frequent user of the program. in fact we viewed tifia is a critical component in the delivery of all of our larger scale projects in the state. within the last 10 years or legislature in texas has enacted several financing initiatives that can be used in conjunction with tifia to to deliver this project sooner and more efficiently than traditional methods. to date projects in texas have received $3.4 billion in tifia assistant which when combined with state local and private investment have helped to deliver over $11 billion in transportation infrastructure. because of the way the office of management and budget scores tifia the federal budget impact for these projects is estimated at only $343 million. compared to the traditional federal funding tifia help save the federal government over $8.5 million to deliver the same projects and tifia is a great example of states doing more

with fewer federal dollars available. under map 21 texas has submitted six letters of interest and we continue to have open and forthright discussions with u.s. d.o.t. about her projects. they have been good partners to work with and we certainly appreciate their willingness to meet with us and work through the new tifia process. u.s. d.o.t. was a lot of discretion to evaluate and choose eligible projects under specific criteria. u.s. d.o.t. is have the authority to weigh and compare the relative merits of projects under the selection criteria and to choose those that scored highest under that weighted scoring system. over time u.s. d.o.t. continued at criteria such as livability to the list of their selection criteria and too much discretion seem to be permeating the process and made the the program more about me being subjective as opposed to funding the best projects and older -- order to meet mobility.

map-21 eliminate discretionary criteria as it established a limited set of objective eligibility criteria they required a yes or no determination satisfactorily. texas and other states welcome this change in map-21 because we believe market forces should direct projects selected to receive tifia funding. a year after passenger of a majority of funds have not yet been put to use. the problematic effect of the new approach whether intended or not is that it doesn't make congress's intent that u.s. d.o.t. improve its timeliness and processing to their credit assistance. in a lower price u.s. d.o.t. to indicate whether an application is complete within 30 days of receipt and to approve or disapprove an application within 60 days after giving notice that it is complete. by adjusting the process prior to map-21 and by requiring that almost every project details be disclosed prior to the

application stage u.s. d.o.t. has put an undue burden on the project sponsors that has drugged out what was intended to be a streamlined process. in addition to the timing issues u.s. d.o.t. has indicated that except under exceptionexception al circumstances they will not consider assistance for more than 33% of the total project cost. we would be thankful if they would consider that projects may benefit from more than 33% and i see mr. chairman that i just ran out of time. okay. so we believe u.s. d.o.t. should adhere to congress's intent and consider projects that would benefit more than 33% to fund their projects especially if it's important that all of the dollars and the tifia program to work. given the map-21 is only a two-year bill we have a compelling reason to get the tifia program back on track. map-21 provides critical changes and increased funding and changes can be made to further crack the program.

again i would like to thank the committee for the opportunity to be here today to share text of past and present interest in and experience of the tifia program and we also appreciate the professional and positive working relationship that we have enjoyed with the u.s. d.o.t. staff and we are committed to working with all of our federal partners to support the continued success of the very valuable tifia program. >> thank you for that. i really appreciate your specific points there. thank you because i can take them up with the secretary. i now return to mr. geoffrey yarema partner with nossaman llp. tell us what your company does. >> i'm a law firm based in los angeles and proud to be a constituent. see thanks. >> chairman boxer think you could invitation to participate in this important family caring. i've submitted for the record a detailed statement and will cover only the highlights of my remarks today. my views of tifia are shaped

from two perspectives. i'm a partner in a lot from that represent state and regional transportation agencies around the country. they are all struggling with the same basic problem how to deliver their largest and most complicated projects while minimizing the use of federal gas taxes. many of her agency clients have successfully done exactly that thanks in significant part to the tifia program. second i was provisionprovision s serve on the national surface transportation financing committee that congress empowered under safety loop. among the unanimous recommendations of our bipartisan report was strong support for a tifia program societies to meet projected demands. in an acting map-21 congress did just that in those states have responded. as you have mentioned sins 21's passage prospective applicants have submitted over $42 billion in projects. this is is clearly noteworthnoteworth y but what i

consider noteworthy is the number of states requesting assistance has risen to 24. they're more projects in the pipeline that will push both of these numbers even higher. with increased tifia demand comes increased u.s. d.o.t. responsibility to respond. as the u.s. d.o.t. has made significant efforts and last year. what can be done to deliver on congressionally enacted enhancements and do better? first, we can streamline the application process. before an application can be formally submitted their two steps. the letter of interest in the creditworthiness review. these serve valuable functions that the enormous detail of u.s. d.o.t. requiring of all loi's is tantamount to a full-blown application process without having to worry about the statutory deadlines congress imposed on processing the applications themselves.

second, we need help in using tifia to maximize competition for public works construction contracts. contracts. wednesday tissue procurement to contemplate bidders using tifia states can maximize competitive tension only if the u.s. d.o.t. made conditional commitments available before hitters prices are submitted and second variable to close the tifia loan soon after those dudes are received. this can be done in a way that absolutely ensures careful creditworthiness analysis. third, the u.s. d.o.t. needs to consider making loans larger than 33% whenever they are creditworthy. i am sure you will recall that in adopting map-21 congress permitted loan stocks to rise up 33% to 49% of eligible costs. nevertheless to my knowledge

u.s. d.o.t. has yet to actively consider alone greater than 33% despite numerous creditworthy requests. the program office response to such requesting that public sponsors must meet higher undefined -- an application not derived from statutory language. fourth, it's critical to preserve tifia's value proposition. to feel loans are intended to be subordinate to investment, not in most circumstances and -- tifia loans are intended to arouse repayment towards the latter part of the loans duration. these features have been hallmarks of the tifia program since its inception in 1998 and needs to be retained. fifth, u.s. d.o.t. should strongly consider processing higher-quality credits more

efficiently. consistent with congressional intent tifia applicants dedicate the wide range of nonfederal revenue sources to repay tifia loans. loans for projects that are their own future use like like tolls deserve revenue specific analyses. on the other hand however projects backed by a state's old highway or other investment grade rated revenue sources deserve streamlined due diligence and approval processes. the u.s. d.o.t. need never re-create the work rating agencies have already performed. finally, we can enhance transparency for better management. the u.s. d.o.t. has increased its communications with the public. yet it remains simply impossible for public agencies to obtain sufficient information to understand the extent to which the tifia program capacity

remains for a given fiscal year. while -- will tifia be fully utilized? we don't know. that is fine. that's fine. >> very good points. >> senator it's a pleasure to be here. chair boxer ranking member and members thank you for having us and thank you for having the panel today. we always appreciate the work of the committee. los angeles county metro metropolitan education authority is what we call in california a self-help county. we have sales tax measures voter approves sales tax measures which have a duration of 30 years. the voters vote for those projects because included in the tax measure would be a list of projects, a list of deliverables and so we will be held accountable by the taxpayers to

deliver those projects. the tifia program is a great assistance to us. i am pleased to say we have been a few weeks ago applying for a large tifia loan for the regional connector in downtown los angeles. these projects will be substantially paid for with local sales taxes but what tifia does is it allows us to accelerate these projects to get the benefit quicker and allows us to send some money and improves our credibility with our taxpayers so that they will improve future sales tax measures as appropriate. by the way to get a sales tax measure requires a two-thirds vote so it's very important that we deliver the goods and we have earned the trust and confidence of our taxpayers. i won't go through the points already been made. a number of them are important and we hope the committee considers them.

we think the tifia program helps transportation dollars go further. we know that this will help us create jobs in the two projects i mentioned will create 40,000 jobs in los angeles. not all those jobs will be in l.a. but we know the tifia program allows us to deliver the projects faster and allows us to create jobs. with that chair boxer will close and thank you ranking member vitter for having me. see thank you very much in x. return to mr. james roberts president and ceo of granite construction company. nice to see you. >> is a pleasure to be here. i am the chief executive officer of granite construction a california-based company that over the past 90 years has built thousands of roads tunnels bridges airports and other structured projects used by millions of people every day. i'm here today represent here today represented here today represent a basis to general contractors of america better known as agency of national association of 26,000 businesses involved in every aspect of construction with 94 chapters

representing members in every state. is this committee is aware of our transporttransport ation investment needs and the funds are short. the very real concern about the solvency of the highway trust fund weighs heavily on the construction industry and we urge you adjust this problem sooner rather than later. the solution of our needs is twofold. congress and the administration must work together in a bipartisan way to increase user fees and identify new revenue sources to address transportation needs now in the future. unless a more private sector involvement in the construction projects. the agency please transportation infrastructure finance and innovation act program is a proven record of accomplishing this objective. tifia has been successful in filling market brats and leveraging coinvestment and providing eligible supplemental or subordinate debt. there is history student local governments and public authorities as well as private entities including contractors undertaking large-scale

construction problems have taken advantage of secured loans or lines of credit provided through tifia. thankfully the bipartisan leadership of chairman boxer and the members of the environmental public works committee provided a substantial increase in budget authority in map-21. granite is proud to facilitate project since the inception of the program. the significant programs include the 183 a. project in texas the rainout track in nevada. the intercounty connector in maryland. these efforts totaled $2.4 billion to generate $9 billion more. they are currently teams building a 35 east lbj expressed in dallas 845 million at tappan zee bridge near 3.1 billion u.s. 36 managed lanes between denver and boulder and colorado 359 million all of which are currently seeking tifia financing. the construction industry benefits of tifia financial

assistance allows transportation projects to actually move forward. many of the projects receive tifia financing them event but using the design contract method contractors are selected based on technical proposal and price. the upfront financial costs of contractor undertakes in putting together complex build project are significant and exceed 1% of the overall value of the project. the project does not move forward because of a of funding the contract investment may be lost. repeated losses one and many qualified contractors from pursuing these projects thereby eliminating competition. granite has established processes for identifying tracking us with opportunities that fit our business model and risk file. project running bunning is a significant factor in the process. dedicated financing sources demonstrate to us the honor is committed committed to awarding a project which allows us to be more likely to submit a proposal. despite a clear party given to the tifia program in map-21 agc

is concerned there has been a slowdown in a word of tifia financing since map-21 was enacted. it appears to a tee as being extremely cautious and approaching the approval of financing on individual projects. agency recognizes the deity must take seriously his responsibility in overseeing projects that are awarded to tifia financing. awarding financing ultimately put the government at risk for financial -- not in the best interest of the program however it's equally problematic in making the financing decision. past success of the tifia program and a promise that provides in the future should not be undermined by the application process. atc believes some adjustments can be made so it operates more openly and efficiently. d.o.t. should retract more personnel to the tifia review team. d.o.t. should not hold all decisions until a decision has been issued. this seems to be contrary to concurrent review requirement that is found elsewhere in map-21. d.o.t. should develop educational tools and technical

advisers to assist states to experiencexperienc e. there must be both transparent and the project selection process to encourage state applications. tifia should be available to establish an investment grade rating for projects that are close but ultimately unable to do so on their own. atc encourages d.o.t. to accept these recommendations. this will help move projects to construction. we must also ensure that programs like tifia provide financing to fill some of the funding shortfallshortfall s are operating as efficiently as possible. thank you for allowing me to submit my views on tifia to this committee and i welcome any questions. >> last but not least, d.j. gribbin managing director of -- welcome. see thank you madam chairwoman and thank you senator vitter for the opportunity to satisfy about the impact that tifia has had.

i'm a managing director and head of a government advisory government affords practice the united states. mccoury is the largest private sector investor and we have been successful in developing p3 projects in the u.s.. since 2008 has been involved in two-thirds of all p3 projects which have a total asset value of $14.4 billion. prior to joining i served as the chief counsel to the federal highway demonstration and and general concert is department of transportation. i've had the privilege of working with tifia from a public policy and private transactional perspectives. jim and james have covered the activity. the benefits of tifia extends beyond finance. the need for mistreated reform of the loan approval process and the importance of the portfolio approach to lending. first tifia is that more than

provide additional capital for transportation infrastructure. tifia encourages privatization of project selection innovation of financing considerable creativity and project delivery. in short the tifia success stories goes far beyond the $11 billion invested. at its most basic just the fact that borrowers have to repay funds encourages sponsors to select projects that will produce a return on investment. federal financial support has to be repaid especially projects with full revenue brings significant is come unto the project selection process avoiding the challenge of bridges to nowhere. while they increase funding for tifia was extremely helpful to the program i would encourage the committee to allow the department to some policy criteria for awarding loans and not morph into a broad grant like program that subsidizes every project. simplifying tifia loan criteria remove some of the good in the process but also broadens the criteria such that every large project to qualify. this dramatic limits the

magicians ability is tifia to stimulate innovation. in the bush administration we as tifia programs to encourage governments utilize pricing to finance their structure and manage congestion. obama the frustration used tifia. both administrations provide tifia bones to hybrid projects that did not advance policy goals that tifia was a useful tool to encourage new thinking about transportation projects. the department was denied the ability to use tifia as an incentive to encourage new thinking. my second is the need to speed the process. in fact the most serious challenge in currently facing the program is the time it takes to process and approve a loan application. the challenges incorporated in map tone and improvements made by the tifia office since the passage of map-21 have alleviated some concerns about timing that there is still much to be done. mostly improvements do not

require a change in statute. i've listed seven in my written testimony but let me touch on to briefly appeared for zavala will be helpful with tifia was moved to the office of the secretarsecretar y of transportation. this would improve indications with omb federal highways the office delivery and the credit counselincounselin g office of secretary all of which have a role and would expedite improving recommendations. the department should establish a rule that no policy changes no policy changes regarding tifia loan should be made effective lending decisions on a particular loan after the application has been submitted. in other words policy changes should be prospective and not retrospective for loans. the changes are listed in my written testimony could shape once off the approval process. finally let me talk about risk. the tifia program is always carefully balanced encouraging at risk projects in the that subsidize supported debt against

the potential of borrowed may not be in a position to repay the loan. this tension was evidence and evidence taken by step munger's -- staff member who refuse loans for projects that were risky because the loan may not be repaid and refused loans for projects that were not risqué because they were not in need of tifia assistance. sports only the tifia program found its way out of this catch-22 and developed into the very potent and successful program that exist today but there will always be a tension between supporting projects and getting repaid. as the program matures it would be helpful for this committee to encourage tifia to take a portfolio approach. any portfolio some loans portfolio some month of underperforming others will do quite well. while the credit counselor should be careful stewards of taxpayer funds used in these loans they should not think urged to pursue minimal risk or worse a zero risk strategy. such a strategy would work against the policies foundation of the tifia program to provide credit for projects that would otherwise be difficult to

finance. it's important to keep in mind that the worst reforming tifia loan provides infinite more return than the best-performing grant. in conclusion i would like to thank the committee for its leadership in championing the tifia program and i welcome any questions you might have. >> i want to thank the panel. you did exactly what you asked you to do. we want to know how this program that we agreed to expand is working and i think what we are hearing from you is some concerns about the pace but on the other hand i don't hear complete criticism so i am going to go to mr. leahy to talk to him. i know los angeles is doing extraordinary work in delivering so many transit highway projects in a short period of time and explained why. people voted to tax themselves

which is always the best mandate even have especially a supermajority. when mayor villaraigosa came here with his team of people and you were among them and we decided to take us to our colleagues we have seen tremendous movement and progress in los angeles. i just wonder if you could elaborate on the economic benefits of accelerating these types of projects both in terms of jobs created and costs saved by building these projects faster particularly at a time of low construction costs. if you could expand on that. >> well, we have three major projects that i mentioned all of which are being accelerated in part because the potential for tifia. the north-south crenshaw line the regional downtown connector that will hook up major regions of l.a. county which is a very large county as you know and be

subway up to the west side of los los angeles. in a case of the tifia loans we save several hundred million dollars on the tifia financing for these projects to get the benefit of the projects quicker and altogether those projects will create more than 40,000 jobs in a struggling los angeles economy. i would add to that the subjective benefit of proving to the voters that we can deliver the goods. we make promises and we will deliver on those promises so they can count on us. to get a two-thirds vote in favor of a sales tax in the middle of a recession is quite an achievement to what it reflects his voter support for these projects and voter confidence. >> and of course what it does for us us is it gives us a steady stream of payback. >> exactly. >> for the tifia loans. mr. bass out of all the folks here i think you're a big negative about the way that you

tea is handling things now and it's important that we expand on that because the purpose of this hearing is we have just as much at stake in the tifia program as all of you to because we have put our confidence in it and we want to make sure it's working right so i want to press you on some of the things he said. are you having personal experience that shows you that they are not moving quickly, that they are not moving to a larger share of the projects from 33% to 49%? are you concerned about, because you have been very successful. texas has been a leader and taking advantage in delivering large-scale projects so do you sense a change in for the worst since we have expanded it? i'm trying to -- we are going to communicate and i hope senator vitter and i can write a letter to senator foxx expanding on some of the programs. >> thank you for the question. let me first state that the

tifia program has had a very positive effect and impact within the state of texas and continues to do so. with any program we to see there are areas for potential improvement. under the four letters of interest that the status texas submitted under map-21 we initially asked for up to 49% participation of eligible project costs. we received a response back from the tifia program office that in order to go above and beyond the historic cap of 33% we would need to have a compelling argument in order to go above 33%. >> i think a good compelling argument is -- >> we attempted that however we apparently were not very persuasive as we are at 33%. another project and i think we

heard from some of the other witnesses today the challenge and i can only imagine managing the tifia office of program at a time when it's expanding eight to 10-fold in trying to bring on additional staff with the experience and expertise to be able to hit the ground running on day one so i certainly understand those challenges that they face but as an example on the timing i would use an example of the grand parkway project in the houston area of texas. we submitted our loi letter of interest last august. last week we priced in the capital the in the capital markets $2.9 billion in bonds and we will close on those next week. we are currently at the credit counsel stage with tifia so we have not yet been invited to formally submit an application

yet we have already gone through with a rating agencies and investors and price that into the market. what we did in our financing structure last week, we included some temporary financing mechanisms and we hope and anticipation of closing with tifia later this year that will then be able to to use tifia to take it out. we have been able to take it to capital markets but have not been able to close it. >> i think this is very important information for us and let me make a commitment here. separate -- secretary secretary foxx city is adding 16 people so clearly he gets the fact that they are not staffed up enough and this is very critical. looking at it from their site they don't want to make a mistake because the first mistake politics will implode on whoever makes a mistake whether it's the republican administration or democratic one.

when you say you have closed on your bonds and so on and so forth. here is what i'm going to propose. this is my last comment of this hearing. all of you have been very constructive and i do appreciate the specificity that you have granted us because we can't help if we don't know what's going on. obviously secretary foxx is a great believer in this program and wants to make it work. i'm going to ask the staff some both sides to work with senator vitter and i to draft a letter that is very specific and we will send them all your testimony but we will also lay out in a format that is very simple ,-com,-com ma because you have been very straightforward, with the problems are. you have my word that we will do that. is anyone here from d.o.t.? did anyone stay from d.o.t.? good, that's wonderful.

[laughter] you can kind of give a heads up. why don't you introduce yourself to us? [inaudible] >> that is good. a lot of times we don't have that and we have to re-create the entire thing so we are taking notes. we are going to write a letter and it is my hope that we can break through some of the institutional resistance because this is a greatly increased program and i am sure that means greatly increased applications and a lot of pressure so thank you all and i will turn it over to david to finish this. >> i'm glad that one person from d.o.t. hung around. when he shy raise your hand at first i was going to ask and how was your summer and should -- internship going? just kidding.

i am glad one significant person is here from d.o.t. to listen to this because that is the point. i think it's important for the department to hear it and thank you all for your testimony and for being specific and precise. let me ask all of you, when we dramatically expanded this program the intent was for this to be a rolling more or less first-come first-served eligibility process. what has happened is we have a lot of applications built up. now maybe that is because they are getting their sea legs under them and hiring new people. it's a big expansion. the alternative is the fear some of us have that they still want to use a lot more discretion than we intended which is the case in each of your opinions. >> i guess i will start in my

opinion i think it's the first that you mentioned, stepping up for a greatly enhance program. i don't know the details but the salary ranges they are authorized to offer but i can imagine it may be a challenge to attract the talent with experience. as you well know many of these projects are complicated financial transactions and in order to attract staff with that experience i can certainly understand that it might be challenging given civil service salary levels. seeing. >> anybody else want to chime in >> just go quickly from an agency's perspective the key is to keep the political and murmured away from it and focus on streamlining and expediting the timeliness of it. whatever it takes either 16 or 26, the opportunity is there anyway to make sure it expedited and the construction market itself.

>> senator i would just note that there are some some tifia loans that may have more risk and others that have little risk. in los angeles we have a large voter supported revenue streams for the loans we get are basically risk-free. we think when that is the case that should allow for expedited processing of that loan application. other loans may have more risk and that might not be the case. >> okay. >> i would just chime in on that because i was on the credit counsel so i have seen this both inside the government in tifia being a slow process is not new. i think part of the challenges now that it is so popular and funded is the way that d.o.t. a structure to administer those loans is not as effective as it could be and there are a number of structural changes and process decisions that need to be made to move those quicker.

>> mr. gribbin let me follow up in your testimony. he suggested there should be more policy oriented factors and as you can tell from my comments i think i disagree with that. wouldn't that in fact increase the uncertainty and probably increase the bureaucratic time requirement in such a way that it would be less effective and more costly in the marketplace? >> i think intuitively the answer to that what. in practice you have not seen the program move faster with criteria. part of my, to strip him by tifia is successful because of the niche player. it's used in specific situations where governments can we pay overtime loans for projects and it's been a fantastic job and now. i think part of the challenge is to resist the temptation to take what is generally effective and

try to apply it across a number of various where tifia would not be all that helpful. and secondly, the program itself can be a really useful tool to encourage far worse to think outside of of the box and to approach finance in a different manner. as i noted in my testimony you have seen both the administration's use of sex will will -- successfully and there can be transportation improvements as a result of that. >> i am hoping we are going to change that record over time and once this office is ramped up in terms of staffing we will streamline the process. i don't think we have adequately tested that oregon given enough time to but certainly we will be pushing to streamline that and to decrease that timeline.

my only final comment would be maybe we should pay our -- where reuse tifia if it's more effective and makes more of an impact in that universe. i would hate to decrease and get back to the subjective factor because i think that level of loosey-goosey discretion really increases uncertainty and therefore of efficiency and of time limits in the market. >> senator carper we are just finishing up so welcome. >> thank you madam chair. did i hear senator vitter save loosey-goosey? i don't think i've ever heard that. sometimes when i pop in -- [laughter] you never know. sometimes when i pop in at the end and i apologize. we had a couple of committees

and a lot going on so i apologize for missing your statement. sometimes when i chair the subcommittee on homeland security and sometimes when i get to the end of the hearing i will ask for an opening statement. let me ask you if you would take a minute to give the closing statement and what i'm looking for his concurrence where there seems to be consensus in terms of your advice to us going forward. how do you pronounce your last name? >> gribbin. >> mr. gribbin a quick closing statement, some good advice. >> i think we can divide tifia into two buckets. one is policy in one his administration i think while there might be differences on how from a policy standpoint how you best use tifia there's a fair amount of consensus on the administration said that their number of their number changes the department can make that would greatly streamline the process whether that be

centralizing tifia decision-making inside the department providing expedited processing for what are kind of commonplace loans. there's a whole series of things that the administration can do to speed along and i'm thankful for this committee to have a hearing and especially if there's going to be a letter afterwards that will include the site is going back to the department. >> mr. roberts. >> i think it's very consistent across the panel that tifia is an excellent program for financing. it should not be utilized as a funding mechanism. it is a funding mechanism. we have given several individual recommendations that i will review it quickly. direct more personal to the team it's a very important to expedite the process. not holding decisions on on tifia word until a record of decision but have a process where you would have creditworthiness going along simultaneously so he can expedite the end result of the approvals. develop more educational tools

to those entities not capable today of understanding the process. it's a very long and detailed process. also more transparency on the project selection process. very transparent and open so people have a strong level of trustworthiness. and also one thing i did mention earlier is that tifia will be available to establish investment grade ratings that are close them able to do so on their own so it is helping at the same time. less expediting and getting it out in the field. >> mr. leahy? is it like pat leahy? i do see a resemblance. all right. >> senator thank you for asking. we think -- >> not senator leahy? >> actually i did see him on a train one time.

i mention mentioned that i can't call him dad. anyway we think the tifia program has been useful or number of projects and we appreciate it. we believe that we have a very strong federal revenue stream from the voter approves sales tax measures in the tifia program helps incentivize the development of revenue streams for this allows us to get the benefit quicker to let the taxpayers know that they can trust us. we have have discussed it before but the notion of a master credit agreement is commendable and the loan should be fully subordinated to facilitate getting that facilitate getting that worked on and with that i will close. i appreciate being with you. >> thank you. is it yarema? >> we have reviewed a number of things here today where we think the u.s. department of transportation can improve mechanical technical things that i am not sure our entirely a of

staff and so i hope that there'll be some care given to some of the suggestions put forward. i perceive the focus of this hearing on the implementation of map-21 but we are only a short time away from reauthorization of map-21 and i think it's worth pointing out that this committee really pioneered the policy that tifia should be sized to meet the demand, the anticipated and at the time of reauthorization. that is turned out to be really good policy. every dollar put forward for tifia has 30 to 421 leverage so as you look forward to reauthorization i think what you are looking forward to is another increase in the program's lung capacity. and that i think will be something that the discussion should be started on now. >> and lastly mr. bass. sometimes people call make karp.

a quick close. >> number one the tifia program is a tremendous program and assistance to the state and delivering projects. number two the existing existing staff has done a wonderful job in a very challenging environment of greatly expanding program. having said that i to think there are some opportunities to improve the timeliness of the overall process. one of the things we talked talk about as well is historic leave the cap on participation for tifia had been 33% under map-21 increasing 49%. there appears to be possibly a reluctance to go above the 33% and if that's true i think a clear set of criteria is when the position would consider more than 33% would be helpful. lastly for rural projects with a set aside a think that there is

an opportunity to perhaps streamlined that process for projects in rural areas of the nation that would be beneficial as well. >> good, thank you for recognizing me. chairman boxer you have been -- this for a long time but one of the things we focused on his how to get that ever sold for less money and how to leverage a little bit of federal money and be able to put a lot of money particularly in two infrastructure which is a good way to grow our economy. the last thing is to say find out what works and do more of that. this is something that we know is not perfect and we can make a better so thanks for coming by and sharing with us some of the ideas to make a good thing even better. thanks madam chairwoman. >> senator carper i know you're incredible chairmanship leads

you in another direction but you always manage to show us that you care about these issues deeply and it is a pleasure to have you on this committee. secretary foxx was very good and i think what has happened here with these really good people who wanted this program to work and to love but we did is you are exactly right. we are going to use their comments and send them to the secretary. we have a representative d.o.t. with us taking copious notes and gentlemen will raise his hand and introduce yourself to tom carper. he has become the star of our show. because we are so happy that he stayed here to transmit this because hearing it from you sir and hearing it from us and i know secretary foxx is interested in making this work better so i want to thank everyone for your presence here. we are committed to this program and we are committed to make insure it is the most effect a

program that can be. thank you very much for your help. we stand adjourned. [inaudible conversations] the senate homeland security committee will hold a confirmation hearing thursday for the president's nominee for deputy homeland security secretary.

>> she becomes the chief confidant. she is really anyway the only one in the world they can trust so he unloads to her and talks to her. they have all done that. they are all strong women and of course they are accompanied usually with strong men to where he was. but i would say that's the confidant to the president. see original series first lady's influence in mh examines the public and private lives of these women and their buts on the presidency. watch the encore presentation of first ladies from martha washington to ida mckinley weeknights in august at 9:00 p.m. interest -- eastern. >> wednesday a subcommittee examines the implications of

closing the guantánamo detainee facility. protesters saying about closing the dissension center after the hearing. here is a look. [applause] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ thursday the u.s. house considers legislations regarding epa recommendations that one of the sponsors congressman bill cassidy of louisiana was a guest on "washington journal." this is 40 minutes. >> we are back with congressman bill cassidy republican of louisiana who sits on the commerce committee. your legislation is up for debate possibly a vote next week on energy and and it's called the energy consumers relief act. let me share with our viewers what the center for progressive reform president had to say about this legislation through the deceptivedeceptively named energy relief act would

subsidize billion-dollar energy companies further contamination of the environment at the expense of consumers suffering with pollution related diseases like heart disease and asthma. >> guest: i have no clue what he says that because the whole premise of the bills to provide transparency and so that viewers will know, it epa can put out a bill which cost $10 billion which can destroy thousands of jobs and frankly this happens. so what are bill asks is that if they put out a bill will have an economic consequence that the department of energy and will be allowed to review audit if you will and if they think that the cost outweighs the benefit than they would not allow the bill to go forward. now all it does is ask transparencies transparency so the american people can look at a bill being passed and see if the cost and the benefit favors benefit. why this gentleman would say it's so terrible when all we are

doing is asking for transparency and accountability i don't know. as does this in direct response to the present climate change speech he gave recently where he said i am directing the epa to go forward and write a rule for a -- in missions? >> guest: it is a direct response to the response to the back of redknapp blue-collar workers and their families are suffering across the country. if you will blue-collar workers traditionally affords and manufacturing mining and construction. those with epa disproportionate. this is not a response to the president. i would hope the president would cover more. his response was that of blue-collar families are hurting, that they need those jobs and benefits for their livelihoods for their children and future generations. that is all this is about and if they present are epa director can make the case that a regulation benefits relative to its cost it still goes forward. >> host: little bit more from

the center for progressive reform. they said this at work kneecap agencies remaining ability to protect citizens against damaging pollutants. the statutory trigger of one bill and is designed to be expensive enough so that if a rule raise energy costs for all households by an average of 87 cents per year for 10 years they would be subject to a veto by the secretary secretary of energy department. >> guest: is subject to an audit and review. let's imagine her view has -- though an extreme example. this gentleman apparently thinks that $5 in benefits is worth it to destroy jobs and by the way, the science of the epa has used has been busily called speechless has been criticized by the national academy of science and other studies so we are not sure that these benefits are there. with regard to a particular help benefit there is a guy that came

with the harvard school of public health said the method the epa uses are and valid and mislead policymakers. first let's just put it on record that the epa's science may not be valid. secondly we can say that we do know their regulations can kill jobs and if you will a rich family is more concerned about the environment than a poor family. so i like to say you can't be pro-environmentalists you are profamily and he can't be profamily muscular pro-environmental. these regulators face -- regulations hurt jobs. >> guest: . >> host: little bit more from the statement because i want you to tell her viewers why you disagree with this. our air and water are drastically under regulated and congress should be working to reinvigorate the ability of the epa to protect citizens instead of wasting taxpayer money to debate a bill that would only make them quite literally sick.

on this issue of overregulated under regulated, tell us why you disagree. >> guest: what we are talking about is baseline so if somebody is currently set from the water they're drinking or the air they're they're breathing maybe we need more regulation but if they are not currently sick and they can say wait a second why am i giving up my job for a study which may or not be valid and which we thee of people to not know? i would go to this is transparency. why shouldn't the american people know the justification of the epa uses to either promote their benefit or the cost that will be incurred. this gentleman clearly loves regulation. he clearly does and he doesn't somehow seem to think that the jobs that are lost because epa percolation's are important. >> host: what are in your opinion that most egregious? >> guest: there is one of the present pope that, the the use f rule estimated to cost

$19 billion. 90 billion-dollar impact on our economy killing jobs and energy intensive enterprises manufacturing jobs for blue-collar workers. if you will we have proof of concept that every now and then the epa acts without regard to economic consequences and it would be important to have someone else look at these and say is the cost worth the benefit? >> host: carolus up first in ohio, democratic caller. hi carol. >> caller: i have to points to make on what bill cassidy is talking about. >> host: we are listing. >> caller: i would like to say that when cleveland years and years ago caught on fire because of its pollution that actually affected everybody in the united states but if somebody in california are way out west would have said it didn't affect me so it doesn't matter.

another point i would like to make, the republicans are always cutting programs that they don't like and all they are going to do is try to cut epa so they can even do this job that he is trying to say that they are going to be doing. >> host: let's take that point. >> guest: we are not cutting the budget. we are not. the epa can still do their work carol. all we are saying is that they do that they do the work of an independent audit and i would say your point is well taken. at some point places like cleveland had a huge problem. cleveland is doing a heck of a lot better in terms of environment and there has been a 90% reduction in carbon emissions since 1998 per-capita. 90%, excuse me 70% decrease in emissions since 1998. we have made tremendous progress in the environment.

they are benefits that don't exist in your point that affecting one or the country can have adverse affects on another absolutely true. epa thinks they're going after a coal mine for example and they're really going after the business that depends upon lowering energy costs. the insurance agent that sells insurance to the workers that steel plant in ohio. epa making a regulation in one area is dramatic affects all over the country. that is why think we need transparency. all we are asking for is transparency and i don't see why people object to that. >> host: battle creek michigan, democratic caller. >> caller: is the external cost of fossil fuel pollution let's say your example with coal, the destruction of the streams, the destruction of the water and the removal of the

ecosystem, those are all costs that are not included in the cost of coal and similarly let's say the tar sands. you have the problem of common pollution. you have the head cold which is, filled with sulfur. it is piled up. i'm in michigan and is piled up in michigan and blows into the ditch were at river. it blows into the air and people inhale it. are you going to include, let's talk about sea level rise which is a result of carbon pollution and it affects all of the east coast. are those costs going to be included in the cost of the audit for the price of fuels? >> guest: those are valid costs and absolutely they should reused. but we should also make some really kind of common sense

statement as well. you brought up the tar sands. if we don't bring it to the gulf coast in a way which is pretty carbon-neutral by pipeline they will be shipped by boat over to china where they with lax environmental rules will exploit them around the world. of course if we send it to china we are creating jobs for the chinese and not for american workers. carol the previous caller pointed out that something here can affect americans across the country. similarly if we decide not to develop energy resources we are destroying jobs not just in the area where those resources are brought to the surface but all the way down to where the jobs in manufacturing are created in the gulf coast and then those energy intensive jobs which may be back in the midwest or the west coast or east coast would rely upon the feedstock. i would like all of that to be included and if it is the

americans, the american worker and the american family will feel better about the regulations. .. that has nothing to do with this law. just talking about general what we need in the epa and financing. i think we recognize we are under budgetary pressure. i'm sure jim is arguing for more money to be spent on health

care. everybody wants more money to be spent on everything. nobody wants the taxes associated associated with that. we have to live within our means. there is going to be tough budget. we are in a budget constrained environment. >> host: right. the epa and the epa to do their work. jim, the democrat of virginia, the top subcommittee member said that mccarthy who was approved by the senate is going to go to the new job, even her own office is cut by 20%. we know if we had a job to do and somebody cut the resources by 20%, it would be very difficult to fulfill the mission. moran estimated it contains 13 brand new writers republicans didn't warn him about ahead of time. he's concerned that the epa would limit this bill would limit the ability to provide clean water and air.

>> again, that has nothing to do with the law. number one, number two i've not read that particular provision. it's difficult to comment on it. > host: would you vote that for that kind of a? >> guest: do you mind if i look tat first. you are asking me to comment on something i learned about three minutes ago. but i think actually what pertains here is the epa passing regulations? which have a negative impact upon families and jobses with their ability to take care of their future generations. and do we know they're using good science? in some cases they cleary not. dot american have a sense of transparency. do they -- what i can say that epa proposed laws in the past which are job killing. and of marginal benefit to the economy. to the environment. maybe even negative.

maybe even no benefit to the environment. they're killing jobs. i don't think the american people would mind transparent sincerity. is it true these are going to bring benefits. what are the true costs and having somebody look over that? >> host: do you have the votes for the legislation? >> guest: ting will pass the house, absolutely. we had some democrats vote for it in the committee. >> host: in the senate do you have a colleague taking up? >> guest: yes we have a colleague will introduce it. senator reid is less concerned. maybe that reid will try and discourage that it will introduced to the companion bill on the senate side. >> host: let's go to kentucky. >> caller: good morning. i've been fighting with the epa since 2011, i have oil wells on my property that have been abandoned. i have one out here besides my house that has oil in the creek that has been there all year

that goeses to a million -- [inaudible] that goes down a main highway to the ohio river. i've been fighting with the people to get out here and get if cleaned up or do something with it because it's destroyed my property. i can't put cattle on my property because they drink from the stream. it would kim them. how do i get the people to get out here? i have shovel ready jobs. there are five abandon wells. i don't own the rights up there. how do i get them out here to get it fixed? >> guest: oftentimes, mary. your own state department of environmental equality will be the one that could do that. i will say in a representative democracy, if you call your local state rep or state senator, oftentimes this sort of thing is a state issue. your state rep she or he can bump it up and be the advocate. if it's truly destroying your property. there are laws against that.

you can file suit. there are environmental protections for you. now it will require some phone calling to your local and -- if you need to call your state congressman or congresswoman and make that effort. but there are right now reliefs, if you will, for the current situation. i would say in my own state of louisiana when such things occur, there are civil suits filed, there are a lot of legislation that is going over the issue. i think you will find there are different areas where you can find relief for this. >> host: we'll go to roy in aca. hi, roy. >> caller: how are you? >> host: good. you're on the air. go ahead. >> caller: yes, i would like to make a comment about the epa, you know, i believe in clean air, clean water, and a clean environment, but basically the epa has driven more jobs offshore than any other agency i know of. back in the early '70s i started

a shop. i could buy american made wood working machinery. guess what? when they started clamping down on the people making cast iron with the 2009 they have never came back. even though they have cleaned up the cast iron -- those companies never came back and they never will. i know, of another plant in southern california, california clamped on them. they moved to tijuana? guess what? the pollution knows now boundaries. >> guest: yeah. they cost the regulation -- john marshall to paraphrase, the power to regulate, the power to tax, and the power to destroy. regulations can destroy jobs. that's -- congressman tim murphy spoke during the committee hearing. he said the hatfield mitchell plant was shut down. 400 employees lost their jobs. they were joined by 5,000 other

coal miners who lost their jobs. and along there there was labor, electrician, operating engineers, carpenters, machinists, i wish we get the family names and children who were affected by this. i'm a doctor, i've been working in a public hospital for the uninsured for the last twenty years. my patient population has been people without insurance. people impoverished who inspired hoped to get a good job with good benefits. or there was someone that had a job and they lost it. they are coming to see me in the safety net hospital. if only half of those partials -- patients say wait a second look at the human dimension of these regulations. that i wish we could list the family that were unemployed by this coal fire plant in pennsylvania being shut down. that would, if you will, put the

face on this bill. it creates tran parent sincerity. let's look at the cost, see if the benefit outweighs the cost. if it does, proceed. and if not let's side with the american worker not with epa bureaucrat using science. >> host: steve tweets in how much in-house research and law enforcement does the epa currently engage in. can you give us examples? >> guest: in term of law enforcement -- >> host: i'm not sure. >> guest: they have a regulatory they go to the department of justice. they certainly the ability to turn on somebody. perhaps people remember the case in colorado, i think it was, the western united states where there was something they deemed a wetland and the family had to fight it all the way to the supreme court in order have common sense prevail to no, the patch of dry earth was not a wetland. they clearly have the ability to take the american business, the american family, the american to court and determine in which way

until a lot of legal expenses have been incurred. >> host: what about the in-house? >> guest: they outsource some of it. it statistical modeling has been criticized. we have gentleman with the harvard school of public health said the way that the epa models the benefit statistically really are not -- that is now how you are supposed to do it. they will claim benefits when the science would show the impuric science would show the benefits do not exist. that's right. so they are costing jobs using science that the scientists say is wrong. >> host: if your legislation passes and they're required to prove that it wouldn't, you know, have an economic cost of a billion dollars. would the research be done in-house? >> guest: yeah. the doe would do the research -- , by the way, people said it's going to cost the doe money. they have a surplus of $2

billion. it's not if they can do it with existing resources. with money they have in the surplus account. and, by the way, i will also say, that if you cost -- if you destroy 5,000 jobs, there's a cost that too. there's a cost to the family who can't send child to school and pay the mortgage. that is on government dependency. instead of having a paycheck they are checking in with a social work. there's a cost there. >> host: democratic line in huntington, west virginia. go ahead. >> caller: good morning. >> host: good morning. >> caller: hi. all of the dams, say the ms., the mississippi produces enough energy we don't need oil or coal. now i -- [inaudible]

-- a dam produces electricity at 10% for the cost that -- [inaudible] all you have to do is look at the hoover dam. 90% of all our electrical bill is -- [inaudible] wall street. so you a $200 electricity bill you want to get $20 -- [inaudible] now, lots of dams produce electricity don't use any fuel -- [inaudible] >> host: okay. i'm going to entrepreneur -- jump in. >> guest: the difference between the hoover dam and the mississippi, most of the time hydropower depends upon a difference in altitude. so something from a high altitude flows downward and you generate the electricity. mississippi is pretty flat

wiser. -- river. there's a hydroelectricity plant in louisiana. it's low flow there's little altitude change. it's able to do so. apparently does not have the capacity for what we would normally need to run a good economy. you make the point that energy is essential to good jobs. blue collar workers have been traditionally employed in mining, manufacturing, and construction. epa shuts down a mining operation, it increases the cost of energy which means the manufacturing job goes overseas. and if your manufacturing job goes overseas you have no reason to conduct a new power plant or new road to a power plant, or a new manufacturing plant. as it turns out, our lower cost of energy is reshoring -- they call it. it's bringing jobs back from china and india.

you point out the relationship between energy and good jobs. that's what the bill is supposed to show. we are helping the families by keeping the cost of energy lower. if we raise the cost we start shipping overseas like the earlier call ther talk about southern california to tijuana. we adopt want that. we want the jobs. >> host: we're talking with congressman bill cassidy. he seats on the energy power subcommittee, environment, and the economy subcommittee as well as the health subcommittee. peg tweets in about the legislation. do we have to sacrifice clean air, water, health, climate change for more jobs? >> guest: a couple of things. first, i don't think we are sacrificing anything. i mean, if you think that the air right now is a terribly polluted, in most cases it is healthy to breathe. the water is healthy to drink. so we're not sacrificing anything. we have made tremendous progress in the environment.

it's not roll back the progress despite a what people would like the bill is doing. if there's a benefit from legislation, which outweighs the cost, then the legislation goes forward. if the cost both economically in term of jobs is so high, then we say let's pull back from it. indeed perhaps let's review the science we know from the national academy of science and others sometimes the epa uses science which is invalid to support regulation that kills jobs. i will tell you, we absolutely don't want to lose jobs because epa is using funny signs. we don't want to do that. that's unfair to the american worker, her family, her children, her grandchildren. now the overall trade-off do regulations kill jobs and can we somehow balance them? that's what the bill is about. >> host: we about fifteen minutes back. we should note you are running

for the senator against mary larn -- lan landrieu. >> guest: yes. if you're asking me about the political race and not the legislation. the fact is it's going to be an expensive race. we have $3.2 million which is what senator vitder ran as a reincumbent. we are fairly well situated in term of financially. if you want to talk about other thicks. senator landrieu votes with president obama 97% of the time. that's roll call. that's not me. she votes with barack obama 97% of the time. she's supports enough things

which people in louisiana don't care for. obamacare is one example. that may work if she was re-representing montana. she's not. she's representing louisiana. not louisiana values, her own values, barack obama's values inspect our state, our state is suffering right now from barack obama's policies. there's obamacare where people 40 hours are being decreased to 40 hours a week. it's nonbusinesses that cannot comply with the cost of businesses epa or bach. -- obamacare. she can go on. she loves the regulations. i love the job. she loves barack obama. i love our louisiana family. >> host: we a poll earlier this morning on obamacare that the health care law that "national journal" put out showing while people don't think that the rollout is going well so far. they don't the president repealed. >> guest: so that, of course, is a national poll. we just saw "the washington

post" poll saw the democrats support of it is collapsing. and so i will say we have -- [inaudible] one poll showing even among democrats support is not there. i think what the american people want they don't want it repealed. they want it replaced with something. replaced with something which the patient has the power. the american family has a power not a washington family or politician. obamacare clearly puts control in a washington bureaucracy. there's going to be 30 million people uninsured after obamacare is completely implemented. that's the most optimistic number. we have a trillion dollars in new taxes. we have 30 million people uninsured and politicians and bureaucrats controlling the family. as opposed to the family controlling the health care of the family. >> host: we'll go to david in deansville, wisconsin. republican caller. hi, david. >> good globing good morning. i want to say a few things.

in wisconsin and a -- enacted a lot of epa regulation. if you look at our new jersey -- energy cost in wisconsin we used to be the cheaperrest. we are now the most expensive. unfortunately what is happening is a lot of these epa regulations have effective the power plants we've had in our state. in fact, the manufacturing for to the point where they're having quite a few manufacturers that have left wisconsin going through other places in the world. and i might add we're trying to start mining in our state, and one of the things that bothers me with the epa, one of the biggest defenders of pollution is just to the south of us which is chicago. and chicago actually -- on a continual basis has raw

sewage that goes to the river, as a matter of fact, one of the things that they did was reversed the flow of chicago river bringing lake michigan water and you being there in louisiana, you actually get the pollution from chicago due to the fact they don't have a proper filtration plant there. the epa will go after the private company. when it comes to municipality like a place like chicago where obama is from. there's absolutely no penalties against this whatsoever. it's very, very aggravating, and i think in the end of the day. if you look at the lightbulb in your house. they are mercury laced. if you break one you have to call an environmental person to clean it up.

>> guest: you make a couple of great points. you are allege, but it sounds reasonable. the political well connected mayor of chicago is able to circumvented laws which would apply to the rest of us. the private industry was creating good paying jobs, manufacturing jobs with good benefits instead have to suffer under regulations and they decide to move overseas and it's the american family which is hurt. the first one i will say is why i don't like obamacare. the political well connect willed always have the health care. it will be the average american who does not. that's a principle. the bigger the government, the favored few get what they want and everybody else suffers under the regime. that's number one. number two, you make the point. -- the power to regulate is the power to destroy. you can destroy jobs with regulations. now there may be a reason to destroy that job. on the other hand, let's have a transparent process. if the voters of wisconsin known when the laws are being passed

they are going to lose their jobs and benefits maybe there would have been a second thought about the regulatory regime being imposed. it's all we want with the bill. let's have transparency the american family knows the american family knows exactly what is the cost, what is the benefit, is it worth it. if it is, go forward. if not put a stop to. >> host: craig is next. clearfield, pennsylvania. ged. >> caller: hi. i want to thank you very much for actually pursuing this. i have several -- i worked in iowa. i'm a tax accountant, i've been in iowa and a state where the other caller mentioned where private industry was fined $65 ,000 for the epa where the state was similar which were labeling, by the way, not any pollution walked away scot-free and the private administration had to pay.

i'm in coal country here. there's a power plant getting ready to close down unless spends -- the number is from one of the employees i'm not 100% certain. $100 million to convert to gas or they shut down and everybody loses their job. and you drive through central pennsylvania and there are pollutist streams. we had coal since the beginning of starting mining. there are mines that have been cleaned up. you see a little bit around. in the new industry, there's nothing. i would also say that if my client list, of course can't give names or anything like that. 50 percent of them are really struggling because of the coal industry and what the epa is doing. and also regarding gas well, there was a big boom. and another 15% of them are hurting because pennsylvania and the epa are going closing those

down. >> host: okay. all right, greg. congressman? >> guest: isn't it tragic? isn't it tragic. he said there's been great improvement in pollution. that the streams are clean. but still the bureaucracies can't stop. they don't come after american families. not directly. they go after the jobs that employ them. they don't see the connection between this plant which they're trying to shut down and the families that work there. these are my patients. i see the connection not just with the family but with their children and grandchildren with generations. my dad didn't go to college. he moved to louisiana to sell lawrence -- life insurance to the workers in the plant. i'm a from and congressman i'm living the american dreenl because the power companies, if you will, created opportunity not just for their workers but entire community. what we're about to see in pennsylvania is the reverse. that stunt snuffed out. it's not that the streams are polluted. he's telling us.

craig is telling us that the streams are clean. they no longer have the problem. but rather we're snuffing out economic opportunity for generations to come. what is wrong with transparency? what is wrong with asking the regulator, the bureaucracy karat to justify what he or she is doing on -- and weigh that against the interest of the individual american in our family. >> host: michael bryan tweets in under barack obama coal jobs have increased to the highest level in twenty years. can you -- do you agree with that number? do you know about that ?urm? what is your response. >> guest: i don't know. i can't comment on that. that's when he said. that calls typical be sent overseas. coal power plants are decreasing in number and the percent of our electricity they provide. isn't than irony. if we send the coal overseas do we think that china has stricter environmental regulations than we? of course not. china has laxes.

there's going to be 393 coal fire plants being planted in india and china. so epa is going after our problems, but if you look at where the carbon emissions are coming. they are coming from china, india, and other developing countries. so we're killing american jobs, and there's a marginal benefit to the economy, if any, at all. we need to have transparency. >> host: we go to el -- ella in pennsylvania. >> caller: hello. good morning. i had a question. i don't know where that man was calling from in pennsylvania that says that the streams are fine. we haven't had good water here because of mining years ago. we have to go and get water somewhere else to drink. i want to know if alex is behind the legislation. >> guest: i think alec is

state legislature kind of organization. i'm having to pull that out of my memory. and the answer is no. no, it's legislation american families losing their job, and we have heard other callers from elsewhere you do attest to jobs being lost because of epa regulations. we had testimony before congress that the science that the epa uses is oftentimes misleading to public policy and that the benefit are not there. that's what is driving the legislation. we have science, which credible third parties say is invalid are misleading and yet killing jobs at the regulations based upon misleading science. that's what is driving the legislation. let's stick up for the american family. >> guest: january, lar -- largo, florida. >> caller: i would like to say the administration is interested in hiring more people for more regulations on every facet of

our country. we are not a mechanic nanny state. i say three cheers to bill will wise up and stop the regulation on everything. we are not children. we are grown adults and we love our country and we're sick and tired of this administration. thank you. >> i agree with you. let's put -- all of the legislation being passed by epa and make a judgment as to whether or not

the benefits outweigh the cost. i have no clue why people fear the american people know that the american people would know the inner workings of the epa. >> guest: what is coming next from the epa as far as regulations you concerned about that you are watching? >> guest: actually. there's several things they're doing. on on the other hand if i would mention specific -- this is about a principle. the principle is that the epa uses science which others say is misleading. it's killing american jobs. it's snuffing out economic opportunity for american families. and so if i mention specific legislation folks will assume there's a special interest group behind it. it's a principle. the american people should know what the epa is doing and the economic impact is going to have on them. one of the callers, earlier, carol, i think, something in epa decides to shut down a plant in

pennsylvania. that increases the electrical supply of electricity and raises electricity costs and energy intensive manufacturing plant perhaps someplace else suddenly can no longer compete here and they offshore jobs to mexico, india, or china. i can tell you, this is a principle not related to a specific bill. coming up on c-span2. the congressional caucus on black men and boys hold the first meeting on the state of black males in the u.s. that's followed by transportation secretary anthony fox testifying on the law to fund transportation infrastructure projects. and later congressman bill cassidy of louisiana discusses his bill to block certain epa regulations.

they would come up as close as they could. that's going to be an assault which meant they would sense violence armed with -- [inaudible] and they would come charging in and our first lines and didn't matter how many people casualties they took. those went down were followed by a new wave. many of new wave had no weapons. they just picked up those who had been hit.

they just kept dying by forcive numbers trying to push us out of our positions. like i said, it was a fight. this weekend on american history tv on c-span 3. commemorating the 60th anniversary of the korean war. starting saturday morning at 8:00 eastern with one veteran's eye witness account. followed live at 10:00 as president obama and defense secretary chuck hagel pay tribute to americans who served american history tv every weekend on c-span 3. thursday president obama delivered his first in a series of speeches on the economy and the middle class. next some of what speaker john boehner said in response to the speech. see this and other events related to the president's speech any time on our website,

c-span.org. >> mr. speaker, my colleagues i was interested today to hear that the president of going to give a speech about the economy. after all republicans have a growth plan for growth and jobs. we've been focused on that plan and certainly welcome the president's ideas. but the white house said it's not expected to say anything new in our no new proposal in the speech. the president himself said -- change any minds, all right. well, so exactly what will change? what is the point? what is it going to accomplish? probably got the answer, nothing. it's a hollow shell. it's an easter egg with no candy. if the president wants to help he ought to improve the keystone pipeline that has bipartisan support in the house. he ought to work with us and the bipartisan majority to delay the health care bill. to give the american people their families and individuals

the same break they must give the big businesses. and the ought to stop threatening to shut down the government unless we raise taxes. because americans aren't asking the question where are the speeches? they are asking where are the jobs? the congressional caucus on black men and boys held at first hearing on the status of black men in the united states. the co-chair's washington, d.c., delegate el near holmes nor norton and danny dennis. former naacp president. this is an hour and forty five minutes. [inaudible conversations]

[inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations]

[inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations]

[inaudible] [inaudible] [inaudible conversations] up next the president of carnival cruiseline and royal caribbean internationals. [inaudible conversations] my co-chair, representative danny davis is an markup and will be with us when he's able to be free. we thank trayvon martin's father, tracy martin, former

congressman, who was a chair of the congressional black caucus as well. welcome him back to the congress. dr. michael eric dyson, and executive director david j. johns of the white house initiative on educational excellence for african-americans. for the public service they are offering today in this inauguration event of a congressional caucus on black men and boys. in a establishing the congressional caucus on black men and boy earlier this year, representative danny davis and i i raised to the national level beginning with the congress serious issues that we and other members of congress are grappling with in our districts. along with state and local officials, especially parents and relatives.

and our african-american community itself. the issues are spread across the spectrum of the life of black males in america today clothed in stereo types. from their years as boys as youth, as finally as men. we seek a society that does not define black men and boys, but allows african-american males the opportunity to define themselves as individuals. the day's event entitled the status of black males ensuring our boys mature to -- that requires attention,

remedies, yes, and candid discussion within the african-american community and with the larger society. the way to begin, we believe, is with an event in the nature of an overview. offered by three distinguished and knowledgeable african-american men that introduced the subject. each discussing a stage in the life of a black male in our country today. their discussion will be followed by questions from members of congress. we are particularly fortunate that mr. tracy martin, the father of trayvon martin and founder of the trayvon martin foundation agreed to come to today's event to give opening remarks. the loss of 17-year-old trayvon

has focused attention on black males as nothing else has in decades. overlaying the disappointment of african-americans in the verdict in the zimmerman trial are many issues that trayvon martin's death brings in to sharm focus. with the loss of trayvon, attention is understandably focused on a civil rights or hate crime cause of action by the u.s. justice department. whatever the justice department decides, we hope that today's event focuses us as well on a lasting legacy for trayvon martin.

today trayvon helps the caucus bring black men and boys to center stage. we begin our mission to take on the challenges facing our men and boys and ask our fellow americans and african-americans to do the same. i ask congresswoman frederica wellson -- wilson, a vice chair of the caucus to offer remarks. >> congresswoman wilson, i represent miami decade county. the same county that trayvon martin represented. i'm happy to have here today his father and also the attorney, mr. benjamin crump tail -- tallahassee foundation. there's nothing more important

that could be happening today in this nation than what is happening in this. in 1990, i had been the principle -- principal of an elementary school for tell -- tbel of years. i resigned from that position to run for a school board seat. my parents thought i was crazy, i had three minor dhoirn send to college. i was a widow, and they said why are you doing this? are you crazy? i said i'm doing it because i want to save african-american boys from the school to prison pipeline. so i hit the ground running at the first school board meeting i sprue deuce -- introduced a program for african-american boys. i called it reparation for them. i wanted the school district to wrap their arms around them and lift them up and let them learn how to be good men in society.

the program is twenty years old now. and trayvon martin's older brother is a member of the program. he wears the red ties that empowers him. so in our school district, we have a staff of ten people who operate this program. what we do is we take our little boys and elementary school, middle school, and high school in the men story in school. they continue have to go to the church. they don't have to go to the boys and girls club. they are men tour -- they travel out of the country. they go to tallahassee. they are coming to d.c. this summer. and we have to train them because there's no one really to teach them how to be good men. so we have 8,000 boys in the school system, k through 12.

we have 5,000 men, judges, police officers, firefighters, all kinds of men who have sworn to raise these boys up to higher heights. my goal, when i was elected to congress was to make sure that if we can do that in miami decade, every school system in this nation should have a program. i'm so glad that tracy and sybrina are starting a foundation to make some of the visions reality across this nation to help these black boys. these children will angry. they have a whole in their hearts for all kinds of issue

logical issues that impact black boys that i'm so familiar with. i'm hoping today when we leave this room, we leave with a commitment that these boys are not to be feared. they are to be loved. they are are to be lifted up and made to feel proud so they can stay in school, obey the law, listen to their parents, listen to the teachers, graduate, and then we send them to college. we spent $10 this million in citizenships to children of the last twenty years of black boys. there are some in the room. they are all in this capitol. i say to you, thank you for coming. this is so important! and trayvon, trayvon's murder has brought this to the forefront. trayvon will go down in history

as the martyr who brought to the forefront the cause, the struggle, the suffering of african-american boys. thank you. >> thank you very much. now we are going to ask mr. tracy martin if he would say few words to us. he started a foundation in the name of his son, trayvon, the trayvon martin foundation. mr. martin. >> good evening. first of all, i would like to thank the member of congress for having me here today. it's certainly an honor and pleasure not only to me but my family as well. to the martin family, to the family. this definitely means a lot. first of all, i would like to take the time to let everyone know some of the things that they really didn't know about

trayvon. first of all, when we talk about one of the greatest gifts that a man can receive from a woman, i think that greatest gift would be a son. just to have your son's life taken away from you when you have modeled him and become an upstanding citizens of this country is heart wrenching. that's something you can never get over. i always say that trayvon was my hero. he saved my life, and not to be there in his time of need it's real troublesome. not to be able to save my son's life. to have his name slandered and demonized, i think as a father,

i think it's real important that my message to the world is we won't let this verdict sum up who trayvon martin was. i vow to do everything in my power not to give up the fight for him. not only the fight for trayvon, but the fight for so many other young black and brown boys of this country. i think the point that president obama made that thirty five years ago that this scrolled been him was so important to the american people because the most influential man on the planet is weighing in from an african-american perspective. just to have the president of the united states comment on our

situation it really touched home. it's moments and comment such as the president made that, you know, it sparks the conversation in every household over the dinner table. that conversation is what can we do as parents? what can we do as men? what can we do as fatherses? what can we do as mentors to stop this from happening to your child. i think that's where the conversation begins. a lot of our energy we have channeled, we have taken the negative energy that has been throughout the whole process. we have taken that negative energy and we're trying to turn it to a positive. a lot of people will tell you that nothing positive can come out of the death, but i disagree whole heartedly, because it is

what we can tomorrow as a nation and people to stop someone else's child from being killed is certainly a negative -- a positive -- i'm sorry. that's why we are putting a lot of our energy in to the trayvon martin foundation. foundation is here for -- we're going to advocate against senseless crime, against senseless gun violence. we're going have mentoring programs. we're going to try to educate our communities on the florida statute and the florida law that really we need understand how these laws apply to ours. -- ourselves. there are so many positive things that can and will come out of this incident. that's why we're here.

we want con, the member of congress hear we are the voice for trayvon, trayvon is nothing that we can do to bring trayvon back. if there is something we can do as a foundation to help other families from going through this, then we're here. >> thank you very much, mr. martin. you are kind to come with mr. martin. the man who abledly representatives him. mr. benjamin crump. you are -- we are pleased you could be here as well. the co-chair of the caucus has arrived. i should ask him if he want to say an opening word at the event. >> thank you very much.

the only thing i really need say is to thank, first of all, all of the members of the caucus. i want to thank you for being inspiration and part of the reason that we have established this caucus. i want to thank the member of the congressional black caucus and other members of congress who have joined and are in fact attempting to have the caucus function in such a way that we end up with not only looking at problems but generated results. i want to thank our esteemed group of panelists who have joined us. i think of two gentlemen i worked with on a number of years. a former member of the body. former chairman of the caucus,

actually. i think he calls chicago home, that's dr. michael eric dyson who is also with us. i thank you mr. johns who has a tremendous responsibility of guide and initiative that deals with education and african-american historical institutions. mr. martin, we thank you so much for being here with us this afternoon. we also commend you for the dignity you have displayed you and other members of your family throughout this ordeal. and you are a guiding principle for many of us and many people in america.

who love their country, but they also love justice. who love their country, but they also want equal protection under the law. with that, ma'am co-chair, go ahead. >> thank you. he has been a leader on this, and particularly on black men and boys who have been incarcerated and others issues facing black men. now, we just want to start at the beginning with black boys. then move on up and have three distinguished men talk about their lives. so we begin with david johns, and we are pleased that the executive director for african-americans --

for excellence for african-americans has joined us in the white house. he has worked for obama for america for perhaps even more relevantly he was a senior education adviser for the senate committee on health, education, labor and pensions. i'm very pleased to begin with david johns. thank you for coming. thank you for testifying before us today. >> if. it's okay. i would to yield my time to mr. crump to ask a couple of question. >> excuse me? >> if it's okay with you, i would like to yield a couple of minute of my time. he has two quick questions that will frame our discussions. >> by all means, crump. >> thank you, congresswoman. as mr. martin said president obama's comments invited us

start the conversation. i think the conversation starts with two critical questions. and the first question is to the department of justice the private suicide for nine millimeter gun profile our children, get out of his car and follow our children and confront our children, the u.s. supreme court doesn't even let the police profile based on race alone. we need to have that question answered so we know what to tell our children. and if that answer is yes we need to know how we can tell our children. if it's no, we want to know especially for mrs. full ton and mr. martin will the killer of their child be held accountable for the civil rights violence upon tracy and sybrina's son.

secondly and finally the foundation is working to request the question of the trayvon martin act. that's a very common sense legislation. we believe there should be an amend to stand your ground law that simply says you cannot be the initial aggressor. you cannot start the confrontation. you cannot pick the fight, then shoot the person in which it has -- standing my ground. because there's a precedence set that will a terrible effect on whether black and brown boys if we don't speak to the issue. i ask those question. i know, we have the experts to help us. we have two questions that are heavy on the heart of the parents of trayvon martin. thank you. thank you very much. some of use believe strand your ground laws are a present danger

to african-american boys and men that the only rem i can should be to roll back the law beginning with the state of florida. i understand the difficulties in florida. but i you can profound questions some with legal underpitting. i'm going to ask mr. johns if he could testify at the time. >> yes, ma'am. i want to thank you for leadership in establishing congressional caucus on black men and boys. and for con vehicling this groundbreaking hearing. the member continue to ensure that we have a tough conversations and engage in the hard work required to become a more -- [inaudible] as a result of your collective leadership and decade indication. i'm humbled and honored to be on a panel with these others. i stand on the shoulder of strong committed visionary and ancestors who toiled and

struggled, pioneered, and died to enable us to gather here today. we meet to discuss developing and enhancing programs, policy, and practices that among other things increase black male success in education, entrepreneurship, and -- facility the engagement and leadership development opportunity and change private thought and negative public conversation about black pois and men in to words and deeds that support success. who has the privilege of beginning my capitol hill hill career. thank you. now serves as executive director on the white house initiative on educational excellence for african-americans, i have the responsibility and opportunity to ensure this the administration is a thoughtful partner and supporting african-american learning development. the work of the initiative has never been more important. we ensure we investing in our

children and protecting them. administratorly our most vulnerable. and most neglected. plank blank should predetermine equality of a child's opportunity. however studies show what conventional wisdom suggest that children from low-income family and black boys in particular are least likely to have access to high quality early education. they are least likely to enter elementary school prepared for success. consider that by third grade children from low-income families who are not reading at grade level are six times less likely to graduate from high school than who are profesht in reading. it provide a foundation for black boys to be successful in school and life. to become strong black men. i want to underscore the point

that learning begins at birth and the preparation for learning start well before birth. we cannot solve the employment or education crisis facing black boys and men and america without ensuring they access to high quality early education. not only work toward providing young black male with access to high quality education. we must make effort to provide support for them inside and outside the classroom to extend through the college completion and career entry. in the united those most likely to begin kindergarten at the academic disadvantage are low and minority comish. those who begin school behind have a tendency to remain behind throughout the career. we must understand the importance of educating boyses e whicher inturing and protective

relationship with parent and adults including educators, representatives of the criminal justice and legal system, menner to and peers. allow me to share a few facts to put my comment to context. the infant mortality rate for babies is 13.2% compared to 5.3% for whites. that's more than double. three times the rate for white children. and 24 months of age black babies are significantly lower scoring on cognitive assessment. at about age 4, 28% of black children were -- compared to 40% of white kids. 55% of black children were proficient in number and shape recognition compared to 70% of white children. from the time of consumption to first day of kindergarten.

simply stated access to high quality education for african-american boys sees officially can be the difference between a pathway that leads to the white house or the jailhouse. it with be used to overcome cognitive and noncognitive challenges facing black boys including the absence of a father. exposure to violence, and disproportionate of representation and detention and special education programs. african-american children who participate in early head start have higher vocabulary report lower level of bullying and score higher on matt and reading assessment in elementary school than african-american children who don't participate in the program. prepare to take full advantage of the global 21st century

market century place. parents, family, and communities benefit from high quality early education. african-american parents with children are participated in high quality programs have better language and literacy, environment, and emotionally supportive parenting and show higher level of sport for education in the home. the first step is giving them access to high quality early education and accomplish the initiative working with member of the faith base and early education advocacy. we are working with community based organization to assure that parents and families can identify and have access to high quality programs. we are undertaking efforts to avoid african-american children exposure to science, technology, engineering, art and agricultural and maths are esteemed programs. we are working with publishers to publish books.

it followed a critical opportunity we have to invest in early opportunity for black men. the first is home visiting. voluntary home visiting program provides them with trained professional throughout pregnancy and the first year of life. quality home visiting program lead to fewer children in welfare center and mental health. it provide considerable cost savings with state. we have invested $1 minute 5 billion to expand. they provide critical support becoming pregnant in high school needed a counsel of support of trained professional that could assist her and my mother in creating a environment that

optimizes early life opportunities. by supporting african-american mothers, father and community and understanding how important it is we invest in young children giving at birth and equipping black family with the information and resources we can make sure that the earliest step black boys take prepare them for a life of success. the united states more than 11 million children under the ache of five are in some type of child care arrangement each week. on average children of working mothers spend 35 hours a week in child care. many with multiple providers to allow parents opportunity to work during nontraditional and traditional work hours. it's an essential work support for too many african-american boy the extreme coast associated with high quality child care -- ready to learn. by age 556% of low-income black

kids are not prepared for kindergarten. it only widens when they miss out on early opportunity programs. the cost for child care is largely born by family and parent. the comice crisis, high cost of child care lead them to pursue noncenter based. the cost can be an extreme burden. the average cost of infant child care exceed the cost of public college tuition and related knee 36 state throughout the country. nationally the cost for full time child care for infants ranging from 7 to 16% of the median income for a married couple. for single parent the cost is more than 10 percent of the income. more must be dun to subsidize it. they are unemploy or

underemployed working jobs that do not provide them with opportunity for advancement. in addition to cost and seability of following must be addressed to ensure that more black boys have access to high quality child care programs and serves. improving safety. increasing awareness, and parent family engagement to ensure parents have the information they need access the programs. adjusting federal reimbursement rates to the actual of cost providing care while increasing federal, state, and local. the sthird head start and early head start. agree to serve low-income disadvantaged children and families. the program covers cost for families that preschool

experiences. school readiness, language, and have cab skills. black children were reported to have reduced attentiveness. fewer problem with structured learning or peer they had better relationship with teachers. while the long-term effect of head start deserve additional research the program's ability to prepare them for cinder garten is difficult to deny. it has improved life opportunity for black boys. wheel we celebrate the success of head start it's impartive we give them more access. in 2012 head start served less than 40% of eligible children. roughly 300,000 black kids. early head start currently servs >> you are nearing the -- >> yes. >> much more need to be done to increase investment in the area. while have summaried some of the challenges during the early year of life i want to ensure our conversation are focused on

solution on underscore the opportunity to make investment that result in success for black men and boys and the coming months the initiative will continue to facility critical conversation in the following areas, one, racing awareness of increasing opportunity to access programs and enhance education, employment, and entrepreneurship for black men and boys. we need to increase the number of black e educator, discuss the impact like trauma and toxic stress have learning and development and strengthen the relationship they have with students and mentors. two, we will ensure that all carrying adults are engaging in supporting black male success with a voluntary to host toft black we with an opportunity develop academic or social kill. finally take on the task of

changing the way we talk about black boys in the public and private as we have modeled here today. we must ensure that we say that what we say and how we demonstrate our support for black men and boys is a line with ensuring they are and feel swralled, supported, and protected. while we must be careful to generalize that all black boys in crisis. all black men can benefit from knowing they are loved, valued, and supported and protected. especially late home and in the communities. to do this we u.s.? we're doing all question to develop their skill. to create protective safe environment. when i worked as a classroom teachers some of my colleagues to use the mit to convince

themselves they didn't have to do the tough work. change in narrative require telling more stories about every day example of achievement and success. resilient and grit. it should not be the case we celebrate single event like sitting an entire class of black boys to college not only the work of the educators but countless -- [inaudible] we should tell stories each and every day many ways they are selling and innovating. giving support. we must taunt opportunities to optimize these chances for black men of all ages to support each other and support boys younger than them. we have to continue to have conversations in public and private about opportunities and obligations we have as a nation to be inspired by the grace of the trayvon martin family. we have to talk about it. we have to support program in our people in the community doing the work of saving our son

beginning early, we must ensure we move past the rhetoric to smear the gains are made. as we dot work it's important we not neglect our daughter in the process. our black girls and women need our care, love, and support too. these a few of the way which the white house initiative is engaging in this work. i look forward to identifying ways question work further to support black men and boys throughout the country. they need us to dot work and the collective economic, social, and natural security of our nation requires it. thank you. >> thank you, mr. johns. [applause] our next presenter, mr. michael eric dyson, american book award recipient and naacp image.

one of the nation's most influential and renowned public intelligent. he's been named one of the most 150 most popular african-american by eastbound any magazine. philadelphia weekly contends that dr. dyson is reshaping what it means to be a public intellectual. by becoming the most visible black academic of his time. dyson has also edited 18 books pertaining to african-american leaders, racial profiling, and racial relations in america. currently, doctor dyson is sociology professor at georgetown university and previously taught at some of the nation's most press pretentious universities including brown, chaplain hill, colombia, and the university of pennsylvania. primarily on topics regarding issues of effecting black and the future of the black community given the current social, economic, and political

conditions. dr. dyson. >> thank you so much. i want to thank -- i want to i want thank -- okay. i want to thank congresswoman norton and congressman davis for convening this panel. even before the verdict it should be announced, and with that kind of insight about why we are confronting the issues we are confronting here today. and to all of the distinguished colleagues here in congress and, of course, to mr. johns for the great comment and attorney crump and mr. martin for their courage and valor, and for the sharp insight. i want to talk about young men, teams and youth. myself was a teen father.

i lived on welfare for three years. didn't go to college until i was 21. so i understand some of the external drama that attack tay muchs to black boys, males, and men who have been particularly subject to the arbitrary stigma and pathology that attaches to young men in american society. but leave aside the incredible value or it and the vitality of their struggles to claim decent spaces in american society. what the teams who were black and male face in our culture. let's be honest? there's a cultural backdrop. all black people live under suspicious. trayvon martin is but the most ready and apt metaphor for the suspicious we're subject. black humanity has been suspected from the beginning of our soldier to american society.

i don't need to give a history lesson about that. the great thomas jefferson, the architect of month cello, and decoration of independence wrote notes on virginia. he questioned theerer is even as at night retiring from his study engaged in relations with the young woman who's loins trapped his logic. so that the reality of our humanitarian being under suspicious is critical as a backdrop to understand the unfolding and evolving perception of black people in america. our humanity has been questioned. as a result black ands inherited a culture where the skepticism

of the are part and parcel with what we deal with on the daily. this is why, for instance we not only talk about black male stereo type and black female stereo type. had the stereo typical representation that articulate her as somehow subhuman and not just from white americans but black too. skeptical about what she is speaking three languages. perhaps her testimony would have been believed and the outcome of the trial could have been shaked because black women are under vicious assault as well. as a result mothers in poverty help young black men come to birth and both of them receive the slander of the culture. young teens inherit a culture that unconsciously and consciously engages in the skepticism and suspicious of their existence. the educational system in to which they are expels them at

the rate two and a half times greater than the white school. you are in school and you get kicked out forest for stuff your white peers don't. not only that they are subject to attention and put in special education programs that target them specifically adds being less capable intellectually. they are subject to the criminal justice system through nonviolent drug offenses. even though the self-reporting of young people subjecting due process about the same rate if not a little bit more than did you black and other kids that stands to reason if you have more disposable cash. you have more time and catch and ability to engage in the various activity on the extralegal sense. the point is that why kids are doing the drug in the same way. white kids are not being put in jail. they are not suspected. they are not viewed as likely to engage that that kind of

behavior. they are no profiled. young black men, teens in general, are profiled. not just by the police department when they go in to stores, retail profiling. you ain't got to be a teen to be subject to that. i have a black card and yet i'm profiled. so i painted it last night. it was green. the point is that -- [laughter] we are subject to that kind of racial and retail profile. the disproportionate number of black males put in the criminal justice system subject to us there's a targeting of african-american men particularly teens beginning in the 14, 15, 16 year age range that subjecting them to adult penalty. many are tried as adults and the book, to speak of the law, is thrown against them even for first time offenses. stereo type of black male and youth identity.

question have an imper call crush to very if i the estate of the crush. i want to wave a narrative and tell a story to make you feel the compelling character of the assault on young black teens. the reality is these stereotypes are out there. even noted "the washington post" columnist say thatlet be honest, the hood your is the uniform of the criminal. not for mark zuckerberg. not for bill oh riel lee. all of whom with the exception of mr. zuckerberg have assaulted black people and teens for being engaged in the self-perpetuation of legacy beyond them because of the clothing they wear. so this sartorial profile, the clothe progress filing subjected that black people can't even dress with the same kind of freedom that our white peers do. in this case, young black teens can't because they will be

automatically assumed to be a thug. some people say, it's your problem. it's hip-hop culture. they created this. really? before the rise black men were being profiled and seen as goifn inclination to be criminal. excuse me, that's not the case. some element of hip-hop culture glorified and reinforced the devaluing of black life? of course. it has spoken against it. too pack said i got -- [inaudible] when i get my check they taking taxes on. we're paying the copses to knock the blacks out. jay picture me allowing these clowns to nitpick at me. portray me like a pick any. they are combating the vicious misrepresentativation of black identity by resorting to the very violence that is critical to american culture and american

identity and the sense of young black people appropriate has been give to them by a culture that creates laws like stand your ground. and that creates a gun industry that is obsessed to an merely and insincety with guns as the manifest asian of their manhood. they invented the game. they are playing in their own way. the reality is how do we deal with the representation of young black people and now our friends on the right suggest it's black on black crime. where have you been? we've been talking about that. when newtown happen. camera are there. when aurora happens cameras there. when chicago happens. we're not there. black people have been nancy marching against the vish legacy of white supreme sincerity that leads us to kill each other to hate each other and dispiece the presence we representative. we know about black on black

crime as a reflection of a broader pathology and both must be arrested. but the reality of politicians don't show up from the white house down to the local level when black children's bodies are at stake. and when they do show up, they give us lecture about black family structure when we can look at most white people who commit crimes and they have obviously challenge that need to be articulated and black on black crime true 94% of black people are murdered are murdered by black people. 84% of white people are murdered by white people. why don't white crime is a reality in america today but not assumed as such. black teens are facing a state that stigmatizes them. a culture that demonizes them. a pop culture that expresses their intebt to greater than than they are but reinforces some of their vulnerability. i would suggest what we do are a few things. the educational system has to be

taken seriously as a battle we need to wage. and how do we do that? we have to stop demonizing and styingtizing our children. we have to create alternative structure to admit multiple form of learning. people learn in multiple ways. jay z is a high school graduate. tupac dropped out. eighth grade dropout. they are reterritorial gene youses. who is gone? the school or them. there's -- school are the constitutional that arctic learning is about the desire to be educate for a lifetime. we have to converge these two meanings in some instances figure out way to acknowledge our children's learning style. not to stigmatize and demonize them. don't send them to jail if they have a behavior challenge and figure out ways not put them to detention which becomes a feeding cell to jail which becomes a warehouse for prison.

secondly, i have to reduce the penalties for nonviolent drug offenses and zero tom rains policies. [applause] [applause] we are not here -- we are not here to have affirmative action for thugs. we are here to say that everybody doing it everybody ought to be taj in the same way to jail or everybody should be given a break. many people, the president of the united states in his brilliant memoir talks about abusing marijuana. so had he been caught, put in jail, stigmatized, he would have been a well achieving young man, i'm sure. he might have been standing on the sm going you know what i could have been president. yeah right. the reality is we have to be careful how we stigmatize our youth and the public policy we put in place and the laws must

not unnecessarily stigmatize those children. thirdly, the president made a remarkable statement on race. it's good the president stood up. as a result of pressure. we understand that. he said initially trayvon martin could have been my son. look at the metaphor call shift he made. he said no, i could have been trayvon. i would had -- if i was a speech writer for mr. obama. not only you have been trayvon martin you are trayvon martin now. [applause] right. why? because they are profiling mr. obama in the white house. asking about your transcripts from a man whose hair is thinner than his skin. questioning you, trumping you a

very serious and vicious fashion from people asking to see your birth certificate as if you are not american. you did the way people said you want to be done. you graduated harvard law school. you don't wear a hood. it can't be about a hoodie. it can't be about the demonization of a sartorial choice. it's about the way black masculinity that expresses a men innocence in the collective imagination of america and then finally when we see these as structure problems, when we see that young girls are being demonized, put in prison more often as well, subjected to the kind of vicious stereotype i talked about in regard to rachel. and they are the recipient of the outrageous intickty of being assumed not to be intelligent and not to be human. and so as i close, my plea and prayer as we craft social and

public policy, we ask the white house to once again -- mr. obama wrote one of the most brilliant memoir on race we have. it would be like michael jackson -- michael jordan in the white house but couldn't talk about basketball. mr. obama is acutely sensitive and keenly informed about the complicated matter and the speech he delivered the other day was yet but a beginning. now we need him and others to use their spots spaces and spirit in the culture to not only ed fie the conversation and to inform the analysis but at the end of the day, to recognize that young black teens are children of god who deserve every protection because if those women on the jury understand trayvon martin as their child, they may have felt his blood calling from the ground where george zimmerman laid him to his rest. [applause]

>> thank you, dr. dyson. it's my pleasure now to introduce to you -- he was born, raised, educate and eventually taught as a professor at morgan state university any -- in the city of baltimore. it was there he made a decision to follow his dreams of impacting society and help shape public policy. at the age of 38, he was elected to the united states congress and served terms during the presidency of reagan, bush senior, and clinton. as a member of the house of

representatives, congressman served as a member of of the committee on education and helped to impact commerce and industry matters as a senior member of the small business committee. congressman also served as both vice chair and later chairman of the congressional black caucus. ..

>> i really appreciate this opportunity. i also want to say as the

father of six men and a grandfather of four boys, i have a particular sense of brotherhood with tracy martin. riyal the apparent source nightmare is to have to bury your child. it is supposed to be the other way around so on behalf of parents everywhere , you have really taken this and kept your greatness cover your dignity cover your manhood and that you a and sabrina ought to be commended. [applause]

it is the apparent connection in my blood flows saugh it you are here because of me i want you to do something i could not do it and the sense that parents get up with regard this of race to understand differently as you do what it is like to have something tragic while it has not happened we all understand it. madam chair, i want to say both of my panelist for their presentation, we have

known each other for a long time i cannot take of a better person i really do mean that. i want to talk a bit about childhood, the boyhood boyhood, adolescents and manhood would be a doing a disservice if i did not say a couple of things. i grew up in a different kind of america and a very segregated america. i sat on the back of the bus

if my family this and which they would hand us something in as a brown bag out the back that was normal when i needed shoes might mother would put my foot on a brown bag and draw a line around it to take it to the store because they would not let the black kid to try of any school i drove by the white schools on the way to the segregated schools that were dilapidated and run down. lot has changed since then but what has not changed is the color of my skin and as people have their own preconceived notions about who was there when i would become that unfortunately is why we are here today. when emmett till was viciously murdered, i was in the first grade in the week

after that that was the first time i was called the word nigger as people threw something at me and laughed as the web by in the back of a pickup truck. i fear one day that even my grandson will be called the same thing not because they have done anything at all but unfortunately people still harbor these ceilings. and in those days we were taught basic values to play by the rules, love your country, of respecting your elderly and that you have dignity about who you are a and you care about what is going on. my mother lived and died in an end to poverty as did my father bryce sisters and i were taught while we were

the the unfair but it there was a way to tap into something different and to see that every day they just want to live on to be magnified so they can do what they have to do. i did not find out who my real father was the toe the same day i took odds and end the jobs to find a way for my sisters have died to survive. i was a green like a lot of black men with the public at the tv screen to see ozzie and harriet and turned off looking at that six but by nightfall a room i lived in. that figure is still with us

because we have now provided the explanation to young people why their circumstances so very different from what they see on the offensive with the stars or where there is this great energy but yet we know everything is not well. then to join a gang and be angry at the society it could not understand and i only tell you this because all of us have a story or a testimony my age or younger but unfortunately black america male or female we have the testimony and a story. to get through the adolescents castigated by a society that does not know was if we are lucky then we

have made it to manhood new york we realize things that happen reaffirmation and reclamation then to realize you've made it through you could counter in your hands and toes, the people like you did not make it. they grew up and part of your generation either the criminal-justice system in a hospital ward unable to take care of themselves or are dead. when you realize i made it, you also realize it we know that unemployment for african-american men is that

90 percent if that was it the other group of this country people would try to close down the nation's capital to find answers. you have said this publicly that why is it that unemployment among african-american teenagers is that 40 percent? unheard of for unacceptable people say we don't understand that this is the opportunity society public-school are overcrowded and ill-equipped some of those drug czar more available and young people because of their age or dye it will get them to the point that they need to be to arrive on graduation day all dressed up with no place to go. and height education the key for fighting for that

parents program they need to provide for those kids to get an education. i am working with 700 freshmen now at morgan state university. do you know, the biggest fear? either cemented that couldn't make it because their families could not afford it because of the high rate of finance we have mandatory but the bombs that takeaway judicial discretion in the matter the issue and people are getting crazy sentences because judges are locked in as a result of legislation to mandatory minimums absence of discretion you just have to send somebody way for a long period of time. we all know about the disparity of crack cocaine and marijuana bust it how do get sentenced if you do something to a black person

or someone else for golf so the realization is like i guess i am lucky and i guess i am blessed but what do i do? we have to reaffirm torsos until the day i die i will make my body of the rich so somebody can run across it. [applause] off one negative we reaffirm we have no other obligations other than to make a better for the groups coming behind us and we reaffirm we have to that working with women in the organizations of the community to stand up as men will reclamation system is

where you decided you terribly that you will reclaim your spirit, your dignity cover your honor honor, your grace cover your personhood the matter what is going on in this nation, nothing will take that away from you. when you see men turn out levy these marches to bring about a sense of justice they are reclaiming for themselves the little bit of time we all may have left with a sense of dignity that should not be stripped away. for a race of people who have suffered, in to word a and it survived three centuries of slavery, zero persian, deprivation and, degradation, and denial and this privilege we see things through a different lens deadly say what the mile in my shoes before you judge me.

if you see the same thing this that i see were krispy to change the nation so we prevent the tragedy is and until we do that we will not go very far we cannot ignore it is in many women use to buy them and support them will not. do we revisit this and 22 years with rodney king king, emmett till and rodney king did not trayvon martin? to cannot keep doing this. and we ought not. thank you very much. [applause] >> now i know why we missed kweisi mfume so much in congress. thank you very much. we will ask the chair is have a vice chairs to ask questions maybe make your

question and did it and a half so that answers can come. i have of this year to members in the order of arrival but i will begin with the question for mr. martin or others. to be candid, i have been in search of a tangible legacy. this hearing, and this event is an example but it will pass. i would like to see how uc the channeling of all that energy out there. of course, everyone is focused on the justice department that may or may not be in our he had spent some say they should decide if they are going to go to florida that has the "stand

your ground" block and asking people do not take their conventions and money to florida. can a civilian profile? the reason the police cannot visit his state's action in but a civilian is not. and so a civilian can't profile if you are with the "stand your ground" state another legacy that occurs is don't let said "stand your ground" lost the and it is a danger to every black man in america. those are two things that occurred to me i will ask the panel beginning with mr. martin himself if he has given a thought of the

tangible legacy of any kind so that energy will not this a long day's dissipate over the next month before we go to something else. >> the energy that we will channel into this discussion is very simple. as american citizens -- citizens we cannot let the not guilty verdict dictate thoughts what the of legacy because of this. of 50 years from now when i and dead and gone i was like to see the name trayvon martin is attached to some type of statute that you can out profile our children come to shoot the been the

heart and killed them to say you were defending yourself. 50 years from now it is not just trayvon martin. so the question is what can we do as parents or african-american men to assure our kids that you don't have to be afraid to walk outside your house go to the store in get a bag of scandals and not make get home. the next time your parents see your adjusted white at a funeral. that is of the note parishes have to go through a and with everything i have left in the we will try to make sure his name will not be

tried to through the bet and his legacy would be that he would help to bridge the gap of america. something we have 10 working hard at even with all the obstacles thrown at us of congress we can make tremendous strides. [applause] >> i would like to address my question. at you midget you were working with 700 college students who were struggling. supposed they were

fourteener 15 year-old african-american boys. what would you tell them about growing up in the role they play? >> a very good question that the first thing i would tell the coming of matter where they are from it is not how you start in life but how you finish. we all have a birthday a and negative a and the death day but that negative is about what contributions we make and how we live our life. i want to commend all those without a lot of fanfare to give them a sense of pride and a sense of commitment they have to know the

history because if you don't ever you have been you have no idea where you're going there how to get there. they have to the word basic values if they don't and many do also about rules and we just have to fire up the belief they can be whatever they want to be year do whatever they want to do often times with issues of this team our job is to take the lid off to allow the spirits to soar and work with them day in and day out. i don't read it as a slant to anyone anywhere i was raised by a woman but some of you know, the quickest way is for a older black man

we use become the heart this is a connection that does not allow for wavering. we all got that from somebody who got a bit of our faces and we knew that they cared about us. i really can't explain it except it is a different kind of connection that keeps platt kids as a greater force a and i was raised by a woman but of the and grabbed me and said he will do when your mother says and what your father says a.d. will be somebody no matter what. it didn't matter if i was a high-school dropout t h. barrett, arrested 13 times by the age of 19 what connected with the was that is something i have never felt before i and getting it straight and unfiltered also with young women. i appreciate that that is

where i would start with the basics a you have got to start with loved. [applause] >> we have been delayed thought the vice chair will said has suggested if mr. richmond has a question. >> yes away quickly say to mr. teeeighteen who was a speaker at might commencement at morehouse web of my favorite teachers was actually the head custodian and about me every day to make sure i was doing right and i had high

expectations. this tragedy is unspeakable. you cannot start a fight then claim self-defense when you lose. and the white house should do the same. and then look at a mandatory minimum sentencing what is it you would like to see in terms of congress? or the white house to deal with this issue it is hard

for people to understand and i think i did a bunch of things right so sometimes a diamond the elevator of this building without my member did i am still just a young black man that probably is not supposed to be here. how did the best resources are pumps that into our community and the expectations for our young black males to give them the sense of self-worth and deal with the acre at the same time as some would does that to me i cannot act out i have to do like jackie robinson and suck it up and take it in this day and age even though i am a member of congress in the person that treats me like that most of the tide is not. that is my question. what do we do to help with those things?

>> i will just speak to the "stand your ground" law. the last time it was suggested you control the purse strings of the committee with the statistical data of how the "stand your ground" t2 has been applied with the black as the victim the dependents are careless in did is the blacks cleaning "stand your ground" that we exonerated by fake obama ask that question rhetorically if trayvon martin was of age and had a gun to defend himself against a strange

man some of that help with the statistical analysis but the lookout -- look at how we develop the financial allocations to those states that have "stand your ground." that maybe one start because everybody has concluded it is so arbitrary of how this has been applied. in his sister is jacksonville convicted 20 years. >> so there are a number of things i would like to work with but early education. it should not become as a

surprise every dollar we invest of reverting we could expect the investment it does not make sense we raise money every year when we could start early to make sure they make solid steps so for the course of the lifetime but the sec and is recruiting and better preparing educators the criminal-justice system to make sure every adult in front of children regardless of their gina type to understand to put of the work requirement with i exhortations to exceed their dreams. we can also make the investment at the african-american male teachers in particular so when we talk about the state

of with those teachers that looked at the african-american boy is. it is not of black-white problem but we need to have a national conversation about race and third, up tokens that the of this panel they have said riegle to me in ways i still don't feel or realize. it is to pour into a acknowledge the relationship this man has with his son. . .