go forward together to reduce spending, our single biggest problem, then what is the alternative? what i've told my members is that we will have available a sort of backup plan that would operate as follows. i advocate we pass legislation giving the president the authority, the authority to request of us an increase in the debt ceiling that would take us past the end of his term. that is what he's said. he said he will not sign a debt ceiling that does not take us past the end of his term. in this legislation, if it were to pass, he would make three separate requests of it. the first request would be initiated by passing the

legislation in the next few weeks. he would send up a request of us to raise the debt ceiling, probably by $700 billion. that would be subject to a resolution of disapproval if you're thinking of an analogy, think of the congressional review act. that resolution of disapproval is passed and then would go to the president. he could sign it or he could veto it, presumably he would veto it. if that were the case, that veto would be sustained by one-third plus one in either the house or the senate. the legislation also would require him to -- would not implement the cuts incrementally, but has to list spending cuts he would make in the same amount as the debt

ceiling request he's making of us; then there's a second request based on his desire to have enough debt ceiling to get through the end of his term, and there's a second request in all likelihood in the fall to follow the same procedure. he would ask us to raise the debt ceiling. i think it's highly likely both houses would consider and probably pass resolutions of disapproval which if they passed, he would veto, and those resolutions would be sustained. his vow toe would be -- veto would be sustained. that would happen one particular time in june, so this is again not my first choice. you know, i had hoped all yearlong that the opportunity presented by his request of us to raise the debt ceiling would generate a bipartisan agreement to begin to get our house in order by reducing spending.

that may still happen. it's still hoping it will, but we're certainly not going to send a signal to the markets and to the american people that default is an option. with that, i turn to senator kyl. >> thank you, leader. let me reiterate that it has been our hope and continues to be our hope that an agreement can be reached to agree both the default and the final kind of procedure that the leader just denounced. when we began the conversation with vice president biden, i was quite hopeful that we could reach an agreement, but as you know, representative cantor finally decided that we could not continue to participate at that level because the administration at the last meeting before them made a clear that sln minor savings in health care programs like medicare, the kinds of things you can imagine

with waste, fraud, and abuse, money that needs to be collected or not paying out benefits that people are not eligible for, those reforms, not fundamental -- >> leaving this recorded program now as our live coverage begins for the funeral for former fist lady betty ford who died friday. michelle obama is joining the funeral. nancy ragen is there and hillary clinton. live coverage now from st. margaret's church from palm desert, california. ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ [bells ringing]

[no audio] [no audio] [no audio] [no audio] [no audio] [no audio] [no audio]

[no audio] [no audio] [no audio] [no audio] [no audio]

[no audio] [no audio] [no audio] [no audio] [no audio] [no audio]

[no audio] [no audio] [no audio] [background sounds] [background sounds] [background sounds]

[background sounds] [background sounds] [background sounds] [background sounds] [background sounds] [background sounds]

[background sounds] [background sounds] [background sounds]

[background sounds] [background sounds] [background sounds] [background sounds] [background sounds]

[background sounds] [background sounds] [background sounds] [background sounds]

[background sounds] [background sounds] [background sounds] [background sounds] >> say unto the lord, he who believe in me who is dead, but yet he live, and whoever believe and live in me shall never die.

i know my redeemer lives and he shall stand on the latter day upon of the earth, and though this body be destroyed, yet shall i see god whom i shall see for myself and mine eyes behold and not as a stranger, for none of us live to himself and no man by himself for if we live, we live unto the lord, and if we die, we die unto the lord. whether we live therefore or die, we are the lord's. blessed are the dead who die in the lord. even though say the spirit though they rest from their labors.

[background sounds] [background sounds] [background sounds]

[background sounds] >> the lord be with you. >> the lord with you. >> let us pray. oh, god of grace and glory, we remember that before you this day our sister, betty, we thank you for giving her to us, her family and friends to know and to love as a companion on our earthly pilgrimag. consul us who mourn and give us faith to see in death the gate to eternal life so that in quiet confidence, we may continue our course on earth until by your call, we are reunited with those who have gone before through

jesus christ our lord, amen. most merciful god whose wisdom is beyond our understanding, deal graciously with mike, jack, steve, susan, and their families in their grief. surround them with your love that they may not be overwhelmed by their loss, but have confidence in your goodness and strength to meet the days to come through jesus christ our lord. amen. will you please be seated.

[background sounds] >> a reading from the book of isiah. have thou not known or heard that the everlasting god, the lord, the creator of the ends of the earth seen not? neither is weary. there is no searching of his understanding. he gives power to the faint, and to them that have no might, he increases strength. even the youth shall fall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but they that wait upon the lord shall renew their strength.

they shall mount up with wings as the eagles. they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint. the word of the lord. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

♪ >> a reading from the first letter of paul to the corinthians. if i speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, i am a noisy gong or a clanging symbol. if i have prophetic powers and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if i have all faith so as to move mountains,

but do not have love, i am nothing. if i give away my possessions, and if i hand over my body so that i may boast, but do not have love, i gain nothing. love is patient. love is kind. love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. it does not insist on its own way. it is not irritable or rejoice in wrong doing, but rejoices in truth. it bears owl things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. love never ends, but as for prophesy, they come to an end. as for tongues, they will cease. as for knowledge, it will come to an end, but we know only in

part, and we prof size only in part, but when the complete comes, the partial will come to an end. when i was a child, i spoke like a child, i thought like a child, i reasoned like a child. when i became an adult, i put an end to childish ways. for now we see in the mirror dimly, but then we will see face to face. now i know only in part then i will know fully even as i have fully been known, and now faith, hope, and love abide, these three and the greatest of these is love. the word of the lord.

faith, hope, and love, three remarkable qualities of the human spirit. qualities that we as her family have seen and experienced in mom throughout her entire life. faith in god and in jesus christ as her maker and provider, he redeemer, he counselor and friend. mom's faith was especially imminent through her personal renewal in faith late in her life. at the beginning of her recovery from her dependency on alcohol and prescription drugs. we know of mom's faith. mom's faith in the value, the dignity, the worth of her fellow

man, and more specifically, her faith in each of her children, in her brother and sister, her son and daughters-in-law, her grandchildren, her great grandchildren, as men and women of good character with great potential and great promise to lead and serve others for the good of all. we know of mom's hope that god's design and his gracious purposes for all mankind would be worked out and fulfilled through human history, and we know of her hope that each of us as family might discover and embrace that special call of god on our lives

and for our futures, and timely, mom's love. we know of mom's love. her love of god and his personal touch on her life. bringing good out of evil, healing out of brokenness, joy and dancing, yes, dancing. she was quite a dancer. bringing dancing out of sorrow. we know her love for dad or as she called him my boyfriend for 58 years of marriage. just yesterday my sister, susan, was rummaging through some of

their special family letters and came across a western union telegram from january 1st, 1948. it was from jerry ford. he was in santa monica, california at the rose bowl, and he sent this to ms. betty warren, that's my mom. [laughter] he writes in the telegram, miss you betty, wish you were here. loads of love, jerry. what a beautiful journey they shared together as husband and wife faithfully standing by each

other through the hard times, through the good times, through the challenges, through the crucibles of life only to grow stronger in their devotion to one another and closer in their united love, and we know of mom's love for her family. each one of us as her children, son, daughters-in-law, children, great grandchildren, we each have our own stories, stories to tell, memories to cherish of how mom loved us, how she took the time to know us, each one in our own special way, and to love us so well. we know of mom's love for others

whether it be a friend in need or a patient at the betty ford center, mom extended freely. she extended herself freely in love and compassion to so many. once again, her desire to know a person's heart, to know their brokenness, their struggles and her willingness to share and care for them through words of grace and acts of mercy, so as her extended family, we are here this day to give thanks for her precious life. we celebrate her life. we rejoice in the goodness of it, and how she lived it to its

full, leaving no regrets, only hope and joy. we celebrate the precious life of faith, of hope, and of love. the greatest of these was her love. ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

>> the holy gospel of her -- our lord, jesus christ, according to matthew. seeing the multitudes, jesus went up into a mountain, and when he was set, his disciples came unto him, and he opened his mouth and taught them saying, "blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted. blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after right righteousness for they shall be filled. blessed are the messiful, for

they shall obtain mercy. blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see god. blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of god. blessed are they who are persecuted for right courthouseness sake, for theirs is the king kingdom of heaven. blessed are you when mile revile you and prosecute you and say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake. rejoice and be exceedingly glad for great is your reward in heaven for so persecuted they, the profits which were before you, the gospel of the lord.

[background sounds] [background sounds] >> betty ford was my friend, and i'm honored to be here today to help celebrate the life of this truly remarkable woman.

i never imagined when we first met 40 years ago that we would develop such a close personal friendship. at that time, betty was the wife of the vice president of the united states. she danced with the martha grahm dance company and performed in carnegie hall and was the leader for the fight for women's rights, and she had come to georgia with the michigan art train, a project taking six cars filled with great art to fill communities across the country. jimmy was governor, and we invited betty to stay at the governor's mansion. i was nervous. she was the most distinguished guest we had ever had, but when she arrived, she was so warm and friendly that she immediately put me at ease, and we had a good time together. of course, i didn't tell her then that my husband was thinking about running for president. [laughter]

the next time i met betty was at the white house shortly after the 1976 election. it might have been a very awkward moment. i know from personal experience that it was a difficult time for her yet, she was just betty, as gracious as always. as i assumed responsibilities as first lady, i had an excellent role model, and a tough act to follow. betty broke new ground in speaking out on women's issues, her public disclosure of her own battle with breast cancer lifted the vail of secrecy from this terrible disease. she used influence of office of first lady to promote early detection and millions of women are in her debt today, and she was never afraid to speak the truth, even about the most sensitive subjects including her own struggles with alcohol and pape killers.

she got some criticisms. i thought she was wonderful, and her honesty gave her to others every single day. by her example, also helped me recover from jimmy's loss in 1980. having embraced the cause for better treatment of men and women recovering from alcoholism and dependence, she worked tire lessly as former first lady to establish the betty ford center and showed me there is life after the white house, and it can be a very full life. in 1984, we both participated in a panel at the ford presidential library on the role of first ladies. we found that our interest in addictive diseases and mental health came together in many ways, and we could be a stronger force if we worked as partners, and we did for many years.

sometimes -- traveling to washington to lobby for the causes, especially for substance abuse disorders and all health insurance plans, and i'm so glad she lived to see this happen. we didn't get everything we wanted, but we got a good start. i know that made her as happy as it made me. we talked about it. when she went to washington, she rounded up the republicans, and i rounded up the democrats, and i think we were fairly effective -- most of the time. [laughter] after the 1984 conference, betty wrote me a note i still treasure in which she expressed her admiration for women who had the conditions and yet while others were too timid to attempt. this was the most appropriate description of betty, someone willing to do things a bit

differently than done before, someone who had the courage and grace to fight fear, stigma, and prejudices wherever she encountered it, and today it's almost impossible to imagine a time people were afraid to reveal they had cancer or speak publicly about personal struggles with alcohol or addiction. she was a tireless advocate for those struggling. some struggling alone, ashamed to seek help. it was a privilege to work with her to bring addiction and mental health problems into the light. historians said our husbands developed a closer relationship than any other presidents after leaving the white house. i think betty and i had a similar relationship. in closing, i just want to add that betty and i shared another passion, our husbands and our families. our partnership with jerry,

public and private, healed the nation in many varied forms. her love of her children, mike, jack, steven, and susan was unbounded, and her grandchildren were a source of constant pleasure. when we got together later in life, we talked about our hopes and dreams for our children and grandchildren, and also our great grandchildren. to you who mourn the loss of your mother, grandmother, and great grandmother today, jimmy and i extend our most sincere sympathies and want you to know of the deep love and respect we have for this extrough ordinary woman. it was my privilege to know her.

[background sounds] [background sounds] [background sounds] [background sounds] >> good afternoon. i'm jeff. well, betty, we're all here

now. some of us here have been working towards this day for quite some time as you know. that's what happens when you're the first family. people have to be ready, ready to honor you in just the right way, ready to remember you in just the right way, ready to describe our memories of you in just the right way, ready to pray for you and your family in just the right way, but many of us here today i dare say perhaps most of us here today have no recollection at all of you, betty, as first family or have the thought of you as first

lady. i never knew you that way, and i think i can speak for thousands of us what reclaimed our lives just a few short miles from here. we never knew you that way. we knew you as mrs. ford, founder, ford chair, lecturer, our omnipresent face of recovery here in the desert, in grand rapids, in vail, on larry king, good morning america, so many other tv shows, and then on campus.

we got to know you as betty. we saw you in the rooms. we listened to you tell stories about your own feelings, your own guilts, your own ups, your own downs, your own memories of loneliness and fear and shame, and we could relate to that, betty. we felt close to you for that. all of the sudden, it was okay for us to have those feelings because you made us understand it didn't have to be that way

anymore, and so we were embarking on this journey together with you, but it was very scarry. we had no clue how to operate or do anything, me -- without vodka. i had no clue that it was possible to feel any other way than scared to death, hysterical. i had no clue that there was a way out of my desperate loneliness and overwhelming guilt, but i remembered what you told us the first week we were here back in september of 1983. i remember you said it didn't have to be that way anymore.

that it had been that way for you, and that by listening to your counselors down at loping beach and by open -- long beach and by opening up to other patients who were there with you, and by speaking openly and honestly with you loving family and friends, each day began to get better. as you slowly learned how to peel away those horrifying feelings of sadness, of anger, and of guilt, and you said something that i've never forgotten. you said that you had discovered that you were allergic to alcohol. that rang the bell for me.

that, betty, made it understandable. i could grasp allergic, and so we began to understand that what the heck, if you could do it with all the pressures on you every day living in the white house for goodness sake, living with the leader of the free world, maybe, just maybe if we worked at it like you told us to, maybe we could also get some relief from the darkness that we had become almost comfortable with, from the abyss that we had fallen into, from, yes, hell. so day by day, one by one, and

in the loving care and protection of your amazing staff and volunteers, we began to understand maybe, just maybe if i do what they tell me, if i do as you told us you did, betty, maybe there's hope, maybe there's relief today, tonight when i timely go to sleep. if i can go just one more day without a drink, just one day like you said, excuse me, strange time to pick that up, wasn't it? [laughter] just one day like you said, then maybe i'll be able to feel just a tiny bit better, and so up we went on this journey into the

wilderness called treatment. off we went scared, angry, scared, lonely, scared, terrified, but the warm and loving embrace for us of us that you and leonard had envisioned so many years ago at this incredible place of healing began to take hold. lectures, group, meetings, group, jobs, group, journal, group, pool arobbics, group,

feed the ducks, group. my goodness, gracious, we were beginning to learn that it was actually okay to trust each other, that it was actually okay to be ourselves, that the process of purging ourselves of those decades of poisen, that it was actually possible to walk away from our toxic behavior, and that the more confidence we were able to build within ourselves and the more we watched and listened to your regular talks to us of reassurance and support, the more we began to understand what this thing "recovery" was all about, and as the years have changed, and as the world has

changed more than any of us would have ever believed, the wisdom and support we take every day from the rooms has guided us in the right way, and you were the one who introduced us to this, betty. you were the one who helped us understand we can walk with god, we can walk together each and every day and our lives will be better. what a gift to us to several generations of those like us who need help and who just need to learn how to generate a little pride and self-respect. what a gift. what a profound legacy. i remember you saying so often

don't thank me, thank thank yourself. you're the one who is doing it with god's help. okay then, thank you, thank you, god for bringing us this extraordinary lady, this brave and inspirational pioneer into our lives, all of our lives, even those who vice president -- have experienced the gift of recovery. all of us are better for having known you, betty, for being inspired by you and for having shared love with you. may god now grant you the peace and reward that you helped so

many of us learn about and experience. yes, god's grace upon you, dear betty. the world is so much a better place for your having been here with us. you'll never know how much we miss you, and, oh, yes, before i finish, please give your boyfriend a hug from us. lord knows we miss him too. god speed, betty. god speed. ..

>> i am honored to be in this beautiful church with this magnificent choir before so many distinguished people who have served and continue to serve our country, especially the ford family. and to talk about this wonderful

women. when mrs. ford signed with the daunting honor of speaking at her funeral, it will come as a surprise to none of you that the assignment came with instructions. [laughter] mrs. ford wanted me to remind everyone of the way things used to be in washington, and i wouldn't be at all surprised if she timed her death to make sure that she could convey the message of comity during this week, when it seems so badly needed. [laughter] a couple months ago when the statue of president ford was unveiled in the rico republican but this arm, rotunda of the united states capitol, the ford children recalled happily their days lehighton sneak under the watchful of george washington and george washington in heaven above. times remain a secret spaces the cap will sometimes coming upon something truly spooky form some

of the most visit memories that any events congressional brats as we are not so kindly called peer-to-peer and many others we share. we often have strong theremin stories, talk about spooky. last night after all, he was there most of our lives. al gore tells about senator thurmond stepping on his truck when he first met him. we girls had different stories. since you came up in the 60s rather than the 50s, i don't know if you had to parade down runways at the fashion shows congressional lysis stage for good causes and one of them -- thank you. at one time wanted the women actually scored a coup by snagging robert coletti too crude exaggeration of the view, much to everyone's delight. but mother escaped none of this 1950 rituals. my mother remembers the reason

she and betty ford performed in every fashion show was that they were the same size the models were, that is, small. and i must say in the retrospect of the weekend it out back some of my earliest memories of how incredibly wonderful betty ford was. since we were all involved in professional causes and put in time at the dancing school, tricia nixon cox, even some of the boys had to tease out. and we all got copies of the congressional club cookbook as wedding presents. and more winning presidents we offers each. past items with the names of members of congress etched into them. [laughter] it's nice in a way. i think atomic eco-every time i serve cake. last night even though it looks

like you stole from his office. at the were present at the department of agriculture yearbook. true story. we all had fathers who were away a lot and others who may not retain mbo crumpton giggled together about it because we were all friends and not so bitty ford wanted me to talk about here today. a couple years before he died, i came here to the desert to interview president ford on a series of former presidents from the constitution. we turned the cameras off, the president turned to me and said, i don't know what's going on in washington today, cokie. when her father was majority leader and i was minority leader, we can't make out together on the hill and go downtown to someplace like the press club and with a okay, what are we going to argue about? now, it was a real debate.

we have different views about means to an end. we genuinely disagreed with each other. we were certainly partisans. but after we won that day, we'd get back in the cab together and be best friends. actually by that time to traverse any to cab partner slightly exaggerated and we all remember douglas fraser and robert brooks and they'd be horrified. but the point is the same. that friendship -- that friendship ain't governing possible. they were questioning each other's motives, much less commitment to the country. underlining many of those across the i/o and even more remarkable across the dome, congressional friendships with the relationship among the wives. over the last few days, we've appropriately celebrated at the ford for her incredible courage in the face of around challenges and the impact that courage is had upon millions of lives.

but in her wisdom, and she knew that the part of her life that would be given little notice the remaining years as a partner of a member of the house of representatives. so that's why she espey to talk about it. it's a tough job. more often political widows and political wife. the duties range from showing visiting constituents are on the capital. it was a big deal in the states and from each other from michigan or the guy to washington to help calm social service programs in the district of columbia. it was the political lives working with the african american women who lived there to stitch together a safety net for the citizens of the nations capital. there was always the challenge to the political wife of figuring out how to entertain on no money at all, and of course she was expected to be the perfect wife and mother. mrs. ford played out those roles and itu cup scarred denmark's

were innocuously sweets until you've tried it. sunday school teacher, lee during the congressional lasker. and yet her official title is a blasphemous political wives was housewife. it was a title she shared with many american women and it gave her a great understanding about what women slaves relate. she said once, been a good housewife seems to be a much tougher job than going to the office and getting paid for it. she was given worst of the dirty little secret that men always do. over the her she spoke out more forcefully for women's rights. mrs. ford strongly defended the housewife's role, downgrading the search has been part of the pattern in our society that downgrades individual women talent in all areas. no wonder women all over the country is spent this past weekend loving her a nail.

i chair the country in new. a first-rate campaigner of whom we have a few here. but he was especially the wives of house members, the housewives, sql, who faced an election every two years, who had to really learn how to campaign. it was by the time he ran for president, for his supporters supported those elected studies has been, the people in michigan have been expressing the sentiments for decades and it was another dvd that constant campaigning that brought political whites together, even if they were on different sides, they had the same complaints. and that meant they forged tightly joined connections that extended. they would bring them in

together, serving drinks and a good mail, listen to stories and make them behave. and some of the good behavior carried over to the corridors of congress. it was the role political wife had played since the beginning of this republic and as for. now, former members and former president thought it together nicely and it's very nice, very nice getting together after-the-fact, but we wish somebody would come together before hand. the friendship between my mother and betty ford spanned more than 60 years, but became especially close when the ford coppola made a historic trip to china in early 1972. i asked my mother yesterday when she and mrs. ford did on that trip. at first she choked, i'm not sure what to tell those people about it. [laughter] but then she lit up remembering the one day when the two of that one out without a court

interpreter. remember this was 1972. they were getting frustrated at their inability to communicate. and finally mrs. ford turned to mama and says what difference does it make? and mama last insane of course she was right as she was about everything. a few months later she said my father's plane was lost over alaska and the forrester devastated. they were so attentive to our family, but mrs. ford was really haven't done and yet she spent so much time shoring up my mother through that. and my mother said to me softly yesterday, she was such a great help to me. that's what these women did. they helped each other, they helped their husbands, they helped inhabit as children and they helped the nation. they regularly conspire to convince the lawmaker makes to pass legislation that would help

educate and care for children, how is old and poor people, improve health outcomes for all and yes, give equal rights to women. betty ford supports of the equal rights amendment in the rise full-blown as she became first lady. she had been pushing it for years and making sure her husband got the message. president ford told me years later, i had a lot of pressure, not only politically on the outside, but inside my own family. mrs. ford was a very ardent supporter of equal rights for women and i used to get a lecture quite frequently and i got pushed to act on the floor of the house in favor of it. and i did. i voted for it. i think it's a good approach, but is a very controversial provision. there is your midwestern understatement. as susan said in an interview, dean first lady didn't change her mother. rather it gave her a podium to stand on to express the views

she had formed in her years as a congressional wife. the betty ford always knew when to step off the podium, how to avoid the worst of labels for any women of the area, especially the political wife. she was never strident. she could use her candid good humor for discussion about whether she was overstepping their bounds as first lady, sent a none of you have ever heard anything about. at the national press club, she told the men assembled, the women oppressed were still confined to the balcony, but she told the meant they had often heard her say, whatever makes cheery happy makes me happy. if you all believe that, you were indeed unworthy of your profession. last night she had them and she made it look easy. of course it wasn't easy after betty ford's courage we later learned just how hard those duties were. but mrs. ford had some a very

important going for her. she knew who she was. before her son's ascension to first lady, she said all moved to the white house, do the best i can and if they don't like it, they can kick me out, but they can't make me be somebody i'm not. and she knew, like her friends, the other congressional women, she knew that her husband could not be who he was if she were not who she was. president ford gave me a glimpse of the importance of that strength when he told me the night before he took the oath of office i held by these hand and we repeat it together are proverbs. and made the unforgivable reporters make a family to ask which proverbs, but i know which one heat, and all of us, say today. this is of course the good wife. she opens her mouth with wisdom and in her time is the law of kindness.

she looks to the ways of her household and she's not the bread of idleness. her children rise up and call her blessed. her husband also and he praises her. many dieters have been virtuously, that you excel them all. favor is deceitful in beauty is vain, but a woman that fears the lord shall be praised. give her the fruit of her hand and let her of works praise her in the deeds. your works, all of them over many years please you, betty ford and this congressional brat along with the rest of the country, especially the women who have been keeping this republic thank you.

>> and the name of the holy and undivided trinity, amen. it has been a lifelong dream of mine to be the fifth of the five speakers and a warm room immediately following cokie roberts. [laughter] today is the day. agnostic folksinger susan warner may have had a right to marry 2007 sun, probably not. she sings, because that easter day when they rolled the stone away in the apostles said they've seen jesus by the city will while saint thomas' heart was pure and he said right, yeah, sure. and that is why st. thomas the apostle above.

comments, you'll recall is famous for his doubting. he is not certain. but if he is, as warner says, the, it is not because he? trust. he says unless they see the mark of the nails in his hand and i put my finger in the mark of the nails in my hand into his side, you will not believe. this is not about faithlessness. thomas needs to touch the wounds hearing the story secondhand isn't enough. even seeing isn't enough. unless i put my finger in the wind and hand in my site, i will never believe.

tomas is onto something. he is not suggesting that he doesn't want to believe. he is not suggesting there are no winds, no side there to his hand on. he understands them and that his last two of the others. resurrection life involves touching the lens resurrection doesn't make those wounds go away. resurrection gives the lens power to change others when they touch people, like the one black or an time he turned around to thank jesus for healing and. thomas understands that his own healing is somehow connect did to turning back, to getting things, to putting his own hand on jesus was. it makes a difference because thomas said he ruined her two hands of.

they may have been physical or they may have been glimpse of the school, the kind of call out to a sick mind and tell us that were ugly, that we are having no willpower, that we are sick, that we didn't add, that were unlovable, that the love we do feel his secret or shameful, that we deserve the pain that we feel. these are the wounds of the group i to see ourselves the way god sees as his beloved children is made in god's own likeness, these are the ones that leave us groping in a spiritual darkness,

afraid to open their eyes to ride. and once a trait that we may never see or be unable to pay the estate. this is not a hypothetical type of learned. this is the last mast that describes the wounded souls. in strength doesn't help. those who look strong to me outside to type like the way. more often, stronger loveless, noisy, then claiming that and also on the serve to heighten the sense that her own weakness is although we deserve. and sure into that dark eyes, betty ford, whose own booze by

now are well documented in public together with her occur each, with her clarity, thought, imagination, capacity to put others at ease risking connection to great joy into deep wounds. yesterday as i watched them here, as a friend of mrs. ford briefed the honor guards about what they should expect when they encounter the ford family, he said the fords will not only speak to them, but will inquire with sincere interest about how they're doing, about how they work is going, about how they came to be assigned here today. the last these things, he said, because that is who they are. that is how they were brought up. in short, betty ford taught her own family to be christlike.

she changed lives not only by the example of her choice and struggles, but by allowing those of us who have no business doing so to touch her wins and find healing in them. god's little secret about weakness and strength is that we are perfected in weakness, not in our strength because our strength gets in the way. and our weakness and not weakness, god allows us by grace to touch the lives that were all too familiar to us and by the wounds to be healed. when mothers encountered her and thanked her for what she had done for him -- for them, betty ford characteristically would return the gratitude with good wishes, but point out each person who had found her way to health and wholeness through

recovery did the heavy lifting around. thank you she was. and there is of course some truth and wisdom in not. betty ford didn't heal millions of people by her own strength, but by turning around, turning around and allowing others not only to observe her example, but to touch her wounds. many people in this room are alive for that very reason. lives changed, even saved are hard to measure, hard to count. cause and effect is never a state is one would like. we never know how many people would experience the novelty of hope because they have watched betty ford bear her own words with an exact gene combination of candor and grace for shame

and fear were stared down at the embrace of an urban future. we'll never know how many people learned first from betty ford to use the language of truth telling and recovery and not moral failure. women of a certain era were taught that there are places where a lady does not go unescorted. we'll never know how many women moved unescorted only by betty ford's example to the new and profound gospel truth, that we now hold to be self-evident, obvious, that women are created

equal to men, that their dignity is god-given and that there were new and better ways first to be a lady. a first lady like eddie ford and so do mike, jack, steve and susan, today we commend your mothers to your soul to our lord, who knows her wounds and her wholeness well because she dared to touch god on life and pour it out for others. to commend her means opening the gates of heaven long and wide to admit countless throngs of angels she carries in toto, living, waving, who found their way through cold darkness by the light of christ, she took to her self and shared so generously.

so think of that yesterday when they rolled the stone away india path is that they need jesus by the city while. well, her giving heart was pure when she said right, yeah, sure. and that is why patty was the first lady of all. in the assurance of eternal life given a baptism, let us stand and proclaimed around faith and stay together. i believe in one god, the father almighty, maker of heaven and earth and in jesus christ, his only son our lord, who was conceived by the holy ghost, born of the virgin mary, suffered under pontius pilate, was crucified, died and was

buried. he descended into. the third day he rose again from the dead. he ascended into heaven and said it on the right hand of god the father almighty. from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. i believe in the holy ghost, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sin, the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting, and and then. >> alert be with you. let us pray. our father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. thy kingdom come, they will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from eva will.

time is ticking down, the power and the glory yours, forever and ever. amen.

>> grant to all who mourn be sure confidence in your fatherly care that casting all their grief on you, they may know the consolation of your life. amen. >> amen. >> give courage and faith to those who are bereaved, that they may have strength to meet the days ahead and comfort at a reasonable and holy hope, and a joyful expectation of eternal life with those they love. amen.

>> god, the king of saints, we praise and glorify your holy name for all your servants who have finished their course in your face and theater, for the blessed virgin mary, the holy patriarchs, prophets, apostles and martyrs and for all you're the richest servants known to us in unknown. amen. >> we pray that encouraged by their examples, aided by their prayers and strengthened by their fellowship, we may also be partners in the inheritance and seeing the money, though their merits of your son, jesus christ. amen. grant alert to all who are believed to spirit of faith and courage, that they may have strength to meet the days to come the steadfastness and

patience, not firing as those about hope but in thing the remembrance of your great goodness and the joyful expectation of eternal life with those they love. and this we ask in the name of jesus christ our savior, amen. >> almighty god, father of mercies and give her comfort, so graciously we pray with all the one that casting all their care and yet they may know the consolation of your loved through jesus christ the lord, amen. >> grant us grace to interest grandma to the never failing that, receiver into the arms of our mercy and remember according to the favor with the barest and. amen.

>> god, grant me the serenity to accept the things i cannot change, the courage to change the things i can and the wisdom to know the difference. living one day at a time, enjoying one moment at a time, except in hardship as the pathway to peace, taking as he did a sinful world as it is, not as i would have it. trusting that he will make all things right if i surrender to his widow that name may be

reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with him forever in the next. amen. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> gave the rest, christ two years service with a saints.

>> thou only art immortal, the creator and maker of mankind and we are mortal, for and of the earth and unto earth shall be returned. for a sow doubt did or again when data created me saying thou art and unto dust shalt all return. i would go down to the test, yet even at the grave we make our son ali lilia, alleluia, alleluia. >> into thy hands of merciful savior, we commend by serving betty, we received a sheet that by knowing full, thy flock in the center of pain on redeeming.

receiver into the arms of a mercy, into the blessed rest of everlasting peace and into the glorious company of the saints in light, amen. the god of peace who brought again from the dead lord jesus christ, the great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, and make you perfect in every good work to do his low. working in you, none is well pleasing him and the blessing of god almighty, the father, the son and the holy. be among you and remain with you always. amen. >> let us go forth in the name of christ. >> thanks be to god. ♪ ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

[inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations]

[inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations]

>> this is the largest map collection in the world.

[inaudible conversations] >> this week, negotiations continue between the white house congressional leaders on raising the debt doing. today in the senate floor, ben cardin of the senate budget committee tacked about the need to raise the debt ceiling and the expectations of the budget released as senator conrad.

>> mr. president, i take this time to talk about defending w business, which deals with how a are going to give the deficiy of this country in the living dead ailing limit that will be exceeded in august if we don't take any action in the congress. talk a little bit about the debt ceiling. there has been a lot of debt thg ceiling as to what is the responsible thing for congress to do? or now, we all know what the lastis 50 years or so: the debt ceiling has been increased over 80 times. it is done after the fact.dy we've incurred liability and the question is whether repair bill. the decisions we make in regards to our fiscal policies need to be down at the time we considery the budget. and raising the debt ceiling is not only a legal responsibility that we have to pay our bills,lt

as well as ao moral responsibility and speaks to what they were willing to speak to our observations. would the filter raise the debt ceiling to be a responsible. it would jeopardize our nationa. security because it would cost taxpayers more money and they would say to the world that the u.s. bonds, which are the safest in the world are called into question. so i think we all should agreee that we need to make sure that we increase the debt ceiling ino time so that we do not cause this adverse effects to our nation. now i must tell you what to clig think that the debt going deathdealing debate gives us an opportunity to do something about theci deficit. our deficit is not sustainable.t a that, i mean if we don't too large as a percentage of oui economy and it's notg it sustainable. that means the tv toto deal wite spending and revenue to bring

into balance.fo t the discussions on the debt ceiling could be the opportunity for us to develop a credibletha plan and i certainly hope that'n the case, that we can't together with a credible plan to macinate our deficit. i would hope they will be would bipartisan. the democrats and republicans will work together on a planned, wouldn't be exactly what either if side wants.hat, in fact, both would have to make compromises. if we did w that, if we have a credible plan, i think it would stimulate our economy andore clearly help us create more redr jobs, which is the best thing we can do to help produce ourve to now, i think as a starting point we have to understand how we go 10 years ago we10 y had surplus. 10 short years ago we hadt be surplus and we were concernedprd that we might be retiring all of our privately held debt. o i was proud to have been part ot

the congress that voted on the legislation that brought our deficits now only down, but gave us a surplus and one of thericas largest periods of ecotonomic growth in america's history. during the previous administration which inherited,e policies were brought forward to cut taxes not once, but twice. many of those tax cuts went to t o the united states into war ins. two countries and bribe money in the first s.time in modern histy that the united states went to war and they had people to sacrifice by cutting taxes. the end result was the large bem deficit when barack obama becams president, yet huge deficits, unlike george w. bush to head to surplus. when george w. bush took the oath of office come our economye growing jobs given brack obama

became president of the united states, weirdest and 750,000 jobs ath month. today that is the current situation we face today that we have thesehod deficit that we have to dealll, with. how do we deal with the deficits? well, we need a balanced approach.i i must tell you that senator conrad on behalf of the democrats on the budget committee has come together with a credible plan to preserve priorities of this country to grow and does bring our deficit under control. i'm proud to be a member of this budget committees and working with senator conrad, working with my democratic colleagues to put together the plan thatco senator conrad stood with the floor earlier this week. first, the most important thing about senator conrad's budget it that it brings down the deficitt by $4 trillion over the next 10e

years. it actually has more deficit reduction in the house and republicans have said. pla the conrad planned the senate reductioand has come up with will bring about morest deficit reduction d substantially more deficit reduction than the bulls are the same convention had recommended because they're using more accurate numbers. by it would stabilize the debt byae 2014. our that's a very important point. what were all trying to get his manager at deficit and at thed ' same time helps our economy. det and that's what the conrad budget does. it stabilizes the debt by 2014ug and it starts with reducing when we look at spending generally mustwh have been, we e not ending about 24.1% of our gdp in federal spending. bring the conrad budget over 10 years%

to bring, that down to 22.1% of substantial reduction in our spending programs. same mr. president, but retired at 22.1% would be the same amount of government spending as viewers ending during the reagac presidency.oing to end a this is not in a radical approach to say were going to spend a lot more money. dad, we are bringing spending wo down to the level when ronald reagan was president of the united states.eal the budget would also deal with our obligations for mandatory yi spending. now i must tell you, i think we took major steps to do that in t the last congress. the passage of the affordable care act halts us to put forward naon. a blueprint to manage our health care costs as a nation by providing universal coverage, bl investing in health information technology, by investing a bonu-

dealing with reducing their emissions to hospitals in the list goes on and on and on. oher we are getting a handle on health care costs and the congressional budget officeill e tells us that the bill we passed in the w last congress would reduce federal spending by over 20 years. by reducing health care costs and reduce medicare and medicaid future responsibilities. so we've already taken someate steps in the conrad budget to democrats on the senate brought for cobalt on not to bring about additional savings in domestic spending. but the important thing about f, the budget that senator conrad is brought forward as comparedgh to the republican budget that passed the house is that the ies conrad budget impasse in smerica' future. balanced, in what is important for job growth in america. top

we continue to make education a top priority said that american families can afford to send their children to college anduny invest in improving educational opportunitie ps for all on our n nation. the conrad budget allows us to invest ine innovation so amerin can keep you need to leave the world in innovation. that is than where we've created so many jobs. and they have said maryland,ll look for the, job growth is and they see small innovative companies developing ways to prr protect their nation favors security and finding ways to dog with solving our energy problems and w moving forward with healtl technology, innovation, offers t the ability to use their creative genius to keep america and the lead economically.et and the conrad budget allows usn

to continue the nih and basics i research doesn't allow us to do. that. significant cutbacks in all those areas.th which the conrad budget, which the house-senate democrat before it allows us to invest in infrastructure and ourin transit systems so america can truly bes competitive in the future creating more jobs for the people of this t nation. the budget also deals with iolitary spending. nat i think the people in this nation should understand. america spends as much in entir defense that is almost theof th. entire amount spent for other nations of the world. want it's difficult to see our nation continue to grow the way he wanted to be so much of our budget tied up in the defense, the national defense. we need to figure out a way to do this in a better way than we

can save money and are spending between 1997 and 2011. the defense budget of our country grew from $254 billion . year to $688 billion a year. doh so what is the republican budget due?he they just increase those numbers schematically over the next year, five years, 10 years.l the democratic raposo recognizei the reality that we can bring our combat troops home fromex afghanistan, that we can expect the international community to do more than we can bring about savings on the military side. let me talk about the last major component of the conrad budgetly and how it differs substantially from the ryan budget. not a serious revenues. i know there's been a lot of so discussion about revenues. so what does the democratic

budget due in this regard? it takes i revenues to 19.5% of our gross domestic product, gdp. mr. president, that is t phe sae amount of us raised on the clinton presidency when we had unprecedented prosperity and jow growth in america. now, how do wehe get there? how do we get the revenues that we need in order to be able to h bring this debt under control? well, senator conrad has given us some direction on how we canr do that. he has pointed out that sheltere and loopholes need to be closede these are inefficiencies in our kax code today. tal i take the floor on two occasions recently to talk aboue some that i think we shouldat eliminate pier one, the ethanole subsidy.ubsidy. the majority of the senators voted in favor of eliminating the ethanol subsidy. why? not

because it's not needed. the ethanol sales are not bre dependent on a federal tax break. out secondly, it's causing a disruption in the agricultural community pointed out marylyn suffers from high price of cornw costing us jobs. situa eliminating ethanol says these is a win-win situation. i'o p when i take money and is up for deficit, he also pointed out the nature gas companies in this country are receiving subsidies from the tax payers. $34 billiohen. they certainly don't need help y from the taxpayers.gasolinet the the taxpayers a party given in o too much in the price of the gasoline at the pump, which has hurt our economy except for thee profit of the gasoline ae companies. expenditures. and, yes, the highest income taxpayers, the millionaires and

billionaires, is it reasonable or right or fair to expect that they should continue to get these lower tax rates that were temporarily extended under the bush administration indefinitely when we're trying to figure out ways in which we can bring the budget into balance? i must tell you that senator conrad has made it very clear that there would be no change from the current tax rates for those families that have a million dollars of income or less. that's a pretty i think generous commitment about not changing tax rates, particularly during these economic times. ryan economic times. the budget says look all the and savings is going to come out of the spending side and we are going to have additional backstops. and the families pay more of the wealthiest enjoy the lower taxrc

breaks. the democratic submitted bygoing to be bounced civilly on the but revenue side but that includesia reducing tax expenditures, taxe spending. we spend money in the tax code.a $1.4 trillion a year. diffence i i don't understand then the tack difference if we are spending money on the tax code or the appropriations bill would on the same type of scrutiny. why ar?en't we using a similar standard? we have a chance to do that inod the conrad a budget. t0% from a revenue including tac and spending and 50% from the direct spending cuts. it's an approach that wille protect our most vulnerable. ste our students are protected to we make sure that we continue ourts

commitment to education and tohl the cost of higher education tos through the pell grants, our we seniors are protected and thateo we do not do with the ryan budget would do if medicare and medicaid and remind you that thp budget that the republicans medicare fundamentally changingf it froitms a program that guarantees benefits to seniors, to a program where seniors woule get a voucher and go out and bu, private insurance company at the whim of private insurance o companies for adequateaniesor protection against their. healthcare needs as submitted their health care costs would $0 tow when fully implemented by $6,000 a year.ryla i cannd tell you they cannotferc afford that extra $6,000 a year and that would be the difference between individual getting health care or not.hange conrad reject that radical our change in our medicare system.

the chances of them being able to maintain their commitment to medicaid pe medicaid system our seniors to depend upon it for long-term re. care is very remote. to make the conrad budget projects the program to make sure we have ton our commitment to provide and adequate protection to our families and seniors, social security is protected in the def conrad budget called social security the deficit.ered outsie social security should be considered outside the budget debate and i find more and moreo of the members are now coming to that conclusion. dem it's vocery important about theh conrad has putit forward. state rof virginia, i'm concerd about that presenting the peopls of maryland. and a dedicated workers who've

dedicated their careers to help in this nation protecting our hm nation and service in theey deal homeland security protecting uss and how they do it with health services and how they deal with our veterans, these areibuted dedicated people. and they've already contributed to the deficit reduction. the two-year p. fries has already been implemented. they was one of the first.alre they've already done their share in helping us bring that budgett into balance. eno the conrad budget i'm fair to say it's not jeopardize our federal work force by reducing the compensation package in addition to the phrases.n we can do it that way. take a look of the budget that republicans have spent over. goi major reductions in the compensation packages going forward for the work force.the e there's a better way as the

conrad a budget. choe wheth quite frankly erwe have a choice whether we are going to move fod forward and how we are going to itve forward.plan tdeal w i strongly support a credible elan with the deficit we need tw get our deficit under control. y but we can do it in a way that creang job preserves opportunities for allt opportunities desperately needes for the nation in protecting america's most vulnerable. future, givingth the best of oue children and grandchildren will. enjoy the opportunities of thisg great nation, and that should b. the guiding force for our work r here. i certainly hope my colleagues will work together so that we can come together for a futureso of this nation. with that, mr. president, i would suggest the absence of a quorum. >> the clerk will call the roll. >> negotiations continue between congressional leaders and the

white house. today on the senate floor senator roy blunt, of misery, discussed the deficit raising the debt ceiling and the role that social security benefits will play in reducing thesenatom deficit. this is ten minutes.re going >> conversations continue today about exactly how we are t goino to meet the financial obligations that the countryuesn faces a fundamental question on hand seems to be do we borrow more and spend more or do wetypf make the type of serious tough decisions that make the nation back on a sound financial footing. today the national debt stands at over $14 trillion. with unemployment continues to rise with more than 14 million w americans out of work now and me the government continues to spend more money than itt collects or that i believe it cr should collect. ask co-chairs of the president's own fiscal commission of the war and if we fail to take swift ans

terious actions, the unitede mos states faces according to them o the most predictable economic crisis in history. many people in quoting from mark twain would be hard to predict to make predictions especially when you're talking of the aut e but the thing that is the easiest to predict is demographics. if you know how many people are here now and have the othere demographic information you whae need, you should be able to figure out what the population is going to look like and as ths population gets older, programs. for seniors will cost more. at his news conferenceasked yesterday, president obama was asked about social security reform and hest said in the statement i didn't understandund dcial security is not the our source of our deficit problemn o but then he went on to say the reason we do social security in the debt i ceiling plan is to strengthen social security to make sure benefits are there foo

the seniors in the out years. t i agree totally. this is the time to deal with social security particularly s social social security if you're going to deal with it in a way that doesn't impact anyone who's a retired or anyone who issident n approaching retirement. the president went on to say republicans want to talk about r social security as part of a d broad deal because it'slitica politically difficult vote on. a i actually think a lot of republicans and a lot of of democrats want to talk aboutut that nowow is the right time tod save it and that if you're going to save it for future generations, you have to start r sooner rather than later. madam president, our colleaguemf senator baucus the chairman of during a the finance committee said during a hearing in may on deficit reduction and social security, quoting senator our baucus, addressing the deficits and debt is an economic issue, national security issue and a o

moral issue and went on to say, quoting him again, we have aat moral obligation to lead this we place better than we found at, ending his quote, but madamesid, president, i agree with his quote and if one leaves sociall security better than we found wd have to begin to work on it right now.l secury each year social security costss are higher. this year they are going to be 3.6% higher than last year.'s a that is a one-year increase from 3.6% in one year. the worker to beneficiary ratio and we know how social security works. people pay in largely fund thegn money that's coming out today. people paying in in 200035 willr be 2.1 for every person working and in the current system there's no way that the pages on the floor here today are going t' be able to take to pay halfga recipient gets but t that's what

you have to do if we don't change the system. we have to deal with thee need security and i think we need to deal with them right now but it is politically difficult or note otherwise there won't be a that social security program that works for the people paying incl social security no water collects what it spends. def we have a 45 billion-dollar s deficitho or shortfall in 2011 e the truth is we are still cashing in the audio you toll dt that as long as they are there but eventually those run out ast well as over the next ten years it's projected that we will spend 450, $447 billion more47 i than comes into the social security trust fund. according to this year's medicare social securityhis trustees report, social security is now operating under permaneng annual deficits for as long as

they can calculate.o permanent annual deficits woodwork so what would work? today i'd like to discuss a plah to put social security on a pata that means our children andconft grandchildren can haveeir confidence that the contributions that come out of their hard-earned pay checks t will resulthe in benefits when they retire. ask people in work if theyo security benefits, just under 26% of the voters under 40 believe it is even somewhat all likely that they will receiveury all of the promised social security benefits, 26%. somewhat likely, not a guarantee, not absolute,somewhal somewhat likely come and just getting an idea of 15% of theve people believe that social b security will be fine if it's not reformed. 15%. 20% of people told believe that aliens exist and lived among us.

so the number of people believes aliens exist and lived among us people that believe that social security will be fine if it's not reformed. the last time the senate and thn house made country inns of changes in social security was 1983. it's time to do it again. a we it's time to do it again and wea can make changes in a program that won't affect those approaching their retirement and that will be always the charge they are going to take social be security from the retirees. well, this is a plan that talkso about people who are 55 and younger and know the change ford anybody that's 55 or older ifou5 today. old succumb if you are 55 or older b and you hear theou discussion about at least this plan it has nothing to do with you. it won't affect your socialso te security. so that's the first point. the second point would be we need to look at a new cost ofnga

living indext' which is really based on the cost the seniors nw have.di the third point we need a new distribution formula, and if we do those three things, we will have a solvent system for a in least seven decades. in the next 70 years somebody td can look at this and come up with a plan to be sure that it t goes beyond them. far but seven decades is about as large as you can safely predict anything, but this would predicr the life of social security for of least that long as amost sens no seniors live on fixed income and they feel it when their go utility bills go up some other health care costs go up and when the food prices go up the current cost of livingg adjustment, the so-called formula calculated by the bureau of labor statistics known as the cpi or the consumer price index tracks purchases by working agea individuals.king age frankly what working age

individuals by may be quite a sd different than how seniors spend their money or at least how most seniors spend their money. hany economists believe this int causes the cpi to misrepresent the inflation that impact seniors and seniors deservee better.is for example, the rising cost of education and child care arehe heavily weighted in the currentt formula. t these costs don't ofheten have s same impact on seniors as they do on the working age population were the younger population. the health care costs and as an utility bills as an example havr more impact on the budget of seniors than they do on the working age population. more acc my plan directs them to a morect accurate method of calculating coalesce for social security recipients. it would move to a chain relates cpi that accounts for thef purchasing habits of individuals not of all ages but individuals

who are over 65 and health care costs but account for a muchiono larger portion of senior spending than this type of index. what seniors spend their money on is what we would be lookinghn at instead of everybody in thesd working age population spendsvey theirbody money on.ey on. the plan will eliminate the program's long-term funding shortfall and ensure payments nx for the next 70 to 75 years.comn like the wpresident's fiscalnce commission, mike lambert account for the increase and life expectancy and would call for an increase in the normalw, ettirement age. r remember primarily these are for retirees who don't believe theye are going to benefit from the ge system anyhow. people are talking about impacted don't think t fhe systm is going to be there for them and we are trying to ensure it will be and over time the retirement age changes to 65 years. t

that is one year younger than the president's commissionagthas proposal, but i think it is an e these numbers. this means that the retirement age will rise slowly for the future retirees. three months for each year fromi 2022 to 2013. all nobody would be impacted at all until 2020 to, and that person i that was going to retire in 2020 to would retire three monthsat d later.n and that would be added on every year until 2013.li likewise,ke the plan would chane early retirement benefits from 62 to 64 beginning in 2022. so only again in practice people who get to that age in 2022.simy the current benefit structure in simply notab sustainable and a that's why my plan would alsoenf modify the current benefit that structure to ensure seniors whoe

are at or below the 40exactly sm percentile received exactly the retire onme amount of retirement c benefits as they would of the program continued exactly as itw is today. and a new slightly reduced index benefit would occur above the 40 percentile. what the future seniors can plar for their retirement year through personal savings through retirement plans through alternative investments and the ira, through employee employer sponsored plans that those whot are not in that category willexl continue to get exactly the same benefit when they retire it would bid believe could get i yday's retirement age, and socs after the comments yesterday pl let's lookdo at a plan that doet the falling, president obama, let's look at a plan that has no higher rate of contributions, nr means test for social securityax

recipients, no tax on futureben, lower benefits and a slightly lr longer time to work to retirement but the difference is if you work for the retirement you actually get a benefit. this is no longer a topic we cat avoid so let's not miss thisport opportunity. right let's make a promise right now while we are dealing with big pn issues to the workers paying thc bill today that social securityw will be there for them when they retire. madam president, i would suggest the absence of a quorum.

today the british home affairs committee questions senior police officials about past and current investigations into alleged illegal phone hacking and bribery by journalists.

the u.k. newspaper holdings news international art at the center of the investigation. this portion is 35 minutes. >> waiting so long as you see are extremely grateful and on the 21st of june about your involvement in this matter i will take this effort has applied on the points -- >> can i comment on that? having gotten that i have the impression that that is not the case. life spoken to your office and asked this and i have copies of e-mails to get information and of course to clarify that and the last thing i asked is are you happy we haven't

correspondent this would be evidence contained in that. >> that is what i said in a shorter version. >> we accepted that so we will cover the points of that. can i start the committee will ask this and i would start to clear it out of the way if i may. your relationship with the news international the committee will want to ask about that question. when did you start your negotiations with the international you would recall and become an employee? >> i was approached by several newspapers who write and that is something i've always wanted to do. i have considered a purchase by several newspapers i chose to go with the times and i believe actually the agreement was a

round of april and i think i agreed in july so a couple months after. >> two months after you retired. estimate were their alarm bells to remind you that you had actually been investigating news international albeit in an oversight role? that you knew what was happening with regards to the investigation you knew that there were items that hadn't been properly looked into. did it not occur that you should go to the people you work investigating especially as we've now heard from the commissioner gates they were most cautious to a uncooperative

>> no one at the times level it seems to me the front page shortly before don't exist so there's no love affair at all so looking that you might say is what seems stable and seen by the deficit and i didn't know them and asking why we would do that and that's how i took it. >> the other point really is i can actually say it is unfounded and iowa refused that in terms of the investigation you heard from other witnesses and others being suggested change direction --

>> people notice are you satisfied you should continue to write this column for the times bearing in mind what has now come out in an investigation of which you had oversight so much criminality if temporary? >> perhaps -- >> i'm sorry? >> you don't think i should have that as a private conversation in a sort of -- >> you were in a select committee with a very important matter. >> it's something that all parties should be realized two and a decision needs to be made with both parties privately. >> so you would be prepared to be suspended or dismissed rather than say i'm sorry at the moment because of what's happened i

shouldn't continue? >> if suspended or dismissed i haven't done anything wrong -- >> because you talk about two parties. >> you are a voluntary part and given what's happened, you shouldn't really be involved in -- >> all i am saying is this i think together it's more appropriate when you contract them together to half a strong conversation and as a private conversation with us but i sure -- >> the last question from me on this issue it is right that during your investigation you continued to have private business meetings with the international, is that correct? gannet absolutely. i put the public domain and they were the only people so it was after that. i can tell you now that's for a

suggestion or hint where secrets were shared and it was never on my own. i did it for communications and business. >> that those dinners which you deutsch regularly or you did regularly with them did you raise the concerns mr. clarke raised with the committee today that have their would be totally uncooperative with the injury investigation you have oversight and the same panel of colleagues , why are you not cooperating with? >> one other thing of course is -- i've written the contact and we did end they were really cooperative and helped us on the

images that would last across the front pages and hope. it would be more suspicious if you cancel contact and kept at arm's length having had the relationship with them and other people as well in which to put in a good relationship and support and it was strange because i would have been aware that they were being investigated but hadn't shown any instruction at all the and it was inside the table -- >> you don't accept -- >> i'm saying the timing. i'm aware. my recollection shows that when it was all going on, and its professional on the table and some of you don't know and i didn't even know when the door

bring the paper has already said it is important the integrity of the investigation. >> just to clear up the last issue which is in the times today allegations that there was some kind of deal done because of your personal life which is a matter of public record and they basically what not a few supported them in this investigation. would this be on the record? >> there is an alternative suggestion and one has got to say first it is suggested the final is the shopping list and the time it was nothing more suspicious of that. the second point is -- >> [inaudible] you are on the list?

>> am i? >> apparently. >> if i am, so be it. the second point, the motives and the record and the deal in the background even if i had a motive that was on ethical orders more is how could i stop the investigation or in any way shape or form i didn't, i couldn't. and if i had ever done that they would have been around me like a rash. [laughter] >> i'm not investigating, and because the --

>> those dinners for being interventions fine, but my recollection is those didn't happen before the arrests occurred and that is the important point. >> thank you. >> both u.s. the officer in charge and then we were told he was consulted in the investigation both now working for news international. have you any idea how that looks for the government? >> it couldn't look bad as to some -- [laughter] what i'm saying is if there was someone behind that that could be evidence that as a result of that relationship things were being done on ethically. i can't think of anything in the background where the line has

been crossed or i.f. stone anything wrong as a result being employed by the times, and if i go back into time and jump every way and that's where we are. >> we are trying to understand why the decision was made we think was incorrect to make it now and you were reporting for him and why he was known -- to understand why [inaudible] i'm trying to understand why this decision was made. you were having interactions, you might be interested in the idea of having a connection.

do you understand why everybody is so concerned somewhere along the line and they say the should be looked at broader and we've got a connection with? >> okay but don't beat me up for being up front and honest. i am saying to you exactly what my aspirations have been and therefore when i retired i saw that as an opportunity for a second career. in terms of the decisions made by the investigations you've heard of the decisions he's made and i am old simile because i was in the special operations in the state basis and understanding of the decisions to believe that responsibility and accountability steps out my door and therefore i would say did he a understand why the

investigation has been very clear on a day-to-day basis he was investigating my command along with other things going on at the same time -- >> it's been said anything you had and we will find when that exposed [inaudible] >> what happened with journalists that in and of itself is not necessarily in a proper. you were having dinner with journalists, were you not, while they were being investigated by scotland yard that is improper

isn't it? >> put yourself in my shoes. we have to go back to the time line with what happened and i can't remember that. >> i can remember that. >> i can't remember the timing of when those happen in relation to what was going on in their investigation but i absolutely agree there was an occasion when they were investigated that that may have happened. now the judgment is there's no way i ever discourage anything -- >> you say that. you have made a judgment call to accept hospitality from people you are investigating other criminal offense. that's correct, isn't it? you think that is an appropriate course of action to have taken? >> let me finish. the judgment is to say let's not

do that and make some excuses. i discussed that with a senior colleague there at the time. this was the director of communications. >> what is his name? >> [inaudible] >> not to have that the dinner would be potentially more suspicious than to have it. [laughter] i don't know why you're laughing because -- >> i'm very sorry but i'm trying to be -- all i'm sure i can say to you is this, we never had a conversation that would compromise the investigation. you could also, can you not, during the course of a dinner and discuss police tactics in general?

is it possible for you to do that? of course it's possible because you were there with police. >> it's not possible tall because -- >> all i am saying is there is absolutely no way that is the purpose of that meeting. there is no way regarding the operational stuff -- this is ridiculous. >> thank you. david? >> [inaudible] some people wonder when you were in charge of the increase in 2006, 2007 -- [inaudible]

>> let's get it quite clear you were in the overall charge of the inquiry to the news of the world in 2006, 2007, you're not disputing that. he he [inaudible] >> you know, who they were a different part of the stable. a time is as well concerned -- as far as i was concerned is a big out of course but it wasn't. >> there was one organization. i must put it to you that many people must come to the conclusion that you conducted

overall responsibility was not strong or not meant to be strong and in fact you should apologize for what occurred. >> this wasn't the sunday football team, this was the best i ever had. peter clark, his reputation as an investigator is tenacious, he kept his cards close to his chest because he didn't want compromise and the team below him have many dangerous men. you wouldn't so i'm not sure who else i could have gone to and so therefore by -- >> you think it was adequate? >> you heard my own judgment on that. >> thank you. michael?

>> thank you, mr. chairman. i feel a little bit like falling through the rabbit hole i have to say. you have said in the in the original investigation no stone was left unturned, and something which this committee is rather unsure about is exactly why there was a decision not to have an exhaustive analysis of the 11,000 documents which were in the position of the police from 2006, and why there was no assessment of any additional victims you might expect if have been identified in that or perpetrators. can you explain to the committee your role in that decision and your assessment of that role? >> i sat in the back and listened to and i can see where you're coming from on that. i had no involvement in that decision.

i think there was also evidence there were people who went through but in the parameters set forth in this investigation. >> [inaudible] he made the decision himself without -- >> but he came to have meetings with you you would have discussed the portfolio of discussions i would assume and would have discussed whether he was going to continue this investigation, do you have any recollection of discussing the implications of the widespread phone hacking with in the media? >> he comes on a regular basis and very general terms about it. i think the structure on that would be working very closely with the cbs with a of a device that was there so on the briefings i would take and i

haven't seen him go this year to explain exactly what his thinking was. >> he met you on a daily basis, he said. >> you can't remember meeting him daily? >> he was in conducting this investigation and you had no thinking about the priority level that should be assigned to this investigation. >> what he saw as the resources available and without going back to what the decision says, i would imagine it would be endorsed, yeah. >> but you have no thoughts of your own? >> i can't go back to what the discussions were at the time the the fact that we are where we are now, i would endorse what he said. >> steve, we need to hurry, colleagues, we have one final witness. >> why do you think further investigations into this affair can be a waste of public money?

>> can you repeat that? >> i was looking at your call. you said you don't believe a judicial review would review anything more than what has already been reviewed by my successor of the cpa and other bodies who could actually end up being a waste of public money. is that still is your view? >> when did i say that? >> i'm afraid i don't have the date here. >> let me ask you now, do you think it is a good idea to have the most detailed investigation of this matter known? >> when you look back now and what we know now, this is a horror story, this is absolutely awful. the people are now going through the pain and the victims are just appalling. one thing i fink publicly has been announced recently which is has already said and i am up for this visit, we must have a judgment. >> but you don't recall that --

>> one other question. why did you say no to press got when he had his visions? >> because we do have a date for this. >> i.t. we have got quite a number of -- >> i remember it, and -- >> do you remember what you said? there was absolutely no evidence from that initial investigation of the phone being hacked. you don't believe the review will reveal anything more? do you remember saying that? >> welcome of the terms of it. >> so you wrote him an apology? >> of course. >> use it if i am proven to be wrong i would face the music. >> i and i'm doing that. >> thank you. >> don't you understand the public sees you in charge of the phone hacking inquiry conducted by the news of the world who have resigned from the force

among allegations of expenses and allegations of improper conduct with two females who told the committee today that you have no knowledge of editors of the times while cozying up to the executive level of news international, and received an award for this investigation? >> not this investigation. >> we don't expect you to receive -- [laughter] >> this is a disaster, this inquiry, an absolute disaster under your direction. >> it is in my command, absolutely. i absolutely it was a disaster? >> at that time, and i think peter has made this point that everything possible that i do given the resources and set was done from and i stand by that as

well. >> now i think what's happened is we have had more time to do it, more has come out again given the material we didn't have at the time. peter has gone through the date of the correspondence that he had yet he decided he was frustrated as the correspondence, so that's where we are. >> so it is a disaster? >> it's not a disaster but it's pleading guilty and he went to prison. >> you don't think it is a disaster when 11,000 pages of material stambaugh and nothing came from it? eight hours of investigation was given to this review, you don't think that is a disaster? >> the review? you never heard of it? >> of course i have, that isn't for me to comment on. >> she was trying to put an order around -- >> i think at the time given the

premise and the way that was done on the material, you know, at that time it was proportionate within those parameters. >> you did you have reason to apologize? >> when i stand there i'm apologizing for something that i have done wrong and personally accountable for or that someone in my team has done and i want to know what it is the people have done wrong for us to apologize to the estimates before. james? >> just on what we know about this, you said, mr. clark said earlier you were under constraint that you had other distractions of the time and that you set yourselves parameters for this. can i ask about your new career as a journalist because you've chosen to write about this in the new employee news international under the heading prepared in july, 2009 under the heading with the recollection was better than it is now, under

the heading news of the world investigation there was no affirm you wrote in the original inquiry my heart sank when i was told of the accusations came from the palace. this isn't time for the halfhearted investigation. we put our best detectives on the case and left no stone unturned as officials bringing down our neck. they said the subsequent in 2009 it understands the power shows between 2000 to 3,000 individuals had their mobile phones pack into far more was ever officially during the investigation persecution of the good man. yet my recollection is different. as i recall the list of targeted put together from the records kept around to several hundred names but these are the small number perhaps a handful where there's evidence the phones had been tampered with. had there been evidence of tampering in the other cases that would have been investigated as would the

slightest hint that others were involved. would you say but the article in the collection? >> when it was written it was on the basis of i remember it was i think a commander who came into my office and came with a number of pages and it was i think something in the range of eight or nine. my recollection was a sort of briefing to me that there were three groups of names. there was an ostensibly a contact list which in itself we wouldn't expect that from anyone with numbers of people, and i believe that the second with a shorter number my recollection was there would be ten members.

my understanding is on the league of advice i was the third category of people where i think the technology proved they used the pin number and the telephone number to access to voicemail. so, my understanding of that was that we had gone from a no list contact numbers down into a list of people with pin numbers and access. so -- >> that is what was written in 2009. i would like to ask what you knew that time. >> that's what i knew. >> were you told the names of other individuals who had been hacked into related to the material that had been of tanned and all the files? >> nope. >> you were not given the names of other individuals? esen your knowledge of the names of individuals in the documents as people who had been -- >> the only -- i can only remember a handful of names of people, and it was also the

briefing i was getting was aims of the people that were prosecutable and this eps said were able to be taken to court. >> well there were people who were discovered in five and mr. taylor was one of them whose names were among the evidence which were in your possession. which apparently had been redacted in certain cases when the evidence was given to those acting privately on behalf of the individuals concerned who were never approached by the other offices of the time, is that right? >> nope. >> you don't know? did it come to a surprise as you that mr. taylor had apparently taken private legal proceedings to discover these documents and other documents in possession of the international and the other had happened in the subject of compensation, that was never investigated? >> i don't know. >> or any other journalists investigated besides the ones targeted? >> i think peter, in his evidence, asked for information of the journalists, and i think in his evidence he said that was

forthcoming. >> u.s said that you were presented names. who were the names? >> i can't remember. >> were the names of people who had come to light in -- or their names of people who were the names that presented, where did they come from? >> i'm just trying to explain to you i recall not in any real data i just remember john coming in and saying these are the names i thought had been not necessarily from 11,000, but it was from the names that the that collected from the searches of the premise or from other sources, and it was -- i can't remember the name of it, but i didn't pay much attention to it. it was just going through. >> thank you. doctor, the final question. >> you can help this committee. you told us that you believed some things and not others and

so forth. but me give you counterfactual that there was somebody very similar to yours that did have connections and took to the news international and whatever it might be that it wasn't all totally innocent. how could this committee possibly tell the difference from what you said so far? is their anything you can say that would persuade us that your version is correct and we shouldn't be concerned? >> i think what you have to do is you can speculate all you want around what have you but to be able to show someone can turn a motive into and out come and has the ability to do that. >> we have to show that somebody with a well-paid job -- what's the opportunity -- >> i got from your impression for those motives you sort of describe their what could i have done on a daily basis to either take it into fear or stop

influence -- you've heard that from people. >> very quick. >> i'm very conscious this session will be watched by victims of hacking, and i am also cautious much of the evidence you have given with sound familiar from coming from the journalists them from a senior police officer, and i wonder if he would accept the fact the original police investigation failed those victims and whether you have something you would like to say to those victims now. >> i would join -- i heard from peter and i would say that of course it is absolutely appalling the victims of crime and have then gone through that terrible experience and where we find them now today having all of this pulled over is absolutely appalling so there is a matter of absolute regret, absolutely. >> would you like to take this

opportunity to apologize to them now? >> i think i just have, i do apologize. >> while a police officer did you ever received payment from any organization? >> good god. absolutely not. i can't believe you suggested that. >> [inaudible] >> i'm not letting you get away with that. absolutely no way. i can say to you -- >> no, chairman, that's not fair. >> order, order. she's not getting away with anything. >> that additional comments. >> it is the same question she's put to all witnesses. >> is there additional comment? >> order. order. islamic that is an attack on my integrity. >> order. members of the committee are allowed to ask any questions they wish. it's a fair question to put because it is in the public domain at the moment about other police officers.

she stood out the question and you'd given an answer. the answer is an unequivocal no. >> absolutely. >> thank you. >> how many officers and staff did you have on the 2006 investigation? >> i have to rely on what peter just described. >> how many was that if necessary to insert? >> the committee meets the answer to that. >> what peter said is what we had. >> on this occasion i think the evidence speaks for itself. >> thank you very much for coming. >> order. can we have our final witness the head of the meeting sue acres. [inaudible conversations]

..