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CNN Live At Daybreak

Biggest Reorganization of Government in Decades Close at Hand

Aired November 20, 2002 - 05:08   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Back here in the United States, the biggest reorganization of government in decades is close at hand.
CNN'S Jonathan Karl looks at how the homeland security department bill made it through the Senate.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JONATHAN KARL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): With final passage assured, the president congratulated Republican leaders with a call from Air Force One.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I want to thank you all for working hard. We're making great progress in the war on terror.

KARL: But less than an hour earlier, high political drama on the Senate floor, as a group of moderate Republicans threatened to side with Democrats on a vote that would have considerably delayed passage of the bill. The moderates were led by two senators from Maine.

SEN. SUSAN COLLINS (R), MAINE: We felt that we needed to take a stand.

KARL: Like the Democrats, the moderate Republicans objected to what they called special interest items added to the bill by the House, including legal protections for vaccine manufacturers.

COLLINS: We made very clear to our leaders our unhappiness not only with the provisions, but with the process.

KARL: As a price for their votes, the main senators demanded a commitment to eliminate several of the measures when Congress reconvenes next year. Minutes before the vote started, the moderates won a commitment from Republican leader Trent Lott.

TRENT LOTT (R-MI), SENATE MINORITY LEADER: We're going to change that. You have my commitment we will change that.

KARL: But even that wasn't enough. They wanted a promise from Republican leaders in the House. But Speaker Dennis Hastert was out of the country and couldn't be immediately reached.

COLLINS: The lines in the cloak room were kept free for the incoming return call from the Speaker and from Tom DeLay. And we waited in the cloak room until those calls came.

KARL: The call finally came through, giving the president the votes he needed.

(on camera): If you hadn't gotten the call, I mean, if they had a hard time getting through over the skies of Turkey or wherever he was, I mean how would you have voted?

SEN. OLYMPIA SNOWE (R), MAINE: Well, for the Lieberman amendment.

COLLINS: Yes.

SNOWE: I mean I think that's...

KARL: So you were prepared to vote with the Democrats if you didn't get that phone call?

SNOWE: Yes, that's correct.

COLLINS: Absolutely.

KARL: That paved the way for the passage of the homeland security bill with a bipartisan majority. The president is now expected to sign the bill into law as early as next week, at which time he will also announce the new secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, and that person is expected to be former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge.

Jonathan Karl, CNN, Capitol Hill.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com




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Aired November 20, 2002 - 05:08   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Back here in the United States, the biggest reorganization of government in decades is close at hand.
CNN'S Jonathan Karl looks at how the homeland security department bill made it through the Senate.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JONATHAN KARL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): With final passage assured, the president congratulated Republican leaders with a call from Air Force One.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I want to thank you all for working hard. We're making great progress in the war on terror.

KARL: But less than an hour earlier, high political drama on the Senate floor, as a group of moderate Republicans threatened to side with Democrats on a vote that would have considerably delayed passage of the bill. The moderates were led by two senators from Maine.

SEN. SUSAN COLLINS (R), MAINE: We felt that we needed to take a stand.

KARL: Like the Democrats, the moderate Republicans objected to what they called special interest items added to the bill by the House, including legal protections for vaccine manufacturers.

COLLINS: We made very clear to our leaders our unhappiness not only with the provisions, but with the process.

KARL: As a price for their votes, the main senators demanded a commitment to eliminate several of the measures when Congress reconvenes next year. Minutes before the vote started, the moderates won a commitment from Republican leader Trent Lott.

TRENT LOTT (R-MI), SENATE MINORITY LEADER: We're going to change that. You have my commitment we will change that.

KARL: But even that wasn't enough. They wanted a promise from Republican leaders in the House. But Speaker Dennis Hastert was out of the country and couldn't be immediately reached.

COLLINS: The lines in the cloak room were kept free for the incoming return call from the Speaker and from Tom DeLay. And we waited in the cloak room until those calls came.

KARL: The call finally came through, giving the president the votes he needed.

(on camera): If you hadn't gotten the call, I mean, if they had a hard time getting through over the skies of Turkey or wherever he was, I mean how would you have voted?

SEN. OLYMPIA SNOWE (R), MAINE: Well, for the Lieberman amendment.

COLLINS: Yes.

SNOWE: I mean I think that's...

KARL: So you were prepared to vote with the Democrats if you didn't get that phone call?

SNOWE: Yes, that's correct.

COLLINS: Absolutely.

KARL: That paved the way for the passage of the homeland security bill with a bipartisan majority. The president is now expected to sign the bill into law as early as next week, at which time he will also announce the new secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, and that person is expected to be former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge.

Jonathan Karl, CNN, Capitol Hill.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com




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