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CNN Live Saturday
House Passes Medicare Bill
Aired November 22, 2003 - 18:01 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: For Medicare and America's seniors, the times they are a changin'. Members of Congress were up all night debating and approving the most sweeping overhaul in the program's 38- year history. The president prodded them to no end. And if the bill clears the Senate, he will have a big domestic victory heading into the campaign. Our national correspondent Kathleen Koch has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): He began the arm twisting on Air Force One and continued through the early hours of Saturday morning. President Bush making more than a dozen phone calls to House lawmakers urging them to vote yes on the Medicare bill. It worked winning House passage by just five votes.
REP. DENNIS HASTERT (R) HOUSE SPEAKER: On this bill, we start the process of making Medicare more sustainable.
KOCH: In his Saturday radio address, President Bush prodded the Senate to follow suit.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I urge all members of Congress to remember what is at stake and to remember the promise we have made to America's seniors.
KOCH: Some Democratic senators insist the plan benefits not seniors but insurance and drug companies.
SEN. ROBERT BYRD (D) WEST VIRGINIA: Where are the priorities of this administration? Where are the priorities of the Congress? Mr. President, it seems as if this Congress is trying to pull the wool over the eyes of our nation's seniors.
KOCH: Friday, Mr. Bush was able to persuade critics to drop their opposition to administration plans to reduce the number of white collar workers who quality for overtime pay. So political observers say if the president is able to get the Medicare or the stalled energy bill passed, despite tight margins in Congress, all this gives him a domestic agenda to run on.
NORMAN ORENSTEIN, AMERICAN ENTERPRISE INSTITUTE: The quick feat of this president to juke, and dance and move in one direction or another and then declare victory is very impressive politically. It is what makes him a formidable opponent to Democrats in 2004.
KOCH: But the energy bill which President Bush has said is critical to national and economic security has been blocked in the Senate. Its passage this year unlikely.
(on camera): Still, most consider the prescription drug plan to be the big enchilada. And thought some debate its effectiveness, its symbolic importance could give the president's reelection b.i.d. a critical boost. Kathleen Koch, CNN, the White House.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LIN: And we just got some late word in tonight that Senator John Kerry and Edward Kennedy are planning to filibuster the bill. In a statement Kennedy criticized the House vote, calling it, quote, "rigged." He says the bill robs seniors of their choice and does nothing to control drug prices. We will be following that debate.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired November 22, 2003 - 18:01 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: For Medicare and America's seniors, the times they are a changin'. Members of Congress were up all night debating and approving the most sweeping overhaul in the program's 38- year history. The president prodded them to no end. And if the bill clears the Senate, he will have a big domestic victory heading into the campaign. Our national correspondent Kathleen Koch has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): He began the arm twisting on Air Force One and continued through the early hours of Saturday morning. President Bush making more than a dozen phone calls to House lawmakers urging them to vote yes on the Medicare bill. It worked winning House passage by just five votes.
REP. DENNIS HASTERT (R) HOUSE SPEAKER: On this bill, we start the process of making Medicare more sustainable.
KOCH: In his Saturday radio address, President Bush prodded the Senate to follow suit.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I urge all members of Congress to remember what is at stake and to remember the promise we have made to America's seniors.
KOCH: Some Democratic senators insist the plan benefits not seniors but insurance and drug companies.
SEN. ROBERT BYRD (D) WEST VIRGINIA: Where are the priorities of this administration? Where are the priorities of the Congress? Mr. President, it seems as if this Congress is trying to pull the wool over the eyes of our nation's seniors.
KOCH: Friday, Mr. Bush was able to persuade critics to drop their opposition to administration plans to reduce the number of white collar workers who quality for overtime pay. So political observers say if the president is able to get the Medicare or the stalled energy bill passed, despite tight margins in Congress, all this gives him a domestic agenda to run on.
NORMAN ORENSTEIN, AMERICAN ENTERPRISE INSTITUTE: The quick feat of this president to juke, and dance and move in one direction or another and then declare victory is very impressive politically. It is what makes him a formidable opponent to Democrats in 2004.
KOCH: But the energy bill which President Bush has said is critical to national and economic security has been blocked in the Senate. Its passage this year unlikely.
(on camera): Still, most consider the prescription drug plan to be the big enchilada. And thought some debate its effectiveness, its symbolic importance could give the president's reelection b.i.d. a critical boost. Kathleen Koch, CNN, the White House.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LIN: And we just got some late word in tonight that Senator John Kerry and Edward Kennedy are planning to filibuster the bill. In a statement Kennedy criticized the House vote, calling it, quote, "rigged." He says the bill robs seniors of their choice and does nothing to control drug prices. We will be following that debate.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
