULLY NOW, YOU CAN MAKE SOME OF YOUR OWN DECISIONS. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE, YOU CAN GO TO OUR WEBSITE. WJLA.COM. WE HAVE CREATED AN ENTIRE HEALTH CARE PAGE. ...