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President Obama Speaks at the U.N. General Assembly; The Costs and Benefits of Health Care Reform Start to Come Into Effect; The GOP's New Pledge to America; UNICEF Goes Trick-Or-Treating With Selena Gomez

Aired September 23, 2010 - 09:59   ET

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

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: It's not exactly E.T. using a turntable to phone home, but it's sure close. Darryl Young used a Ham radio to contact the International Space Station. And he did it. No small feat when you consider it's 250 miles up whizzing by at 17,000 miles per hour. He's joining us -- not by Ham radio -- but on the phone from Pittsburg, Texas.

Darryl, did you actually talk to the astronauts or just make contact?

DARRYL YOUNG, HAM RADIO OPERATOR (via telephone): Just making contact. At the rate of speed they go over the window of opportunity to talk to them is very narrow. All you can do is put up your call sign and see they returned it.

PHILLIPS: so they returned it. Could you hear anything else besides the return that you actually made contact?

YOUNG: No. You call up on one frequency, and they return your call on a secondary frequency, so I can't hear anybody else that's calling up, and as soon as he turns mine loose, he's going to the next guy.

PHILIPS: Wow, so how did you actually track the space station, Darryl?

YOUNG: NASA has got a good satellite tracking software built into their Web site that you can track it. I used one that a Ham radio operator has on line. The graphics are a little bit better on it, and the space station ISSfanclub.com is where I get the opportunity to put up an area that tells just how long your opportunity is, and if you can get one eight to ten-minute window, it's a good chance you'll be able to get to them.

PHILLIPS: You are 53 years old. I know you have been doing this for 30-some years. Is this just the coolest connection you've ever made, the most memorable.

YOUNG: Well, I've only been a licensed operator since February. I've been associated with Ham Community for 30-something years. So this is by far the best - you just can't hardly top it. You know, unless they put a station on the moon or Mars or something.

PHILLIPS: That's true. It's pretty amazing.

Well, let me tell you -

YOUNG: Here on earth, the best you can do is like somebody maybe 30, 50 miles away from you because you have to use repeaters and everything.

PHILLIPS: Well, it's pretty remarkable that you did that. So I'm just real curious, before I let you go, if you would have been able to talk to the astronauts, what would you have said?

YOUNG: I would just love to carry on a conversation. You know, I'm not a golfer, but I figured Colonel Wheelock (ph) probably is. I'd ask him things like that. Just try to get a little background on him. What does he like to do? You know, just find out something about him, you know, because everything's kind of - in that kind of a window, you just don't really have an opportunity to ask him anything.

PHILLIPS: Well, I'll tell you what, we'll do our research, Darryl, and see if we can connect you two, OK. Maybe once he gets back, we can finally put you to together. You let us know if you make any other contact with anybody else, especially on Mars. That would be very interesting. Thanks, Darryl.

YOUNG: OK.

PHILLIPS: OK. Darryl Young out of Pittsburgh, Texas.

All right It's 10:00 in the east, 7:00 out west. Lots going on this hour. Any minute now the president is expected to walk out and address the U.N. General Assembly. We are carrying that live from New York. Once he starts speaking, we'll take it.

And live from Sterling, Virginia, outside D.C., Republicans will roll out their pledge to America. 21 pages of promises that the GOP hopes will close the sale on election day and put them back in power. That official announcement expected any minute now.

All right. The president just started. Let's take him live from the U.N.

(BEGIN COVERAGE)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: You know this is no ordinary time for our people. Each of us comes here with our own problems and priorities. But there are also challenges that we share in common as leaders and as nations. We meet within an institution built from the rubble of war. Designed to unite the world in pursuit of peace. And we meet within a city that for centuries has welcomed people from across the globe.

Demonstrating that individuals of every color, faith and station can come together to pursue opportunity. Build a community. And live with the blessing of human liberty. Outside the doors of this hall, the blocks and neighborhoods of this great city tell the story of a difficult decade. Nine years ago, the destruction of the World Trade Center signaled a threat that respected no boundary of dignity or decency. Two years ago, this month, a financial crisis on Wall Street devastated American families on Main Street. And these separate challenges have affected people around the globe. Men and women and children have been murdered by extremists from Casablanca to London, from Jalalabad to Jakarta.

The global economy suffered an enormous blow during the financial crisis, crippling markets and deferring the dreams of millions on every continent. Underneath these challenges to our security and prosperity lie deeper fears. That ancient hatreds and religious divides are once again ascending, that a world which has grown more interconnected has somehow slipped beyond our control.

These are some of the challenges that my administration has confronted since we came into office, and today I'd like to talk to you about what we have done over the last 20 months to meet these challenges, what our responsibility is to pursue peace in the Middle East and what kind of world we are trying to build in this 21st century.

Let me begin with what we have done. I have had no greater focus as president than rescuing our economy from potential catastrophe, and in an age when prosperity is shared, we could not do this alone. So America has joined with nations around the world to spur growth and the renewed demand that could restart job creation.

We are reforming our system of global finance, beginning with Wall Street reform here at home so that a crisis like this never happens again. And we made the G-20 the focal point for international coordination, because in a world where prosperity is more diffuse, we must broaden our circle of cooperation to include emerging economies, economies from every corner of the globe.

There is much to show for our efforts. Even as there is much work to be done. The global economy has been pulled back from the brink of a depression and is growing once more. We have resisted protectionism, and are exploring ways to expand trade and commerce among nations. But we cannot and will not rest until these seeds of progress grow into a broader prosperity, not only for all Americans but for peoples around the globe.

As for our common security, America's waging a more effective fight against al Qaeda while winding down the war in Iraq. Since I took office, the United States has removed nearly 100,000 troops from Iraq. We have done so responsibly. As Iraqis have transitioned to lead responsibility for the security of their country.

We are now focused on building a lasting partnership with the Iraqi people while keeping our commitment to remove the rest of our troops by the end of next year. While drawing down in Iraq, we have refocused on defeating al Qaeda and denying its affiliates a safe haven.

In Afghanistan, the United States and our allies are pursuing a strategy to break the Taliban's momentum and build the capacity of Afghanistan's government and security forces so that a transition to Afghan responsibility can begin next July. And from south Asia to the horn of Africa, we are moving toward a more targeted approach, one that strengthens our partners and dismantles terrorist networks without deploying large American armies.

As we pursue the world's most dangerous extremists, we're also denying them the world's most dangerous weapons. In pursuing the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons. Earlier these year, 47 nations embraced a work plan to secure all vulnerable nuclear materials within four years. We have joined with Russia to sign the most comprehensive arms control treaty in decades.

We have reduced the role of nuclear weapons in our security strategy. And here at the United Nations, we came together to strengthen the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.

Now, as part of our effort on non-proliferation, I offered the Islamic Republican of Iran an extended hand last year, and underscored that it has both rights and responsibilities as a member of the international community. I also said in this hall that Iran must be held accountable if it failed to meet those responsibilities, and that is what we have done.

Iran is the only partner to the MPT that cannot demonstrate the peaceful intentions of its nuclear program, and those actions have consequences. Through U.N. security council resolution 1929, we made it clear that international law is not an empty promise.

Now, let me be clear once more. The United States and the international community seek a resolution to our differences with Iraq and the door remains open to diplomacy should Iran choose to walk through it but the Iranian government must demonstrate a clear and credible commitment and confirm to the world the peaceful intent of its nuclear programs.

As we combat the spread of deadly weapons, we're also confronting the specter of climate change. After making historic investments in clean energy and efficiency at home, we helped forge an accord in Copenhagen that for the first time commits all major economies to reduce their emissions.

We are keenly aware this is just a first step. In going forward, we will support a process in which all major economies meet our responsibilities to protect the planet while unleashing the power of clean energy to serve as an engine of growth and development.

America has also embraced unique responsibilities that come with our power. Since the rains came and the floodwaters rose in Pakistan, we have pledged our assistance and we should all support the Pakistani people as they recover and rebuild. And when the earth shook and Haiti was devastated by loss, we joined a coalition of nations in response.

Today, we honor those from the U.N. family who lost their lives in the earthquake. And commit ourselves to stand with the people of Haiti until they can stand on their own two feet. Amidst this upheaval, we have also been persistent in our pursuit of peace.

Last year, I pledged my best efforts to support the goal of two states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security as part of a comprehensive peace between Israel and all of its neighbors. We have traveled a winding road over the last 12 months with few peaks and many valleys. But this month, I am pleased that we have pursued direct negotiations between Israelis-Palestinians in Washington, Sharm al Shaykh (ph) and Jerusalem.

Now, I recognize many are pessimistic about this process. The cynics say that Israelis and Palestinians are too distrustful of each other and too divided internally to forge lasting peace. Rejectionists on both sides will try to disrupt the process with bitter words and with bombs and with gunfire.

Some say that the gaps between the parties are too big. The potential for talks to break down is too great, and that after decades of failure, peace is simply not possible. I hear those voices of skepticism. But I ask you to consider the alternative. If an agreement is not reached, Palestinians will never know the pride and dignity that comes with their own state.

Israelis will never know the certainty and security that comes with sovereign and stable neighbors who are committed to co-existence. The hard realities of demography will take hold, more blood will be shed and this holy land will remain a symbol of our differences instead of our common humanity.

I refuse to accept that future, and we all have a choice to make. Each of us must choose the path of peace. Of course, that responsibility begins with the parties themselves, who must answer the call of history.

Earlier this month at the White House, I was struck by the words of both the Israeli and Palestinian leaders. Prime Minister Netanyahu said, "I came here today to find a historic compromise that will enable both people to live in peace, security and dignity." President Abbas said, "We will spare no effort and we will work diligently and tirelessly to ensure these negotiations achieve their cause."

These words must now be followed by action. And I believe that both leaders have the courage to do so. But the road that they have to travel is exceedingly difficult. Which is why I call upon Israelis and Palestinians and the world to rally behind the goal that these leaders now share. We know that there will be tests along the way, and that one test is fast approaching.

Israel's settlement moratorium has made a difference on the ground and improved the atmosphere for talks. Our position on this issue is well known. We believe that the moratorium should be extended. We also believe that talks should press on until completed. Now is the time for the parties to help each other overcome this obstacle.

Now is the time to build the trust and provide the time for substantial progress to be made. Now is the time for this opportunity to be seized. So that it does not slip away. Peace must be made by Israelis and Palestinians, but each of us has a responsibility to do our part as well. Those of us who are friends of Israel must understand the true security for the Jewish state requires an independent Palestine, one that allows the Palestinian people to live with dignity and opportunity.

And those of us who are friends of the Palestinians must understand that the rights of the Palestinian people will be won only through peaceful means, including genuine reconciliation with a secure Israel. I know many in this hall count themselves as friends of the Palestinians, but these pledges of friendship must now be supported by deeds.

Those who have signed onto the Arab peace initiative should see this opportunity to make it real, by taking tangible steps towards the normalization that it promises Israel and those who speak on behalf of Palestinian self-government should help the Palestinian authority politically and financially, and in doing so, help the Palestinians build the institutions of their state. Those who long to see an independent Palestine must also stop trying to tear down Israel.

After thousands of years, Jews and Arabs are not strangers in a strange land. After 60 years in the community of nations, Israel's existence must not be a subject for debate. Israel is a sovereign state and the historic homeland of the Jewish people. It should be clear to all that efforts to chip away at Israel's legitimacy will only be met by the unshakable opposition of the United States.

And efforts to threaten or kill Israelis will do nothing to help the Palestinian people. The slaughter of innocent Israelis is not resistance. It's injustice. And make no mistake, the courage of a man like President Abbas, who stands up for his people in front of the world under very difficult circumstances is far greater than those who fire rockets at innocent women and children.

The conflict between Israelis and Arabs is as old as this institution, and we can come back here next year as we have for the last 60 years and make long speeches about it. We can read familiar lists of grievances. We can table the same resolutions. We can further empower the forces of rejectionism and hate, and we can waste more time by carrying forward an argument that will not help a single Israeli or Palestinian child achieve a better life. We can do that.

Or we can say that this time will be different. That this time, we will not let terror or turbulence or posturing or petty politics stand in the way. This time, we will not think of ourselves but of the young girl in Gaza who wants to have no ceiling on her dreams or the young boy who wants in Serot (ph) who wants sleep without the nightmare of rocket fire.

This time we should draw upon the teachings of tolerance that lie at the heart of three great religions that see Jerusalem soil as sacred. It's time we should reach for what's best within ourselves. If we do, when we come back here next year, we can have an agreement that will lead to a new member of the United States, an independent sovereign state of Palestine living in peace with Israel.

(APPLAUSE)

OBAMA: It is our destiny to bear the burdens of the challenges that I've addressed - recession and war and conflict. And there's always a sense of urgency even emergency that drives most of our foreign policies.

Indeed, after a millennia marked by wars, this very institution reflects of desire of human beings to create a forum to deal with marriages that will inevitably come. But even as we confront immediate challenges, we must also summon the foresight to look beyond them and consider what are we trying to build over the long term. What is the world that awaits us when today's battles are brought to an end?

That is what I would like to talk about with the remainder of my time today. One of the first actions of this General Assembly was to adopt a universal declaration of human rights in 1948. That declaration begins by stating that "recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world." The idea is a simple one. That freedom, justice and peace for the world must begin with freedom, justice and peace in the lives of individual human beings.

And for the United States, this is a matter of moral and pragmatic necessity. As Robert Kennedy said, "The individual man, the child of god, is the touch stone of value. And all society, groups, the state, exist for his benefit." So we stand up for universal values because it's the right thing to do. But we also know from experience that those who defend these values for their people have been our closest friends and allies. While those who have denied those rights, whether terrorist groups or tyrannical governments have chosen to be our adversaries.

Human rights have never gone unchallenged, not in any of our nations, not in our world. Tyranny is still with us, whether it manifests itself in the Taliban killing girls who try to go to school, a North Korean regime that enslaves its own people or an armed group in Congo, a consortia that uses rape as a weapon of war. In times of economic unease, there can also be an anxiety about human rights.

Today, as in past times of economic downturn, some put human rights aside for the promise of short-term stability or the false notion that economic growth can come at the expense of freedom. We see leaders abolishing term limits. We see crackdowns on civil society. We see corruption, smothering entrepreneurship and good governance. We see democratic reforms deferred indefinitely.

As I said last year, each country will pursue a path rooted in the culture of its own people. Yet experience shows us that history is on the side of liberty. That the strongest foundation for human progress lies in open economies, open societies, and open governments. So to put it simply, democracy, more than any other form of government, delivers for our citizens. And I believe that truth will only grow stronger in a world where the borders between nations are blurred.

America's working to shape a world that fosters this openness. For the lack (ph) of a closed or corrupt economy must never eclipse the energy and innovation of human beings. All of us want the right to educate our children, to make a decent wage, to care for the sick and to be carried as far as our dreams and our deeds will take us, but that depends upon economies that tap the power of our people, including the potential of women and girls. That means letting entrepreneurs start a business without paying a bribe, and governments that support opportunity instead of stealing from their people.

And that means rewarding hard work instead of reckless risk taking. Yesterday, I put forward a new development policy that will pursue these goals, recognizing that dignity is a human right, and global development is in our common interest. America will partner with nations that offer their people a path out of poverty. And together we must unleash growth that powers by individuals and emerging markets in all parts of the globe.

There is no reason why Africa should not be an exporter of agriculture. Which is why our food security initiative is empowering farmers. There's no reason why entrepreneurs shouldn't be able to build new markets in every society, which is why I hosted a summit on entrepreneurship earlier this spring. Because the obligation of government is to empower individuals, not to impede them.

The same holds true for civil society. The arc of human progress has been shaped by individuals with the freedom to assemble and by organizations outside of government that insisted upon democratic change, and by free media that held the powerful accountable. We have seen that from the South Africans who stood up to apartheid to the poles of solidarity to the mothers who disappeared who spoke out against the dirty war to the Americans who marched against the rights for all races, including my own.

Civil society is the conscience of our communities, and America will always extend our engagement abroad with citizens beyond the halls of government, and we will call out those who suppress ideas and serve as a voice for those who are voiceless. We will promote new tools of communication so people are empowered to connect with one another, and in repressive societies to do so with security.

We will support a free and open internet so individuals have the information to make up their own minds. And it is time to embrace and effectively monitor norms that advance the rights of civil society and guarantee its expansion within and across borders. Open society supports open government. But it cannot substitute for it. There's no right more fundamental than the ability to choose your leaders and determine your destiny.

Now, make no mistake, the ultimate success of democracy in the world won't come because the United States dictates it. It will come because individual citizens demand a say in how they are governed. There is no soil where this notion cannot take root. This is every democracy reflects the uniqueness of a nation. Later this fall, I will travel to Asia and I will visit India, which peacefully threw off colonialism, and established a thriving democracy of over a billion people.

I will continue to Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim majority country which binds together thousands of islands through the glue of representative government and civil society. I will join the G-20 meeting on the Korean peninsula which provides the world's clearest contrast between a society that is dynamic and open and free and one that is imprisoned and closed.

And I will conclude my trip in Japan, an ancient culture that found peace and extraordinary development through democracy. Each of these countries gives life to democratic principles in their own way and even as some governments roll back reform, we also celebrate the courage of a president in Colombia who willingly stepped aside or the promise of a new constitution in Kenya.

The common thread of progress is the principle that government is accountable to its citizens, and the diversity in this room makes clear. No one country has all the answers, but all of us must answer to our own people. In all parts of the world, we see the promise of innovation to make government more open and accountable, and now we must build on that progress.

And when we gather back here next year, we should bring specific commitments to promote transparency to fight corruption, to energize civic engagement, to leverage new technology so we strengthen the foundation of freedom in our own countries while living up to the ideals that can light the world.

This institution can still play an indispensable role in the advance of human rights. It's time to welcome the efforts of U.N. women to protect the rights of women around the globe.

(APPLAUSE)

OBAMA: It's time for every member state to open its elections to international monitors and to increase the U.N. Democracy Fund. It's time to reinvigorate U.N. peacekeeping, so that missions have the resources necessary to succeed. And so atrocities like sexual violence are prevented and justice is enforced because neither dignity nor democracy can thrive without basic security.

And it's time to make this institution more accountable as well because the challenges of a new century demand new ways of serving our common interests. The world that America seeks is not one we can build on our own. For human rights to reach those who suffer the boot of oppression, we need your voices to speak out.

In particular, I appeal to those nations who emerged from tyranny and inspired the world in the second half of the last century. From South Africa to South Asia, from eastern Europe to South America. Don't stand idly by. Don't be silent. When dissidents elsewhere are imprisoned and protesters are beaten, recall your own history because part of the price of our own freedom is standing up for the freedom of others. That belief will guide America's leadership in this twenty- first century. It is a belief that has seen us through more than two centuries of trial, and it will see us through the challenges we face today, be it war or recession, conflict or division.

So even as we have come through a difficult decade, I stand here before you confident in the future. Afuture where Iraq is governed by neither tyrant nor a foreign power, and Afghanistan is freed from the turmoil of war. A future where the children of Israel and Palestine can build the peace that was not possible for their parents, a world where the promise of development reaches into the prisons of poverty and disease, a future where the cloud of recession gives way to the light of renewal, and the dream of opportunity is available to all.

This future will not be easy to reach. It will not come without setbacks, nor will it be quickly claimed. But the founding of the United Nations is a testament to human progress. Remember, in times that were far more trying than our own, our predecessors chose the hope of unity over the ease of division and made a promise to future generations that the dignity and equality of human beings would be our common cause.

It falls to us to fulfill that promise, and though we will be met by dark forces that will test our resolve, Americans have always had cause to believe that we can choose a better history, that we need only to look outside the walls around us. For through the citizens of every conceivable ancestry who make this city their own, we see living prove that opportunity can be accessed by all, that what unites us as human beings is far greater than what divides us, and that people from every part of this world can live together in peace.

Thank you very much.

(APPLAUSE)

PHILLIPS: President of the United States addressing the U.N. general assembly there. His main point of focus, Mideast peace and talking directly to Israelis Palestinians.

We're going to take a quick break. More from the CNN NEWSROOM straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: All right. We're now six months into the president's health care reform act, and new reforms kick in today, affecting both your coverage and wallet. We will break down the changes with Stephanie Elam on the money side and Elizabeth Cohen covering insurance.

Elizabeth, let's start with you, though. Who do today's changes impact?

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: You know, Kyra, I think it's important to say they don't impact everyone who is lacking insurance. Fifty million Americans don't have insurance. Not all of them are going to get relief today. Today's changes are just for specific subgroups of people who need help. Interesting to see if they actually get the help they're supposed to get.

PHILLIPS: So, give us some specific examples of some of the changes that we're going to see.

COHEN: All right, Kyra. We brought back the avatars to describe exactly who is supposed to get help today.

So, starting today, let's take a look at someone who we made up called Soon-to-be-Sick Samuel. We've looked into a crystal ball, and we know that Samuel is about to get a terrible illness like, let's say, cancer, that will cost millions of dollars to treat. In the past, what's happened is insurance companies have sometimes said, "All right, you've hit your lifetime limit. We've insured you up, to, say, I don't know. A million dollars. That's it. We're done. You can't have any more." Well, with the health care reform provision that goes into effect today, they can't drop him after he gets his diagnosis, and they can't do the lifetime capitals on care.

Let me give you another example of someone who will be helped. There's Healthy Helen. Now, Healthy Helen, she's doing great. She's happy. What she wants is - she wants preventive care, but her current insurance won't cover it. She has to pay for it. So, the provisions for health care reform that go into effect today, what they'll do is they will tell insurance companies you've got to pay for preventive care for things such as blood pressure checks, breast cancer checks, mammograms at certain ages, cervical cancer checks and depression.

Now, there's a long list of what insurance is supposed to pay for for preventive care starting today for both men and women. And you can get a look those at CNNhealth.com. My colleague, Severa (ph) Rice, has written a wonderful article that details all of the changes that take effect as we speak. Kyra?

PHILLIPS: You also have a special coming up, too. When should we catch that?

COHEN: You can catch that October 2 and 3. It's all about being an empowered patient. Learning what's out there for you and how you can take it advantage of it. October 2 and 3. That's a week from this weekend, 7:00.

PHILLPS: All right, Elizabeth. Thanks.

COHEN: Thanks.

PHILLIPS: Health care reform was supposed to bring costs down, but your insurance premiums probably won't be falling any time soon. Stephanie Elam has that part of this two-parter, shall we say. Why are costs still rising, Steph?

STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Kyra. Well, you listen to all of the new provisions that Elizabeth was just explaining to us. Well, they're costing insurance companies more, and so most of them - they're going to be passing those increases on to the likes you and me.

Now, human resources consultant Mercer (ph) says on average, employers expect health care to rise nearly 6 percent per employee next year. That's about what we have been seeing the last few years. But the companies surveyed say more than 2 percent of the latest increase is directly tied to these new health care provisions. How much your plan goes up will depend on what your coverage was before health reform. And obviously, all of that together will be what we'll be looking at. But in general, Mercer says you can expect to see higher co-pays, deductibles and premiums if you get your insurance through your job like most Americans do.

Now, if you do get your insurance privately, you may be hit with bigger premiums hikes. We're talking about even double-digit increases in some states, but regulators are watching carefully to make sure insurance companies aren't using health care reform to kind of impose unjustified rate hikes, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: So, when will we see costs stop skyrocketing?

ELAM: Well, a recent government report finds at least five years before health care spending starts to slow down. And it's predicting we'll see a spike from this year probably through 2014 as more uninsured people get access to care. Then spending growth will slow slightly from 2015 through 2019. And the hope here is that long-term, a bigger pool of insured customers will help lessen the pressure by spreading out risk.

Whether that happens remains to be seen. Take a listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAY GELLERT, CEO, HEALTH NET: Health care reform has provided benefits to some people who were vulnerable. There's no question to that.

The real question is as we implement it over time is the cost, because if it leads to making it less affordable for other people presently covered, we'll have vulnerable people there, too.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ELAM: But, if you ask the Obama administration, they say healthy reform -- health reforms here have already started to lower costs for some people. Seniors enrolled in private insurance plans through Medicare will see average premiums fall 1 percent next year. This week, we also saw BlueCross/BlueShield of North Carolina refund $155 million in premiums to some of their customers as a result of changes from health care reform.

So, Kyra, this whole debate about whether health reform will ultimately lower our cost for most Americans, as you can see, it's not done. And it's probably going to rage on for a while.

PHILLIPS: Oh, yeah. And we'll be talking about it for a while, too. Thanks, Steph.

Nearly 15 million Americans are unemployed. We're going to try to reduce that number by one. We will talk to a supply chain expert who had a job for 35 years. Joblessness is new to her. New, scary and pretty exhausting.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: House Republicans released a Pledge to America this morning. The 21-page document is a blueprint for governing. The GOP - should the gov - rather, should the GOP win control of Congress in November? Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This pledge recognizes that the problems the American people face are beyond Washington's ability to solve those problems through overspending and hyper regulation. The great promise and salvation of this country has always been the power of the American people to seek and create solutions.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Dana Bash has been plowing over that pledge as well. She joins us with more. Dana?

DANA BASH, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Kyra. This event just ended. It was going on while the president was speaking in New York. This is what all of these Republican lawmakers were holding up, and effectively the message they're trying to get across here is, we're listening. We hear you. We understand you are frustrated with Washington and don't really like us very much, either, because from your perspective Republicans are creatures of Washington.

So, they're trying to make the point that they -- they're reiterating a lot of what we heard before, that they want to cut spending, that they want to make tax cuts permanent. But they are putting some new pieces in here, trying to reach out and assuage some of the anger out there at the way Congress works.

There are some things in here, for example, that talk about the fact that they will have bills ready to read for the American public and for members of Congress for three days before they are actually voted on. Things like that, that they say they really hope get out there.

But one thing that was very interesting is that there were a lot of people here at this press conference who tried to get answers on specifics. For example, spending. The leader - speaker -- would-be speaker, I should say, John Boehner, he said, look, I want to cut spending back to the levels of 2008. Well, how would you do that? A lot of things in here that aren't answered, and that is something that, perhaps, they're going to have to try to answer because it's not just reporters who are asking that question. It's the people they're trying to reach, saying there are some broad ideas in here. Where are the specifics? Kyra?

PHILLIPS: All right. Dana Bash, thank you.

And all this is coming on the heels of some new unemployment numbers. This morning, we learned 465,000 Americans filed first-time claims for benefits last week. That number is higher than the 450,000 that many economists had expected. The worst-than-expected showing played on the nerves of investors and caused the Dow to sink at the opening bell.

You might be familiar with Cheryl Pavlacka's story. She had a job with the same company for 35 years. Then earlier this year, her job was outsourced to Mexico and Singapore. Now, for the first time since the 1970s, she's looking for work. This mother of two and grandmother of three joins us live from Orlando.

Cheryl, this has to be tough, starting a job search at this stage in your life and career.

CHERYL PAVLACKA, JOB SEEKER: Absolutely, Kyra. It's very scary, but yet invigorating because you realize how much you know. But the techniques that you have to use for getting a job are different now. It's really networking. It's LinkedIn and things like that. That's why I jumped at the chance to be on your show.

PHILLIPS: It's interesting. You say it's invigorating. Very rarely do I hear that. Usually I hear it's stressful. It's painful. It's hard to get through. Why do you say it's invigorating?

PAVLACKA: It's all of those, but it's invigorating because you realize how talented you are based on the experience you have. But at the same time, it's frustrating because you want to help other companies, but the key words on the computers don't always match up. And, therefore, you're tossed out without even seeing a person face to face.

PHILLIPS: Well, I'll tell you what. We want to get you face to face with a lot of people. Let's get right to it.

Cheryl.Pavlacka@live.com. Are you ready to start your "30-Second Pitch?

PAVLACKA: Let me take a deep breath, and I'm ready to go.

(LAUGHTER)

PHILLIPS: OK, Cheryl. Go ahead when you're ready.

PAVLACKA: I'm Cheryl Pavlacka, global supply chain manager with strong international experience in oracle system, demaic (ph) process improvement, logistics and customer service. In Costa Rica, I observed an active volcano and realized how it resembles a supply change flow with unexpected demands and constant eruptions. Well, I'm a leader who thrives on volcanic change, and I'm seeking a position to direct a team to use innovation in the entire supply change to balance -

(BELL RINGS)

PAVLACKA: -- customer service, inventory balances and warehouse management costs. PHILLIPS: Fantastic. Cheryl Pavlacka. Cheryl.Pavlacka@live.com. Cheryl, thanks for sharing your story for us, and please keep us updated on what happens.

PAVLACKA: I certainly will. Thank you!

PHILLIPS: You bet!

And if you are out of work and want to sell yourself to prospective employers, let us know. Just sent us your resume and letter to 30secondpitch@CNN.com. Also, if you want to hire our 30- Second Pitchers, like Cheryl - she did a fantastic job - just go to our blog, CNN.com/kyra. You will find all of their information, and their e-mails will be there as well.

She's the youngest ambassador ever for UNICEF. And Selena Gomez wants her young fans to know there's a big world out there that needs their help. In just a few minutes, the Disney star will discuss treat or treat for UNICEF. She's joining us live.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(MUSIC PLAYING)

PHILLIPS: Well, she sings. She's a Disney star, she's appeared in movies, but now Selena Gomez is taking time out to help raise money for underprivileged children across the world. At 18, Gomez is the youngest ambassador ever for the organization UNICEF, and has even gone to countries like Ghana to see the problems at work. She's trying to get other youth involved in UNICEF's Trick or Treat fundraiser that's raised over $160 million over the last six decades.

She's joining us from New York with more on this unique program. Selena, great to see you. Why did you choose UNICEF? Why get involved

SELENA GOMEZ, SINGER/ACTRESS: Actually, I have been working with them for three years now. So, for me, I think they approached my father and it kind of just happened naturally for me because I love being able to give back and I'm able be a role model for these kids. I love being able to help as much as I can.

PHILLIPS: And what do you think is so special about this Trick Or Treat program? Tell us what it does.

GOMEZ: Treat or Treat has been around for years. I remember getting the little boxes at school. Basically what I like to do -- it's the best time for UNICEF, because you can encourage kids to Trick Or Treat for UNICEF, which is basically taking these little boxes around and asking for money. And you can also eat candy as well. Because I'm sure kids get a little disappointed if they don't get candy. But it's really encouraging kids - it's encouraging kids to give back, especially during these holidays.

PHILLIPS: I actually remember it, too, but we're going back many more decades than you are going back -

(LAUGHTER)

PHILLIPS: -- to these boxes in school. And it is. It's amazing it's been around so long, and it's still the same little cardboard box.

GOMEZ: Yes.

PHILLIPS: You actually went to Ghana, right? Tell us about this trip, why you decided to go to Ghana, and what kind of impact it made on you.

GOMEZ: We're hoping to do another one soon. I'd love to. It was such a life-changing experience, being able to hear these kids stories my age and younger, being able to see these families and what they do and how hard they work. And seeing all of these kids die every day from preventable causes really just breaks my heart.

So, I gained so much going. I gained, like - I was just - I gained education, and I literally felt so humbled after that.

PHILLIPS: Well, and you mingled with so many of the kids and held them in your arms and took pictures and had conversations. Is there anything that stands out to you, what they said to you or how they reacted to you, questions that they asked you that maybe you didn't expect?

GOMEZ: Honestly, the one story that stuck with me was this one kid who I talked to said that he wanted to go around encouraging adults to let him have an education, and he's had a shotgun to his head because he wanted an education. And he was smiling when he was telling me that story because he said, you know, I go around wanting an education. And that's something I think about going, when I was in school, saying, gosh, I don't want to do homework or that, I don't want to do that. And he wanted it, and he was 14 years old. It was just really incredible to hear his story.

PHILLIPS: Wow. And you know, I'm listening to you at 18 years old, you know. There are a number of teens that get really lucky and make it in the music industry, the television industry and don't give back like this, you know, Selena. They get really wrapped up in the material and fame and all of that stuff. It's hard to take on when you're a teenager.

What do you say to others in your business, in your industry, that -- why they should get involved and to give back like this? What it does for your character?

GOMEZ: My thing is not only does it build your character, it makes you a stronger person. I just think that we're the next generation up, and it's our job to spread the word about everything going in the world. Because half of the kids that I was telling my story to, going to Ghana, they didn't even know where that was.

So, I just feel like we have a voice now, and we are the next generation. So, I just encourage kids my age and younger to help out as much as they possibly can in any little way. And it starts with using your voice.

PHILLIPS: Selena Gomez, you keep doing more. We want hear more good stories about you. Thanks for being with us.

GOMEZ: Thank you.

PHILLIPS: All right.

GOMEZ: Thank you very much.

PHILLIPS: You bet.

There are a lot of ways to donate, to. Either online, by phone or by mail. Just go to TrickorTreatfor unicef.org for more information.

Thanks so much for joining us. I'll see you back here tomorrow. Don Lemon in for Tony Harris today. Don?