>> by states held primaries today. voters went to the polls in pennsylvania, connecticut, delaware, and rhode island. 231 republican presidential delegates are at stake in the five contacts. tonight, we will hear from newt gingrich and mitt romney.

>> rosie o'donnell was the president's first choice to be here this evening,. [laughter] and she withdrew citing a nasty and brutal confirmation process. [laughter] >> that wasn't even a second choice. dennis miller was the second choice. he got hung out by an illegal nanny technicality. this is truly qualified to get to the truly available. [laughter] >> i must say that this is a pleasu i thought that when you got into office that he would put a foot into your basketball plan, i mean, come on. playing basketball, that is a one step forward, two steps back. [laughter] are you any good?

i bet you think your team is really nice right now. don't you? [laughter] nobody's going to give the president a hard time with the secret service standing there. [laughter] >> jon stewart and wanda sykes are to people trying their hand to entertain at the annual white house correspondents dinner. this weekend, c-span will of offer this footage. go to c-span.org/video library. interior secretary ken salazar talking about u.s. energy resources and oriel drumming after the bp oil spill in the gulf of mexico. secretary salazar spoke and took questions at the national press club for about an hour.

>> few people understand or have a greater appreciation for land been a farmer. farmers live on the land. they make their living from the land, and they know firsthand the effects of mother nature and father industry. interior secretary ken salazar hails from five generations of farmers. he was born and raised in colorado on el rancho salazar with no electricity and no telephones. the focus was on hard work and a deep appreciation for the land. after a stint in his seminary from he wound up going to college. [laughter] >> getting a law degree and being asked to work as a legal counsel for colorado governor roy romer. salazar reportedly said that i will do it for one years because i don't want to be in politics. as the story goes, his political career was mapped out by a political mentor on a napkin in the backroom of a tamale shop. he served as colorado's attorney

general, u.s. senator, and now secretary of the interior, where he oversees public lands, including the national parks system, the fish and wildlife service, the bureau of land management, the u.s. geological survey, and offshore drilling. perhaps his biggest challenges finding the balance between preserving natural resources and using them to create energy. at the beginning of the administration, salazar was with president obama's appointment at energy and epa, part of what sums up the green dream team. he quickly won the oil and gas seems that public lands were no longer a candy store and we can't drill our way to energy independence. after the more than three years at the helm, ken salazar has learned that keeping the lid on the candy jar and responding to natural and man-made events is no small task. when the bp operated horizon oil

well spilled, environmentalists loudly criticized the interior department, and even the president said the agreement was moving too slowly. today, gas prices topped $4 per gallon in some places. the obama administration is under pressure to produce oil. this year, the department announced plans to permit land-based drilling and ken salazar moved a step closer to allow mapping surveys off the atlantic coast to determine what oil and gas resources exist in that area when ken salazar appeared with president obama to accept the nomination as interior secretary, he created some buzz by wearing a cowboy hat at the white house. even after all these years in washington, he wears his stetson hat. this and reduction wouldn't be complete without saying something about that hat. and i must say, even though he didn't wear your hat today

because we are indoors, mr. secretary, welcome to the national press club. [laughter] [applause] >> thank you very much. thank you very much for that kind introduction and for being president of the national press club. i understand that it is also a political place where you have to run for office and she won, having two other opponents that she defeated. she is no stranger to politics. ellen fitzgerald, thank you for being a part of this and for being the chair of the speakers committee and to deborah, thank you for helping this event and putting it together. two members of our team, who are here, and people who i have worked with for a long time. today, in my honor, he wore a shirt that has pete coors for

the u.s. senate to the national press club. [laughter] let me thank you all for being here today and i want to speak about energy issues that are so important to our nation, which all of you are working on today. it seems that the conventional wisdom says that our nation is deeply divided over energy policy. i don't have to tell you that. if you were to pick up a newspaper, it would appear that the division is seen everywhere. almost everyday, you have someone putting out a three-point plan for $2 for gasoline and are claiming that there is a agenda out there to shut down energy production. the reality is that americans agree on energy. if you can just get beyond washington, impacting folks

rightly, you've heard the same things that i hear over and over. about what our energy challenges are and how we must tackle it. america and americans know what they want. americans want to cut reliance upon imported oil. they know that a lot of factors affect gas prices, including world markets and international events. unfortunately, there is simply no silver bullet in the near term. americans really need to broaden our energy portfolio. they support conventional energies come up in with in state after state all across this country, what we have seen is the face has been moving to vote in more solar and wind and geothermal and biofuels on energy production into the mix and americans want to see continued expansion of offshore drilling, but they also believe that you need to choose the

right places for that drilling to take place, and that you need to enforce strong safety standards to protect people and to protect the environment. by large margins, people see stronger standards for the fuel economy which is a good thing. the proof is in the cars that we are buying. for the first time ever, g. m. sold more vehicles in march than they have ever sold that are fuel efficient. 100,000 cars that can make more than 30 miles to the gallon. that is a workable achievement. 40% of gm are now fuel-efficient gm vehicles. who would've imagined that? there is also this imagined energy world. the energy of a world of fairy tales and obstacles that we see

here in washington d.c. it is the end that is the growing divide in the energy divide in divided america. but the divide is not among ordinary americans. it is between some people here in washington d.c. it is a divide between the real energy world that we work on everyday, and the imagined fairytale world. to be sure, the imagined energy world is an invention of campaign years and political rhetoric. it is a place where you hear cries of drills -- drill, drill, drill. notwithstanding the fact that most of the outer continental shelf resources are open for business. two thirds of the public plan that industry has leased are simply sitting idle. 50 million acres. it is a place where left is seen

as right or of the scene is down and oil shale is seeming to be mistaken in the house of representatives for shale oil. record profits justify billions of dollars in subsidies, and where rising oil u.s. production and are falling dependence on foreign oil, somehow adds up to that news. one member of congress when so far as to say that the jobs from solar wind and biofuels are somehow not supported. but it is not real. president obama got it right

that when he pointed out that these folks have been in charge when columbus set sail, they would've been the charter members of the flatters society. now, the good news is that the imagined energy world is actually very small. i think you can actually find an edge and the end of it when you walk out of the house of representatives. [laughter] for those of us who spend our time working in the real energy world, let's talk about the reality that we work on everyday. that we work on everyday with this great team of interior and other colleagues on the cabinet and department. without question, we face serious energy challenges in this country. we know that today, and we have known it for a long time. gas prices are taking on the real toll and creating a real

pain. especially on family budgets. our economy is still burnable to the ups and downs of world oil markets as it has been for the last 12 oil spikes we have seen since the formation of opec. because so many americans, including industry, and environmental organizations, especially the american people are results-oriented. all of the above energy approach is the right approach, and our nation has made remarkable progress over the last three years. in this three years, industry, government, investors and stakeholders all deserve credit. on the broadest scale, u.s. gas production is at an all-time high. gas production is at an all-time high. and oil production -- oil production is at an eight-year

high. eight year high. total oil production from the lands which we oversee in the department of interior, have increased 13% -- 13% over the first three years of this administration. that is compared to the last three years of the prior administration. now, something that i have worked on for a very long time is to get rid of our dependence on foreign oil. we in america and in the heartland of america and the rockies of america, where i come from, are proud of the fact that oil imports have gone down every single year. since president obama took office. thanks to the u.s. oil and gas production and more efficient cars and trucks, and a world-class refining sector but last year was the net exporter

for the first time in six years, we cut net imports by 10%. that is 1 million barrels a day in the last year alone. imagine that. 1 million barrels a day less loyal eating imported into the united states of america. that is a lot of oil. 1 million barrels a day in the last year alone. we all know a bit oil and gas is part of our economy and we have embraced an. it will continue to be part of our energy portfolio. but we also know that this is something important for the people of america. renewable energy production has now doubled over the last two years. renewable energy production has

doubled over the last two years. on public land, we are well on our way to meeting the president's goal of permitting 10,000 megawatts of large-scale renewable energy powered by the end of the year. the power that millions of americans have in their homes. by that effort and the people have worked on over the last few years. all of these trends show the gathering strength of american energy and economy. but they also reflect the practical problem-solving mindset that we are bringing at all levels of our decision-making. president obama asked me to come and serve in the department of interior. he sent me here to fix problems and help us find solutions for the long-term problems that had escaped solutions and people that had been in my position and those who have served for decades in the past.

let me give you three concrete examples that help illustrate the problem-solving approach that energy -- but i believe that is the hallmark of this administration. first, this story here is well-known to all of you because we worked on this matter. let's look at offshore oil and gas safety. you know the details of what has been going on over the last three and a half years. deepwater horizon shook the confidence of america's energy development. you all remember, and i believe that most americans remember, that outside of 50,000 barrels a day, spewing out endlessly into the gulf of mexico, witnessing that whale spew at that level

for 87 days -- they could've easily prompted the public to say no more. that is it. no more oil and gas development in america and our oceans. it's too dangerous. but we knew that oil and gas was very much an important part of our energy security and our economy. we had to move quickly, as we did, to aggressively strengthen safety standards and environmental protections. we had to ensure that companies drilling in the deepwater, miles below the surface of the ocean, were prepared to deal with -- to drill safely at those depths under the sea. we had to make sure that they were prepared to deal with another blowout if one should occur. we had to take an organization that had been created long before there was deepwater production.

and the three missions conflicted -- we had two can put them into strong agencies which have become world-class agencies and the work that they do. the industry did its part. they also had to answer a call to raise the bar. today, drilling activities in the golf are now back to pre-spill levels. the united states is now positioned as a global leader in oil and gas safety. that is true whether i visited petrobras and the energy places in brazil. it has been good at the bar has been raised. that is good for domestic production and america's oceans, and that is also good for industry as a whole and at the end of the day it is good for

american energy security. now, our results and -- results oriented approach overseas hundreds of acres of millions of acres. it also goes to oversight of some 700 million acres of the land that belonged to the american people. we have moved on a reform agenda in that area as well. you can see the benefits of our practical results oriented approach in our oil and gas onshore. when we took office, the onshore oil in class program was frankly in a disarray. it was in a disarray. imagine this. nearly half of all leases on public wynwood protested. put into the framework of endless litigation.

projects with thousands of wells were simply stopped because they could not move forward. at the end of 2008, the previous administration offered some areas near arches national park. just in the last few days, i was looking at a commercial from the state of utah where they were advertising the great wonders of utah and arches national park. that program at the end of the last administration had become so highly divisive and unnecessarily controversial. when we moved in, we said that we are going to move forward with oil and gas production on the off offshore. we also said that we would restore to work towards certainty and to reduce conflict in the development of oil and gas on our public lands.

offshore leasing reforms have helped. it has helped bring the public into the leasing process. we call it the smartstart approach. so that fewer leases end up in court and fewer litigation. we work to resolve the controversies on some of the largest oil and gas projects in the west, including more than 3500 new wells just in one state. in the anadarko's greater natural buttes project. 3500 gas wells that will move forward because we are fixing problems. in other parts of the world, through the interagency effort which is led by david hayes, the united states government under president obama's direction is closely coordinating its energy permitting activities in alaska.

this has been to a good result. we are working to deploy a new system for processing drilling permits on the land. we expect to reduce permitting times by two thirds. we expect to reduce permitting times by two thirds. this is a calming and common theme to all of us. tackling this problem head on, eating the problem done right and moving on to the next challenge. we know that there are other challenges ahead. offshore energy development in the united states, on short end of the many we have brought into place. and the last area where we spend significant amounts of time is in the renewable energy world. as of early 2009, when i first came to the department of the interior on the 21st of january, not a single large-scale solar

energy project had been approved for construction on the public lands of the american people. offshore, cape wind had been a disaster from day one. languishing for eight long years in a process that seemed to have no end. since 2009, however, we have moved in a new direction. achieving results. we have authorized 29 -- utility skills on geothermal lands. i have been there and seen these projects rising out of the desert. they will make believers out of skeptics that we can catch the power of the sun. these projects that are built will provide over 6500 megawatts of clean power, over 2.3 million homes will benefit, and it will

create thousands of jobs as we grasp the new energy frontier. we also have approved cape wind in the department of the interior. even more importantly, we have done on the atlantic and places on the pacific, working with the governors of those states, we have from the ground up built an offshore wind leasing program for the united states. none of this would've happened if not for the teams of people we have deployed to help make sure government reviews are coordinated and done in a timely fashion. i am very proud of what we have done in this new energy frontier. and i believe that it will be a lasting legacy for the american people. i begin my remarks today by suggesting that there is a widening gap between the real energy world that i work on every day, which we have made so much progress over the last few years. and the imagined, fairytale

world -- the falsehoods of a campaign year and political season. i want to be realistic about what we can expect from this house of representatives, but i do believe that there are some things that they could work on. some low hanging prove that should and could be passed this year. this house of representatives should put the energy security of the united states of america ahead of the politics of the time. i mentioned just three items. there could be many more items that they could work on to help us get to this energy future. but first, i believe congress should move immediately to codify the reforms we have implemented since the deep water rising disaster. it is inexcusable that congress has yet to enact one piece -- not one piece of legislation to

make driving safer. now, for the american people, for all of you, for those of us who lived through that crisis, it would seem to me to be a call to action. what is it we should do as the united states of america to make offshore drilling more safe? my early days in this administration and the testimony before the senate natural resources committee, they said that ocean energy is such an important part of america's energy portfolio, that we should, indeed, have organic legislation that codifies what the agency does on the behalf of the american people. even since the deep water

horizon, it still hasn't been done. the cap has been placed for for such a long time at $75 million. it is still the same today as it was before the deep water rising spell. some people may have amnesia about the deepwater horizon prices that we had to live through. i don't have that amnesia. i don't believe that the american people have that amnesia. i do believe that the american people want the united states house of representatives to act on responsible energy legislation. one of those aspects would be to codify the reforms that we have implemented in the executive branch. number two, this is a laundry list of 100 things, cities are simple things -- codification of much of what we've done from

liability reforms that we have proposed. but there is a number of other things. we are working with the congress right now on legislation that is needed to implement an agreement that we reached with mexico to open the transboundary oil and gas reservoir for development. the agreement would terminate a moratorium on drilling along our maritime boundary and provide a framework for new expiration and developments. we estimate the area contains up to 172 million barrels of oil and over 304 billion cubic feet of natural gas. that agreement came about as a result of some very hard work between people in the department of interior and the state department and the mexican

government. they culminated in a finding that was attended by president felipe calderon in mexico, at the meeting very recently. the agreement was signed by secretary clinton and the secretary for mexico. some people say mexico moves slow, but in this case, the mexican legislature has already approved the agreement. we shouldn't have to wait to act on the agreement here either. congress should ask a pool of that transboundary agreement to implement legislation. it will be good for the energy security of the united states of america. it also would be good for the entire gulf of mexico because it is, after all, only one pond. it is a pond which is frankly shared mostly between the united states and mexico.

and it is a place that we know that we have the largest proven reserves of oil and gas in our country. those are two simple things that the congress could do. codify what we have are redone, approve an agreement that we worked on very hard in the gulf of mexico in the maritime boundary. they might want to do a few other things. i believe that americans also want to see congress implement a policy that makes for a long-term sustainable renewable energy economy. that includes making tax credits for renewable energy. and refundable portions so there is financial certainty so we don't face the bus that many of us witnessed in the 1970s with solar power. we need a clean energy standard. we are moving forward with their

own in the executive branch, but it would be good if the united states congress were to pass a clean energy standard that would provide the signal to investors that they need. if that signal were given, there would be billions of dollars that would move up to the sidelines and to the new energy frontier. is it likely that congress will rise to the occasion this year? that they can do those things and perhaps have the bipartisan effort that we have seen before in 2005 and 2007 we met that we could get some energy legislation? i would hope so. i would hope that the congress can see the needs of american people are first and foremost as opposed to the politics of the day. i think that those who have stood in the way of solutions are going to find that the

ground is shifting under their feet. the energy world is changing. it is changing with or without them. whether it is our oil and gas technology, our solar power plants, the pace of american innovation is staggering. the united states is determined to lead the new energy world. the president is determined to make sure the united states leads. it is a question in my mind of whether you support renewable energy or conventional energy or whether you favor the environment or economy. the american people have are decided -- they have already decided to take an energy approach -- and all of the above energy approach. we will continue to implement this under president obama. if there is a choice to be made still, it is whether he will be a part of that right in energy

futures, or will the politics of the moment will see us have a repetition. we have seen the failed energy policies of the past decades. many of you here will remember the formation of opec and president richard nixon calling upon the nation towards energy independence. you will remember president jimmy carter talking about moving forward with the moral imperative of war as we stop energy independence. we remember the formation of sari, the national renewable energy lab in golden, colorado. everyone here should remember well the oil and gas price shock and gas shock that we have seen

since the 1970s. every time they come around, it's the same old tired bumper stickers on solutions. well, we are not into that business of bumper stickers solutions. we are into the business of real solutions. not imagine or political solutions for america's energy security is. with the work we have done, over the last three years and three months, we have laid a very solid foundation for america to get to energy security that is worthy of the people of this great country. thank you all very much. [applause] [applause] >> are there any compromise possible between republican party and democratic party ahead of the elections?

>> i think that there is always that possibility. i was a member of the united states senate. i have great friends on both the democratic side and the republican side. i have great friends in the house of representatives on both sides. i remember well being part of the coalition that put together the 2005 energy act and the 2005 energy act. i remember the great work of senator jeff bingaman, working hand-in-hand with senator pete domenici. we did some great things together. the polarization that we see now in the united states congress, especially in the house of representatives, is troublesome and many are just say no. that is absolutely the wrong thing to do. what they ought to be doing is saying that we have significant energy challenges here in

america. gas prices and the oil and gas future of america are tremendously important, and there are a number of things we can do. instead of spending their time politicking and trying to get an upper hand in an imagined world. what they should do is work on real solutions. >> what do you say to critics who say that the u.s. is not issuing oil drilling permits quickly enough? >> you know, i think you will find critics that will make those false charges against this administration. 1500 permits have been processed through the bureau of land management just in the last few years. we have done and lived through a national crisis. we have issued over 100 permits to drill into the gulf of

mexico. the gulf is back. those critics simply don't know what the facts are, and i think that it is another example of a falsehood that is being spread in this political season. i was with the governor, the republican in north dakota, two senators at a reservation. we look at what is happening and the development of oil and gas. we have as much oil as with what we now find in saudi arabia. i was there three years ago, and i remember senator conrad took me to the reservation and said we have a problem. the government isn't working. permits are being issued. there is no oil and gas development taking place in this reservation. we set up a permanent process to try to break through a

bureaucracy that simply wasn't working with that administration. today, when you go out to the reservation, 200 permits have been granted. oil and gas activity is being seen everywhere. in indian country alone, where there are millions and millions of acres of potential development, the oil development and production just on indian land has doubled in the last three years. for those who say that we are not issuing permits, frankly, there is something wrong. >> how has the obama administration improved oil production in the u.s., and visit lowering gas prices for american families? >> the oil and gas production, like i said in my comments, we are producing more oil than any time since 2003 here in the

united states of america. those are just the facts. those are just the facts, and more -- more gas is being produced in the united states than at any time in our history. one looks at the question of production from public lands, where we have critics that say that we aren't doing enough on public lands. we are now producing 13% more oil off of our public lands than was being produced three years ago. we are doing as much as we can to make sure that we are implementing all of the above energy strategies did at the end of the day, we all know that we cannot drill our way to energy independence. those who have tried that approach in the past are responsible for the failed energy security policies of the united states for the last 40 years. because they have not taken the kind of approach that president obama and we are taking, which

is in all of the above approach, so that we meet all of the resources of energies -- to power the american economy. >> gasoline exports are up. squeezing supply and keeping prices high, shouldn't american oil server mirkin's first? >> well, american oil is serving americans first because the oil that we are producing here is what we are using to power our economy from the gulf of mexico loan bid today, about 30% of all the oil and natural gas that we produce in the united states comes from the gulf of mexico. it is consumed here in the united states. the energy that we are creating here in the united states is partly responsible for the fact that last year we imported less than a million barrels a day than we had in the prior year. a million barrels a day. the energy that is being

produced or is, in fact, being used in the united states. the issue of gas prices -- that is determined through global economics. no one has the ability not even harry potter. [laughter] to simply wave a magic wand and say that we are going to have gas prices at $2 at $2 and 50 cents or $3, it doesn't happen that way. that really is the point that i hope that most americans understand. there is no silver bullet or magic wand. if we are going to find our way to addressing to addressing one of the most important questions of the security of the united states -- you need to have an energy framework and energy policy in place, like the one that president obama and his team have put into place. that is and all of the above strategy that understands oil

and gas is part of our energy future. renewables like solar, wind, and geothermal are opening up a new chapter that has been closed for a long time on nuclear. biorefineries, we now have the first of those commercial biorefineries and we are going to see advanced biofuels. it is and all of the above energy strategy. that is what we need to do to stay on the course to get to a place where the american people are not subjected to the pain of the ups and downs that we have seen in the united states for the last 40 years. >> are gas prices under control? will they ever received? we have someone here who says that they visited greece, and it was at $9 per gallon? >> you can see all of this at our video library at c-span.org. we are going to break away to

mitt romney. we will take you to a rally in north carolina for newt gingrich. this is concord, north carolina, just getting underway with the wife of the candidate. >> today, we need a leader who can articulate like president obama and his policies, which are wrong for america. we need a leader who understands that we must contain and defeat our enemies. and we need a leader with bold

solutions to create a better future. a better future for all americans. i believe that leader is my husband. please welcome former speaker of the house, newt gingrich. [applause] [applause] [applause] [applause] [applause] [applause] [applause] [applause] >> thank you. [applause] [applause] [applause] [applause] [applause] [applause] >> thank you. let me thank all of you for coming out tonight. i want to thank john and amy, who went all out and made this possible. thank you to the two of you for

organizing this on such short notice. [applause] [applause] >> i think all of us are here tonight because we agree with callistus statement that this is the most important election of our lifetime. i think if you had any doubt about that, it should've been dispelled by president obama's performance today on capitol hill. where he once again failed to take responsibility for anything three and a half years after becoming the president. he was talking to students who are going to have a hard time finding a job because he has created the worst economic recovery since the great depression. he was talking to students who are going to have a hard time going to interview an interview because he has presided over the highest gasoline prices of any president in american history. he was talking to students who are going to spend the rest of their lifetime paying taxes to pay interest on the debt that he has rung up there and the

closest thing he could come to a solution, was to promise to continue subsidizing student loans, by borrowing other money. so that in fact, he will have the chinese law in the united states the money so the students don't pay the full price of the student loans, so the rest of their life they can pay the taxes as workers on the subsidized money. this is exactly what he is thank you. i'm going to let you have a credit card and, by the way, you're not going to pay any interest on it. except that i want to take the interest out of your pocket every month. i was struck today trying to think of how to describe the style and the fundamental dishonesty of the obama system. i was reminded of an old movie. basically, what he is offering on student loans is not a lot.

he says the way i'm going to do is to borrow money over here which you will pay taxes on the rest of your life. the average student who is listening today is going to pay $300,000 in taxes in their lifetime for interest on the federal debt. that is like buying an entire house that politicians get to live in. but they don't get to live in. here they have an administration which makes it less likely to get a job. less likely to be able to afford gasoline. and guarantees that taxes will be higher to pay interest on the debt he is ringing up. that is what obama calls leadership. four years ago, he said that he was in favor of marriage being between a man and a woman. he came to the state today with a very significant issue on a referendum, and managed to cleverly not say anything about it, but did meet with a leading opponent of it.

the truth is, he opposes it and he opposes the referendum. of course, he won't say that because he's very clever and he assumes we are foolish. i am here to tell you that we released today a video in favor of the referendum, and in favor. [applause] [applause] -- in favor of, and he also says one of the reasons that we are determined to go all the way to tampa is to fight for a platform that does have these kind of issues and it, it -- we are going to lead this live event and take you to manchester, new hampshire, where mitt romney and his wife are welcoming supporters this after romney's winning in a number of key states including rhode island and delaware. live coverage here on c-span.

>> i will admit i was hesitant. four years ago, we have been through a tough time. i told him i would never do this again. i was pretty emphatic, and i was pretty certain. but net -- but mitt romney reminded me that i said that after every pregnancy. we have five sons, so that didn't work out so well. i knew our country was in real trouble, and a new that we needed to have real leadership to turn things around. i asked mitt romney one single question. can you fix it. he said yes, and that's all i needed to know. [applause] [applause] i said if you can fix it, then we need to do this. and we launched this campaign a few months later. i have been on the trail with

mitt for a very long time now, nearly a year. we have been to 35 states. after speeches like the one he will give tonight, mitt will go down the line to shake hands and answer questions, and i go to the other side where i get to that site to talk to people. people share their worries and fears. many are concerned about the deficit and economy. almost all are worried about their jobs or children's student loans. in the most amazing thing, people tell me that they are praying for us. i have to tell you that that is so touching for me. despite all of their worries and their concerns and their troubles, they are thinking of us. in moments like those, i realized that there is no limit to the good and goodness of the heart of america, and there is no question that we can give this country a chance to get back on track. tonight, to all the people who win out in this primary and voted for us, who got up every

morning and volunteer, i want to thank you so much. i know you believed in us, that this election will be the most important vote of our lives, and because of you, a better america begins tonight. [applause] [applause] [cheers] [cheers] [cheers] [cheers] [cheers] >> and now i would like to introduce the man that i know to lead our party to victory in our nation back to prosperity, ladies and gentlemen, my husband, mitt romney. [cheers] [cheers] [cheers] [cheers] [cheers] >> thank you.

[applause] >> thank you for that welcome, and thank you pennsylvania, delaware, rhode island, connecticut and new york. thank you. [cheers] >> tonight i can also say thank you america, because after 43 primaries and caucuses, many long days and more than a few long nights, i can say with confidence and gratitude that you have given me a great honor and solemn responsibility. together, we are going to win on november 6. [cheers] [cheers] [cheers] [cheers] >> we launched this campaign not far from here. a beautiful day in june on a farm in new hampshire.

it has been an extraordinary journey. americans have always been an eternal optimist. over the last three and half years, we have seen hopes and dreams diminished by false promises and weak leadership. everywhere i go, americans are tired of being tired. many of those are fortunate enough to have a job, they are working harder for less. for every single mom who feels heartbroken when she has to explain to her kids that she needs to take a second job and won't be home as often, for the grandparents who can't afford the gas to visit their grandchildren anymore, for the mom and dad who never thought they would be on food stamps. for the small business owners, desperately coming back just to keep their doors open one more month, to all of the thousands of good and decent americans who want nothing more than a better chance -- a fighting chance.

to all of you, i have a simple message. hold on a little longer. a better america begins tonight. [cheers] [cheers] [cheers] [cheers] [cheers] [applause] [applause] [cheers] [cheers] tonight is the start of a new campaign to unite every american who knows in her heart that we can do better. the last few years have been the best bet barack obama can do. but it is not the best america can do. tonight is the beginning of the end of the disappointments of the obama years.

[cheers] [cheers] >> it is the start of a new and better chapter that we will write together. it has already been a long campaign, but many americans are just beginning to focus on their choices before the country. in the days ahead, i look forward to spending time with many of you personally. i want to hear what's on your mind. i want to hear about your concerns, and i want to learn about your families. i want to know what you think we can do to make this country better. and what you expect from your next president. i will probably tell you a little bit about myself. i will start by talking about my wife, of course. [applause] [cheers] and i will probably bore you with stories of my sons and my grandkids. i will tell you how much i love the country. this extraordinary land, for someone like my dad, who grew up very poor. never graduated from college. he could pursue his dreams and

work his way up to running a great car company. only an american, a man like my dad, could become a governor of a state where he once sold paint from the trunk of his car. [cheers] [cheers] [cheers] when i see you, i think i would say that you may have heard that i was successful in business. [laughter] [cheers] yes, that rumor is true. but you might not of her that i became successful by helping start a business that grew from 10 people to hundreds of people, you might not have heard that her business helped start other businesses like staples and sports authority and still mills and learning centers called bright horizons. i tell you that not every business made it.

there were good days and bad days. everyday was a lesson. after 25 years, i know how to lead us out of this stagnant obama economy and into a job creating recovery. [cheers] [cheers] [cheers] four years ago, barack obama dazzled us in front of columns with sweeping promises of hope and change. after we came down to earth, after all the celebration and the braves, when we have to show for three and a half years of a president obama? is it easier to make ends meet? is it easier to sell your home or buy a new one? have you saved what you needed for retirement?

are you making more new job? do you have a better chance to get a better job? are you paying less at the pump? you know, if the answer were just to those questions, then president obama would be running for reelection based on his record. and rightly so. but because he has failed, he will run a campaign of diversions and distractions and distortions. that kind of campaign may have worked at another place and at a different time. but not here. and not now. it is still about the economy, and we are not stupid. ..

it dispenses the benefits, barrault's what it can't take, consumes a greater share of the economy. with obamacare fully installed, government would have control of almost half of the economy coming and we would have effectively ceased to be in enterprise society. this president is putting on a path where our lives would be ruled by bureaucrats, commissions and the czars. he's asking us to accept that washington knows best and can provide all. we can already see where that path leads. it and deadens the entrepreneurial spirit and it hurts the very people who are

supposed to help. those who promise to spread the wealth around only succeed in spreading poverty around. [applause] the other nations have chosen a path at least of chronic high unemployment, crushing debt and stagnant wages. i have a very different vision for america and for the future. it is an america driven by freedom where street people pursuing happiness in their own unique way is create free enterprises that employ more and more americans that are succeeding the competition for hard working educated skilled employees is a test so the wages and salaries rise. i see in america with a growing middle class with rising standards of living.

i see children even more successful than their parents come some success even beyond their wildest dreams and others congratulating them for their achievement, not attacking them for it. when [cheering] this america is fundamentally fair. we will stop the on the fairness of children being denied access to the good schools of their choice. [applause] we will stop the on the fairness of politicians giving tax payer money to their friends businesses. [applause]

we will stop the on the fairness of requiring union workers to contribute to politicians lot of their choosing. [applause] we will stop the on the fairness of government workers getting better benefits than the taxpayers deserve. [applause] and we will stop the unfairness of one generation passing larger and larger debt onto the next. [applause] the america that i see the character and choices matter, and education, artwork and living within our means are valued and reworded and poverty will be defeated mog with a

government check but respect that's taught by parents, learned in school and practiced in the workplace. [applause] this is the america that was one for us by the nation's founders and earned by the greatest generation. it's the america that is produced the most innovative, most productive and most powerful economy in the world. as i look around the millions without work the graduates that can't get a job, the soldiers who have returned home to an unemployment line, it breaks my heart. this does not have to be. it's the result of the field leadership and a faulty vision. we will restore the promise of america only if we restore the principles of freedom and opportunity that made this

nation the greatest nation on earth. [applause] today the phill before us is a little steep but we have always been a nation of big steppers. many americans have given up on this president, but they have never thought of giving up not in themselves, not on each other, and certainly not america [applause] in the days ahead, join me on the next step towards the destination of november 6th when across america we can give a sigh of relief and know that the promise of america has been kept. the dreamers can dream a little

bigger, the help-wanted signs can be dusted off and we can start again and get it right [applause] [chanting] we will stop the days of apologizing for success and never again i apologize for america abroad. [applause] there was a time not so long ago each of us could walk a little taller and stand a little straighter because we get that no one else in the world shared. we were americans.

that meant something different to each of us but it meant something special to all of us. we knew it question, and so did the world coming back. that is our destiny. [applause] [chanting] we believe in america were. we believe in ourselves. our greatest days are ahead. we are, after all, americans. god bless this great nation. god bless the united states of america and you good people. thank you so much. thank you. ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ former massachusetts governor republican presidential candidate mitt romney wrapping

up about 12 minutes of remarks. he is viewed as a pivot point as he talks about a new beginning for america. mitt romney winning a number of northeast primaries today in connecticut, delaware, still coming in from new york case to win that state as well, pennsylvania and rhode island with rick santorum out of the race and the news tonight from new gingrich that he will be reassessing over the coming weeks. mitt romney securing the nomination on the first ballot as the convention moves into tampa. but tonight a chance for mitt romney to try to reintroduce himself as we talk about his father, his roots in michigan and also his own background as a businessman trying to draw the line between his campaign and the obama campaign. as always we want to hear from you. c-span live coverage of 2012. to support mitt romney the phone line is 202-737-0001. for supporters of new gingrich, 202-737-0002 and if you support congressman ron paul, the number

is 202-628-0814 and we have a number for those that support the president. 202-628-0205. we also welcome the listeners on season radial or coast-to-coast xm channel 19. cheryl joining from seabrook texas, a supporter of new gingrich. good morning to you. >> caller: thank you for taking my call. i still think that newt gingrich is the only one that deserves to be president of the united states of america. >> host: if you look at the polls coming into new gingrich third or fourth in a number of the states in the law where did he beat congressman ron paul. he said he is going to reassess in the coming days and weeks the future of his candidacy. what you want him to do? >> caller: well, i don't want him to do anything differently as far as who he is, what he believes, his platform, what he's been fighting for. i think what he stands for in

traditional marriage, his brilliance and leading us forward into the future, he can't do any better. it's just working on a shoestring and the negative campaigning that started in florida but really it was the truest. south carolina was the truest picture of the people of the united states. >> host: and he's $4.5 million in debt according to the filings in the federal election commission. >> caller: 280,000 people who have donated to him $20,000 would be wiped out in about ten seconds. >> host: thanks for the call. we should point out we were life which new gingrich in north carolina and we had to break away because mitt romney coming in. about ten minutes earlier than we expected so listen to new gingrich comments coming up in their entirety. he did say he will continue his campaign schedules which is the next round of primaries. looking at the result, really no contest in the races with mitt

romney winning between 50 to 65% of the vote, primaries and gemmer island, connecticut, delaware, pennsylvania and the poll numbers in yet from new york the poll is just closing about 12 minutes ago. the polls closing at 9:00 eastern. let's go soft running from new jersey. supporter of mitt romney. good evening to you. you talked about the speech tonight. >> caller: yes, i think that romney made a great speech. when he makes a speech he always says the same thing people need to hear and that is he believes in america in the pre-market system. he believes in limited government. he loves his country and would never apologize for the country overseas which is something that barack obama has always been doing since he got elected. obama has nothing to offer he is just an empty suit. that's good in rhetoric. he is good at using words but he

doesn't do anything if romney does get elected when he doesn't get elected romney will take the ball on the horns, he will restore the american economy and i just have to say that i think he deserves to be the next president, and i think that if he is given the chance could be a great president. >> host: thanks for the call. by the way the president was in north carolina earlier in the day and the speeches airing right now on c-span and tonight the president is in colorado speaking at the university of colorado tomorrow he will be in iowa, all you will, colorado and north carolina. three states the president won in 2008 and of course they are battleground states in 2012. mitt romney in the new hampshire state that he won in the republican primary going back to new hampshire to try to turn the page that talked about a new beginning for america, the the new theme in mitt romney's speech and we will post on the web site, c-span.org. next up is the show from long island new york.

go ahead, please. >> caller: yes, sir. we are here campaigning for new gingrich and we welcome the policies he has been promoting. >> host: thanks for the call. next is a supporter of the president joining us from chicago. go ahead, please. good evening. >> caller: how are you doing today? >> host: fine, thank you. >> caller: i am calling because a lot of americans criticize president obama for the way that the state of america is coming and actually everything that he's got, it's been handed to him to the i mean, can we speak on that? thank you. >> host: thanks for the call. again phone lines are open at 202-737-0001 if you support mitt romney and supporters of new gingrich, 202-737-0002. looking at these results, and they are available on the website, c-span.org and also politico and roland mitt romney getting 63% of the vote. ron paul getting 25% of the vote

and gingrich coming in at only 6%. next up is a supporter of mitt romney from boise idaho. john, go ahead, please. you're on the air. >> caller: i'd just like to say i really appreciate the opportunity to show my support to mitt romney, grateful that he's running because we've got an opportunity to turn our country around, and it's been a long time coming. but keep going. >> host: the number to get the nomination on the first ballot is 1,144. with rick santorum now out of the race, he has 260 delegates. you can see the increase though for mitt romney and additional delegates likely to be of this evening at 739. newt gingrich at 137, ron paul at 75 delegates. again, 1,144 needed to win the nomination on the first ballot. also, the obama campaign

announcing he's going over the top in the number of delegates necessary and of course he was not challenged, needed the democratic primary, and all this information part of the c-span's site for politics, c-span.org c-span.org/campaign2012. jeff is on the phone -- at julich, we go to bob, supporters mitt romney jennifer massachusetts. go ahead. you are on the air. >> caller: this is patrick from new jersey. >> host: okay, patrick. good evening. go ahead. >> caller: i just want to give my support to mitt romney. i think it's time that this country headed businessman and the white house. to many people -- we need to get back on track. thanks very much. >> host: now we will go to kobach joining from such as its. actually from florida, supporters go ahead. >> caller: i think the president is doing a good job for what he had to deal with and i hope to get reelected myself.

>> host: what do you think the president's message should be in his own reelection effort? >> caller: i hope to talk about the poor in the middle class because they're struggling >> host: surely is joining as a supporter of mitt romney from michigan. go ahead. >> caller: what you want me to do, give you a comment? >> host: you are on the air. you called in so tell us what you're thinking tonight. >> caller: i just feel he has a good message, and i like the way he presents himself triet >> host: should he stay in the race based on the totals as said earlier? >> caller: i wish they were better of course. >> host: thanks for the call. we are getting the reaction to mitt romney's speech he spoke to reporters at a familiar venue at the center of new hampshire, the radisson hotel, which is often

viewed as a ground zero of the new hampshire primary. he announced his candidacy in june of last year, not far from manchester and of course lived in massachusetts as the former governor and also has a home in california. chris is on the phone, supporters mitt romney from virginia. good evening. >> caller: i just want to say that being that he stands on both sides of each issue i believe he should get the nomination. why not back-and-forth and both sides. why would support. >> host: next is richard from new york. go ahead. a supporter of newt gingrich? why do you support -- turn the volume down we are getting feedback. please, go ahead. >> caller: the volume is down. well, several reasons. one, the $2.50 gas, he is balancing the budget saving

social security. there's a lot of reasons why i want him to win the nomination and go on to become the president. a supporter of the president is next and he's joining from florida. >> caller: good evening. >> host: please, go ahead. >> caller: i think the president deserves to be reelected. everyone that's running now i don't feel are qualified to run this country. mitt romney seems a bit of a ronald reagan type of person and still making moves and the president has great things and the people are trying to discredit him and it's just the

country i think that if mitt romney did, then the people versus putting him they would see the disappointment they would bring to them. >> host: we will go to liz in scottsdale arizona. supporters mitt romney? >> caller: ibm years ago and i am again. i'm listening to these people -- msnbc come i will tell you how tacky that network is. they don't have anything on mitt romney's speech. i just was curious when i turned back to them, but i'm thinking mitt romney is so squeaky clean they see him flip tortilla know the president is out there putting all of our money flying around all these places he didn't even vote for this student thing. he was out. hillary clinton is right, either present or not available. but i want to tell you something about mitt romney. he does no business. we need a big -- the white house is a big business, and we have

to do something about it. this president, like mitt romney said, she's a nice man. they keep saying he's being treated bad because he's an african-american. that is a lie. look at how his ratings on what people think of him personally. they are high but so we are racist if we don't want to vote for him? i want is a mitt romney, why is it okay that a democrat, the kennedys have money none of those kids even made their money they held that dirty money, carey had all that money and now they want all of these tax jeeves, they didn't ask about the kennedys or john kerry. why is it that romney has to come up with all this? >> host: thanks for the call. we are keeping track of the numbers, some coming in from new york. in all cases of the primaries and connecticut, delaware, rhode island, mitt romney is winning with 50 to 55 the low sixties in the vote. what's interesting is if you look who's coming in second for

example but santorum coming in second, she of course dropped out of the race to weeks ago. newt gingrich is second in delaware but the letter states, ron polis second, newt gingrich is third or fourth. you can keep track of all this information online at c-span.org and we will have more tomorrow morning on the c-span washington journal and also get an update on the supreme court oral arguments will be taking place among the guests tomorrow will be congressman adam smith, from washington and member of the house armed services committee to talk about a member of the defense related issues and putting u.s. involvement in afghanistan and syria and the u.s. detention policy. we also talked to rachel of congressional quarterly to discuss the senate action on the future of the postal service. the hemorrhaging about $18 billion a year, the be made in the senate over whether to end saturday surface. also, the discussion on postal service closing, post office closings, and some of the processing by the postal service. and we will introduce you as we are doing all week to the

studentcam top place winners, part of c-span's studentcam contest. held tomorrow morning on c-span washington journal 7 a.m.. four-o'clock for those of you on the west coast. the continuing campaign coverage from tonight with the event and north carolina. and the comments of newt gingrich as he spoke to supporters following the results tonight in the primaries in the northeast.

kissinger had the right, although he abused it, to come into the office, the oval office without having somebody announced. the kissinger walked in when he wanted to. he told him that because of the severity of the policy issues to feel free to just come in and interrupt. he would do it for trivial things and one day nixon was really kind of ticked off for a variety of things and and the executive office building the door swung open and i looked over and it was henry, caught a glance and nixon didn't appear to look, but i know and they said i think you're right about that, i think it is time that we use nuclear weapons.

and i stood in the doorway absolutely paralyzed. somebody is going to hear that on the tape and think he was a mad man. everything they say is true. it was pure humor. >> hear more about his political career, watergate and his work in the prison reform online at the c-span video library. with a quarter-century of politics and public affairs available on your computer any time. >> some of the victims of the ugonda war lord joseph kony the u.s. will continue its deployment of 100 troops in central africa to advise regional forces hunting for mr. kony who leads the lord's resistance army. we also hear from state department and pentagon officials at this into our hearing. delaware senator chris kunes shares the senate judiciary subcommittee on african affairs.

>> i'm pleased to cheer the hearing of the african subcommittee examining u.s. policy to counter the lord's resistance army. i'd like to welcome my good friend, sadr isaacson, senator inhofe, other members of the committee are as expected as well as our distinguished witnesses today. principal deputy psychiatry of state for african affairs donald yamamoto, assistant administrator for africa usaid oral gast and secretary of defense for african affairs, amanda dory. welcome, and the second panel, ms. jolly okot regionally ambassador for invisible children come and mr. jacob acaye a former of the key that will share in the second panel acaye a former of the key that will share in the second panel their personal experiences of working to help communities in ugonda recover from lra and their personal experiences of being victimized by the lra, which i think will add some strength and bract to today's hearing. as we all know, for more than two decades the lord's

resistance army has committed brutal attacks against civilians in central africa that is the statewide region result of the systematic killings of the placement, killing, you mutilation and rape. joseph kony and commanders of adopted tens of dozens of children to serve as child soldiers and sex slaves forcing them to commit terrible acts. today as a mengin we are privileged and helpful to hear from the two victims jacob and jolly both about their enduring a terrific experience is in ugonda and their courageous efforts to live for word and to make positive change in the world from that experience. joseph kony a pablumized worst of mankind, the evil in the modern day and as i mentioned, while the lra has left ugonda in 2006 it continues to burn a path of destruction through the whole region. as you can see from this chart, in the past four months alone, the lra has committed 132 attacks in three countries the center of african republic, the democratic republic of the congo and south sudan. despite an increase in u.s.

prisons and regional efforts to counter them. there has been and continues to be broad bipartisan support for stopping kony. this was demonstrated in may of 2010 with the overwhelming passage by congress of the lord's resistance army disarmament in northern ugonda recovery act which u.s. policy to work with regional governments to remove kony and his top lieutenants from the battlefield and protect civilians. there's also bipartisan support for the recent deployment of 100 u.s. military advisers, which just yesterday president obama and his speech of the holocaust museum announced would continue in their mission to train the regional military. bipartisan support for the issue is so strong that six of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, including the two senators with me on the bayh is the moment, joined last week in releasing a video about the senate speak of longstanding commitment to countering the lra dhaka would like to make it part of the proceedings, and with the consent of the other senators, i had hoped at this point we would show that video for the benefit of this hearing today.

[inaudible] stepped up to take on the humanitarian on the other side of the world. [inaudible] by the lord resistance army of the work of the broad coalition of senators and congress have worked on for years is important to continue today. >> joseph kony has wreaked havoc to ugonda for more than 25 years. >> he is thought to be somewhere

in the central african public and he's been separating himself from the soldiers which is a good thing to be. [inaudible] [inaudible] i remember knowing about it in 2004 when i travelled to ugonda

-- [inaudible] >> what gate did is he kidnaps and of ducks children -- once the kids have to go back to and they cut their lives off and their noses off. >> this single man with a relatively small group of followers has been able to wreak havoc on this part of the world. no >> this is one of the worst in terms of the brutality. >> in 2009 frustrated with the lack of progress being made by the regional forces, they finally introduced s. 1067 the

resistance army in northern ugonda recovery act. available to make it the policy of the united states, the work of the government and the region to stop and help center of africa. >> we have to remember the -- it has to do with intelligence and restoring the lives of northern ugonda -- [inaudible] this is an issue that we had bipartisan support and signed by president obama. islamic senator feingold's bill laid the groundwork for the decision last fall to send 100 units of military advisers to center of africa to help armed forces from ugonda, democratic republic of the congo and the

central african republic. to hunt down joseph kony. >> my trip to ugonda two weeks ago i met with a special letter visors in the united states personnel and sizing central african republic building the troops over there we are working in the defense to prove that in the state department and other agencies to try to figure out what we can do and how we can be more effective and we are going to continue to work in the state department and others in an effort to provide and focus on this issue. >> we have to understand the area where he is thought to be as -- there are no roads or telephone poles. >> they are getting very close. >> president obama, congress and soldiers on the field aren't the only americans to turn to help

stop the lra. the coming 2012 campaign inspires millions of young people to get involved in this humanitarian cause for the first time. >> things i heard about the kony and across america is taking the time to watch and learn and share information about kony. >> i'm proud of the people in america that are compassionate about the short-run. with to help to the [inaudible] >> for justice and we can all work to make the world a better place. >> we have stopped joseph kony

and the lra we just need to keep at it and keep working. >> there are so many people he is literally a -- we focus intently on the relationship committee and the level of that focus on this issue we are going to try to push the country's and push our own government into recognizing it is only a matter of time. >> stopping kony and the lra is a mission in the house of representatives and in washington to read our challenge now is sustainment. >> there's no country that allows people it will make it different. >> please, help make sure we

finish the job and that we bring to justice and then come to the ongoing work ailing the communities, young people and the families who have been hurt by the times of this and remember we there's so much more we can and should do in africa and around the world. we welcome your voice, we are listening to your concerns and we look forward to working together. >> by the desire to respond to the millions of young who have been engaged by and encouraged to be acted on this issue by invisible children, buy results, the enough project and by their joint efforts to publicize this ongoing decade-long sturgeon center of africa it is a once in a generation moment when we have the attention of the millions of folks around the world, and so i want us to now move towards our first panel to hear about the status of the hunt for joseph

kony, the multilateral effort against the lra, america's investments and recovery command i want to thank the two senators to my left, both for their participation and leadership on this issue. i would like to ask senator isaacson for his statement and go to the first panel. estimate i will be briefed but secretary yamamoto come administrator gast and amanda dory i'm delighted you're here today. you gave me a great briefing before i went to ugonda early in the month of april and i am pleased to report coming back from that trip our united states forces under the dod that are in other parts of central america to become africa assisting various armies and the african union are doing what our troops always do. they are making america proud and bringing resources to the use of those armies that wouldn't otherwise be available and the assets that they have deployed and the intelligence that they are gathering is being very, very helpful in terms of the pursuit of joseph kony and i want to recognize the jolly and

jacob we are anxious to hear your story. i would much rather hear from you families of mr. chairman, i'm going to turn back to you to conduct the hearing. >> i will be very brief. i have another hearing across all i'm going to have to be attending. but i just returned from the east african community and and as the ambassador yamamoto will tell you that was my 123rd african entry visit in 15 years and one of the most revealing was back in 2005 and i will want to mention this because i think it may have gone unnoticed. my first trip was in 2005 when we heard there is a god of their named joseph kony. when i got there there were three that i believe wouldn't be there today if it weren't for them. the invisible children from the had their camera going, jason russell, loren pool and body

daily. when they put together the first thing and went out and generated the support i can tell you right now we ended up getting 64 co-sponsors, 1067. i did most of that and couldn't have done it without those kids harassing all the members of the senate to get them to be interested in this mission. i join them and hopefully this will be the year. we are going to do all the resources we can and i'm going to remind people as i always do the amendment that we put on the 2012 national authorization language was one that precludes americans from engaging in the combat, and i think that's very important for people to know because we get a lot of criticism for getting places like libya and other places where perhaps we shouldn't be but we need the support and have the support and i will be visiting with president later this afternoon on a plan that he

has. so we have not just five countries but we have included in that in the east african community all working together to make this happen. thanks for all your support. >> thanks, senator. i'd like to move to the first panel. ambassador yamamoto. >> thank you very much, mr. chairman. on the efforts to counter the all resistance army. it remains disproportionate. it continues to terrorize the communities of the country's premier li the central african republic and republic of congo in southern sudan and when we say that we are all very grateful to you, senator coons, sadr isaacson and senator inhofe for everything you've done it tumbling to be here before you and the work that you've done to inspire us and our work here. consistent with the legislation that you all passed in 2010, we

continue to pursue a multifaceted strategy to support the regional efforts to end the threat posed by the lra. let me stretch that the governments of the region are in the lead. the troops are making the most important sacrifices, and the people are confronting the lra's terror. these governments are the ones that are ultimately responsible for ending this threat and protecting the local communities. the united states is trying to help them fulfill these responsibilities. mr. chairman, we continue to look for ways which we can enhance the capacity of the military to succeed. last october, president obama authorized the deployment of a small number of u.s. military forces to serve as advisers to the forces pursuing the lra. the president announced yesterday that the united states will continue this planet. my colleagues from the department of defense will go into more detail on this work of the at pfizer's. we are coordinating closely with of the united nations

peacekeeping in the region to promote the civilian protection. we have encouraged the u.n. to scale up the efforts when possible. we are also working very closely with the african union to increase the efforts to address the lra. last month, the officially launched the cooperation initiative with the elimination of the lra. these initiatives united together offer a real promise. however, as the chairman wrote earlier this month, any of the lra threats are not an easy mission. the lra operates in very small groups across territories roughly the size of california. and very heavily forested. mr. chairman, effectively ending the lra threat requires simultaneously removing the top leadership in the battlefield and addressing the conditions that would leave the community so vulnerable to the predatory groups such as the lra. that is why the united states is seeking to pursue a multifaceted, for power program,

and that is to increase protection of civilians, the apprehension and removal of joseph kony and others, the promotion of defections of the lra and support of the disarmament and demobilization and the integration of the remaining lra fighters, and number four, the provision of the continued humanitarian relief in the affected areas. and in the partnership with the usaid, supporting the project to increase the civilian protection to enhance early-warning capabilities and strengthen the overall resilience of the communities. we also believe that the target of efforts to encourage the lra fighters to peacefully surrender have a great effect on reducing the the lra's number. mr. chairman, we believe that an opportunity for the further u.s. support in the state department's war crimes program we welcome the legislation that would expand the authority of the program to that end. in closing, let me reiterate their our partners in the region who are in the lead countering the lra threat and this impact.

but the united states can provide a critical, capable support to these efforts. mr. chairman, i submit a longer version for the record and also if you want to take this to say thank you to the invisible children and to the jacob and the others that are here today. >> thank you so much, ambassador yamamoto to read assistant administrator gast. >> good morning, jim coons, ranking member isaacson. thank you for inviting me to speak today. it's a pleasure to be back here again so soon. for over two decades, the lord's resistance army terrorist communities across huge swaths of northern ugonda, affecting civilians and forcing children to become soldiers. the lra was finally driven out of ugonda in 2006 and since then, number ugonda has undergone a transformation this tangible. people can move freely, banks and stores were open and fields are being cultivated. poverty defined from 61% in 2005

to an estimated 46% in 2010. and 95% of the more than one play 8 million ugonda is that were displaced by the conflict have returned to their homes. working with the the government of ugonda and civil society organizations the united states has done a tremendous amount to solidify this progress by supporting the rebuilding of communities and the economies. today the lra numbers are significantly reduced, but it continues to commit atrocities throughout large parts of central africa. the central african republic and the democratic republic of congo and the republic of south sudan. lra violence has displaced more than 445,000 persons in an area the size of california that is harsh, a remote and underdeveloped. as the fed shifted from northern ugonda to the central the african republic and the congo and south sudan, it's adjusted its response to address the humanitarian needs and increase

the protection of civilians in the survey as, which is the core of the strategy. our programs which aim to assist nearly a quarter of a million persons are having a significant impact. because the lra freeze on all honorable communities, we're supporting the coordinated efforts to reduce the vulnerability of those communities. in the drc, it's engaged 24 villages to form local protection committees that are identifying security threats and assessing what they can do to mitigate those problems. once the protection plans are in place, the use of high frequency radios or reinforcing and extending existing network of radios managed by the catholic church as an early-warning system. and also supports the reunification and reintegration of the formerly of adopted children into their families and communities and is helping to make a significant cycle social needs with therapy and life skills training. it's also helping women purchase

machines, fabric and basic accessories, most of these women are the sole providers of their children and they can now earn a living through tailoring and producing closing for clients in and around their communities. usaid has been engaged in the affected areas of ugonda since the late 1980's and the efforts have shown the development can flourish once the stability and security have taken root. as it first began to exact severe economic losses, causing massive displacement and the weakening governments in northern ugonda, its focus on providing life-saving assistance to those affected by the conflict. when the lra was finally driven out of northern ugonda, the program shifted from relief to recovery and then to the longer term development which is taking place now. usaid transition initiative was a critical step in this evolution from the relief commission and entered and assistance to the development.

the flagship program renovated a public service building for about the second region including the government office buildings, schools and teachers housing, health clinics, markets, police and justice facilities, and at a time of tremendous risk and uncertainty, the initiative quickly became a cornerstone of our strategy in northern ugonda and it was highly valued by the partners for its speed for its flexibility and its impact. by partnering to appear with government offices of the initiative not only helped the communities began to rebuild, but also increased the visibility and confidence in all levels of government it is ever set a clear message that they have returned to the region and the government of ugonda is now at the helm of the reconstruction process. number you got the strategy has now woven into the government of ugonda's peace recovery and development plan which has ushered in the return of stability to the region and we are working closely with of the department of state and defense as well as others in the

regional government and civil society organizations were on the ground to make this a truly concerted push to help the communities cope, recovery and rebuild. thank you for in inviting me to speak with you today and i welcome any questions. thank you. >> thank you. >> thank you and good morning mr. chairman, ranking member. i appreciate the opportunity to update the committee on the the part of defense role in countering the lord's resistance army and particularly i appreciate the chance to appear before this committee and my first hearing in my new capacity is the deputy assistant secretary for african affairs. consistent with the legislation passed by the congress in 2010 and signed into law by the president the united states continues as you know to pursue the comprehensive multi-year strategy to help the regional partners mitigate and eliminate the threat posed by the lord's resistance army. the dod contribution to the

multinational effort is consistent with the new defense strategic guidance which states whenever possible we will develop innovative, low-cost and a small footprint approaches to achieve security objectives of the african continent relying on exercises, presents an advisor capabilities. the u.s. forces are equipped for self-defense purposes that do not have an operational role. d'huez advisers are supporting the regional forces and the edify is ray capacity and are seeking to enhance our partners capability to achieve their objectives against the lra. the military of ugonda, the central african republic, south sudan and the democratic republic of the congo in collaboration with the african union continue to pursue the lra and seek to protect local populations. they are leading this effort. as you know, approximately 100 u.s. military personnel were deployed for operational

observant compass across the lra countries. there's a command and control element in ugonda that's working to synchronize and oversee the counter lra efforts and to coordinate the headquarters level at the forces. small teams of u.s. military advisers are also now working with the military and national military forces and field locations in the affected areas of central republican south sudan. and these countries u.s. advisers have helped to set up operations fusion centers to enable deily coordination come information sharing and tactical coordination. the u.s. advisers are also integrating local civilian leaders into the work of the carper forces to improve the effectiveness of the civil military relations. in the democratic republic of the congo, u.s. advisers are supporting efforts by - go, the united nations organization

stabilization mission. in the drc as well as the military to increase the protection of the civilians and address the lra. our advisers are working with the joint intelligence operations center which serves as the intelligence fusion hub for these efforts in the drc. u.s. advisers are connecting the work and that of the operation fusion centers in central africa and south sudan to increase the cross border analysis and regional coordination on the lra movement. we believe our support is helping the partner forces to improve their operations, they continue to face significant challenges in terms of their capabilities to quickly pursue lra groups across this area. dod appreciates the support provided by the authority in section 1206 of the national defense authorization act for fiscal 2012 which allows the

expenditure a $35 million to provide enhanced logistical support services to the regional partners. dod intends to use those authorities to provide enhanced ability support to the regional forces as well as supplies to upgrade the operation fusion centers. i will close by saying we believe the u.s. military advisers have established a good foundation and have made initial progress especially considering the complexity of the operating environment, the number of partners involved and the remoteness of the operational areas. we will continue to monitor the situation closely with our interagency partners to ensure our support is having the intended impact. dod appreciates the congress's strong commitment to counter into the lra and your support for the efforts of the deployed personnel. thank you, deputy secretary for your testimony and for appearing for us today.

let me if i could start the round of seven minutes with you if i could because i'm very interested in this particular set of questions. what is the level of cooperation between the four regional governments in terms of sharing information, intelligence, coordination of the fusion centers have set up now that the 100 u.s. advisers are sort of facilitating communications, where are they in terms of collaboration and what are the main practical operational challenges associated with the u.s. mission that we might be aware of and might be engaged in supporting either additional logistical support or intelligence assets that might be needed to strengthen the role and to strengthen cooperation and effectiveness with our regional partners. >> of the collaboration question i can speak of the tactical operational level if and i know they want to add on the diplomatic and strategic level. let's say the level of collaboration is growing among

the advisers that have gone into the operation centers engaging in the partner forces arise for the most part in the december and january time frame and the first period of time has been involved in establishing their operations and developing the relationships building freeport and trust with each of the military's. as you know you can't surge trust. that's something that happens with time and i think that they've made tremendous progress in this initial period of time to read it is level of communication and cooperation and it's quite close. we see that in terms of the closing of the provision of information and intelligence and the connection the operations were undertaken by the department of military's. we have increasing numbers of

incidents to point to where there have been lra engaged directly where there have been the abductees that have been released as the collaboration and the partnership the tactical operational level. in terms of the challenges i highlighted a couple already. and as you know, the terrain itself is perhaps challenge number one. challenge number two is perhaps our collective expectations management on how quickly we will be able to succeed given the terrain and the loss a paucity of the forces and given the challenges associated with gathering actionable information during this operation. i think in terms of the specifics to the operation compass logistics martha challenge areas for us there are a logistics support provided that the present time thanks to

this department, peacekeeping operations, funding support that's something that dod will be taking over in the 1206 counter authority and we intend to increase the amount of the logistics support provided to the partner forces themselves. when it comes to our ksr as you are well aware there's not enough to go around for any of our combat commanders. they are constantly making difficult choices within the areas of responsibility. they have dedicated assets to the mission looking at other ways to increase the amount of coverage that can be provided going forward. >> if i could, just to follow on the question and i'd like to go to the ambassador yamamoto for same question for the benchmarks for successful determine this deployment to mentioned one of the major challenges right up there with the terrain.

what is the timeline, what could you suggest in terms of benchmarks the would determine when you think it was appropriate for the dod to wind down. >> i think in terms of benchmarks of success, when we look across the four pillars of the counter lra strategy there's quite a few benchmarks to look at. some of those relate to the total number of defections over time and read some of them relate to the number of lra successfully engaged, some of them relate -- these are specific in the dod route to the capacity building and the partner forces and their ability to increase the effectiveness of their information and intelligence gathering operations and then translate that into the operational activities on the ground. those are some specific ones. i think they are also much rex or benchmarks when you get the overall development in the arenas in terms of the access for humanitarian assistance and the ability to engage in the development activities over time

along the lines of what we have heard from usaid. .. trying to get out these countries to coordinate and cooperation and to have an integrated military force that can cooperate is going to be tough. we were talking to defense minister last week from the central african republic. at this but they need equipment and training and a lot of logistical support that in

comparison with the uganda upf they have a lot more at advanced. we are trying to overcome a think a special forces group that has been very good about enhancing coordination and cooperation. the other issue is of course the ugandan troops have not been in the drc since the election last year. that is going to take some time but they are committed. we have spoken to the president and they said we are going to work together to make that happen but one thing that is really important, as long as we remain committed, the united states and the european union, the united nations and the african union that is going to be important and the regional task force and the south sudan is one step. the united nations peacekeeping operation contributing, that is another step in right now building that trust and i think that trust will continue to expand. one thing just going back to what amanda dory was saying on the benchmarks, if we can engage

the enhanced capabilities, coordination and cooperation, that is one level of success and benchmark. >> thank you so much ambassador. i'm going to turn to senator isaacson. >> first of all, administrator gast i want to describe what i saw in north uganda but he organization and what the ngos you are contracting with have made a remarkable turn in coordination with ugandan government. we flew in the local puddle jumper i guess is the best way to put it, but we got there from kampala. one of the things we saw along the way, in the government since kony has been out of north uganda which is five to six years have built a better road access between kampala and lulu where access is now somewhere between seven and eight hours were seduced to be nonexistent before which is kind of connected to the north to the capital city.

in the. louvre area usaid through its contract in karis doing some remarkable village improvements in terms of their savings and loan concept through microfinance at the will of the villages and bring about economic recovery in the pathfinder group that is in that area, sort of the same thing and then cdc is doing a great job in terms of pepfar and the problem and need on that. i have to say you talk about the horror, joseph kony in northern uganda, five to six years ago and the savagery and the destruction and the terrible things that were going on. a lot of credit has to be given to the renaissance taking place in the area in northern africa and a lot of that credit goes to usaid. you might want to comment on some of those contractors. >> thank you senator and thank you for your praise. i look forward to going there. i've heard about the tremendous impact that we collectively, the

u.s. government has made in partnership with ngos, international ngos and local ngos and certainly the government of uganda. we program more than $100 million last year into northern uganda, and that was about 50% of the resources that went into northern uganda last year. it's all kourtney did under the governments peace and reconstruction development program. a.i.d. is a major contributor and other donors of the governor -- government itself is as well. before he get into commenting on some of the specific programs of our implementing partners i do want to say that this is one area where we are being forward-leaning and recognizing that there is some good capacity within some of the local governments there. so one administrator shaw was before you and discuss some of

the forward reforms, this is one area where we are actually piloting the reform so we are programming resources directly through the local government so that the local government can build infrastructure projects to support the community and at the same time, we have an independent verifier, one of the ngos providing that oversight to make sure that there is strict accountability of the money that usaid is providing. so i just wanted to highlight that is one success, one of the reforms of a.i.d.. in addition to working directly with the local government, we are also working with a wide range of partners, some 20 ngos, to include care which is doing microfinance. we have had a tremendous impact in economic growth as well as an agricultural growth. for example just the impact of just the interventions and loans

that we have made in the agricultural sector last year resulted in an increase in $7 million worth of agricultural products last year. >> you are causing a lot of economic improvement to take place with a lot of those people which really helps with the political stability in the area. the story i want to comment on, isr intelligence recognizance and surveillance is critically important as we have learned in many battlefields. that is being enhanced now the little bed and i understand will be enhanced a little bit more. that is the real key to the united states i think, to give to the au and the u.n. and the other forces that are there but it should be underscored for everybody who has an interest in this. this is a very, where he is believed, is a very heavily vegetated, very underdeveloped part of the world where even surveillance sometimes is very very difficult because of the canopy that literally covers the central african republic, south sudan in that area.

i am very proud of what i saw and what are 100 advisers plus or minus are doing there and the cooperation in the aid they are giving to the ugandan people themselves. one example, by the way he talks about the reward group. they are also doing a great -- like we used in battles back to world war i and world war ii but they are dropping leaflets offering amnesty and recovery. they are starting, and they are starting to improve which is one of the great programs. we saw first-hand some of the flyers and some of the inducements that really provide these people with the confidence to leave where they are in terms of in support of kony and come back and bring us the information necessary. i also want to say one other thing. i appreciate the president extending the state of those advisers in uganda. joseph kony can be within our reach sooner than we might have

thought in the past and in large measures because of lending the isr with the capabilities. any comments you want to add to that i would appreciate. stay thank you senator. your comments about the isr and the challenges they are really underscores the need for all forms of information and intelligence to be fused together. and i underscore further the importance of the engagements with the local populations, the engagements with the defectors and the kinds of information that comes as a result of the defections. the defectors are a key part of the information picture that helps the partner forces vector and on the whereabouts of the lra leadership. so it's very complementary to the isr type assets is the human picture so to speak to write

from information and intelligence. to that and the rewards program, the proposal to expand the state department's version of the rewards program is well supported by the department, general hamm at africom as a way of inducing additional defectors who in their and help tighten the net in terms of the whereabouts of joseph kony. >> just to comment on, i think dod is supportive of the resolution of senator kerry and others to expand the information leading to the capture and conviction of the kony rewards program which has been very helpful as i understand it. your fellows who were deployed over there told me how much they would appreciate that opportunity so i hope we can do that mr. chairman. >> thank you senator isaacson. that is i think our next step here legislatively, not just to pass a resolution to continuing to express support for the mission and the undertakings to express gratitude to the regional armies but also senator

kerry's legislation that will authorize the justice rewards program to also include joseph kony and the icc. i would be interested in a series of answers if i could and ambassador yamamoto, the one country we have not talked about his sudan. sudan played a role in arming the lra in supporting them several years ago. there've been several reports that suggest connie might be trying to seek common -- some kind of safe haven and. what are the events to pressure khartoum of kony to seek sanctuary in sudan? >> now the situation in khartoum is very fluid because of the situation. we have been following very closely the other reports and allegations that the khartoum government is supportinsupportin g the lra. for some time we have not seen the evidence. we are looking but any information we receive we are following and if we can find a

verifiable evidence we are going to act on it immediately. >> and in your few what were the consequences for the international criminal court and for its stature going forward were kony to be captured and taken to the hague and tried as opposed to remove the battlefield in the way that prevented -- >> i think the legislation by senator kerry and by user has really been extremely helpful as far as the rewards for justice program because it does limit and isolate kony and not only kony but the other senior officials. we are supportive and receptive to how they are going to handle kony. i know that it be ugandans are very much involved in trying to determine the idc and other programs for kony but getting him off the battlefield is number one. >> i would be interested in an answer from the whole panel if i could do the next set of concerns i have.

if you could give me more detail about the au, the african union's role, how you see their engagement, how sustained it will be, what sort of collaborative role they are going to play as both intergovernmental in terms of recovery and development and then centrally in terms of actual deployment. is the simply rebranding troops or in a different command structure? will there be additional troops into the field? what kind of capabilities to they have first, second, civilian production. i think it's a very important part of a long-term strategy and i would be interested particularly in ambassador gast to come and await you have been doing around civilian protection. and last, how can folks who might be watching this hearing who are interested, how can they be supportive? how can they be engaged? what difference can they make in america's effort in supporting our regional allies? if you would first, ambassador. >> we commend the african

union's effort because their involvement has been very important not only in cooperation with these are countries but also in bringing the entire african union to bear on this issue. as you know the african union selected their recently the most -- diplomat madiera as the special envoy to the lra and in that context they have established operations task force in southern sudan. but what is going to be important of courses bringing the other groups together, the european union and funding and assisting, also the african union to help coordinate. as you are saying is it going to bring more troops? i think what they're going to do is bring better coordination and cooperation among these four countries and then bring other support from outside. and also the other issue is that our special unit is working closely with the african union. that involvement is one element of helping to support and to

sustain and to close in on kony and his team. >> with regard to your question on africa, the african union, they are certainly playing a very valuable role in helping to coordinate on the humanitarian side with the u.n. organizations, with the host country government and also with the donor countries themselves. and also with e. you which is also a major provider of humanitarian assistance to those poorer areas and those poorer countries. with regard to your question on protection, this is something that we have increased emphasis on over the past couple of years and we appreciate your earmarking of $75 million in 2012. most of that assistance will be going into supporting protection programs, mainly in central african republic where we feel there is a gap at this time. with regard to specific activities that we are doing and

enhancing civilian protection, certainly on the humanitarian side billing and providing relief services and also providing psychosocial health services and reintegration services. one of the innovative things we are doing with the state department and with the international community and also with the catholic church is the early warning system. the state department will be, will be working with 24 communities. we will be working with 24 communities in the lra affected areas in the drc and in those areas there are about 65,000 inhabitants. the early warning system is one critical component that we found missing. how how do we alert villages that an attack or guerrillas may be on the way? how? how can they enhance communications between the villages?

so that is something that we are doing. we are also working with vodafone in a private partnership. photo phone will be providing the retail services and we are going to help with some state-of-the-art low maintenance cell phone towers that we will be putting out in the eastern drc to facilitate additional communication. community protection committees then can get in touch with either u.n. forces, with her own government forces or with other villages. >> thank you. deputy assistant secretary? >> the issue of the growing au role, i think we can only express our optimism at this point that they are increasing their roles, coming from declaring lra a terrorist organization at the end of last year to now the destination of the envoy, the mobilizing of forces to bring to bear.

i think the parallel is interesting to consider when you look at somalia, the neighbors are the ones who feel the impact and act first. but then over time, the full force of the au is brought to bear and we andrea sina with the end calm commission. we can add and -- envisioned that is with the -- so it is not a reframing exercise. does become more than some of the existing parts. >> is a clear yet whether there will be additional troops actually deployed under the aid umbrella or is this still a work in progress? >> i think it's still very much a work in progress. it would be encouraging diplomacy happening among all the different leaders in the region at the political level at the military level. i think i would say that. >> if i could just a closing question to all three of you, what could we as concerned and

engaged senators due to be more supportive of the effort bolted laterally and what could anyone watching or interested do to continue to be supportive? >> thank you. the continuation of the bipartisan support for this mission is fundamental and this hearing today demonstrates that yet again. we would just thank you for that support and sustain engagement. the visits to the region that helps bring back the personal witness of what you have seen and how you have observed the u.s. government conference of strategy and action to encourage that. we have talked about expansion of the state department's rewards program already, the department of defense fully supports that. the title xxii appropriations that are so key to the efforts for many years now and going forward. and then just the support, encouraging the role of the u.n.

and the african union as they increasingly come come on, on l. >> thank you. administrator gast. >> very similar. one is continued hearings and speaking out on issues as you have done. visits to the region certainly help and third, resources. >> last, ambassador's earl gast. >> what you have been doing with the legislation the rewards for justice, you're outspoken advocacy is important and also the efforts of others who have been very supportive. also in continuation on the civilian protection. what we can do is really work with them because they are the ones that are taking the lead and doing the protection. i know they have devoted $50 million for reconciliation and protection and earl and his

group in the u.s. government gave 500 million since 2008 just for protection and humanitarian assistance so those are things that continually support and those are really critical issues. >> thank you very much and i'd want to thank our first panel. i'm grateful for your testimony today and before appearing for the committee for your thorough and detailed written testimony and your availability to answer questions. i very much look forward to continuing to work with u.s. we sustain this very vital multilateral mission in central africa so thank you very much. we are now going to turn to our second panel and i see that we have a guest, senator mary landrieu who i am going to invite to come and join us in introducing our second panel and as our first panel is preparing to leave, i just want to suggest that we might show a short video. we have prepared a summary, just a summary of videos that has already been made available that

helps highlight the stories of ms. jolly okot and that mr. jacob acaye who stories have inspired millions around the world. if you would join us at the table, senator mary landrieu. [inaudible conversations] >> when i first met him in uganda's central africa, it was in barrett -- very different circumstances. he was running for his life. >> that is how you know english

so well. how many have you seen here a long? >> the night i first met jacob, he told me what he and other children in northern uganda for living through. >> my brother tried to escape.

>> what is it that you want to be when you grow up?

>> i have been in the forefront from day one. i felt, let's do something and let the world know and that is why our focus has been very strong. >> while jolly launched programs on the ground we came home and in 2000 by began telling true stories of our friends affected by the ellery violence because we have seen that stories can change lives. >> just by participating in these videos i am certain that you have had that global impact and now i am grateful that you had the opportunity to join us here today. i turned to my good friend and colleague, senator landrieu of louisiana to introduce our

distinguished panel. senator lander lender has been an outspoken effective advocate on these issues for many years. i'm honored she can join us at the committee hearing today because in a very real sense it's because of her we have had the opportunity to have you with us here today. senator landrieu. >> thank you mr. chairman and i sincerely appreciate your leadership as the chair of the african subcommittee on this very important committee of the united states congress to use this platform and your time and attention to build support for the atrocities going on in this part of the world. they may not be the greatest, most widespread atrocities, but they are atrocities nonetheless and they have been brought to our attention in a very special and significant way, through the voices of children. very unusual for children of the world. maybe it's been done before in this way. i am not sure, but this issue

with hundreds and millions of children around the world led by a child himself, has brought these atrocities to our attention. and that in itself mr. chairman should be honored. we struggle to make democracy relevant to the children in our country. we struggle to make democracy makes sense to people in the world who are not used to it, and it's moments like these that need to be captured and promoted. when children, not even able to vote, can recognize truth when they see it, and if given an opportunity will present use the rights that we try to start teaching them in kindergarten but by honoring their words in middle school and high school, we strengthen and make sure you what we say to them, not only as

parents but as senators. i was led to this by two children. one, my niece, kelsey cook who is now married. her husband is serving overseas, but when she was 14, she told me about a friend of hers that was going to school with her, joanna olbermann who was working for an organization i was trying to help the night walkers in uganda. of course i had read about them and have been working with orphans in that country. she said and mary, could you do something? i said yes, i will try. so i began to work here with other senators and as you know traveled to uganda myself and the unicef director carol bellamy at the time, we tried to get to the northern part to actually see the night walkers but when we were there, one of the priests, who had been there, grade advocate, an episcopal priest, had been murdered by the

kony forces and our state their state department didn't allow us to go. became backend you know that some of us have been working over the course of this time to help. i've stayed in touch with the invisible children in the nonprofit that was created. he looked at them and they saw the video. he said then, i would rather die than live on an earth with no justice. and he is absolutely correct mr. chairman. the sad thing is, there are millions and millions and onions of children and families living in places where there is no justice. this might not be the greatest atrocity that ever occurred, but it is most certainly worth your time and worth their action. i don't know what the state department said but i hope they stepped up their efforts. i don't know what the defense department has set. i hope they step up their efforts and i hope your commit he and the work that we can do

here will keep the focus on this tragedy, will stop this raging maniac of a terrorist, who believes that he is being led by some higher spiritual calling, which of course is not related to any church or religion that you and i would be familiar with but evidently there is some higher spiritual calling that empowers him to slice 5-year-olds and half in front of their mother and then dragged her brother and sister into servitude. that allows an forces children to kill their own fathers in front of their family by slicing them to pieces. and then terrorizes children, never really truly in my life ever heard of such horror. the fact that all the governments of the world can't seem to catch him and to bring him to justice is a real puzzlement to me. i'm going to turn the mic over to two people who are far more eloquent on the subject than i am, who have literally given

their life for this cause and with the invisible children, that is one of the greatest ngos i have ever known and they have my full and complete and undying loyalty to the work that they do to inspire children to act and respond. i want to introduce you to jacob, who has been presented in the video but at the age of 11, now jacob is 21. he is studying to become a human rights lawyer. i'm confident that he will be one of the greatest human rights lawyers ever to practice on the planet. he was one of the 41 years taken from a ugandan village by joe kony. fortunately, jacob escaped and he can tell you how and his moving story is the emotional centerpiece of the video that you just saw. i want you also to recognize ms. jolly okot, who is the on the ground coordinator for

invisible children. she is the former ugandan country director. now she is working anymore regional way because as you know, we believe joe kony has left uganda and is now terrorizing an area the size of france in the middle of the jungle with very little roads. but you know he can be caught if we would put our mind to it and just by catching him and his few bolivars, this whole reign of terror for 25 years would come to an end. this is not contrary to what some of the experts say that it's complicated in my opinion. among her many qualifications, jolly okot is experienced in program development and coordination and logistics. how she's managed to continue all of this work all at this of this time is beyond me. she is focused on all children but particularly girls in in the subregion of the country and i will close with, if we can't find honor in the voices of the

children in our country, your daughters and my daughters, the second child of my young daughter, mary shannon snelling who came home from easter break this year and said mom, do you know joe kony? i said i know you don't think your mother knows much but i do know joe kony and we talked about it. she encouraged me to watch the video which inspired me to re-energize myself. so mr. chairman nye thank you. let us stay energized. let us not have to rely on her children to state -- shake our conscience to stay energized and i turn it over to to ordinary people. i thank again invisible children and the leaders who are here representing an extraordinary nonprofit and the work they are doing to bring truth onto the eyes of the world by their voices of the very small children. >> thank you senator landrieu and thank you for your long and effective advocacy on this issue, for bringing the voice of the children who've touched your

daughter and niece helping courage and inspire work or the subcommittee and all of those and thank you for your legislative leadership as well. i very much look forward to working together over the long-haul to restore a sense of justice and security to the children all of the world who have been haunted by this and let's not turn up we could first two ms. jolly okot and then mr. jacob acaye. >> thank you so much mr. chairman. i would like to tell you i appreciate the big effort you have put to make sure this will come to an end. it has been going on for the last 26 years. i want to thank senator isakson for being involved. when i met you in gula i was also touched and i want to thank you for all the passion you have to ensure that the children who

are suffering in the hands of joseph kony get a second chance as the way i am right now. i want to thank the government so much for being involved in this agenda on top of all of the other issues that they have. it means a lot to us. it shows a lot of love for the people, especially the people of northern uganda, central african republic and the democratic republic of congo. i want to share my personal story. i grew up in northern uganda and from day one, i saw what is now called lra and i lost my teenage to this war. i could not finish it out because i got involved and got abducted and started fighting alongside the rebel groups.

my life, see young girl i was tortured. repeatedly i was raped and when i would go back to my community i am still being called -- because i was being forced to go and get money and food for the rebel group and up until today as much as i try to transform my committee and in a different way, i am still filled with guilt in what i did more than 20 years ago as a child and as a child soldier. for the past 26 years, you know, it has been hard not only on me. i am just one but there are thousands and thousands of people who have their own stories to share about what has happened with the lra. when i left my village after being abducted, when i was

capped and i rescued my dad, and we walked for 60 miles to look for -- with my father. the lra associate in my village killed my uncle who was taking care of all the property and secondly in one night, in the morning, i lost 21 of my cousins that were killed just in one night. my parents come from a family of 74 and each one of them had an average of five or six children. these are children, these are my cousins that i grew up with. i could not see them in one night and as i talk, two months ago when i went i asked my dad, dad -- so this pain is still in may and

then i see the same pain happening in central africa and the republic and that is why i can stand very loud and say this war has to come to an and no matter what it takes. when i went to congo last year towards the end, i met up with a young girl who was 14 years old, who came and when i turned to her and i said, you speak french and we don't share any language with the congolese people. i started speaking to her and she turned to me, answering me. that made me break down because i saw in her eyes what happened to me when i was growing up and that became very very hard on me. than when i met up with a group of women who were in a civil society, i could see in their

eyes, i was the only ugandans there. all of them had questions of life, why are we being fought by this one guy joseph kony. that we don't understand. the thing that they raised or they said, our voices cannot be heard. how did you people do it that the world had your voice? and now the war in northern uganda and has done. one thing was that they all said that because their voices cannot be heard, they feel that this is a trick of eliminating their group which is the sand to try. when you look at the central african republic, sudan and congo, it is one of the tribes that joseph kony is it apparently harnessing. it was very difficult for me especially hearing from them and i said you know, there are

people out there who are missing. we need to do advocacy and we need to speak loud so that your voices can be heard. and i dedicated my life to work for these young people. right now northern uganda is relatively peaceful but seeing the congo and the girls who have come out speaking to them in my own language before the central african republic, i want to ask the world to stand strong. the war of the lra, whatever approach you are going to take, we need to take a realistic approach in making sure that this war comes to an end, because if we don't do that, there are people who are suffering every day in the same life. one thing that i want the world to come strong and i appreciate the effort of the u.s. government, is that i today say if we had a --

a long time ago i would not have been affected because the information would have come to me early enough and then i would have hit. if i hide, you know the communication that could stop me from going out, i would not have suffered as a girl. then i ask also the international community to push the government of central african republic, democratic republic of congo, sudan and uganda, to take ownership so the population, the local population, those voices are being heard. the world cannot understand that the life there is a difficult, especially seeing young kids, whose future has been lost so that pressure can help the intervention of eliminated joseph kony. i know the time is not so much on my side, but one day i know

that this is a story which is very difficult. why a appreciate the effort of the american government and yesterday when i heard the president speak, i was very very impressed because i relate with my own story. one day when my son was 12 years old called david, read a story about me and the african magazine and asked daddy, where were you when mommy was being taken? couldn't daddy protect you? that is what is compelled me to do what i do today, no matter what it will take. there are people out there that have their own opinions about how this war has to be ended, but all the opinions can be taken together. but we have to give a timeline, because the atrocities will not and unless the perpetrators are

brought. this is what i have to share. my story is very big. i cannot share it within a short amount of time but this is what i have to share with the people out there and the people in this house. thank you so much. >> thank you so much jolly and thank and and thank you for your written testimony which goes into great detail about your personal sufferings and your experience and your tremendous work of her cover in their regional strength of investing your life and making sure that others do not suffer similarly. >> mr. chairman may i say before jacob speaks i'm going to have to leave to go to an energy and water markup of which i'm one of them make you members. i'm going to have to leave but i am so grateful for jacob for telling his story and a thank this committee again. i want to mentioned resolve as well which is one of the nonprofits that has been working closely. they are here in washington with invisible children. thank you mr. chairman of. >> thank you so much senator lender for joining us today.

jacob, mr. acaye if you would like to offer your testimony. >> thank you so much mr. chairman. on behalf of the survivors and the hardship and central africa and congo and sudan i want to share my story of this war which has lasted for more than two decades. being someone who was -- in the wire went through a lot and this one, some related directly to my life in some indirect it. when i say indirectly i mean my friends, relatives and people like grace who is here with me now and many who are back at home. i would basically go into the direct ones which have touched my life and try to connect to

many who have touched their life as well. at the age of 12, i was abducted from my village by the lra army and taken. the way i was abducted was a way that the rebels came around midnight. this is in the middle of our sleep and they broke down our door. i was sleeping with my cousin. also they woke my parents who had been sleeping next to us and they were seeing us being taken. knowing that the rebels were always fighting us, they could not do anything. they couldn't stop the rebels from taking us away from them. we walked through the whole night because always when they abduct, they always try to go

far away, says as they can because they know the next morning they might be following them up. we walked through the whole night and we continued walking like that for the next three days. we were in the next district, and it is about 90 miles away. when we got there, it was surprising that i actually met with my brother who was abducted a year before. i was shocked to see him again because i had stayed for a whole year, not knowing where he was, not even expecting to see them again. when i saw him, i became very happy. wow, i can see my brother again today. the week after staying together, my brother had always been thinking of escaping and coming back home but it's so hard to do it because someone knows you are

likely to escape. he tried it and unfortunately, this same group recaptured him a few minutes after he tried to escape. and they brought him back where we were back, where he tried to escape from. to scare us who have been abducted, the 42 kids who are with us, they said whoever tries to escape will suffer this example. when they brought him back, they knew very well he was my brother. they killed him in front of us. when i saw that happening, i

could not cry, because they would think that i would escape as well. so i would pretend and act like i was liking what they were doing. but, the next day we met with a group that came from sudan. they brought ammunition, we call them bullets. i think the group that abducted us were short of ammunition so the next group that came from sudan brought ammunition. their commander wanted someone who is young to carry it for them. this group that abducted me, that was the second week, and this guy came, the commander came and was interacting with the commander who objected me. do you have any kids who can't come and help me?

the commander had been in the jungles. me being the youngest among the group, the person who objected me handed me over to this new guy who came from sudan. he said you are going to go with this guy and he is heading back to sudan. i had no options. i had to go with this guy and for me when i was going, i felt so bad because when i was being abducted i was abducted alongside 41 kids. i was a little bit compatible with them. we could talk and say okay there is nothing we can do. but now i am being taken away from this grouping going to the next one where i know nobody. i was a little scared but at some point i realized that was my lack that made me come back home. it made it easy for me to escape because they met actually

briefly and they had no time to discuss this commander who abducted me. while i was staying with this new commander, he wanted to know more from me and he wanted to get to know the commander who objected me. then, to gain his trust, i had to bayh to him because the more time you stay with them, the more time that they think you are now loyal to them. he wanted to know how long i had stayed with the other commander. that is when i told him, okay i've been with the commander for three months and actually i think i am willing to stay. so on hearing that, he gave me freedom of movement. i could do what i want and i'd say for so long now i knew how to operate. i should always come early and wake them up him up when he is sleeping and we would go

wherever we were going. so i did that for two or three days but every time i would think of a new move. when he is sleeping, i make sure i -- and see if he will react negatively towards it. all the time he had trusted me and i had stayed for three months and we thought maybe i would not do anything like escaping. i would come back and wake him up and go. i did that for three days and that on the fourth day, we were actually having towards sudan. he told me, you need to get ready. tonight you're not going to go anywhere. we are going to be in the same place because we want everyone to prepare the food. tomorrow in the morning we are going to have a long journey which is going to be about three days and if we are resting in between it will be at this hour so you need to pack what you need for three days, food and water because we are going

straight to sudan. so i was like yeah, that's fine. i have to get ready. i stayed up late at night because i wanted to get ready. he said just get ready because it's not going to be easy. what i did was, i had it in my mind right from day one that i need to find a way out. fighting is not a way of solving any problems but i could not -- so i thought that was the last night that it would be possible for me to escape because now i'm going to cross the sudan, tried that i don't know and the language they speak is different. it will be hard for me to escape from them and they will look at me like, it it'll be so hard for me. so i had to find my way out that very night. i was so scared, but i felt like that was the only chance that i had. i should try. bearing in mind that if they

killed me i would serve as an example. but it was also like, i decided i would rather die in uganda then died in sudan, country that i had never been. that is why i kind of was encouraged and try to find my way out. the way i found my way out was really odd because being the son of the commander you're a your we say in the middle and there are all these intelligence trying to guard the commander. because of the freedom of movement i had during the day i was -- so at least i knew where to go and how to do it with people who are trying to guard the commander. at night i made it out and it was very far from the camp.

it took me all night walking, trying to find out how i could get there. to the authorities who can bring me back home but i'm so happy that when i got to the idp camp, i had the knowledge. at least i knew how to read and i saw a police post so i ended there and i was brought back to my village. so when i came back to my village, it was so hard for me to sleep and stay in the same house where i was abducted from. i felt i was not to save. the abduction was mainly done during the nighttime, so to avoid being exposed at night through abduction people will

sleep at the sleeping center. i could not move to where i was objective. every person who would walk to town which is 45 miles and sleep in the sleeping center and then come back in the morning. so i did that for about a year. during the time that i was sleeping in the center that is when i met a few met this. this sleeping center was flooded these guys came, because coming from the u.s. in seeing and seeing our children are valued and now you are in the middle of this town where our children are sleeping outside in the cold. they are like wow, we need to find a way. these kids are sleeping outside.

that is when i kind of felt like, maybe they want to know more about why we sleep there. it was not my first time doing that. being someone who could speak a little english, i always told these things to the journalist who came every night from different countries. so when i told these three boys, i didn't expect anything this big to come. i could never imagine myself being where i am right now, but i just wanted them to know why we were sleeping outside. and the fact that they had camaro was not a big deal to me because camaro is like a brother to many in africa because whoever's going there -- so it wasn't a big deal. so these guys come after i told my stories, i think they really wanted to help.

they asked me, i think you saw the clip of the video. what do you want to be and what do you do want did want us to do? it was a very challenging question, because like i think 80% of the kids in northern uganda look at white people is being money. so it was a very challenging question because i thought maybe they should move away from uganda. i realized that it was not good for me to get money because it wouldn't last. i would ease spending it and spending it and not getting more. the only way i realized these people could help me was to put me in school and that is what i asked. put me in school since i want to be a lawyer and try to work towards it. so they started paying my school fees and when i met them, that is when i came to the place where we used to sleep and

opened up a scholarship program. that has thousands of kids and me being one of them, it has changed my life. i feel like there are still so many who need the same thing that i went through, and being put in school after coming back and parents who are displaced and had no money to pay the tuition which is very expensive. all these kids needed to go to school and i feel an idle mind is a the place for the devil, because i feel like going into the -- and if all these kids stay at home, like they one of them might go somewhere. the fact that the war is terrorizing people around the world, i am calling upon the world to come up and join those who are advocating for the end

of this war. i also know that you leaders are our representatives and if there is something that we want, we go through you people and if we put you in -- to send their voice out then you should care about what we are demanding. the second thing that i want to say is i want to thank all the people, all the different organizations that are working alongside with me to bring this work in. we have so many organizations that i cannot mention them now, but also i thank u. guys for letting us share our story and tell the world what is going on. thank you very much and i welcome any questions, but this story is just something -- though the war has been going on for the last 26 years and i cannot celebrate -- summarize it in 10 minutes or five.

>> thank you jacob and thank you jolly for your testimony both in writing and in speaking which is a powerful one. one of my objects is as a subcommittee chair was to include more regularly in our hearings african voices to help as we discussed on the train the other day, strengthen the understanding and appreciation in the united states notches in the senate but amongst all who watch the committee hearings. responding to the atrocities of the lr a and our allies who we need to support. as was mentioned by senator landrieu and also by you, i was very pleased that president obama and speaking yesterday at the hollow cost memorial emphasize the ongoing commitment and support and ranked the lord's resistance army among the great morally challenging atrocities of the last 50 years and emphasized his commitment to

continue. you have both spoken about the importance of being able to defect, to escape and then the importance, the previous panel spoke about how important that is both so that we have intelligence about what is going on within the lra but also so that we can help those who have been affected recover. i would be interested in hearing from each of you if i could, how can we encourage defectors? how? how can we help encourage and support escapees who are currently in the hold of the lra? what more could we be doing and then second, what more should we be doing to help with recovery and development efforts in which you have been very active? >> i want to say thank you so much for that question. the first thing that i think we need to encourage is in northern