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American Morning

President, Congressman Negotiate Patients' Bill of Rights

Aired July 26, 2001 - 10:36   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.
STEPHEN FRAZIER, CNN ANCHOR: We are receiving word from Major Garrett, who tracks events at the White House, that President Bush is involved in some negotiations that may have some significance for the Patients' Bill of Rights.

So let's go now to Major Garrett, at the White House, for some sense of what is happening.

Major, good morning.

MAJOR GARRETT, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Stephen.

CNN has learned from a senior administration official that President Bush met privately this morning in the Oval Office for about 30 minutes with Republican Charlie Norwood of Georgia. Why this would meeting matter? Because Charlie Norwood is the central figure in the ongoing and intensifying effort in the White House to obtain an agreement with the House Republican leadership, and other House Republicans, to pass a Patients' Bill of Rights through that chamber.

Mr. Norwood is the sponsor of a bipartisan bill that for, up until today, the White House was not very interested in, because it said that it provided too many rights to patients to sue their HMOs. The White House had up, until this day, worked almost exclusively on an alternative bill, but today, the president decided to sit down with Mr. Norwood, to see if he and Mr. Norwood could strike a deal, one the White House believes would end all roadblocks in the House, pave the way to passage of a Patients' Bill of Rights in that chamber, and move the nation one step closer to a Patients' Bill of Rights that would cover 190 million Americans.

After the meeting, with these exclusive pictures taken by CNN cameramen, here at the White House, you can President Bush and Mr. Norwood walking from the West Wing to the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. Smiles, it looks to be a cordial walk over. There was a ceremony to honor the late Georgia Senator Paul Coverdell.

A senior administration official tells CNN the president is encouraged by the meeting and that there will be more meetings between senior White House staff and Mr. Norwood, and, quite possibly, the president, to work this out. A White House adviser tells CNN that there is substantial progress being made, but in the words of this one senior administration official, we are not there yet. A significant development tactically and, as far as CNN, visually putting these two men who have been at odds together today -- Stephen.

FRAZIER: Major, the president will need a lot of votes on a piece of legislation of such major significance. It's interesting that he chooses to meet with only one lawmaker at a time. Does that say anything about his style or his tactics?

GARRETT: What it says, Stephen, is that, on this issue, there is one lawmaker and one lawmaker only who is the lever, the fulcrum, for the entire issue. That's because right now neither side has the votes to pass these competing Patients' Bills of Rights. If Mr. Norwood were to strike a deal with the White House, not only would he bring with him 12 to 15 Republicans who have yet to side with the White House, he could, quite possibly, bring dozens, maybe hundreds, who have supported his version of a Patients' Bill of Rights through the years. So Mr. Norwood is the key and central figure on this legislation.

You don't see this very often. Oftentimes, you have to build coalitions and talk to a lot of different people. This time it's different. Mr. Norwood is key. The White House sees that and will continue talking with him, to try to strike a deal.

The other question that might arise is what's the timetable? Will this be done before Congress leaves for the August break? The White House is not committing to that, a senior administration official telling CNN it doesn't matter if it takes a date, a week, or a month; the crucial thing is we get it done this year -- Stephen.

FRAZIER: At the White House, Major Garrett. Major, thanks for putting us out front on that story.

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