Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Saturday Morning News

Payroll Tax Vote Today; Drug Screening for the Jobless; Interview With Georgia Republican Representative Jack Kingston

Aired December 17, 2011 - 09:00   ET

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

T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: But as we're coming up on the top of the hour, the Senate is getting down to business today. In session today, has some big business to attend to. They have two bills to get to work on: one would keep the government running; the other would mean no change to your paycheck, at least the amount the government is taking out.

Our congressional correspondent Kate Bolduan, you know something's going on in big old Capitol Hill. Kate Bolduan is with us on this Saturday. Hello there.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It's not good news.

HOLMES: Yes. Well, things are getting under way. Some of this, I guess, is good news. They'll be able to keep the lights on, that's big and it sounds like our paychecks aren't going go up January 1.

BOLDUAN: Paychecks are not going to go up January 1, but people are calling kind of what happened over here in the Senate last night, a kind of a punt to carry on the fight that they've been fighting on a standoff over extending the payroll tax cut to another day.

What we're going to be seeing this morning in the Senate is about to - is going into session as we speak. We're going to see a series of four votes. Two votes are the really big votes that we're looking at. They're going to be voting on this two-month short-term payroll tax extension package that also includes an extension of unemployment benefits. So that will be one vote that we're going to be watching for as well as another vote on the omnibus, if you will, this massive spending bill that would fund the government through the end of September.

That spending bill has been negotiated for months, T.J., and just recently it kind of got thrown into this bitter battle over extending the payroll tax cut. Both the Republican and Democratic leader in the Senate, they have come to agreement on both of these measures so we would assume, but would be careful until we see the vote that both will be passing and they'll probably be finishing up this rare Saturday session pretty early this morning. T.J.?

HOLMES: But Kate, we have to do this again in two months. Why just two months? No, really, we're just a matter of we're running out of time, it's the holiday, let's just do this and we'll deal with this later? BOLDUAN: Well, the reason they came to agreement on this two-month deal is because their efforts towards negotiating a more comprehensive deal, they were shooting for an extension of a year for the payroll tax cut and unemployment assistance. Those talks fell apart. They could not come to an agreement despite the fact that I heard from both sides that they were all negotiating in good faith as they like to say up here. They could not reach agreement. Those talks fell apart and so they came together to at least push this through. So 160 million Americans are affected by this payroll tax cut would not see their paycheck be hurt come January 1 when this current payroll tax had expired.

So they could not come to an agreement and where I'm told things fell apart. And it was kind of the issue all along and they just couldn't bridge the gap is how to pay for these package and how to cover the cost of the payroll tax cut, the unemployment assistance as well as this thing we call the doc fix-up here which is a scheduled cut to prevent a scheduled cut to reimbursement payments that are made for doctors who treat Medicare patients. They just couldn't come to an agreement.

Both sides are now, of course, doing a very good job of trying to spin it is saying they've won out in this payroll tax extension, albeit a short-term one. One major change even though that we knew that they could be kind of punting this to a short-term extension is that they have added into this and included a Republican demand that this keystone pipeline provision be included and that's a major concession to Republicans and they've been able to get that included in this package, T.J.?

HOLMES: All right. Kate Bolduan on the case for us and again, senators getting on the case as we speak. We will talk to you again, Kate.

BOLDUAN: All right.

HOLMES: We are three minutes past the top of the hour now and we'll turn to presidential politics and Mitt Romney has picked up a pretty big supporter in the race for the Republican presidential nomination, South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. NIKKI HALEY (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: It is with great pride, great respect, great support that Michael and I are very proud to say that we are endorsing governor Mitt Romney for president of the United States.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: Governor Haley, she won the governor's race in South Carolina with big support from the Tea Party. South Carolina's primary is third on the nominating calendar, as you know, following Iowa and New Hampshire. Bigger endorsement up for grabs later today. The "Des Moines Register" is going to pick a candidate for the Iowa caucuses. We'll have that for you when it happens. It is the place to be, it seems. All eyes on Iowa and most of the candidates there are and some of the front-runners are not, Rick Santorum, Rick Perry and Michele Bachmann, they are all in Iowa today but Mitt Romney, he is staying in South Carolina, while Newt Gingrich is over in Virginia. He's there to attend a book signing for his wife's new children's book.

The U.S. is now one step closer to being out of Iraq. This is the official closing ceremony in Baghdad Thursday. But yesterday the U.S. turned over control of the last American military base in the country. It's south of Baghdad, about 200 miles. They also turned over the last U.S.-held prisoner to Iraqi custody.

Be sure to stay with us all day today to CNN "Newsroom" special reporting "Home from Iraq."

We're about five minutes past the hour now and the trial of an Army private suspected of the biggest intelligence leak in U.S. history resumes next hour. Private Bradley Manning, you're going to see him coming out here. He is surrounded by some other soldiers but that's him there. The shorter guy with the glasses. You can't see him that well, but the shorter guy is Manning. He was escorted out of the Fort Meade courtroom. This was yesterday that you're seeing. The judge refused an attempt by Manning's attorney to get him removed from the case. They wanted the judge to recuse himself. Manning who turns 24 today is accused of leaking classified military documents to WikiLeaks. He could face penalties as steep as life in prison, even death if convicted.

Another story, big weather story coming to us out of the Philippines today. A desperate search and rescue operation is going on there as we speak. The country got hit hard by a major tropical storm. More than 250 people now confirmed dead. This is coming to us from the Red Cross. Twice as many still missing. Also 20,000 soldiers are being mobilized to help with the search and rescue efforts.

It is now nighttime there making search and rescue even more difficult as I bring in Reynolds Wolf, keeping an eye on weather here. These Santa Ana winds, we've been talking about these for a couple of weeks now.

REYNOLDS WOLF, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes. We've seen the story and we talked about the toppled signs, you talked about the power outages, and the trees - they get smashed all over the place. What happens is you have these areas of low pressure that move all over parts of the Southland, California over towards the four corners. As the back half of the system that causes that wind to really push through those mountain passes and when it does, the air molecules get, really, really - what's the best word to use this? They kind of get compacted and when they do, it causes the air to heat up and creates a little bit of friction and that warm wind goes right through these mountain passes and it dries a lot of things out and as the strong wind moves, well it causes the damage to a lot of the California oaks and the size.

But how strong is the wind. Let's say it's actually stronger than say a hurricane, a category one. A category one hurricane would be classified a hurricane once it gets to about winds of 75, or 74 miles an hour sustained. Check it out. Lockwood Valley, California 76 mile per hour gusts recorded, Camp Nine, 65. In excess of 50 miles an hour in Warm Springs, California and Newhall Pass, even in Clear Creek, California, you have wind gusts of 40 miles an hour and that's tropical storm force.

So again it's very, very rough there to say the very least. The delays we're going to expect around the country. In San Diego due to showers but Orlando is going to be the fog and of course, you got some rain. Snow showers in Chicago, Boston and Detroit, essentially the same deal. The wind though is going to be one of the biggest stories across the country and it's not just wind that we're seeing in the system. A bit far to the south we got more a breeze coming off the coast and with that we are going to see some snow begin to develop over parts of the San Gabriels, perhaps as far south as San Diego, not is San Diego proper, mind you but along the coastal range, highest elevations in excess of 5,000 feet, you could anywhere from four to eight inches of snowfall.

This area of low pressure that's going to bring strong winds and provides the moisture isn't going to remain nailed to the ground. It's not going to remain locked in place. In fact, it's going to shift its way a bit more to the east. As it does so, it's going to transform the weather that you will experience in parts of say New Mexico into the central Rockies and back into the southern plains. How is that going to happen?

Well, it's going to happen a little bit like this. Here it goes, sweeping across parts of California into Arizona goes mainly a rainmaker, south of 40 but when you get into the higher elevations you're going to see some snow. Also snow towards Albuquerque and back over to Santa Fe, anyone making the drive along I-25 over the next several days and you're going to see the snow pick up farther south you go, if you're taking 70 west, wow, good luck for you because it's going to be very breezy with the snow and white-out conditions will be possible.

Fast forward to Monday morning, take a look, mainly a rainmaker for the (INAUDIBLE) Canyon back over to parts of 40 and then towards Wichita, still rain is going to be in the picture.

That's then. Today the situation will be kind of pleasant in Kansas City. Nice and dry with 49 degrees and 38 degrees in Chicago with a dusting of snow and an inch or less in some places, same story in Detroit, 43 for New York, 56 degrees or higher in Atlanta, 49 in Billings, 62 in San Francisco, 69 degrees in Los Angeles, 54 in El Paso.

T.J., your turn.

HOLMES: Reynolds, thank you. We'll see you here shortly at nine minutes past the hour.

A member of Congress wants to prevent anyone who is taking drugs, using drugs, that person should not get unemployment benefits. The Republican Jack Kingston of Georgia is the man behind the bill. He is joining me to talk about that this morning. Stick around for that on this "CNN Saturday Morning."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: We're about 12 minutes past the hour now. Here's a question for you. It sounds like a simple answer to this question, too. Would you ask your boss' wife out on a date? I assume the answer would be no, but throw this in there. Would it matter to you if your boss is actually the president of the United States. That is exactly what happened yesterday at a Toys for Tots event in Washington. You see that brave young man? We may never see him again. That's 20-year-old Marine Lance Corporal Aaron Leaks who is about to be stationed somewhere else.

He asked the first lady, Michelle Obama to accompany him. That's one way to say it to the Marine Corps ball next November. Now Mrs. Obama on the spot there and she just said she'd love to. We don't' know what will happen. We have seen these with celebrities going on a couple of dates with members of our military who asked them. Mila Kunis, Justin Timberlake did this. There he is. A brave young man asked her out and his boss is the president of the United States. We'll keep you posted and see if he actually does end up at the ball with Michele Obama.

Also after more than eight years of war, the last of Americans military forces will soon be out of Iraq. We've been seeing so many of those great homecomings, here are a few more of those sweet reunions.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you were here right now I would tell him thanks for serving us in our country.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Just happy. Very happy.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is a tremendous feeling and one that very few moments in life parallel, just thankful to be home.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I love you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, baby.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mommy!

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What a surprise. What a shock. This is the best mother's day present.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I have a surprise for you.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They're just - very proud to be the mother of a soldier.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: And again, you can tune in all day to us right here on CNN "Newsroom," we'll have special coverage reporting on "Home From Iraq."

A U.S. troop returning from Iraq may wonder what's next for them in their professional lives and they may want to get some advice from someone who knows. How about former Army Private First Class Jessica Lynch. She graduated from the University of West Virginia at Parkersburg, earning a bachelor's degree in elementary education. You'll remember her story.

One of the biggest stories early in the invasion of Iraq. She was captured, badly beaten by soldiers loyal to late dictator Saddam Hussein. She was later rescued by American forces.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JESSICA LYNCH, FORMER AMERICAN POW: They finally get to come home. They're, you know, with their family especially during this time. It's something to be proud of. You know, you want your family to be there during the holidays, so I'm thankful and grateful that they finally get to spend at least one holiday with their family.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: Lynch is the nation's first female prisoner of war ever rescued. Like so many other American vets, she's looking for a job.

Well, a member of Congress wants to prevent anyone who is using illegal drugs from getting unemployment benefits. Republican Jack Kingston of Georgia - he is the man behind this bill and he's here to talk about it. He joins me next. Stay with me on this "CNN Saturday Morning."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: Well 19 minutes past the hour now and while Congress wrestled all week with extending jobless benefits and you know the back and forth that has been going on about the payroll tax, well, one congressman says the unemployed should have to take a drug-screening questionnaire and those with the high probability of illegal drug use would then be required to pass a drug test in order to get benefits.

The man behind this proposal that certainly got a lot of people talking, Representative Jack Kingston of Georgia. I want to make it back to your home state eventually, I know you all still have some work to do out there but congressman, thank you for being here. We know that some 13, 14 million people are out of work in this country. So, of that number, how many do you believe are using drugs?

REP. JACK KINGSTON (R), GEORGIA: T.J., we're not certain. I can say this. In talking to a multitude of employers back home they find that the number of applicants who are on unemployment insurance and applying for a job still sometimes as high as 30, 40, even 50 percent are on drugs and the idea behind this is that this should not be free money with no obligation.

Unemployment insurance is not a retirement benefit. It's really just your temporary side line and we want you back in the game, but in order for you to be eligible to play you got to keep yourself drug free so that you can have a job if one's offered to you.

HOLMES: I think a lot of people out there are eligible, but before we go take this step and pass some legislation, I know you talked to people, but is talking to people who told you that a lot of people they tried to hire didn't pass a drug test, is that enough evidence, though? What is the evidence you have that there are a lot of unemployed using drugs?

KINGSTON: Well, T.J., let me say this, number one, to answer your question, it is not enough evidence. That's why the bill's introduced, but you have to introduce it in order to have hearings. What we're doing now is we're pushing to let states have permission to do this if they want to, but I agree with you. You have to put the idea on the table. We hope to have hearings in February. We want to get testimony. We want to find out how big of a problem this is. I can tell you, though, in talking to employers and many of the critics don't do that, that this is a problem that's out there. How big it is, we need to find out.

HOLMES: You know in some cases around the country, this hasn't passed the constitutional test. This one is different because in some places the judge ruled fourth amendment, this is a violation of the fourth amendment, the search and seizure, but in this case, your case, you're putting a questionnaire in place first. Now, is this, in your estimation, a way around that constitutional question by making people take a question there about drug use before taking the actual drug test?

KINGSTON: Well, I think it answers. It's a verbal test. It's a written test and it's not invasive. It's 94 percent accuracy, interestingly enough. It has been upheld in a federal court in West Virginia involved in social security disability. New Jersey and Texas has cases where they use it for child custody use. This is a test which NIH, the National Institute of Health has actually approved this screening and then it goes to the test question, but you know, again, T.J., if you're injured on the side line and playing on the sports team, we want you back in the starting lineup as soon as possible and your job is to go to physical therapy rehab. Let's get you back on the playing field so the idea again is unemployment insurance is not a retirement benefit. We want you back in the workplace.

HOLMES: I think a lot of people agree with that, and I think a lot of people in this country would agree too that taxpayer money should not go towards someone who is using drugs. We would like to eliminate that altogether but answer this question for those people who feel like you are demonizing a class of people who are already beat up by this economy in some ways through no fault of their own struggling. "OK, you want me back in the game, but wait, you're almost accusing me of using drugs before you let me back in the game."

KINGSTON: Yes, those who accuse that may want to look at themselves in the mirror. That goes back to the bigotry of low expectations. It's really kind of the patronizing that people say these poor folks who were unemployed and they're on drugs and now here comes this horrible Republican congressman beating up on them. That is absurd. I expect more from them than apparently these people do. I think they can actually stay off drugs and get back in the workplace and I think that's in their interest and in society's interest. You can call it tough love, if you want, but I think "Hey, you know what? We're all in this together." For every dollar we spend, 40 cents right now is borrowed. This money, a lot of this money comes out of the general tax dollars. So we need to spend it wisely and I think this is actually more compassionate than people who would make that accusation are being.

HOLMES: And I'm sure you heard before, but people start to think where does it stop when it comes to government money and government benefits and taxpayer dollars and the suggestion is out there? Would you be OK, why not test all federal employees, drug test them and why not members of Congress? Would you be game to do that?

KINGSTON: Well, I can say this. You know, where it is relevant, I think there should be testing. I'm OK with being tested, personally, but let me say this. We do have restrictions on public assistance. Right now school nutrition has a very limited men you on what you can serve. Food stamps, you can't buy alcohol, you can't buy tobacco, the WIC program has a very, very restricted menu. So to say that we just give this money away right and left on public assistance benefits without strings attached, that's not accurate at all.

So all I'm saying is on this, this is just saying you got to do your part to get back into the job place.

HOLMES: And I know you said you wouldn't mind, but a lot of people do have that question, when this comes up about drug testing other folks, would you be OK? You think they should drug test all members of Congress?

KINGSTON: I think members of Congress can do it voluntarily. You know, one of the things is -

HOLMES: Not required, though, even though taxpayer money is paying your salaries?

KINGSTON: Well, if it's interferes with the job, I'm comfortable with it, and you know, one of the things and I have to tell you, I got a question myself, you know, when you're flying an airplane, driving a piece of equipment or something, doing surgery, it's very, very relevant. 56 percent of the employers use it right now, but you know, do we need to have it in absolutely every case? I don't know that we do -

HOLMES: All right.

KINGSTON: But absolutely, that's what hearings are all about and I invite that kind of input.

HOLMES: Well, Representative Kingston, it's a conversation a lot of people are having and we hope we can continue this conversation with you. Thank you for taking the time. I know it's a busy time on Capitol Hill for you all and we'll see you back in Georgia for the holidays, right?

KINGSTON: All right. T.J., thanks.

HOLMES: All right. We're 25 minutes past the hour. A quick break. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: As we come up on the bottom of the hour, you are seeing on the bottom of the screen on the left side, senators right now voting on something that directly affects you. What they are doing there is going to directly impact your paycheck starting January 1. They are voting on this payroll tax extension. For the average American that would mean if they don't pass this it would mean about $1,000 for the average American starting at the top of next year.

Well, they're voting on this. They're going to pass - expected to pass this extension at which point the House will take it up next week. Therefore, you'll get to hold on to that $1,000. The deal was reached at the last minute. You had to throw in this keystone pipeline, you know, this pipeline, this oil pipeline that goes from Canada to Texas. That had to be thrown in there, had some concessions from Democrats to get that in there, but this is only an extension that will go for two months. They'll then have to take up this fight again two months from now, but at least this gets us through the top of the year. We're keeping a close eye on this.

So we'll have more of this for you at the top of the hour with more live news. Right now, "YOUR BOTTOM LINE."