>> will the gentlemen yield to me? >> let's go back to the beginning of how the conference started. all right. the last conference committee that was held many of you were probably here in 1999. the senate chaired that conference. so it comes to the house to chair this conference. at the beginning of the conference there was discussion between myself and mr. sanders as to who was going to chair and i said let's go co-chairs, all right? i asked the senator earlier this week if we could do this yesterday and he said, nope, don't want to do it yesterday. all right. we were trying to negotiate all day yesterday, trying to figure out when we could do this and i

was told time and time again i better not. as the house position that should be the chair of the committee and for senator sanders to take a good effort on my part to make him the co-chair a and to stop us from having a public meeting. i did share sitting down at this hearing i did share what the offer was with the chair and i asked him to share it with everybody here. it isn't a conference report. it is an offer. it is on one page. it is on the -- our offer is on the same amount of paper that va's justification were $17.5 billion is on. it wasn't done as a partisan

move. we met at 9:30 -- it was an offer. not intended to be a house offer. it really wasn't. i wasn't trying to get you all to buy in because i know you cannot do that. but it was to say the house is prepared to put money. ...

caro alexis senator and aston, you know, be prepared to meet on monday. don't know when, don't know where, but just so everyone knows, we will be back in time. it will be time for everyone to be back here. what happened is negotiating behind closed doors, and we have been pretty darn close. this whole thing, this is doomed, no, it is not. as long as we work to mark to up together. i did not want to put you in a position to say, you are making us decide whether we wanted our

not. this was an offer from me. i get it. and, yeah, i could have told you -- i did not know and so probably 8:00 last night what the offer was actually going to be. i just knew that it needed to be done in public. that is why we did tests. and it only lasted 15 minutes. >> my commitment to you, chairman, is to do this together this. they don't care if it is the senate's fault or our fault. it is our responsibility. we have to get it done. i stand with you to get it done. >> thank you. as the chairman mentioned -- [laughter] >> yap. i did clean over to the chair earlier and asked him why the proposal. the bottom line is now we know

the chairman's proposal. we also know that the chairman's proposal is on the senate side, which we never see in black or whether. now we know where you are both coming from. hopefully we will be able to work in a bipartisan manner to get this thing done. i am not interested in blaming anyone. my concern has always been how we take care of the veterans that we have to take care of. and i hope that both sides -- everyone on the conference committee will focus on that particular issue as well. and with that, mr. chairman, i just say we probably ought give her five minutes back. >> thank you, mr. chair. justice simon of this conversation, i agree that we -- this must be -- should not be -- must be a bipartisan approach to this. we must collectively resolve

this problem. i will say that when the house passed the bill almost unanimously and when the senate passed the bill almost unanimously, i think the expectation as we would go to conference and leave off the smaller differences and move forward. i just don't want to take a large step backwards, but i think we are making progress. there is movement. we are making progress. we have to continue to work to make sure that we do indeed have the resources to make sure that we can serve our veterans some well once and for all. we all know that this has been a problem of -- this property of this crisis has been specific in terms of wait time, but we know that we have had issues with capacity. this is our opportunity to my belief, very, very strongly for us to move forward. for once and for all to be able

to really try to make a difference how we serve our veterans to run our country. so i wanted to ask a specific question. i think it was in your testimony , we believe that their current leaders, the change in culture and the change in the is beginning to permeate at the upper levels, but it is not necessarily permeating us. obviously that has to happen if there is anything that you believe that we should be doing to assist it to make sure that

that communication does get to the vision level, to the hospital level at every corner in throughout the country. that's what we should be doing. >> i suggest you get your district staff together with your veteran advisory committee. i know most of you have them. you will join me in putting together the agenda for those meetings because we are getting back. people are responding. it is the best homes let's per person. the veterans in your district. and if you give them the right information to pick up the ball and start to run with it it will

go to the press. >> thank you for that. and you are the budget guy. the anointed budget gap here. the vs those, you must have done an need assessment of what the viejo needs and what it costs. so you have that information. >> i do. if you prefer to have it, it's a lot of numbers and double the dew. would be glad to share it with your staff. we are fortunate that every year we me with the staff for the committees and put at the same information to a legislative. >> based upon your needs assessment can you give me a ballpark figure of what you think there needs our budget charily to meet those needs? >> for this year or overall? i can't project the way they do.

what i can tell you is the recommendation is approximately for all medical care about 2 billion more than one that va recommended for fyi 2015 which will be starting soon. something less than a billion dollars more. when i will also say is over the last ten years the difference to train what has been recommended overall is a billion more than what has been appropriated. for the most part what has been appropriated is virtually equal to what has been asked for by the administration. there has not been a lot of difference. basically over that time what i would suggest to you is if that kind of commitment had been made maybe we would incrementally to fill capacity in. part of what is hard to stomach about $17 billion right now -- and biscuits and the chairman concerned about spending resources appropriately, can

they really spend $7 billion in such a short time appropriately to get the right staff in the right place doing the right think? and that is the concern. if this had been done incrementally over a greater time in a perfect world would have been done correctly. >> i yield back, mr. chairman. >> thank you, mr. chairman. i appreciate everyone here. i tried to keep up with the organization's. and i get my magazine. i always make my joke about the calendars, but i want. i'm going to ask you this same question i had to ask other organizations. opera oleaster the fun still around in six months or what have you. the military environment, whether the union is combat ready or not, very, very subtle.

as of today is that va combat war mission ready? c-span2 to start? >> not fully mission ready. absolutely not. >> at least half of the hospitals are not mission ready. >> i would say they are not mission ready at this time of moving in that direction. >> we have x and circle lax. >> i would agree, non mission ready. the veterans who contacted us to share that concern. >> not mission ready. we have seen evidence of that. not mission ready. >> thank you. your organization's, organization, you have a lot of credibility throughout the united states can.

stearate different hospitals by region, one, three, four, five, you know do you give a reason why one is great care, fully staffed, what have you? and before you answer, the reason is coming from a military environment whether you like to not. everyone here, we get so many scores on this bill. it's just a way of life, but it almost. that became a professor. i tell everybody, raise your professor. it was like, oh, boy, who is disgruntled this week. probably gave everyone. have to tighten this up. but do you think or do you right now raid on hospitals, other

aspects of the va and publish them in your magazine jack. >> we don't have the capacity. we are a small organization and don't have the staff and resources of the others do. >> we do not, sir. >> we don't rate what piece it -- we don't rate but we evaluate specifically i am sure i could put that question to the senior executives that oversees that. >> we do not rank hospital systems. >> the american legion does not necessarily ranked this systems. i team and task force goes out to different facilities across the country and provides. we look at each individual hospital to see what is going on. we all the town hall meeting as well to talk to veterans in that local communities understand their concerns. >> okay. the reason i brought that up

obviously the previous panel, trust and confidence. and, you know, i was honest. i had problems with trust and confidence. i have a lot of trust and confidence in you guys. we go back a long ways and what have you. and you have helped me. so i am not trying to get you involved in this situation. the do have credibility. at least with me. and so it is something to consider. now, i want to ask you. one of the issues i have maybe because i am a vietnam veteran, i always felt that after the paralyzed veterans, people needed care right then and there a mile was felt like vietnam

veterans. this is something that the vietnam veterans tell me. the desert at that stage. you will probably be dead. and i am wondering -- i actually do think because of the age factor, probably more debilitating illnesses and what have the. i am very, very concerned whether that is a perception with your organization. and this is based on the history, what happened years ago. the country turned its back. serving in vietnam, a baby killer, etc. i am specifying exactly. >> let me just say that because our founding principle is very straightforward and simple, never again will one generation of american veterans abandon another. and we don't put all lot of

resources even know we are by choice. a bunch of old guys and gals. >> easy now. >> but we do a lot of things. and we do things for our fathers' generation even though they basically told us to go pound salt. having said that, much of the carrot the va is -- most of it is good. some of it is very good. sometimes excellent. the problem is the perception we're getting back from our members, particularly when it comes to ptsd and neyra said cantor forms. they're being pushed up. you know, on the tree-to my was a medic. the hardest thing i've ever done in my life his pre gosh.

maybe they are addressing, but the way in which we regard that is if you don't have the resources you need in order to do all the jobs ask for it. if they don't give it to you and mist begins at the clinic level and then hospital and the national, and they don't give it to you, shame on them. if you don't ask shame on you. >> thank you. i yield back. >> thank you, colonel. >> thank you, mr. chairman. i think we all agree there are serious problems at the va. i was glad to hear you answer the question. and i appreciate the chairman saying we're not out to do away with the va. i especially appreciate the very articulate statement that you made, mr. blake, expressing some concerns that i share with you about this push to privatize. now, i cannot help but believe

that this is part of an agenda by some, not by all, but just to kind of dismantle the federal government and citizens demand this case veterans, after to fan on the run in the so-called private sector. now, if you look at what is happening here with the private care and the push to private care, maybe this is a short-term fix as one of you mentioned, but specifically some of the concerns i have about that high things that we need to address before we go down this direction one of them is just as you raised, there are concerns that doctors and hospitals as they admitted themselves, don't have the culture. they don't have the expertise. there are not used to dealing with the kind of problems that veterans have. so if we push them out there into the private sector we don't know that the quality of care is

going to be any better. second, this committee asked over and over again, give me the hard facts, numbers, give me this. there is no evidence out there to show that if you put patients into private practice that it will be cheaper, faster, or better. in fact to my we just don't have that information. in fact, if you look at for a roughly parallel situation like medicare advantage you would find that the evidence is actually to the contrary. the third thing is the lack of doctors in many parts of the country. in las vegas tomorrow nevada, we just don't have physicians to be three are at the bottom of every list for different specialties and also a general practice. and so if we send them out to the private sector, that does not mean they're going to get it faster. yet if we pass this conference bill that is going to be national news.

veterans sent to private care, veterans' can now use private care. well, that is just not going to be true. i wonder, how are you going to tell your members what to do now under this new scenario. >> first and foremost, one of the important things to look at in the access and accountability bill is that we have far too many veterans wedding far too long for care. i am a strong defender of the system. to be perfectly honest would not be in this position if it were not for the help that i received when i return to. that being said, and also had appointments canceled, shot up to clinics where they said we can see today. i have had month-long wait times i am just one example. i guess the problem is, we need to balance it correctly. outside care can be appropriated times, but we cannot use it as a catchall, as i outlined in my testimony.

the supplement for a competency is that the va has, especially on issues like combat related mental health care, prosthetics or any other special services as my colleague said related to toxic exposures in the wars on. >> and you are exactly right about private care. i have a secretary in my office to went into our doctor almost four weeks ago now. she needed surgery. she had to appointments that she needed to make before she could have the surgery. one was scheduled at that time for this past tuesday. the other ones are in august. so she needs to have both of those appointments met before she can go in for surgery. so she is waiting over probably eight weeks in order to do that. private sector is not much better. is frustrating. we have the acting secretary putting forth a plan that would

ensure we have the capacity and build up a number of doctors that need to be. plus take care of veterans on the outside when necessary. for an amount that is a fraction of what the cbo has a cost estimate on for the bills pending in conference. i mean, they claim 30 billion for the first two years. another additional 54 billion after that. and i mean, that is what i don't understand. why we are condemning va. they're saying it is going to be more than that. it is just frustrating. >> i would say this, from the perspective of the pta member, it does not matter what bill you pass. at the end of the day the only option for our members is the va. there really is not another option. there are places that can meet some need, but there is no real

option. it is almost unfair answer that question. we have never said they should not be contacting our purchasing care at all. i think we have said many times that the va has done a terrible job of using that authority in the past and now seemingly in a more judicious manner to do that under their accelerated access care initiative. you know, nbc scene now, p triple cecum of these things. there is certainly an avenue to go there. one of the concerns the mentioned about doctors out there in the private sector, one of the hearings that this committee had, mr. ruiz made a point at one of the hearings that when they get an analysis of his district, granted his district is rural, but it is not unlike a lot of districts, when they do analysis of his district discovered that there was approximately one position for every 9,000 people in that district. i would suggest that is probably in underserved district by and large and there are probably a lot of others in this country.

a lot of underserved veterans in many of those same areas. what happens if you put them into that situation? there is certainly a concern. >> thank you, mr. chairman. >> thank you very much. also, its 17 billion over and above the cbo score. so the fact that it is a lower number, i understand that, but it is 35 billion plus 17. six. >> thank you, mr. chairman. and i think -- and that is a valid point. you get it. we are trying to separate adequate resources from effective use of those resources we can get the two together and end up going in the wrong direction. i want to -- i would like to point out, and i don't know if this is since i have been here, but it is certainly gratifying. oftentimes we see people appear testifying in you guy standing behind them.

the acting secretary of state throughout this whole thing, i don't know if any of us have seen that before, but i want to make note that actions speak loudly to all of us. words are cheap, especially sometimes around here. this is a parable mocks the top of a moment. decisions that will be made in the next weeks and months could have decades-long impact. you're absolutely right, the ability of pressure points to get situations done, but keep in mind -- and they are right. when you can turn up the heat or whenever now there will be a race to get something done. getting it down and getting it right are not necessarily synonymous. my concern is that we work together as we bear down on this because there is no question that we want to get it right. what you are seeing is fairly healthy. i need all of you to think equally about how we get that. my biggest fear, we pass something and everyone goes home in august and pounds their

chest. more money in the system and now the va is taken care of. we have got to multitask. his point, the chairman and i just introduced something that is critically important going forward. and now the va work is done. we move on to the next crisis of the day and forget that. we need to make sure we are looking at the long game, make sure we're looking at the national strategy and figure out a way. you nasa said this to. when you said you were not consulted on who the next secretary was going to be, don't feel left out. i was not either. and i bring to that not necessarily facetiously, bring it to the point, you said it. i think even you said it. we are all responsible. you took responsibility as an organization and i took responsibility. i am okay taking responsibility and tell i have no teeth to affect what is being done.

i would suggest to you and try and figure this out. this committee is your entry point into the system in many cases. you are right. i don't even know who is on the appropriations committee. good luck getting in over there or having armed services come over here. i am making this suggestion. i will take responsibility, but why is the second largest agency in the federal government have one of the smallest committee, the resources to do more, the ability to get out there and not adding as partners. so i think as you look at this major reform, as you look at what the long-term implication is, don't forget that the people's influence is going to be felt through this committee. and we have to have the resources, we have to have your backing as partners to get this done. with that said, i will leave it to you. what do all of you hope to see come out of the conference, and

it will get done. the chairman's, working with the senator, we will get this thing done. but what has to -- what is the red line that has to come out of that? what has to be done before we go home? as your organization said, don't worry about coming back if you don't do it. we're going to come back what do we have to get done next week? >> well, thank you for the question. yes. what we put out was strongly worded. our members are very frustrated by what we have seen. we certainly echo the frustrations of the chairman and the rest of the committee in how we get to a quality product. i think from the perspective of the vfw what we want to see come out of this is an adequately funded or adequately resource to va health care system capable of delivering health care in a timely manner. when it is incapable of delivering that timely care they have the resources and protocols

and place to deliver through either contacted care or just a non va care coordination. in addition to that the accountability side would be, the va has the ability to properly sanction and fire poor performing employees and replace them in a timely manner. there has been a lot of talk on the front end about how many people year fired. well, i outlined it in my testimony in have been talking about the last two months. i think the way they evaluate their employees. if you can't hire quality replacement in a timely manner i you really going to give a poor performance review to somebody or tried to fire somebody when you can't replace them. if you have a clinician seeing to patients when they should be seeing five, are you going to fire them when you know it takes a year to replace them? >> my time is up. it is important for us. at the end of the day we're

going to vote yes or no. we have to know we're going to do. >> five minutes. >> thank you, mr. chairman. thank you for being here. i want to thank you and your organization for having me up to speed and better represent the veterans that i serve and a passel. your feedback on bills that we are offering has been instrumental. they have improved the legislation. i have been making better decisions. as we were discovering how awful the crisis in el paso was, the gap in coverage, the wait time for disability claims and then the wait time of appeals for disability claims. roping to get some kind of response from the va which since has come. you and your organization stepped in to fill the gap wycherley set up a command center and saw hundreds and thousands of veterans, connected

them with benefits, with care. and i cannot thank you enough. really, really, really appreciate what you're doing. let me follow up on one of the achievements that the secretary cited and then i am grateful for, removing that 14 day deadline. get it back to 30, accelerating access to care, putting money into the local to make sure we can access that. by that same model and thinking about of passover where i mentioned earlier, if you were here, nearly 20 full-time vacancies, 20 full-time vacancies today, a commitment from our director. dr. jesse, we had those filled by the end of this month. we just checked this morning. they will not be filled. ptsd, mental health care, being able to help someone who is in the and you may be a danger to him or herself or to a spouse or

loved one or the community and at best may just be suffering with out help is a critical and men need. certainly in el paso and throughout the country. guide me through this idea proposed by the panel the week before last that the va focuses and prioritizes and becomes excellent in care for ptsd, at cbi, prosthetics, the kinds of combat and war-related injuries that we are seeing from all of our engagements, especially post 9/11. and will refer other care that is not combat related out into the community. in other words, give me the ability to say to the veteran, if you have ptsd you will be seen quickly, get the best care, have consistency in care, see a psychiatrist. i can say none of those things right now.

part of my suspicion is that we are trying to do too much. whether it is 17 billion or 30 billion, we cannot spend enough to sustain a system that is today serving 9 million veterans. walk me through my thinking of how i could approach this idea and problem balancing, creating excellence and accessing resources. researching. there is so much that they need, especially evanescing what we have been talking about, veterans who have been in crisis. think that there are times when

veterans need to be -- purchased care is necessary. whether it is advantageous for the veterans to be seen. all of those things taken into consideration. i think what has to happen is that va has to become expert in every area that veterans levin. when the veterans issues, all kinds. the veterans have conditions that need to be taken care of and need to be able to come to and expect excellent care. we cannot use purchased care as a substitute for what that va needs to do. that is the compound. the va needs to be able to do x. only what they have been created to do. >> does anyone else want to comment on offering fewer services but doing them better? we have about ten seconds left. maybe we can go over a little

bit. >> i would say this, let's not forget that the va is a fully integrated health care system. all of the components support one another. if one of our members with spinal cord injuries primary care and needs that to be good care you can't just send that veteran out. if they need audiology which is kind of a basic service would seemingly could be purchased in the community, that should be provided in that va. then he ordered -- orthopedics the expertise should reside within the va. and that will depend on all those things over the course of their life. the concern becomes we send them out for primary care, is that care really being coordinated, is the va managing it, are we keeping track of what is going on so that the aspects of that veteran being treated at being properly managed. if you start sending out you lose a lot of that.

in your ultimately put the overall and long-term health of a veteran, particularly veterans with the most complex needs in jeopardy. >> thank you. thanks again. mr. chairman, thank you. >> an additional question you want to ask. >> if anyone wanted to follow-up make a decision next week. what are we going to come out with. >> i would say this, i resigned myself to passing through this. some concerns. the great irony of this is both of the committees went into conference, probably the most difficult part of legislation virtually mirrored in each other . but the heavy lifting has been done. you went into conference with bills that are close to one another. somehow we are going farther and farther and farther apart on there own. it is just amazing. i kind of assume that it was going to pass.

my concern is not that bill. my concern is what happens next. i don't want this to become the end of the debate. we don't want to fund our chest. we go home in august. look at the great things we have done. lead into the election. we forget that there are still serious problems that must be addressed. it is not just about what comes out of the legislation. it is going to be what will we do after the fact. >> i think that we are under tremendous pressure, just like all of you. and to start to really, truly address it. in terms of it not being repeated anytime soon, several years.

rebuilding the management structure that you can have faith in. every time i talked to employees they say, well, what do you think about it. at think this is before all of this bill up. we need management. we don't have -- we have not added for a long time. began with this administration. and so that really needs to -- the primary focus. one last thing, there is no fixing it once and for all. it is not a widget. it is an institution of people that will change as the needs of the people change. and as the nation itself changes and so we regarded much more. you need to continue to plan. it has not been done in

management and a long time, and that is what needs to be done now. >> my concern is, again, as my colleagues have said, this is a temporary fix. i think we are heightening the expectations of veterans. there will be able to meet those expectations. i think in the end we could even be weakening va. we need to make sure that in the end they are stronger and that they're able to fulfill their mission to veterans. >> and i just say briefly my biggest concern right now is that the house and the senate passed several really good bills went into the conference with our understanding being that the jurisdiction was going to be to merge those two bills. now, everything, it seems like everybody and their brother is going to throw an extra things because they see this as one of the only if not the only moving train. perhaps before the end of the congress. now, if you all could focus and

have our support in doing so, merging and tweaking and finalizing what the past and not throwing in all these other provisions that people want to put on the moving train. 17 billion. i think if you guys pass what you have in front of the now within the jurisdiction of the conference committee and then in my opinion tackle, the supplemental that we would come out with something for sure whereas if we are adding in everything else and considering everything else and then having to fight over and discuss whether or not to pay for it and how to pay for it we may end up with nothing. if we go into august and this does not get done in a new secretary is confirmed and he comes in and one step add another 17 billion, who knows what, we won't get anything done i would rather see you finish what you started with, get that done, and then move on. >> i appreciate that. we tree dies this. we start to deal with some of

those and then we breathe a little bit. we have a long-range vision. i, too, have, as you all expressed, well, you are already done with this. it is done, don't come back asking for anything. it is a journey, not a destination. we need to keep moving forward. they're is a danger. if we don't do this and do it now the window will close. i think they're missing the passion of the american people to get this right and sticking with us. this is our time. a little bit of patience, an awful lot of collaboration. and help us keep the realistic expectations on that. don't have the all or nothing by next friday, but damn sure better do something and you better get results out of it and then keep the momentum moving forward. i yield back. >> thank you. i appreciate the panel being

here today. precisely what occurred last week when the number was injected into this conversation is when things started going sideways. we were very close to resolving our differences center sanders feels that the only time that he will ever be able to get this money down is in this bill. i have assured him that that is not the case. if va can make the case we will go to work to see that they get those dollars. unfortunately he has convinced other people that this is the only way to get this put into this emergency bill. that is not the case. the house and actually narrow the scope down in our bill to

access and accountability. ours was much more narrowly crafted and what the senate had, but we were giving and taking combating things in, taking things out. the house was proceeding to positions that the senate at. he unilaterally held a press conference without letting me know he was holding a press conference are asking for my position. i think that the thing is we are not done. we did not give a take-it-or-leave-it offer. we just want to make sure that those that are on the conference committee understand that the house is not trying to say everything has to be paid for. we are going for the same number the house is actually going to the senate number. we did that when the cbo came out with the second score. instead of folding tower number which was higher because we had a 14 day triggerfish we went to

the 30 day trigger. and so understand, getting this done right is important. it is critical. and that is what we are committed to doing, and i have a shared everybody on the conference committee that if it takes staying through the weekend this weekend i am prepared to do that. i was supposed to be at normandie for the 70th anniversary. as the chairman of the committee that has oversight of the american battle monuments and that did not go because i state here to help negotiate this bill i stayed in washington an entire week. and so i am committed, as are all of the members of this house committee, to making sure that we get it right. and with your help we welcome and we will get it done in a timely fashion that serves the veterans. remember, the veteran is the most important thing, not the va. and with that we are adjourned.

[inaudible conversations] >> tonight to three members of congress talk about their technology legislation. >> i believe in an open and free internet without government intervention. to acquire the internet has come and where it is going into the future. this is all being done. >> why would he not one to the team exposed. so we think that the ftc took the first move. they will vote at the end of this year. >> a bill that tries to address concerns over transmission

consent, basically giving people level footing when it comes to being able to negotiate with broadcast and the providers and the people who tried to deliver that media to the consumer. it keeps people on a level playing field. >> republican representative from ohio. new york democratic representative and colorado republican representative tonight at 8:00 eastern on the communicators on c-span2. >> all this week highlights from book tv here in prime time on c-span2. tonight a look at the middle east beginning in 830 eastern with ron cole. how the millennial generation is changing the middle east.

>> this year's meeting of the national association of latino elected officials with discussions on immigration, civil rights, and the midterm elections. former attorney general alberto gonzales was among the speakers talking about the need for the republican party to take action on immigration. >> my perspective is that congress needs. [inaudible] they need to do it soon. this is a law enforcement security economic issue. this is about us, this is about america, who we are as a country i think we don't want to go down this road. he is only going to enforce the laws that he wants to. my perspective is congress has a job to do.

they ought to be doing their job they ought to pass a bill. both branches of to be working together. to me it is powerful. and i know how hard this is. we could not get it done with the republican congress. the difficult issues we have as a country. and, you know, they should be accountable. they should be accountable. >> you know, what your position is is so interesting to me because obviously there are republicans, people inside the party who just are resisting, especially the talk radio crowd. you are rewarding people who have been illegal things. you are in a position here of intraparty or civil war within the republican party over this issue. how do you see it playing out? >> i think in the end my side will win. >> okay. >> or at the end of the party.

>> at the end of the party. >> sierra. that is the way i see it. >> really? >> yeah. i think this is something that has to be -- has got to be solved. the truth of the matter is, hispanics are a growing political force, and if they feel like the republican party does not have anything for them they're going to vote democrats and republicans will win the white house. they're going to lose control of the house, lose control of the senate. this is an important issue. >> watch this year's entire meeting including remarks from california governor jerry brown. that is tonight 8:00 eastern. -

the civil war 150th anniversary visiting battlefields and key events. american artifacts, touring museums and historic sites to discover what are the facts revealed but america's path. history bookshelf. the presidency, looking at the policies and legacies of our nation's commanders in chief, lectures and history would top college professors delving into america's past. and new series real america featuring archival government and educational funds from the 1930's to the 70's. created by the cable-tv industry and funded by your local cable satellite provider. watch us and hd, like us on by todd, follow us on twitter. >> we are joined now by taught a can, the author of the new book firing back, taking on the party bosses immediately to protect our faith in freedom. much of your books, the

subsequent fallout from that day. what happened on that day? guest: that is just the first chapter. the interview was cut on a friday afternoon. i could tell by looking back at the tape, i was a bit tired. i did not see anything that seemedo people were going to jump on because it was one of those one question after the other.ump on. the talkshow host was a very liberal guy. and atest sunday morning guy that had been following me during the whole campaign picked up on the word "legitimate rape." sunday morning, everything was fine. , my assistanting campaign manager called me and defcon 1.on one --

within a couple of days, i've gone from the respectable congressmen to somebody that was considered some sort of world pariah. that was for missed using some words. i should have specified rape. i was trying to separate the idea of statutory rape from a rape that causes stress. i was making the point stress impacts pregnancy which is a good parenthesis to get to the question which i was going to answer. >> you say these words that you chose in the book cause a cataclysmic social explosion. let's play our viewers a clip from that interview and have you come back and explain what you are saying there. >> okay. so if an abortion could be considered a tubal pregnancy or something like that, what about the case of rape, should it be legal or not? >> you know, people always want to try to make that one of those things, how you slice it is

particularly tough as 60 of ethical question. first of all from what i understand from doctors that is rare. if it is a legitimate rate the female body has ways to try to shut that old thing down. let's assume maybe that's in worker something. at think there should be punishment. the punishment ought to be on the rapist and not attacking the child. >> part of the book is explaining what you meant by that. >> just the beginning, the point is, he was asking the very hard question, what happens if a woman is raped. and so that question really is, does that child that is conceived in red have the same right to life as a child that is conceived in love. that is the question. my argument is, if abortion is wrong, which i believe it is, then it is wrong there. the person who should be punished as a rapist and not the child. the trouble was the chances of a woman becoming pregnant from rape are somewhat reduced because of stress.

now, people argue about that. i'm not a medical doctor. but some common sense, you may know some families to get married and want to have children. could not have any kids. they adopted and presto the woman gets pregnant and as a child. a lot of people say it is because the woman was feeling stress. when they were relieved knowing that they had children in the and regular children. another example that i know of a gal who was really competitive in the triathlon's, i mean, of very beautiful gal but she drives her body very hard to the point that she is almost sterile according to our asman because your body is under stress all the time from those swimming, biking -- that was my case. now, you can say may be a maybe not. the real question was does the child conceived in rape at the same right to life?

mike case was yes. >> and part of your book is firing back at the party bosses and the media elite. here is a quote from your book. what i said was a clear statement of conservative principle. often the very same abundance will criticize the lack of clarity in substance and political campaign, the first wants to attack people like me. i was just about to learn myself, republicans are sometimes quicker to attack and even the democrats. talk about the fallout in the days after. >> sure. one of the contrasts that is interesting affecting even your job in a way because we all believe in free speech. that is the whole point to the media. my question is this, if someone gets on a program and chooses words poorly, that could be insensitive or thoughtless in certain ways, but it's still just -- not jump for from the time i made those comments. two weeks later the democratic

national convention, bill clinton is the keynote speaker. now, if you put 20 of brodericks sworn testimony that bill clinton raped her aside and say, well, that did not happen. you still have a guy that has a numerous series of accounts of sexual abuse and sexual impropriety. he is getting applause. they're is a difference between words and actually abusing a woman. it does not seem like the democrats are the ones that have the war on women going. recently we found out -- and this was not covered widely by the news. hillary clinton some years ago had defended a rapist of a 12 year-old girl. that is okay for a lawyer to defend. that is okay, but she also demeans the testimony of the 12 year-old girl who is looking for justice and a court of law. she got the rapist off the hook. ten years after words she is

talking about it on a media interview and laughing about it. to me that is a war on women. the democrats war on women. i don't think the national media is balanced in dealing with many issues. i think it goes to the point of keeping the public intentionally ignorant of some of the things that are done by people that are more on the liberal media side. >> former sixth term congressman here to answer your question and take your comments as we discuss his book firing back, taking on the party bosses and immediately to protect their faith in freedom going through your life and involvement in politics and that day and that interview and the fallout from that interview. 202-58-5381. 202-58-5380. if you are outside the u.s. we will start on our line for independence in texas. rachael is calling to talk to

you. good morning. >> yes. how are you doing? like you are saying that if my 12 year-old daughter was to get raped, my granddaughter, and i was to take her to the emergency they could not give her the morning after pill. she would have to go through rural life. you know what, it is up to you people to make the loss. make them to where they never get out because the young girl that has been brutally raped goes through it every day of her life. these guys do two years in prison and get out. it is up to you to make the loss to wear that does not happen. >> first of all, i completely agree with the caller.

>> that's why it's a horrible crime. >> bill is from corpus christi. good morning sir. i listened to you when you made your statement about women and i've listened to your explanation, and quite frankly,

doctors use to your advantage in the first statement and now you are using doctors again saying i'm not. you didn't get in trouble because of the content come you got in trouble because of your ignorance. you were expected to know more and better than others and you don't. >> guest: that's an interesting question. it's a very ancillary to the main one to all questions about the item of stress there've been at least six new studies that came out that says stress does play a part in pregnancy and so i looked at the studies on their own and to me it is very much a passing point. that's not something i want to die over particularly and i do know so many people that i've heard that story about that they adopt a child and all of a sudden they can get pregnant. and i think that it's a matter

of debate between the ob/gyn's and medical doctors as to what is the effect of stress on pregnancy. but i acknowledged even in those poorly chosen words people can still get pregnant from being raped. i understood that. it was reported in the media that i thought people couldn't. and i said the exact opposite. >> the purpose of the book is the same thing i was trying to do for the 24 years i served in public office and that is i'm trying to bring forward the truth in the ideas that are good that will protect the country and the freedom that we all enjoy in america. i gave those 24 years in public service because i believe there's a difference between good ideas and bad ideas. it's sort of the war between good and evil. i never thought of the people i served with as good and evil that the ideas were. so this is to try to bring light and clarity to a number of situations.

there are no conservatives that can get elected to the senate. the point of the matter is i was a ronald reagan conservative for 12 years in the statehouse and in the u.s. congress and never pretended to be anything different than the conservatives. and so i was elected with every election numbers. so for example anybody that is a conservative or christian yes you can get elected. second of all where they took that to them for instance and this is why it's relevant and an interesting read. you go to a place like mississippi and the senate leadership in mississippi is putting in the primary race to pick the candidate that they want. so i am saying that is not a

good idea. you are wasting money and should use republican money against republicans you should use it in the general election. you're a republican in mississippi and you are not backing the guide of the establishment was. you're going to be a repeat it d and not want to work for the party. they say we don't want your vote in elections. we want selections and we are smart enough to know who you should select and not. so that's a terrible strategy and waste of money and it's insulting to the grassroots and so i stand against that. >> host: one of the voices calling for you to step out of the race -- >> even stronger than that. >> they called for you to step away. >> who is the most surprising to you? you? >> guest: me say first what happened is the liberal media jumped on this and blew it out of proportion to savings i

clearly didn't say. it is a method of taking something someone says and misunderstanding it or misinterpreting it. then creating a big sense of everybody being angry about it and don't you think this and that. they were afraid of that whole situation and the establishment basically didn't just abandon me in the battlefield. they came and tried to destroy us and you can see what they did. i'm not trying to get even with them but i'm putting the truth on the table for people who can read it. but here's what happened. the conservatives all over the country and prominent conservatives like newt gingrich and mike huckabee, tony perkins, my friend steve king and michele bachmann came to our defense. so essentially we were fighting the war on two fronts republicans and democrats against it the conservatives bus were for us and ultimately what

did us in was the comment by senator mccain saying we don't want them in the senate. i'm a republican. and romney said he should step down. the democrats cut the clips and put them together in the last week of the campaign. there was a cover for added the democrats used. >> is the race going on 39% to 59% in the 2012 race. here to answer the question and comment was go to derek waiting in pensacola florida on the line. good morning. >> caller: good morning. first i would like to say we are not all idiots. we understand exactly what you said, no matter how many times you read say it, we understand exactly what you said. now, what you said and continue to say that a woman can choose to get pregnant or not if she is

raped. i don't understand why you continue to say this. the reason you want reelected is because mark and idiot. >> guest: he made it pretty plain, didn't he. i never said that women can choose to be or not. i never said that. that's what i was talking about my comments being too absurdity. >> host: scott is waiting. good morning. >> caller: hello. >> host: are you with us? >> caller: yes. i think it is great that somebody has the courage to stand up for something to say something that is logical and

might be considered in the context of experience. your comments are correct fundamentally. >> guest: one of the things i try to do in the book hiring back, you may be surprised in the conclusion it's going to be political because i was a congressman for 12 years am about my conclusion is to all of america. and what i'm trying to talk to is the people who feel like they are not big or important and they can't really do anything but the heavy terrible sense that the country is on the wrong track. and i try to encourage those people that you don't even have to be involved in politics to make a big difference in america. and there's all sorts of things that you can do with your lives by just following the dream that

you have in your heart and giving it the best you can, standing for what is true and right and beautiful come and when we do that as a group of people the whole nation gets better. and it isn't just political things but it's what you do with your family, taking time with your kids, what you do with your wife. what you do with your church or place of worship all of those come together to make this country. that's what i want to talk about in the conclusion. so maybe you're not interested t interested in politics but you care about the country and this book is written for you. >> host: what you want to talk about those issues from the elected office again when they? >> guest: that's quite possible that i just don't know. i always felt like god had something to do and it seemed logical for many years. it seemed logical to run for the political office because i was interested and i studied a lot about the founding of america. there were a lot of great quotes and firing back from the founders and if you feed does he

realize that america is off tractrack about today from where they started. and i would argue that america was started on the right track and that's why we have been blessed. >> jennifer waiting in silver springs on the line for democrats. silver spring maryland. good morning. >> caller: good morning to you both. i am a little bit confused. i actually vote democratic and i'm a true conservative christian. let me explain something that i'm trying to understand. i don't think you understand the difference between a true conservative christian and conservatism. here's the thing. republicans stand for fiscal conservatism which has nothing to do with religion or god given right and i don't understand how they come down on the women telling them what to do with their body and how to function. if god gave us the right to make choices is another man's to tell me that i can't make the right

choice for me and my family? >> guest: that is an interesting question. and if you really want to dig through the bottom of the question you say the laws tell people what's right or wrong. somebody put a stop sign up here your house and it's wrong to not stop your car at the stop sign. a stop sign. so, that's the nature of the law. so come on what basis do we make the law clinics in general in america we have the law that says you're not supposed to kill people. but if we are not supposed to kill people, let me ask you this. first of all, is it ever right to intentionally take the life of an innocent person? know we don't do that in america. god gave us the basic right to be alive. is it ever right to take the life of an innocent person? no. when a woman is pregnant with his inside of her? my wife has had six c-sections. it is a baby. so if it is a person, then

doesn't it make sense that those lives should be protected and that's my case. it's not that we are trying to project somebody's well, but it's respecting human life. the second part on the economic side of the question and that is the bible says you are not supposed to steal and when the government takes money from one person and gives it to another that is a form of stealing. >> host: for cloverdale florida on the line for independence. it morning. >> caller: i would like to say to the congressman we have a right to decide for ourselves. they want you to bring this child into the world and when the mother is young or not in the position to take care of the child they don't want to offer food stamps or help with medical

assistance. you say brinusually bring the ce world offer no help. and as a man you don't tell me as a woman but i can and cannot do with my body. you be concerned about your health and i will be concerned about mine. >> guest: that goes to the same plate as the previous caller. what is it that is inside? is a child? if it is a child, then i would say the child has the same right to life as everybody else in our society and that is the question. so is it a woman's right to control her own body? >> guest: does that extend to taking the life of an innocent child? i say no it doesn't and that's what makes me pro- life. and so also with the caller said is categorically not true. the people i know of that are active in the pro-life area are very generous. they always want to help women

that are in trouble. i know of many senators in our area where a woman has an unwanted is taking and given a place to live and give them food and a nurturing environment so she can keep her child i so the people that are pro-life are just heartless and want somebody to have a child when they can't take care of it that is categorically not true. >> host: about 1 15 minutes left with former congressman todd akin and a candidate from missouri taking your calls and questions this morning. morning. it's good to dave waiting in washington, d.c. on the line for democrats. good morning. >> caller: good morning. how are you this morning? >> guest: fine, thank you how are you? >> guest: just great. i'm a doctor here in dc and this is a topic that you should strongly consider letting go of. i'm sure you have expertise with the work you did before when you were in office and the work you're doing now and you are not

helping yourself. there are hundreds of variables that go into whether or not a child is going to be born healthy and alive. development, birth weight, strength, gestation, physical environment, fetal growth, abnormal types. i know that you have your studies and i don't know how familiar you are with scientific medical research but you can find studies on anything. it has been -- and i want your audience to hear this, entirely disproven that there is any relationship between rape and whether or not a child will be born -- >> host: and your response? >> guest: the doctor certainly knows more subject matters and i do and as i said, i'm familiar with a number of different studies and feeble that they say stress is a factor.

if it is or it isn't as i said i not living or dying on that point. it was my understanding stress does affect. but as i said there are people going both ways on that but i don't think that it changes the overall question philosophically of it. so, if that doctor is right and what you're saying but stress has no factor that's all right with me. i'm not setting myself up as an expert on the subject. >> host: after the statement in 2012 you've released 2012 yd apologizing for the legitimate rape comments. in the book you say that your wife was one of the only people who told you not to apologize for that and on reflection you were inclined to agree with her. >> guest: this i >> guest: this is a technical question. people -- the media took this out of proportion and saying things i did not say for instance they were saying you think of a woman is raped she can't get pregnant. i never said that.

i had people working on my campaign that were the children of rape. so, we had to politically deal with where we were. and we didn't have enough money to explain the comments. so, the best we could do is take some people had been misinformed about what i have said it, and to apologize to anybody that was upset about what they had heard. that was just a decision on whether or not to run the ad and we thought that was the right thing to do in the campaign. the troubling thing that is that in some way what you said is wrong. people question whether stress has an effect on pregnancy and that is one that goes back and forth. i've heard doctors argue both ways. so, the question is do you run the ad or not? all of our folks except for my wife said yes you probably need to do the apology. on the other hand it makes you look like you are guilty.

and in fact, although i was trying to say is that it's in chile i think the life of a child has a right to life. >> caller: i would like to say hello to the gentleman. >> guest: hello. how are you doing? >> guest: >> caller: an by veteran. disabled. i'm kind of curious on what type of republican i am nowadays because i grew up well before he became president and nixon and i even knew president bush in the air force at the air force base. i always considered myself eisenhower republican. eisenhower was for the unions

and a lot of things in the strong government and large government because he felt our government with everything that we are handling now as big as we are many to have because not one person can handle all of this. so anyway, my point is either for abortions. i don't think they should be taken lightly or done easily and i believe the husband of a woman is married should be notified that she had one. so i appreciate you being a veteran and as an army veteran i have three that were in the marine corps. i don't know how to explain it, but anyway i think what i heard you say is that you're basically a moderate republican. i tend to be more like ronald reagan. i think that is a belief in the strong defense.

i think that we have more government than we can afford and i would suggest to you with the common sense if you look at the budget of what is happening in the city and how we are spending a trillion dollars a year on a $3.5 trillion budget maybe we have more government than we can afford to. >> darrell, good morning. >> host: the line for independent, good morning to y

you. >> guest: i don't believe in abortion. i believe that a baby is a baby before it's born and i don't believe we have the right to take that life and/or talking about the kids coming across the border. to tell you the truth, they are picking and choosing. that child has been through a very stressful ordeal.

>> guest: for them it was obvious. it's obvious anymore but we hold these truths to be self-evident. if it is everybody agrees with this idea. what a life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. and the reason that they listed a life first is because if you are dead, then the liberty and the pursuit of happiness doesn't do you any good. and so, that basic -- that is basically the foundation of the country with a respect for individuals. and the border situation is a very tough question. we also are of the ordination of the law. every question is do you have wide open borders that they can come to bring with them that is the question. but this respect for each other

is something we get in the book and i beat up on republicans and democrats about this. that is in the political process what we've all do is we will target people and say joe blow thinks this and this. we know that it isn't true but we are trying to run his traines character down so people don't vote for him. that's wrong because we are lying about another person. we are bearing false witness against a neighbor. when we do that we make the country worse for everybody in and firing back i talk about how we ran a campaign in the senate primary and had opponents that were comparing me to barack obama who was the most liberal senator and i'm one of the more conservative congressmen. so to compare me to barack obama is maybe just a little bit of a stretch, but the point is to why do we say things about people

that we know are not true and isn't that distractethis and the process of our lives around us. why don't we sell the benefits of what we believe in and let the voters decide? that's one of the challenges. >> host: who do you think are the people that are the most aligned with what you're talking about in your book and who would you support in the 2016 primary? >> guest: let me say that the people that supported us in the race and probably think the way that i think if i mentioned in firing back there are a number of them and they would be what we call conservative tea party type people. and i've had -- i take the republican leadership on the points to task particularly in the courage to stand up for what we believe. i don't think we make the country better by running away from something that we know is wrong or evil. we have to have the courage to say wait a minute i love you but

that idea that you have is a horrible idea. it's no good and here's why. >> host: newcastle pennsylvania, good morning. >> caller: good morning and thank you for c-span. i just want to say thank god for people like you who are willing to stand up and say this is how i feel and this is what the bible says most importantly. god says that we are not to do abortions. we are not to shed innocent blood. and i understand being raped is absolutely, absolutely terrible. and the person that is committing the crime i believe should be given the full extent of the law that they don't ever, ever do it again.

>> guest: i think you're absolutely right. and i think that is one of the places where i try to outline in the book firing back how can we as individual citizens -- you might be surprised to notice, but as a congressman, you still feel pretty helpless in trying to get the country back on track. you can be down here and just year after year feel like you're beating your head against the wall to get one little bill passed. so i think all of us share a certain frustration. and what i am trying to encourage people is that if we pushed people the way shirley is suggesting and we do what is right and true and show love for our neighbor that can have a huge impact on our country. that gives examples in the book where people have tremendous consequences politically. think about winston churchill. the name he was a good christian lady and the parents of winston

churchill didn't love their son and didn't care much about him but the man he took care of him and he became this guy that basically brought freedom to all of europe so you can do things that are political and have huge political ramifications. that's how i want to encourage people. >> on the line for democrats. good morning. >> caller: why are you still referring to the women as gals? you're supposed to be an intelligent man and you're still referring to women as gals. >> guest: i don't believe that it's a reflection of somebody's intelligence or training but what is your point? >> guest: i think we lost him.

on the line for independence, good morning. have that you might have scientific ignorance but the real issue is rape isn't a scientific question. it's something that can't be defined scientific. it's a social issue and deserves a social definition. so the objection is that you're calling somebody who was raped -- you're ask whether or not someone has been raped in a social context. that's it. guest: gregg, i think you're getting a little finer. i didn't really follow all your reasoning. my point is i was connecting the idea with stress that with the stress that rape brings. there are rapes that are -- beating a dead horse a

little bit, john. the real question is does that life, does the person that's conceived in rape have the same right to life. you know, that's a tough ethical question. i know it. this is a program where it was a got you, i'm going to try to get you to say something and i would have been better to say rape instead of trying to define it more precisely. host: and todd akin talks about it in his book firing back. appreciate you joining us >> i believe an open and free internet without

government intervention. to see where it is going into the future it is all being done in the private sector. >> to be exposed to the product to tens of thousands of people. , the sec took the first move they will vote finally at the end of this year. >> of bill that tries to address concerns over retransmited consent basically giving people a chance to negotiate with the broadcast with the providers and to deliver that media to the consumer it comes to those negotiations.

who are already having run ins with the law.

>> when i was with the civil-rights division eyes of this all too frequently the with too many school districts that remains so many years after brown separate and unequal lies off the pipeline results for black and brown kids access to be denied? remarkably perversely with 10 kids sitting up there just like me that there was a footwear and what they all had in common is they had the ankle bracelet on. kids 13 and 14 already in the system. what did you do? one person had the wrong color tied the other had the wrong color socks one spoke

out. what was guilty of flagellants. i am not kidding. i do not make it up and that got them into that school prison.

[inaudible conversations] >> we are going to start because i'm an astronaut's weight for no one. we bill begin promptly and we have a number of things to do between now and then provide will recognize myself for an opening statement. good morning welcome to today's events as we talk to the internet -- astronauts from the international space station we will speak with commander swanson and flight engineer wiseman on the international space station 160 miles above us traveling at 17,000 miles per hour. for over 13 years nasa astronauts lived and worked

on the space station the greatest achievement in human history. the space station is roughly the size of a football field including the end zone more space than a five-bedroom house and laboratories to allow six astronauts to working and live there. today they include two americans and three russians and one european. commander swanson and flight engineer wiseman will speak to us today from the destiny lab where they talk about weightlessness in space to develop new materials and medicines to make their way into the commercial products the space program was impacted by the economy and improved a the way of life with microchips and the computers to the touch pad screens on the my pad. were importantly the station

is to test the new technologies when we venture to mars. space inspires future generations to dream big and work hard. astronauts serve as role models to study science and math and engineering and encourage scientists to develop the innovations that keep our economy strong to ensure america remains globally competitive. this is about much more than the benefits of what improves our life here on earth. the accomplishments in space remind americans of some of our greatest accomplishments. mandate don't remember where they were 45 years ago when apollo 11 landed on the moon the first prints on the surface were made by americans. the west show always lead the way in space

exploration. it spurs our curiosity and also makes us want to push our mental and physical boundaries and encourages us to seek answers to timeless questions about life and the meaning of all. we can think nasa at the johnson space center in headquarters in washington d.c. to make is downright possible all after the event there is a showcase of iss hardware for the advancement of science in space the biomedical research institute. they're leading of way in utilization they will be next door in room 23 down the hall so please go take a look to listen to the round table discussion. i will now recognize the ranking member from

wisconsin for her opening statement. >>. >> let me what welcome the audience and also the former chairman that just came in. i am looking forward to hearing from the astronauts say about life on the of iss and the challenges and opportunities they face. i hope we can follow the event with a hearing at a later date with a more comprehensive examination of the iss in support of exploration as well as the basic research. the past weekend the 45th anniversary of the first human landing on the moon was a bold achievement. the success of both ventures

depended on the dedication and bravery of past and present members of the astronaut corps but instead of the rest with the name of science and inspiration. well the road to completion was a long one and a testament to american ingenuity and perseverance. in addition in the international partnership of the iss stood the test of time providing a foundation but for the young people you see many of them here. they are an inspiration. as evidenced in the interest of the students i have lots of answers from my district.

but the stark reality the international species - - international space station is a rare commodity. while i welcome the operations through 2024 we need to make sure that the years that are available are used effectively to look at the research and engineering questions that can only be answered on the international space station. i would like to make one more point. if we want to ensure that the international space station carries out the needed research and technology activities in a timely and productive fashion, we have to be willing to make these investments. the international space station research budget is stagnating and the life of micro gravity over the last

decade. looking at the funding through 2014 it is 3 percent of the total findings. this is the situation congress can and must rectify. and the opportunity to hear from the astronaut i yield back. >> alan traduced the astronauts now. first is commander swanson joining nasa as a flight engineer in 1998. then was elected as a mission specialist. this is his third spaceflight of three cosmonauts are expected to return to earth in september. he studied physics at the university of colorado and a

also a florida advantage university and computer science from texas a&m. flight engineer wiseman began as a naval aviator he made two appointments to the middle east with the enduring freedom and iraqi freedom the commander was selected for the astronaut program 2009 while he was deployed to the middle east. you recognize the commander from the foot as he treats from the international space station is twitter account has over 160,000 followers. he urged his bachelor science degree from polytechnic and a master of science degree with systems engineering from johns hopkins.

and i will go into the mechanics how this will work. we will do our best to move through as efficiently as we can. questions will alternate between majority and minority. each side has a total of 10 minutes the members recognized and let me say members can be brief we will not go over that 10 minute limit than more can ask of i have participated with down leaks in the past alive will forgo my question hopefully this will allow time for another member. there be a few more minutes before we start speak press your talk button then wait

for a couple of stations you have to wait for the transmission to get there and back. please turn the microphone off and wait for a response so the astronauts do not get feedback on their side. most important to not interrupt the astronauts while they are speaking the delay does not permit fluid back-and-forth conversation. it must be nice to be an astronaut and not be interrupted. [laughter] we now have come to the time we will wait a few minutes for the downlink to begin. it is dangerous to allow so much quiet mid dash to say nobody will be recognized so we will just have to be patient and wait.

it is nice to see a full house here in the audience as well. in to be done in congress for many years a nice thing to witness firsthand historic and lots of ways to reduce think the international space station is the greatest engineering feats and we will see that in action today. so we will be quiet for another few minutes. >> mr. chairman. >> this is exactly what i was worried about. [laughter] >> the the he could entertain us from the great state of texas. [laughter] >> well. >> you could not give me enough time. [laughter] we will wait just a minute.

[laughter] [inaudible conversations] >> how do you hear me? we have you loud and clear. >> the gentleman from california is recognized for a quick question. >> i appreciate this opportunity to ask a direct question. you may have seen the movie but sandra bullock just had a movie called gravity and adults with a whole idea of space debris. i was wondering if we could have an understanding of how

the space station deals with it and there are other challenges like that we may not be thinking about here that we have to deal with before we put in a new station in space in the years ahead? >> good question, congressman. we do have to worry of here. a couple nights ago we had to do the debris avoidance maneuver -- maneuver when there was some close to the past. the klay mission control has said good program so they execute and within a few minutes we were out of harm's way. we have people on the ground to monitor that for us and those where everything is they can track that to keep us safe. >> greetings to commander

swanson and flight engineer wiseman there is a lot of excitement on this and watching you. i would like both of you to comment on the aspects of the international space station program that is most important to enable human exploration beyond the earth's orbit. >> i don't want to take your entire day up by could talk about this forever. really it is getting humans into lower orbit to have us live as six months at a time they did over of human scott kelley will be here over a year in but the spacecraft needs like oxygen to breathe and water to drink and all the food and supplies to run the machine through the base over six months or one year at a time that is what we

need when we go to mars to spend two or three years in space so we need to test this now so in a decade we can head to mars with a successful journey. >> the gentleman from texas is recognized. >> thank you for linking the committee to these astronauts i remember the house floor debate in 1993 this committee and this room when they came within one vote to kill the space station and congressman markey had fought. later was the importance to provide something botanical so i will ask a simple question how do think the space station has inspired young people? so to talk about efforts to inspire them but to pursue education what is the

greatest legacy? >> hint of the experiment that we have a peer with those satellites floating around they have competition i sign on the kids' faces when they saw the program run they got so enthused it was fantastic. >> i have to tell you i am so excited i wish i could be you when i grow up. my question and greetings to a ferro -- fellow man from maryland we will package freeze dried crabcakes to

flight engineer wiseman. [laughter] can you tell us? the importance of the work year do and how you were inspired to join the space program? it is a challenge to figure out what inspires the next generation of explorers. >> that is a great question. i think back to my childhood when the space shuttle was just developed and launched 1981 around six years old at the time i definitely remember 747 flying over mayor linda and i was with my parents at the top of the hill to simply watch if fly over on the back of the 747 as they were transporting it to. that was burned in my mind and was struck the course

not only the navy test pilot and astronaut but we never know as adults that little thing that will spark the imagination of a child's mind. it could be a simple act of being with my parents that sparked my imagination is so as much as he can to reach out to kids to expose them to use this world and amir to bring it to every day. >> hello. thanks for talking to us today. plated chairman of the full committee will allow us to have a congressional trip to the space station in the near future. i have a question from one of my constituents in south mississippi. she would like to know how do deal with the incredible solitude for the length of

your missions? >> that is an interesting question. age person does it a little differently. one thing we like to do is to keep was called and meditated to look at the beautiful planet with free time we always go to this window that is like the glass bottom boat to look down on earth and it is fantastic so that just keeps us going looking at our beautiful planet. >> hello. i have a question for you we struggle with courage to give us your inspect - - perspective with rate blind dash research is to maintain our lead in science?

>> gives rights and in the overall u.s. portfolio to lead this technological revolution relive day today. just off the screen is the arm of the robot he was out to do some upgrades we will get that enfolds operation we do with this sets of legs that is just one small piece of what is going on and thanks to government funding and putting money into the research said is critical for the nation to stay on the cutting edge. >> dr. swanson in flight engineer wiseman name from the fifth district, the marshall space flight center

in duiker appealing to the ground shake as the rocket was tested nearby and i vividly remember apollo 11 when kneale and strong dash arm strong declared a small step for man a giant leap for mankind it is with american exceptionalism at its best to make us proud to be americans. what shouldn't nest embark on to be the next giant leap for mankind? >> is the difficult road to get there and we need to learn how to live in space in recycle everything we need to to grow our own food and create a robust system is going to mars is the main

goal. >> is great to be here. have questions from the compass summer program students from cambridge best as she sits they have over 40 so i will be quick. [laughter] how do you pack? do you bring a suitcase and what is the temperature and what he will do you use to support the shuttle and has anyone had a birthday and how did you celebrate? >> we get a small suitcase 1.5 kilograms the fuel bills for a rocket ship to get up

here than when we are on the space station rehab the fuel mix that is used to keep us here but we don't have to burn them very often of a russian crew mates had a birthday we have a dinner table behind the camera we gathered around and we share u.s. and repression its european food and we join together to have a great evening. unfortunately the real presence to a unwrap but i think he was happy enough. >> sometimes it is hard for americans to understand why space exploration is so important. can you explain the work you are doing as a benefits? with the web to?

>> a few different ways to look at that question. and to learn how fireworks and the details we do medical research, we had to station research to target areas of the body more effectively. the other thing to look at is humans are meant to explore. this is one path to take and that is one thing wej=,=,)m]r no do for the whole race of humans. with the spinoff technologies creates the economy creates money for the country and better health for all of us.

spinach thank you, mr. chairman to be with us. attitude quick questions. line is to get a sense of how the space station plays into the effort to go to mars to be more specific about what is the utility of the space station and he wants to know as we look into this century what is on the horizon one other new frontiers how many planets will rediscover? >> it is limitless. it depends how good the sensors get in our lifetime. there is us solar system

around that star it blows my mind. so how does this play into the of long duration mission? we will set off another three your journey if you have the break you could be your own human body the environmental control system so to start that fundamental challenge to get to mars and that research is being done right now and we're seeing successful results. we recycle urine into drinking water and water into oxygen with an amazing regenerative system and we are working on reliability with that quest. >> i hopeth