and i guess there is one here in [laughter] >> a little bit more time. >> i don't think we should let the republicans latest. >> that they do have a role to play in this because this is a matter of great interest to the public. it should be.

>> chris has been here. we talked to henry waxman at length. >> a super committee also started. have an open process. >> a just wed. >> this is different. >> a completely different scenario. the super committee, i had hoped, would be more transparent and open. a wanted to listen foundations that they could do privately. the average city to see negotiations leads to a better product. two houses. the congress of the united states. by its nature konev to have that to close it. it is of its major an open conference. i just want to call upon allison

-- congresswoman allison from pennsylvania. our vice chair of california. they want to have anything to add. any other questions on the subject kershaw as this column of? maker ever, as they want to make >> well, thank you. i am very honored. i have -- happen to read what it to conference committee. one other. my first year. a little bit of experience. but this is -- this is -- this is the subjects i became very clear at the end of the year how important it was to hundred 16 million. and to extend on ensuring the recovery of the economy. john so we want to see. unemployment compensation is

what happens when we don't have as many jobs. the third area is one that i care deeply about, and that is making sure seniors have access to medical care they need and a medicare. and back appreciate in take seriously the fact that the republicans agreed to work with us to extend each of these three areas for the rest of the year. and that is different than what they said two months before that. you have heard already that we are still uncertain about this. so heavily from our side we will take very seriously the committee in finding a way for to make sure that middle-class americans continue to have the payroll cuts. that access to medical care. not only extend unemployment, but grow jobs. the look forward to being a part of it.

>> allegedly, the but the super committee, we have a very discreet task in front of us. we're not to change the entire budget. we're out there to achieve a particular goal as the ranking member. deal with the extension of the payroll tax cut. we can give people money so the king got there and stimulate the economy so that we can create jobs. we can make sure that people on medicare continue to visit their doctors. the actress was so we can't no longer afford to be in the program. making sure americans are out of work to no fault of their own don't find themselves in the system was willing to bail out banks but not american workers. anyone who wishes to metal beyond that is risking the clock expiring buffett yuri 29th. most of us believe that we have of very discreet task in front of us that we can achieve

because the american public very much wants to succeed. we hope to do our work or ready to work, and we hope our republican colleagues will join us. >> the question. >> yes. >> a un all worried the president obama this set a precedent that may make it easy for president in the future to circumvent congress? >> i'm very proud of the president of the notice states. the appointment that he made yesterday. them very glad that he did, and it's important for the american people to know what challenges they sent as he tries to provide leaders for the agency is a government which have been voted on by the congress as part of our public policy. and i especially want to address the consumer protection agency.

the wall street reform bill. the great consumer protections in the history of our country. you want to block the appointment, not because they don't think your personally qualified, but because the don't want that agency. i'm proud of what the president did. >> the session yesterday. was not able. tigress tuzla actually. >> let that be the public debate. fortunately or unfortunately for us we do not have a rule in the confirmation process. we are glad that the president took the lead, went out there and made the appointment. >> it looks like the obama reelection campaign, but aside congress as part of his effort. >> welcome i think the president has been clear is the republican congress. the instruction to job creation this year. this year to give back.

it's one year since there were sworn in as the majority. one year without any major jobs initiatives. jobs agenda. starting the year with the rhine budget which broke the guarantee for medicare. it did not create jobs. did not reduce the deficit. as i mentioned earlier, one piece of the president's american jobs act was passed, the peace the related to veterans. we'll veterans more than that. returning vets coming back. week of them a future worthy of their sacrifice. that means that a healthier economy where they can come home, succeed, good jobs, have ownership, own businesses. that's what the president's small business initiative is selling important. that's why it's so important to keep jobs here in america. that is really cannot be

exported overseas. so if we just use what we owe our veterans, again, an economy that allows them to succeed when they come home. yes, it's important to have a discreet bill that encourages hiring, but we need a stronger healthier economy so that they and they're families, for them and they're families will succeed. so what that the wish you a happy new year. we are here, going back to work. we will be in session for as long as it takes, but we also would like to have our colleagues comeback, have a real session to your point that has the appearance of the session. not a productive session. we can't wait. we have work to do. were going to work right now. thank you all very much. >> a number of the members. what's your take on a?

>> you know what, will talk to you about that, but we do have to go right now. [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] >> and the house adjourning for legislative work of an january 17th. live coverage is on c-span. deceiving we turn our attention back to the new hampshire primary with their first in the nation primary next tuesday. the national new hampshire republican committee. republican canada supporters

tonight at 7:15 p.m. eastern here on c-span2. and coming up on our companion network newt gingrich holding a town hall meeting. 7:00 eastern. c-span wrote to the white house continues to new hampshire from coverage of tuesday's primary. live talking with political guess, taking your phone calls. kendis kendis talk to new hampshire voters and see the latest videos of the candid it's henry with their sank in the campaign trail. on wednesday the state department announced a newly established counter-terrorism bureau. next we hear from state department counterterrorism coordinator daniel benjamin and the bureau's role and importance in planning cheryl to cover terrorism global. this is 20 minutes.

>> it afternoon, everybody. before we do the daily briefing we have a special briefing today on the necks stage of implementation, secretary clinton's quadrennial diplomacy and developments review. the establishment in the state department of the bureau of counter-terrorism. as you know, we have an office under ambassador dan benjamin. it is now about to become a full of bureau. to tell you more about that, ambassador daniel benjamin. >> well, thank you very much and thank you for coming today. today this piece defend his department is pleased to announce the establishment of the bureau. one of the key recommendations of the quadrennial diplomacy review which was concluded in december of 2010. we believe that this change will

strengthen the state department's ability to carry out its counter-terrorism missions around the world. my office and apartment have been taking on a growing role in counter-terrorism in recent years moving well beyond coordination. the creation of this new bureau, another important step to ensure that we can accomplish the mission that the president and a secretary who set out for us. the mission of the new bureau would be to leave the apartment in the u.s. government's effort to counter terrorism abroad and here in the united states against foreign terrorist threats. the bureau will have a number of concrete responsibilities. in coordination with leaders the national security staff and u.s. government agencies will develop and implement counter-terrorism strategy and programs here disrupt and defeat the networks. seat the strength of homeland security, country and violent

extremism, and build a capacity of partner nations. there are many is examples of the growing importance of civilian counter-terrorism work. strategic counter-terrorism with the secretary discussed. putting a strong impetus on increasing coach fares above multilaterally and bilaterally. by september you may recall and a major initiative, we establish the global counter-terrorism form. international architecture at dealing with 21st century terrorist threats. disease etf offered ct policy makers and experts an opportunity to exchange best practices and to improve programs around the world. the new bureau will work with partners in the cheese etf on a wide range of challenges such as strengthening the role of one country's word terrorism poses the greatest threat. our ability to oversee and

implementing programs which cover everything from police trained to countering the of kenner and will be strengthened by the establishment of the bureau. the new bureau will meet with the department and u.s. government efforts to reduce radicalization in a position abroad. it will work with the recently established center for strategic counter-terrorism communication. the legitimate the violent extremist narrative, develop positive alternatives for a population that is the vulnerable to improvements. government and society in building capacity to counter violence in terms of. as part of the stand-up we are reorganizing and taking steps to make the new bureau effective across the wide range of policy and program activities. for example, creating the new strategic and policy. improve our ability to do strategic planning. measure the effectiveness of our

programs. also making changes to a coronation. finally i want to emphasize the tight budget times we're doing our part. standing up the bureau with resources. : will have of fact sheet that outlines the bureau's missions and priorities and will provide you with some additional detail. i'd be happy to take a few questions now. >> the creation of a new bureau. can you give us an update on where things stand on your ongoing review? >> well, obviously designation of foreign terrorist organizations is one of the core activities of the office and of the new bureau, and it will continue to be so.

what will also continue is the policy that we continue pursuant to the u.s. district court. the continue to do the review and obviously it is a very exhaustive effort. we have been exchanging material with counsel for the other side, and we don't have a date set for a decision, but you will certainly know when it's done. >> another one, if i'm mary. as you well know, there has been a significant deterioration in the u.s. going back the coming you know, certainly to the case of raymond davies, but lots of other events. from your vantage point to what extent has or has not u.s. pakistan any cooperation on counter-terrorism deteriorated over the last, you know, 12 months are so?

>> metrics are important, but i don't think we have metrics for assessing exactly that. the cross border incident and the number of other incidents that have occurred last year. let me go back to basics. we affected counter-terrorism relationship with pakistan. no country has suffered more than the militancy than pakistani. the sparrow, we hope to continue building civilian capacity for counter-terrorism which is an essential. one of the working groups of the strategic dialogue. secretary, which i'm sure is something that we will continue doing.

everyone's interests. so i am not trying to give you and neil reading on the meter. we obviously have issues that have been worked out. we look for tower collaborative efforts. >> this tool we are doing our job right the bureau will be working with pakistan the spirit is it fair to say you're not doing anything? >> long-term process is going on. countering violent extremism. into terms assistance programs. or not going to make any blanket statements. absolutely were still working together. >> can i ask you a question? the last couple of days, a lot of talk from iranian military

leaders. i'm just wondering, are you worried that as the sting of sanctions rose over this year and as iran finds itself feeling more isolated that the threat of iranian terrorist activities is going to rise or destabilize? >> well, another issue that we have dealt with extensively. we will continue to do with it extensively of the bureau. obviously a ron was and remains the number one sponsor of terrorism in the world. the recent discovery of plotting to kill the saudi ambassador in washington and the arrests in that connection has certainly given us a great deal to think about pen to wonder about. i don't want to engage in

hypothetical set and suggest that the iranians and about their support for terrorism, but we know that they do believe that it is a policy. we vehemently disagree and car, of course, going to be vigilant as we can to insure that no one is deserted the chair. >> deficit in s t where, when, or how, but do you see it as a rising threat? based on the tendencies that we're seeing right now? >> what is ben never quite some time. respond to the fact that in our hemisphere in a country.

>> where did they stand, defeating these tariffs? >> no question that 2010 -- von's art, 2011, get my calendar straight, 2011 is very successful year in terms of taking some bad actors of the streets. and, you know, the demonstration spokesman has said on many occasions we will continue to do what we need to safeguard our national security against the groups to carry out the september 11th attacks. but of want to underscore, we all know that there is no way to shoot our way out of this problem that's why strengthening our engagement with others to

support their civilian institutions so that they can actually hold the territory called police that territory, try people who want to carry out violent attacks, either against people who live there or abroad is an absolutely vital undertaking. uprighted, coral kind as we call possibly under greater pressure that has been at any time since september 11th, but if the president has said and other groups, the work goes on. >> secretary clinton has said that the sanctions against the network is obviously reckless. where do we stand now on that? >> well, much as we discussed a moment ago we don't set time lines as to when we're going to put out a particular decisions

on designations. we are looking at that very closely and will continue to do so. obviously we have a huge concern in reducing the ability of the network to carry a terrorist attacks. bomb. >> in terms of the bureau could you talk to go with the bureau will be doing? and also, what the bureau will be doing that other parts of government are already doing. >> the establishment of the bureau in many ways is a confirmation, ratification of what we have been doing increasingly in recent years. the fundamental path remains the same, but will we have now is an infrastructure to continue doing it more effectively. and building on the successes in the future. so we know are in a position where we can continue to innovate of programming to counter violent extremism, to

enhance our capacity around the world, to do the bilateral discussion of threats, where their gains to be made against particular terrorist groups in particular regions. we have a better platform for viewing the work that we undertake. the department of homeland security and work jointly to stop terrorist travel and so improve aviation security, do all the things we need to do to make for a safer united states said, and to protect her interests abroad. so the fundamental mission doesn't change, but we now have a much better organization. building on that and for moving beyond this outdated organization that we have that was really to support coordination with something that we have long since left behind. >> in terms of what the bureau will be doing, other entities and government don't to. >> well, you know, we are the

state department. we have a set of tools and activities that others don't to. no one else has the bilateral kind of diplomacy that we do with the others on a number of different issues, whether it has to do with how we reduce the space that terrorist groups have to fund race, to operate. we provide a lot of trading. the other agencies in the u.s. government. their experts. countries around the world, whether it's anti money-laundering, counter-terrorism, finance, border security, rule of law. we'll advisers. a whole range of different things and are really in the diplomatic tool kit and that we work with the partners in the government to do. so these things cannot be done without a strong state platform for carrying them through. i hope that answers your question. just different things that are in different agencies.

the state department. the forefront in terms of the four engagements. >> wondering how important the cooperation of a certain government will be in your effort and how much you can achieve if the -- if ron is the number one sponsor terrorism and will operate. let's say they choose not to cooperate with you. in other countries for terrorism is a problem, how effective can you really be? >> well, i'd say in terms of the international corporation assessment the glasses 98% full. at least on the wrong, but 1 percent is and. the one and two other countries. international cooperation in the partnerships have really been one of the great unsung successes of the last decade. extraordinary cooperation and intelligence around the world, military affairs, and in the

diplomatic work to consume the ability of terrorists to operate cooperate, arrest them, to ensure that they can carry out attacks. yes, there are problems. we have countries where we have serious challenges working with, and there are a small number of countries is still viewed terrorism as a legitimate instrument of policy. but i think the remarkable thing about the post september 11 time for ms. thomas countries have cooperated against out qaeda in the arabian peninsula. the government, saudi arabia, uae, yemen, qatar, on and on. against acute in the islamic. they call themselves, and there we see much greater cooperation among regional partners. there have just been tremendous strides. hopefully we are hoping this will build on this tries. the counter-terrorism experts will be a will to exchange best

practices and identified problems and design solutions and the way that we have not been a will to before. >> yes. the government accused elements, they said they came from lebanon. do you know if either have a presence? >> well, let me just say, the report, and i don't have any further comment on them. recently know that there have been sympathetic groups in lebanon for many years. you may recall the lebanese forces went into one of the refugee camps some years ago to deal with a group that had the ideology. so it is certainly true that there have been elements like that in lebanon over the years. whether they had anything to do with what's going on is a matter entirely.

>> release. >> to you think that there were behind that? >> i don't know. we don't have anything conclusive. yes, sir. >> to you every examine your classification of the entities that govern the gaza strip? taken the last few months. defending themselves for the past. >> i think we have been very clear about what, space to do if it wants to get out from under the fta designation. that has to do with renouncing violence and accepting the principles. i think that the groundwork is there. the footprints are on the ground.

they need to go through them. we would certainly welcome that. >> i don't think they are dressed in a fact sheet. how many people either in the bureau? >> yes. i believe we have 70 ft government employees and then contractors, i think we have 120. ..

>> we'll be putting putting out the report. >> last one from me. admittedly, unabashedly it is hypothetical but i think it's sort of topical interest. we talked about the threats iran has made an obvious he the threats of the straits of hormuz. the question i have is whether an attack on shipping in the straits of hormuz would be regarded as an act of war or an act of terrorism and what is the key determined? is it a nonstate actor and, therefore, its terrorism? but if it is by a state military, then it's a act of war? how do you do in those things? >> i think that falls squarely into the category of hypothetical. if there is such an attack we

will make that determination at that time. as you know, the whole issue of what is an act of state-sponsored terrorism and what isn't? the north korean issue for example. so rather than lay out lines that will immediately be overtaken by events i will just leave it at that. and i think i would be remiss if i didn't save time. >> thank you very much. >> thank you. >> coming up in about an hour to have a look at past had your primary speeches from the year 2000. we hear from the winners and losers after the vote. al gore, bill bradley, john mccain and george w. bush. that is at 2 p.m. eastern on c-span3.

>> because i didn't speak and i didn't get really a window into my life, i've become kind of an evil cartoon. and i couldn't help myself wearing a hat coming out of my plea that core but i have become kind of a phil and i want to show people i'm not an evil person. i am a regular person. i did things that were wrong but i don't have a tale of horse. i grew up like everybody else. >> this weekend afterwards on

c-span2's booktv, power and corruption on capitol hill. once the influence of lobbyists in washington, jack abramoff was convicted of mail fraud and conspiracy in 2006. his story saturday night at 10 issue but also producer all the people, ron gonzales on the role of segregation played in the way news was reported. sunday at 2 p.m. marjory ross on what it takes to be a successful female publisher and author. sunday at 11:15 p.m. booktv every weekend on c-span2. >> last month educators contours and politicians were on her at the "washington post" top american leaders awards. the award according to the "washington post" and his cosponsor the harvard school of government, were given to those who quote works across boundaries. honorees include new jersey governor chris christie, former chairman sheila bair, and university of maryland baltimore county president freeman hrabowski. this is about an hour and 25 minutes. >> sheila bair, and you, during

the financial crisis, it was an important part of your job to make millions of people feel confident in the banks. i think that's right. i think, you know, when i became chairman of the fdic, he came by to see me and he said his agency is all about public confidence in and to maintain public confidence you have to interact with me. yet to be counseled as to explain what you're doing and why you're doing it. because people have lost confidence in the fdic we would have been in the suit. on the flipside of that is it's not a happy job to deal with failing banks. that can be kind of an unpopular task of explaining what we're doing, why we're doing it i think it was key. banks are perhaps not as open as it should be. i think deposit. once people understand what you're doing, they will support you on a. >> i want to talk more about instilling confidence, but governor, you know, did any of

your initiatives passed? right? you need the public on your side. didn't some people say you're kind of governance by q2 because you kind of go right to the people, right? right over the heads of some of your suspects. how do you get millions of people to follow you? have confidence in you. >> i think it's just telling them the truth. i think it's kind of sad commentary where politics is today, i'm this guy from new jersey is getting all this attention. at all and really doing is doing what i promise i would do during the campaign, and calling it as i see them. it's gotten all this attention. and i will take at the beginning it was kind of disorienting. what's the big deal? i didn't quite get it. but as we have gone further and further into it, what i understand, what i've come to understand now is, is folks in my state and across the country

are starving for people to tell them the truth, even the truth they don't necessary enjoy hearing. and so, i think the way you get people to follow you is that way, and style is part of it. it doesn't hurt to be entertained every once in a while. anything to do. and i think that that's part of it as well. but doing it in a way that is not intentionally trying to be entertaining. >> you were saying why is this guy from new jersey getting attention, and telling the truth. our other elected officials not telling the truth and? >> scheuer. [laughter] >> do you want to name anybody in particular? >> we only have 20 minutes. [laughter] and and not for the entertainment portion. >> of course people are not telling the truth. they have not been telling the truth for years. so that's why we get into this position. it's a little you the truth and said here's what we're going to

do, we're going to completely overspend resources of our country, we're going to run $15 trillion in debt, do things proportionally the same way, we are going to put enormous strain on our financial system, and we're going to cause a lack of confidence in our society that will lead people to be really careful for america's future. i don't think anybody is voting for that guy. you know? but that's what they did. as they were doing it. they put all kinds of different bells and whistles around it and made it look nice, but in the end that's what they did. and that's what they were doing over the course of time. so yeah, there's lots of people not telling the truth. believe me, it is no fun to come into a situation like i came into in new jersey where a week into my job, my chief of staff, treasure came down to the office after i'd been assured by governor corzine that the fiscal year was fine and in the last six months, he said to me if you don't cut out $2 billion a spin

in the next two weeks we will make payroll for the second a period of march. and new jersey is the second richest a per capita in america. we were not going to meet payroll. it's no fun to stand up and say okay, i'm cutting $600 million from education, i'm cutting speed what do other governors need to do that you're doing? you were able to get the deficit under control, and still be popular. what do you tell the other governors out there? >> i mean, i think it's about doing the hard things quickly. that's an old political action. it's nothing i invented. when you're in the beginning of the term, you have the maximum amount of political clout. you have just been elected, and so folks are willing to give you the benefit of the doubt on some of these things. and so your task is, and the conflict politically is what a lot of people, they said you were so popular right now, if i do these things by members are going to go down and i don't, i like the numbers where they are.

so i'm not going to do this. i'll do it later be make you want to work about being popular. and how do you deal with criticism and enemies in the public i? >> well, i -- >> not happy. >> throughout the crisis, it bothered me that people try to personalize these issues. there were some philosophical disagreements. we were tough. everything we did was to achieve the objective, the mission, the public mission but it wasn't gratuitous trying to get in fights with people, not at all. and i do think, like i say, as much as we try to engage with the media, and i think also tracked and youtube and other vehicles which are really good -- >> but doesn't bother you when you see people criticizing you? >> no. well, sure. that it will buy the anybody but i guess the main criticism was i was doing my job. that i was to focus on the fdic.

if i hadn't been focus we would have really been in a zoo. point taken by very proud of what we did. and i think that's part of leadership, too. you don't necessary make -- governor christie said, it's -- >> you felt like you -- >> i think -- again, we were not looking for fights but there were some mistakes made. there was a managers that should been held accountable that were not. and so, you know, i think speaking the truth, and also some very well managed banks. i think one of the unfortunate things was and what ended up being painted. >> did you look for oversight? >> sure. come on. [laughter] listen, i fight the fights worth fighting. i'm not looking for fights, but there's lots of problems after. >> did the critics by the? >> listen, do you know what

happens over time? , the answer is yes. said simply. but it's a little more nuanced than that. i think that what happens over time is you just develop a better ability to deal with it internally. so let's say in my first couple weeks as governor if i got a really scathing editorial, it would bother me all day into the evening, maybe even into the next morning, i would wake up thinking about it. now two years in when i get a scathing editorial bothered me for about an hour. and i think all right, next. you know? i think he just develop a bit of a shell for. popularity thing, the thing that strikes me i think about all the time is my mom when i was a teenager gave me this advice, and it turned out to be great advice. she said if you have a choice between being respected and beloved, always take been respected because if they respect you, they love may come. but love that respect would be fleeting. now, she was talking about

women, but -- [laughter] i think it applies equally to politics. >> did your parents give you any advice that you can share, sheila? >> well, my parents were traditional -- i'm from the midwest. so we had come in their traditional values. they're both in the depression era, products of the depression. my mother grew up in the dust bowl and had some really tough stories to share about abject poverty, and it just sticks. those memories. so that really can still be basic notions of thrift and hard work and playing by the rules and together build an america is a great country and you should profit if you do the right things. if you do wrong things you should take the losses. so those were the values i carry and still carry with me. and i think they certainly won't. >> a few questions for governor christie and then i'll come back to sheila. given your experience in heavily

democratic state, you're a republican, what advice can you share to those who are bickering, great partisan fervor on capitol hill? >> i've done all a bit of this lately i've been. listen, i think that in our form of government that there is no substitute for executive leadership to resolve bickering among the legislative branch of government. that the legislative branch of government, if we're waiting for the next great idea to come out of congress or a legislature, we will be waiting for a long time. we just saw. they're not built that way. they just aren't. so when they're picking with each other, when they're in their partisan corners, the executive has to be the person in our form of government who brings folks into a room and says listen, we're going to resolve this. >> he recently said about our executives, you called him a bystander, right where she called the president of the

estate a bystander. >> i did been and you said what the hell are we paying him for? >> right. taken in context. [laughter] what i was being asked was the simpson-bowles effort and efforts on debt and deficit. and i think it's a very fair comment in a nonpartisan comment to say that the president of the united states asked for this report and this is a gimmicky put on the shelf and he did nothing with it. now, that's his choice but to make a political choice not to take this on. be met by can you do a little critique of president obama's leadership style? >> when i was asked last night on my contusions director said please don't make any news. please? [laughter] can i have tomorrow off? >> that was buried under in very bad advice. >> my issue, my main issue with the president can put aside whatever philosophical differences i have with the president, and there are many competitors in places where we

agree. about education reform, renewable energy and other things were we have a lot of common ground. but my main critique and problem with the president is that i don't think he is the first of the of have used executive power. nor much of an interest in it. i think this goes back right to the beginning of the presidency we basically turns the stimulus package over to congress, let them deal with it. and health care thing dragged on as long as it did. indicate a hodgepodge of a whole bunch of different ideas without real direction from him. >> made a couple concrete things that he could you? >> you've got to be there. army, the fact that he is completely absent from the debt and deficit conversation to me, we keep hearing about the president had a plan for $4 trillion of deficit reduction. no one has seen it. it's not down on paper anywhere, he told, he whispered debated. bander brought it back and got denied. he did his part. i mean, the fact of the matter is for you to lead you have to

be there and have to take a risk. every time i get together with democrats in new jersey i am at risk. >> do you think the president doesn't take enough risks because absolute not. certainly if things are not comfortable. was the risk involved with trying to kill osama bin laden? absolute. does he deserve credit for making that decision? yes, he does. let's face it. the downside risk was relatively minimal but even if they're gone for the eighth american people would have said to know what? worth a try trying to get this guy. and so that's a decision he made that was a difficult decision, but a relatively risk-free decision on the back and. people might have criticized. >> when it comes to the, a lot of people were urging you to run for president. it's a tough job. i think of the present were here he would have some things to say about you. anyway, when he declined to run for president, and were quite a few people who want you.

you said, before that you said leadership is about doing the big thing, but why not go for this big think? >> well, two different things. what i was taught about the big picture, the big issues. and the fact is that running for president is at core and essential personal decision. you know, you have to see in here i believe that you are absolutely ready and that it is something you must do. if you don't feel that, i don't we get the right to ask people for the money or for their vote. you have to do both running for president. and so no one knows, other than me, whether i feel absolutely ready to take on that very difficult job you just mentioned. and if i don't feel it in here, and i have no business just because i see a political opportunity. i'm not a dummy. i saw the opportunity. the fact is though i said this to students at princeton, you should never run for president because you say to yourself and i know i can win, i hope i'm

ready. >> do you think you'll feel it in here later? >> i might have indigestion later, i don't know. [laughter] i don't know what i will feel better. you know? what i'm focused on is doing my job. and you know, this is another bit of advice that my mom gave me, because she saw that i was an ambitious kid, pretty young. and she said to me all the time christopher, she called me christopher because if you named your kid chris christie, you would want to do everything other than call them chris christie. christopher, do the job you have in front of you as well as you can do and your future will take care of itself. >> of the republican candidates, who would be the best steward of this economy? >> listen, i've endorsed governor romney. i'm not going to and break news today and say i think ron paul would be great on the economy

[laughter] >> maybe to break news and say who would be the worst candidate, would be the worst steward of the economy? >> i don't think so. [laughter] let's just say this, that when i look at this stage during one of these debates, of the republicans standing up there, and it is really clear to me that the best qualified person and the best person to have a chance to be president obama next november is governor romn romney. and crystal clear to me, that doesn't mean i agree with governor romney on everything he says or stands for. and if we're looking for the perfect candidate be fully supports when we better look in the mirror and stop there, right? we are the only person we agree with 100% of the time. you know, so i'm not looking for the perfect guy, but i believe of the candidates being offered come he is the best alternative for our country's future, and he's the best alternative for my party to select, have a

legitimate chance to take on the president next november. >> sheila, you have a hard job during a hard time, and i want to ask you actually during the time what was the hardest decision you had to make? >> all, i think definitely the bailouts in september and october 2008. i think we didn't have much information, and they were quite generous in their terms, obviously. but, you know, from is when your in a crisis situation you don't have a lot of time and you have incomplete information, you usually do more than less but i think that's the standard decision-making metric that people use. and so, but, you know, we took a tremendous exposure at the fdic, and i still, -- outrage every statement that the bailout created. so i try not to look back but i think going forward we should be working hard to restructure the financial system where it never

has to happen again. and i do believe that some of our priorities are fading as time -- >> that's important what is the biggest change that needs to happen so this doesn't occur again? >> i think the banks need to be able to do. the large financial institutes. there is a resolution come a bankruptcy like mechanism. the prom is we didn't have tools for the pieces of the organization outside of the bank and holding company for most of the risk was taking. it was all nonbanks like aig. going forward, dodd-frank does offer ideas for large financial entities come and it is a bankruptcy like process. is there any losses above that, it is on industry, the taxpayer doesn't pay anything in any future you, you think it shouldn't be that it's too big to fail speak with a should not be. i think the market needs to understand that because the market perception drives, the market keeps thinking he'll get bail out, they will keep feeding

and fueling the very large growth among the major financial institutions. big is not an especially bad in itself if it should be driven by market forces, not by government subsidies any view he you get bail out if a large institution fails. the tools are there. i think some of these large banks need of structural changes to make sure they can be resolved in a crisis, in a way that is orderly. and efficient, and i think from the safety and soundness perspective some of them are really just too big to manage. they are quite disorganized to get thousands of legal entities. the managers don't know everything is big so i think again, they will not want to do that. it's going to be expensive and it will take a lot of regulatory courage and leadership to follow through and make those things happen. >> just because i say we don't have a whole lot of time, i've wanted to i think a lot of us are interested in kind of a daily habit a very busy success

of people. so, and each of you tell me, you know, kind of what's the secret here? do you skip certain task? are you on the treadmill at 5:00 in the morning to get focused and energy? [laughter] >> mary, how did you find out my secret? [laughter] i skipped the treadmill part. [laughter] everything else i do. you know, i think it's for me at least it's just every day trying to put one foot in front of the other, and keep my mind clear on what my priorities are. and for me, those are doing my job, while also trying to be a good husband and a good father. and at times those are really difficult things to reconcile.

>> do you not need muchly? >> i don't. i can get by on about four or five hours of sleep and i. >> how do you come should? >> i need sleep but it was a problem. i forgot what it's like to notice it and the and has been happening every month do. it's one of the. i think what governor christie said about breaking it down, doing a step-by-step, doing the job it is in front of you whether your career or your day activity, so the people i think failed because instead of doing the job in front of them they're looking to the next career move and they don't focus. so you speed is actually. and i think not treadmill for long walks at night with my husband and our dog. but not in the morning? >> that was only time. at 11:00 at night were out there but we got our walks in pretty much everyday. >> i'm the daughter of a irish immigrants, and so i'm very interested, you have both irish and sicilian ancestry? >> yes. >> does that affect your style anyway? >> yes.

[laughter] dominates my topic i say this all time. my mom passed away about seven years ago. she was sicilian, and my father is still alive, 78 years old, wonderful, great humor irishman. but to understand my style, this is what you need understand that my father is a wonderful guy, incredibly successful in his career. in our house my father was merely a passenger in the automobile of life. you have a sicilian mother comes she drives the car. [laughter] and you'll notice all the different, these are coming for my mother. he just couldn't get it in. [laughter] >> are you driving the car or is your wife driving the cart of? >> honey, if you're watching out there -- liebeck listen, i think the interesting thing about our relationship is, my wife is a really successful businessperson on her own, and so we really are copilots. been a good answer.

[laughter] you know, i'm blunt but not stupid, mayor. [laughter] >> in this television age, there's a lot of attention to what people look like. a lot of people have said that it's a bit unfair for women in the public eye. for instance, hillary clinton, they talk about her hair and what she's wearing. and to the secretaries of state who are not women, they chat about that. what do you think? >> you know, it's amazing. i've seen kind and that's the kind comments about my appearance and commentary on the web and things. there's this wonderful antidote, both i think, they're doing a power women thing and so they came and they did this photo shoot and i was thrilled thrilled at first, it took forever and i finally said this is enough for two hours. but it was exciting and the call back later and said we are not going to run. will put on the website. were not going to run. welcome you put us through all

this, thanks, but no thanks. and they're all these blogs letter saying i wasn't attracted enough to be in vogue. and so, you know, okay. but why is that relevant? why does that matter? and the kindest of it, i think women to put up with more than men do i think. >> listen, we kind of had fun with this before. whether people talking about the idea of me running for president, you had columnists in this newspaper writing that someone overweight can't possibly be president. >> what did you think of that? >> is idiotic. because what these guys, robinson and michael kinsley and others wrote about was because his overweight does mean he's undisciplined. it's one of those last remaining vestiges of prejudice and stupidity in our society that you withdraw that direct line between those things. i think it's very possible, we've seen great leaders and a passer extra good disciplines in a whole bunch of things that may be undisciplined in one thing,

or unable to do with certain parts but it doesn't mean you're undisciplined. and i think that attention that comes to matter what the physical appearance issue is, is just a shorthand for people who maybe have another agenda, but is it okay, i can't really say what i really think so let's just call them fat. gennaker and that -- >> but do you think we're starting to get over that? >> no. this happened a month ago. [laughter] so if we are starting, it just happened in the last 30 days. when you have people who are respected columnists who use, part nicholas kristof say pricey bit of real estate that you either the new your times or the "washington post," to talk about whether or not because i'm overweight i can govern is just so silly because being overweight affect you in anyway? >> i mean, do how it affects me? it affects me but i wish i wasn't overweight. i would go to dana, losing with

the millions and millions of other americans do with, but i'm working on four or five hours of sleep a night. i don't think anybody in new jersey, there are many people like to criticize me. he's not energetic enough. we don't see them out there in a. he's not doing enough, you know? looks a little lethargic to me, you know? [laughter] nobody says that, and so, you know, the issue, the issue is whether sheila issues not up to the info, or eugene robinson sing i can be president because i'm too fat. i mean, if you take a step back and think about it, it's so ridiculous. what whatever she decides to wear for "vogue" layout has to be whether she is an effective measure of the fdic and to something our country up for a financial crisis, or what i'm doing as governor of new jersey were potentially as president of the united states? and so i think, you know, we all have to understand we need to

confront those prejudices because those are just two examples. there are plenty of others that we still hold as a society. when we have people are supposed to be opinion leaders, thought jeepers, writing speed is what should they be writing about? would end with this, because we have to move on. what are the key things for an effective leader? what would you put at the top of the list? >> i think -- >> not apparent. >> being truthful, facing reality and telling people what the truth is, what the problems are but also having an executable plan. to do with it. and i think people want to be, i think you proved you. people want honesty. they understand we have serious problems. but, unfortunately, the leadership in washington, they just don't want to own up to the. i don't know what any of them are taking government money because they are not doing their jobs. that's what they were elected to do. i'm talking that everyone. there's been a systemwide,

systemic failure in our decision-making effort and washed and. >> what do they need to do to get the system working again? >> this is the frustrating thing. the fiscal columns are not at all. i think bowles-simpson privilege laid out. the solutions are not hard. it's deciding to do it, are taken into people why we have to do it and getting with it. people just lack the courage and willingness to confront his head on. i've worked for bob dole during the early '80s in the senate. i mean, we had real leaders, people who had a responsibility, not getting their juicy lobby job when you leave the. >> what would you put at the top of the list? >> i wouldn't disagree with much of what she adjusted. you know, it's time for people to belly up to the bar. you want to have these jobs. you want to have these titles. then do something. to earn them, rather than just figure out how to do for

yourself to get reelected. to me, that's the most reprehensible thing of what's going on in washington right now. it's so transparent. i mean, you know, give both sides in their deep corners yelling at each other. you have a president who stand by and saying well, what do you want me to do about it? they are doing, it's terrible. >> top of the list for effective leadership, what do you need? >> honesty. you need a vision for where you want to lead people, and you need the ability and character to articulate it, regardless of the cost in we will leave it there. thank you so much. [applause]

>> well, that was fun. we have more to come. i'm going to introduce now the moderate of the next panel, steven perlstein. he's a pulitzer prize-winning columnist for the "washington post." is also the founder of the on leadership website that is a premier leadership website in america. and he's a george mason, robinson professor of public international affairs at george mason university. steven perlstein. [applause] steve is going to introduce the panel to you. if he comes. did we lose steve? maybe i will just go to appear and and ask you a few questions. this panel will be talking

appropriately about ideas and innovations. exarch i'm late that i had to get a mic. good morning, everybody. good morning, gentlemen. >> might mic is a little messy here. michael, you have a big weekend, spend it at home reading? >> yes. watching football. >> so, kennedy center, i think of people like me, old. we like our beethoven. we're really thrilled with oscars and palestine revival. so how is it that you can innovate in a place where a large chunk of your base of customers and your base of donors are pretty conservative and set in the ways and they know what they like? >> it's interesting that i always use the example of the and so which was the car by four

from many of us were old enough remember the answer which was designed by ford, the first car that was designed by focus groups. ford held focus groups all over america. they said which is the string where you like the desk in which is the failure like this, which wields? they may discard the edsall based on all that and they couldn't sell one of them. that's always been sort of guiding principle for me in the work we create, which is most people to ask them what's the greatest expense that can it's something that is totally surprised them. it wasn't phantom of the opera or swan lake. and so the real challenge is to create work that you believe is excellent and wonderful and interesting. i use an example, a festival of arab culture we did two years ago at the kennedy center. it was considered a very risky. there was not one performer who any of our standard audience had heard of before, and we ended up selling over 90% of the tickets

to it. because the audience really got engaged by the work. and if you do good marketing and if you do good programming, you really do open up this for people. entity that's really what leading an arts organization is all about. >> probably run into this, audio consulting work with other organizations. do leaders of these organizations have to be willing to give up a decline part of their base business now in order to get new business? and do you have to get them come true with or do not accept that speak with i think myself as a portfolio manager really. doing all different kinds of work. we do 2000 forms is a year. so i have a very large portfolio to play with. but what i think of is how do i create work that would appeal to many different constituencies, and some of the work is more visible than others but in total when addressing tomato, a very broad range of people back how does the small or positions do

that? do they have to give up something in order to get something more? >> they have to start from mission. it all starts from mission to i was it's real easy to run a corporation because it is in the works for profit. in the artwork or not-for-profit. we know what we are not for. [laughter] the first job of running a [laughter] the first job of running a not-for-profit is the extreme clear what you're trying to do, and then do that. so you don't have to appeal to everyone. you don't have to do this work and not that were producing what it might organization about and who am i trying to serve. if you're in a very large organization like a kennedy center then you're trying to serve a very, very broad population. but if i were in a much smaller organization and i have in my life, one choreographer company or comment in your time to much different are much narrower constituency. the goal is not to do everything and please everyone. it is to please those are going to be drawn to your setting extremely well. >> one final question about art

organizations that you consult. is it true or not true that there's sort of an innovation gene which would associate with creative artists, and then there's some other gene, the management gene which camino, gets the bills paid and very disciplined about how an organization is run. do you find, do you have to find someone to run these things who have been both? or how do you, are they in conflict with each other? >> they can be in conflict with one another if they're not done with. i believe my great -- i also know that part of my work is to create a little space in my organization with those for making art have the room to be messy. i call it the messiest data we can create that, let it happen, not try to regulate it but put it into context of a much broader organization that has to function like a business. >> let's go to our late bloomer here, jared cohen.

so, you are sitting at google and summit says hey, jerry, would be really great for communal, for our results if you could come up with a solution for terrorists extremism. i mentioned that because you have this conference in dublin. tell us a little bit about terrorists extremism. tell us how you came up with the idea. how in gods name did you come up with a? >> to start with, for context this is actually i thought this was a fun idea. i have been thinking about why young people join violent extremist organizations for a long time. and before i started at google buzz talking to them about the job and potentially coming there, one of the things i was adamant about is i think google is a unique convener and i think we should bring together as many former violent extremist as we can possibly think of from around the world, former gang

members, former violent religion actions, former violent far right fascist extremists. you know, all former having left and now speaking out against the organizations these be a part of. >> you asked why and what they want to do that? one earth would coming in, whenever i would tell people that we were thing i do this, to always sake i hope the police are coming. i hope to be a lot of security. that lends itself nicely to what you can imagine. but to me the idea was very simple. it's based on two assumptions. one, everybody is always asking whether the voices against violent extremism are. we sunnier sony people espousing violence, and my point is they are after. there's lots of formers around with a different country but no one has ever bothered to organize them. because it isn't necessary the first thing that comes to mind when you think of revenue. but there is a personal reason why i wanted to do as well, which is after i got kicked out

of a rant in 2005, i decide to spend a bunch of time in lebanon and syria and iraq. and i interviewed a fair number of hezbollah extremists, and extremes on the syria iraq border as well. and i just asked them why they joined and they would give me some religious and ideological expedition but when our start off with what you they're born and retrace their socialization path i would realize that the origins of this would have nothing do with religion and ideology but much simpler grievances but the only way to prove that is to actually look across multiple context. so i started traveling to central america to interview gamgain military i traveled to colombia to talk to them. i was shocked by the similarities. >> what similarities? >> it's amazing at how much of them and how much of this sort of root causes center around this idea of isolation, alienation, broken homes being picked on at school, not having

alternatives. unit, every young person experiences something happening that leads them to feel isolated and alienated. but what's interesting is when you start asking who help them through come guitar how they couldn't go home because they had a broken family, or having that somebody by chance on the street who took them to this mosque, or how to play football with these three kids who started take you into this act out of. you realize how much circumstance played into this. i think the most important prescription from what we learned about bringing these former violent extremes together from 40 different countries was none of them on the path to violate extremism ever met a former member of the group that they ended up joining. so, a former, i saw hezbollah, never met somebody who would left minds are hezbollah and have become disenchanted with the organization. so we are missing an opportunity leverage these voices to plant a seed of doubt in the at risk committees.

and sometimes is that seed of doubt with all of these former, had just been there, had somebody give them a reason not to join, they wouldn't have picked everything one of them for the most part said initially there was a phase of resistance. and ultimately they sort of exhausted their options and this is the direction they ended up going. quite extorting. >> in our conversation before when we're talking, it struck me that you have this knack for taking a problem which most people try to address through the front door, and just refrain in a way to look out in a different way which sort of changes completely. is that something, isn't it is when others are just comes naturally speak as i wish it was that sophisticated it just i guess if financial way i think about problems but i look for problems in the world that commute, no fall and obvious philanthropic boxer and opal and a into porpoises box issued as hugely important.

i always have to assumptions about any problem that i look at. one is the problem needs to be reframed in ways that account for technology because technology has an apartment for good and for ill and we need to understand how it is changing and complicated these challenges. in the second is i always believed that any challenge out there, there's some sort of combination of people that are particularly interesting that it never been in a room together talking about that problem. so that's what led me to want to bring all these formers together. we had a dozen victims of terrorism and violent extremism as well. but nobody had ever sort of brought formers from all these different context from the kings to the religious extremist in one place. and about and talking to them, until they actually spoke with one another, they themselves didn't even understand why they join these organizations. set of revelations for them. >> how did counterterrorism experts look at what you do? do they say that's very nice,

charity, but we have to find and these people are and either killed or put them in jail? >> if everybody agreed with what we're trying to do there would be no point in doing it. i've a very simple philosophy, which is no pursue ideas with obvious conclusions. and if you're not creating waves, you're not sort of pushing the envelope. and if you're going to many ways, you're probably unnecessary pacing people off if i like to try to kind of find the right balance. but, of course, everybody is not going to agree. i look at convening as a form of art. we're on the same data in that t in that sense but what's the most insulting thing you can do? you can walk by and not notice. either cheer for it or spit on. but don't sort of walk by it without noticing it. convening is the same way. conferences are a dime a dozen. if you want to actually get people debating, in some respect convene in a way that is provocative. be somewhat polarizing and weight that is constructed to get people to sort a debate

whether it's a terrible idea, whether it's a good idea. i don't care as long as they are talking about it. nobody has figured out and to devalue stop young people from joining violent extremists organizations. so i'm certainly willing to try it. it's interesting that google as a cuppa has become successful by organizing data. and making it of him and making it to sell. our success as a technology company is will put in a position to be able to organize a different form of data which is human perspectives. that's what we tried to do with this. >> what's your next project? >> we are looking at doing something similar around and visit networks, organized crime, narco networks, human trafficking, all of these issues are hugely important, and even though all these different illicit networks may look different on the service, and it is very similar tactics. i'm very curious to explore whether or not transparency and technology can actually be used as a powerful vehicle for

exposing illicit networks. i believe that they need to remain secret and the need to remain a symmetric is their biggest one ability in a world ridden with technology. >> so how would transmit it works because it would strike me it's pretty hard for human trafficking ring to actually function successfully if every nose with safe houses are, where the money is moving, with a corrupt police precinct is but these are all hypotheses at the stage and i'm not an expert on trafficking nor am i an expert on illicit networks. but i promise you there's some combination of people from different sectors disciplines and experiences, people who themselves were traffic, people have worked on a law enforcement side, if you put them in one room can certainly get pretty damn creative about how to i should think about this problem and then through engineers and technology experts in their who may not understand these issues but certainly understand how tools can use identified to address some of the problems ran by the experts and have yourself quite a set of solutions.

>> freeman, let's talk about the change that you, remarkable change you did at his university. when i think of innovation, i think of transformational change. higher education is not the first thing that comes to my mind. >> who really? >> how is it that, you know, you were able, it strikes me one of the truisms of leadership is if you want to make a small change, it's very hard. and the only way you can make a small change is to make a big change. you have changed the culture totally at your university. how do you do that? how do you sort of ignore the usual advice, freeman, you've got to walk before you can run. small things before you can do big things. how do you get over that somehow? >> great question. first of all, i keep saying this

and people think i'm simply trying to be humble. i don't think leadership is about one person doing that. i think it is about a group of people who can think critically about a vision of the institution. and i've got incredible colleagues who are talking about the issues all the time, and the big question for us, and i think innovation gets, the question is who do we want to be as a public university, serving and working-class middle-class kids. well, you know, as my colleagues were talking, i was thinking, i mean, one big source of pride fashion was when a when a walk to the kennedy center because my students are there performing, having been one of the top in the country with american college to be the best. these are just some all kinds of racial backgrounds, from all kinds of economic backgrounds perform at the kennedy center. the biggest day of their lives, incredible. and then i'm thinking about when we think about gangs and other countries, we started 25 years

ago the choice program in art shriver center, focus on first time offenders. we supervised at the university predominate white research next to middle-class suburban area, we bring for kids, first time offenders, mainly boys, boys of color, poor white kids, hundreds, and supervised and 24 hours a day seven days a week. when i listen to jared talk about why did they get in trouble processing an issue. lack of family support. the need for connections, and what comes through is we said years ago we wanted to knock the boundary, the walls around the university down. and focus on real-life problems, issues, from academic achievement gap issues to problems with violence to finding ways to connecting with major institutions. and so how do you do that? you bring people together and

you have conversations. you can't make people do anything. people have had the same values. they have to believe that so many presidents, so many universities have said, you know, i tried to do that, and there's just resistance to institutions, institutional resistance. any kind of change. can you imagine getting the faculty of a college or university get and saying hey, i have a great idea, let's bring hundreds of first time offenders and supervised than 24 hours a day. i can see that, that's going to get a big vote out of the faculty. >> but i've got coming in, my campus was started in the '60s, so the felony people were rebellious to start. they just were. and many still are. whether they are in languages or science. and secondly, we have always believed we had a responsibility to the larger committee. and my boss when i first went with adam, who had worked with shriver, and deeply in these

issues of anti-poverty. it was an amazing time to think about how we could have children in different ways. they key is this, to bring about change you don't need everybody. you just need some people to get the passion, get a few. they want to make a difference, who can begin to talk about it and experiment. that, for us can innovation is not that changed america everything it wanted to try something and see what works. you build on the. so for us, it's everything from redesigning courses in psychology and chemistry, to start a program for minority kids to see what they can do, and believing that it's possible to change the world. when we started our efforts, i could not find one predominate white university in the country that could say it was graduating 215 black kids a year going on the ph.d's in size. not one. that understanding was, well, it's just not that but it will take one more generation. my colleagues were saying let's

see what we can do. my colleagues are not black. most people in size are not minority. >> how do you do that? let's take that very specific goal. how did you do that? >> first of all, a philanthropist in our area had said i want to do something about each of black males. is everything i see about black males on tv is negative except basketball. what can we do about that? and i said we have this challenge of trying to get more kids who can succeed in science. black kids, when you got chinese and russian and all kinds of students on campus, like kids from baltimore or d.c. can't begin to compare. so we did, let's start come let's find the best prepared kids we can fight. because even they are not making it. and let's see what it takes for them to succeed. and let me start. you find in maryland. >> we started in maryland but now they're from all over the country. make you went out and recruited in. >> what we said was we want to prepare students not just to make in science but we want to prepare the leaders for american

science they want to prepare people who will be an american leaders in science, in the world been at war with these kids have gone if they didn't go to? >> several of them have been accepted to mit. great places in it gave me pit pitch. >> right. is the issue. let's be honest but let's be honest about it. people tend to think about private institutions, really good. they don't think about public universities except with a few exceptions. what we said was this. we are going to build community among the students. we're going to teach them to have a sense of celtic were going to talk not just about science but about the broad issues but because the best scientists often will be well educated, liberally educated people. they are musicians and artists and they can talk about ethical issues. so we're not talking about a narrow education. you get that at other universities but the point is this. we want to focus on the

challenge of students of color not having done well in size. and we're going to figure out, this will be an experiment. you're going to be part of an experiment. you be the pioneers. these other institutions are wonderful, wonderful institution but we want to figure out how we can lead the country and say to the nation, this is what you need to do to produce students who can excel anywhere. >> so what's the next thing, important thing you need to do that was different than she used to be? >> first of all, it takes scientists to produce scientists. >> what does that mean speak with you got to get the sites, people in computer science involved, getting engaged, hands-on experience. similarly you can't have it so it is not cutthroat, that they can work not only with each other but learn to work with all kinds of people, not just people of color. my if i'm has people from 150 different countries. learn how people from india were. let's understand how they go about studying it. let's understand how hard they work.

what makes it special is with sony students who are from other countries or their parents are from of the country to make no mistake, students have not been in this country as long tend to be more disciplined, more focused, and much harder working. let me give you an example. i'll have to kids who are not -- one student group and montgomery county right outside washington and went to high school in montgomery county, great school system. another student start off in my camera county and went back to the boarding school. the one student will say to me what's up, doc? the kid from nigeria, how are you today, sir? it's almost like how high do i need to jump? the attitude, i'm ready to work so hard. so the willingness to work hard and understand how hard people around the world work, that can make a difference. >> i had just become a college professor, so i to question for you. how do you get students to say i want to work hard?

[laughter] tell me about that. >> first of all, first of all you have to show a passion for the workers who. for me, i most talk about the fact that i get goosebumps doing math on. i always have to but i always get goosebumps reading t.s. eliot, literature. a lust for going. we as educators have to make it clear that nothing more significant in our lives and education. we would any of us be if we hadn't gotten an education? secondly we have to create a structure that allows students to work together in the want to be smart. in american culture, in american culture we don't teach children to want to be sparkled want to think about ideas. i was telling jared, it sounds so cool to see your over google ideas. the thought of that, thinking about things, creating the culture on campus, come to my campus for you see students of all background. international diversity, domestic diversity. they will be working together. makes it a. whether they're talking about serious theater or they're

talking about computer science problem, they are focused on their work. that's the passion we have to have. >> i hear the footsteps behind that tells us that we are finished. and overcoming. that was great big congratulations. [applause] >> thank you, steve. that was great. it was great, thank you. and delete our next discussion, let me introduce david gergen, professor of public service and he's the director of the center for public leadership at the harvard kennedy school. many of you have also seen on cnn what is a political analyst. he has been an advisor the four presidents come and is written about these experiences in his book, eyewitness to power, the essence of leadership. david gergen. [applause]

>> we will bring our panel out right now. .. and about how you got here but then move on to talk about the world in which we find ourselves and what lessons we can learn about leadership in this broad context. first, each of you was born to circumstances that would have

suggested your chances of being here today were not high. you're born on a farm in oregon and you were born in egypt between alexandria and rosetta which i just learned. not obvious paths to ford's theater in or a nobel prize, not obvious paths to pulitzer prizes. in both cases, it seems to me that you started in one place, but then you somehow developed this drive, this fire to do something more in the world to make a difference in the world, and it's been my observation that if you look of the biographies of many world leaders, it starts with some sort of inner fire, it starts with a desire for change to make a difference. where does that inner fire come from, how did it a week in?

-- awaken? >> the former i grew up in oregon is truly bonds -- god's country >> chief and cherry? that's interesting. you have sheep at one level and cherry -- [laughter] >> we have a cherry order. my mom is still on the farm which are used for cherry pies, we eat lots of cherry pie. and then sheep which serve largely to feed the local coyotes i'm afraid. [laughter] i think what my parents also were academics in portland, and so they gave me a window into a larger world. >> university? >> portland state university.

we were in a very rural area. it was foreign-based. but for my parents i did have this window on the world. there were very socially engaged. they never really kind of told me to, you know, what to do for to care about things they modeled behavior that i think i have some sort absorbed and its low of the reasons i'm very focused on education as a letter for change because i didn't so much did it at my school but i certainly got it at home. >> from oregon he went off to harvard. >> i went off to harvard. i told my roommates i had a rifle under my bed and they were nervous the first few months until they realized i was kidding. >> why are referred to the east? >> i never visited the harvard campus when i applied or arrived. i partly really because of my parents i was aware and fault i

would apply to stanford and then when i was actually applying i felt i can't just apply to one college so what is another college that i've heard of? well, harvard and. i applied and got in and then i spent time working on a farm in france and a right street from the farm at harvard with a bunch of work close and raised a lot of eyebrows in harvard square when i arrived. [laughter] >> but again, when did you sort of catch fire? was it then or when you went on the road to oxford? where was it in the process that you sort of just developed this drive that you have? you travel excessively. >> it was in many ways in high

school to high school that i went to wasn't a great high school by conventional standards, but it was a small school where teachers genuinely really care about kids. as a small school about 75 kids in the class. it was very possible to feel like you could bring about change. bill and his work on social entrepreneur should argues that the teenage years were a crucial time to let kids know that they have power, they can bring about change, and i think for me that was the sense in high school but whether that is where i first got the bug of journalism and, you know, it was exciting to be writing articles to pay for a local county paper through student government. there was this sense that even though you work with seniors or who could bring about change, that was hugely exciting, and i think that that put those fires. -- what wasn't just about learning the world, through this you could bring change so

through journalism you could do that. >> yeah, i think the international part of this really came much later. but the sense of wanting to be a changemaker if you will i think that really originated in high school with of this perception that there are levers that one can bring about change with, and it might well have been domestic, it might have been "new york times" sent me off to asia and that kind of awakened me to a lot of international issues. >> when you won the first pulitzer or was it? >> at trademark minn square. spec that very much a weakened you to the human rights questions intentions. >> just traveling around asia, you just, you know, could not help but note the reason i became engaged in human trafficking was a trip to cambodia where i certainly knew

intellectually child prostitution existed and then got to a little town where these girls who had been kidnapped or being imprisoned and their virginity was being auctioned off and it was just slavery. there's no other way to describe it. if they tried to run away the police would have grabbed them and handed them right back to the worker. you know, when you see that it's hard just to walk away from that, and move on to other subjects. >> how do you think of yourself now as the role that your mission in life? >> it really is in a sense to make people still their coffee in the morning. we in journalism i think our power is this ability to press issues on the agenda, so i look for issues that are important, but get people more aware of them that it would matter, it would make a difference. people will hold political

leaders feet to the fire to try to make a difference. we can embarrass leaders. and so i look for those kind of issues and try to project them. i also frankly look for issues where -- since i tend to be fairly liberal, riding i have probably little influence over conservatives. they're going to often discount me. where i take a more conservative view -- than liberals will hear me out. you know, and so i look for those issues where i take a somewhat counter intuitive stand, and then in those cases i think again, one can have some influence. >> although it is true that the evangelicals care deeply about poverty as you do. >> absolutely. >> the two of you may find common ground. >> absolutely. i think one of the things that i periodically have written is that, you know, on issues like trafficking for example, when you're only going to make

progress if the secular leche works with the religious right and they both agree -- and both do great work on issues like trafficking, like aids, but because of this deep suspicion between them, they don't cooperate as much as they should. and liberals and democrats haven't been nearly enough credit to president bush on his aides work. huge credit of the bush administration and i think it's fantastic, the best part of his legacy. post presidency and on aids and global health and that is something that we should be saluting. >> thank you. >> childhood in egypt coming here at the age of 23, how were your fires lit? how did you become the sort of driving force that you become? >> i think in my case it's much more modest than nick. what was driving my generation that time in egypt, the

education system in egypt was excellent at that time. >> it was excellent? >> it was excellent to the i went to the university of alexandria for example. i received a very valuable education there. and the country as a whole was dreaming at the time. >> give us a sense of what those years were. >> this was indeed 60's and the country was dreaming and also to make the cities and the like as a boy growing up in egypt they were dreaming that's number one, and number two reseeding is very good education. i for example have a scholarship. in egypt and in public it's free but in addition very this title which was the equivalent of a university graduate. if you are among the top students in the university so it

was a wonderful ethnicity around here to try to meet you think; vision at the time is to require knowledge at the university of alexandria, and so this was really sort of not harvard of the time or any of that, but i did work hard for it. i had the passion for knowledge and that's what i told mike. >> where did that come from? was it just in eight? >> to be honest with you, i think it's something but we are born live somewhere. i think that by teachers, by our parents, by the environment we are in, but i think most people i know who reach somewhere have something in them in eight that allows them to dream of more than others to have a passion

for what they do. so i think my passion really at the time was limited to acquiring knowledge of the best possible way. coming to the united states was the same thing. this was after the 67 war and relations in the united states was not that great and i was very fortunate that i received a fellowship from the university of pennsylvania. and i came again to received my ph.d. and go back because i had a university position at the university of alexandria to be a professor there. and but as i overstate the american magnate turned down and i went to berkeley and then after that i received the offer from harvard to be assistant professor which was much easier than the "washington post." [laughter] but then really caltech gave me

a great opportunity that i just couldn't think of turning down and i stayed here. >> i don't want to have too long a detour but with the immigration law is at that time or in fighting for you in the immigration system that would be today? >> when i compare it to what we have right now -- when i tried to hire a postdoctoral fellow at caltech even from europe, not to say the middle east, middle east would be extremely complicated, but even from europe, it would take us a long, long time to try to get a visa and screening and the like. during my time, the university that you applied to almost guarantee for your green card so that he would apply on your behalf in order to attract the minds and to the united states. >> so, the doctors of the future may go somewhere else, may stay

somewhere else? >> i think we are really beginning to see that. for example, even my students now who came from taiwan and south korea and china are turning back in a big number actually. more than 50% are returning back to their jobs. but, i don't want to mix the two. in other words, it is important for the united states to have its own security and screen very well. but on the other hand, we cannot. in the name of the security close the door to really the best people in the world who are trying to come to the united states. >> with the one with your own jury then. so you came in and really had a passion for knowledge and you begin a scientist. and he went on to significant discoveries. but there was at some played a transition from being a scientist to being a world citizen and playing this

international role care about education, diplomacy and the like. can you help us understand that? >> i think it's because perhaps i was trying to sort of integrate the world of the have and the have nots. i came from the country but as a great civilization but it was a developing country and still is a developing country. on the other hand, i came to the most advanced country in the world. so being a citizen and a working in those environments to understand the problems and the values of those systems and i think that was the triggering point in my career to be thinking beyond science and to try to impact education and impact even the regulations that many governments especially in the middle east are things that one tries to work with in order

to change, so i think that was the government. >> it's interesting for both of you it was a passion for learning and helping to bring change if you didn't see yourself as leaders that people then you became leaders just you woke up and people sort of saw you in that relationship or saw you in that capacity rather than use seeking to be that. >> i think, you know in my case for example people especially after they think that i planned everything on a piece of paper and i knew i would get the prize and it just doesn't work this way. and i always say that if you really keep thinking about getting the nobel prize you will not get the nobel prize. you will not get the nobel prize. but i think if you just -- as you pointed out, if you just go with it and if you develop your own passion and work hard and you are focused i think there is a chance.

so it was the leadership i think. >> let me ask another question i would love to ask you. what do you think we should be learning as americans from the world about leadership? we have our own perspectives, but i find students from different countries have a very different perspective on what leadership is all out. >> for me as education. one of the things that really saddens me is that the u.s. pioneered mass education. we were on the first countries to have almost universal literacy. we were the first country to start high schools. we were one of the first countries to have widespread education, and there's been academic work which is one of the reasons the u.s. became economically preeminent was other countries in the league education we did mass education better, and then since 1970's we

saw the college of a division race and attendance and other countries especially in asia felt have surpassed that and i see that passion for education and that we of using education as a lever for change, and it seems to me that whether we are talking about new york or washington or whether we are talking about tanzania that education is the escalator out of poverty and for change and that here in this country the escalators are largely broken. >> i think that people think that american trademark in a world is the seminar and coca-cola and starbucks. and i recently wrote an op-ed about this if you look at the numbers the number one thing that the world of my years about the united states is education and science.

the number one thing almost 70% of the population, and so we are not utilizing it very well. and i think that it was part of the idea of president obama of using signs in the policy and recently and live as an envoy to the middle east from this mission to try to help boost education and science and to utilize it effectively in our foreign policy. >> you are just leaving here tonight or tomorrow for egypt >> right after year. >> it that we will make sure you catch the plane. are the two of you -- there have been some second thoughts about what is going on with the arab spring weather is turning into winter or not. are the two of you optimistic about the future of the air of -- arab spring in the near-term and long-term? >> we were just talking about this.

i was telling nick i had an offer today but not in the washington post. [laughter] >> i think the message has gotten through. [laughter] state is in the "los angeles times" but not today. and i do point out that i am very optimistic. i think quite frankly the media is not seeing it. perhaps when we are in the square and talking to the people if you know that since the fellows days in egypt that the president or the leader of the country can stay forever and now we have the first institution of change that the president would only be for 40 years that by itself to be is a major step forward or leap forward. there would be all kinds of problems. the situation that people talked about quite frankly i am not as concerned as people like to

meet. in this country we have extreme groups, we have republicans, we have democrats, that if you have a truly genuine space system, you can change the powers of the end of the leadership, so i think egypt is the right trajectory. >> so, the turnout for the islamists in egypt has not been discouraging for you? >> no, because if you have more than 60% of the e egyptian people going into the polls and trying to elect a parliament, clearly they have done much more in the previous regime in trying to help the people of egypt and this is a very important point. they were not corrupt. many of them or not. the majority of them were not. so the people look up to them at this point in time, but if they don't go forward in the coming parliament and to have a true election. >> i'm not quite as optimistic.

i was troubled by the particular and they seem to have a quarter of the vote. that surprised me. less worried about the brotherhood. but at the end of the day, and, you know, at the end of the day to the present system being led by dictators was unsustainable, it wasn't good for egypt, it wasn't good for the world. there are issues like female genital mutilation for example where the mubarak government actually did provide leadership, really discouraged more than the population, more space egypt and they will have more, but there isn't really any alternative to having the popular rule and in this country they are trying to give decisions by voters that i disagree with profoundly. the same will be true with egypt, tunisa and other countries and the point is often

made is important that one of the real things that the islamic have benefited from is that they have stumbled often quite courageously against corruption, against tyranny and have never really had to deliver electricity. we sure that water runs out of pipes and i think that is often a much harder to lynch and i think if they don't deliver on that, then the cycle will change. >> let me ask you one more question nick, one of the teams in your columns, and referred back to what jared cohen said earlier today that 52% of the world's population is 30 and under, and you talked about the importance wendy copp as a leader. you put this in your column you come down on the side of the emerging leaders, the young leaders around the world that they've become the great hope for the future. you seem to have a lot of -- both respect and growing confidence and the possibilities of the younger generation that's coming up.

>> i am a huge fan of the younger generation's and what they are doing. is the cut the students have always been activist, want to create a better world. i think that my generation, we were active, we often tried to do things that were sort of symbolic. we marched against bad things. it didn't actually accomplish all that. i think that today's people, today's kids are much more likely to go out and start some initiative instead of going out and denouncing the the literacy they are more likely to sponsor a particular school in a particular refugee camp somewhere. that isn't going to solve the global problem but for those kids and other refugee camp is going to be transformational. and i think more and more time coming to sympathize with the idea of the implemented specific changes. i, you know, i think -- i'm very

sympathetic to the occupied movement, and i think the issue of economic inequality is absolutely essential, but i think it's also important for young people to match that kind of effort to change the global system with mentoring young kids , and that is also an important lever for bringing about change but one that maybe we in the media and as a society don't adequately acknowledge. >> it's a big salute to the social entrepreneurs in the world. a last word about the younger generation? >> i think actually we are seeing in the world at large a serious problem of education and i follow this and have benefited from nick's columns, but i think we should recognize that even in this country we have problems. we have serious problems in this country and about education,

especially public schools. it is remarkable for me to see that in a country that is leading the world by science and technology constituting the majority of people with the gdp of this country, but yet students are not going to science in the united states. so we really have to work hard to transform this even in the united states. >> we thank you both for being here today but thanks for your leadership to the [applause] >> thank you very, very much. [applause] and thank you all in the audience for giving us your monday morning. thanks to the music duo the right touch. [applause] if you'd like to see photos from today's forum and share them with your friends you can "like" "washington post" life on

facebook and i think in a matter of hours the editing team will have video highlights from the discussions, and that will be found at washintonpostlive.com. now i'd like to introduce paul taro the director of this historic theater and he will make a brief closing remarks. he leaves the ford's theatre society which along with producing great theater in interpreting history seeks to explore the leadership of abraham lincoln many people see as a model of an exceptional leadership. please welcome paul. >> thank you, mary. ford's theatre is pleased to be part of today's program recognizing top american leaders. they are collaborative creative efforts to build momentum for the causes they believe in parallel the efforts of abraham lincoln, the man who is presidency and legacy we celebrate at ford. today's honorees have demonstrated an extraordinary

capacity for creating a shared sense of purpose, so too did abraham lincoln, who during what was arguably the most divided era in the nation's history, maintained the union and united the country. during his life, this theater brought relief and inspiration to president lincoln. it has offered similar respite to american leaders in the last 40 plus years since it reopened as a theater in 1968. today's awards and conversations help celebrate an exciting time for ford. in february, 2012, we will complete a project begun five years ago with the opening of our center for education and leadership, located across the street from the theater. through defense and partnerships like the one on display today, as well as through the exhibits, plays, seminars and programs, for students and teachers of all ages, we control the export and honor abraham lincoln's legacy of leadership. a legacy which resonates even

today in the words and actions of leaders across the country and around the world. in january, ford's theatre will offer necessary sacrifices, a world premiere to celebrate the new center. the play explores leadership at its most challenging throop to leaders, abraham lincoln and frederick douglass, who pushed one another to envision and shape an america that embodies the declaration that all men are created equal. the audience will be inspired by the humanity of these two men and wider understanding of what they must do, the role they must play to change the country and set an example for the world. when the new center opens, it will provide space for our education initiatives which encourage audiences and especially young people to consider what change they wish to see in the world and to express their visions eloquently. through our in and out a school programs, teachers and students develop their capacity for

leadership of all kinds. our leadership seminar for adult learners and historical examples to consider how best to leave today. speak like the president and fellows programs prieta per to etds for teachers and students in washington and around the country using videoconferencing technology to find a variety of ways to lead. i encourage all of you to return to ford's theatre and to join us in celebrating a great american leader who is influenced and continues to influence so many. finally, it's been a pleasure to host of this event this morning and we look forward to continuing this partnership with the washington post. think you all very much for coming and have a great morning. [applause] ♪

last month the house financial services subcommittee held a hearing on homeless youth and housing assistance. the heard testimony from current and former homeless children and elders the homeless children and youth act of 2011 which aims to increase the number of children who can receive housing assistance and services. this is two hours and 45 minutes. upon the subcommittee on insurance housing and community opportunity will come to order. we are having a hearing today

entitled to the homeless children and youth act of 2011. proposal to promote economic independence for homeless children and youth. i would like to welcome you all here today. first of all i would like to speak to the the judiciary committee for allowing us to hold our hearing in this room. we usually are at the financial services committee that the of doing some work to fix the walls because of the earthquake that occurred about a month ago. with that washington would have to prepare walls from earthquakes but that's the way it is and i will turn to opening statements and without objection all members opening statements will be made part of the record and i will yield myself such time. this morning everyone, and i would like to welcome our special guests on the panel one and especially the current or

former homeless children and youth also in the audience. so, welcome to you and thank you so much for being here. we hope that your first experience, i assume that's your first experience with the u.s. congress as a witness or in the audience here is a good one, one that will help many children in this country and i also like to recognize a now formerly homeless family that was featured on "60 minutes" recently, ariel come alston and their dad, tom. raise your hand so we can see where you are. thank you. thanks for being here. you know, children should not be without a home. and they would -- should not have to fight to prove that they are homeless. on this i hope we all agree, and today's hearing will examine h.r. 42, the homeless children and youth act of 2011, which will expand the mackenzie

definition of homeless persons. so that homeless children and youth and verified as homeless by other federal programs can access hud housing services. we have a unique opportunity to hear from witnesses about the bureaucratic barriers that are preventing homeless children and youth from securing hud homeless assistance. our ultimate goal is to ensure that homeless children and youth are eligible for hud unless housing and support services. secure and more stable housing as well as supportive services will help kids stay in school and avoid becoming tomorrow's homeless adults. these must be a top priority for the federal agencies that have homeless programs. federal programs are not working for the people they are intended to serve, is our job to find the flaws and reform those programs. and during the past decade, to significant reforms to the act

have been intended to help children and youth to more easily secure homeless assistance. but our work is not complete. this week the national center on family homelessness released a report revealing that one out of every 45 children in the united states is homeless. the department of education reported that student homelessness is on the rise. there are nearly 1 million homeless children in the united states, and these statistics are absolutely unacceptable. our subcommittee will work to identify the federal red tape that is standing in the we've local providers who are helping homeless children and youth to increase what they can do. we will pursue reform measures that break down those barriers. one such reform measure h.r. 32 course of committee will likely consider when we come back in

2012. with that, i would recognize the gentleman from missouri, mr. cleaver, for opening statements. >> thank you, madame chair. i would like to first of all extend a very warm welcome to the two young men and four young women who are testifying before this committee, and you are having an experience that hardly any other individual your age will ever have come and that means that you're now famous. [laughter] you can start your own reality tv show. thank you for being here. to share your own personal experiences. you can't turn on the television or go out any place during this time of year without seeing at least the attempt to create a

festive environment. this is a holiday season that generally captures the attention of just about everybody in this country. it is difficult, however, for me , having read your testimony to feel a kind of festival of atmosphere that i would normally enter during this time of the year. why? i have four children. and while i look like i'm in my 30s i actually have three grandchildren. [laughter] and it is a bit painful to read your testimony. there's nothing that can touch

my soul as much as finding pain with young people. in my real life and the united methodist pastor and from time to time, i do become involved in issues adversely affecting young people. and this testimony that i was able to read actually touched my soul and caused me to do a great deal of thinking last night as i was trying to sleep, and in my struggles last night trying to sleep after having read this, i thought to myself what about all these other kids around the country who have no place to sleep? i'm in my bed across the street.

i live in the methodist building and i am not able to sleep because i'm thinking this is terrible, and i thought about people without a place to sleep and that really created for pain. sometimes our discussions on the issues of homelessness can become extremely technical, and we become more involved in, you know, program descriptions and specifics. what we cannot lose sight. we must not lose sight of the fact that this discussion today is about real people. real stories coming in your testimony will help us to remember that. one thing we all know is that

despite the efforts we have made over the past several years, and the improvements that we have made with the harth add to that is still much that our federal agencies could do to improve coordination across programs and increase access to the services that are being provided. i think that today we will hear some valuable perspectives on how we in congress can help. and we understand that our committee chair ms. biggert's deal is intended to reduce the barriers to serve deacons services to children and youth who are in highly unstable housing situations but don't currently meet the hud definition of homeless. so we want to thank ms. biggert for her work. and, you know, very few conversations that we can have here in washington that will not include the discussion of dollars for good or bad. that's the way it goes.

and this discussion is no different so we have to acknowledge that fact that we look forward to the bible to think you have a share for what you've done and look forward to your testimony to the estimates before, mr. cleaver. gentleman from ohio, mr. stivers is recognized for three minutes. >> thank you, madame chairwoman and i would like to thank you for holding this hearing today to ensure that homeless children and youth have access to homeless assistance and services. i appreciate that. i'm pleased to welcome private first class brittany amber koon who grew up much of her childhood in arlington know how you in my district and she recently joined the united states military, the army command completed her initial service and is stationed at fort hood texas. i am looking forward to hearing her testimony today, and i want to thank her in all the witnesses for sharing their stories. one of the things that private first class koon's testimony and what is she had quote in there

that she liked the idea of taking her leadership skills to the next level to serve her country and she decided to go on active duty because she would have tried in a stable place to live. we have a lot of young folks in this country who have a lot to offer and many of them are fighting homelessness and i can tell you i am pleased to join the fight with private first class koon's and try to fight homelessness and i think i'm looking forward to hearing the testimony of all the witnesses today. i appreciate your time and looking forward to hearing your testimony and i appreciate the chairwoman for holding this hearing and looking forward to continuing the fight to make things better for young folks who are suffering from homelessness. thank you so much coming and welcome, private first class. >> thank you, mr. cleaver, you are recognized -- >> mr. george miller is here with us. he's not a member of this subcommittee, but i would ask unanimous consent to allow him to speak on this issue that he feels very strongly about.

>> without objection. >> the gentleman from massachusetts. >> is recognized for one minute. >> thank you, madame chair. thank you for having this hearing and i congratulate the young people today. i don't think this is unusual conversation, congress is not a usual place so don't think this has anything to do with most of your real life. i want to be real clear. this proposal today is a good proposal. it's something that is long overdue and i congratulate the cheerleaders and buttoning it. but also this is not going to be the final answer to ending homelessness with children or with others. the only way that this country is going to do that is to put money on the table to build more affordable housing. simple, otherwise there will be no place to go, simply getting a family into a shelter is better than not. but we can't just leave them in a shelter. that's not real advancement, that isn't real opportunity. it's better than not. but we need to build affordable

housing in this country right up the ladder. people of the bottom, people in the next rung up and the next round of and we need to make sure that those people can afford to buy a home in today's world will be able to afford to mauro by keeping mortgage rates at a reasonable level. otherwise, most world would be forced into subsidized housing if they can't get into their own home ownership. and if that happens we will never be able to build our way of it. so i want to be really clear. this is a good proposal that is long overdue that i strongly support and i look forward to passing. but as long as i'm concerned if we really want to get serious about addressing homelessness in this country, which to me, this is a national lender is not. it's a national embarrassment that we have children on the streets. it's a national lender is not that we have veterans on the street. it's a national lenders that we don't take care of some of our people with mental challenges that are also on the street. i think it doesn't speak well for us as a society. so, for me, this is a great thing. but i will to be very clear that this will not end homelessness.

the only way for us to do that as a society is to be honest about and to try to put money on the table to build more affordable housing so that people will be able to move up the ladder on their own. i yield back the remainder of my time. >> thank you. mr. green from texas, you are recognized for two minutes. >> thank you, madame chair. please, permit me, madam chair, to thank you for hosting this hearing. it is without a question one of the most important hearings that we will have and one of the most important hearings i think that i have been a party to. so, i am grateful that you have happened to the to have the position and the foresight to cause us to visit these issues. i would like to concur with my colleagues who have stressed the importance of the issue. i would also want to stress the importance of the fact that we

can solve the problem. it is not something that is beyond our ability to resolve. so the question isn't really whether there is a way to resolve this issue of homelessness, our young people. the question is really whether we have the will. do we have the will to do? if we would only have the will, this country which prides itself on its future will take charge and make sure that the future continues to be polite for all of our children. i think you and i yield back the balance of my time. >> thank you mr. green we are joined by ranking member miller member of the education and work force committee thank you for joining us and you are recognized for four minutes.

>> thank you the measurements be it for holding this hearing on such a critical issue facing the nation today. i want to think for your leadership on this issue and the connections of work force you been a champion of homeless children and families and it's been a pleasure to partner with you on such important issues. i also want to thank all of the young people that are here to tell their stories today to the committee and to the congress. i can't tell you how important the congress hears directly on the realities that you and your families because of the lack of adequate housing. i served on the education committee for my entire time in public office and by what a dramatic impact and mobility can have on the student's education public schools have a unique perspective on socially and economic issues like homelessness other community service organizations school see the full range of children without housing, not just children and youth to make it into a shelter, they see kids moving from place to place come from couch to basement, car to a motel and to another couch. none of these places should be considered a home. we know that the homelessness per kids at risk at much higher

-- risk of educational failure. students without stable housing have more attendance problems and they don't do as well in schools. student homelessness is also often overlooked as a contributes to the nation's drought crisis. without an education, these students will have more difficult time to of teen jobs that pay decent wages and are likely to experience homelessness as an adult. federal litigation laws through the biggert act to the to -- mckinney-vento act enquires them and keeping students and the same school when it is in their best interest in providing transportation and immediately enrolling them in new schools. however, education is only part of the answer. in order for homeless students to succeed in schools, they must receive housing and other supportive services that will stabilize the situation and enable them to concentrate on their education. and fortunately, schools face six barriers on the trip to reverted to that part of housing and urban development homeless programs because of the difference in the definition of homeless. this prevents kids from getting services they need and limits

community collaboration could and perhaps equally disturbing, this mismatch in the definition also keeps the to scale of the children and the homelessness hidden from view. h.r. 32 is similar to legislation enacted by the educational work force committee the child nutrition and how your education act. both of these help homeless kids get services for their programs by taking advantage of a plan to people in the public schools. similarly, h.r. 30 to get rid of the interagency barriers by allowing school districts and the a song's and others in federal and child youth programs to verify children and youth and the homeless services. these are absolutely critical, the escort mission collaboration and availability to be made acceptable within until ought of the country so that these children will not have these artificial barriers put up to civility and other residencies and stability in their educational attainment and stability in their family life so that they can continue to seek and to successfully

complete their educational opportunities in this country and i want to thank you again, madam chair, following this hearing and again, thank you to the students we are going to hear from. >> thank you very much. and now, we will introduce all the panel members and then we will come back and each half five minutes around that time to your statement we will start with first of all over your behalf brandon's people from chicago, illinois triet next is rumi kahn, sixth grade lambert middle school in carlisle, pennsylvania. thank you for being here. and brittany amber koon, pfc, fort hood texas. thank you for being here. and ms. bruck pastor, seventh agreed william pact middle school shirley, new york. think you for being here also. destiny raynor, ninth grade,

winter springs high school in stamford florida. a little cold here isn't it compared to that. and then and i don't know if i will say this firstname right, starnika? starnica rodgers come winter schools high school in samford florida. i'm sorry, ms. starnica rodgers, truman college, chicago illinois. thank you for being here. with that, without objection, your written statements will be a part of the record and you will each be recognized for five minutes summary of your testimony. so, we will start with you, brandon dunlap. >> good morning. thank you for having me here today to testify in support of h.r. 32. i am from chicago illinois. i graduated from kendal college and currently work in the food and beverage department of the union league club. i am proud of what i've

accomplished so far, but it's been very difficult. a safe and secure place to live would have then -- would have been very helpful to me in many ways. for most of my childhood, i did not have a stable place to live. my parents have separated when i was young. after the split, my mom a mystery and i ended up living with different relatives and friends. since then, my mom got and lost a number of apartments and when we were not together, had to move from place to place. the summer before my junior year, i received a phone call just before work from my sister stating that the sheriff was there to put our things on the street. my mother was nowhere to be found. i went to work with tears in my eyes not knowing where i was going to go for the light. the tears wouldn't stop, so my manager offered for me to go home. the tears came even stronger than possible because i had no home to go to. on that night i stayed with my cousin. however, he didn't allow me to

have a key to come and go as i please and there wasn't enough room for me or even a dead. i felt -- i slept on the floor under the pool table. some nights i would travel a long distance on public transportation from school to work often in bad weather only to find my cousin was not home and i needed to find somewhere else to stay for the night. i would scramble to call different friends and family members and then get back to the bus to travel a long distance to another place to stay. i developed a rotation theory in which i would try to avoid staying in the same place two nights in a row. i had to have a plan and then a backup plan and then more plans just in case the backup plan didn't work. the time and energy it took for me to figure out where to sleep each night and travel to get their plus my job at subway left little time for homework. i face many barriers to housing in my life. my mom had issues she needed help with, but if she had steel

housing with services, she may have been able to address those issues and my homelessness could have been prevented after i was on my own high school, i could not afford my own housing. even if i could, no one would rent to a teenager. all the people in my school helped me with other things, nobody was able to help me with my living situation. i would have left some place to live that was safe, warm and consistent. a healthy place to do homework, go to school, work, eat and live my life. it would have been very difficult to verify my living situation growing up, for actual proof that an adult allowed me a homeless child to live with them for only 14 days would possibly cause some adults to feel guilty were worried that they could get in trouble. i didn't want anyone that was helping me to get tired of my presence. asking them for verification would be another burden for them. for the same reasons i would not feel comfortable asking them to

take that i moved twice with them. most people only knew what i told them about my living situation and didn't keep track of the number of days or moves. also, family members would have been reluctant to verify something that might show my parents for not caring for me. i also didn't want to risk doing anything that might involve any authorities because i didn't want them going after my parents. if in order to access housing services i had to show that i would likely be homeless for a long time, the would be difficult for me as i bedle eisel i wouldn't be homeless for too long. i'd also like to repeat something i sit in the beginning of my statement. i'm proud of life accomplished. when i was homeless, it was like the shift in the storm on the ocean. above all else, the situation has forced me to lift myself with success. however i hope that other young people do not have to go through what i went through. i hope that the situation of young people who are staying

temporarily with friends and families is considered homelessness by all government agencies and given assistance with a stable place to live. thank you for giving me the opportunity to share my experience with you today thank you so much. >> which of rumi kahn, you're recognized for ten minutes. >> good morning ms. bigger and the committee. thank you for holding this hearing so we can learn about homelessness for how we see it as kids. my name is rumi kahn and i am 11-years-old. i am in sixth grade at lambertson middle school in carlisle pennsylvania. me and my mom are homeless. we got that way because my dad was abusing me and my mom. he hit me and call me stupid and retarded. he tried to choke my mom. we left our home in june last year and went to stay in a hotel for a couple of nights. she tried to find shelter for us to stay in that they didn't have any room.

one of her friends offered to let us stay there her friend changed and got really mad, not really mean with me sometimes she was nice but never knew when she would smack her son or pull his hair. once the lady pushed me of the stairs and she was really mad at me. when my mom said something to her about pushing the of the stairs, she told my mom to leave. another friend that my mom grew up with her about our situation and invited us to stay with them. it turned out that he had a mental problem and was a big lawyer. my mom tried to get us into a shelter for families that were abused but we couldn't because of me dahuk. they don't always like me to stay there. we were in one shelter for a little while, but had a time limit such a move this into a hotel. it was really scary because drug dealers stood around outside sometimes men would not on our

door and when my mom would open at the would just look at us and my mom would try to not say anything to make them mad and tell them they had the wrong door. i didn't want anyone to know where i was staying. when the school bus drove to a soft i waited until no one would see me and then went to the hotel. another friend said she had a spare room you could stay in but then his life got that and we got kicked out. so we went and stayed at a motel for one night. it was better not being around all the fighting but we couldn't afford to stay there longer than one night. we have to change states -- we had to change states to find a place to stay. my mom rm's friend invited us to stay with her until we could find a place. it was really hard having to store all over again. we had to leave their to stay in

another hotel for a night and then we got into a safe harbor. then it was tough. it was really hard adjusting to families and different life styles. it was -- if we crossed the line for some reason, we were out. the hardest part was having to move so much in this day and so many different places. we lost everything. it affected my attitude because i lost all my friends over and over again. i was afraid to get close to people because i knew we had to move again. ..

i hope that now that we are as safe harbor we will be allowed to stay for a while and find a place to live. thank you for listening to what homeless this is like for me and my mom. >> thank you so much. we have britney can. you're recognized for five minutes. >> good morning. thank you, all the members of the committee for this up originally to share my story today. my name is britney ember kent. was born in a little house that had been the family for years until a was foreclosed on in the middle of my seventh grade year. my mom, sister, and brothers and i doubled up with a neighbor at the beginning of a long, scary jerry of instability and lonely transition. >> predicament could you bring them like a little bit closer?

thank you. >> that was the beginning of a long, scary journey of instability and a lonely transition that would be made to foster care and homelessness, but finally success as a prime number of the united states. after aging out of foster care my senior year of high school i became homeless again. i was in college, but i lived in my car and on the counter relatives and friends. housing solutions just did not really exist. i made it your first year of college, but as the year ended i was again without housing. i crashed out on the cost a garland of the party. after a couple weeks shows by all the great trees, and because she did i have a car and died it out expected to try for a turkish or ready to go. i was not able to find other housing. this happens a lot when you're doubled up. you feel indebted to the people who live in the stake, but then you take advantage of by them. they took my money into leyna had to leave. i'm 17 ellet cards at -- at bars

and nightclubs. i know it sounds dangerous, but i was making friends of the bars because that would let me come back in crash and the couches. at the time i felt thing with the speech was better, but it really wasn't. in my car was in control and not have to worry about all happen to me are people who would try to touch me when i was asleep. wondered why there was no help. as it got a call last angeles to take me to a shelter, but there was a waiting list. i decided to move them with my boyfriend. then my relationship went bad and to kick me out. i was so stressed that had to quit school for the second time. that is when i talked to the military. and decided to go active duty. i am now stationed at fort hood taxes. even though i feel more stable than i have in years, still applies to call home. and coming back from fort hood for the holidays, but i'm still. i feel that making use

documented homelessness to the people will only create problems and stress on those and more frustration with the system. none of the people i live put would have been willing to document that i was living there. there would have been suspicious and afraid of getting in trouble also, many of them i did not know what to ask. i believe that all along homeless education liaison and others to help you document the situation would be best because it would be easier for you to trust adults. most are doubled up are getting used. this is true of too many it. in fact, to support me year today danielle and shannon, because they also have been in my situation. it is very important for her and had to count doubled up yet because i don't think people realize how hard it is. if we were not counted we could never be served effectively, recognizing that there are limited resources, i would suggest increasing resources to those programs. every use could be housed, but

ignoring us has only reinforced the knowledge that a community has abandoned us and nobody cares about us. like me, you have chosen to serve your country. you here in washington and me in the field. have faith in me that i will be out there protecting you. it is my hope you will use your power here to protect you fight me. thank you for this opportunity. >> they do so much. it thinks we have broken pastor. you're recognized for five minutes. >> hello. my name is broken pastor. anton years old. i am the seventh grade at william as a mills will. i am here today with my mom and also ms. benjamin from the child home program. i've lived in over 16 places, six shelters, four times double up with many different people, and we have our own house six times. we had to go to an emergency motels -- emergency much of

rooms many of the times in between shelters and houses. i really did moving from place to place. it's so hard because you get to know people in the half to move. it made my life card. when we live with other people there were not nice to pass. we could not ask them for anything. there were mostly bad that we were there and did not want anyone else to know, especially the landlord. there would never let us say where we were. my mom couldn't tell anyone where we lived for how long. it was like being invisible. the hardest thing about living with other people is watching my mom cried because the people would yell at my mom because we did not have any money and they would yell at us to get out. it hurt me to see my mom hurting , and i couldn't do much to help her. i'm always trying to help my and your sister and brother, to

decrease the malls were project comes home from school. mom has enough to do, so i try to play with them and keep them happy so i do that at home. maybe not so much homework. i do not have time to socialize because i'm looking to see if i can help mom. i felt terror around to try to keep things going. i worrying bitter free. it's especially hard for my two year old brother because he does understand why mama's always crying. he cries to invest her not to cry. he wants mom's attention. she has to go out a lot to have work and apartments. hess test it with different people, no day care or preschool because there's no money for that transportation an

heiress. there are no services, except the parents have home program that comes to us. we are in the house now, but things are not perfect. we have a hurricane. the ceiling is still hanging in, and elan videos of my mom. and did not want to a real mess again. the only way we will never be homeless again is if my mom that a different job and offers something. she works in a restaurant and i hope that we will have 1 cent. this year my mom got her high school diploma and a driver's license. she is going to school in a few weeks to be assertive @booktv certified nurse assistant. the thing that help small go through all this is being close. the things that help us as being close to my mom, being close to god.

mom does good things for people, even we don't have enough money. and no go will help us. i would like people to know that it's different going through this the just hearing about it. never experienced being homeless. the first time hearing about it are watching. your age. there are a lot of kids going through it. thank you. >> thank you so much. we have destiny raider. your recognized for five minutes. >> hello. my name is destiny in a freshman and florida. and it today with my father and my sister. i also like to introduce it to the mets family. there are homeless in florida, too. my parents used to have a thrift shop and beauty store.

we lost housing when the economy have relief that it had to close dollar stores. both of my parents did not have a job, and it just kept looking for several months. that's when the power and water got shut off. we did not have electricity or water for six months. we had to eat at the gas station because they have a microwave. the toes no really bad because we could not flush because the water was shut off. we had to bring bucket still local church to fill with water for the toilet bowl. my parents did not want to go to a shelter and wanted to be together. after we left our home we ended up moving in with my grandmother . it's a three-bedroom mobile home, but only. a debt swap unless moscow this. my grandmother was dying of cancer, so was really hard. with our last bit of money will

move into a motel. the school district homeless coordinator mess after one week. my parents but the bill as my dad is a will to make money. only don't have the money that pays from ordinations for programs. the hardest thing about living in a motel as being on the bus and watching all of the other kids carry off. they're going to their own home and i'm going back to 01 room motel. it makes me feel really upset. pirates of planning the trip to washington i only told one friend about the situation. i was afraid that people would talk badly about the situation. i would be called poor and homeless. my teacher announced in class that we should all donate and help the homeless kids because they're poor. she was talking about me. i know how bad it feels. it is just that at any minute you can be kicked out of the much help if you do something wrong word your parents don't have the money.

you can't get to your own rooms and have your own privacy. i'm working on bringing migrates back up. once the school program started helping it made it easier and took a little weight off my shoulders. now i feel that i can focus more on my school rather than the home situation. it's still hard for me and my family. everyone is too loud in one room, and my brother always gets a headache. he did so much more aggravated. my parents have no personal bonding time anymore. they're always busy making sure we are taking care of and they have enough money to pay for the room. i see my dad tried more than i have in my entire life. when i see my father cry it hurts me a lot because i know if he is trying his best and that it still isn't good enough. makes me feel scared like we will never get out. last week he went the whole week without getting a job, and it

was horrible. the family in transition program from the school was the biggest relief because they help so much. they help set up a school bus to my parents would have to stress of reckoning is to school, this up for a free breakfast and lunch program and said this up for a backpack program. every thursday our backpacks are filled with food. our footsteps did not cover the whole month, and we would always run out the last two weeks. there are some programs that provide housing help, but we don't qualify because my dad does not have a regular job and it is not make enough money. when that pays for the a hotel room where are considered homeless. when he can we are. that doesn't make any sense to me. is the same hotel room, and it is hard to live in an area in a matter. will we really need is a home of our own. since two nights ago that has not happened. because of the 60 minutes' segment our community has come together and provided my family with the home. i now know that my family's

basic needs will be met and i could concentrate on what is really important to my education. my prayer for today is that not only has the community stepped up for us but now for our government to stand up for us as well and help all of the other homeless children so that they can a home as well. becky for the up to the to be here today. >> they do so much for your testimony. we have been joined by another member from illinois, danny davis said. without objection. so ordered. now, we have taken rogers. you're recognized for five minutes. >> it morning, everyone. i am 18 years old. i have lived in chicago my whole life. thank you for the opportunity to

testify here today. it is a true honor. currently i'm a student at truman college. i just finished my first semester and received a one day into bees. i am also eight months pregnant, and i'm expecting a baby boy next month. don't worry, i checked with my doctor and she said it safe to fly. right now i am staying in a shelter for parents 18 of chicago's north side. it is run by the night ministry. when i first got here i was very nervous. i was worried about being in a new environment. but now i realize that everyone is here for the same reason. we're all homeless and alone. since i have been here i have found some support from other girls and stuff. they helped me with my homework and found close for mitt where a school. they're helping me find a more permanent place to live. i have been homeless on and off my whole life.

my mom was a single mother with four kids and has worked minimum-wage jobs for whole life i remember watching my mother struggle to pay the rent and as having to go to a shelter when i was five. now, live to be better. as i grew up my mom and i started getting into a lot of fights. she was verbally abusive to me, and sometimes physically abusive . by that time i was 16 and had to leave for my own safety. their i was 16 and homeless. i went from house to house staying for two or three days of the family members house is not knowing where i was going to end up. throughout the struggle i was dedicated to graduating high-school no matter what. i worked with the mckinny counselors so that i could get free transportation to the school. i graduated this year, and i am very proud of that accomplishment. i am now in college, on the

dollar team and i was elected to student senate. i will graduate college no matter how hard the obstacles may be. know that i will be able to get a good paying job with the guaranteed salary. my dream is to be a social worker to a social worker to help people going through this astros i have faced. right now i am working into a transitional program also run by the night ministry. the program receives federal hud funding, but there is not enough housing programs in chicago for people like me. before i got into the program i had to call over 25 different programs, but they were all with the wait list. i have had to struggle my whole life to find a place to call home. i hope that you will understand how important federal housing is

without these pro grams i know that i wouldn't be it will to attend college. i would be too busy worrying about where was going to stay every night. thank you for listening to my story, and thank you for the supporting programs that help me. i hope you will think about that 10,000 youth in chicago who are homeless or the teens a new tender don't know where they're going to sleep tonight. our country should give more money to programs that help homeless use so we can be able to break the cycle of homelessness and become successful adults. thank you. >> thank you so much, and thank you all for your compelling testimony. i don't know, this must be your first time testifying, but i think you have a career. it's very good. we're not going to have questions from the members of

congress. we will each take five minutes to ask questions, and i'll deal myself five minutes to start. brandon, if i might collier brandon, you said you were concerned about the documentation requirements, and that think you said that in order for you to be successful to access housing services he had to show that you would be homeless for a long time. it does that kind of -- okay. >> sixty days, if i'm not mistaken, or 14 days from more than one place. that would be really inconvenience to put on the person i was staying with. that did not want so overstand welcome. i was already asking a huge favor. documentation i think would be -- but did not want to jeopardize my situation.

>> certainly did not want to be homeless for a long time. the piece to feet -- it defeats the purpose of helping. and then you also said that in school there really recognize the homeless and provided the service. that has been mentioned a couple of times. were trying to the -- we have already worked with the schools on the definition there. we are really trying to move this end to the health and human services and hud to provide such help. why does the school seemed to have the ability to help homeless? >> the teachers would be able to recognize certain patterns. and no representative from head knew my situation. i wouldn't tell them a fast because i didn't know this person.

a school of familiar with the teachers. the teacher asked and showed genuine concern, which share information. >> thank you. and then you testified and found safe harbor. could you tell us a little bit more about safe harbor and how you got into that and what it means steve. >> well, my mom when i came in and ask for a place to stay. they gave us room on the emergency site for a little while. >> two is day? >> safe harbor. safe harbor gave less a place to stay which is of the emergency side. we stayed there for a little while and then they get to move a sub two : like, where we -- transitional site. and it's like a little apartment we have our own space in their own room.

it feels very safe. sometimes i don't feel homeless because i do have a roof over my head. my mom and i together, and we have neighbors and friends. >> how did you find safe harbor? >> was he recommended to you? >> yes. >> that was fortunate. >> yes. >> thank you. and brooklyn, you said that your mother know is going to school, has a diploma and a driver's license and is going to train to be a nurse assistants. who helps you -- your mother during the hardest times and how does she figured out how to do that? >> i would say ms. benjamin help

those. >> can you pull that a little bit closer to. >> ms. benjamin help this. >> what kind of help to you wish your mother had when you were moving between places? >> i don't know. i just wish like because she was always there for everyone else, even when we didn't have it. and i wish that they would do the same for her when we needed help, but they didn't. >> thank you. and then britney, you certainly had some bad experiences. but it seems like you're wearing the uniform and everything. things have really straightened out for you. >> yes, ma'am. >> in your statement said that ignoring news has only reinforced our knowledge that our community has abandoned us and that nobody cares about us. do you still, as you have moved

on, are you -- do you still feel the way? >> honestly, yes, i do. >> okay. thank you. my time has expired. you're recognized for five minutes. >> thank you, madam share. i really have reservations about asking you a lot of questions or any for that matter. in my state of missouri we have approximately 24,000 homeless children, which means to me at least they're is a certain level of and visibility, and some of you kind of mentioned it. you try to stay under their radar. you don't want to be noticed. i'm wondering as you have struggled have you met other young people who were in your same situation?

and if so, how -- i mean, was there any attempt to measure each other's situation to see if there was a place or a way to get help? any of you that all the others in your sense situation? >> which even promotes the whole issue that it's probably more severe, the visibility. it would not want anybody to know. >> yes. i'm actually in a program now with several other grows in my situation. and we all connected. okay. how did you get here? did you call other resources that may be turned you down or that we can get in because we're all in the san situation. well, we are. we are either pregnant or have a child, so the program that they were into, we just passed. okay. could we get into those

programs? the answer was always know. this is probably the best way for us to go, to stay in the shelter. >> one final question. my wife and nine ticket a.m. and at captain and actually sentiment to school with their kids, our twin boys. he was later killed in a crash in the everglades. but the one thing that we discovered was that he had never been to a dentist. he had never been to a doctor for some obvious reasons. i don't want to get into the details, but i am wondering how much health care behind going to dentists or getting checkups.

anybody? >> as its silo was well taken care of, but as the years go on i don't recall ever really going to the doctor. it's a question of how i got passed the physical. and just, no doctor visits, and the dentists. >> i have also, i get to the doctor of the dentist. >> i didn't have a lot of health care, but i had to go to a lot of work to the dentist in order to get into the army. >> thank you very much. i yield back the balance of my time. >> thank you. it is live from ohio. >> thank you so much. i think many of you mentioned in your testimony, brandy and britney and destiny all talked a little bit -- maybe it was

brooklyn, about craze and how your housing situation really impacted your schooling and your ability to continue with your education. can you just help me understand? can change the course of your life and-wake because you don't get the education you are pursuing our you don't get as good an education. any of you want to expound upon the sort of impact in connection between your experience when you were homeless are having to jump between home and home and what it did to your school work in their abilities to ready yourself for your future. >> it was very difficult to study given the fact debt low long-distance problem and maybe it travel again. it was not, no real time for

homework. it was a lot of planning. okay. it's late now. i have to go to sleep. class starts today. >> it's hard for me because i lack sleep. when we were moving it was reburied stressing untiring . slade of -- staying up late. my schoolwork because i could not focus in school. mcrae said gone down a little bit, but i'm trying to go to sleep earlier have been my grades up seconded days. >> it affects you that when you're sitting in class your word of a worrier going to go after, where your going to eat, you're going to get your homework done. half the time you don't have internet access. you might not have a pencil sharpener commander word about

the farm going to be safe, was going to happen. to have the gas to get back to school? to the sleep of the school parking lot of the comes back to my door with me up? euros word about something. >> in high school it was harder than college. the people that i grew up with demand it was hard to let them know that i was homeless or that i needed help. but in college i had more help but the shelter them living in. i give more help with my essays. in high-school had it honors english, so i had to do a lot of paper, and i did have a lot of equipment that needed. at the school program that i was involved than they did help needed. but going on to college i go a lot more support at the shelter live dead, but when i was almost my grades where maybe decencies. i was barely passing in a

school. i get a's and b's. that was my first semester. >> and i think many of you talk about the requirement of documentation. i think the question was asked before, but obviously that came out in multiple testimonies from you. i think that's something that would need to take a pretty serious look at because obviously at the brendan did a good job of explaining how it created a hassle on the people that we're trying to -- a la the broader out. so i know that something else we need to take a serious look at. are there any other specific issues that you think we should take a serious look at? think the chair will miss bill addresses a lot of things it will help homeless youths. does anybody have any other things like that through the system that you experienced? >> when you live in a motel, if you can pay for it at least for

14 days your not categorize thomas. but that is still buy your home because, like i mentioned, at any moment you can be kicked out for a thing. we had a lot of help from death. when someone for you are homeless, but if you compare for for 14 days are not. it's the same room. it's not your home. you don't have your own privacy, you're all crammed in one room. that makes no sense because is the same place. i think there should be changed. >> thank you. and i appreciate your time. it looks like my time is almost expired. really appreciate you sharing your story and experiences with us. we're going to work hard to do the best that we can to help. thank you so much and i yield back. >> thank you. ms. waters, do you have any questions? >> thank you very much.

>> i would like to a first thank all of worry and panelists who are here today for coming to share your story so that we could be better informed and know how best to use our public policy and forms to do much better that we are doing about homelessness. i would like to share with you the recently i decided to walk through the system in los angeles, and what i saw disturbs me greatly. i did not think the system is working the way we think they are. and for the last three or four weeks i've been trying to get the family, a mother with three children a place. transitional between apartments and housing, and have not been

able to. of gone to the big agency, and i am confronting them and how the systems are now working, and i think that the members of this committee and one under her leader here, we should all not just visit shelters and sit down and talk with people who are supposed to be implementing what we think is public policy. we have to walk through the system with people who require shelters and are transitional housing or permanent housing. i discovered that this mother with three children was being asked for all kinds of documentation before she could get into the shelter. they wanted the birth certificates of all the kids, which is unreasonable. and some other documentation that they were asking for. so let me just say you that priority on my list of how i

spend my time will be to try to correct some of these problems that have been discovered. they had to be in by 4:00 or they lose their bed. this person had stayed out until five, so i had to put him in my car and taken back. i wanted him to be sheltered despite the fact that he had missed by one hour. and it goes on and on and on, so going through. one question i may follow upon, and that is i am very concerned about what you're trying to get into permanent housing, your families, what is happening with their education in school? because long distances, many of our homeless young people a long distances from the school. would it help if somehow we could put something in the system that would require to bring every shelter with their

children? what kind of assistance could help by your families are working on getting permanent housing? do you have any suggestions on what you could do tear up those give support to the you don't fall behind and get bad grades simply because you can't sleep at night, have a situation where you don't feel safe or there is noise? would tutoring help? someone on site or places where you have numbers of young people would it help to try and get some assistance from the school district to have teachers on-site? with any of that help? >> to during what help of lot. and i also feel that someone trained to deal with children and high stress situations would also help.

>> i think transportation to school would help a lot because i ride my bike to school, and it's very tiring. i get to school very exhausted. my legs hurt. >> how many schools have you gone to? stories about young people got three, four, five schools in the year. if you heard that? >> yes. i actually tried to stay at the same school, which i should now done because i miss too many days going from house to house. i was going from the south side to the west side. i should a transfer schools, but i knew that i wasn't going to be on the sell side for long. so either way it was hard. och. >> so if you had a teacher or tutor that was in the area of the sheltered who could keep you on track and so you could get in a permanent place so you would not lose time or lose grades,

would that help? >> yes, that would help a lot, and it would especially help for high-school students because i know the class is that are mandatory, those of the class is i need help with the most. those of the class is that the tutors to help with. >> said there was a teacher who was helping you and that could help to transfer your work to your permanent school once you got permanent placement and be an advocate and a support person , that would be helpful? >> yes. >> thank you very much. >> thank you. the first thing that we did work on in this whole issue was the education and to make sure. this was put into notes out left behind and it was to make sure that no homeless child was turned away from school and we did not have to have the record. did not have to have your grades , but you could be enrolled immediately.

in school where you were homeless living at the time or were you had been in school, and i know that it took several years, and this was under mr. miller's committee of the time. >> will the gentle lady yield for a second. >> yes. >> it just was that -- go ahead. >> i just wanted to add to that, that is absolutely very helpful, but the real problem is the number of schools that the young people end up going to while they're homeless. they lose credits. having to switch so often. your absolutely right. we did add transportation. that took a long time to get that end, but i think you're absolutely right that we should really look at the tutor, the teacher actually at the shelters that would go through head.

is something we shall look at. >> thank you very much. mr. green, you're recognized for five minutes. >> thank you very much. madame chair, i also would like to thank the ranking member of the mr. gutierrez for his efforts in these areas as well. i am very concerned about your indication you were homeless but did not want anyone to know the you were homeless. and a understand why. yellow spoken quite well, and let me compliment you. it took a lot of courage and to do as well as you have, and that thank you for the courage they you have exhibited today. but you all said that you did not want people to know.

was there a new on any of the school campuses whatever for someone who's had some degree of responsibility to work with you and help you from the campus, the school campus, did anyone, a counselor anyone on the campus that you were able to work with. >> there were counselors on staff at school, but i did speak with them until i had one exit from someone they did not work at the school. >> until you had -- the dca connection. >> yes. rhonda per one help me get scholarships and introduced me to the coalition to the homeless. from that point on, that's when i helped to the counselor and my high-school. but he didn't tell.

>> was there any al reached? did you feel that you were in an environment where a new kid go to someone at the school and say we need help? >> we have this situation, and a just wanted to talk to someone, did any of you feel that there was any avenue, in the means available for you to do this? >> i personally did not reach out because i didn't want any authorities going after my parents. >> yes, ma'am. >> we had a coordinator. he's actually year today. she is helping with the few hundred families, helping them with food, places to stay, making sure they keep up with their education. if it wasn't for her i would still be staying at a motel, and my grades was still be horrible. a bicycle we don't have any one

on campus really that helps, but they're is a lot of kids there. we had a program. everyone got to have a free lunch. we have hundreds and hundreds of kids that came because there were homeless, and there is no one of the school to help the, but most of the kids don't want everyone to know. and there is no point in telling people if nothing is going to happen. >> thank you. >> ms. rogers. >> i actually did not feel comfortable telling everybody that i was homeless because i knew that they would want to look get me different. i was afraid that it would get out in all school and that was going to have to transfer because the people was looking down on me. but i did talk to one lady who came up to the school and who got me into the mckinney pinto program. they gave me a bus card so i could get to school, and they noticed me that i was homeless

because of my attendance coming in late. i was doing all the work in getting good grades above my attendance was affecting my grades. so they actually came to me, but i didn't actually tell not one person my whole story. >> yes, ms. kuhn. >> it's not always about that you don't want to share because i'm very open. it's just that society puts a label on you. i was talking to people in my unit. they asked me what i was going to d.c. for and i let them know in the last of me. they say you can't get to the army if you're the white. wire you going to this expense of college? that's not possible. people label you based on what you're doing with what you have. >> yes, sir. >> also i haven't gone to my friends because i'm in paris and i am afraid they're going to make fun of me because they have everything and i'm homeless.

and it's kind of embarrassing for me. i don't go to the counselor at my school, but when me and my mom went to a counselor and she was supposed to come to the school every other week or something and she's never come. and i can share with anybody but my mom. >> thank you very much. madame chair, i just think how will close with this. we all have a duty to do all we can, even if it's not enough. we have a duty to do what we can . and from my perch i am convinced that we are not doing enough. there is more that we can do that we're not doing. and while we have addressed the young people who have spoken, i do want to thank the adults who can't today, who are with them, whether you are a mother, father

, brother, significant other, whenever. a just want to thank you for several you're playing in helping us to a give these young people a brighter future. in with this so yield back the balance of my time. thank you. >> thank you, and let me to say that we are very happy they you have told us because you have not been afraid to come to the u.s. congress because things are going to change. as we are working on this bill. he had given us more to put into it, so we really appreciate that . mr. miller, you're recognized for five minutes. >> thank you very much, madame chair. we certainly begin by thanking you so much for coming and sharing your stories with us as members of congress. the legislation is under consideration this morning, really designed to address many of the things you've mentioned.

some parts of the federal law already do that, and other parts are inconsistent with that, and we are trying to remove those barriers so that it's easier for you and your parents and counselors to access the services the you need all you and your family members are homeless. so that's our goal, to address exactly what you told us in person here, but i think it's very important that we hear from you. and i want to tell you, all of you just exhibit a remarkable strength and maturity beyond your years, and the recognize that adverse situations make you grow very fast. that's unfortunate. you have obviously responded to help other members of the family in this same situation. it's an exhibition of strength and character that sometimes we

don't always see. also i want to just commend you for your own achievement in school, as difficult as it's been, and it's been ups and downs, but you have persevered. and you should really feel very good about yourselves and certainly we feel very good about your willingness to come here and to demonstrate to us that it will be easier for you and your families and other homeless children. on the other side of this ledger and education, we have put many provisions of law to try it said deduce the barriers and the obstacles of you getting services and schools, transportation and counselors that the required. to again, when go to some of the housing agencies and they find that there are barriers. we're trying to reduce those.

hopefully your testimony will turn out to be very valuable in hopeful. and you look back and remember this when you made this kind of contribution on behalf of others there will be homeless in the future. so i hope you take that away from this hearing. thank you again so very much and obviously are very best wishes for you and your family and the circumstances for a better. thank you. >> the gentleman yield back. >> i yield back. >> the gentleman from illinois, mr. davis you're recognized for five minutes. >> thank you very much. let me first of all for nellie calling this hearing, but certainly giving me the opportunity to participate, though on not a member of this particular committee. i also want to commend you, we get an opportunity to ride back and forth together on the airplane. sometimes we even get seated in

the same row, and i want to commend you for your passion and your sensitivity to this issue. i know of a firsthand because we do get a chance to talk, and i'm aware of how high you hold us as a priority and the work they have done over the years. so i thank you very much for that. i also want to the command representative miller for the he has provided as chairman and now ranking member of the education committee trying to make sure that we merge together the housing and social service needs with the educational needs of students who are homeless. i want to commend all the witnesses.

i've been totally intrigued by your testimony and appreciate your level of understanding and recognition of where our country not only is the where we need to go. particularly i want to welcome brandon. is from chicago where i come from. i think the night ministry, which have very familiar with is one of the most innovative and creative the we have heard about, read about, participated with, observed what it does, not only with homeless youth but with other homeless individuals. we are fortunate that the coalition for the homeless has been one of the most effective advocacy groups for our homeless persons in this country, at

least for the last 20 years. and so i would commend them. brendan, did not get a chance to hear your testimony. unfortunately. are you associated with a program? what program are you connected with? >> i'm here with the coalition for the homeless. >> all right. so you are connected with the coalition for the homeless, and i'm sure you can verify what i said because not only today -- pinpoint the need for services, but there are so inspirational in terms of their approaches to doing. where do you get your health care? >> everything was connected with the night ministry. they recommended me. >> is it a clinic?

>> it's a clinic. >> the school this clinic. >> is not a school based credit, but it is -- is a community health center? >> is the same. >> it's a team health clinic. i think also it does fantastic work. i am just delighted that you all came to share with us. chicago is somewhat fortunate. college where you attend, which is a part of the city college system does, in fact, how low level of sensitivity to all kinds. it is also a college that is a united nations and students. and so they pay particular attention to the needs of young people, the needs of your students, and they are located in an area where i think individuals from every race,

creed, nationality, color, everybody lives in downtown, in the area where it's located. a think that helps. chicago board of education has tried. i happen to be very much aware of what they do because the woman who directed the homeless program for several years happen to have been my sisters classmate in college. i became very familiar with them the one question that i wanted to ask, did you know of the homeless and people who have not been able to connect to with this program? >> yes. >> so you know young people who have not connected to a program or service? >> yes. >> brandon, do you know young people who -- a few.

>> if you. >> send that kind of projects and indication that we not only need the legislation, but we also need to make sure that there is adequate funding for the programs that are authorized. again, i think you all for coming, for your participation, and i think you, madam chairman, for your doing this in for the opportunity to be here, and i yield back. >> thank-you. we have a second panel, but i have just one question. the people of like the second round, keep it to two minutes. he talked about the fact that you and your mother turned away from shelter because you were an older boy. i think that destiny, you talked

about the fact that point to a shelter you were afraid you're going to split up the family. i wanted to come back to that. if you could explain a little bit more. and i know that this is the truth, the for this before. they don't want to take cubans -- taken older boys. what happened? one. >> it has happened. like in safe harbor. they don't accept older males are single males. i guess it is because they don't want to start relationships. that's happened to me, and i'm not sure why it happened. >> destiny. >> most of the shelters down in florida, they separate the males

and females not depending on the aids. we'll lead to stay together because it would separate by your brother. then several shelter. me my shelter and my mom. we didn't want that to happen. >> well, a family that has the father and two daughters their young. >> there would be separated. the children would go to a different shelter, and i guess the leaders of the shelter would take care of them. >> well, will look into this too. >> do you have anything? >> thank you, i will be brief. i just wanted to say to brandy and britney in brooklyn, how proud we are of you and what a great job you did it your testimony. we are proud of your accomplishments, your college

graduation. their perseverance in their passion. of want to share just a really quick story so you understand that while homelessness affects a lot of people, it certainly does not have to get in your way. we have a colleague, a good friend of mine from detroit, michigan who was homeless. after his homelessness he went on to college and became a state representative, state senator. now he's a member of congress. you have bright futures, a lot of for our society. we as a society and institution here need to do a better job of trying to help get folks the resources they need, and that's what i think the chairman is thrilled about command and looking for to supporting that. appreciate your testimony today, and we're going to take it and try to address the situation is

brought up. i just wanted to make sure you know how proud of you we all are. thank you. >> thank-you. >> just a brief comment. i think these young people have given us an opportunity today to understand that this is not a problem for democrats or republicans or conservatives will liberals. this is an american problem. it deserves an american solution i look forward to working with you to reach the solution. >> mr. miller. >> okay. >> thank you. mr. davis. >> the only thing i would sarah weber, mother when i was a young person problems are like babies, the more you nursed the more

they grow, and it's not always what your problem does for you. it's a matter of what you do with what could have been your problem. i think you are all well on the way to not having problems but having solutions. thank you very much. .. [inaudible conversations]

[inaudible conversations] >> i know it's going to be hard to top that and all, but thank you off for being here and i will now introduce the second panel. first we have ms. alicia puente

cackley, director of financial markets and community that is u.s. government accountability office. mr. seth diamond come u.s. department of homeless this. ms. maria estella garza, homeless liaison for san antonio independent all-district. mr. mark johnson, deputy assistant secretary for special needs, office of community planning and development, u.s. department of housing and urban development, currently known as type. ms. barbara poppy council on homelessness. dr. chris whitney, director of connecticut headstart state collaboration office,

connecticut state department of education. thank you all for being here. you'll be recognized for five minutes and we will start with ms. cackley. >> german baker to members of the subcommittee, good morning or maybe good afternoon almost. i am pleased to be here to participate on children's homeless in the good sense of spirit indicates 22% of children in the u.s. lived in poverty in 2010 and department of education identified nearly 900 or 8000 homeless students during the 2009, 2010 school year, an 18% increase since 2007, 2008 school year. most all federal agencies that metaprograms to address the needs of children and family is different definitions determine eligibility. definitions range from people living in emergency or transitional shelters or on the street to those living with others because of economic hardship or living in motels or campgrounds because they lack

other adequate accommodations. my statement today is based on gds chain 2010 report on differences in the federal definitions of homelessness and other factors that impact effectiveness of programs serving persons experiencing homeless guys. and that report, we found the definitional difference is that those challenges to providing services for persons experiencing homelessness, including children and youth. in particular, children and youth in certain precarious situation such as doubling up with others are living in that house historically were excluded from receiving government funded housing services and we certainly heard about that this morning. and our work we also found the data collected on the helmets have a number of shortcomings and consequently do not fully capture the true extent and nature of homelessness. further, counts of homeless children and youth valued patrons a partly because of various federal programs have used different definitions. congress enacted the homeless emergency assistance and rapid

transition to housing act of 2009, the horror factor which brought the general definition of homelessness and provided greater statutory specificity concerning those who should be considered. last month, had issued a new girl on the definition of homelessness, adding a new category, unaccompanied youth and families of children and youth defined as homeless under other federal statutes. the hard fact and has recent definitional changes may alleviate some challenges previously faced by children and youth in accessing services. in particular, some who previously were not considered homeless by hud will now qualify as homeless. however, not enough time is past for us to assess the impact of these changes and the broadening of the definition does not mean everyone who meets the new definition will be entitled to benefits in all homelessness programs. constraints on resources will continue to restrict access to housing services for many children and youth. another finding in 2010 report was that different definitions of homelessness make effective

collaboration across federal program it difficult based in our work, we recommend federal agencies develop a common vocabulary for homelessness. the agencies agreed with their recommendations and have taken some steps towards implementing them. for example, in january of this here come the interagency council convened a meeting of experts to discuss development of a common vocabulary and issued a report to congress in june that summarize the feedback was he during that meeting. the report notes that a common vocabulary would allow agencies to better measure the scope and dimensions of homelessness in the east program implementation and coordination. recently come interagency council staff told us that they held three meetings this fall to discuss implementation of common vocabulary and data standard with key federal agencies. the interagency council also noted that individual federal agencies have taken some path to the steps to create this common data standards and improve court

nation press agencies. our example, hhs and va have been working with had to plan a potential transition of some data collection and reporting to have homelessness management information system. to sum up, we believe a common vocabulary and data standards used by all federal agencies to provide services for the homeless is an important step towards the goal of providing efficient and effect its programs and homelessness. a buffer collection of consistent data that agencies could use to better understand the nature of homelessness and would allow for more effective communication and collaboration across federal, state and local programs that serve the homeless. german baker, this concludes my prepared statement. i'd be happy to respond to statements. >> tinny mix-and-match. mr. dimond county recognized for five minutes. >> i am pleased to be with you today to discuss new york city's ongoing efforts to prevent human homelessness and to work with those who are homeless to return to the community as quickly as

possible. new york city's approach mirrors present him as federal strategic plan to prevent and end homelessness and emphasizes preventing homelessness come increasing economic security through employment, improving access to mainstream programs and improving the health and stability of vulnerable populations. as we heard so powerfully this morning, shelter can be particularly difficult for children, many of whom have to leave their school and community day no one coming into the shelter system. there are 16,500 children in york city shelter system and work closely with all of our families to ensure we can bring as much stability as is possible into the lives of children living in shelter. the most important service we can provide for children is to make sure they are enrolled in school and are attending each day. we recognize that teachers and education department officials are critical in those efforts. we try to place families in the

shelter as close as possible to the school were the youngest child is enrolled in half from the city's department of education is located at her family and take center to assist families and enroll children in a new school defections out to be necessary. once families are placed in shelter, education staff collaborates to shelter-based staff to ensure children have transportation to reach school. we've also begun to provide attendance data to shelters that they can track how children are attending school and work with families where attendance is an issue. we've also established hallmark rooms and shelters as a quiet place for students to work and receive tutoring from the many not-for-profit organizations that partner with us. it is far better for families not to be in shelter at all. to help those already in shelter, we work to increase our employment efforts in this year alone, 7500 shelter households have moved into jobs providing not only in combat greater stability. for those at risk of

homelessness, new york city prevents homelessness primarily through a network of 13 prevention offices called homebase, located throughout the city. these offices use a range of services in their efforts to fight homelessness. among the services is a close court nation with local schools. home based as regular presentations to parents and teacher groups and school officials said they become aware that a family is dealing with housing issues and can be referred for services. service mix that homebase offers is different in each case, but our offices are operated under two and working principles. first, those who ask for assistance must take concrete and verifiable steps to improve the situation and assistance is contingent on their taking those steps. individual circuit with a caseworker must design a plan to address the circumstances that put them at risk of homelessness and put that plan into action. the plan might include, for

example, an aggressive job search, looking for new apartment are attending financial counseling. second, if called for the opener report, homebase is an evidence-based effort where we continuously and rigorously review our work to make sure it is efficient and he is. especially at time of limited resources, is critical or services be on solid and reliable data. home-based meets that test and its programs are continually evaluated to both ensure we are targeting those most in need of services and where ever possible we providing services not only beneficial to the family, but will prevent those households remain in shelter. to further ensure homebase prevention services are effective, we've undertaken a series of independent evaluations of the program. these surveys conducted by leading researchers to universities across the country, as well as a random assignment study undertaken by associates of the leading social scientists

research firms look for a series the most critical questions involving our prevention efforts. the research is underway and we look forward to sharing the results as the signings become available. prevention efforts have become a greater part of the national discussion of homelessness and we are gratified the new emergency solutions grant supports prevention work. we think this change will be critical in encouraging communities across the country to direct our resources towards prevention and belief those programs are established and operated under the high standards we have used. they can be affected and believe it would be a good investment of taxpayer dollars to expand the funding to allow additional prevention resources to be put in place. had resources now primarily dedicated and should be focused on those of the greatest need come with financing already stretched thin, the further diluted those allocations with

her substantial efforts being made in new york and across the country to assist those in the shelter. dedicated resources are essential to provide those in shelter with needed housing, employment and rehabilitative case management services. those living with others may be made of services, those needs can be addressed through their funding, such as psg. existing allocations such as a tenor program also provide an opportunity to assist those at risk of homelessness. i thank you for the opportunity to testify and look forward to answering your questions. >> thank you. >> good morning, representative biggert, gutierrez and members of the committee. my name is maria estella garza and i've been a homeless liaison antonia independent school district in san antonio, texas. last year we enrolled 3170 home students and that's a 56% increase over the year before

and we are on track for another increase this year. about 80% of the homeless students we serve lead to double that situation, staying with other people because they have no other place to go. we can debate how to homeless verses at the homeless, but in reality, there are state case. families and you can find spaces and shelters for the shelters don't have the space to serve families are unaccompanied minors, so what is left is just to be double that. the balance from one situation to another in san antonio there isn't a double the population, a motel population in a shelter population. it's all one group, a homeless population. however they are defined, they are here and they will be here. they are not counted in their view of homelessness, you will be an extremely skewed. from a talk about ending homelessness in five or 10 years, we must realize we cannot

do that without addressing the needs of our doubled up children and youth. we continue to experience -- if they contain to experience and stability of doubling up as the norm, they'll become the chronic homeless adults of tomorrow. as we heard from our youth are justified earlier, doubled up children live in extremely overcrowded and stressful conditions that affect every aspect of their development. we work hard to serve our families and youth despite their constant mobility. since there's no way to access stable housing, ultimately school districts and children. example, i assisted a mother this out tober who was doubled up inside homes and a two-month period. she didn't order to enroll her son. the same day he was enrolled, but i couldn't help to access has services because she was not homeless according to hide. another family comes to mind and is a non-committee veteran with with a high school son. they were living in a motel in a terrible neighborhood. not even a microwave or refrigerator. i remember her son's exact

words. this life is for the birds, not humans. housing services, mounted the hotel. they're not homeless according to the. i hope the changes to the definition of the hard fact would allow san antonio to provide housing and services to the youth they serve. however afterward and regulations are particularly documentation requirements, i realize the new definition would not make any difference for the vast majority of my families and youth. for example, it will be impossible for a double totemic to provide clarification from the host family about how long they can stay, how many times they have moved or confirm if they are actually stand there at all. post families don't want to admit to any agency that they have two families in their apartment when their lease and occupancy and a key one family. i've seen families get evicted from hud subsidized housing for going over the occupancy limits by housing the doubled up

family. so now we have to homeless families, not one. so it is understandable given a case manager calling a host family to be threatening unlikely to result in the host in asking the doubled up family to leave immediately. if hud's goal is to create a high degree of anxiety and animosity among family members of my community, this documentation requirements are an excellent way of doing that. they will destroy family support networks, create more mobility, more stress and even greater challenges. if things like how this tragedy their own definition of homelessness and eliminate family needs from requiring -- by requiring too much documentation. i understand how did categorizes youth at risk, but the services my family needs poster housing and supportive services, which are not available for at-risk families. plus, the average population again will be counted, which again creates a false picture of homelessness in my community.

h.r. 32 come to homeless children and youth act would be more efficient than hud's paperchase and would help our coc identify common needs and pursue common goals with one mindset. i'm used to certifying homelessness for other programs such as usda free meals at school, hhs head start in the college financial aid for unaccompanied holies views. i certainly will be glad to accept responsibility if certifying children and youth in the u.s. department at definitions that we can serve them and prevent them from becoming khmers homeless adults. thank you so much for your time. >> thank you. mr. johnston can you recognize for five minutes. >> chairman baker, thank you for the opportunity to testify today on this very important issue. i want to also thank you for having the young witness says on the panel and they're certainly evidence that all of this needs

to do more. to help some in the station of no place to call home. families with children make a too large a share of our homeless population, making a nearly 40% of all people living on our streets and in our shelters. sadly, one in five homeless families are living in cars another and sheltered place is. this week, had released its national points and 10 count for homeless persons. had partners with communities each generic to count the number of persons at a point in time were either unsheltered, living outside or in homeless shelters. these accounts do not include persons at risk of having no housing, such as persons living with other family or friends for which there are many, especially in these very difficult economic times. the number of persons living unsheltered or in shelters declined by just just over 2% between 2010 and 2011. importantly, this overall

decline reflects reductions in all subgroups. individuals, chronically homeless, veterans and families with children. the reduction in homelessness among families was 2.4% from 2010 and 5% since 2007. what we as a nation have a long ways to go given high record poverty rates and unemployment rate, it's heartening we are seeing at least some progress again in reducing homelessness. these reductions are a testament to both recent nationwide homeless retention efforts as well as continued funding of proven programs authorized by the subcommittee that provides supportive housing to homeless families and individuals. the hardpacked provides communities for the first time a full range of tools to prevent and end homelessness. in particular, harrop expressly allows for hud programs to serve persons who are defined as the risk of homelessness. an expansive definition of who is considered homeless.

i began to train this week on tuesday in the definition of homelessness but over 8000 local grantee partners. it's important to notice grantees begin to use the new, more expanded definition of homelessness and the definition of avarice, smith, we continue to receive essential flat funding year after year. we are obviously in a time of great fiscal constraint and it will be very challenging to serve more people without additional resources. related to the definition, and like to acknowledge the good work at gao and assessing the need for a common vocabulary when it comes to the issue of homelessness. i enthusiastically support the finding that there should be a common vocabulary. the hardpacked was a result of many years of hard work, from those on this committee and in the congress in general, the advocacy community homelessness service providers and hud. as person involved in a suffers from the beginning this very

heart of the congress passed this bipartisan bill. in addition to broadening homelessness, the hardpacked consolidates three hud programs into one can increase emergency solutions creates program and the rural housing stability program. so now for the first time, has homeless assistance programs will have the full range of tools that communities need to confront homelessness for families and children from prevention for those direct risk of losing their housing to emergency shelters, transitional housing, rapid re-housing and permanent housing. to implement the hardpacked amendment, haaretz has adopted and is issuing six sets of regulations. the details of which are in a written testimony. finally, we realize solving homelessness would require more resources than are available through hard. we are involved in initiatives to help reduce an analyst asked for families and children and for you that attempt to both

bring more resources to the table and find the best strategies to deal with this problem. in conclusion, to thank you for the opportunity to testify today look forward to answering questions you may have. >> thank you, mr. johnston. ms. poppe county recognized for five minutes. >> at morning, mrs. baker, representative green for the opportunity to testify on impact of homelessness and youth. i want to thank chairman shrimp for her passage of the hardpacked. we are here to discuss your requirements in that act a change in homeless definition, gao study and federal definition and development of a federal plan. i'm pleased to report we have made progress on all three. hudson or definition reflects the agreement that was reached in the hardpacked and we followed up in the gao study to advance federal work on a common vocabulary. as you know, we do for several federal strategic plan to end

homelessness. it is horrifying in the nation as wealthy as ours that nearly 1 million children and youth experience homelessness. the testimony we have just heard underscores this tragedy. a deputy assistant mark johnson has noted the latest data shows a 240,000 family members for homeless on a single night of january 2011. while the 2011. time count is less than the 2010 count, other trends are not so positive. there's significant mismatch between income and housing. more families are experiencing foreclosure. shangkun of affordable housing stock and increased competition from higher income renters have really widened the gap between the number of low-income renters and affordable units. the needs of family, youth and children varied and often require not only housing employment, but also attention to health care and needs. these operate on a different silos at a local level, often managed by different

jurisdiction instead of a tailored and holistic response, families and youth confront a highly fragmented set of services that are usually left him around. not only is this tragic, there's a growing body of evidence that repeated housing instability is costly to public systems. the good news is that there are solutions. investing in more housing assistance now over the long-term for school, shadwell fared and other public institutions. in june of 2010, the obama administration that did. for the first time the federal government set a goal to an family youth and child homelessness by 2020. opening doors is based on a growing body of evidence that shows that targeted comprehensive solution to more cost effective than temporary fix this. affordable housing is the cornerstone of any effort to reduce an end homelessness. preservation and expansion

through new construction in rental assistance is critical to ending family homelessness. unfortunately becoming for affordable housing are going in all the wrong directions. too many americans cannot afford a safe place to call home. despite the growing need, housing assistance programs are threatened at all levels of government in the current budget environment. next are more affordable housing, prevention is also critical. targeted interventions keep families from losing a home in the first place if their children the trauma of homelessness. absence from school or changes in school, the key drivers or access to affordable housing, financial assistance and support during a crisis. another proven solution is rapid re-housing. short-term assistance helps families than that of homelessness and into permanent housing. hp or made enormous impact around the country and helped many communities shift in our cost-effective programs focus on

prevention and deputy housing. housing stability over the long term requires the right headset support provided in a highly coordinated way. these include good health care, education, transportation, childcare and a job that pays enough to meet household needs. it is moving from silos to solution that connect the systems to prevent homelessness and never possible and it does not have been, to return and resolve this quickly as possible. that is work we are doing across federal agencies. this needs to occur at state and local levels. what gets measured gets done in this administration is improved data collection, analysis and reporting. they are coordinating with hud and its efforts. our nation has faced economic certainties during the first 18 of opening doors and implementation, but one thing remains clear. homelessness is an urgent problem. not only is it devastating to families and individuals who experience it, the costly to society as a whole. republicans and democrats across the country have collaborated

for decades to find homelessness. family youth and child homelessness is an outrage. they should know no partisan boundaries and is an area where we can make a real difference together. we need to invest in what works. we need to invest in our future, our children. let us work together to ensure that by 2020, not a single american child or youth experience is homelessness. thank you for the opportunity to testify that forward to your questions. >> thank you so much. that would need, you're recognized for five minutes. >> at morning represented baker, chairman green and members the subcommittee. thank you for the opportunity to provide testify today. for the past 15 years of service record has thursday collaboration officers state of connecticut. it requires that state collaboration offices be in each state to partner with state specific priority areas, one of which is children experiencing homelessness.

for babies, toddlers and preschoolers living doubled up in motels and other homeless situations create toxic stress, causing developmental challenges such as physical delays and pillar to drive, higher incidence of persistent numbness of mental health problems such as trauma and depression, ergo behavior, trouble eating and sleeping. young children start networks, actual genetic expressions and the architecture of their young brains are being created based on repetition of experiences. unhealthy emissions accumulate can seriously jeopardize potential for a healthy future. for them, one of our headstart matters explained children living in motels and i quote that an extremely crowded rooms of numerous family members and often have limited food preparation options. often environments are full of adults and outer areas are unsafe and children are urged to stay in a cramped quarters. certainly not ideal for young children and as you know and vincent cobblers must move. many families to be excluded for using high definition.

families living in unstable conditions including those in motels are doubled up often move repeatedly. this is extremely stressful for babies and young children who need consistency in routine for healthy development and emotional stability. relocating often requires families to requalify for essential services, provide documentation again and they could lose their place in line. high mobility is stressful for parents and often leads to depression, which interferes with parenting, further compromising child development. in connecticut we find that children often are not getting adequate services and delays in accessing services to surely to lack awareness of the needs of babies and toddlers and preschoolers. headstart focus its services on those families most in need. so you say is that than a commitment to education definition of homelessness which recognizes a full range of family and child homelessness that headstart program see

everyday. i started the mainstream program with a sufficient capacity to serve eligible children and with current funding, headstart serves about 50% of eligible preschoolers in less than 5% of eligible infants and others. get head start programs are required to identify and prioritize doubled up for homeless children do today living circumstances. homicides are allowed to enroll immediately went documentation is obtained. hamsters have tried to become services right away to offer a 10 all needed services quickly and to work in whatever ways they can to remove barriers. in serving homeless children, headstart is a natural partner for how to homeless and housing service providers. head start is a comprehensive two generational program that provides a full range of mental health education and social services to children and their families. since roughly half the children and had shelters are aged five and under, these are children not on the radar screen for

schools. services complement those of high providers that are critical strategy to meet the multiple needs of homeless families in the otherwise go unmet. however, since i does not concern many double the families or so families to be homeless, this can present a barrier and cannot provide families with critical need for hud funded programs. even though the definition may still face barriers due to requirements for documentation which can not only be stressful, such requirements can create delays in achieving stability for babies and young children, can impressionists have time and resources increased circumstances which put the needs of vulnerable children lasted seven further back developmentally. most beneficial for young children are policies and practices to recognize them aligned with unique needs and promote rather than hinder health and future success. in closing, we all share the goal of ending human homelessness or without dedicated attention to needs of young children working together

with multiple systems, will fall short of this goal. to break the cycle of homelessness who must evaluate all homeless and housing policies, including definitions of homeless mr. michel development is an inch or housing policies take into account the threat to further lives of these young children, the dire consequences to the well-being of our nation of doing anything less. thank you again for the opportunity to share experiences and those of the head or programming the state of connecticut. >> thank you so much. and now we turn to the questions by members. there's a couple of us here. and it really is important and it is taking that there is so much going on in this happens when they talk about homelessness that we keep pushing and pushing. and so, i will yield myself five minutes. the definition of hud. i see now, i worked on the

definition for education and i mean that is when we realized that the discovery of really getting to know the numbers of how many homeless children there were because of enrolling in schools and being able to do that right away. and then finding out that had didn't match that in the first generic definition of hud was this individual who? a regular inadequate natomas. if the address for what we call the people living on the street or under the bridge and very important that they were protected by this. but moving them toward young people, children and expanding that was very slow and we had the hard fact and working on that. i can remember that hearing.

very few people there, but it was the most important hearing. one of our members of congress testified. the first time he'd ever talked about the fact that he was homeless and had been abused. i have to say we were all in tears, all five of us and had such an impact so we really were an changing the definition there. but it wasn't enough. and if you look at the high definition, the title obviously is the general definition. but then the things that you have to go through still that an individual or family will imminently lose their house -- their housing, including the housing that the rent or live in, sharing with others rooms in hotels or motels, not paid for by federal state and local government programs. court order individual or family have been the primary night president that is a room in hotel and motel where they lack resources to recite from within

14 days or credible evidence that the owner will allow the person to stay in more than 14 days. i have no subsequent president identified or its lack of resources needed to obtain other permanent housing. use an homeless families with children having experienced a lot turned. without living independently in permanent housing. the experience permanent instabilities expressed by rules can be good for an extended period of time. he now, we really just can't make these kids jump through those hoops. most of the children -- homeless children recognized by the department of education would not meet the hud standards. i think this is what's happened to some of the children that were here today. and they don't qualify and don't

meet the requirements are qualified for the homelessness housing and supportive services. and we really have to make this change. i really am happy to see that you are really bringing this up and talking about it and doing it, but we really have to have a definition that is the same as the other agencies, that is the famous department of education are going to get all of this together. and i say we h.r. 32 as well as some other things. and i don't think that the kids on panel one or most of the homeless kids recognized as homeless by the department of education should be considered at risk. these kids are homeless. that the problem. and so, how it needs to recognize this fact. i think congress and every federal agency mystery together to help these homeless kids. and i would hope that we would work together and continue to do

that. as the two rulemaking committee is important that you don't put up more and more barriers to do that. and ms. garza come through your testimony, you mentioned you couldn't help certain families secure housing in the hud programs. and the reasons why families and children, can you address that quickly? >> as i indicated, 80% of our families we identified are doubled up situations. many of these families that are chronic -- chronically homeless lives. were kind this year after year after year. because they are doubled up situation, they really don't qualify for hud services. in these families being that they have been chronically homeless, there's a lot of mental health issues.

so the port of services are especially, especially would be very beneficial for the families that i serve. >> i think we are today in the testimony that moving and beat-up enough for somebody and would be asked to leave. for various reasons sometimes because people might be afraid that they've rented from one family and suddenly there's another family living there. and i think just that the idea that you're being kicked out of someplace and they have nowhere to go and it keeps happening. >> because they are going from doubled up to doubled up, they party exhausted a lot of their family connections, and their family support systems. they've gone from family members to family members to family member to family members in another location they've overstayed their welcome. because of that or limitation of resources become very limited as to where they can go.

so it gets to be a really challenging situation when they move them because they have to be somewhere and then have to ask them for documentation to support they really are homeless for hud here that would be really, really challenging. >> we hear so much about this on the panel is great. we have a couple people here today that a really active. one is diane nylund who is traveled all over the country, visiting homeless throughout the country amended a documentary and i hope you've all had an opportunity just to see that. and alexander pelosi did one called them out to kids and was about the kids in florida that was very moving. and of course, 60 minutes is that a program on this lately. we have harvard offered here on the coalition of homelessness.

so we have got all the tools and a half, we just have to get this done and recognize the gentleman from texas, mr. reid for five minutes. the night thank you, madam chair. again, i thank you witnesses were appearing today. it has been said and i will say it again, it is better to build a strong child than to repair a broken adult. now, for those who deal in the social sciences, psychologists, psychiatrists, criminologists, paleontologists, i just want you to know i don't necessarily the language of a broken adult, but i need to communicate. so just allow me to communicate. i would be interested in knowing if you have seen any empirical evidence on the number of people

who are incarcerated or were incarcerated, who are homeless for some period of time in their lives. anyone with any -- anything you can point me to? i'm sure that google will help, but you may give me a head start if you have some empirical intelligence. >> one or two observations i had this years ago we did a study that the imparted that topic. about 50% of homeless adults had some experience at the criminal justice system either in prisons or in jails. having visited rikers band before and seen the homeless prevention up there, there are tremendous challenges we have in our cities and communities everywhere, with people coming into the jail system because they were homeless and often leaving the jail system. so it's with the key fact year.

now, someone indicated that people move from one state to another because they find that in state aid they don't receive the resources they can receive in-state deep. to what extent do you find this to be the case, where we have people who will literally say here if you go to state a coming of it somehow. >> certainly implementation of federal programs at state and local levels there is quite likely because a great amount of discretion is given to local thin states as to how to implement federal programs. the other piece that occurs as the resources of states and local governments contribute to solutions also vary. so some states contribute and support heavily homeless programs to provide assistance. other states provide very little

if not no assistance at all. resources available to them is very quite greatly. you can be that great most of the unsheltered numbers in the high rates of unsheltered children and youth that we see primarily in southern states and california is reflective of a lack of investment i often state and local governments in real housing solutions to address the problem. so certainly that variation is quite different from our services are available in the state of new york and what would be available the state of california. >> t. think people will migrate based upon knowledge about the emphasis on one state to another quick >> most of the studies i've seen indicate people are moving for reasons of greater economic opportunity. they are moving to find the jobs and sometimes the jobs don't pan out and in that case they experience homelessness. it is not that they met for homeless services per se.

they move because they are seeking a better job opportunity they may hide in that situation. an exception to that will be domestic violence that dems who are often fleeing abusive situations and they do try to the states or their communities, simply for safety reasons. >> mr. johnson coadjutor to have something to this quick >> i remember being in st. petersburg a few years ago and there is a statewide conference on homelessness i'd be speaking out the next morning. i was walking around the city talking to people that were out at night in a park or this one particular gentleman observed is actually from ohio, but he comes down in the summer, actually in the wintertime to stay in florida. he's increasingly standby time and time again. i was intrigued that. as we looked at our data within communities all across the country, the vast majority of people do tend to stay within where their family is them from, frankly. there are samples that it tob

searching wherever that may be. i did want to emphasize the point that i seen huge disparities on the level of assistance provided. 60 minutes contacted us before they get this story. we provided them all the data we had and they therefore picked the state of florida in large part because two thirds of all homeless families live outside of florida. there are very few places like that in the country, but every state is somewhat different. that is certainly huge concern to families with children would be living outside. >> i would like to explore this more, but my time is limited so i'll move on to something else. we have heard a good indication that one can be housed, yet homeless, housesit homeless, doubled up if you have put it. living with a friend than the intelligence that she reported us with reference to how this

impacts the formative years of very young children is very, very disturbing. which gets us to this notion that they need for a common definition, but a common vocabulary. common vocabulary could be of great benefit across agencies of famine or steaming your testimony today. i also understand and i want you to help me with this as a genuine appeal for assistance that these definitions are promulgated because there was a need that they were trying to me. so they arrived at a definition that would work for a given me, which developed these silos and definitions and stovepipes that did not function well across lines. how do we deal with the different needs that have to be met with a common definition?

i am hopeful and believe that we are moving in the right direction. i just want to hear from the experts on the record as to how we get it done. so which of the experts would like to be first? mr. johnson. >> about two years ago, hot and department of health and human services and education wants an effort to submit a proposal of congress to try demonstration in particular for homeless families and another for currently homeless persons. we were trying to link up mainstream resources that hud has with hhs and education. and it was interesting. this went on for a year in terms of fine tuning proposals we could use. when we spoke the word homeless, it certainly was used in different ways, from a good friend john mclaughlin from education if he would describe it homeless that, from their statutory definition versus ours.

they need for a common vocabulary is incredibly valuable. when we interviewed can we certainly supported that and look forward to that. it is taking great leadership to move forward on that because the challenge in this country is there are so many different needs, huge housing needs that we've got to be able to convert very well across agencies and federal and local levels to save this problem. >> i would agree that there is tremendous need. i certainly think that we can do more to invest both in people and sheltering people living in precarious living situations of all kinds. new york city has made a great effort in each prp funding we have, we've really used in a targeted way for at-risk families in particular. our concern with broadening the definition is diluting the resources at a time of level or even declining funding, broadening the definition away

from shelter potentially means taking resources away from the shelter system to use in other situations. their other needs clearly and funding streams available, but we really really need to make sure we continue our investment because those are hiding the family is to have a variety of case management and other kinds of services they need to be provided as they're going to be about to leave system. >> ms. poppe, would you care to respond? >> what i wanted to add is that as we've heard all of the testimony this morning from you people, they in fact were all eligible for hud programs related to providing mainstream housing assistance. the reality is that programs are oversubscribed. hud programs can only meet one forth of the need for those eligible. so the larger issue goes back to the need for the resources to meet those needs. and that is by the interagency

council has worked across the definitions towards this end of creating a common vocabulary so that even in its place as we can talk about the different eligibility criteria and how we can try to effectively use the scarce resources available to get families who are living precariously and doubled up in really difficult circumstances the best access to affordable housing, which is what i heard each of these young people testify about what they were looking for was a safe, stable home. we just have a country haven't yet made that commitment of the resources that the federal, state and private resources to make that occur. that is the work that sits before us is not as the larger call on homelessness. >> thank you very much, ms. biggert. >> let's do another round. let's go to mr. sherman first birthday events.

>> we have a shortage of housing for the homeless. we've got incredible shortages money in the federal government and we've got an enormous surplus of boarded up houses, at least in some communities. is there any way that we can use the housing stock that has already been paid to meet these needs? and knowing somebody's house is boarded up for two or thousand square feet, is there any way they can accommodate her than one homeless family. i'll ask mr. johnson. >> we do have an initiative we've had for years and it's more active during years in the recent past, or discounts can be made to allow these houses to be used for a variety of different reasons, including homeless persons.

>> well, it is one ring to find somebody who is homeless, but somehow has the finances to reduce mortgage payments. is that the kind of program you're talking now, is that a program by which community organizations use ownership of these structures quick >> it was the latter in terms of foreclosed properties. >> are many of these foreclosed properties have been turned over to those housing the homeless in the last year? >> get that answer for you because i do not know. >> because everywhere you look -- that everywhere the good in many places where you look around the country, the homes are being boarded up. they are being torn down. the ones that are being torn down are in bad shape when measured against good housing. their palaces consist -- compared to sleeping in your car

and even better considered to sleeping in the car you don't have. so we are in this bizarre circumstance of where we have boarded up houses and people sleeping on the streets. >> actually, just occurred to me i did not refer to the neighborhood program a multibillion-dollar program that has been tremendously helpful to look at distressed areas with high foreclosure rates to rehabilitate and get passes back into service. >> aspect of the service for people going to own the homes, which really get people out of apartments and into homes, single-family homes they can live and which is an idea. i do note that affects the problems we're talking about today. >> related to training, we

encourage the use of these properties for nonprofit organizations to house specialties, including homeless persons. >> what problems are you having administering the heart that? >> i'm sorry what? >> the heart acts. >> well, we are just now watching the implementation of the heart act amendments. the definition of homelessness for instance comes into effect in january for the first program is emergency solutions grants program, which was january 4th as well. i will mention we've identified a few technical challenges, to put errors that we found an ally that are going to be limiting communities. for instance one of those concerning ones -- >> what does you discover these errors and when did you bring into the attention of members of this committee? >> well, committee staff

recently received a copy of them to look at. we briefed them on it. >> when did you discover the problems? >> well, we discovered the problems probably a year and a half, two years ago. >> okay -- >> let me say this center was hopeful to actually be an act of changes to this. >> so you found the problems a year and a half ago. he waited a year and a half to tell the house, but somebody in the senate did know about the problems and was trying to do something about it. i yield back. >> so you sent it to the house of lords, which takes a while to get to these things. could we see a copy of it, please? i have not received anything. appreciate it. thank you. dr. whitney can you highlight some very compelling evidence for many of the barriers that have prevented the children and

youth from getting the housing assistance and services firm hired. i won't read them over again. that's in your testimony. i want to stay thank you for all you're doing. i had the opportunity years and years ago. i am a voyeur and i think lurking for a judge in u.s. court of appeals santos went in for my job in september, so i spent the summer volunteering at head start and whole house in chicago. and it was the first year and had just opened, so i will tell you how long ago that was, but it was a longtime. it is really, i think, that was kind of the start of really helping preschool kids, you know, to be ready to go to school and we just need more and more of that right now. and we need the kids better and homeless -- i guess i'm not asking questions really, but i

really would hope that we could all work together to solve this and really take a look at removing these barriers because the more regulations that we get in, the harder it is. i know mr. diamond, it seems like you don't really like h.r. 32. >> i'm certainly supportive of the concept of investing in people who are difficult housing situations. the city makes a major investment in training to help those families. we have offices throughout the city that provides services. ark or as the shelters very expensive and needed resource cost $3000 a month to keep the family and shelter. if we are going to take money away from the shelter system, it will have an impact on our ability to effectively serve those families. so that is our concern. not that there isn't a need, not if they're increasing resources available we would want to invest in everyone who has needs, but ark there is taking

resources away from those in the shelters. >> that really is a different issue. but i know this is something that even when we're trying to do the hard act and get everybody on board was difficult. i think everybody now realizes the importance of it. and i think eric is doing more than a lot of the states really in the programs you have i. was impressed by that, but i really would like to see us all be on board with making sure that there aren't these barriers. so ms. cackley, we have had asked her questions. would you like to make another comment? >> i want comments and i also want to make a point of talking about the benefits of a common vocabulary is one of the other things it does is allows you to do a much better job of measuring homelessness, which then allows you to know what it is you're dealing with the name

much more complete way. the prioritizing does have to take place, but you can even prioritize if you don't know the extent of the problem. so for that purpose, having a common vocabulary allows measurement to have been. thank you. ..

i too have a concern if you were to expand hud's homeless definition which is in the loss to another definition, it has got some big challenges with it and what i mean is we have funding from congress for three years in a row to house 200,000 people in transitional permanent housing. expanding the definition greatly does not allow us to serve a single additional person. that is the concern about having one common definition when the resources that we provide are very expensive. >> would the gentleman yield? >> of course. >> i might have said it the wrong way. what we are looking for is if a

child is a child, is homeless under the definition, education, they should be considered homeless. it doesn't really put that definition into hud. it doesn't expand it. to adults. >> thank you, madam chair. let me move to another area rather quickly. this is in the area of veterans who are homeless and they have children too of course and children -- no child should be elevated to some status higher than another but i am curious, do we have any intelligence on the children of veterans? >> thank you for this question. this is an area that has been a strong focus of the president

and secretary shinsecky, that we can still that by 2015. we reported 12% reduction in the percentage of veterans experiencing homelessness. there are a couple new programs that have been pushed out by is this administration. when is the head --hud dash program which deals with health care service and other supports through va and that serves veterans families including the children in them. it is a holistic response to homelessness. the va has also put together with the congress, service for veterans' families. that program provides flexible assistance to conserve families with children. historically the va services have been for veterans themselves and with these two initiative they can announce family members who are part of

that. we are seeing veteran families experiencing homelessness and yes, we are able to respond and believe these responses are contributing to the overall reduction among veterans. >> thank you. i want to thank you again -- the chair recently -- [inaudible] -- home for heroes and legislation with a person in hud whose responsibility would be to monitor homelessness of veterans and there would be a report before congress. i want to thank you for allowing that legislation to receive a markup and hopefully it will meticulous through congress and get to the president's desk. >> the gentleman is very humble. in his legislation.

one thing for clarification. you note in your testimony that the department of education identified nearly one million homeless students during that 2009/2010 school year and there was an 18% increase in 2007/2008 school year. some evidence suggests homelessness among children is increasing. how do you explain the discrepancy between the hud report numbers by the administration on tuesday and education numbers. >> i haven't looked at them in great detail but i would assume part of the discrepancy is definition differences still. >> thank you. with that, are have a request unanimous consent to insert in

the record the hearing record, following material into the record. december 7th, 2011, letter from women against abuse, december 8th letter from national center on family homelessness, letter from the chicago coalition for the homeless, national human services assembly, letter from the social work association of america, letter from the american school counselors association, letter from campaign for children, letter from heroes, letter from the homeless prenatal program, letter from the national association of realtors and national coalition for homeless, letter from the national center for housing and child welfare, wetter from the national network for use, letter from the western national amnesty project. letter from the national health care for the homeless council, letter from alliance for excellent education, letter from the national law center on homelessness and the national association of education policy,

children and youth, american bar association, for family promise of midland, letter from the national network to domestic violence, letter from horizons for homeless children plead the middle letter from interface hospitality center and family promise of greater helena and interface hospitality network of burlington county, letter from family promise of morris county, enter for a -- essex county, letter from family promise of foresight congress, letter from the road home, letter from the family promise of albuquerque, letter from fort bend family promise, letter from interfaced hospitality of philadelphia, letter from the family promise of land but candy and no. i a lot -- idaho -- letter from family promise of hawaii, wetter from the pta and national association of secondary school principals. report from the national center

and family homelessness and dated june 2011, data collection summary report from the u.s. department of education. without objection. >> madam chair, i have unanimous consent as well from the national housing coalition. i would like to ask. >> without objection. we left one of? thank you. and thank you all. thank you for being here. thank you for your testimony. the chair notes that some members may have additional questions for the panel which they may wish to submit in writing. without objection the record will remain open for 30 days. members will submit written questions to the witnesses and to place a response in the record. there is one more request for unanimous consent. national association of home builders without objection. with that thank you so much.

been a great panel. thank you. the hearing is adjourned. [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] >> because i didn't speak and i

didn't get really a window into my life i have become an evil cartoon. i didn't help myself with wearing a hat coming out of my pleas in court and i have become kind of a villain and i wanted to show people i am not an evil person. i am a regular person. i did things that were wrong but i don't have a tail and horns. i grew up like everybody else. >> this weekend on after words on booktv, power and corruption on capitol hill. once the most influential lobbyist in washington, jack abrams of was convicted of mail fraud and conspiracy in 2006. his story at 10:00 eastern and from news for all the people, one dollars on a roll of segregation sunday at 2:00 p.m.. and what it takes to be a successful female publisher and author sunday at 11:15 p.m.. booktv every weekend on c-span2.

>> this evening on c-span, new hampshire campaign event with newt gingrich. he told the town hall meeting with the tea party. live at 7:00 p.m. eastern on c-span. >> this evening on c-span2, more from new hampshire where the first of the nation's primary contest will be held tuesday. national republican city committee hears from gop candidate supporters live at 7:00 eastern on c-span2. next an interview with manchester, new hampshire's major ted satsas who talked about rule his city plays in the primary process and new hampshire's status as the first in the nation primary. >> we are in downtown manchester. joining us is the mayor of the city, ted satsas, a republican who was just sworn in for your second term couple days ago.

tell us how the city prepares for the primary. >> there is no when you can prepare. just make sure the rest understand a lot of people come in to town and if they want to make utilization of that they have to have enough food to feed everybody. nothing you can prepare for because you don't know how many people are coming or how many crews are coming in or what country they are coming from but there's a lot of buzz and in hotel rooms, the north country and people are excited. >> i read in the union leader that diplomats from other countries are watching the proceedings. what do you know about that? >> you can see them yesterday afternoon looking out my window. you could see people walking around getting excited about going into the stores but they didn't have to pay sales tax. an exciting time downtown. >> what about the impact local business? >> no question there's a big impact. people are excited. we have a little bit of a

different buzz in manchester. most of the rest of the country is feeling around 5% so the interest is thriving. probably in view of a lot of places because we are creating jobs and people at work so we are not as what you would see in most parts of the country -- people are happy about it and excited about it. >> i did read in the union leader there's a $20 million budget gap. does this help at all? do you indirectly or directly get passes or anything from those that are visiting? >> that goes to the state. hopefully we will help the state budget. none of that is in directly in the pockets of the city. >> any cost to the city itself for you all to prepare for the primary? >> no question when you have big groups coming in you get police detail and worry about that. yesterday there was central high school. i can tell you -- the details of

the police officers and firemen at that event and whatever else occurred across the city you picked up that tab. >> is it normal for a candidate to pick up that tab? >> no but i wish it would be. >> what about the infrastructure on the ground that campaign needs to have in order to prepare for primary? >> no question new hampshire is still the place that grassroots and one on one campaign is very important. you don't have the ground game you have a tough talk because people want to see it and talk to you and put a sign to be proud of who they are representing. so i can tell you if you don't have a ground game you have a tough time. >> what if the ground game consists of -- what does it mean for new hampshire? >> breakfast places in the morning, very popular place on the west side that most politicians stop in. you will see a that there are pictures of almost every presidential candidate that come to new hampshire coast that

restaurant and a few others in town but certainly those are the two that are most prevalent for people. >> how many times -- have you seen all the candidates? have you met with them as mayor? >> i met with all presidential candidate. the only one i did not meet was michele bachman but everyone else talked to us and certainly get the idea. i told everybody is about politics -- if you don't have that game and ready to go you don't want to shake hands it is not a place to be. that is when they want to do. look you in the eye. as they say they won't make a selection until three times. >> i know you have endorsed former massachusetts governor mitt romney. as mayor what is your role in the primary? >> i try and keep my door open to everybody even though i have endorsements to have a conversation with me. i willing to tell them what i think the role of a candidate in new hampshire is and how they have to go out -- make sure they

meet people. it is important. new hampshire is about town hall meetings and house parties and restaurants and diners. >> manchester mayor gatsas, thank you very much. >> thank you very much. >> now look at the political landscape in new hampshire with kevin landrigan, political reporter for the national telegraph. he joined us on this morning's washington journal. this is 40 minutes. is manchester, new hampshire, which is the largest >> host: manchester is the largest city in new hampshire. joining us from the center of manchester on our c-span set is kevin landrigan who writes for the national telegraph newspaper, political reporter and columnist. longtime watchers of new hampshire politics. it is good to see you after four years and welcome back to c-span. >> thanks for having me. >> host: i want to ask you about

your story in the national telegraph and you write about mitt romney coming to new hampshire after iowa and you say he looks stuck in neutral before a relatively small crowd of supporters. >> guest: it is hard for a candidate like -- like mitt romney with a 30 point lead in new hampshire to maintain that high level of energy and enthusiasm. when you have such a lead you don't get complacent but it is harder to rev up. you see john mccain who is a warrior and a veteran of all these close races in new hampshire sensing a little lack of energy and trying to block his candidate up at central high school in manchester. >> host: you say mitt romney has a big lead. the most recent poll has him at 43% at suffolk university.

mitt romney is at 43%. ron paul at 14%. jon huntsman and 9%. newt gingrich at 7% and rex and format 6%. mr landrigan, how does that campaign feels he was opposed to four years ago and eight years ago? >> guest: sayre les economy and jobs is the dominant theme. it is important to note in new hampshire is that we are doing better than the rest of the economy nationally. unemployment is much lower than the national average. the safest stake in the country. you sense out there nevertheless that in the workplace lot of anxious people about the possibility of a second dip recession. and so that issue has really displaced all others whether it is foreign policy or social issues. jobs and the economy are really

important. what is interesting about this race that is different from eight years ago and four years ago, this is a fierce fight for second place with enormous consequences for whoever gets it. it is reminiscent of the 1988 campaign on the democratic side. when ironically enough another massachusetts governor. the michael dukakis was the overwhelming favorite. the question was what was going to challenge michael dukakis? the question going forward from new hampshire is who is going to challenge mitt romney? this is somebody who can coalesce the conservatives, la obviously in great numbers are larger than mitt romney's support nationally. is it rick santorum? is it ron paul? is it newt gingrich? is it john huntsman? they have all got a shot and they are jockeying for that position in these last five days before the election tuesday. >> host: your paper this morning endorsed mitt romney in the gop

primary. mitt romney best choice for the gop. one quick paragraph with possible exception of john huntsman who can boast a similar government background. mitt romney is the only gop candidate with a proven record of success at the top levels of business and government who warrants serious consideration for the highest elected office in the land of these challenging times. you have endorsed mitt romney. manchester union leader endorsed newt gingrich. correct? >> guest: correct. four years ago we endorsed john mccain and the republican nomination and highlighted some of the flip-flops in mitt romney's record. john mccain went after mitt romney about that, democrat and the newt gingrich campaign were shopping a video, a web and video from the 2008 campaign produced by the john mccain campaign in which it listed some of the flip-flops and changes in

positions whether it is abortion or gun owner writes that mitt romney had in his previous history. we looked at in the editorial, judge mitt romney to be the best candidate and to provide a clear choice and real competitive choice to president obama in november. >> host: until yesterday did rick santorum have any presence in your state? >> guest: he really did. it is interesting. he spent so much time and c-span has chronicled it so well. 2 a town hall meetings in iowa. grass-roots politics catapulted him into that near victory which was really astonishing. he has made the third most number of trips to new hampshire before those forays in iowa. only mitt romney and jon huntsman have been here more. he has got about 30 elected and former elected officials supporting his campaign. he has also got the cadre of

political organizers, seasoned professionals who helped engineer pat buchanan's stunning defeat of the front runner bob dole in the 1996 republican primary heading by a man named mike byando who got elected to first district congress elected in 2010 defeated democratic incumbent. pat buchanan was singing the praises of mike and all those troops yesterday during many conservative talk shows and rick santorum obviously hopes those folks can provide the same magic for him that they did for pat buchanan 16 years ago. >> host: you think the next poll will see a surge for rick santorum? >> guest: i think we will see some movement for rick santorum. unfortunately for newt gingrich i think the tracking polls overnight have shown some slippage for him. as you point out the new england leader of new hampshire's in ports of newt gingrich was a big help. the house speaker in new

hampshire legal conservative tea party republican william o'brien endorsed newt gingrich. that helped great deal. the disappointing finish in iowa and a lot of the national news about the attack ads from mitt romney's superpack heard him and he has come in angry and infuriated. the mitt romney stock for next five days. will be fascinating to see what the newt gingrich offensive against mitt romney does in this race. does it move those people solidify vote for newt gingrich and even some newt gingrich support in new hampshire worried about -- will it dislodge mitt romney's supporters to go to rick santorum and make him the conservative alternative with a strong second place showing? that is possible. there is no question that ron paul has the most passionate following in new hampshire. the many stocks he has a ceiling of 15%. if he can't grow past 15% on tuesday he can be passed by rick

santorum, jon huntsman or newt gingrich. >> host: before we go to calls we will put the numbers on the screen, 737-0001 for democrats, 0002 for republicans, 054 all others. e-mail journal@c-span.org, twitter.com/c-spanwj and comment on facebook.com/c-span will street journal, the clock ticks for huntsman in new hampshire. it is all in for him. correct? >> guest: that is correct. he had a disappointing day yesterday. really important to emphasize that. he is a good friend of john mccain and was hoping john mccain would gather in this race because jon huntsman's secret recipe for finishing a strong second in new hampshire is tapping those large numbers of independents that can take a republican or democratic

ballots. they are enormously going to take republican ballot on tuesday. he was hoping to get those folks. john mccain doesn't transfer that support to mitt romney. polls show mitt romney lead among independents. jon huntsman is second. jon huntsman has to worry whether john mccain's endorsement of mitt romney stocks that surged of independents to his candidacy. is key coming in second. >> host: we want to hear from new hampshire residents and set aside a separate phone line for new hampshire residents, 628-0184 is the a number for you to dial. kevin landrigan. lisa is a democrat in sacramento. you are first up. >> caller: hello. >> host: please go ahead. >> caller: good morning. i just want to state that i have been laid off for in little over a year and faint god i do have an interview on tuesday. i just want to say to the

republicans they need to allow obama to do his job. if he would do his job, the things that go wrong we can't blame him but we can't blame him if the republicans are in a way. i blame the republicans for everything that is going on. >> host: any comments for her? >> guest: you certainly raises a point that democrats and some independents feel strongly here that they really feel the agenda of the republican party nationally for three years has been -- has not been simply to vote no but to stop obama's movement in its tracks in any way possible. that is one of the reasons why the republican leadership on capitol hill was under severe pressure regarding extension of unemployment benefits and i thought president obama really played that issue extremely well. put the republicans on the defensive. force them an exception of

unemployment benefits which is important in new hampshire. as i say we have an unemployment rate in the low 5% range. it is well below the national average. we have thousands of people who stopped looking. thousands of people who have exhausted their benefits. and likely continuing to look for work and it is very difficult to find. >> host: kevin landrigan, about 240,000 people voted in the republican primary in 2008. what is the turnout expected to be? >> guest: we haven't heard from secretary of state bill gardner who as you know is the guru of the new hampshire primary. he comes out with a turnout estimate which is usually very solid. i fully suspect a much higher turnout on tuesday that we had in 2008. there was such a competitive primary on the democratic side from hillary clinton and barack

obama which turned out enormous number of independent votes and that race does not exist tuesday. democrats have no contest to vote for. a lot of loyal democrats will come to the polls. i think we could certainly approach 300,000 on tuesday. >> host: you have to be registered as a republican to vote? >> guest: no. you can be registered as an independent to vote and take a republican ballot at the polls. you can also not be registered at all. we have election day registration so as an unregistered motor you could show up at the polls, sign up, declare any party and if you declare republican or independent you may take a republican ballot and vote in this important primary. >> host: what if you are registered as a democrat and go to the polls and say i want to switch? >> you can't do that. five weeks ago you had to change your party affiliation to participate in the republican race.

it is different than we saw in iowa and the caucuses with some democrats tried to place -- play some mischief by showing up at caucuses and voting in those republican caucuses. can't do that. >> host: barbara is a republican in brooklyn. >> guest: good morning. i am a conservative. but are called on the republican line. the lady before that called, she is brainwashed by obama saying that republicans are blocking everything. they had the house ten months. obama had two years of democrat control. he put all his agendas of side. he is fighting class warfare. i am a disabled veteran and i am so in salted at people going for the same rhetoric. i don't like anybody on the republican side but if anybody could beat obama it is mitt romney. the people in the tea party have to learn you have to be in the