making progress with the c.p.a. in the south. in terms of what he was doing, but again, the instruction made his work less interesting, shall we say, than it was before. did you get a sense of the effective change in instruction in november likely to help these sort of things in losing the momentum that had been built up? .

>> major general davide÷ petraes tended to do his own thing on the ground to the greatest degree possible and showed me how intangibles -- alan intelligent independent general could produce an effect in the mosul region which was positive. others were more pork -- forceful in their military approach and in less resourceful

in fighting money to feed into the local community. there was a sense of dissatisfaction in the whole area. i do not think there was a strategic change in november but there were adjustments to tactics and there were failures of the administrator to accept the wise advice of his regional commanders to do things rolla differently which are regarded as a pity but that's the way i would say it. >> i was thinking of what became apparent after november -- the move to elections the next year in the sense that the cba's days were numbered and their ability to carry on with momentum to take the lead in running the country almost became a lame duck as 2004 started. >> i think adjustments were made

after the november 15 agreement. at theç+ time, ambassador bremer had a decision from washington as to what the and overtime would be with discussion with the united kingdom. at the end of june, 2004, it was decided upon. that meant that the lead out time had to be planned and a more definite way. ambassador bremer was clear that there should not be local elections because that would interfere with the process of the national elections he was trying to plan and the agreement on the transitional administrative law. the industry is had done good work to get democracy going in the localities which i and others felt or conducive to the way we wanted iraq to go.

that was brought to a halt by the change of tactics in designing up to june, 2004. yes, that was true. >> he felt that this meant "a lot of good work that was under way lost momentum at that point, concerning that. >> yes, and you also heard from sir hillary in his desperate search for resources. he knew he needed to do but didn't have the resources to do it. i wasn't asked by london to do that because i thought london was beating resources to the south. i asked the occasional question about whether more than 2% of the overall american resources

should go into this very important region in the south. a bit of money started flowing to this out but not much more than that. there was still that separation in the american mind between the british area and the rest of iraq. >> this illustrates the whole problem. the british ferry was dependent still on american resources because we did not have sufficient resources ourselves to do what was necessary we had not restricted iresourced it sufficiently. you're not in a position as a joint administrator to say that's where it should go. it had to be done in this roundabout way from basura to washington and back to baghdad?

>> yes, i was not in a position to do that. ambassador bremer had been to congress and had got $18.7 billion out of the washington system and it was his job to -- very little of that was dispersed during the coalition. . period. he was feeding money into the north, the center and the northeast rather than into the south. perhaps, there is some things we have not gone into. maybe this would be a matter for private discussion. ike leggett is worth bringing out in the public discussions -- i think it is worth bringing out in the public discussions -- but in october, 2003, the whole effort in iraq will be won or lost in the center.

i saw london as being very concentrated on their particular responsibilities in the southeast. that was what the wednesday morning meeting that the chiefs of staff talked about. that is what the direct ad hoc committee talked about. i made the point to ministers that they need to pay more attention as to what was happening in the center and remember that although they had appointed me to represent the u.k. interest in the center and although we have the% of the responsibility, if we put into% of the resources to the all of iraq, i could not have 50% of people went on the ground for it was likely to have something closer to 5% of the influence because money means influence. quantity means influence with the americans as much as argument or position of first allah. >> how much of that you think

was understood. when you sent it back in october and then left in march? >> i was personally never satisfied that london focused enough on the center. we had excellent major generals as number 2 to the major military commander in baghdad. we had good advisers to him and to me. but we did not have the weight or the resources to offer to the americans for the hall of by iraq to catch their attention when we had disagreements in policy. one of which was the putting down of evito over the disbanding of the public economy in iraq under tom foley. who was responsible for

the economic situation in baghdad. that would create too much unemployment as a difficult period in iraq. that was the only formal veto that i put down. on the whole, we've always had to get our arguments for a constant reiteration by working different parts of the system by going to the iraqis and influencing them rather than anything top down. thank you. >> market -- -- martin -- >> you felt we were not bring in enough resources. not enough in police training, not enough into the center, where was the blockage? why was the british, not producing enough results?

>> it goes back to more than the british. the most basic error that was made in the whole planning for the post-conflict phase in iraq was not to upset the american military, the mission, of administering iraq after the war was over. in my view, general tommy franks was given the long mission to invade iraq, get rid of the saddam hussein and her turn it over to the minister is bridge he should have been given the mission of getting rid of saddam,'s of fighting iraq, making sure that iraq was a secure military area and then handing over to civilian administrators. there was an under-resources and

of the mission from the very beginning. london was not in the position or did not question that setting up missions. control of the security situation was lost from the earliest days after april 9 and was never recovered. you cannot do a political process or an economic process without security. in addition to that, as far as the political process was concerned, no iraqi leadership was identified in reality and with justification as being the leadership to which we would hand over in the face four. . phase four perios. london was not sufficiently

consulted on the setting of missions, on the change from oha to the cpa, from, to baghdad. and the setting up resources for the whole test. we were always, by experience in iraq, from history and in the nature of the british, more pessimistic about what was going to happen then were the americans. we never got the americans to understand that in the post- conflict area, they were taken on a more difficult mission than the invasion itself. that lay behind her absence of resources. you then have to add to that the reluctance of many government and every government in this country to spend resources when they do not necessarily see the proof of them being needed.

it is in the nature of democracy to under-resource and not to preempt and not to ensure because the treasury will always argue against that. it is too expensive. as it happened, iraq became more expensive because we did not do those things because we did not in short, we carry our own insurance and it was very expensive. it was in the nature of the british regime not to cover every eventuality because fundamentally it was on a portable. -- it was unaffordable. but >> so in the end, we'd supplied the end but not the means? >> correct. >> at the outset, you say that we were not consulted, were not sufficiently consulted. was that because at the highest levels we were not being assertive enough in putting forward our point of view and

demanding to be consulted and is more pessimistic assessment that we have? >> no, it is more complex than that. in the american view, we were very welcome and a very capable partner but we were very low quantity. i would not say junior partner but we were a low-quantity partner. the pentagon was planning for this in the way that they did plan on the assumption that the united states might be the only country executing this plan to invade iraq and get rid of saddam hussein. you remember that secretary rumsfeld said in january or february, 2003, that we will go and do this whether or not the british are with us. they were planning to do all thing, if necessary, whether or not they have allies.

it is in the american frame of mind to do things on the basis of american decisionmaking, american resources, american self-reliance with other partners being very welcome to add things where they can but is mainly being an american enterprise -- >> if i could interrupt you. when the british government took the decision in different military options it was presented with to go for the largest, including a division level land force, a strong part of the argumentation was that this would give us a significant influence over the way the operation was conducted. do you think that london failed to appreciate that despite that decision that we were a low- quantity partner, did you think we re -- did they think that we

were a high-quantity part because of that? >> no, they would have to rely on good american decisionmaking and resource allocation to get this thing done well. in british terms, it was an enormous expedition, military expeditionary force to be sent to iraq to win one part of the country and hold that part of the country and if you look at the record of what we did in the southeast, we eventually did it very confidently up to a certain point in time until our supplies ran out in iraq. it was a well executed job that the british did in the southeast. but in doing that job in the southeast, we added very little to what the coalition as a whole is doing in the rest of iraq. >> it did not give us the big influence that we hoped it was going to give us?

>> it gives the employees to make our own decisions in the southeast and to be relied upon by the americans to do that properly but it did not give us the weight of zero boys in baghdad for the whole administration of iraq -- the voice in baghdad for the whole administration of iraq. >> you said that ambassador bremer did not show you the icrc report on abu ghraib when it was sent to him and you said there was a lot of american material that you never saw. to what extent did ambassador bremer keeping fully briefed on what he was up to? >> he did not keep me fully briefed. he never intended that.

the non-americans in the cpa and quite a few of the americans, did not see anything of the american spending of money and budget allocations gori we were not consulted on the budget allocations that bremer and others prepared for the spending of american and iraqi money in iraq. we did not seek anything whatsoever in the oil sector. they kept that very closely american because they wanted to run the oil sector. there were australians and poles and others at senior levels who were advising them on some aspects of this but no americans were taken into the american confidence on the spending of money and the management of the oil sector in iraq. those are two of the purest examples of how partial the partnership was on the ground with the americans.

>> why were they seeking to have this control of the oil sector? >> i think they felt that they understood the oil sector. they brought in american oil executives to invite them on this and run that part cpa. they knew that management of the oil sector would be vital to the supply of finance into the iraqi system and wanted to be responsible for it themselves. there might have been a minor ankle of thinking that they wanted access to the contracts that might come out of the oil sector and the iraqi economy at a subsequent period but the americans were doing 95% of the work and putting in 95% of the money. i would not like to say that

they were not justified in taking that approach. >> would you regard this as a minor aspect of this? >> the americans had no intention to take over and on the oil sector. that was always a canard in public criticism terms of what the invasion was about. it was not about oil. i think they just felt this was such an important area that they would run it themselves. they ran the replacement of the currency with immense confidence and efficiency, run by an american with one brett on board -- brit on board with the team. >> in your contacts with british and american military commanders, did you feel at the time you were there that they would have liked to have had substantially more troops on the carry out the task

they were big -- being expected to carry out? >> yes, they were always under- resourced and ambassador bremer has spoken in public since that time that he himself asked for a larger number of troops in the summer of 2003. military commanders were always stretched. it was clear to them about the borders were open and they did not have the troops to guard the ammunition dumps which have more than 1 million tons of military explosives, and ammunition in them. there were not able to police the streets. they were assuming that the iraqis would do a lot of this themselves with in the event that it was a misplaced assumption. they realized how short of boots

on the ground they had. >> the outgoing chairman had warned the senate in february of that year that they were going to make hundreds of thousands of people to deal with the task after the event. he had been a rubbished at the time for saying this? >> he thought a half a million troops would be necessary for the post-conflict and depurate secretary wolfowitz said that was ridiculous. >> if you have been asked in september of 2003 which of the two or write? >> it was my view throughout this that more troops should have been allocated from the beginning. >> time is about to run out. we have benefited enormously

from two rounds of testimony from a like to ask two questions about your overall view. throughout the whole process in which you were involved, do you feel that the united kingdom had a significant impact on the process of policy formation in the united states towards iraq? you have talked about one specific set out vetoes looking at it in a broader sense, did we succeed in influencing it? >> yes, we influenced it in certain detailed ways but that cannot hide the fact that we were uncomfortable about the low level of planning for the post- conflict period, had worries abou under-resourceing, and sometimes were not given an opportunity to explain to the americans why we thought it should be done differently. in that very major respect, i

think our influence was too low but it was too low for the reason that we were a minor partner, in resource terms. >> finally, you were there in the period where you described it as a catastrophic success of winning the war so quickly. and we were paying the price or the -- of the failure of and we were essentially making it up as we went along in a very different environment than we expected. you draw a number of important lessons and we are on the are there any other lessons for future policy making that you would draw from the whole of iraq experience? >> i think there are a number of lessons.

the full range of them will probably need another session. there are two in particular -- one is to regard the aftermath as just as important a mission as the military action. secondly, to put security first because nothing can be done in the political and economic sphere without security. third, to seek as wide as possible and international influence into an international operation of this kind with the legitimacy that would lead to that and which flows from that. and fourthly, to be much more aware of where the gaps are and where the limitations will be and try to address those early in security, political resource, economic and other terms before you begin. this was clearly to rest and

exercise -- too rushed an exercise on the ground which some people had been predicting would be as difficult as it was. to have this degree of mismatch is something that has to be avoided in the future. >> thank you. >> thank-you, sir jeremy. i think this has given you the opportunity to make a final observations for the session. there may be more to say. with that, can i say one thing for the record? i think you used the term "third role?" can you explain what that is? >>an fco section was composed of the head of that section, the deputy head of that section and the third room which was the engine room where the

bureaucracy gets done. >> thank you. we thank you and to all of those who have attended throughout this morning. can i close this session? the next hearing will start at 2:00 this afternoon when we will be hearing from lieutenant general william rollo and lieutenant general cooper. they both commanded and they had a senior role in baghdad later on. in the course of this morning, we heard about the united kingdom triangle. we shall be hearing about that tomorrow afternoon. that is a trailer for the afternoon session tomorrow. that concludes this morning's session. i would like to say that i interrupted the broadcast briefly this morning because there was a mention of sensitive information as it is defined in

our published protocols so we had to enter a briefly, thank you. >> cspan, christmas day, a look ahead to 2010 politics including republican congressman edward kantor. buzz aldrin and fellow astronauts on the legacy of apollo 11, a discussion on a roll of muslims in america and the world. later, a former cia intelligence officer on u.s. strategy against al qaeda in afghanistan. starting in o'clock p.m. eastern, remembering the laws of william f. buckley jr. and senator ted kennedy. host: caller: ♪ host: caller:[cy national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2009] "washington journal" is already special time and after that we will give you a coverage on the

blog senate vote. we will have analysis on the senate health care about. later, we will talk to a lieutenant-general about the wounded warrior program for veterans. host: welcome to "washington journal." in 50 minutes, the senate will gaveling to session and in 30 minutes they will vote on final passage of their aid hundred $71 billion health care reform bill. this is a key milestone in a months-long health care debate that has dominated capitol hill. senate democrats are, they have the votes to pass this legislation, giving president barack obama an important victory on this christmas a pretty road to health care reform does not end here. the senate bill will need to be reconciled with the house

version which was passed on november 7 and there are key differences between the two bills. you can watch the senate bill in its entirety on our sister network, cspan 2. this morning, we want to know what you think about congressional efforts to reform health care. the numbers are on your screen ]zqjoining us on the russell ofe building rotunda, walk us through what will happen to that. guest: this is final passage. they will get out there and bvote on the health care bill are when it comes to a

conference report a few months ago, that will be different. the senate will pass the bill, this is it. many of us have been doing this for a year and this is a momentous occasion great host: is this as momentous as november 7 in the house? guest: this is bigger. this has been about the struggle to get to 60, the dealmaking, finding the balance between the conservatives and liberals and the democratic caucus searching for a long time for a republican but that they were never able to get and are certainly not going to get this morning. host: vice president joe biden is arriving. he will be presiding. you can see his motorcade arriving on capitol hill. go ahead and finish as we watch him a ride. guest: they are bringing him in for this big boat and the rare case of a tie, the vice- president who will be presiding,

and cast the deciding vote that would give 101 votes in the senate and he would be number 51. i don't think we are expecting any protest votes at this point from the liberal democrats. there was discussion that the liberal democrats or conservative democrats would cast a protest vote against the bill but i don't think that will be really happening. host: how many votes are needed for passage of this bill? guest: all passage votes are 51. we talk about 60 which is a procedural vote and that is to end filibusters. that is the big men remember we have been looking at previous to this. we will look at that once more in january or february for a conference report. host: do you know of many senators who will not be here this morning? guest: there has been talked to some of the republicans may not show up.

there has been a joke about how long we would be here will depend on who won the battle between the senate republican wives and the various conservative supporters of the senate republicans, some of the tea party protest reported where boating at 7:00 a.m. instead of 7:00 p.m.. host: after today, then what happens? guest: the senate and house have two very different bills and will go into a conference process where they will pick a few negotiators from each chamber and then those folks will go into a room and start working out a deal, a compromise bill that they can both support. they are close on a lot of issues but on a few like the public plan, how the bill raises revenue, they are very far apart. that will take some time to work out.

senator dodd just walked up behind your cameras. he will almost certainly be in the conference. host: is this a full conference committee? guest: many folks are pushing for one. i think what we will see over the next few weeks is that staff will get together immediately after the hollies and start negotiating with house and senate staff to work out the easier issues and figure out what the hard stuff is. their bosses will come back before recess is over and those folks will be working. the conference may well happen but it may be more of a formality where they put their signatures on deals that have been worked out behind closed doors. host: thank you for getting up and joining us in the cold early on christmas eve. we want to take a few of your calls we will dip into the senate to show you some action. you can watch the entire thing starting at 6:45 on c-span 2.

oklahoma is first on the telephone. caller: when you look at some of these senators, they act as if they didn't care what the people want. there is talk of some of the special interests getting paper if they put money before their people, how you know they won't sell us out for some as the and not a secret. there was that mall thing that happened years ago and changed the system. it is obvious that they put money before the people. i don't know how -- i don't know how serious that is. host: we have columbus city, ohio, good morning. caller: i do support the bill

but i did want a public option. i will support the bill. i think we need it. i am 76. i enjoy medicare. host: can you tell us why you support the public option? caller: there are so many people without insurance. they are minimum wage workers and they cannot afford the premiums that are being charged right now. the public option would bring that down. host: you are 76, you're on medicare? there has been talk about cuts in medicare in the senate bill or a medicare commission to keep an eye on costs. what do you think about that aspect? caller: the cost oversight is ok but i don't go along with the fears that have been talked about. host: thank you.

susan swin isain is back as cspan. host: the centers have been asked to get early and they will be voting from their seats rather than allowing a run on the floor. laurie kellman is telling us this is the first on the senate has voted on christmas eve since 1895. that debate was on matters of employment for former confederate officers. this is an historic day for the senate, as well. the senate was originally scheduled to vote at 8:00 in a mood to 7:00 last night. there was discussion about trouble for the holidays. we are told that lawmakers are keeping their politics escape routes open.

senators have one tool to make their travel better. they can reserve multiple flights. this goes against sweeping ethics rules. does not an option open to the general public. their schedules make it hard to predict when they can leave washington. they will be at the airports but their departure is guaranteed for members of the senate today. let's get a few comments from our twitter audience. in my opinion, the level congress has worked all year long should be repeated every single year. here is another twitter comment -- we will hear from our reporter audience throughout this program. host: our next call comes from boston, mass., you oppose the bill, why is that? caller: actually, i have been a

democrat all my life but i cannot wait to go to city hall the first of the year and change to a republican or independent. this is the bill that nobody -- 75% of the american people do not even want. the way it has been passed, people in the senate did in to their constituents all these bribes. i don't know if they are brothers but anything to get the vote. i want change but this is not the change a wanted. i am so sick. i am devastated by this whole thing host: what kind of change would like? caller: i thought there be a change for the war was concerned or it is doing different things that were not done in the past administration. that is what i was hoping but none of these things have come true. we are going bankrupt.

i cannot believe in my life that we owe money to china and everybody else and all this man wants to do is spend, spend, spend. these things that he has done, putting money into the states, the unemployment is still at a drastic high. host: thank you for calling in. lexington, kentucky, you support the bill? caller: i have to be honest. i am a supporter of the public option. i have to commit that i was disappointed to see it not part of this bill. also, the medicare by in for ages 55-64, i thought one of those was sorely needed. however, i have had time to look at this bill and think.

no bill, no piece of legislation is perfect. this is a start for i hope and pray is something good for the american people it will have to be revisited. it will require a lot of work to get this where it needs to be. for those who do not support the bill, i hope they can be more mindful of the millions of americans out here who are suffering today without health coverage, not knowing what will happen to them. we need to think about our elderly, our children, our working poor, and people who are working hard to do the best they can to support their families. it is not their fault that they are facing the health crisis that they are. we need to be more compassionate as a nation and we need to pull together as a people and take care of our own. to me, that is what is best in america and that is what america is all about. merry christmas to both of you.

host: merry christmas to you. caller: "the los angeles times" has an article about how harry reid secured the bill in the end. you might be interested in going to their website and read more. they say that over the last two months, harry reid, a soft- spoken man who makes less restraint to be a -- to hear him gamble. people people back to the table when deals fell apart and he prodded his colleagues to make agonizing concessions for a larger goal. let me read the very end of this where they were down to the last few votes. "harry reid knew he had to keep joe lieberman in the tent and the next night when democrats gathered for a special caucus meeting, henry did not call him out, focusing instead on the need to unite and a corporate

without the medicare by in, lieberman would be the 59th boat. he returned to nelson who had strong demand. s. harry reid was closing in on the deal and less than 48 hours before the necessary motions had to be filed, another crisis erupted. republicans were in a full-court press to extend debate even a bad man a filibuster to the defense appropriations bill to post on health care. democrats found themselves one vote short of squashing the deal. an ardent war creek had pledged to oppose spending. harry reid was unwilling to challenge him on a vote of conscience and when democrats gathered for another special caucus meeting last thursday, harry reid was ready to concede defeat at ejected centers began to leave, feingold a rose.

he vowed to vote for his party. the next night, harry reid shook hands with ben nelson. that produced the abortion adjustment. he got a congratulatory phone call from the president. host: as drew armstrong told us this morning, this is not the end. there will be signed of reconciliation to be determined with the house bill which includes a public option parade in a few minutes, the senate will gavel in ended about 50 minutes, the senate will vote on final passage of hr 3590, the health care bill, $780 billion. we will show you bits of the boat. back to your phone calls on health care reform. middletown, delaware, you oppose the bill? caller: yes, i do.

i feel that if you're going to vote on health care issues, go to the heart of the matter. that is the extent -- spent expanding price of health care. it is way out of control in every state in this country. there is no reason for these high health care bills. the cost is more than anyone can absorb. the co-pays are off the wall. i know people who have copays of $50-$100. they need to look at best, not this foolishness they have been doing in washington. they don't care. they have their own health care and pay nothing. this is not right. the taxpayer should have a say on this, not the government, not the legislature, not the house, not the senate, not the president. nothing is being done correctly. we need to bring down the cost of the medical pricing on this

thing. prescriptions are just out of reach for most people in this country. if they do not have the money, they forgo the medications. they forgo health care because they cannot afford it. no matter what they do, even people that have it, companies are cutting back on their policies and people do not have the money to pay other things. host: let's leave it there. you can see the reverend barry black is saying the prayer for the senate this morning. victoria kennedy is in the gallery, and the visitors' gallery, watching the proceedings. the senate majority leader harry reid has requested the senators are arrive early and be in their seats to boat from their seats and it will be a very formal, official but that takes place, unlike a lot of boats in the senate where the senators kind of walk up. we will take one mor call.

you support the bill? go ahead. caller: i support the bill and it seems important that we take care of this. these reforms have been overdue. i was without health care for like four years. i have health care for for my employer now. -- through my employer now. [unintelligible] if you want to buy your own, you cannot afford it. i think it is high time we do health care overhaul. i do not like the idea of the way the republicans are doing it. they are just opposing it and not offering any ideas on how we are supposed to move forward.

i am an independent. i have in the middle. i am not for to the left but i think we have to support health care. host: thank you. host: two more stories in "the new york times." this is a piece about how important senator byrd has been. he is 92-years old and in fragile health. this is how they got the senator to the floor. insuring that he takes the place on the floor has been a preoccupation of the senate democratic leadership team. he has missed slightly more than 40% of roll-call votes.

he makes a short elevator rides to the senate floor. after reconciliation, both chambers must vote on final legislation before the president can sign that which will extend into the new year and another round of byrd-watching. he has been fragile for some years but he is always there. let me share with you one more article. they read about the deal the ben nelson secured about his agreement to boats on additional medicaid aid for his state. 10 states are now raising questions about the legality of the deal that senator ben nelson cut for his own state of nebraska attorneys general in 10 states held a conference call late on tuesday to consider how they might challenge the deal which they call federally- subsidized by in. some say it is unfair and unconstitutional.

they plan more strategizing next week pretty tense days involved are alabama, colorado, michigan, north dakota, pennsylvania, south carolina, texas, utah, virginia, and washington. host: bedford, pa., mike who opposes the bill. caller: i'm a small-business owner. i have watched this whole thing. to me, the buying of boats and the back room deals, this is not what we signed up for. by temperament. that is represented by a congressman who went from being a republican to democrat. i do not want to see my kids and grandkids suffer for this. it has been a semi-honest about it. vote. i like the medicare thing. i don't have a problem with the

public option. this is from a republican that owns a business. i have been pleased that i have to keep working and we are in the oil business. that is a tough business. host: majority leader harry reid is speaking from the senate floor. >> this place would not run as well without her working with the secretary of the minority and his entire group. they are wonderful people to work with even though sometimes this place becomes very partisan, the worked on lela davis is never partisan. finally, mr. president, i want to say a word about the people who work in the cloak rooms. they are the people who are unseen and instrumental to the operation of the senate. i have to say, mr. president,

with a lot of pride, having been one of them, how much i appreciate and acknowledge the attention and the protection of the capitol police. host:the vote is about 10 minutes away. you could watch the entire thing on c-span 2. here, we want to get your reaction on the senate voting on health care reform. oklahoma, you support the bill, go ahead caller: yes, very much i have run a family business for 39 years and one of the hardest years in that time is to have health insurance for my family. the pre-existing conditions and everything like that, i am glad

they are getting this taken care of. i know there is a lot of people that oppose this bill but i have never seen anything start at the top. you always start at the bottom and work up. there has been so many negative things said about this bill that were not true that i don't understand why washington and the people we have up there cannot get along great if they could just delhomme and stop this-output to -- if they could just get along and stop this negative outlook, things would go better. host: what are you supportive of in this legislation? caller: i like the pre-existing conditions. i hope we get a public option. it will go into the house and i will follow this thing. i do hope that our senators hold out and we can receive a public option.

i also believe that insurance companies and everybody that does a public service to people, i don't think they should be able to contribute any funds to people running for high office like this. host: republican leader mitch mcconnell is now on the senate floor speaking. >> otherwise, they would not rush it through congress on christmas eve. the first time this body has had a vote on the day before christmas was in more than a century. this was supposed to produce a bill to help health care in america. instead, we are left with party- line votes in the middle of the night, a couple of sweetheart deals to get it over the finish line and a truly outraged public.

a problem they were told would be fixed was not. i guarantee you that people who voted for this bill will get in your faan earful when they get r the first time since thanksgiving. they know there is widespread opposition to this monstrosity. i want to assure you, mr. president, this fight is not over. despite his long from over. my colleagues will stop this bill from becoming law. that is the clear will of the american people and we will continue to fight on their behalf. host: let's tell you about some of the statistics about the senate debate on health care. in looking over the breadth of the debate from september 20, so far, the senate has logged 165.5 hours and 95 senators have

spoken on the legislation. those senators have spoken most often, senator max baucus, senator john mccain, dick durbin, and lamar alexander and finally tom coburn. senators who have spoken along this on this -- senator max baucus has logged eight hours and 20 minutes. senator charles grassley has logged seven hours, 52 minutes. senator dick durbin, 7 hours 53 minutes. host: linda in bethesda, maryland, you are opposed to the senate health care bill, why? caller: good morning. i apologize for my laryngitis. i feel that this bill will

eventually kill of innovation in medical research in the united states once we go down this slippery slope. the government will pay for more and more. we already know that nih grants are down. doctors and people considering going to health care, the bright ones will not go in because all the market incentives will be gone very medical schools are very expensive and i see this as a slippery slope into a government run health care eventually because that is what legislation does once you get it done. host: what kind of health care do you have? caller: have healthcare with an employer. i am happy with it but under this bill, our health care will be very much tact. we will be paying extra tax. we already pay a lot of tax. host: it is a -- is a so-called

cadillac plan? caller: no, but because of what is being put in their in this bill as i understand it, many people who have anything that is a good health care plan will have to pay taxes on the health care they are receiving. the only thing standing between us and this socialized medicine which will come down the road once this is passed, in my opinion, to stand there is now on the floor, i know they have cspan on their offices and they have a skeleton crew this morning but they need to start talking and they need to disrupt the floor. they need to be a the way democrats do and not let the boat to take place if it takes the whole day. they need to disrupt by a filibuster. host: the vote is about to start and we will dip in when it happens. you can watch all the on c-span 2. president barack obama is due to come out and speak after the

vote at approximately 8:45 according to the schedule. we will carry that live. last night, jim lehrer interviewed president barack obama. >> we have the strongest health care reforms we have ever seen in this bill. the whole argument about a patient's bill of rights in the 1990's -- this is patient's bill of rights on steroids. it reduces the deficit. .

c-span >> i think that would have helped. >> the message from the new york stalt young democrats. they write, they are pleased they will pass the healthcare re c all have coverage. >> and a writing set to be on a slate of provisions set to kick in six months. those changes wouldn't fafkt people to who buy insurance on their own. later on, the most powerful insurance markets don't take affect until 2014. and insurance companies plan to get all healthy people into the system before.

starting that, insurers would no longer be able to charge older people more than three times as much for insurance. democrats thinking that what we have done so will blow over, they are very wrong. >> anthony on the phone, you are opposed to the bill. >> very much so. >> tell us why. >> i'm 68 years old. i worked until i was 65, for my own benefit, really. then i retired. last year, i acquired cancer. what bothers me is i'm still receiving treatments and everything.

i don't know if i'm go pg to be able to condition with treatment was this bill. >> anthony, does medicare cover everything for you? >> no. i have blue cross, blue shei sheild ppo. if it wasn't for that, i'd really be in the sewer. host: greg in louisiana. you support the bill. caller: i do. this bill is like a fruit

basket. this bill will require insurance companies not to put a cap on his coverage. this healthcare bill since i've been working in this work force 36 years of age. all i've been seeing is my insurance coverage going up and up and up. doing nothing is not an option. it's proven that. insurance companies are fixing prices. we haven't passed an insurance reform in 64 years. the prices are high. this bill could be fixed upon, added on all right. thank you. the senate has started the vote. let's watch a little bit.

>> mr. burris? >> iowa. >> mr. bird. >> mr. bird? >> iowa. mr. casy, aye. mr. chambliss, no.

mr. coburn. mrs. collins? no. mr. conrad, aye. mr. corker? no. mr. connin, no. >> mr. crapo, no. >> mr. dodd? >> aye. >> mr. dorgan. >> aye. >> if you want to continue to hear will roll call of votes, go to c-span ii. willmington, north carole. you are opposed to this bill? caller: absolutely. i do think we need to do some

things and how much we can sue. but to push it through like they are without a lot of debate and making sweet heart deals is just wrong. they are still pushing the vote through to the point where they push the the vote down so they can go home. host: what kind of work do you do? caller: i'm a bread vendor. host: we heard your senator there vote against the bill. next call from houston, texas. supportive of the bill.

caller: yes. just of the fact that more people can get healthcare coverage is a great thing. not only that, we have seen conditions now that get insured. my sister is in the healthcare field and she doesn't even have insurance because it's not affordable. when they said more people are against this bill. who did they interview? they didn't talk to the mother of a child with a preexisting condition. the fact that it is even happening, i'm just elated about it. i'm excited. host: "washington post" off beat story today. the headline, senate and house must now find image yik pill. writing democrats are already

outlining a strategy that can satisfy the more liberal house without upsetting the pain taking senate. the search for an acceptable substitute for a government-run insurance plan that those without medical coverage could pump, a provision the house designed to compete with private insurers. host: baltimore. you are opposed? caller: yes. the lady that called about 15 minutes ago. it's the most beautiful speech i've heard for years. she was opposed to the bill. she said the people should do it themselves. i wanted to mention that. i worked all sda yesterday trying to reach senators because

of the two violations to the constitution they were raising. i read the constitution in article 1, section 8, where all state hz to be treated equally on taxes and such. it's certainly a violation what they have done to these three states. as far as the president is concerned. i think he's the biggest con artist out there. >> mr. roberts, no. >> mr. rockafellar, aye.

mr. sanders. mr. schumer, aye. mr. sessions. mrs. sheen. >> aye. >> mr. shelled by. >> missnow, no. >> mr. inspector, aye. >> there tester? >> aye. >> mr. udal of colorado? >> aye. host: the senate has now passed their healthcare bill.

this is not the end. there will be some type of reconsiliation with the house bill which will pass on november 7th. we will continue that process but this is another step in healthcare reform in the nation's capital. in georgia. you are in support of this bill? caller: yes. with the idea that this may be something to build upon. i don't know exactly what would be in this bill. they should have reduced everything to the lowest common sdee nominator and kept everything real simple. the only significant time i used my health insurance is when i broke my leg. i spent three days in the

hospital. the hospital presented me a bill for $40,000. they settled for blue cross for $40,000. at the same time, my insurance went from $500 a month, when i dropped it, it was $1200. the price should be the price on healthcare and precipitation drugs, if you sell it in one part of the world for a price, that's the same price it should be charged for here. all those 100 senators sitting there, they need to have something like nascar jackets so we could tell who is sponsoring these guys to get something done. host: currently the vote, 59-38.

florida. matt, you are opposed to the bill. caller: i'm very much opposed. i like to equate it to a student in college who is taking 14 hours of credits and has a d average and they go to their counselor and says i'm really motivated. i'd like to take four more hours. and they would say i admire your ambition but shouldn't you get up to a b before you take on more. in my opinion, they have an f in social security, a d in the post office and a d on security. host: could we ask what's your political party? caller: i'm independent. i think most of the guys in washington are crooks on both

sides. barbara boxer spent millions to get a seat that pays $200,000. they are all lawyers and crooks in washington. that's my opinion. host: in baltimore. you are supportive of the bill. >> at this point on the senate floor, the vote passes here. host: the senate moves on to other business with a 60-39 vote for the healthcare legislation vote. we'll return to the phone with a

call from baltimore. caller: hello. i wanted to say that i feel like everybody who opposes the bill should really have compassion for the rest of the country. i think what the democrats are trying to do is at least provide access so people can stop dying because of healthcare. if those really were to get out and really hear people's stories. there's so many stories of people that die every year from not having enough money from healthcare. i think people should be more compassion gnat. we are all in it together. 45,000 people who die every year from healthcare, that's american. it's all american. i think that should be taken care of. the second thing i wanted to say. i think everybody is down on the

president right now for a lot of the things he's trying to do. people really need to look at the facts and stop listening to what people are saying. snat from kentucky was the only senator not to vote today. caller: i'm friend was my urologist. i go to my sem fares and help him out. he told me several ever his colleagues are going to quit all together if this becomes law baz

they are fed up with bureaucrats. he had to do some emergency surgery in england while he was over there. he said the conditions were absolutely horrid. that's what we are headed for. don't tell me it is not going to be government run. it will be sooner than later. i'm happy with what i have. i'm telling you if this thing is not repealed, i predict there is going to be a war over this. host: the senate is now going to vote on the debt ceiling, whether or not to raise the debt ceiling. that's the last vote of the day, they they will adjourn for the year. the next call from missouri. supportive of the bill. caller: i'm for this. the only insurance i have is

from the va. they saved my life and legs. i've never been more happy to have something. host: i could act like a republican and say i got mine, the hell with you. i do have mine. i got other generations. both my boys are public serve ands and will have a good life. the democrats have always supported the poor, the sick and the elderly. host: another call from kansas. you are opposed to the bill?

caller: i am. i am so disappointed. i have taken my christmas tree down. this is supposed to be a nation under god and it isn't. they have ruined christmas for all of the senators and representatives that are supposed to be under god. this is god's holiday for the birth of his son. host: you took down the christmas tree because of the senate healthcare bill? caller: i did. i would like to see every light in the nation go out. >> why are you so opposed to it? caller: it's devicive between my son who is younger and myself. in many families, it's that way. either it is genocide on the

seniors with this hospice. scotland wouldn't have anything to do with them. what are we doing paying these people to kill other people. that's what they do. host: larry in colorado. you support the passage. caller: yes, i do. for the main reason. i turn 60 tomorrow, christmas day. i'm disabled. i've been paying on part a and part b for years now. it's nothing that i need. what i need is glasses and dental. what i think has been overlooked

is i'm hoping it will give me a lot more choices just to get some glasses. to eat, i only have six teeth left in my mouth. when i reach out to federal or state aid, it's either well, we are not taking application or you don't qualify? you can only eat so many scrambled eggs. host: thank you for calling in. if you are supportive of the bill or against the bill, call

in. this is not the end of the healthcare reform road. there will bre some kind of reconsiliation with the house the vote marked something else.

host: we are broadcasting across the street from the capitol. we will continue to take your calls. the majority leader, harry reid

will speak about senate passage of the healthcare bill. that's about 8:45 a.m. we'll bring that to you live. we continue to take your calls this morning. you are opposed to this bill. why is that? >> i have blue care network. i have a prescription once a month for hundreds of dollars. i'm in the food industry. i understand there's a $23,000 limit. i'm wandering. if i do lose my coverage and have to go to the government, would i lose my prescriptions and would i still get the same coverage as far as prescription coverage? host: i can't tell you that but

if you did lose your coverage, is that your concern? caller: that's my concern. i have major medical issues. i have pain medicine that costs $1400 a month. i'd be in trouble without it. host: in houston is christopher. you support the bill. caller: thank you c-span and the congress. for too long, there have been healthcare gaps. we all discern quality healthcare i had to get my shoulder looked at.

it wasn't anything major. the emergency roam was full of people. real diverse. i put down my united healthcare card. i was called right away. they got a wheelchair for me. i saw a doctor immediately. all those people were looking at me. i got my x ray. by the time i came out, everything was on the computer. they told me ied a simple strain. prescribed me. host: given that story, why does that make you supportive of that bill? caller: i'm not a person that because i got mine and you got yours, hey, too bad. i'm a christian but i'm a person as a christian, i can't just look at what i have and not a

lookout for the next person. for your children to be able to live. host: how closely have you been following this debate? caller: from the beginning to the end. the sdrats, they did a good job. punch yourself out. they did that. democrats won in the end. this bill will be passed and signed. we'll have quality healthcare in america. there's some people that say there's bad parts to the bill. let's look at the point. we have some good ideas. let's put this together.

host: thank you for your call and input. as we continue to take your calls. it's healthcare reform bill, madison, it's todd. you are opposed caller: i am opposed to the healthcare bill. here is the reason. one, i wish every american could have healthcare insurance. what i think we should have tackled first was the afford ability of those who have it. here's why. i'm looking at my last pay stub here. my health insurance family plan cost me $17, 990.

i paid well over $12,000 in taxes. i would love to help pay for other people's insurance if you could bring my cost down first. if you would have brought my cost down first, i'd be more likely to support this kind of bill. we are looking at $871 billion healthcare bill. you know we are going to end up paying for this. we are going to end up stealing from peter to pay for paul. i'm a school teacher making $50,000. i'm very fortunate to have a plan. on the other hand, when i was 18-years old, i worked toward that. i feel very bad for those who don't have insurance.

it looks real nice there in washington as we sit here and freeze in wisconsin. host: right outside the senate floor is the area call the the ohio clock area. hairy reid will be coming out shortly. you can see reporters have already gathered together. he'll come out to speak about the bill and its pacquiao passage. we take this next call from josh in virginia. go ahead. caller: good morning to you. just a moment ago, you had a caller from the state of michigan expressing concern about the senate bill taxes on the cadillac healthcare plans. i was calling in to voice my

support for the bill over these i think i can answer his question the end fafkt will increase the wages the

government could have offered a cheaper plan there's some big differences. here's a little more of what they say about what's at stake for two bodies in congress. talks between the two chambers including how to handle the differences

>> next call opposed to the bill i'm a nurse. i deal with insurance companies

everyday. it looks like insurance companies win. all i've heard about what is going to come out of this yes, there's going to be some good things. with states getting nebraska and having their med i carolina kayed paid for this seemed to be a whole bunch of lobbyist money. host: did you call yourself a

parish nurse? caller: i am stationed at a church. i help people with health issues and he had kate them. i do a lot of help with claims in helping them out. i can't tell you how much i am enjoying these creepy republicans. yes, it's sweet, it's a christmas present i have been waiting for for a long time. when the dust settles.

this will be seen as a great advancement for our society. >> what specifically in the bill do you support? >> i've had five catastrophic illnesses in my family. i've seen other people visiting with those that are sick. you bond with people who are going with similar trauma. brain surgery and strokes and horrible hinges that families go through. i know one man lost everything he had, even sold his house to get this boy treatment. he ended up poor and his son

died anyway. that needs to end. the hard working citizens who love this country. they don't discern to loose. the wall street journal warns of cuts to benefits. some of the employers with help

to lead to cuts companies -- we are going to listen to this press conference and come back. >> this is a victory nor the american people. those fortunate enough to have health insurance will be able to keep theirs. those who don't will be able to have health insurance. the ability to live a healthy

life in our great country is a right and not merely a privilege for the select few. this morning's vote brings us much closer to making it a reality. every step has been an enormous undertaking. i want to thank my leadership team. dur bin, hurry. they have been remarkably

supportive. we are not going to take any questions. >> it's been nearly two years since we began the healthcare reform. we are all very proud of this moment. we stand here at the finish line. we don't stand alone. all those being discriminated against, today, we make history

for them and every american who has fallen victim to our broken healthcare system. i want to thank senator reid for the way he's managed to navigate the waters to get us here more important, we are happy to see that they now cannot get. host: senate leaders, if you are interested in hearing. we are carrying it life on c-span 2. goes next to the phone from north carolina opposing the bill. you are on the air. caller: i oppose it because it doesn't make any common sense to me if it needs to be covered

from day one all across the board. they seem to watch that over. there was a couple million people that protest this. it doesn't seem like any of that was heard. even some of the democratic people flip flophoused right at the end. host: thank you. next is bill who supports this bill calling from california, maryland. caller: yes, i'm a republican and ifully support what the democrats did by passing this healthcare system.

it seems it all resolves around the stock market. it seems like the united states government -- i am retired navy. i feel sorry for the republicans because i wish one of them would have at least voted for it. it's great for the people. it may not be sgrat for wall

street. >> the expensive pharmaceuticals. there's a broad set of issues that this bill will attempt to address. we all understand it is not going to address other things. further on, it is going to help reduce healthcare. there's nothing wrong with trying to cover things as much as they can. i think this that has come across the aisle from others.

i'm proud of the democratic leadership. not worried about the politics of it later. we are very supportive. not host: speaking of reconsiliation of course. all of this discussion now about finding a comprimise. the first woman in new york to chair the rules committee and only micro bielgs in congress writes this. the senate healthcare bill is not worthy of the vote the house took. under the senate plan, millions will be forced into private insurance plan it will be a windfall. is it any surprise stock prices

for some of those are up shortly. the president is due to leave for his christmas break soon. next is michael from new port ritchie, florida caller: good morning. thank you for hearing the voice of the people. i am a states men and patriot. politics and parties. they just fight. they do not get the true message across. i applaud all those in this bill. i would like everybody to know.

i was a democrat all my life until this president put his hand on the bible and purjured himself. i am registered as none. i am a statesman for god and country for a better world and one world. this administration is a disgrace to god, our country. disrespect god and our country and disrespect our founding fathers that i have such a love for. let our people be statesmen and patriots and fight to restore this country to god, our founding fathers in loving memory in a christian her continualing. host: on this christmas eve, mary. caller: i'm a former social

worker. i speak spanish here in the area. i'm a healthcare broker living in a gulf community of 55 and over. i support the healthcare bill because i'm a healthcare broker. i know it will increase my business. however in arizona, most employers have never provided insurance for small business employees. this will mandate it and we'll all end up moving to nebraska for the job with medicaid. >> tell us what a healthcare broker does? caller: i contract with all those big bad health scare companies, the big ones. i also represent some life insurance companies and some annuity companies, so i can sell what i want. i'm a licensed insurance broker. i'm a registered republican.

i asked them for a healthcare czar job and got a little chuck el. maybe i can make my future now in the healthcare business because it is going to be augmented by the taxpayer dollar. host: somebody else who opposes this bill from texas. go ahead, david. caller: good morning. i'm a democrat and i oppose the bill for the amount of money this strips from medicare. specifically, the severe cuts that it does to home health this

would keep a lot of our healthcare healthier. that could actually save money and prevent a lot of hospitalizations due to chronic illnesses they seem to have completely ignored. and there are going to be more of us. that one thing would be a bigger answer but they forgot it. host: getting a few twitter messages here.

host: the senate health reform bill is packed with a bag full of coal for new york. a warning the senate plan would force the city to close hundreds

of health clinics and threaten struggling hospitals and nursing homes and other facilities. wrangle says, take a chill pill. there are a whole lot of things. this is his quote, there are a whole lot of things we have to remembering sill yat. host: kevin from california, you support the senate bill. caller: good morning. i'm 17 years old. i pulled an all nighter to watch this thing pass. it's a really great thing. i'm really lucky to have a strong family and parents who support me and can pay for insurance for me. i realize even people close to me don't have in a privilege. this movement and the leadership the democrats have shown in

passing the bill has greatly renewed my admiration for the congress. hopefully we'll get to see the people get this kind of medical insurance i have the moves away from super individual lichl host: you say you pulled an all nighter. you are 17. you interested in public policy in general? caller: public policy in general but this is a very strong point for me. i know many people close to me who don't have health insurance. i really wish that they did. they are human beings also. it's very important that everyone knows, they have a chance to live whether they have

a preexisting condition or not. host: thank you. george, you are opposed to this bill? >> i am. the reason i'm opposed to this bill is because i've been involved as a recipient of government healthcare. i had a private policy, lost my job and was diagnosed with a chronic illness and found on my own a study by a mythor drug company for my disease, was accepted and during the test or doing the treatment, i was doing well. in the meantime, i ended up with a new jersey family care. i was eligible. during the treatment, i

developed a situation where i needed another drug. the state of new jersey denied me. host: you are opposed because you've had experience with government healthcare? caller: correct. the drug i needed was not approved for this specific treatment. the treatment failed. my wife went to work and got private health insurance. i went back on the treatment through the healthcare company, private healthcare. not only did they pay for the treatment on a preexisting condition, when the same thing happened and i needed a second drug, which is expensive, no problem. no questions asked. supplied the drug to me where

the state of new jersey didn't. host: thank you for that personal story. those of you who have followed this healthcare debate over the past year, you can find everything c-span has covered on our website at c-span.org. we have a place called our healthcare hub. you can find all the hearings and all the senator speaking. all the different interest groups spoken out about healthcare. you can find it all on our healthcare hub. vice president biden is leaving the senate. you can see his motorcade leaving. we'll take this west call from michigan in support of the bill. go ahead. you with us? i think we lost that call. we'll move on to kathy from mississippi.

go ahead with your comments. caller: i'm sorry. this is richard from new orleans. host: i'm sorry. go ahead, richard. caller: i'm so happy to see this bill pass. the gross amount of money that's in it for this much money to be thrown out or rejected. that alone tells you why these republicans are fighting so hard for this bill. their contribution also drop so dramatically but now the american people will get a fair shake because it has been ridiculous because of the preem yims. i woke up and saw the vote. i'm thrilled to death. thank you for taking my call. host: what else do you have for us. the senate did pass that extension, here is the

reporting. the senate voted to raise the ceiling to $12.4, a massive increase. the political problem promised to address next year. 60-39 follows the health passage last week. the bill permits the treasury department. the senate will have to vote again on january 20th. obama must sign the measure into law to prevent the market-rattling, first-ever default. the government piled up a record $1.4 trillion sdef sit in 2009 to country a melt down it in financial markets and help bring the nation out of its worst recession in seven decades. host: let's try mississippi

again. good morning.

senator rei caller: home health is going to be moved to hospice where they're going to come and they're going to kill. they're going to kill the older americans. once again, i am so sad for this day because we have nothing but crooks up there in d.c. and i pray that there will never be democrats do have a problem. host: that's from mississippi and next from hollywood, florida. john, on the air. caller: good morning. how you doing? sure it's cold up there. it's nice and warm in florida, but i'd just like to say, you know, people keep talking about all the hypotheticals. they make an arguments in hy(otheticals that this is going to happen as a result of that and that's going to happen as a result. nobody knows what will happen

until this thing is implemented and mechanisms are put in place and we can see where we're at and where we're going so. all the hypotheticals are meaningless. i'd rather pay for surgical procedures than a strike in a war that's immoral than illegal. >> if you'd like to talk about the fact the senate has now passed healthcare response. the numbers are listed on the screen and there has to be reconciliation still on the house that passed it's bill on december 7th. >> hometown newspaper of big city of insurance companies has a front paper column by dan har. double dose joe and insurers and he writes, connect cult will

play a be fining role through very different forces. joe leber man and health insurance lobby that brilliantly stuck to issues portraying itself above the political fray and from boston, also in new england, boston.com. health bill will keep massachusetts overhaul in tact. senator kerry says also mean as five 100,000,000 for the state. healthcare the senate passed has protections that ensure massachusetts overhaul will remain in tact and 500,000,000 in the extra money for the state in a quick visit between votes on the measure the legislation also includes additional 2 hundred million for massachusetts hospiáals that say they have not been adequate ri reimbursed. they scored a enormous victory. none of the things will be

undone bias legislation yet in some respects the senate plan is more extensive than the program in massachusetts assing many people with higher incomes to qualify. the senate version will provide subsidies to individuals and up to 400 percent of the poverty level and 43,000 and 88,000 for families of four. there have been concerned massachusetts u)s& be penalized because of landmark overhaul that uses significant states to reassure benefits. back to peter. host: pam new jersey philadelphia. welcome to "washington journal". what's your view? >> i appose it. there's one little piece in there that's soci - i can't bel they put it on there. everybody under this bill is required - you don't have a choice you have to have healthcare otherwise that individual will be fined.

how are those of us unemployed currently supposed to be paying for the healthcare if we don't even have money for rent, food or anything? how do they expect us to pay for healthcare if we don't have money for any of? it i don't understand. and how can they fine us for something that we can't afford? i currently am unemployed and i don't have healthcare, and i pray each night that i stay healthy if i have the money if i had a job i'm more than willingly would get the healthcare but to say that i have something that i can't afford at this time is li)q telling me that i have to have a chicken sandwich on thanksgiving day. i can't do it. i need to have a choice whether or not i'll get it at this time. i would get it if i could afford it but i can't. for them to say i'm going to be fined x-number of dollars forever long for not having healthcare is ridiculous.

that's absolutely ridiculous. host: north carolina, daniel your supportive of the senate bill. why is that? caller: i got a friend right now and he's got colon cancer and he can't even get treatment and another thing about it. they talking about the cutting the reason they have to is because the senate won't work together if they had more voter from republican side they wouldn't have to cut deals with the se'ate side so people just talking. they need to start thinking about the people in general and not themselves. >> montana, jeff you're a posted to the bill? >> good morning. they're denying something has to be done across the country as healthcare but the way this bill was ramped through, it's just

completely insane. we just the american people really are upset, the poles show that and we're not going to take it anymore. it's just - it's an end in the american people. >> jeff, specifically what arq you apposed to in this bill? >> i'm opposed to this. the 2700 page bill that actually, nobody can understand even our senators can't understand it, and we juáu - okay. it's just a slap in the face to the american people. they can't understand what's in this bill. host: that bill is available at c-span's healthcare hub if you would like to rep" for it your house as is the house passed legislation. north california.

jackie. caller: good sjjjt i'm call together say i am in support of the bill. i'm on medicare and my husband has private insurance and his private insurance said we're going to drop you if the healthcare bill passes and you have to sign up for medicare because he has multiple sclerosis. i do wish the republicans and democrats could getting to more and give more support of the pillen and i wish with it we had a public option. i am in support of it and i love to read your information on the computer. thank you. insurance now? caller: my insurance is medicare. i'm on kidney dialysis and medicare. host: thank you so much. susan? >> two interesting editorials from the home states of ben nelson who has we know the 11th hour had a compromise sending

more money to his home state of nebraska. the newspaper, lincoln journal star this week. editorial says nonetheless that deal was the embody meant of what is wrong with washington. instead of thoughtful careful work they cobble together deals. the lincoln journal star says nelson ought to use opportunities to force washington to start over on healthcare reform. nebraska might have a sweeter deal but congress needs to be doing better the overall good of the country. the couno the majority leader it's home state senator harry reed. amazing fete. he runs a incredible course to run it towards pass sage. his hometown said reid should be commended. the easy thing would be to shelf the reform and prepare for the

2010 exl. instead he took on special interest and pulled together with diverse beliefs and sound the middle ground. as a result. long over due legislation that helps america is that much closer to passing. that's real leadership says the last ve gas sun. next los angeles. mark apposeed the legislation. tell us why, mark? caller: well, they didn't address one of the things that i've been concerned with. i've worked in a hospital for 15 years and one of the highest costs that a hospital has is nursing salary. rn salaries. back in the late 70's and early 80's there was industry created shortages that - by leaving hospitals and joining registries and then hiring back to the hospitals and back to the registries and back to the hospitals, they increased they're salaries to alarming

amount where a lot of nurses now make more than the doctors and this thing is here in california we have a mandate where there's a maximum of five patients perrn. on a standard 30 bed ward you have 6rns making up to six figure salaries and then the õmain thing is for them, they don't have to do any of the work. there's usually four,lvn's and cna's that do all the work and then you have all thern's supervising them. excuse me. two and two. total of four. so there's four people doing all of the work and six people supervising them in this kind of upside down pyramid of management structure which everybody knows fails because they're so expensive. until they can corral the high cost of nurseing in hospitals this thing is not going to work. the pumping of money is still

going on in unbillable hours. host: mark. "tspking it all work? caller: there's only one single thing they say that,rn's do that,lvn's do and that's administeriv medications. what they need to do is if they're going to have these nurses working in supervisory capacity, have just one and to supervise the ward and have the rest of the people in the lower cost labor doing all of the work way.h is happening right now may host ho thanks mark. appreciate your inside view of how to control costs with nursing. robert s next. supporting the build. ohio. good morning. why do you support it? i support the bill because i think this is like the greatest

days or one of them in american history. so many people are now going to be able to have healthcare that was not able to have it in years past. because of costs, whatever the case may be. i work for one of the retailers and now - people that they can't afford healthcare, and now like i said. this is a great day. >> thank you. if your joining us on this christmas eve morning the united states senate was a vote of 60-39. senator from kentucky the only one not participated passed his version of health(p)e reform. until 9:00 eastern to this lls historic vote in the sense of "tá(ut of it and also the fact that it happened on christmas eve. very unusual for senate. last time 1895. south carolina. your on the air joshua.

caller: thank you. the reason i do not spu sport it is we have to look at canada and how many people come here to have surgeries because of the back up system and this healthcare bill is like it. we all, mom l obama likes to qu áhe bible. what about daniel, i was born inside my mother's womb or quote about john the baptist when it says that the holy spirit will be within him inside the womb. which show this are human beings. um... - he is a coward. host: bob is next supporting legislation and calling us from virginia. bob, your on the air. caller: good morning. i spu supported the bill all the time and made numerous calls to pitch #or it but i'm

disappointed that the public option is probably not going to be in it. and the medicine deal where we should have been able to buy the medical part of it from whatever, and aláz i think that women that pay taxes that are going to be paying for this ought to be able to have abortions if that's what you know, they pay taxes like everybody else and i don't feel sorry for no (202) 737-0001s this morning. they're happier than the democrats probably because they'rq pockets are bulgeing with special interest money. chamber of commerce spend billions. thanks for the call this morning. host: barbara is calling from grayson county, kentucky. why? caller: - host: your name sir? where you calling from? caller: kentucky.

i'm tim. host:go ahead. what are your thoughts on this legislation? caller: they passed a bill that all the senators obviously knew that the people did not want this. host: why do you nu want it, tim? what don't you like about it? >> well they're making people you know?ce. how can they afford it if they õdon't have a job? they're going to make people get it and they don't have a job. host: how long has it been since you had a job. caller: i work. i got insurance. but i know a lot of people that don't work and don't have it. host: is, so your worried about other folk? caller: right the senators i agree with the women that called earlier saying she's sick about it. it is a bad day for america and they're making people get it. they knew the people didn't want rá and they shoved it down

everybody's float and nobody knows nothing about it. host: looking at a beautiful winter morning in d.c. clear blue skies capital dome in place as senate departing for the airports to make individual senators home to celebrate the christmas holiday. they'll be back right after the new year and will be in briefly. lots more work to do healthcare and debt ceiling later faces them coming back. houston texas. kayla. you're on. good morning. caller: good morning. i don't think they would expect people who are unemployed to have to buy the bill. they probably give them essential interest or look out for them even more so, but to the caller that said about registered nurses i'm thinking the same. i'm a medication aid and i'm thinking they don't need as

many,lvns because we do what they do and you would save money by using us. the only thing we can't do is give shots. we can give pills and whatever. of,lvn's and put the medication people in there, we make less and do a great job. host: how long you have been doing that job. twitter. as is social security and medicare the gop sides on the wrong side again. the m healthcare br&l is weak. send c-spanwj. we'll mix tweets with top of the "t$our telephone calls with the senate vote 60-39 on a their versijrju$e health legislation. next virginia. ron apposeed the bill. why? caller: yes, i appose it because people like me will be going to jail. >> why is that? caller: well i can't afford to

get it or pay a penalty and i've tried to get medicaid and my wife and me get too much so we'll be going to jail and that's not fair. host: this bill expanded the people that qualify for medicaid and subsidies for people to buy the mandated coverage for people who are up to 400 percent of the current fed c federal poverty l. caller: i done tried to get medicaid ma'am. host: but this would expand the people eligible. cal&er: yeah, but i'm not eligible. pay. host: good luck to you. russell apposeed the legislation. ohio. caller: yes, i think it's a big band-aid, pacifier. host: is why is that?

caller: i'm is disabled. n i can only have x-rays done and can't have treatments but i cannot have a situation treated. just my teeth. i think it's a big pacifier where all our expenseables people need to remember that. we're all expenseable. host: your reaction to the healthcare vote. glenn supports the bill. your on. caller: yes, i support it. i retired from the military in 1986 and so i have excellent healthcare insurance, but i also tried the veterans adminisáration for a while. tried that and i found that there wasn't for me, but i have excellent insurance but i also was a provider of medicaid services as an owner, operator of an adult day care center. my wife and i opened up one of

those in 1992, and the reimbursement rate at that time was a 4 dollars an hour and we were supported by the local community. that was to weather the storm. in 1994 they raised the rate to five dollars an hour. and that went on for another ten or 12 years and it was never raised. and so basically, they reached a point where we couldn't continue at reimbursement rates like that. i did see something for the elderly that they would combine some of these services. it's like adult day care was designed mainly to care for "t'ursing home. okay and this will do that with the support of other services that are provided. >> thanks glenn. peter i think you've warmed up a bit and we're going to bounce

back to you for calls. call if you're in support or not the numbers on your screen. you can send a tweet at áwitter.com/c-spanwj. we're going to continue to take your calls for another 40 minutes or so on healthcare and then at 9:00 eastern the "washington journal" turns it's attention to the wounded warriors program and general gary chink is on to talk about that program as we continue our program on this christmas eve. idaho, steve you're opposed to the senate healthcare bill. why is that? caller: i just wanted to point out there was two votes this morning the vote to raise the national debt limit almost 3 trillion dollars which is just shameful. shamefulo describe

it. just completely shameful - we're getti'g more and more - hello? host: to a total of about 3 trillion. i think 290 billion. is that correct? they'll come back to raise it again next month. caller: yes, the point is it's totally shameful that even with, their leader president barack obama was saying recently that we cannot spend the money like it's monopoly money. the senators are not listening to their own leaders telling them that we cannot keep spending money like this. we have to start acting responsible and there's no responsibility at all in the present reader ship in the capital. >> so steve, it's a cost concern for you? why you're a posted to? it caller: i think the whole - the

t tempered it up with all kinds of spending. hundred million for this and that. thqv had to bribe their own party people and the way that they have peppered it up is a ridiculous - it's shameful. it's shameful that we're doing this. we're not addressing the problem if it's healthcare, you shouldn't have to be peppering it up with more and more excessive debt. you should address the problem and this isn't. this is just getting ridiculous agenda done for the sake of not even realizing or being anywhere near responsible. host: president barack obama will speak live in 20 minutes. host: well peter, numbers going back and #orth in the call for the record, as you said. "t!illion with the move that th senate made this morning following the house and it raised the ceiling on the

government debt to 12 point 4 trillion dollars and the fact the president must sign this. telephone calls. next is maine supporting the legislation. caller: hi. merry chris massachusettses i support the bill for many reasons. one is i'm 14 years old. of course i live with my parents and both work full-time. altogether with both of them they make just around $30,000. the state of maine says we cannot buy our insurance out of the state. so right now for a $15,000 deductible, we're paying $400 a month. now that takes a big chunk out of the money that my parents earn and with this healthcare, it's going to low tear cost so that way, we're going to be able to afford healthcare.

government option it will lower overall and show that we're going to stand up to the insurance companies and et in the and all the other insurance companies your profiting on death is over. thank you. host: thanks for calling in. senate bill sets up 50 different exchanges that from where people can purchase health insurance while the house bill sets up one single nation wide insurance. and this is from a comparison chart in the washington po post. a lot of different news organizations have these. most come from the same sources. congressional budget office the u.s. senate et cetera so go on-line to the "washington post" and you can see the comparison short here. here's new york on our opposed line. caller: good morning. i do appose it. the reason for that is, with the unemployment rate so high, the

highest it's probably ever been, how do they expect and i agree with the other two individuals that coulded earlier. how do they expect with the subsidized information and programs at this moment. people have been unemployed for over 12 months like myself. how do we look at this bill and say, are we going to be able to afford even with that, this @&% healthcare when you have only one income? and only one way of paying for your rent. your car and other bills that you have. my concern is for those people. not just myself but everybody else on the unemployment side wondering how to pay and support your family at the same time the end of the week to pay for any other healthcare program and then on top of that be fined. not that the unemployment rate will been issue but people

probably turn to crime. i see things not going down the right path and i hope that this subsidized program available will rea&ly help and not end up cutting the people's unemployment benefits still on unemployment. host: what were you doing befáq becoming unemployed? >> i was corking in the insurance industry and unfortunately for the same position i've been applying for. numerous over 100 times i can't even get a physician in the same "tju position. so everything has an effect. domino effect all the way down. host ho thanks for calling in this morning. "t#rom michigan it's terry on t support line. hi. your on the air. caller: i was calling concerning the people just opposed the bill, most people

just like the guy that just called from virginia. he don't go down. the only thing he do is appose it. guy from montana. he could give you no reason why he apposeed the bill, only just he appose it. he a republican and i think is just ridiculous. i have a cadillac healthcare plan with my employer but i still want to see other people with healthcare insurance. i don't mind paying more from this country to provide health insurance for it's citizen's. host: pá's your line of work for cadillac healthcare plan? >> i work for an autocompany. the big nest the world. used to be. host: guess that's gm? caller: correct. host: what kind of work do you do? caller: shipping and receiving clerk. host: do they pay a lot?

does they pay a lot of your healthcare cost? caller: all of it. host: nothing comes out of your check? caller: nothing. been that way for years. i used to pay 2 dollars. ho host for what? calle): my medicine. two dollars for the medicine just two or three years ago. now it's $15 for a prescription. used to pay 2 dollars for 90 day supply for my high blood pressure and now it's $15 for one prescription and that's just in the last two years and it's steadyly doing up and i don't think the country can ever get on track with his this high health insurance. my company is bankrupt. they pay more for health insurance than they do steel and steel is about 90% of a car.

host: does gm try to encourage people to preventive healthcare? caller: yes, we have a wellness plan. i got my sugar, my sugar was checked friday at mi my job. >> as we've told you all morning the senate held together with all 60 voting in favor of the health legislation. here's the moment from the senate floor when senator harry reed the majority leader cast his vote on the legislation. mr. reid of ne+ada. aye. in washington.

caller: good morning america. yes, i do appose the bill. i believe we can do better. it did not go far enough. i'm with howard dean on this. i'm an independent in the state of maryland and i had to switch over and go and stand in line switching over to the democrat switch to president barack obama and i gave - i am with howard dean on this one. they've a question though. can anybody plqpáq tell me what is the difference between what the al qaeda and bin laden group is doing with the muslin group and republican praying for "t(r)istians so people cannot g healthcare. i will do everything in my power that he cáátj back to the senate next time. host: mobile, alabama. you support the healthcare bill.

why is that? caller: i want to thank the senate for passing this bill because unfortunately i've worked the sheriff's office and been a model employee for five years. i've had perfect attendance of that, but i work 29 hours a week and that's because they do not want to pay for insurance for their workers, some of their workers so they put some of us down to 29 hours and my husband happens to be a caterer and makes good money and we're - for myself i don't have insurance. i haven't been to the doctor in five years because i can't afford the insurance because my husba'd is a tie bettic and every time we try to get a plan it's awful. me, i'm thankful and i have four children and they do have insurance up under the program and with all kids and it helps

parents that cannot afford insurance and its is government program but because my income is too high, to qualify for the lower income, it's too low to for me to afford to pay because my husband is a diabetic. in my previous timq i've been to the doctor and had unhealthy pap smears come back and it's been five years and i should have been back to the doctor but i can't afford it. host: all right. two miles from building is the white house, in the state dining room the podium is set up for the president to make remarks about the healthcare bill passified senate at 7:00 this morning. we'll be bringing that to you live. he's due to come out at 8:45 am. as we continue to take your so, minneapolis. erin you're a posted to the

senate healthcare bill? caller: yes. i'm a union members bea. i'm totally in favor of national healthcare and most of the civil wealthy countries on the planet have figured this out and they're delivering far better coverage to every citizen for some cases 7 percent and what i understand what i mean 8 or 9 percent of the gross national product and what i understand congress has rationalized 15-25% of people's incomes should be spent on healthcare. basically the healthcare business has purchased congress and not collected they're will and really put the morality of healthcare available. secondly, they've not put together the economic impact of having most expensive healthcare system on the planet. they keep talking about a

recovery. there's no recovery. we're super in debt and there's% no plan to change it right now. the high paying manufacturing jobs have left the counáry. you can't buy a television set made in america to"ay. i went to afford dealership a couple of days ago to look at a truck. i've been driving fords all my life and i can't buy one made in america today. at least not the one i want. it's made in turkey. i asked, well do they have healthcp)e - the salesperson - and i think what's going on, as much as i want to see a $ealthcare bill and i want an economy that works, i want to see healthcare for u.s. citizens not trapped up on unfunded @&h% mandates and i'm not seeing with host: you're a member of the,a fl cio. what kind of work do you do?

>> audio engineers we do productions and rock and roll shows. a lot of your public and civic events. host: are you satisfied with your healthcare insurance the way it is now. caller: i make pretty good money. been doing this 20-30-years, our contract right now maked an 11 percent contribution over the top of the pretty good wage. national benefit fund if i was to pick the full coverage for my family, it would be 50% of my growth income. and absolutely that's absurd. host: from what you've seen from the bills, will your health insurance change that you get through your union? caller: well, you know i've been lobbying and reading through these bills and trying pay attention and you know, i need to see how it's all going to shake out. what i'm seeing is that the

healthcare industry has guaranteed themselves about double what we ought to be paying in this country. that's what i see. when it all shakes down if the government has to subsidize to pay too much we'll all pay taxes to subsidize and pay countries more than it's worth. there's a good shake down about healthcare and we're paying five times as much frn aspirin in the uniáed states as they do in germany. we're paying more money than 36 other countrys on the planet. you have a dollar in the u.s. your getting 37th best buy. not even in the top 20. you're in the low 30's. host: thank you. let's leave it there. reid was on our q & a program a few months pack and you can go to the q & a website and watch him talking about his healthcare book. susan? >> from a state with the

republican governor. sanford. the radio reports the governor's concerns about what the legislation will do to the south carolina budget. he said the legislation as writ len expand south carolina medicaid roll bias 543,000 people costing the state taxpayers additional 1 point 17 annually in 10-years and eating up almost 40% of the state budget in five years. sanford said it will effect one third of the states residents on medicaid. for south carolina the billion dollar burden will be brow tall forces to cut further in the areas of education, law enforcement and economic development or to raise taxes. we're waiting for the president to make his comments on the senate's passage of the healthcare legislation but the final moments in the senate are here when the final tally was announced. >> the ayes are 60.

the affordable care act is "t+p(plause] >> and back to your phone calls. miami, your on the air. "t(p&ler: good morning. i want to steel some lines i heard recently. one is we have ears and don't hear, eyes and don't see and then first of all i'm an 80 year old korean vet. i was amazed and what shuck me was the statement from the senator the other day if a child molester murders the kid and he doesn't have money, we'll give them a free lawyer but if a person gets sick we won't give them a free doctor. that struck me. i'm a palled all the republicans who are apposed to the wild money given to get votes. where were they all the years of their life? it costs millions to become a president and senator and

billions and money just to become aboard committee member.% don't you think you have to pay favor? this is a system we live under. in a dream world we have more money than politics. we have to live with the reality about contributors and i feel for the bill in any form that it comes the way it was for social security. medicare and medicaid and tweak it's a time goes on. i think about a single mother with a child that works at mcdonalds. how does she handle this. i think of people affording it. making $250,000 a year. we live in a country you should have the right to have medical care. ho host thanks for your comments. the president is due in two minutes to talk about the bill as wq listen to the call from san jose, california. fle caller: i'm an independent. first of all, the way the bill is put together in the dead of

night, virtually. they talk about making sausage and in congress but to make it would add meat as they've been doing under the table. give-awayj bothers me. selfishly, i'm on medicare advantage with an hmo who, give you an example. derives the insurance companies but mi'e, i was hospitaled for three days. no big deal. just a challenge. and the hospital billed $72,000 dollars. insurance company is my bargaining agent. they paid 11,000 dollars and i pay had had $350 or $400. similar ratios in the emergency room one afternoon. and they want to take that away "t#rom me. so that's myself fish need

there. host: all right. marsha in before the president comes in. georgia. please go ahead. caller: thank you c-span. just want to clear things up for the listeners that are unemployed. i am unemployed and we will not have to pay for health insurance. that's what that medicare expansion will help cover us. so you don't have to worry about that. i'm unemployed and we need to pay attention. we have time to sit and understand what's happening with this bill. we're not working. and president did everything he said he was going to do in regards to healthcare. wants us to have the same insurance they have as senators and congressman and that's what he promised no. public option. my son is 22 years old, thriving, bone marrow transplant and received all of his healthcare through medicaid until he turned 19 and had to get his own and because of

pre-existing he was not able to get it. now because of áhis bill he makes under that threshold for medicaid and can get back on that. a public run health plan just like medicare we have our parents and g)andparents living healthier longer lives. irm a veteran so i have a v.a.. the healthcare, public healthcare has been a blessing for millions of americans for decades. so i think this rj a great thing for our country. host: marsha he had to leave medicaid between 19 years old? caller: right. he aged out and didn't have health insurance and i wasn'á working so he could have got on my insurance and even if he could he had to be a full-time student from 19-23. that's changed. if people just take the opportunity and read it for themselves and not always expect

what the people on television tell them, um... but read it for themselves and be empowered americans and that's something president barack obama brought to the table. a lot more people engaged. host: if you want to read it for yourself go to c-span.org to the healthcare hub. house bill and senate bill on-line a long with all the hearings that we've held that have been held that we covered over the past year or so, you can see it all right there at healthcare hub. down at the white house in the state dining room the president is due to come out and talk about the healthcare bill that just passed senate and then he and his family are off to hawaii for their christmas vacation. david from oregon. very quickly. go ahead. caller: i just like to say in the early 60's, before the government ever got involved, someone earning minimum wage, dollar an hour or so, could walk

into a hospital and have an operation and have ex(q&lent care for a week or so and then pay the bill in cash on their way out the door or pay it off in a few payments. no government involve meant. free market system working. the only reason for the government to be involved at all is to create voter dependency on the democrat party. everything the democrats do is based on creating voters dependency and fostering more dependency on the government. host: atlanta, george, hi. caller: good morning i have a couple of comments. first of all, what price do we put on a human life. i don't think there should be a price that keeps someone a live and secondly, the republicans are saying no, but they hp+e been in charge for a - during

this thing. they did nothing to help bring help about. the only thing they are doing is saying, no and no. they talking about auerbach room deals, then why did they come across the aisle and join democrats to make this possible? they're just trying make points. host: white house. >> morning everybody in a historic vote that took place this morning, members of the se'ate join they're colleagues in the house of representatives to pass a landmark health insurance reform package. legislation that brings us toward the end of a nearly century long strugt to reform america's healthcare system. ever since teddy roosevelt first called reform in 1912, seven presidents. democrats and republican as like have taken up the cause of reform.% time and time again, such

efforts have been bought by special interests lobbyist that perpetuate the status quo working for insurance benefits instead of american people. but we're now finally poised to deliver on the promise of real meaningful healt$ insurance reform that will bring additional security and stability to the american people. the reform bill that passed senate this morning like the house bill includes the toughest measures ever taken to hold the insurance industry accountable. insurance companies will no longer be able to deny you coverage on pre-existing conditions and will no longer be able to drop you when you get sick. no longer will you pay unlimited amounts for the treatments you need out of pocket and you'll be able to appeal unfair decision bias insurance companies to an independent party if this legislation becomes law workers don't have to worry about losing

coverage. families will save on premiums and businesses that would see their costs rise if we do not act, will save money now and they will save money in the future. this bill will strengthen medicare and extend the lives of the program. it will make coverage affordable for over 30 million americans that don't have it. 30 million americans and because it's paid for and curbs the waste and in efficiency in the healthcare this tell this will help reduce the deficit by as much as 1 point 3 trillion in the coming decades making it the largest deficit reduction plan in over a decade. as i have said before, this is not small reforms but big reforms if passed, this will be the most important piece of social legislation since the social security act passed the 1930's and most important reform of the healthcare system since

medicare passed the 1960's. what makes it so importaná is not just cost savings or deficit reductions but the impact reform will have on americans that no longer have to go without a check up or prescriptions that they need because they can't afford them. on families that no longer have to worry a single illness will send them in financial ruin and businesses that don't have to hamper they're competitiveness. it's difference reform will make in the lives of the american people. i want to commend senator harry reed, extraordinary work he did. speaker pelosi for her extraordinary leadership and dedication having passed reform bills in both the house and senate we now have to take up the last and most important step in reaching agreement on a final reform bill i can sign into law. i look forward to working with members of congress and chambers over the coming weeks to do

exacály that. with today's vote we're now incredibly close to making health insurance reform area all right. a reality. we can't have erosion of coverage and exploded deficits. we need to do and improve the lives of the people we serve for. the sake of citizens, economy and future let's make 2010 the year we finally reform healthcare in the united states of america. everybody, merry christmas, happy new year. >> have a holiday wish for the troops? >> do and i will be actually on my way right now to call a few of them and wish them merry christmas and to thank them for their extraordinary service as they're posted in iraq and afghanistan.

host: that was president barack obama and vice president i'd energy live from the white house. president is speaking about calling the troop. we have ten or fifteen minutes in taking your calls on the healthcare bill passified senate at 7:00 eastern time and then at 9:00 the assistaná surgeon general will talk about the wounded warrior program here on christmas eve. numbers up one more time for the last segment of open phones. if you support the senate bill or appose it. call in now. twitter.com/c-spanwj if you want to send us an a treat. new york. debbie you're a posted to the bill? caller: how are you today. merry christmas everyone. yes, i am opposed because i've been on both medicaid and medicare, right now am, and i

also have private insurance. thereráház many problems today with the medicaid system and medicare, that it needs to be addressed and the fraud and everything and i think that those things need to be addressed. i think there's a lot of savings there and we don't need more "ttjuááu jobs, and more government control, they need to fix the government problems that we have and - host: are you all done? caller: no. it's just that - they're spending way too much and i think that the way that they're controlling and pushing this down the throats of the american people, on christmas eve is just terrible. host: do you think that if you could, would you reform healthcare as a currently

delivered in this country and if so, how? caller: well, firáu of all i would take care of a lot of the fraud and i think yes, we need healthcare reform and i think that part of the thing is, take care of all of the fraud. give everybody lower costs medications and take care of some of the overspending and - d.c. a lot of the special interest groups and stuff and just take care of the american people. host: north can lie in the. robert is in support of the bill. caller: yes. i'm in support of the bill and here are insured by blue cross, blue shield and by them being insured by them. blue cross, blue shield has made

our costs so expensive that our out of pocket costs if we're afraid to, if we need something done, we're afraid to go to the doctor because if we go to the doctor what's going to happen is we're going to have so much copays and deductibles that, we simply can't afford it. um... our senate, the north carolina senate and house passed a bill that um... you know, ours is just exorbitant. it's just too much. we really need this health reform any way. host: robert, you're a state employee? do you see yourself getting off your current plan and maybe getting public or maybe through an exchange plan or what? caller: without yeah. what has happened is i recently went for diabetic.

i became a diabetic and i'm just on the pills riu now but i went to get diabetic education, and when i did that, they sent me back a bill that was you know, like $306 dollars. i turned around and they said what does your healthcare pay for this? because this is something to prevent you from losing a kidney or eyes and all this other type of thing. what they did was blue cross blue shield sent me back, we'll pay half but we're not going to pay it off. we'll have to wait until you lose a kidney or liver sore something before we pay the amounts and then we'll drop you. see what i'm saying? host: glenda in missouri. your on the air. caller: hello. i'm opposed because i was reading on your web page about

the pricing, and maybe i'm reading it wrong, but i would be responsible for paying $5800. is that a year? host: what part of the healthcare hub are you on? are you reading one of the wrll bills? caller: on premiums. host: and it was about one of the bill? caller: yeah it was about - what an individual would pay. a letter to - host: okay. i would need to know what you were talking about, but are you saying that your premiums would go up? is that where you're going? caller: oh, yeah. substantially. host: do you get insurance through your employer. how much do you pay and they pay?% caller: i think we pay $150 a month. i don't know what they pay. that's like $3800 less than what this would cost.

host: are you happy with your insurance now? caller: no. same time i know the government also has the power to regulate insurance companies instead of pushing mandates on people. host: okay. thank you for calling in on this christmpj eve and i suggest without knowing what your reading on our web page i hate to comment on it but i would say that c-span hasn't created any original material. we've downloaded the senate bill and house bill and we've puá all the hearings that we've covered on there. so be interesting to see what you were reading. sherman e texas. vanessa you're on the air. caller: good morning. first of all, i am 57 years old and i'm a nuráq been one since 1980. my husband was a teacher and had i