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Americans whose unemployment benefits have run out. we are just minutes away from that procedural vote on extending unemployment benefits, and right now insiders say the outcome is too close to call. joining me now, republican congresswoman marsha blackburn. good morning, congresswoman. happy new year. >> good morning. and to you also. >> where do you stand on this? >> well, i am against extending the unemployment benefits. i think the only way we can consider this is finding the right amount of offset to pay for it. you know, we've spent $520 billion over the past five years on the unemployme...

It like a ripple effect here? >> it is unfortunate that you say it is a partisan issue. i would direct you to the long-term negative effects of unemployment insurance. you have to look at that. you need to have the president and james sperling say how do we address this long-term systemic problem. over the past five years we have spent over $520 billion on unemployment insurance and the collective benefits. we have people that are hurting and saying we want to go back to work. so therefore some of the policies that are in effect right now are having effect. we have 2.6% of the nation's 7

Allow the american people, even the benefit of a vote. we said, you know, mr. speaker, house republicans, if you want to vote no, if you want to vote against unemployment insurance for the american people, for goodness sakes, have the decency to do it in a transparent way, do it in the light of day. they refused to do it. in the senate, harry reid tried to bring this up by unanimous consent. republicans shot it down. >> so if we did this with the farm bill at $15 billion, and since we're going to be spending $520 billion on defense, isn't there any way we could carve $10 billion out of the def...

Nondefense, $520 billion in defense -- >> well, wait, it says sequestration relief does not mean that some spending -- >> well, sequestration has -- >> that is cutting -- >> built in, but they have relieved that. >> if you relieve it, that means you put some spending back in. >> but remember, the sequestration was arbitrary, it basically said we can't come to an agreement so here is the cuts. and the military took it on the chin. >> but it did give us some discipline we didn't have before. >> but that is why i think it gets fought out in the 2010 mid-term election. if people really want change...

You fat. there is no question about that. scientific evidence is there. i just don't think that people, individuals need to be policed inside their homes. they don't need that. what we all need to eat properly. it's much easier for us to go get a fast-food meal. they are not getting veg tackles and fruits at the grocery store. >> heather: you were talking about the restrictions that could take billions of dollars of food and save billions in obesity health care costs that was predicted that is to reach $520 billion by 2030. >> if you expected the government will foot bill. somewhere along the ...