>> isn't one of the risks here, i pose this question throughout some time now of these hearings, if you're too big to fail, haven't we failed already? because it presumes that your consequences to the economy are such that we can't let you fill, but that also produces the environment for risk-taking that shouldn't take place. >> sir, i think it's important from our perspective of the size cap that is one of the two elements of what the president announced a few weeks back, is not the only piece of our proposals to deal with size. by asking for higher capital standards, liquidity requirements, leveraged standards and so forth, we do create positive economic offenses for firms to shrink.

and believe that's done in the context of making sure that all of those standards are really focused importantly on making sure that firms individually in the system, in the aggregate, is not overly risky. so that those things are tethered economic to get smaller and the buffers, cushions, the extent to which the firm can be more resilient in moments of distress are interlinked. >> there's another point here, if i may, at to that answer. with the resolution authority, which you have a broader, what change too big to fail today may not be too big to fail to marketers of a better arrangement for putting that institution to sleep without disturbing the whole market. that's a whole purpose of this resolution authority, to handle big failures. >> now, it seems to me that one of -- asking for proprietary trading played a role in this crisis is missing the biggest

lesson of this crisis, which is how do you avert the next one or. and we know proprietary trading can be dangerous and contribute to the downfall of some investment banks, and mr. chairman, you talk about not having taxpayer support for speculative activities. so it just seems to me that we should be attributing that to commercial banks as well. so that we, at the end of the day, can ensure that customer departments don't end up being part of the speculative nature that can create a crisis. so that's in essence what you're trying to do here. now with that, if we pass a law preventing commercial banks from engaging proprietary lending, one possibility is that a goldman sachs order of j.p. morgan will simply drop their bank holding company status and continue to engage in proprietary trading, hedge

funds, private equity activity. if they do that, will our financial system be less systemically at risk? >> i think, senator, whether they choose to be a bank holding company and engaging banking activities, or whether they choose instead to engage in these riskier activities, the full range of supervisory constraints and standards that we think need to be tough and heightened will still apply. and so, from that perspective we will still be well covered in the proposal we are putting forward. i think what will happen additionally is not having these risky activities be subsidized in the fact, in circumstances where a firm has, because of its access to safety net, essentially a lower cost of funding and damages that are in some sense helping them to focus on and engage in the activities that we are concerned about.

>> so the volcker role a realm under alone, outside even banking institutions, needs to have it be augmented by some of the other proposals? >> no question about it. >> and finally, mr. chairman, you have said, mr. chairman, that there is quote not a shred of evidence that financial innovation has improved our economy. and effect financial innovation products company took is right to the brink of disaster. why do you believe that financial innovation got so out of control? can regulators, as the chairman and the committee do with financial regulatory reform, and regulators ever be in a position to keep pace with innovation? and if not, are there steps we should take to make banking and innovation, you know, subject to the ability to ensure that it doesn't get out of control? >> there is no assurance in this

area, but part of what i hope is the effect of what we are proposing is to reduce the capacity of the banks, financial engineering techniques to get way ahead of the rest of the regulars. because the most fertile field of this is in the area of hedge funds, equity funds and proprietary trading. doesn't mean they can do a lot of complex things in the more traditional banking area, but at least you cut down, to some extent, the risk of which you speak, rightly. and i do think the supervisory agencies, even if they have to be better staff, i think they're pretty well staffed but they have to have the funds and the interest and the capacity to attract some of the brightest and best financial engineers, too.

so there's a lot to be done in that area. >> does the secretary want to comment? >> thank you. i think it is an incredibly important to our economy, to people and businesses across the country. the critical question from our perspective is that innovation happen within a robust framework of consumer protection, firstly. and then secondly, the taxpayer is not on the hook for windows innovations go sideways. that the firms themselves, the downside risk of an effect sales innovation. we want to make sure we have a system in which we have lots of innovation in this sector. that's hugely important. i think to all our entire country and to our economy, but incredibly important it be done within those two critical framework. >> so innovation in which the innovator bears the risk? >> exactly, sir. >> thank you, mr. chairman. >> just a couple of thoughts, picking up on the question that

senator menendez raised. some have raised the issue that supposing an investment bank is the examples where they would get rid of holding companies, and so no longer would at least be defined accordingly. but since they were at least once covered by the safety net, should we worry about that it would still be viewed as being protected? and as such or that it would act as if it were. >> absolutely. i think that's the big problem you're facing. they will be expected to be protected against her their credit. >> that's what i'm getting at here. >> that is what i think you have to be very tough in legislative language, this resolution authority. the resolution authority is not a safety net. >> we're working on the bill. as you know and as you avert now for a number of months, we have tried to pull this together. let me tell you what's going to

be in the bill. but one thing that seems emerging, is a very, very strong proposal dealing resolution authority. and clearly, the notion of too big to fail as i have said repeatedly, should become historic terms. bankruptcy receivership is the way these things will end up and will need an opportunity for resolution, but that would be such a painful road to go but down. there would be enough to incentives to encourage people opting for that solution. the question i guess, as you've suggested, an awful lot of what we're trying to achieve, the notion, that notion of being bailed out, if you will come is going to be absolutely off the charts. to the extent, maximum extent possible. so euthanasia, to use your word, chairman volcker, that's not a legislative term, it's exactly what we're trying to achieve your. and that i think goes along way. i probably am in a minority of

one on this committee, but i for one have been attracted to the idea of a principle-based system rather than a rule-based system because i think it gets to the heart of the matter in so many better ways. instead of writing specific roles all time that with the full knowledge every time he right when someone will spend time trying to get around. it is again you never catch up on. were as a principle of a system i think has a lot more authority to the regulars. that is a separate debate for a separate time. let me also suggest here, and i since primary to you, secretary one, to a lesser degree, to chairman volcker. we're in the process come we've got to get something done. i can't take the countless weeks i've had with members of this committee. this represents one quarter of the united states senate in this committee. and i have had endless meetings with people on the various aspects of this bill. it's not a movable feast. it's not one that i can add ideas to it on a weekly basis and expect to get this done.

and while i have certainly been fully with the issue of dealing with proprietary trading and other issues, it does come up late, and the idea that the administration made this such a major point a week or so ago, seemed too many to be transparently political and not substantive. it's adding to the problems of trying to get a bill done. there are other ideas that could should be a part of this, but there are tipping point. there's only so much that this institution will tolerate at a given point of time. i've been around long enough to know what happens if you try to bite off more heat than you can chew. and we're getting precariously close to the. i don't want to end up in a day here, well, because the ideas, many of them, and this is what i said, i like the idea. with either this variation of it are something along these lines. but i don't want to be in a position where he end up doing nothing because we tried to do too much at a critical moment. so i want you to know that, because it's important from the administration standpoint. we're getting late in this game now. we need to do it right and carefully. i have been trying to do that at

want to do if i can't in a bipartisan basis that i don't want to go to the floor of the united states in begging for a 60 vote. i am not going to do that. so i want you to know that as we go forward. if you have more ideas, let me know. let me know in a timely manner. when we called that is how does it work, specifically what you had in my, i expect answers to questions that we made the calls. we're not getting good answers. >> let me just respond a little bit if i can. it's very important i think to get this right. if you don't do in the first round, god knows when the second grand. >> i don't know either. but you can add stuff to me everyday. >> it's important to see what direction the british are going and the french are going in and so forth. and the idea that this comes down to some party vote or 60 photos of the i don't think is right in this area. it's obviously not a partisan issue. let me just say for the record, i read all the stuff that the

president's announcement was political and came after massachusetts. i know personally he decided this some weeks before, and he had been discussing what day to announce it long before -- before massachusetts. it was just a sheer going to do and that this thing came out on thursday. >> you and i know that. members of the committee know that. >> i just want the public to know it. >> but it doesn't, but also it looks when these things announced it doesn't help that and the bank recommendations and so forth have to do the stuff, falls on deaf ears. so in that in a situation where i am wrapping around a. trying to convince people this is a substitute i didn't. >> we will convince as many as we can to help you out. >> i appreciate that. >> mr. chairman, let me just say, i hear you. working, i'm busy working with you as you work through what you're doing, as you say, and this we believe is part and parcel to a lot of the things we put forward. we understand that adding it at

this moment adds to your challenge, and we hope to help you as you work through getting a bill from here to the. >> i appreciate that. senator crapo asked that i include a statement he wanted for the record that he wanted to put in for the financial services roundtable, and i'll ask the dead included in the record is will. we will have a continuation of this hearing on thursday with others coming forward. and appreciate, mr. wolin, your offer to continue to help on this. will now continue very quickly. the meeting will stand adjourned. >> thank you very much. >> thank you. [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations]

[inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations]

>> special representative to afghanistan and pakistan richard richard holbrooke yesterday condemned an attack in pakistan that killed three is u.s. military employees. he was joined by agriculture secretary, tom vilsack, at a briefing on agriculture assistance programs in pakistan. this is a half hour. >> now we know who the intrepid journalists are that get up at 9:45 a.m., an unheard of our in this unique profession. good morning and welcome to the department of state. we had promised last month when secretary of agriculture tom

vilsack visited with you prior to his trip to afghanistan that we would bring him back to report on what he has seen and the progress in developing -- redeveloping the agriculture sector of afghanistan as a critical part of the ministrations strategy, and president karzai strategy, for the future of that country. so we have him back with us today. along with our special representative, the intrepid, indomitable richard holbrooke, who will start and just kind of put, you know, agriculture strategy in the larger context. richard? >> thanks, p.j. this is really secretary of agriculture's chance, as we promise you, before on this trip and i just want to give you the overarching view of it. but before do that i just want to say a word about the events in pakistan this morning. as i'm sure you all know, three americans were killed, too

warned, not life-threatening. they have been evacuated from a bad. they were to military and one, so three military. they were on their way to the inauguration of a school in the western area of pakistan your obviously a great tragedy, and we are deeply regretful of the loss of life, and we're in contact with the embassy and talk to ambassador patterson this morning on it. and it was a mine and an ied that did it. and i just want to let you know about that. >> you said there were two military? >> three military, to -- i misspoke. three military from two different parts of the military advisory groups that we have in

islamabad. and i don't even know the exact designations of where they were. thank you. american military personnel in pakistan who were doing training with the frontier corps. so it's very sad of them. >> ambassador holbrooke, is there any indication they were directly targeted? >> ambassador does not think they were directly targeted, but that is my only source of information on that question. >> hasn't been any claim of responsibility? >> no have they already? then you're ahead of me. >> they also suggested they were blackwater contractors. does this suggest that perhaps the u.s. needs to do more in terms of making it clear when the military is taking the lead on operations and one contractors are in the lead? >> they are certain to say that.

that's what they do. they are adept at propaganda disinformation. but the facts are the facts, and the appropriate in moment after notification of next of kin, and appropriate things, i'm sure their names and their exact rank will be publicly disclosed, as we always do. there's nothing secret about the presence of there. >> just to clarify again, three were killed were members of the military? >> and two injured. >> who are mems of the military or not? >> i think the two injured were also military, is that right? yes. >> so five members of the military, three injured, to kill? >> yes. this was -- i do think it's very revealing that they were on the way to the inauguration of the school. that's what americans do, it was a girls school. that's what americans try to do.

and ever since i joined the foreign service, we've had people have given their lives i the cause that we believe in. and that's a very good segue into secretary vilsack, because one of the most moving moments of this trip, which he will describe with you, was setting up a memorial to a u.s. department of agriculture employee who was killed. this trip represents a very big step forward in the furtherance of what is our number one non-security priority in afghanistan. when i say nonsecurity, i want to put that in quote marks because, of course, agriculture and security are interrelated in a country which is 80% agricultural. our goal is nothing less than to help afghanistan restore its agricultural sector to the vibrant export economy that it

once had, and which was progressively destroyed starting in 1978. that this wasn't undertaken earlier remains of mr. to all of us. but we elevated agriculture to the top of our priority list. as you all know, i will end with u.s. support for poppy eradication. secretary will speak about this relationship between those two items in a minute. secretary clinton and i are enormously grateful. secretary vilsack took the time from a very demanding schedule to make this trip. there will be more effort. he will outline some of the goals, one of the most important we have for this year is to help the afghans stand up the agricultural credit bank, and it's an institution that was created in the 1960s and destroyed in the '70s, 80s and 90s. but i believe the rest of the to

the secretary. and with my appreciation again, tom, thank you for doing this. >> good morning, everyone. i want to thank ambassador for the opportunity to spend a few days in afghanistan. there is so much written about afghanistan that is focus on sort of the negative aspects of the challenges in afghanistan, that hopefully this is a report that reflects on what's happening in a positive way. the purpose of the trip was to spend a good deal of time with minister rahimi who is the agriculture minister in an effort to determine whether or not progress is being made in afghanistan, as the ambassador indicated, this is our number one priority from a nonsecurity standpoint. and it is very clear that agriculture is critical to the future of success of afghanistan. 80 percent of afghanistan either make their living or their livelihoods from agriculture or something connected to agriculture. so it is important and relevant

for this country to spend time and resources to try to help the afghan agricultural opportunity. i want to say that we see this in the context of an afghan led effort. it is important and necessary for us to know precisely what the afghans expect and want. and for us to parallel our efforts and to cooperate with them. so we were very pleased with minister rahimi after he was confirmed as an initial member of president karzai's cabinet, that he lay forward a framework for a progress in afghan agriculture. and it is an important framework. most importantly of all, of the for in my view, is the need to increase productivity among the afghans. i think he recognizes and appreciates that there is tremendous opportunity, but it is necessary for the afghan agriculture to take a step forward in terms of productivity. ever saw examples of u.s. assistance in that regard.

i met with u.s. agribusiness who were working with grape farmers. for example, in afghanistan who are working on tressel and. very rudimentary steps that are significantly increasing the size of the graves, and the quantity and quality of grapes. this is important because at one point in time, afghan grapes were really sought after in the asian market. and this represents a tremendous export opportunity and potential. the second aspect that was productivity is increased is the need to reinvigorate the afghan agribusiness, or the ability to get the supply chain in place to allow the domestic market needs to be met, and at the same time to create export opportunities. probably the most significant step that has been taken recently is the establishment of a juice factory in kabul. this juice factor essentially takes apples and pomegranates on contracts with farmers, over

50,000 farmers, contract with his particular juice factory. they take the fruit and they basically create a juice concentrate which is then exported all over the world. employs 300 people for nine months, and they have a vision of expanding this facility with the assistance of usaid and usda to a place where individual juice cartons can be developed towards the afghan market itself, which could be a 100 million-dollar market. this was a very interesting opportunity for me to also meet with the afghan farmers who are curtly contracting with this juice factor. they like the idea that they have got forward contracting opportunities that they like the idea that already essentially presold their crop for the next arrears. it was an interesting opportunity for me to talk to afghan farmers and to realize that farmers in afghanistan are not a whole lot different than farmers in america. when we had the opportunity visit with these folks, one of the farmer said you're not doing enough, you're not doing enough, you never help us.

i turned around and i said, this factor right here right behind me, so we just helped build the. and that factor is buying your fruit. and he goes, oh, well, i guess that is how. [laughter] >> you know, some things are different, you know. sometimes you have to point things out to folks. but there was i think a recognition and understanding that the government was attempting to create opportunities for these afghan farmers. and reinvigorate their agribusiness is an important component of the strategy. the third strategy has to do with a commitment to renew their natural resources. for far too long, they have been in a deforestation mode. millions of trees have been cut down in afghanistan. that impacts not just the afghan landscape, but it also impacts the capacity to preserve and conserve water. which is an extraordinarily important component to agriculture, obviously. i met with usda and

representatives there who were working with afghan youth to plant a thousands and thousands, tens of thousands of trees in the northern part of the country. recognizing the importance of restoring those natural resources. and finally, the last piece of the framework is a reflection of the need to bolster the ministry itself. minister rahimi understand and appreciate that there are some serious challenges within the structure of his ministry, and so he has embarked on a change management effort which we are facilitating. during the course of my visit, we made an announcement of an additional $20 million of assistance and help as part of that change management effort. we are also detailing specific experts in specific areas of this framework to work with the minister in the capital. in the ministry, so that he is more free, or freer, to travel around the country to talk to his farmers. now, we saw in helm on province

a tremendous example of the importance of his getting out and visiting with afghan farmers. this was a very significant visit, a visit to that part of the country that a year ago may not have been possible. but we spoke with afghan farmers who are now planting wheat instead of poppy. and the reason they're doing that is because with the assistance of the united states government, the afghan government is providing incentives for wheat production. and i think it's important to recognize that when afghan farmers make the decision to produce poppy, they do so because there are certain incentives told into that crop. the incentives involve providing input costs in advance, and delivery of the crop at the foreign key. so the challenge for the afghan and for us is to figure out strategies and structures that will replace those incentives. for legitimate crops.

and so when we provide wheat seed and fertilizer and substantially reduce costs, afghan farmers responded and poppy production in that province was reduced by one-third in a single year. now we want to work with the same farmers to diversify their crop to focus not just on staple crops, but also cash crops which will create export opportunities. there are several challenges that will need to be addressed at the ambassador focused on one of them, which is very significant, the need to establish a formalized credit process. that will take obviously time, but it could they need some kind of credit bank, long-term financing and structure that will guarantee the afghan farmers the capacity and resources to put the crop in the ground. in the meantime, we will continue to work with vouchers and other, smaller techniques to encourage crop production. we will need to continue to work in a very formalized way to help them with irrigation issues. their irrigation systems were

destroyed during the conflicts, previous conflicts and where in the process of focusing on on farm and regional water issues and irrigation issues. we will continue to work hard to create an extension, presents. i think one of the challenges that we identified in minister rahimi identified was the factor needs to be people on the ground, afghans on the ground, providing technical assistance and help. and i think that was underscored in our visit where folks basically said we need more people on the ground here helping us. make decisions there. they are very favorably inclined towards our extension model that we have in the united states and which would often take for a granted, the capacity for technical assistance for the farmer on the farm. and i think that are also challenges with reference to trade, the need for continued promotion of trade opportunities in all parts of central asia.

i will tell you that i was impressed with the commitment of the people from the usda. the ambassador mentioned the memorial service that we had for tom stepney, tom was a forrester who was killed in afghanistan as usual of an explosive device. is only goal there was to try to make a difference. is only goal was to try to help people understand the importance of trees and forestry. he was beloved by the people who were there. we had a substantial outpouring of support for the award that we have established in his name to reflect that there are many different uniforms that are being worn in afghanistan. and in all the people who serve us in uniform, regardless of whether it is the fourth uniform or usda uniform or military uniform, put themselves on the line to make a difference. and they understand and

appreciate the importance, not just to the people of afghanistan, but also to the people of united states. we are extraordinarily proud of our usda presence there. which will grow over the course of time. we anticipate by the end of this month, to have as many as 64 usda workers there, and as the process ramps up, we would expect and hope that we would be able to contribute more. it is important for us to parallel our increase commitme commitment, and increased afghan commitment. i would also say in the last thing i will say, i've been very impressed with minister rahimi and his commitment when he was addressing the parliament just before his confirmation, he said two things, which i think are really important one is that he said he would always tell the truth, even if it was a hard truth. i saw examples of that would acknowledge publicly the weaknesses and challenges of his ministry. that's not often, you don't often see that. he also said he would root out

corruption, and i believe is true to that as well. he understands that there is a limited period of time in which this has to work and he is committed to making it happen. so without i would be glad to try to respond to questions. >> how big a role is agriculture going to play in the reintegration plan? and sing as agriculture is the keys for most afghans, and what sort of money are you setting aside from that? and justify my ass, is there any movement on the trade transit agreement with pakistan, because that is key in terms of opening up markets with india? >> i will let ambassador respond to the trade issue because he is probably get more information on that than i do. i think it's fair to say, when 80 percent of the afghans livelihood and income is connected in some form to agriculture that the key strategy to getting with the economy as a strong and strength

to agriculture. that involves farmers being encouraged to produce the right kind of crops, and a diversification of those crops, not just focusing on staple crops, but also cash crops. and we showed a chart which was i think very instructive, as you know, the value of some of those additional cash crops can be substantially higher than poppy and opium production. and so, that's the first at. the second step, and in doing that you have to recognize the challenges these farmers face, whether it is irrigation or storage facilities and things of that nature. which is why we have people on the ground trying to respond to those individual challenges. it's also important to set up the supply chain, which is why reinvigorating agribusiness become so important that there has to be a market. and that market has to be facilitated, whether it is domestic or foreign. and i think it's important and necessary for minister rahimi in particular to focus on those two issues, and to be able to go up to the countryside and show

examples of where this has worked. this is a big country. pockets of farmers in a variety of different locations. it's not necessarily true that they understand or appreciate the juice factory has been set up and there are markets for thousands of markets. they may not know about the progress that's been made in helmand province in terms of cash and staple crops. and so it's important for us to get people in the ministry that will free up the minister to go out and be able to talk about that. 's but how many agriculture jobs you think it might be able to help with the reintegration? >> if you look at the juice factory, that's an example. you have 300 jobs now, and they are just getting started that if they can tap that $100 million market for juice containers for afghanistan, the sky is the limit. when you talk about storage facilities, processing facilities, warehousing facilities, the sky is the limit. we open up trade opportunities,

then there is a whole series of transportation jobs, marketing jobs, regulatory structures. i mean, it's virtually unlimited which is why it's important. >> your questions very important. the reintegration program is separate, but in my view, this program is a reinvigoration program. but we're not going to call it that. this is a rebuilding agriculture program, but if it works we will help the afghans create a very large number of jobs. we had a rough estimate last year that there was a potential to create 1 million jobs, but it's so rough that it would be misleading to turn that into a hard headline. but if the agriculture export markets opened up, if it creates all the secondary jobs on

markets and road building and so on, as the secretary said, this guy seems to be the limit. of all the programs the united states is supporting in afghanistan, in the year since this administration took over, this is one of the most opportune. and it has the highest and quickest impact. and it is also the one most enthusiastically supported by general mcchrystal. and his people who are spending an enormous amount of additional money to support agriculture. in fact, there was tension here about whether you want a certain money to give that a seat or whether you want to distribute seed to the existing system. it's been a joe klein wrote a cover story for time magazine, which discussed that issue. back about 10 months ago, and the issue he identified is there. plus the indians have a large

agriculture, japanese are upgrading the e.u., upgrading. this is a big push. and very glad you asked the question, because people rarely make the connection, but of course, there is a connection. it is classic counterinsurgency. is good in its own right. it's going to help deny the taliban a pool of alienated, unemployed youths, who go out and get paid to shoot if there is a family plot, family pressures will be that they work on the farms, at least during the appropriate seasons. so it's enormously important. on trade transit. the negotiations are continuing. there was another round, secretary clinton and i talked about this last night. it's down to just one or two issues, that they are very complicated.

and they involve the equities and politics of both afghanistan and pakistan, and i'm not -- i'm not up to speed on the exact extent today so i'd rather not get into details. but we are continuing to work on this very actively, and it was a subject of discussion in london also. >> is there another round plan? the last graduate for two is in dubai. is another round plan after that? >> yes. >> can i pick up on -- >> follow up on the previous anti, is there any push back yet from the taliban on these programs that you are doing? have you seen that get? >> they are -- they are preemptively attacking the reintegration program. they started before london. i think they are clearly rattled by it. it poses a grave threat to them and they know it. that i think you can see if you

read the reports. on agriculture, i don't think they have attacked agriculture directly, because that would be -- that would not be a very popular move. but i maybe wrong on that. i which is going to add that there was an interesting conversation went with some local officials, and now the difference between marine presence and taliban presence in that area, the local leader suggested that when the taliban had controlled, there was a forced labor. they would extract youngsters and make them work. when the marines came in, the marines were not interested in forcing anything but they're interested in assisting helping. and in fact, that's precisely what they are doing. in addition to the usda presence in agriculture, we also have these enormously important and popular agriculture development teams within our national guard units that are working extremely hard to provide assistance and

help. so i think we're putting a different face on this, and i think with a response to the challenges and the incentives that are inherent in the poppy production, i think the afghans are finally seeing that there is a strategy that gives them to producing legitimate crops and crops that can actually be far more profitable for afghans than poppy production. so i think this is going to be a successful first step. >> on the link between, that's who mentioned, that ambassador holbrook mention his will, between the reintegration program and the importance of agriculture there, where do you expect most of this success to come from? do you expect to be drawn from this pool that you mention, or are you hoping that hard core taliban now will be beating their ied's and a case into plowshares? where does it come from?

is a the existing bad guys? >> well, our effort is trying to speak to the people in the middle of all of us. whose only thought is how do i take care of my family, how do i take care of myself. and the taliban, as long as there is opium production, have a look on those folks. they have the ability to control their livelihood. given a choice, they don't want that choice. they would prefer another alternative that they would prefer to be able to produce wheat or pomegranates or apples or all months or whatever. we have to give them that choice, and we have to give it to them in a way that makes economic sense. this is an economic issue. these people are making a very rational decision, and when we come with a credit system, when we come with a supply chain and

reinvigorate agribusiness and become with incentives to encourage them to plant different crops, and we provide assistance to make those crops more productive, all of a sudden they see the potential to make far more money. and they are more inclined to make that choice and reject the taliban. so the taliban have no place to go. >> so you are not hoping that this is going to convert hard core fighters? >> the goal, the goal is not to convert hard court leadership. >> and you go up to the voting? >> sorry. this is such an important issue that i'm really glad you raised it. helping agriculture is good in itself, but it's also a core part of a coherent counterinsurgency strategy in afghanistan. and i'm sorry stand the crystal is in the year to join us at the podium, but i can show that if you are in this country he would want to be here because he believes as deeply as anyone, and i know you talk to the

command about this. if this program succeeds, and it is right now our most successful civilian program already, and it is just starting, this is going to really hurt the taliban. no question about it. but unlike, say, we immigration which they can attack, it's hard to attack this one. because the country is in agriculture country. how do you attack programs which give people's seed and fertilizer and market access? so this is why we are back at the podium for the second time in a month am an wild secretary vilsack will be able to continue bringing public attention to this. this is why we're trying to stand up the aggregate bank, which the secretary can explain better than i as indispensable.

is this going to take the leaders of the supreme shura and bring them around? of course not. it's going to isolate them, or in the classic parlance, dry up this while. >> to put a price on it, from my discussions with regular afghans, i think it would much rather be farmers been fighters. >> we have time for just one more. the secretary has to go to the white house. >> you have copies and national government to deliver the key help and resources and everything that you give, or do you rather deal with the farmers of the councils directly within? this is a huge issue for the farmers themselves? >> i don't think it is an either or. i you have to have both. i think that to a functioning government. i got the sense from my discussions with president karzai, minister rahimi and others that there is indeed an recognition of the importance of the framework and commitment to

the framework and a willingness to work within the framework. i think minister rahimi, if you were to come would also recognize that it will not work unless you've got folks on the ground working with the afghan farmers on a daily basis provided technical assistance and help that they need to become more productive, to establish storage facilities to do with irrigation challenges, and to understand these new credit opportunities that we're going to try to create. so it's not an either or situation. you have to have both which i think the from of that the minister has put forward recognizes that. he is very comprehensive and destroy well-thought-out. now what he needs is the capacity and the ministry that will allow him to go outside, visit with afghan farmers on the ground and basically say, this is what we're doing for you. this is where it's been successful. this is what it could do for you. if you have not yet implemented this, this is what we're working on. the politics of agriculture i think are extremely important here. and he just has a flat out at the time to commit to the politics of it. and our hope is that by the

support and assistance we are providing that he will feel more comparable and do that. >> last one very quickly. >> do you have a monetary value of how much the u.s. is putting into these incentives for afghan farmers? if i could just ask ambassador holbrooke also to give a little more clarity on your comments about the taliban preemptively attacking reintegration. can you give us some specific examples of those attacks? >> i would love to be able to give you specific dollar amounts, but there are various pockets of money, and it's pretty hard to sort of, i know that our peace is a mostly small piece in terms of the hundreds of millions of dollars that are dedicated to this, but i would say it is clarity hundreds of millions of dollars. not necessary and instead is but the entire effort to sort of parallel the afghan framework, whether it is providing technical assistance, resources, whether in his supplies, things of that nature. >> in the interest of time, let me just give you some of the things they've been saying it

publicly later. okay? >> thank you. >> thank you very much. [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] >> bagram air base is the largest u.s. military airbase in afghanistan. david axe visited there late last year when he looked at the medical facilities that treat wounded u.s. troops. afghanistan doesn't have much in the way of health infrastructure. it was pretty bad before the current war. but with this conflict, most of afghanistan's doctors fled the country. so pretty much resulted in the collapse of afghanistan's health infrastructure. so the biggest and best hospital in the whole country is the air force, u.s. air force run, hospital at bagram air base outside kabul. the nation for the hospital is

to be a role three medical facility or what that means is we have all the specialist that you would want for trauma. ophthalmologist, head and neck surgeon, trauma surgeons, orthopedic surgeon, there'll surgeons. the specialties you will not find anywhere else in the country. and so our role with although surgeons is to bring in, patience, to stabilize those patients and move them on quickly to germany where they can get definitive care. >> and you care for both afghans, american troops and allied troops the? we take care of american troops, al leiter, afghan nationals, afghan security forces, their border police, we take it even enemies forces when they are captured. >> so it is pretty much ever one who needs care if they can get to speak as there is no one we would refer care to. everyone that we care for gets the same standard of care. >> can you give me a sense of how many folks you see on a monthly basis? >> in any given month we see three to 4000 people.

to cabarrus to something indiana state, if you look at the number of admissions, the number of searches, how critical the patients are, we would be equivalent to about the busiest trauma center and the entire united states. >> right now we're in the emergency, they. when we receive patience, which is the helicopters from the hospital, the patients are brought into and we divide them by their injuries. the center right here is the most wounded. or the worst injuries. then they divide them out. the emergency room team builds pods by the number of injuries and the things that the patients come in that they have, and they are just very, very organized. >> the helicopters land right outside and they bring the patience and your? >> correct. >> so describe your most memorable mission. >> it was on this deployment, we had just got back from a medevac mission, and heard that there was an ied incident on a convoy.

this -- since we are already airborne we lost on that. and my last couple of deployment we haven't lost on an ied mission, so that was something new for us to show our capabilities. flew out there and it was a completely different experts for me because the mrap was blown in half and just to see that distraction, and what the ied had done was, you know, cause a lot of surprise. you see the patience kind of laid out on the ground there in their stretchers ready for us to come pick them up. you know, you understand that the threat is still around so you are really vigil on the look out, looking at everyone that a standing around just waiting for them to make the wrong move in a thread emotion toward you. so your eyes are just going everywhere, your mind is constantly thinking what we do in this situation. and we came in, landed, picked up our patients and as the peaches were bringing them back in, just either closed or apart

and know the pain they were in was a big shock. it was a great feeling just to know that we're able to respond to it and get them back here safely. for the disruption that took place there, their injuries were pretty minimal. >> so they made a? >> yes, thereby. they got sent to germany for their medical care. no tragic injuries that took place. >> what is the work they likewise are the busy period and is there down time? >> it all depends. all depends on what's going on on the outside, outside wire. sundays are like this where there is nothing too much going on. other days we can get hit by six, 10, patience at one time. sometimes it's just all day long, one, after another. sometimes the er is full as far

as regular sick patients that come from baath, just a regular workers, chest pain, stomach pains, those kind of things. >> so how long is your typical schiff's? >> usually about 13 hours at a. >> how long are your deployment for? >> six months. >> is a hard keeping your focus and your excitement for a deployment that long? >> no. i mean, there's ups and downs. sometimes you're down. sometimes you're up, but typically everyone is pretty up. >> do you go to any special training before coming to this facility? >> new people do usually. i haven't heard this is number five deployment for me. so new people do. they get the training in schools and we go to baltimore to shock trauma, which is a, you do. they usually do a couple of weeks there. >> five deployment, all to afghans to speak with know, to

afghanistan, to iraq picture is a dependent over your deployed to? >> it was different times of the war. last year i was here 14 months ago, and the mission was pretty much the same. i think a little more trauma this time, but in the past it was in iraq and it was strictly. not any humanitarians that usually just u.s. and equipment troops. >> our workload is heavy. you know, it's pretty variable though. sometimes, you know, depending on what's going on in the aor, if there is battles going on will get a lot work i should as august the. of the time to a completely just local nationals. so we have 28 beds here, and in times of need when we get inundated with patients all at once, we will throw caught in between the beds to double our capacity in a matter of, you

know, ours. so we were typically 12 and half to 13 hour days. and we work, we get every day to day off user. so if we are not needed, we get to work out, sleep in, do whatever a. >> what do you do on your eighth day off to? >> sleep mostly, especially if you're on night shift. and then a lot of us like to try to stay in shape as much as you can because this is pretty exhausting. we hit the gym, too. that's been much all there is to do. and each. >> as a possible two sort of combine both medical care and an evacuation will. there is a tent, and rather lavishly equipped tents outside the hospital. when the troops come in, receive the care they need and then when they are fairly healthy stable, they are moved into that tend awaiting a flight. when the flights they frequently that it is hard to catch these guys for interviews that these

wounded soldiers, because they move out so quickly. >> our staff is responsible for launching, launching missions with patients on them and recovery missions that come to this field. basically we provide 24 hour nursing care for the patience. we make sure they have the preparations for flight. we have the medications, food, diet, their luggage, especially to make sure they are clinically ready to play. as the patients, patient numbers have increased, we identified the need that it was a good idea. it helps lessen the burden of the hospital. so instead of the hospital holding the amount of patience that they normally do they can put the stations out here earlier and the patience can stage out here. >> our mission is to take the wounded warrior, forward operating bases or posts or

landing zones to bagram here, get fixed up and then fly them back to germany so hopefully that will go back to see their families in the states. >> so you will are in charge of his intensive care unit in the back of an airplane? >> yes. it is a five person crew. we set up like a many hostile. >> what is the toughest part of your job? >> toughest part of the job is probably seeing these young kids being hurt. that's probably the hardest. >> how do you cope with that stress? >> crew integrity. we do a lot as a crew. it's my family away from my regular home family. >> so you spend a lot of time in the back of these airplanes with these different patients. do you build up a rapport with the patients. >> we're going to leave the blasphemers of this program to take you live now to the annual national prayer breakfast in washington with the speakers include president obama. this event was established in

1953. it is organized by a christian group known as the fellowship foundation. the president just arriving. live here on c-span2. [applause] [applause] [applause]

>> there are many members from the house of representatives late nancy pelosi and from the united states senate and the president's cabinet. please stand so we can acknowledge you. [applause] mr president and produce should know that johnnie is adjusting to the fact that this breakfast

at quiche instead of grits. i don't know how he will explain that when he gets home. johnny has been a great hall for me this year as co-chair of the senate prayer breakfast. he supported the vikings over the saints. my first quarter prayers made no difference. not even god can overrule a referee's call. >> i am not sure it was the referee. i think it was a brett favre of's interception. we are honored to be here and i am honored to share the co-chairmanship. she thinks getting me to pull for the vikings was the ultimate reconciliation. not true. all the reconciliation i invite invite the quarterback of the florida gators who beat us four

years at the university of georgia. glad to have you. this is a great occasion and we are delighted and honored that you are here today. >> each week we get together for our weekly senate prayer breakfast. at our breakfast, the senator always speaks sometimes about his or her faith or personal struggle and sometimes the challenge of forgiveness. our prayer breakfasts are always real and refreshingly -- just when we give up a few of my colleagues it reminds me we share a common purpose and common humanity. it is my honor today to introduce sergeant first class mary kay messenger. lead vocalist with the united

states military academy band. in 1980 at the age of 12 she continued through the year as guest vocalists until she joined the army in 1996. she has performed from beijing to the opening bell of the new york stock exchange, yankee stadium to carnegie hall. she will be singing god bless america composed by irving berlin during the first world war when he was serving in the united states army camp. [applause] ♪ when the storm clouds gather across the sea ♪ let us go to a land that is

free. ♪ for a land so fair as we raise our voices ♪ in a solemn prayer ♪ god bless america ♪ land that i love ♪ stand beside her ♪ and guide her ♪ through the night with the light from above ♪ from the mountain ♪ to the prairies ♪ to the oceans white with foam ♪ god bless america ♪ my home sweet home

♪ god bless america ♪ my home sweet home ♪ [applause] [applause] >> good morning, mr. president and mrs. obama, honored guests.

it is my privilege to offer a reading from the second book of the torah, the book of exodus. exodus deals with the formation of the jewish people into a nation as they make their way from slavery to the promised land. there are very important lessons in the passage where moses's father in law guides moses on the correct way to govern his people. jethro, moses's father in law, heard all that god had done for his people, have all the lord brought israel out from egypt. later in the passage, next day,

moses's magistrate among the people, the people stood from morning until evening, when moses's father-in-law saw how much he had to do for the people he said what is the this thing you are doing to people? why act alone while all the people stand about you from morning until evening? moses replied to his father in law, it is because people come to me to in choir of god. when they have a dispute it comes before me and i decide between one person and another and i make known the law and the teachings of god. but moses's father in law said to him the thing you are doing is not right. you will surely wear yourself

out. the task is too heavy for you. you represent the people before god. you bring the disputed before god and join up on them before the laws and the teachings and make it known to them the way they are to go and the practices they are to follow. capable men to fear god and stern ill-gotten gains. said these over them as chief of thousands, 50s and 10s and let them judge the people at all times. have them bring every major dispute to you and let them

decide every minor dispute for themselves. make it easier for yourself to share the burden with you. if you do this, and god commands you you will be able to bear up. moses did as his father-in-law said. moses chose capable men out of all of israel and appointed them heads of all the people. chiefs of thousands, they judged the people at all times. some difficult matters they would bring to moses and the minor matters they would decide themselves and moses bade his father in law fare well and went his way to his homeland. may we all show similar wisdom

and and be open to advice and guidance from any source, not just within our own group, our own faction, our own tribe, and it is only with that wisdom we can hope to provide just and true leadership. [applause] >> good morning, mr. president, madam secretary, honored guests. i am charlie wilson from ohio's sixth district and my co-chair is todd a can of missouri's second district. we would like to thank the senate for putting this program together this morning and we

know the house is looking forward to putting it together again next year. we are here this morning because we are the cochairs of the house prayer breakfast. members of both parties have been meeting for prayer from a weekly basis for five decades. we come together every thursday morning at 8:00 a.m. not with no staff. we read a verse of scripture and pray for the sick and wounded and offer a prayer of thanksgiving for our country. we have a different guest speaker shares their testimony. we close in prayer and make sure to share that too. one week a democrat leads the closing prayer and the next republican. we never know how much are going to be at our prayer breakfasts

to attend our weekly gathering. i am happy to let you know it has increased considerably this year. our meeting last about an hour and many of those referred to it as the best hour of the week. we hope you will consider our example and if set aside time each week with your colleagues to deep in your relationships and open your mind to god. now my cochaired todd taken. >> good morning. i am todd taken from missouri and the tradition of the prayer breakfast goes back to the days of president eisenhower. because of the tremendous importance we place on a personal relationship with god, that is amazing, a personal relationship with jesus christ is a christian prayer breakfast and yet we welcome happily people of all different faiths to join us. along these lines when we arrive

on a thursday morning and hear personal testimony we hear a tremendous diversity in kinds of stories. for example, we hear the story of a little boy who rose up penniless and orphaned on the streets wondering where the next meal will come from and how he was led on a journey to the u.s. congress. we hear another story of a pilot of a small airplane in the fog over the mountains of germany with little instrumentation and how the hole has opened up in the fog showing a landing strip. how he dives and airplane through a hole in the fog and lands on the landing strip and the fog closes in around the aircraft. it is from these and other

testimonies that congress developing mutual respect and affection for each other. the statement wilberforce's from england had two great aims in his life. the first was to get rid of slavery. the second was to build civility, a respectful and loving treatment of the different legislators in england. this prayer breakfast we enjoy every week inspires that civility in an otherwise polarizing political environment. that is why it is the best hour of the week. god bless you. [applause] [cellphone rings]] hoops.

i never learned how to turn that off. let us pray. dear father in heaven as we bauer heads we are so grateful for this great nation and the nations of the world but especially the opportunities we have as a nation to bring peace and tranquillity throughout this world. we pray that you bless our president and vice president and cabinet and all of the leaders in the federal government. they might be inspired to lead us to do the things that we might be able to be the

followers and might be able to do what is right. as moses's father in law told him let's share the responsibility and work together in the best interests of our country. let's have bipartisanship reborn again in this great nation. we are so grateful for those who serve in the military. we are grateful for the sacrifices they undertake on our behalf. we are grateful for those who are in harm's way and put special blessings of upon them. that they might be blessed and protected and we pray we might be a nation that will bring peace and tranquility throughout the world. we are grateful for those who serve in governments throughout

the state's, state legislatures and last but not least we're grateful for the congress of the united states and work together as democrats and republicans and independents to serve our country and fellow men and women and bring peace and contentment to our great nation and throughout the world. those who are suffering in haiti and throughout the world, help them and help us to do our share. we are grateful for leaders from other countries and their blessings upon them. we ask that you bless the president and vice-president in the name of jesus christ. >> thank you very much. now to read our next scripture today we are joined by jose luis rodriguez who is currently

serving his second four year term as prime minister of spain. he is not just the leader of one very important country. he is also the chairman of the european union. he made a claim to fame as prime minister of the cabinet where a majority of his cabinet members are women. i decided to add that. the prime minister has made an invaluable intervention on reconciliation in his country as an individual and elected leader. his personal quest has been to promote peaceful coexistence and tolerance among the religious faith in his own country and throughout the world. please join me in welcoming the prime minister of spain, chairman of the european union, jose luis rodriguez zapatero. [applause]

[speaking spanish] [speaking spanish] >> mr. president, members of congress, ladies and gentlemen, thank you for inviting me to participate on behalf of my country, in one of the american

people's most symbolic traditions and to thank you to senators, allow me to speak to you in spanish, the language in which people first parade to the god of the gospels in this land. [laughter] [speaking spanish] [speaking spanish]

>> no one knows the value of religious freedom better than all of you. your forebears' met that oppression senator to be tied to their freedom they founded this country. a nation, united states of america, a nation that has never stopped finding strength about democracy which abolished slavery and recognize equal voting rights and outlawed discrimination. a nation that was founded on pluralism, tolerance and respect for all beliefs. [speaking spanish] [speaking spanish]

>> admirable in the eyes of a firm believer in democracy living in one of the oldest nations in the world, spain. our nation is also diverse and renewed in excitement. our nation is as diverse as america. it is the mall--most multi-cultural in europe. phoenician, greek, arab and christian. as defined -- [speaking spanish] [speaking spanish]

>> our countries owe much to those who have come from abroad. our country cannot be understood without them. without those who throughout history came to a land and living in our nation have become what we are. [speaking spanish] [speaking spanish] >> allow me to talk about the passage from deuteronomy chapter 24. you should not withhold these needy laborers. weathers are others are like the radiance in one american town. you should pay them their wages

they before sunset because they depend on them. [speaking spanish] [speaking spanish] >> but as be concerned with integrating those who live in our country's. let us also be concerned with those whom we cannot welcome among us and who are suffering from hunger and poverty in so many places around the world. such as those living in haiti

and misfortune throughout all our efforts at solidarity. solidarity which reconciles us with our human condition and alert ability and paternity and which should never wayne. [speaking spanish] >> furthermore i would like to proclaim my deep commitment to those men and women in our society in these difficult times are suffering scarcity of jobs. this task is paramount concern. no other task is more binding than that of fostering job creation. [speaking spanish]

>> we also advocate the right of all persons anywhere in the world to their quest for that which is good. it is my piece that we educate the freedom of all to live their own lives and live with their loved ones and nurture their founding environment. this is worthy of respect. [speaking spanish] >> the truth common to us all

makes us through authentic human beings because freedom enables each of us to look destiny in the eye and speak the own truth. [speaking spanish] >> tolerance is much more than accepting the others. ignorance of the other is at the root of what threatens in time the in danger in of our future. ignorance is founded on knowledge and so is peace.

[speaking spanish] >> even in the past spain was a model of peaceful coexistence among judy isn't, christianity and islam. to day respect and forgiveness and a dialogue and peaceful coexistence and the alliance of civilization. we reject statements and moral

superiority and uncompromising fundamentalism. [speaking spanish] >> the united states knows that the religious faith to justify violence can be huge the destructive. what better occasion than this prayer breakfast to commemorate together our victims of terrorism. it is also to gather that we defend freedom wherever it is threatened. [speaking spanish]

[speaking spanish] >> mr. president, members of congress, ladies and gentlemen, freedom is always the foundation of hope in the future, liberty and honor. the master piece written in spanish, one can readily explain life yet captivity is the worst

evil that can be fall men. liberty, liberty is one of the most precious gifts have and has bestowed upon man. this gift may continue blessing america and all people on earth. thank you very much. [applause] >> prime minister jose luis rodriguez zapatero, thank you for those inspirational words. we appreciate your friend should very much. everyday when i find those moments to pause and pray for the things i am thankful for the first prayer is for the men and women who serve us in harm's way

around the world. i know they not only serve the united states but they serve peace, freedom and democracy of all nations around the world and it is my pleasure to introduce the leader of the united states military, the chairman of the jointure ships -- joint chiefs of staff, admiral michael mullen. [applause] >> good morning, secretary clinton and other distinguished heads of state and distinguished visitors, ladies and gentlemen. i am honored to be here and to

have this opportunity. i have been asked to offer a prayer for world leaders. my wife informed me that one of the leaders i would be praying for was probably me, that was something i hadn't considered. i started taking this very seriously. i am also mindful that there is more than one higher power in the room today. no offense, mr vice-president. before i ask you to join me in prayer i would like to tell a story about an army platoon leader in the korean war. he and his men fell into an ambush on patrol and found themselves surrounded by enemy soldiers. they hunkered down in a small clearing making the best of what little cover they could find and tried desperately to hold on against what seemed to be terrible odds. every now and then he didn't notice a young lieutenant behind a big rock would sit for a

minute or two and start issuing new commands, moved here or there or shift your fire. shift it high and low. the barrage of orders came almost as fast as the enemy bullets themselves. after an hour or so suffering only a few casualties the platoon chase of their attackers and began to safely make their way back to base. on the walk back the sergeant approach lieutenant mast and. exactly what were you doing behind that rock? the officer grinned a little, his shoulders saying, he said i needed time to think, to adjust supply kept asking myself three questions. what am i doing? what am i not doing? how can i make up the difference? i don't know if that story is true or not. i am told it is. i really like it because it illustrates perfectly the deepest challenge of leadership

during difficult times, that of self reflection and sober analysis. even in the heat of battle perhaps especially in the heat of battle we must find the time to think and a just and improve our situation. ..

>> let us take the time to ask ourselves, what are we doing, what are we not doing, and how can we make up the difference? we may not always like the answers, i know i seldom do, but we can always learn from having posed the questions. and now, please, bow your heads and join me in the prayer. father in heaven, we gather today to ask your blessing over the lives and decisions of those who lead us around the world. theirs is a mighty task and a noble calling, for upon their shoulders rests the hopes and dreams of billions of people. not only of this generation, but of future generations who know us not. may you guide them in that pursuit, oh, lord, give them the faith to the seek your guidance, the wisdom to make the right decision cans, and the character to see those decisions through. help them choose love over hate, courage over fear, principle

over expediency. let them always see concord and peace and to remember that the best leader is a good and humble servant. encourage them, father, to seek your counsel as solomon himself did in i kings, chapter 3, same to you, but i am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. so give me a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. may god bless -- may you bless us all, lord, your children, and give our leaders that same discan certaining heart. help us always to distinguish between right and wrong and to serve others before ourselves. this we pray in thy name, amen. [applause] >> thank you very much, admiral

mullen. it is now my great honor to introduce our keynote speaker, secretary of state, hillary rodham clinton. [applause] she is an incred can my accomplished woman whose life has been shaped by the deep and apieding faith she was blessed to receive during her childhood in suburban chicago. her mother taught sunday school and made sure that her daughter and son were there the moment the church doors opened. in high school she was deeply influenced by her youth minister who taught her about faith in action. on one memorable evening at age 14, her church dpriewt group went to hear a speech by reverend dr. martin luther king, a transformative experience that inspires her today. as the first lady of arkansas, she was an advocate for disadvantaged chirp and families. -- children and

families. her faith led her to a champion for human rights, especially for women around the world. as i've learned from people who are here at this prayer breakfast long before me, hillary clinton and her husband, president bill clinton, were always generous with their time at this prayer breakfast. as a senator from new york, senator clinton's faith sustained her as she became a highly-respected legislator who always did her homework, and after a long and bruising presidential campaign in which she shattered the glass ceiling for national women candidateses forever, she was asked by president obama to serve as secretary of state. she could have so easily said no and stayed as the powerhouse she was in the senate. instead, she once again answered the call to serve. she didn't flinch, she didn't hesitate. in the words of isaiah, she said, send me. and from the sands of the mideast to the capitals of europe to the devastation in haiti, she has shown america's strength and commitment to the

world. please join me in welcoming secretary of state hillary clinton. [applause] >> thank you. thank you. thank you very much. i have to begin by saying i'm not bono. [laughter] and those of you who were here when he was, i apologize beforehand. [laughter] but it is a great pleasure to be with you and to be here with president and mrs. obama, to be with vice president biden, with chairman mullen, with certainly our hosts today, my former colleagues and friends, senators

izaakson and amy klobuchar. and to be with so many distinguished guests and visitor who have come from all over our country and, indeed, from all over the world. i have attended this prayer breakfast every year since 1993. and i have always found it to be a gathering that inspires and motivates me. now, today our minds are still filled with the images of the tragedy of haiti. where faith is being tested daily in food lines and makeshift hospitals, in tent cities where there are not only so many suffering people, but so many vanished dreams. when i think about the horrible

catastrophe that has struck haiti, i am both saddened, but also spurred. this is a moment that has already been embraced by people of faith from everywhere. i thank prime minister zap tear row for his country's response and commitment. because in the days since the earthquake, we have seen the world and the world's faithful spring into action on behalf of those suffering. president obama has put our country on the leading edge of making sure that we do all we can to help alleviate not only the immediate suffering, but to assist in the rebuilding and recovery. so many country cans have answered -- countries have answered the call, and so many churches, synagogues, mosques

and temples have brought their own people together. and even modern technology through facebook and telethons and text messages and twitter. there's been an overwhelming global response, but of course, there's so much more to be done. when i think about being here with all of you today, there are so many subjects to talk about. you've already heard both in prayer and in scripture reading and in the prime minister's remarks a number of messages. but let me be both personal and speak from my unique perspective now as secretary of state. i've been here as a first lady, i've been here as a senator, and now i am here as a secretary of state. i have heard heartfelt

descriptions of personal faith journeys. i've heard impassioned pleas for feeding the hungry and helping the poor, caring for the sick. i've heard speeches about promoting understanding among people of different faiths. i've met hundreds of visitor from countries across the globe. i've seen the leaders of my own country come here amidst the crises of the time, and for at least a morning put away political and ideological differences. and i've watched and i've listened to three presidents, each a man of faith, speak from their hearts both sharing their own feelings about being in a position that has almost intolerably impossible burdens to bear and appealing often,

either explicitly or implicitly, for an end to the increasing smallness, irrelevancy, even meanness of our own political culture. my own heart has been touched and occasionally pierced by the words i've heard, and often my spirit has been lifted by the musicians and the singers who have shared their gifts in praising the lord with us. and during difficult and painful times my faith has been strengthened by the personal connections that i have experienced with people who by the calculus of politics were on the opposite side of me on the basis of issues or partisanship. after my very first prayer breakfast, a bipartisan group of

women asked me to the join them for lunch and told me that they were forming a prayer group. and these prayer partners prayed for me. they prayed for me during some very challenging times. they came to see me in the white house. they kept in touch with me, and some still do today. and they gave me a handmade book with messages, quotes and scripture to sustain me. and of all the thousands of gifts that i received in the white house, i have a special affection for this one. because in addition to the tangible gift of the book, it contained 12 intangible gifts, 12 gifts of discernment, peace, compassion, faith, fellowship,

vision, forgiveness, grace, wisdom, love, joy and courage. and i have had many occasions to pull out that book and to look at it and to try, chairman mullen, to figure out how to close the gap of what i am feeling and doing with what i know i should be feeling and doing. as a person of faith, it is a constant struggle particularly in the political arena to close that gap. that each of us faces. in february of 1994, the speaker here was mother teresa. she gave, as everyone who remembers that occasion will certainly recall, a strong address against abortion.

and then she asked to see me. and i thought, oh, dear. [laughter] and after the breakfast we went behind that curtain, and we sat on folding chairs, and i remember being struck by how small she was. and how powerful her hands were despite her size. and that she was wearing sandals in february in washington. [laughter] we began to talk, and she told me that she knew that we had a shared conviction about adoption can being vastly better as a choice for unplanned or unwanted baby babies. and she asked me or more properly she directed me to work with her to create a home for

such babies here in washington. i know that we often picture as we're growing up good as a man -- god as a man with a white beard. but that day i felt like i had been ordered and that the message was coming not just through this diminutive woman, but from some place far beyond. so i started to work. and it took a while because we had to cut through all the red tape, we had to get all the approvals. i thought it would be easier than it turned out to be. she proved herself to be the most relentless lobbyist i've ever encount cannerred. [laughter] she could not get a job in your white house, mr. president. [laughter] she never let up. she called me from india, she

called me from vietnam, she wrote me letters, and it was always, when's the house going to hope? how much more can be done quickly? finally, the moment came. june 1995. and the mother teresa home for infant children opened. she flew in from calcutta to attend the opening, and like a happy child, she gripped my arm and led me be around looking at the bass nets -- bassinets and the pretty painted colors on b the wall and just beaming about what this meant for children and their futures. a few years later i attended her funeral in calcutta where i saw presidents and prime ministers, royalty and street beggars pay her homage. and after the service her successor, the leader of the missionaries of charity, invited

me to come to the mother house. i was deeply touched. and when i arrived, i realized i was one of only a very few outsiders. and i was directed into a white-washed room where the casket had already arrived, and we stood around with the nuns, with the candles on the walls flickering and prayed for this extraordinary woman. and then the sister asked many me to offer a prayer. i felt both inadequate and deeply honored just as i do today. and in the tradition of prayer breakfast speakers, let me share a few matters that reflect how i came can on my own faith journey and how i think about the responsibilities that president obama and his administration and

our government face today. as amy said, i grew up in the methodist church. on both sides of my father's family, the rodhams and the joneses, they came from mining towns. and they claim, going back many years, to have actually been converted by john and charles wesley. and, of course, methodists were methodical. it's a particularly good religion for me. [laughter] and part of it is a commitment to living out your faith when we belief that faith without works may not be dead, but it's hard to discern from time to time. [laughter] and, of course, john wesley had this simple rule which can i carry around with me as i travel, do all the good you can by be all the means you can and all the ways you can in all the places you can at all the times you can to all the people you can as long as ever you can.

the. [laughter] that's a tall order. and, of course, one of the interpretive problems with it is who defines good? what are we actually called to do, and how do we stay humble enough, obedient enough to ask ourselves, am i really doing what i'm called to do? it was a good rule to be raised by, and it was certainly a good rule for my mother and father to discipline us by, and i think it's a good rule to live by with the appropriate dose of humility. our world is an imperfect one filled with imperfect people, so we constantly struggle to meet our own spiritual goals. but john wesley's teachings and the teachings of my church, particularly during my childhood and teenage years, gave me the

impetus to believe that i did have a responsibility. it meant not sitting on the sidelines, but being in the arena. and it meant constantly working to try to fulfill the lessons that i absorbed as a child. it's not easy. we're here today because we're all seekers, and we can all look around our own lives and the lives of those whom we know and see everyone falling to short. so short. and then, of course, as we look around the world there are so many problems and challenges that people of faith are attempting to address or should be. we can recite those places where human beings are mired in the past, their hatreds, their differences, where governments refuse to speak to other goths, where the progress of entire nations is undermined because

isolation and i said lairty seem less risky than cooperation and collaboration. we're all too often it is religion that is the force that drives and sustains division rather than being be the healing balm. these patterns persist despite the overwhelming evidence that more good will come from suspending old animosities and preconceptions, from engaging others in dialogue, from remembering the cardinal rule found in all of the world's major religions. last october i visited belfast once again, 11 years after the signing of the good friday agreement, a place where being a protestant or catholic determined where you lived, often where you worked, whether you were a friend or enemy, a threat or a target. yet over time as the body count grew, the bonds of common humanity became more powerful

than the differences fueled by ancient wrongs. so bullets have been traded for ballots as we meet this morning, both communities are attempting to hammer out a final agreement on the yet-unresolved issues between them. and they are discovering anew what the scripture urges us, let us not become weary in doing good for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we don't give up. can even in places where god's presence and promise seems fleeting or completely absent, the power of one person's faith and the determination to act can help lead a nation out of darkness. some of you may have seen the film, "pray the devil back to hell. "it is a story of a lie beer yang woman who is o tired of the

conflict and the killing and the fear that had gripped her country for years, so she went to her church, and she prayed for an e7bd to the civil -- end to the civil war, and she organized other women at her churches, and then at other churches, and then at the mosques. soon thousands of women became a mass movement rising up and praying for a peace and working to bring it about, that finally, finally ended the conflict. and yet the devil must have left liberia and taken up residence in congo. when i was this the democratic republic of congo this summer, the contrasts were so overwhelmingly tragic. a country the size of western europe rich in minerals and natural resources where 5.4 million people have been killed in the most deadly conflict since world war ii.

where 1,100 women and girls are raped every month. where the life expectancy is 46 and dropping. where poverty, starvation and all of the ills that stalk the human race are in abundance. when i traveled to goma, i saw in a single day the best and the worst of humanity. i met with women who had been savaged and brutalized physically and emotionally, victims of gender and sexual-based violence in a place where law, custom and even faith did little to protect them. but i also saw courageous women who, by faith, went back in to the bush to find those who, like them, had been violently attacked. i saw the doctors and the nurses

who are helping to heal the wounds, and i saw so many who were there because their faith if led them to it. as we look at the world today and we reflect the on the overwhelming response of outpouring of generosity to what happened in haiti, i'm reminded of the story of elijah. after he goes to mount orb, we read that he faced a great wind so strong that it was breaking rocks in pieces before the lord. but the lord was not in the wind. and after the wind, an earthquake. but the lord was not in the earthquake. and after the earthquake a fire, but the lord was not in the fire. and after the fire, a sound of sheer silence, a still, small

voice. it was then that elijah heard the voice of the lord. it is up when we are only quiet enough to listen that we do as well. something we can do at any time without a disaster or catastrophe provoking it. it shouldn't take that. the teachings of every religion call us to care for the poor, tell us to visit the orphans and widows, to be generous and charitable, to alleviate suffering. all religions have their version of the golden rule and direct us to love our neighbor and welcome the stranger and visit the prisoner. but how often in the midst of our own lives do we respond to that? all of these holy texts, all of this religious wisdom from these

very different faiths call on us to act out of love. you know, in politics we sometimes talk about message discipline, making sure everyone uses the same set of talking points. well, whoever was in charge of message discipline on these issues for every religion certainly knew what they were doing. regardless of our differences, we all got the same talking points. and the same marching orders. so the charge is a personal one. yet across can the world we see organized religion standing in the way of faith, perverting love, undermining that message. sometimes it's easier to see that far away than here at home. but religion cloaked in naked power lust is used to justify