Washington Watch w/Roland Martin, Georgia Congressman Tom Price and Maryland Congressman Elijah Cummings 02.21.10 [Transcript]
MR. ROLAND MARTIN: Folks, we welcome to “Washington Watch” Georgia Congressman Tom Price and Maryland Congressman Elijah Cummings.
Gentlemen, welcome to the show.
REP. TOM PRICE: Thanks, Roland.
REP. ELIJAH CUMMINGS: Good to be with you.
MR. MARTIN: All right. Glad you’re here. Big, big meeting coming up between the President, Democrats and Republicans when it comes to healthcare – this whole back-and-forth in terms of will it accomplish anything – an opportunity for folks to both share their ideas. But when the President met with Republicans in that question-and-answer –
REP. PRICE: Right.
MR. MARTIN: — sort of free-wielding [sic] deal – it reminds me of the folks over in England –
REP. PRICE: [Chuckles.]
MR. MARTIN: — Congressman Price, you got an opportunity to ask the President a question, so I wanted to play that and the President’s response. So, here we go.
[VIDEO CLIP.]
REP. PRICE: Here’s a bill that would provide health coverage for all Americans; would correct and – the – the significant insurance challenges of portability and preexisting; would solve the lawsuit abuse issue, which isn’t addressed in – significantly in – in the other proposals that went through the House and the Senate; would write into law that medical decisions are made between patients and families and – and – and doctors; and does all of that without raising taxes by a penny….
PRES. BARACK OBAMA: If you say we can offer coverage for all Americans, and it won’t cost a penny, that’s just not true.
[END OF VIDEO CLIP.]
MR. MARTIN: Now, Congressman, you’re a doctor –
REP. PRICE: Yes.
MR. MARTIN: — and you also head the Republican Study Committee, which is the conservative caucus in the House. So, let’s talk about your Empowering Patients First Act.
REP. PRICE: Um-hum?
MR. MARTIN: The Congressional Budget Office says that your plan would leave about 52 million non-elderly residents uninsured by 2019, which is online with the outlook of the uninsured Americans in 2010. So, let’s deal with that.
REP. PRICE: Sure.
MR. MARTIN: How will you be able insure Americans, if the President and the CBO says your plan leaves a bunch of folks out?
REP. PRICE: Well, act- — a- — a- — as a physician, we know that the status quo is unacceptable – absolutely. The fact of the matter is the – the CBO hasn’t yet scored our bill, so we believe that the bill that we’ve put forward, the Empowering Patients First Act, would allow all Americans – all Americans – to gain the coverage – the health coverage that they want for themselves and their families, not that the government wants for them. And that’s the fundamental question: who’s going to decide? Is it going to be patients and families and doctors? A- — a- — as a former physician, that’s where it needs to be. Or, is it going to be the federal government, or insurance companies?
MR. MARTIN: But you say it’s not going to cost a penny?
REP. PRICE: Well, d- — no. What I said was – if you listen to the question, was we don’t have to raise taxes by a penny. What we need to do is to make healthcare a priority in this nation, and – and it has not been a priority. And when we make healthcare a priority, then you have to make some very difficult decisions elsewhere – decrease spending elsewhere. But we ought to make healthcare a priority for our nation, and we ought to make certain that patients and families and doctors are the ones that are in charge.
MR. MARTIN: Congressman Cummings, Republicans have been saying they have been excluded from this health debate. Your assessment of that: true? Not true?
REP. CUMMINGS: I don’t think that’s totally accurate. I think Republicans have the opportunity to air their views, and they’ve had amendments put on both of these bills – the Senate and the House bill. And I think basically what has happened is that – and, you know, I was just listening to what the President said. It makes sense that, if Congressman Price has a bill where we can do the things the President wants to do – that is cover all Am- — Americans and, at the same time, keep prices down and without too much cost – I mean I’d love to see that. I – and I think the President’s open to that, but I just don’t believe it.
MR. MARTIN: But wha- — what about that, though? Because we have this back and forth, where the President says, “Look. If you have some ideas, I want to look at it, but what we’ve heard from the White House is, “We’ve listened to a lot of Republican ideas. We went back, studied it, felt it didn’t work; so, therefore, we didn’t move forward with it.”
REP. PRICE: Sure.
MR. MARTIN: So, when Repub- — so, when Re- — so when you – Republicans say, “We haven’t been included,” the White House responds, “No, you have. We simply didn’t agree with it and moved with something else.”
REP. PRICE: Well – and – and the – the fact of the matter is we haven’t been included, especially in the House. Speaker Pelosi has told her folks that – that “you can’t work with Republicans.” I serve – I’m – in fact, I’m the senior Republican on the Health Subcommittee on Education and Labor, and we weren’t included in any of that process. Now, that – you know, that’s politics.
MR. MARTIN: Now – now – now, when you say you “weren’t included,” what does that actually mean? Were – are you saying that no amendments were presented? None were accepted? You were not involved in any conversations, any meetings, any committees – anything?
REP. PRICE: In – when – when the bill was being constructed – the bill that was being brought forward last July – being constructed – we weren’t involved in that process at all. Did we have an opportunity to put amendments up? Sure. Absolutely. Were they accepted? Some of them were accepted. Some – many of them weren’t. The one that required members of Congress and – and federal health employees to be included in the government plan – that was turned down basically along party lines. But the – but a – a collegial, bipartisan effort was not undertaken in the House of Representatives, and that’s clear. Everybody understands that.
MR. MARTIN: [Unintelligible] — Congressman, you wanted to inju- — interject.
REP. CUMMINGS: Well, you know, w- — I think we can go around and around on this merry-go-round, but the problem is – is that in Georgia, for example, 19 percent of the people don’t have any insurance. You go to Texas, 27 percent of the people don’t have any insurance. Studies have shown that 45,000 people are dying every year, and there’re people that are looking at us right now who cannot have a – no- — do not have a clue how they’re going to deal with their cancer that was just diagnosed a few d- — days ago. Some kind of way, we’ve got to get off of this merry-go-round and begin to address this issue.
And now, I – the – the President is going to be presenting a bill that he says is a combination of the House and Senate bills, and I’m hoping at this – this forum coming up on the 25th – I’m hoping that the Republicans and Democrats will come together, leave the politics at home, and address these issues; because a lot of people are suffering.
MR. MARTIN: The last time you were on, you s- — talked about supporting the public option. We’re seeing an increasing number of senators say, “We might want to use reconciliation.” Republicans are saying, “Absolutely not.”
But, Congressman, under President George W. Bush, 17 different bills were passed by Republicans using reconciliation. If it was good enough for Republicans in charge under a Republican president, what is the problem under a Democratic president with Democrats in charge?
REP. PRICE: Well, I th- — I think the question really isn’t reconciliation; the question is what the American people want.
MR. MARTIN: No, no, no. No, no, no, no. My question is reconciliation.
REP. PRICE: Well – and – and –
MR. MARTIN: And so – no. But answer my question. If 17 bills were passed by Republicans under a Republican president, using reconciliation, aren’t Republicans being hypocritical by saying Democrats, under a Democratic president, cannot use the exact, same process?
REP. PRICE: Well, I – I haven’t said that the – that Democrats can’t use it. What I’ve said is that they ought not, because –
MR, MARTIN: But – but should Republicans have used it, then?
REP. PRICE: Well, it depends what the issue was. If the American people are so adamantly opposed – and they’ve said by 68 to 21 percent that they oppose the bill that have – ‘s come through the House and the Senate – if the American people are opposed almost 3 to 1 to this bill, do you think that – that – that the – the Democraft – [sic - phonetic] – Democrats in charge of the House and the Senate ought to move that through by reconciliation?
MR. MARTIN: And I’ll –
REP. PRICE: I think that –
MR. MARTIN: — be honest. I’ve seen – I’ve seen multiple di- – polls, so – some showing that people have support, some saying they’re against; but, frankly, it all depends on who you actually poll. So – but, again, though, I’m talking about a procedure that is being used, and my – and, again, Democrats didn’t like it when Republicans used reconciliation.
REP. PRICE: — you’re right.
MR. MARTIN: Now Republicans are in the minority, and they don’t like it. I’m simply saying if it’s good enough for one party, it’s good enough for the other –
REP. PRICE: Sure.
MR. MARTIN: — party. And that’s the problem that I see with this whole notion of –
REP. PRICE: That’s a political –
MR. MARTIN: — how Washington –
REP. PRICE: — question.
MR. MARTIN: — plays.
REP. PRICE: That’s a political –
REP. CUMMINGS: I think –
REP. PRICE: — question.
REP. CUMMINGS: — I think – I think rec- — rec- — reconciliation is – we need to use it on something as urgent as this. Keep in mind Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield in California just announced that they were going up on individual premiums from 30 to 39 percent. That’s a lot of money. Now, there was a hulla- — a lot of hullabaloo around it, and they postponed it until May. And what that means is that more and more people are going to have to pay more and more money. This is an urgent situation. So, if we’re going to use reconciliation, I would think that this would be the moment that we would use –
REP. PRICE: There’s a –
REP. CUMMINGS: — it.
REP. PRICE: — grea- — there’s a great point, though, because the CBO has said that the House and the Senate bill would actually increase premiums. So, the – we – we aren’t addressing the real problem.
Again, getting back to the – to the – to patients and families and doctors. The American people don’t care whether it’s a Republican solution or a Democrat solution. They want the problem solved. And we ought to work together to solve the problem, but the fundamental tenet of what we ought to be doing is making it so that patients and families and doctors can make medical decisions and not government.
MR. MARTIN: I want to segue into this whole issue of Washington gridlock. I talked about it a bit when –
REP. PRICE: Yeah.
MR. MARTIN: — it came to reconciliation, and you mentioned the Congressional Budget Office. And here’s what I find to be interesting. Here you have a particular office, Congress, supposed to be nonpartisan, often offers their analysis on various bills. When Republicans like things the CBO says, they’ll repeat it, putting it in press releases. When they don’t, they’ll ignore it. Democrats do the exact, same thing. And so when you look at what’s happening right now in Washington, D.C., isn’t the real issue that you have both parties – Republicans and Democrats – who are simply pa- — playing politics over and over and over again, and it comes down to who wants control? And so – look at the stimulus bill. You had – and I – and, Congressman, I need you to answer this. I see Republicans talking about – who – they condemned the stimulus bill, saying it was pork, saying it should not have been spent; but we see The Washington Times, The Wall Street Journal and others do have various reports showing a hu- – 100-plus Republicans touting the same stimulus bill, handing out checks – and saying in news articles it would not create jobs, but, in pieces on their own letterhead, saying it will create jobs. How can the American people trust a politician when they say one thing and, frankly, say another thing, but then say, “I’m still truthful”?
REP. PRICE: Well, it – it – it’s a great question, Roland. You can’t take the politics out of politics. But I agree with you. The stimulus – I – I opposed the stimulus, because I thought that it was using money that we don’t have, and it was. It’s using money that we don’t have. I firmly believe that many of the priorities in the stimulus package are things that the federal government ought to be doing, but they ought to be doing [them] within the construct of a budget and a – and a – an – an appropriations process that is spending money that we have – not –
MR. MARTIN: But have –
REP. PRICE: — money that we’re borrowing from the Chinese.
MR. MARTIN: — but have you told your fellow Republicans that it is wrong to say it wouldn’t create jobs, but – but apply for the same funds and say it will create jobs? Have you actually told fellow Republicans, “That is a hypocritical stance on your part”?
REP. PRICE: What I have done is not done that. I have tried to lead by example and say, “Look. You can’t stand up and tout a program that you voted against and then” – “and then” – “and” – “and then walk back to your district and take that money and” – “and” – “and champion it.” But that’s – I mean that’s the politics on both sides. But I haven’t done that, because I firmly believe that you[‘ve] got to lead by example, and this is all about leadership.
MR. MARTIN: Congressman, talk about gridlock, you have – Democrats – a 78-vote margin in the House, 18-[vote] margin in the Senate. But your party, frankly, can’t even get its act together and agree on various things. Democrats often will accuse Republicans of playing politics, but – as the Congressman said – will certainly freeze out in various areas, and so the exact, same thing: how can Democrats then up and complain about gridlock, when they are a willing participant in the exact, same process? How can the American people even trust Democrats and Republicans when they’re playing games with people’s lives?
REP. CUMMINGS: First of all, trust is so important. You – you – and I think you’ve hit on the right question, because – [crosstalk]- –
MR. MARTIN: Congress’ approval rating is on an all-time low.
REP. CUMMINGS: — oh, I agree. And I think that when you lose trust – when you lose trust in any relationship, you’re going to have major problems. It slows down every process.
I think we all can do better. I think the President was absolutely right when he talked about healthcare and other issues. He says, “Look. If we’re going to have true bipartisanship, that’s a give-and-take.” Le- — let me tell you something, Roland, going back to healthcare, I would love a public option; but I realize I may not be able to get it and – and still get a bill through. I may have to give some, but we[‘ve] got to have both sides giving.
MR. MARTIN: And are –
REP. CUMMINGS: And –
MR. MARTIN: — Democrats unwilling to give?
REP. CUMMINGS: — I think Democrats are pretty much willing to give some. As a matter of fact, many of us started off f- – wanting a public option. Now we’ve got – the President has said he’s –
MR. MARTIN: But you – but –
REP. CUMMINGS: — coming back –
MR. MARTIN: — but you[‘ve] got Democrats who hate the Senate bill.
REP. CUMMINGS: — yeah, well, that won’t –
MR. MARTIN: And they – and they –
REP. CUMMINGS: — that won’t –
MR. MARTIN: — and they’re saying, “We don’t trust the Senate.”
REP. CUMMINGS: — well – and I think that we have got to all come to a point where we say, “Look. Are we going to let the perfect be the enemy of the good?” And that’s a problem. A- — but I[‘ve] got to tell you. As much as I – I hate not having a public option –
MR. MARTIN: Right.
REP. CUMMINGS: — I want a bill. I want to take care of those people in my district.
MR. MARTIN: Gentlemen, we’re out of time, but I – I will ask this favor, because I’ve voted for Democrats and Republicans. When Republicans are hypocritical, I believe, Congressman, you should call them out – not privately, but also publicly. Congressman Cummings, the exact, same thing when it comes to Democrats. I think when people hear Democrats and Republicans say one thing and do another, that’s when they don’t trust them; and if stand-up members of Congress stand up to their own party, maybe more Americans will trust the body you guys serve in.
REP. PRICE: Great point, Roland.
REP. CUMMINGS: I agree.
MR. MARTIN: We certainly appreciate it. Congressman Price, Congressman Cummings, thank you very much.
REP. PRICE: Thank you.
REP. CUMMINGS: Thank you.
REP. PRICE: Appreciate it.
MR. MARTIN: Folks, coming up next on “Washington Watch,” more on President Barack Obama’s healthcare summit. Plus, is the White House getting better at getting the message out? That and much more with our “Washington Watch” panelists April Ryan of American Urban Radio Networks; Robert Traynham from the Comcast Network; Deborah Mathis of BlackAmericaWeb.com; and George Curry, syndicated columnist.
[END OF SEGMENT.]
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