CNN "Campbell Brown" - Transcripts

Interview

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BROWN: Congressman Chris Van Hollen chairs the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. He serves as Speaker Pelosi's assistant. And he is joining me right now.

Congressman, you know, health care has been such a tough battle, this yearlong battle. Is this really the way that Democrats want to pass this legislation, essentially using this kind of legislative trick?

REP. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN (D), MARYLAND: Well, what we're finding, Campbell, is our Republican colleagues no longer want to talk about the substance of the bill and the merits of the bill and how it will reduce premiums and how it will prevent insurance companies from denying coverage to people who have preexisting conditions, and they want to focus on process.

But what they're not telling people is That what we're going to pass in the House is an amended version of the Senate bill. They are trying very hard to create the impression that the House is just going to be passing the Senate bill. And that's not the case.

And, by the way, this is a procedure that has been used many times, beginning in 1934, and was used by our Republican colleagues on a budget reconciliation bill as recently as 2006, when they were in the majority. So, these are a little bit of crocodile tears, I have to say.

(CROSSTALK)

BROWN: OK, take Republicans, though, and put them aside, because this really is just about Democrats right now.

And, to somebody like me, to the average person who is watching all of this unfold, we're thinking, really? It comes down to these little bizarre legislative maneuvers? Why can't our members of Congress, our lawmakers just vote, yes, I'm for health care reform or, no, I'm against health care reform, and tell us, the American people, how they really feel about it?

Is that asking so much? VAN HOLLEN: It's not. And that's exactly what we're doing. We're going to be voting up or down on health care reform. We're going to be voting up or down on the issue of the Senate bill as we're modifying it to take out those provisions that I think the American public wants us to take out, like the Nebraska deal, and include the other provisions, like the crackdown on waste, fraud and abuse in Medicare, that some of our Republican colleagues proposed.

They're going to get an up-or-down vote. Look, the Republicans don't want to talk about the procedures the insurance companies are using to deny people care, even after...

(CROSSTALK)

BROWN: Yes, but put all that aside. Again, I'm saying this isn't about Republicans and their talking points. This is about you and your talking points right now.

(CROSSTALK)

VAN HOLLEN: No, no, but...

BROWN: It's that -- it's been made clear here that the whole reason this has even come into play is that certain members of Congress don't -- need some political cover, because they're very concerned about November, and they're having a hard time supporting this. And is that what this is about?

VAN HOLLEN: No, but clearly what is happening is -- you say it's not about our Republican colleagues, but they're clearly succeeding in some part in distracting the conversation away from the merits here, because we are having an up-or-down vote.

BROWN: So, do you believe right now that you have the votes to pass this bill, given -- however you decide to go about getting it done?

VAN HOLLEN: Well, I think the momentum is there. If you were to say, do we have a hard count today, I would say no. But if you look at the count today and you make an educated guess, based on what people are hearing from their constituents, I think the momentum is clearly with us.

BROWN: Donna Brazile tweeted -- quote -- "If a handful of Democrats decide to defeat this bill, they deserve to get a primary challenge."

One of President Obama's former top campaign advisers is now threatening to run against his local congresswoman if she votes no. You're in charge of keeping the House in Democratic hands. And what do you make of these threats?

VAN HOLLEN: Well, we will have the votes when the time comes to vote on this. People doubted whether or not we would have the votes on many other big issues that we have decided here in the House. And at the end of the day, we have been able to put together the majority. So, people are going to listen to their constituents, and they're going the reach independent judgments about the best way forward. But I'm very confident that, at the end of the day, a great majority of our members are going to say we need to do health care reform and we need to do it now.

And that's why I'm confident that it will pass.

BROWN: Congressman Chris Van Hollen, appreciate your time tonight. Thank you.

VAN HOLLEN: Thank you. Thank you, Campbell.

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