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FAA Weighs Drone Flights; CIA Pays AT&T for Phone Records; NFL's Tony Dorsett Diagnosed with CTE; Senate Expected to Pass Sexual- Orientation Anti-Discrimination Bill; Interview with Sen. Tammy Baldwin

Aired November 07, 2013 - 13:30   ET

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

RENE MARSH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So here's what the FAA says they will do to prepare for all of that. They'll develop minimum standards for sense and avoid. The unmanned aircraft needs sensors and technology to enable it collision in the air. Separation standards, meaning the minimum distance it has to be from another aircraft. Also, design standards. They will also be looking at to determining what kind of training will be necessary for unmanned aircraft operators. So, just like airplane pilots would have standards for training, these operators of these drones would need the same thing. Finally, Wolf, they would consider the privacy, security and environmental impact of all of this.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: What's the current policy right now, as far as airspace and these unmanned aircraft? Where are they allowed to fly?

MARSH: There are limitations now. We do have a scenario in which law enforcement Border Security, military and scientific researchers, as well as university research, they have the green light from the FAA for using drones domestically. Again, the industry's poised to grow beyond that.

Of course, privacy advocates are concerned. Senator Markey from Massachusetts introduced legislation to ensure that privacy is protected if and when this all starts to take off.

BLITZER: What's the reason, major reason, behind this push for what they call integration?

MARSH: They look at these things really as the next phase of flight. We're talking about innovation here. And so that also means revenue. If you think about it, for a company who itching to use a so-called drone, they may argue that they'll be able to deliver goods to customers like yourself a lot cheaper than delivering it using maybe, you know, a delivery person and doing it by ground. Of course think about fuel. For them and for many companies, it's all about the economics, the bottom line.

BLITZER: Whole new world potentially out there.

MARSH: Yeah.

BLITZER: Drones or unmanned air craft. And this thing could fly, if it had the batteries?

MARSH: Yes. If it had the batteries, it would be hovering right above us just like this.

BLITZER: Thank you, Rene.

MARSH: Sure.

BLITZER: Good work.

We also have a new report today that's shedding more light on how personal data is collected by the government as part of counterterrorism intelligence gathering operation. "The New York Times" says the CIA is paying AT&T more than $10 million a year for access to phone records.

Evan Perez, our justice reporter, is following the story for us.

Evan, are we talking about calls overseas or here in the United States?

EVAN PEREZ, CNN JUSTICE REPORTER: No, Wolf, this is -- these are calls -- foreign calls, foreign phone numbers, calling other foreign phone numbers. And the CIA is looking for terrorism suspects, for instance, to find out who else they're calling. Now, there are some instances where these foreigners are calling numbers inside the United States. When that comes up in one the queries to the AT&T database, AT&T returns the phone number partially masked because, under the rules, the CIA's not allowed to collect that stuff.

There's a big difference between this and NSA program in the news lately. The NSA collects that data, which is data on every phone call made by U.S. phone customers. This database that we're talking about is actually owned and operated by the AT&T, by the phone company, and the CIA asks, when it has a number it's interested in, asks AT&T to look for it.

BLITZER: What do the AT&T spokespeople and CIA say about all of this?

PEREZ: You know, they're very specific about their -- you know, essentially AT&T says, "In all cases, whenever any government entities anywhere seeks information from us, we ensure that the request and our response are completely lawful and proper." They say, "Like all telecom providers, they charge governments for producing the information provided." And they declined to comment in general on national security questions.

The CIA, for its part, says it upholds privacy rights of Americans by making sure that intelligence collection activities are focused on acquiring foreign intelligence and counterintelligence in accordance with U.S. laws.

As I said, CIA's prohibited from operating inside the United States. They are only allowed to do intelligence collections outside. Now, whenever they do find a U.S. phone number on here, on the database, they are allowed to refer that to the FBI, which can do its own domestic investigation if there's a terrorism concern -- Wolf?

BLITZER: Evan, thank you.

Evan Perez reporting for us.

Appreciate it.

More news in what's already been a banner year for gay rights proponents in the United States. Another victory could come from the U.S. Senate in a few minutes. But before all of the celebrating begins, the Republican-led House of Representatives is looming very large. We'll explain what's going on when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: One of greatest NFL running backs of all times revealing a medical diagnosis he says hit him, quote, "like a ton of bricks." Hall of Famer Tony Dorsett is in the early stages of CTE, degenerative brain disease, caused by repeated head injuries. Symptoms include memory loss and depression.

Brian Todd is covering the story with us.

I'll be speaking with Tony Dorsett in "The Situation Room" later today. This is a sad story.

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It is.

BLITZER: Tell us what's going on.

TODD: He has been diagnosed with depression, with -- that's he's had thoughts of suicide. He's had memory loss. He's more short tempered than ever. He's prone to outbursts toward his wife and daughters. He's one of nine former NFL players that have gone through the special new test for early signs of what you've called CTE, chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a degenerative brain disease linked to head traumas in the NFL and other sports.

Now, there are some say these tests cannot be conducted very well on people who are still alive. The only way to really test for CTE is after you're dead and they can examine your brain.

But there is a new test they found a protein that is common in CTE where they can kind of find that out early, while alive and notice that in your brain.

He was one of only nine players who have undergone testing for that. And he believes he may -- may -- have symptoms associated with CTE.

BLITZER: He's in his late 50s, right?

TODD: He'll turn 60 in April.

BLITZER: What does the NFL say about this?

TODD: I just got off the phone with them. I e-mailed them. I just got an e-mail back before I rushed to the set here. They're not commenting specifically on the Dorsett case but say, for years now, they've undertaken a meaningful commitment to improving the health of their players. One of the -- the statement they e-mailed me saying, "For more than two decades, the NFL's been a leader in addressing issue of head injuries."

Many dispute that. They say they dragged their feet and denied the research. Their commitment is unwavering, that they're committed to the health of all of their players.

BLITZER: More and more of these stories. Brett Favre of the Green Bay Packers, the other day says -- he's, what, 44 --

TODD: That's right.

BLITZER: -- he's beginning to feel some of that.

TODD: Memory loss.

BLITZER: -- from all of the hits and concussions and all of that.

All right, thanks. You'll have more later in "The Situation Room."

TODD: Sure will.

BLITZER: And my interview with Tony Dorsett, that's going to be airing in "The Situation Room" as well.

Up next, Senator Tammy Baldwin on an important anti-discrimination vote in the United States Senate. That's happening right now.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Just minutes from now, an historic vote set to take place on the floor of the United States Senate. It's a measure that would ban workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. A similar bill failed 17 years ago. If it passes -- it's expected to -- it would be a major milestone in what's been a year of wins for gay rights advocates. But there's a catch. It will then go to the Republican-led House of Representatives where it potentially could die.

Moments ago, the Senate majority leader, Harry Reid, had this message for the House Speaker John Boehner.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. HARRY REID, (D-NV), SENATE MAJORITY LEADER: Speaker Boehner, please, please do what is right for the American people. Let's do this legislation. It is fair. This legislation's only about fairness. More than 80 percent of the American people already believe it's the law. So let's do it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Joining us now, Democratic Senator Tammy Baldwin. Owns a piece of history herself as the country's first openly gay United States Senator.

Senator, thanks very much for coming in.

SEN. TAMMY BALDWIN, (D), WISCONSIN: It's a delight to join you, Wolf. Thank you.

BLITZER: It looks like, correct me if I'm wrong, all Senate Democrats will vote in favor of this legislation in the coming minutes, is that right?

BALDWIN: Yes, it is. We have all of the Democrats and now growing number of Republicans. This is truly bipartisan legislation in the Senate. You talked about the failure of the bill 17 years ago. That was failure on a simple majority. But it to pass the 60-vote threshold these days, and it will.

BLITZER: How many Republicans do you think will support the legislation?

BALDWIN: I'm thinking, by the time all is said and done, we could get up to nine or 10. That would be amazing. We certainly -- I would welcome any last-minute surprises.

BLITZER: I'm hearing John McCain will vote in favor of the legislation. I assume you're hearing the same thing, right?

BALDWIN: You know, John McCain voted for cloture, the procedural vote that immediately preceded the one we're about to cast. He voted yes. I think that's a great sign. I hope that we'll see others follow suit.

BLITZER: But it's got -- if it passes the Senate, almost certainly will in the coming minutes, it's got a much tougher ride in the House of representatives, which is Republican controlled. What do you anticipate will happen there?

BALDWIN: Well, you know, the issue is whether Speaker Boehner will bring it up for a vote. You know, during the government shutdown, we kept saying to him, bring the funding resolution up for a vote. If you bring it for a vote, we know it will pass. I served in the House many years. My vote counts were pretty accurate back then. And I think that even today, if Speaker Boehner were to put this before the House of Representatives, we would gain a bipartisan majority vote. But he has to do that for us. I'm calling on his courage and leadership to do so.

BLITZER: You've heard all of the arguments made why this vote in favor is a bad idea. What's the most compelling argument that you've heard from the other side? Do any of the arguments resonate in your mind?

BALDWIN: You know, the debate actually has been quite interesting in the U.S. Senate. There was only one floor speech in opposition. There was a lot of negotiation that happened outside of the Senate floor and it centered mainly on the issue of which religious organization should be exempt and how far should that exemption go? We did cast a couple of votes on amendments on that issue. But really, the opposition in the Senate debate was really muted. And I think that reflects where the country is right now. You know, we aspire to be a little bit more equal, not less these days.

BLITZER: So how does the -- if it becomes the law of the land, what about these religious organizations who believe that homosexuality is a sin? How will they have to deal with it?

BALDWIN: Well, they won't, because that is the subject of the religious exemption in the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. The First Amendment is clear. And it is adopted in specific statutory language that was negotiated with religious groups and with a bipartisan group of legislators who sponsors the -- sponsors the measure, including myself.

BLITZER: In Wisconsin, your home state, this has been the law for a long time, right?

BALDWIN: Wisconsin was the first state to offer employment protections on the basis of sexual orientation back in 1982. And I would add that it was signed into law by a Republican governor, Lee Sherman Dreyfus. Since then, a number of other states have come forward to pass these very important laws. But still, a very significant population in the United States lacks these protections.

BLITZER: Has there been any serious problems over the past decades in Wisconsin in implementing these anti-discrimination laws?

BALDWIN: There have not been. And an exhaustive review was done in the various states that have Employment Non-Discrimination Acts or similar statutes on their books in order to guide us in drafting this federal legislation. I think we found, by and large, these are worked very well.

And I would add it's important to have the substantive tools to fight against discrimination, but the symbolic statement is also very important, to say it's wrong to discriminate and that every American deserves the opportunity to be judged based on their work ethic, their skills, their qualifications for a job, and not extraneous factors.

BLITZER: One final question. What does this legislation mean to you personally, Senator?

BALDWIN: I have to say this has been a long, hard fight. I know, from so many friends and former clients when I was an attorney practicing law, I know about the bitterness of discrimination in the employment setting and other settings. This is such a wonderful step. And I'm very proud of my colleagues of both parties in the Senate. And I think it's a powerful step forward for our country.

BLITZER: Senator Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin.

Senator, I know you have to rush off and vote. We'll see the roll call as it happens here on CNN.

Thanks very much.

BALDWIN: Thank you.

BLITZER: A U.S. Marine Corps veteran, struggling with his transition out of the service, takes matters into his own hands, finds a way to help himself and other vets ease into the civilian world. You'll meet him when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: A U.S. Marine Corps veteran is easing the transition he and so many troops face after they leave the service. Jesse Darfman (ph) was working for a moving company in New York when he had an idea to start his own company and employ only fellow vets.

CNN photo journalist, Robert Bikal (ph), brings us his story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JESSE DARFMAN (ph), VETERAN: We're a company full of veterans and veterans take pride in what they do.

You wake up early in the morning and try to get to it as early as possible depending on New York traffic.

(CROSSTALK)

DARFMAN (ph): We get our mission listing, what we have to do for the day.

We're going to Williamsburg.

We try to keep up with the time.

GUY LUERSEN, U.S. ARMY VETERAN: What time does that job start, between 1:00 and 3:00, right?

DARFMAN (ph): Kind of like a military operation order.

LUERSEN: When you show up with a bunch of veterans, they pretty much know what they're getting.

DARFMAN (ph): The discipline that get's instilled in you in the military, everyone takes it to work with them.

JOE PICHARDO, U.S. ARMY VETERAN: For a lot of veterans coming back to the city, it's hard so get established and get your feet back on the ground.

It took me four months to find a place to live. A lot of people are looking for a year of like work. So when you get out of the service, obviously, you're not getting a paycheck anymore. So even though you might have $30,000 saved in a bank account, it doesn't matter. You have to have steady work. It takes a lot to sacrifice your time and energy to serve for your government, to protect the people of the land. And when you're here in the city, jobs are scarce.

UNIDENTIFIED VETERAN: Since you were in the service, there's no such thing as I'm going to stop and quit because I'm tired.

DARFMAN (ph): We don't have bad traits that other moving companies have. Everyone here has their head on straight when they come to work.

I'll start grabbing the boxes.

LUERSEN: What more can you ask for? You work and now you're getting paid. And you're hanging out with your friends, pretty much.

DARFMAN (ph): It's good work, what we do here.

UNIDENTIFIED VETERAN: We're going to go with this company until -- we'll ride with it until the wheels fall or until we explode and I don't have to be on the truck anymore.

(LAUGHTER)

DARFMAN (ph): 99 percent of our clients are happy with us. We have been so lucky that we found a group of men that love what they do and they respect their clients, and the clients just love us.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Be sure to watch CNN's "Veterans in Focus" special that airs Veterans Day, 2:30 eastern. You can read more veterans stories at CNN.com/veterans.

Good work.

We end this hour with this. Lady Gaga's latest stunt will be out of this world, literally.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(SINGING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: "US Weekly" reports Lady Gaga will blast off in a Virgin Galactic ship and sing in space in 2015. She'll have to prepare for a month to train her vocal cords. She will not confirm the rumors are true until November 10th. The singer does tease us with this tweet: "#gaga in space 2015." So excited thinking about Lady Gaga in space. Saw her in Washington. She's amazing.

That's it for me. Thanks very much for watching. I'll be back 5:00 p.m. eastern in "The Situation Room." You'll see my interview with the NFL Hall of Famer Tony Dorsett talking ability his recent medical diagnosis. NEWSROOM continues now with Brooke Baldwin.