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Attorney General Holder Addresses Ft. Hood Shootings; Mammogram Recommendations Blasted

Aired November 18, 2009 - 10:00   ET

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

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ERIC HOLDER, U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL: Second, we can protect classified material during trial. The Classified Information Procedures Act or CIPA establishes strict rules and procedures for the use of classified information at trial and we have used it to protect classified information in a range of terrorism cases.

In fact, the standards recently adopted by the Congress to govern the use of classified information in military commissions are based on derived from the very CIPA rules that we would use in federal court.

Third, Khalid Shaikh Mohammed will have no more of a platform to spew his hateful ideology in federal court than he would have had in a military commission. Before the commission's last year, he declared the proceedings an inquisition. He condemned his own attorneys and our Constitution and profess his desire to become a martyr. Those proceedings were heavily covered in the media.

If you complained at that time that his rants threatened the fabric of our democracy. Judges in federal courts have firm control over the conduct of defendants and other participants in their courtrooms and when the 9/11 conspirators are brought to trial I have every confidence that the presiding judge will ensure appropriate decorum.

And if Khalid Shaikh Mohammed makes the same statements he made in his military commission proceedings, I have every confidence that the nation and the world will see him for the coward that he is. I'm not scared of what Khalid Shaikh Mohammed has to say at trial. And no one else needs to be afraid either.

Fourth, there is nothing common - there is nothing common about the treatment the alleged 9/11 conspirators will receive. In fact, I expect to direct prosecutors to seek the ultimate and most uncommon penalty for these heinous crimes. And I expect that they will be held in custody under special administrative measures reserved for the most dangerous criminals.

Finally, there are some that have said the decision means that we have reverted to a pre- 9/11 mentality or that we don't realize this nation is at war. Three weeks ago I had the honor of joining the president at Dover Air Force Base for the dignified transfer of the remains of 18 Americans including three DEA agents who lost their lives to the war in Afghanistan. These brave soldiers and agents carried home on that plane gave their lives to defend the country and its values. We owe it to them to do everything we can carry on the work for which they sacrifice. I know that we are at war. I know that we are at war with a vicious enemy who targets our soldiers on the battlefield in Afghanistan and our civilians on the streets here at home.

I have personally witnessed that somber fact in the faces of the families who have lost loved ones abroad. I had seen it in the daily intelligence stream that I review each day. Those who suggest otherwise are simply wrong. Prosecuting the 9/11 defendants in federal court does not present some larger judgment about whether we are at war.

We are at war and we'll use every instruments of national power, civilian, military, law enforcement, intelligence, diplomatic and others to win. We need not cower in the face of this enemy. Our institutions are strong. Our infrastructure is sturdy. Our resolve is firm and our people are ready.

We will also use every instrument of our national power to bring to justice those who are responsible for terrorist attacks against our people. Eight years justice has been delayed for the victims of the 9/11 attacks. It's been delayed even further for the victims of the attack on the USS Cole.

No longer. No more delay. It is time. It is past time to finally act. By bringing prosecutions in both our courts and military commissions, by seeking the death penalty, by holding these terrorists responsible for their actions, we are finally taking ultimate steps toward justice.

That is why I made the decision. Now, in making this and every other decision I have made as attorney general, my paramount concern is the safety of the American people and the preservation of American values. I am confident that this decision meets those goals and that it will also withstand the judgment of history.

Thank you.

SEN. PATRICK LEAHY (D), CHAIRMAN, JUDICIARY COMMITTEE: Thank you, Attorney General.

As you know, I have discussed with you several times that my belief is that when people commit murder, commit murder here in the United States, commit murder on this scale, they should be prosecuted and I would hope that they would be convicted. I'm glad to see after all these years they are being prosecuted in the same way Timothy McVeigh who committed mass murder in this country was prosecuted.

Let me go to another horrific tragedy. We had the murder of 13 individuals including 12 soldiers wounding of more than 30 others on the Ft. Hood Army base in Texas. Our thoughts and prayers are with these people and my church on Sunday they prayed for the families, for those who died but for the families left behind. And that's why I sent this letter to John Brennan to find out what happened. I want the results of the investigation ordered by the president and several of us were briefed yesterday morning - Senator Feinstein, Senator (INAUDIBLE) and myself and others on what is happening. I think - in fact, I know that you wanted to find out everything that happened - not only what happened there but what may have gone right and what may have gone wrong prior to that. We're both former prosecutors. We don't want to compromise a prosecution.

What resources is your department using to learn whether steps were missed that could have been taken to avert this tragedy?

HOLDER: Well, the FBI is certainly intimately involved in the investigation and working with the military investigators, the military prosecutors who will ultimately try the case. All of the resources of the Justice Department that have been requested have been made available and will be made available in order to determine exactly what happened at Ft. Hood and also to try to determine how we can prevent future incidents like this from occurring.

LEAHY: Certainly, when they court-martial goes on, the evidence will come out and the American people will learn. We'll all learn, more facts about what happened. I'm mostly interested in knowing if there were things that were overlooked that could have been avoided.

Will you commit to share with this committee if in your investigation, yours pr Justice Department. That you find that there were things that were missed. They should have been picked up prior to this tragedy.

HOLDER: The president has directed that we conduct exactly such an inquiry and it would be our intention to share the results of that inquiry. My only cautionary note would be that we sequence this is such a way so we don't interfere with the ongoing investigation and the potential prosecution.

But clearly that information needs to be shared with Congress, generally with this committee specifically.

LEAHY: I can assure you as chairman of this committee, I want a successful prosecution. I also want to know what happened. And I think we can sequence it in such a way that we do not interfere with the prosecution. We, the members of the - incidentally, your letter supporting the Patriot Act reauthorization bill that we passed from this committee is very helpful and I appreciate that.

COLLINS: All right. We are going to take this opportunity to let you know what's going on quickly here. We've been telling all morning long about Attorney General Eric Holder and going before the Senate Judiciary Committee. He has given his opening statement now and pretty quickly went directly to the idea of the suspects that will be tried in New York, the 9/11 suspects.

He made that decision last week. And he talked in his opinion the differences between civilian court or federal court, if you will, versus military commissions and the reason why he made that decision. Right now, we, of course, are watching the committee chairman, Patrick Leahy, talk a little bit more about different issues. He went immediately to the Ft. Hood investigation which I found kind of interesting here. So we will continue to monitor this and bring you anymore interesting tidbits.

As we go once again, Eric Holder, there before the Senate Judiciary Committee. For now, quick break. Back in a moment. Right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: President Obama is in South Korea. That's the final stop of his Asian tour. But when he returns home, he's got some big issues to deal with. The economy, the war in Afghanistan, and the 9/11 terror trials just to name a few. He addressed those concerns in a one-on-one interview with CNN's senior white House correspondent, Ed Henry.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ED HENRY, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In the first hint of a timetable for U.S. troops in Afghanistan, the president told CNN he wants most of them home before the end of his presidency.

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: My preference would be not to handoff anything to the next president. One of the things I would like is the next president to come in and say I've got a clean slate.

HENRY: On the firestorm over 9/11 mastermind Khalid Shaikh Mohammed being sent from Guantanamo to New York City, the president revealed he did not personally sign off on it.

OBAMA: I said to the attorney general make a decision based on the law. I think this notion that somehow we have to be fearful that these terrorists possess some special powers that prevent us from presenting evidence against them, locking them up, and exacting swift justice, I think that's been a fundamental mistake.

HENRY (on camera): So that was his decision but you'll take responsibility if it goes wrong?

OBAMA: I always have to take responsibility. That's my job.

HENRY (voice-over): The president also took responsibility for the sluggish economy. When asked a CNN iReporter's question about why bailed out banks have not helped more small businesses and foreclosed families.

OBAMA: Look, I understand people's frustrations. The American people have gone through a very tough year. And my job as president is to help navigate through this tough year and, you know, people who don't have a job right now, people who have lost their home, you know, I would be mad too. They expect me to do something about it. HENRY: As for Sarah Palin's book...

(on camera): Are you going to read it?

OBAMA: I probably won't.

HENRY (voice-over): Mr. Obama ducked a question about whether he thinks he and Palin will be candidates for president in 2012. When pressed, the president suggested he could live without running again.

(on camera): Can you envision a scenario where you don't run for re-election?

OBAMA: If I feel like I made the very best decisions for the American people and three years from now I look at it and my poll numbers are in the tank and because we have gone through these wrenching changes, you know, politically I'm in a tough spot, I'll feel all right about myself.

HENRY: But in the next breath, the president sounded like someone who relished taking his case to the American people in 2012, saying he's taking on big issues like health care and Iran that have not borne fruit but he's confident they will and he'll eventually be rewarded.

Ed Henry, CNN, Beijing.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is in Afghanistan this morning. The unannounced visit comes on the eve of President Hamid Karzai's inauguration. But there are other things on Secretary Clinton's agenda. CNN's Sara Sidner is joining us now live from Kabul, Afghanistan.

Sara, good morning to you. What else will the secretary of state be doing?

SARA SIDNER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, we know that she arrived a few hours ago here in Kabul. She first went to the embassy to meet with embassy officials there and then she met with General McChrystal and now she is supposed to be meeting with President Karzai and having dinner with him. No doubt, corruption will be a top issue of discussion between the two.

The U.S. and its allies have been pushing Mr. Karzai and continue to push him to try and get rid of corruption. His administration has been mired in corruption ever since really the August 20th election that just was a disaster and that basically ended because there was so much fraud and had to be a runoff which never happened because one of the candidates, the only candidate that was running against Mr. Karzai, said he didn't believe the corruption was cleaned up enough to give him a fair shake.

So certainly corruption is one of the big ones. The other obviously, the number of troops that whether or not they're going to send in more or not and to really see that Mr. Karzai does something instead of just talks about getting rid of corruption but actually acts on his promises. Heidi -

COLLINS: Yes. Very good. Curious to know how that discussion will go regarding the troops in Afghanistan. Certainly a very big issue. I'm sure they'll talk about. Sara Sidner, is sure do appreciate it. Live from Kabul, Afghanistan, this morning.

And new concerns in Iraq today over whether national elections set for January will actually happen. The country's Sunni Arab vice president has vetoed a key part of the newly passed election law. Tariq al-Hashemi says the law is unfair to Iraqis forced to flee violence in their homeland. Al-Hashemi is refusing to sign the law now without an amendment to increase the number of parliamentary seats assigned to the mostly Sunni refugees. The majority of Iraqis are of course, Shiite.

Fallout over new advice that women will wait until they are 50 to start getting mammograms. Well some fear insurance companies will stop paying for younger women to be screened. We'll talk about it with the congresswoman who has a personal connection to this story.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: We're still waiting to see what's in the Senate Democrats health care reform bill. Majority leader Harry Reid says he's waiting to find out how much it will cost before he unveils it. He could get those numbers today. The "Associated Press" quoting Democratic officials reports long-term health care insurance will likely be included. The program would help disabled people and the elderly stay in their homes.

So listen up, seniors. You could soon be paying higher premiums for Medicare. The House is set to vote tomorrow on a bill that would raise fees for doctors treating Medicare patients. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the proposed measure would cost seniors $49 billion in higher Medicare premiums over the next 10 years. The proposed new premiums are designed to offset an upcoming 21 percent cut in fees for doctors treating Medicare patients.

Doctors, women and breast cancer survivors are railing on a new government report recommending most women delay getting mammograms until they're 50. One congresswoman said the guidelines are "clear as mud." That statement coming from Representative Debbie Wasserman- Shultz who is diagnosed with breast cancer in her 40s and she is now calling for hearings on this issue.

Congresswoman, we're glad to have you with us today. I want to talk about these potential new guidelines and what you are hoping to do by way of calling for hearings. But first, tell us a little bit about your story.

REP. DEBBIE WASSERMAN-SCHULTZ (D), FLORIDA: Just about two years ago I was doing a self exam in the shower and I found a lump in my breast just six weeks after a clean mammogram. I knew it wasn't normal. I went to my doctor and within a couple weeks was diagnosed with very early stage breast cancer. I credit early detection for the fact that I'm still here and that I didn't have to have more significant treatment.

COLLINS: We're very glad for it.

WASSERMAN-SCHULTZ: Me, too.

COLLINS: And you know, I have read an awful lot of stories unfortunately that are similar to yours. So when you first heard these recommendations yesterday from this task force, what was your initial reaction?

WASSERMAN-SCHULTZ: Well, as someone who was diagnosed with breast cancer when I was 41, I was - I find the recommendations really disturbing. I mean, to suggest that women between 40 and 49 years old not get mammograms routinely, not do the self breast exam, doctors who do not do clinical breast exam leaves women 40 to 49 years old essentially with nothing to make it more likely that they catch their breast cancer early and the argument that the task force is making that we're going you cause anxiety and possibly over treat a certain group of women and only save a few lives.

What does that say to the women whose lives would be saved? It's a very patronizing attitude that these scientists have taken. It's pretty outrageous to suggest that women couldn't handle more information. Information and knowledge is power. It was for me. And that's why I caught my breast cancer early. Because I knew, Heidi, that it was important to know the look and feel of my breasts so I would know what was normal for me so that I would know when something felt different.

COLLINS: Well, good for you. And I t really is a very good example for a lot of women out there. And I think that one of the main issues here at least from what I'm hearing nearly everyone I talked to is, OK, we can all understand and be intelligent enough to say, all right, this is a case by case basis if that's what recommendations are, I will decide for myself with my doctor what I should be doing.

But unfortunately, if the task force like this has as much power and weight as it does, are there not possible implications that could come later about what your insurance and whether or not insurers continue paying for mammograms? What then?

WASSERMAN-SCHULTZ: Absolutely. That's the biggest concern is that insurance companies often use this task force's recommendations for making their coverage decisions and there is an insurance company that already said they will be using those recommendations as the guideline for their coverage decisions and so women 40 to 49 would no longer be able to get routine mammograms paid for by their health insurance.

And as a result because of the confusion, because you have the American Cancer Society and the Komen Foundation adamantly against these recommendations, the task force making the recommendations, the insurance companies making decisions based on those recommendations, you are going to end up causing fewer and fewer women to be able - who are 40 to 49 to be able to get to early screening and mammograms and we know that that will cause more deaths which is the opposite of what we've had happen over the last 20 years since we've had routine screening for women over 40, the death rate has come down.

It's just absolutely irresponsible and we need to hold congressional hearings. I know I'm - I was thrilled to hear that my colleague, Frank Palone (pH), the chairman of the health subcommittee in the House is planning on holding hearings on these recommendations next month.

COLLINS: OK. So I want to talk about that very quickly here. What do you hope the hearings will accomplish? I mean, what will that process be? Is it possible that a task force like this would ever take this recommendation back?

WASSERMAN-SCHULTZ: Well, there's a difference - I think it has to be understood there's a difference between scientific recommendations. This is an independent task force. It's not the government. The policy makers ultimately are the ones who make the decision -

COLLINS: Sure.

WASSERMAN-SCHULTZ: About what the government's policy is on routine screenings and mammograms and that's what hearings will do. Hearings will help us reach the appropriate policy conclusion, which I believe is that these recommendations should be set aside, we should follow the guidance of the American Cancer Society and the Komen Foundation, a major cancer organizations and medical experts across the country that say routine screening, routine mammograms and clinical breast exams and breast self exams for women over 40 is what continues to be appropriate.

COLLINS: All right. Well, we certainly appreciate your personal story. And we will definitely continue to follow this here.

WASSERMAN-SCHULTZ: Thank you.

COLLINS: Tell my producers in a while who the insurance company is because then we'll have them on, too, and talk about that. Representative Deborah Wasserman-Schultz, thanks so much. Appreciate your time.

WASSERMAN-SCHULTZ: You're welcome, Heidi.

COLLINS: Sure.

Checking other top stories now. If you are in the market for a new car, you might want to consider a Ford, a Subaru or a Volkswagen. There are 2010 models scored the highest on the latest safety test by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and that includes passenger car and SUVs like the Buick Lacrosse, the Audi A3 and the Jeep Patriot.

A private security force fends off a pirate attack this morning on the "Maersk Alabama." Pirates off the coast of Somalia fired on a ship. No one was injured. But you remember the "Maersk Alabama" was hijacked by pirates back in April. The captain was taken hostage. A rescue mission by Navy SEALs Captain Richard Phillips.

When Robert Byrd first came to Capitol Hill, Dwight D. Eisenhower was just moving into the White House. Eisenhower left after eight years. Byrd is still there as of today. In fact, the West Virginian senator is the longest serving member of Congress. 56 years, 320 days in office.

Fellow senators plan to honor him today. We don't know if Senator Byrd will be there. He turns 92 on Friday and is in frail health. Byrd was first elected to the House 1952. Imagine back then a stamp cost 3 cents. He went to the Senate in 1958 and has been there ever since. His service breaks the record set by Carl Hayden of Arizona who served from 1912 to 1969. Congratulations, Robert Byrd!

Breast cancer survivors diagnoses in their 40s. Three women weigh in on the new mammogram recommendations. Screenings begin at age 50 instead of 40. It's a snapshot right across America.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANNOUNCER: Live in the CNN NEWSROOM, Heidi Collins.

COLLINS: This hour, President Obama is in South Korea. The final stop of his Asian trip. Earlier this morning, he wrapped up his visit to China. He toured the Great Wall and met with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao.

Both the U.S. and China say the visit strengthened ties between the two countries. In fact, Wen says the U.S. and China are now, quote, "on the cusp of moving forward with this relationship." President Obama will narrow his focus in South Korea and the stakes could be huge. He'll discuss ways to persuade North Korea to rejoin nuclear disarmament talks. Dan Rivers is in Seoul with a closer look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAN RIVERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: President Obama has arrived in Seoul on the last leg of his Asian tour, and has a busy day ahead of him. On Thursday, he'll have a bilateral meeting with his South Korean counterpart, President Lee Myung-Bak. They'll talk about the North Korean nuclear issue, likely to dominate their discussions. Specifically, the idea that the U.S. will send a special envoy to Pyongyang, North Korea to try to kick-start six-party talks, possibly by the end of this year.

North Korea, of course, walked out of those talks in April and then followed up with a second nuclear test. So, that will be a key part of the discussions. It takes place against the backdrop of continuing tensions on the North Korean peninsula. There were naval skirmishes between North Korean and South Korean naval boats earlier this week.

But it won't be just North Korea that the two presidents will be discussing. The thorny issue of a free trade agreement between South Korea and the United States will also be discussed. There are a lot of sticking points on this. It was signed by previous presidents two years ago, but since then, the agreement has been stuck in the congresses of each country. There have been particular disagreements about plans to relax the restrictions on car imports and beef imports with farmers here, and the auto industry in the U.S. implacably opposed to the FDA.

Dan Rivers, CNN, Seoul.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: This past week, President Obama's mission has been focused on diplomacy but when he returns home, much of his focus will turn to war. Specifically the future strategy for U.S. troops in Afghanistan. President Obama says a decision will be announced within the next several weeks. He addressed that issue in a one-on-one interview with CNN senior White House correspondent Ed Henry.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I am very confident that when I announce the decision, the American people will have a lot of clarity about what we're doing, how we're going to succeed, how much this thing is going to cost, what kind of burden does this place on our young men and women in uniform, and most importantly, what's the end game on this thing. Which I think is something that unless you impose that kind of discipline, it could end up leading to a multiyear occupation that won't serve the interest of the United States.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: Meanwhile, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is in Afghanistan today. She'll meet with the top U.S. commander there and attend tomorrow's inauguration of Afghan president Hamid Karzai.

When to comes to the housing market, we've been getting some upbeat news, at least in recent weeks. Prices are stabilizing. New home construction has been rising since April. But new reports today show the housing sector may have hit a brick wall. No pun intended. Susan Lisovicz at the New York Stock Exchange with more on that. Hi there, Susan.

SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Heidi. New home construction fell nearly 11 percent in October when a lot of analysts expected a slight increase. The construction level dropped to the lowest level in six months. Single-family, multifamily dwellings, all plunged.

This is important. Why is it? What happens in the housing sector affects so many other businesses whether it is furniture, contractors, it extends far beyond that sector. One of the reasons why the Street may be taking it in stride, Heidi, is that there was a lot of question last month as to whether that first-time buyer tax credit would be extended. It was extended this month. So, what we're seeing is disappointment reflected in the stock market but nothing too bad. That may also be partly the fact that we've had a nice run-up in the last two weeks. Dow has been higher nine out of 10 sessions. So, we're seeing pullback. Dow down half a percent. NASDAQ's down three-quarters of a percent. We're ripe for it. Heidi?

COLLINS: Hey, any chance, Susan, there will be a one-time drop in home construction because the homebuyer tax credit was actually extended? How does that weigh in?

LISOVICZ: Well, you know -- yes. It's a good question. That extended tax credit may boost building down the road as it had prior to October.

But one of the things that just has to be noted is the housing market is very much driven like oil, like gold prices, by supply and demand. And the fact is that there were nearly 4 million homes for sale in September. That's considered too many. You have to work those down. That's one of the things that's going help the housing market. Not saying it should come to a halt, but the fact is we've got a lot of unsold homes, both new homes and existing homes, that need to be sold in order to get the housing market in better shape.

COLLINS: Understood. All right, Susan. We'll continue to watch it. Thank you.

LISOVICZ: You're welcome.

COLLINS: Iraqis killed in cold blood. Soldiers punished. Interrogation tapes hold the key to the case. It's a CNN "Special Investigation."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: Three decorated Army soldiers shot and killed. Four detainees in their custody at a Baghdad canal. The story about what happened that day on 2007 is contained on Army interrogation tapes obtained by CNN. Special Investigations Unit correspondent Abbie Boudreau has a preview of tonight's report on "Anderson Cooper." "Killings at the Canal: The Army Tapes."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ABBIE BOUDREAU, CNN SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS CORRESPONDENT: We've obtained twenty-three-and-a-half hours of Army interrogation videotapes where investigators press soldiers on details of the crime. Tapes you'll only see here on CNN.

Here, Sergeant Michael Leahy (ph), who was eventually convicted of premeditated murder, confesses to firing at two of the men.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How many shots did you fire? SGT. MICHAEL LEAHY, CONVICTED OF PREMEDITATED MURDER: I fired twice. I fired, and, like this other guy pulled back on me and (INAUDIBLE), I don't know why I fired again. It wasn't at him. My arm went up to the right, and I fired again. I'm pretty sure it didn't hit anybody, but I'm not going to say that because I don't know for sure. I wasn't even looking when I shot the second time. My arm just went to the right.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No reasonable person is going to believe that you shot and then this guy fell back on you and then your arm went at this angle. If you shot this dude, just say you shot him.

LEAHY: All right.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just be honest about it. OK?

LEAHY: But I did fall on the...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, I don't doubt the guy fell on you. But if you purposely shot the guy, just say it. You've already manned up. You already showed us what you're made of. I know it's hard, but I know that's what happened, dude. You wouldn't have so much question in your mind right now if you knew what happened. I know it's hard.

LEAHY: You're right...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just tell us what happened.

LEAHY: I'm 80 percent sure, yeah, I turned and shot this guy. But I'm not 100 percent sure I turned and shot this guy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOUDREAU: Sergeant Leahy would go on to tell Army investigators that his bullets killed one of the men but not the other. He says another sergeant actually killed the second man with two bullets to the chest. This is all part of our investigation "Killings at the Canal, The Army Tapes." Tonight only on "AC 360."

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: All right. Moving on now, all three women are breast cancer survivors. All three were diagnosed around the age of 40. In today's "Snapshot Across America," their stories and their thoughts on the new breast exam guidelines.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: At this hour, Attorney General Eric Holder on the hot seat on Capitol Hill. He is defending his decision to try 9/11 suspects in a federal court in New York. Earlier, we heard from Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy. His first question about the investigation into the Fort Hood killings, but Republican senator Jeff Sessions wanted to talk about the 9/11 terrorist suspects.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) SEN. JEFF SESSIONS (R), ALABAMA: This is causing quite a bit of concern. I see today that Governor Thomas Kaine of New Jersey, who chaired the 9/11 Commission says he thinks this is a mistake and that it will provide Khalid Shaikh Mohammed the position to be a martyr and a hero among al Qaeda sympathizers around the world.

I would note that Mary Jo White, New York United States attorney under President Clinton, said it may take three years to try the cases. The decision has been strongly criticized, as you know, by Rudy Giuliani who was mayor of New York when the attack occurred, who also served as an associate attorney general. Was a a federal prosecutor himself and United States attorney in Manhattan. I take his views seriously. I served under him when he was associate attorney general.

He's complained about former Attorney General Mukasey has also criticizing this decision. I don't think the American people are overreacting. I don't think they're acting fearfully. I think they think that this is war, and the decision you've made to try these cases in federal court represents a policy or a political decision, wouldn't you agree?

ERIC HOLDER, ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES: No.

SESSIONS: It's a policy decision at least, is it not?

HOLDER: It was a policy decision. It was a decision that was case driven. It's a decision based on the evidence that I know. It frankly -- some of the people who criticized the decision do not have access to. The decision I made was based on my judgment, looking at all of the evidence, talking to the people who have gathered that evidence, and the determination made by me as to where we can best prosecute these cases and come up with the best chances for success. There was not a political component to my decision.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: Once again, just some of the questioning that's been taking place. The Senate Judiciary Committee today. We'll continue to monitor that and to bring you any more information as we go.

Meanwhile, by now, you have probably heard an awful lot about the new breast exam guidelines and plenty of experts' opinions. But there was one more group we thought you should hear from.

So, we brought in three breast cancer survivors for a special "Snapshot Across America." Maria Cuozzo was diagnosed with breast cancer just this summer. She is joining us from Philadelphia. Christine Brunswick is a breast cancer survivor and the vice president of the National Breast Cancer Coalition. She joins us from Washington. And Dr. Linda Holt also survived breast cancer. She's an obstetrician, gynecologist and joins us from Chicago this morning.

Ladies, thank you so much for being here. We really appreciate you taking the time to share with us your personal stories today . A lot of people are talking about these new recommendations. Maria, I wanted to begin with you. Tell us a bit about your story and what happened.

MARIA CUOZZO, BREAST CANCER SURVIVOR: Good morning. Thanks, Heidi, for the opportunity to share my story. A week prior to my 42nd birthday, I had my routine mammogram. and after my 42nd birthday received a phone call that it was abnormal. That was first time I ever received such a phone call. I had no known family history prior to that.

That abnormality was a classification that caused me to go to a surgeon. The surgeon gave me an exam and in the exam found something other than what was showing up on the mammogram. The actual cause for the abnormal mammogram, the calcification, came up benign but the reason for me going to the surgeon got her to find what was cancer.

So, that mammogram saved my life. It sent me to a surgeon to find cancer that was almost undetectable. I have to add, it was so early that they found it that I did not need chemotherapy. I did not need a mastectomy. I did not need reconstruction. I actually saved money for the insurance companies because it was caught so early.

COLLINS: And potentially saved your life. So, I have to ask, Maria, what did you think when you think when you heard these recommendations from this task force in Washington?

Oh, unfortunately, we lost Maria. We'll continue to try to get her back up. Because I really want to know how she feels about that after sharing that type of story. Obviously, a lot of opinions out there.

Christine Brunswick, I would love to know more about yours as well. Tell us how you were diagnosed and what happened for you.

CHRISTINE BRUNSWICK, BREAST CANCER SURVIVOR: I was 38 at the time. I, too, actually had a mammogram three months before that showed nothing. I went to my doctor for a regular ob-gyn checkup, and he found it on clinical exam.

COLLINS: What did you think of the guidelines when they come out?

BRUNSWICK: I commend the task force for the guidelines.

COLLINS: Really?

BRUNSWICK: Absolutely.

COLLINS: Why?

BRUNSWICK: The guidelines are based on a body of evidence that shows that mammography does not change the mortality rate for women between the ages of 40 and 49. And I think as a public health message, we need to rely on the evidence. Mammography did not find my breast cancer.

COLLINS: That was your story. What about other women that we have spoken with who -- we just heard from Maria and several others as we have been reading about this who say, "Hang on a minute, I had no history and no reason other than routine mammogram, and they found cancer."

BRUNSWICK: I believe that we cannot base public health opinions on anecdotal information. Mine is an anecdote and Maria's is an anecdote.

But when you look at a large body of evidence -- and for a first time included in this body of evidence were trials of women from ages 40 to 49, several hundred thousand, some randomized who were screened and others were not. And after ten years of follow-up, there was no change in the rate of mortality.

So, the bottom line is that mammography for women ages 40 to 49 does not save lives, and until we can get...

COLLINS: Wow.

BRUNSWICK: ... to the truth -- I believe women need to have the truth.

COLLINS: But there's no new data, Christine, that was provided in this. This study, this task force was done with the same information back in 2002. So, why has the recommendation changed so drastically?

BRUNSWICK: If we go back to 1997, there was an NIH consensus conference way back then that also recommended that there was no data that warranted mammography for women ages 40 to 49. And after that recommendation came out, politics stepped in, and the recommendation was taken back.

COLLINS: Yes.

BRUNSWICK: I just hope that that's not the case. I hope that's not what happens this time. We need to focus our resources on finding screening techniques that really do save women's lives.

COLLINS: Interesting. All right.

Dr. Holt, I would love to get your opinion on all of this, too. First of all, tell us your story and then reaction to guidelines when they came out.

DR. LINDA HOLT, BREAST CANCER SURVIVOR: OK. I was 37 when I found -- I was practicing self-exam and found a breast lump when I was four months pregnant. Went through surgery, chemo, delivery, more chemo, the whole nine yards, and that was 21 years ago. I obviously would not be alive today had I not found a lump on self-exam.

So, my reaction to guidelines is, first of all, I think it's a little irresponsible to bring out confusing guidelines to consumers that are already confused. I think it's very interesting that the timing happens to be in the middle of a big national debate about health care costs, and the timing just seems a little quirky to me.

COLLINS: Yes. Do you think it will have an affect, Doctor, on these insurance issues?

HOLT: Oh, it will have an affect. Absolutely.

COLLINS: If people decide to take the information, they decide personally with their doctor that for them, they'll go ahead with original recommendation and begin their mammograms at the age of 40, they won't have them covered anymore by insurance companies?

HOLT: I'm very concerned that the insurance industry will now jump right in and say we're not going to cover them. We'll follow the guidelines that are least expensive for us to follow. And as a major concern, I'm very concerned about women under 50 because, actually, buried in the analysis there is evidence that mammography reduces the mortality rate in women in their 40s.

And also buried in the study is the fact that they don't know if this data applies to African-American women because they were underrepresented in the group studied, and they get rapidly evolving cancers at a younger age, so...

COLLINS: Yes, I read that, too.

Quickly, before we let you go -- I mean, we could talk all day about this. The number of questions and number of blogs and e-mails that have been going around ever since this recommendation came out is phenomenal. Doctor, what do you think this is going to change as we look forward over the next couple of years? How does this type of recommendation change things?

HOLT: Well, I think there will be some good changes. I think women that are over 50 who choose to, with their doctor's advice, space out their mammography, are going to be on solid grounds if they are otherwise low-risk. I'm very concerned there won't be insurance coverage, and we'll see an uptick in the death rate from this terrible disease that we've been making -- gaining ground on since 1990. I think we may see a reversal in that. And that would be sad.

COLLINS: Well, certainly hope that's not the case. We'll continue to follow this story very closely here in the CNN NEWSROOM, and absolutely appreciate all of you sharing your personal stories with us.

Maria Cuozzo, Christine Brunswick, and Dr. Linda Holt, all breast cancer survivors. Big thanks to all of you.

BRUNSWICK: Thank you.

HOLT: Thank you.

COLLINS: We'll take a break. We're back in a moment in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: Want to get a quick check of the weather situation now. Rob Marciano is standing by. Pretty nasty outside for a lot of people.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COLLINS: Sounds good. Glacier National Park. Lovely place. All right, Rob. Thank you.

ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: All right.

COLLINS: I'm Heidi Collins. CNN NEWSROOM continues now with Tony Harris.