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BLITZER: A special "Strategy Session" today, two special guests. Congresswoman Barbara Lee, Democrat of California, she's chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, and Congressman Tom Price, Republican of Georgia. Thanks to both of you for coming in.
Let's talk about Afghanistan right now. Is it time for the president to effectively double down and send another 40,000 troops beyond the 68,000 who are already there?
REP. BARBARA LEE (D) CALIFORNIA: Well, let me just say, first of all, I think the president is conducting a very detailed and thorough review, as he should. He's being very deliberative and he's listening to a - a wide range of experts and opinions.
I of course voted against the initial authorization to use force, which I believe then was a blank check, as I still do now.
BLITZER: So you don't want anymore troops to go in?
LEE: No. I believe, and I think history has shown, is that there's no military solution in Afghanistan.
BLITZER: You want the 68,000 over there to get out?
LEE: I tell you, we passed - we didn't pass it, but we voted on a resolution asking for an exit strategy. We had about 138 votes. But I've also introduced a resolution saying that no more funds should be appropriated for an increase in troop levels.
BLITZER: And, just to be clear, you're speaking for Congresswoman Barbara Lee, not for the Congressional Black Caucus on this issue?
LEE: I'm speaking on my behalf.
BLITZER: On your behalf. What do you think, Congressman Price?
REP. TOM PRICE (R) GEORGIA: Well, I think the commander in chief needs to be the commander in chief and decide whether or not he wants to win this. If he wants to win it, then we need to utilize the resources and the troops that the - that the commanders on the ground have asked for and requested. There's no halfway to do this. If we do it halfway, then we do - that would be reckless and irresponsible on the part of the...
BLITZER: So if he accepts what General McChrystal is recommending, another 30,000 or 40,000 troops, you are with the president on this issue?
PRICE: If that's what it takes to win this war, then, in fact, that's what we ought to do. But what I - what we're hearing out of the White House is that they want to do it in - in a halfway or even less than halfway...
BLITZER: But if he goes all the way and accepts the whole deal, you're with him?
PRICE: That - if that's what it takes to make sure that the American people are safe, which I believe, then that's what we ought to do.
BLITZER: If he accepts that, it's going to be an extraordinary political situation, Congressman. He'll have the Republicans supporting him but a lot of Democrats like you will be critical of him.
LEE: Well, let me just say, if - if, in fact, there is an increase in troop level, we're looking at, and all experts have said, a possible 10-year presence, a 10-year war, a commitment of over $800 billion. I don't think...
BLITZER: Potentially maybe even more than that. LEE: Even more, and I don't think the American public and the American people want...
BLITZER: Well, (INAUDIBLE) is interesting, it leads me to the next subject I want to talk about, health care. If you're talking about a 10-year commitment to Afghanistan, more than 100,000 troops, $200 billion a year, maybe - could be well over a trillion dollars, that's more than enough according to the Congressional Budget Office to pay for massive health care reform.
So, the question is this - what's more important if you have a limited amount of money: keep the troops in Afghanistan, fight al Qaeda and the Taliban there, or - or use the money back here at home to get health care for all Americans?
PRICE: Well, the priority for our nation clearly is our national security, and - and if the commander in chief believes that our national security is threatened by what's happening in Afghanistan and Pakistan right now, then that's where we ought to concentrate our resources and our - and our troops and our effort.
But the fact of the matter is if we want to stay in Afghanistan for over 20 years, the thing to do is not do the right thing right now, which is we make certain that we have the - the troops and the resources to be able to - to do the job that the commanders on the ground have offered.
BLITZER: Are you with the president if, in fact, the final piece of legislation comes out, what a lot of people in the senate want, no public option, no government-run health insurance option that would compete with the private sector? Would you vote for that kind of health care reform?
LEE: Let me just say, 60 of us have - have written a letter and have indicated our position in terms of us being unwavering in terms of our support for a robust public option.
BLITZER: What if there - there isn't - there isn't a public option?
LEE: But let me tell you why it has to be there.
BLITZER: But what if there isn't?
LEE: Well, that's hypothetical. I want to talk about why it must be there. We really are serious about a robust health care plan. We want to reduce the cost of insurance premium. People are suffering.
BLITZER: But - but I guess the question is, what the president and some of his advisers and others have suggested - isn't something better than nothing? In other words, if you get something that deals with a lot of these issues but there's no public option, would that be better or worse than nothing?
LEE: The president has said that he supports a public option, and that is the assumption upon which we are working. We believe that the president - and we're in sync with the president. He wants to reduce the cost of health care for those who have insurance. He wants to make sure that there's choice, people have a choice of doctors. Also he wants to, as he says, to make sure that the insurance companies are competitive and are honest in their dealings. We have to have that in any reform bill.
BLITZER: We've been hearing from some Republicans - not in Congress, Governor Schwarzenegger of California, for example, some former senate leaders like Bob Dole, for example, Bill Frist, saying, you know what? - Bobby Jindal of Louisiana, the current governor of Louisiana - to their fellow Republicans like you, work with the president, come up with some sort of reasonable compromise that won't necessarily do the whole job but will do something. But so far we don't see a lot of Republicans - maybe Olympia Snowe or Susan Collins of Maine - we - we don't see a lot of Republicans actively working with the Democrats.
PRICE: Wolf, what we've doing is asking just that. In fact, here's a compilation of over 40 pieces of health care legislation that members of the Republican Study Committee, the committee that I chair, over 110 members of the House of Representatives have put forward on the issue of health care.
We believe that the status quo is unacceptable, but there's a positive way to reform the system without putting the government in charge, a way that gets people insurance, a way that makes certain that we solve the insurance challenges, portability and pre-existing illnesses and injuries, a way that makes certain that patients and families and doctors are making medical decisions, not bureaucrats and that addresses the lawsuit abuse issue which is not addressed in any single Democrat bill.
LEE: No one has suggested we put the government in charge. I support single payer, and that's not putting the government in charge. What we're talking about is having a public option, a robust public option that is one...
BLITZER: But if you're a single payer, that would be a government-run insurance company.
LEE: Let me just say, we're not talking about a single payer. We're talking about...
BLITZER: Even though that's what you would like (ph)?
LEE: I would like single payer. Many of us would. But, in fact, we have worked with our colleagues to come up with what we think is a very fair approach to this having a robust public option as one option for those who'd want to select that option, because it will, in fact, bring down the costs of insurance premiums.
BLITZER: We're not - we're not going to resolve it at this discussion, but we'll continue the discussion. Congressmen, thank you very much for - for coming in. Congressman, happy birthday!
PRICE: Thank you. Thank you so much. I appreciate it.
BLITZER: Many, many more. Good discussion. Thanks. Thanks to both of you.
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And later, why a lawmaker is trying once again to get a very expensive presidential helicopter project off the ground, even though the president says he doesn't need it.
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