[applause] >> good morning. >> good morning. >> you guys are all so beautiful up here. twenty years ago i applied to become an americorps member because i wanted to challenge myself and contribute to my

community. during my years as and americorps vista at the los angeles free clinic i realize that where a child eats, sleeps, place, and goes to school profoundly impact self. i felt the gravity of poverty. i learned the power of resilience. my experience fundamentally changed me. i am now a pediatrician at uc s f children's hospital oakland. [applause] i served a love. twenty years ago i took a place to make our communities safer, smarter, and healthier. i carry this place with me every day.

s. americorps we elevate our nation by being an indispensable force club promoting resilience in the face of adversity. together we strengthen american. as americorps and americorps alums we get things done. [applause] my experience and that of nearly 900,000 fellow americans would not have been possible without the wisdom of vision, and perseverance of president bill clinton. [applause] our nation is so grateful for his lead. it is my extraordinary honor to

introduce the inspirational president bill clinton. >> thank you very much thank you . thank you for your service. mr. president, thank you for inviting me to share this stay with you, and thank you for your long history of community service. facebook.com/booktv enduring impact remains after 20 years one of the most important things i ever have a role in in public service. twenty-one years ago on this lawn we established call americorps in the presence

of the late sergeant shriver who started the war on poverty. his brother-in-law presidents kennedy which see it used to sign the peace corps bill. twenty years ago on this very day we swore in the first americorps class. as i said then and i believe is even more important today services as part to rekindle the spirit of democracy in an age of uncertainty. i shared that great day with all lot of people, including hillary, who campaigned across america with me in 1992 promising we would create a national service program. participated in all kinds of community service. first foul was the children's defense fund arkansas at our university.

we have lived this for a long time. i'm what says think one person, our lead sponsor, senator barbara because he who has been a determined to fend. there were many people in the white house involved, including doris, seagal, and i wanted thank in particular our first and when i left office biggest americorps component sitting here i think congressman john lewis and congressman david price

it were here then all that long time ago and supported it. i wanted thank those who are not here, the man who shepherded the legislation through congress, the corporation the national community service, the late eli segal whose wife phyllis is here. you would not be here without his efforts either. but most important, the celebration of this day goes to the volunteers and what they did with their lives in americorps and after it. americorps works because all of view that went before kept her promise to get things done. americorps works because there are people from every walk of life, from every religion, from every racial and ethnic groups, straight and gay, seven, number all

western, eastern, people who have already finished college and people who don't have their high-school diplomas. and all things in between. there are now mountains and mountains and mountains of social research which proved that people who work together in diverse groups make better decisions and get more done. therefore creative corporation beech constant conflict every single time. you prove that every day. i want to thank -- the first efforts started in philadelphia in 1736 pitbull

four we became a country. you know, these americans, they are not like where i come the middle and they want something to happen they complain about it for a day or two and then they just thought my new organization and your bill would. president roosevelt in 1933. conservation. president johnson, but the war on poverty in 1964. in the 80's that was part of our group, the carnegie corporation called turning points, and we recommended to minute service the apart every middle school curriculum, 30 states now give credit for community service toward high-school graduation. and, i am proud to say the district of columbia and maryland required thanks to kathleen kennedy townsend, tennant governor of maryland

, president george h. w. bush points of light foundation still thriving, and i want to say, there has been a bipartisan spirit at least at the executive level on this issue. when he left office my predecessor, president bush, has made to preserve. we doubled it. and i've left off as i ask my successor, president bush, to save facebook.com/booktv and he increased it. president obama was kind enough to invite me in 2009 to the ceremony in which he and l.a. senator edward kennedy promised to increase against. and i hope that the congress will call on this occasion to reconsider its opposition to this but to request and give us a chance to build some more. [applause]

for a thousand reasons this is a wonderful investment in america's future. a 1 billion hours a public-service. a return on investment of almost $4 for every $1 invested. the federal government, a few dollars of expenditure. every dollar gets another dollar from some other organization. those kind of numbers. unbelievably enough that may be an impact on people like our other speakers, not the president tonight, that is most important. 66 percent of americorps -- americorps volunteers -- say

it, 66 percent chose public service as a career. virtually three-quarters of them continue to be regular weekly volunteers. what a difference you've made. i know this is a difficult time. i know all americans pray for our president and our men and women in uniform epic of the rainbow. even our solar and wind resources it is more important than anything else. it is what is in your heart and your ability to advance the common good to start to

four. thank you and god bless you. [applause] >> president obama once said the best in the is up to her in honor of his mother but some my mother and my father my mother had to work. she emigrated from coast to

reject a move to florida. my grandparents emigrated from the dominican republic to new jersey, and others allege two years old age. he proudly served as u.s. marine corps and work for the local and federal court system in south florida for nearly 30 years. my parents worked harder than anyone i know to ensure that the dreams of my and your sister and i have access to the best opportunities right here in america. and now i have the option ready to serve my country as a public ally, teeth and remember, the ymca. [applause] wilbur in helping to create an after-school program the young boys who want a better life. i could not pay more proud to stand 90 today can become a part of the family of americorps members like our president.

i will get things done. please join me in welcoming the president of the united states, president barack obama. [applause] [applause] >> hello, everybody. thank you. thank you, everybody. thank you so much. thank you. everybody have a seat will be have a seat. welcome to the white house. [applause] give ivan a big round of applause for the introduction. [applause] in thank you for sharing your story. and i wanted thank all of you for joining president clinton and me in celebrating the 20th anniversary of americorps.

i wanted thank some strong supporters of national service you are here today. we've got treasury secretary jack lew, who as a young aide to president clinton -- i mean, they both still look good -- [laughter] -- but 20 years ago helped to write the legislation creating americorps 20 year legacy. [applause] so thank you, jack, for their great job. might -- you already heard from windy spencer, who is -- she never runs out of energy and is reflective of the spirit of americorps -- the ceo of the corporation for national and community service. [applause] great job, wendy. my dear friend of former senator harris wofford, who not only use to run cncs, but also helped to create vista and the peace corps. i don't know anybody who's got a greater legacy of creating community and helping people to channel their civic virtues then harris wofford. [applause] we're so proud of him.

carrie hessler-radelet, the new director of the peace corps. and where scary? there she is right there. [applause] we've got congressman john lewis. [applause] who did not have a americorps program. he just went out which is why i am standing here. david price. [applause] senator martin heinrich, the first americorps a lot to be elected to the senate. [applause] and everybody who's here who played a part in creating and sustaining americorps, both in the clinton administration and the bush administration and in congress, and all the service leaders who mobilized and rallied over the years to keep americorps going. i think all of you for living a life of active and energetic and engaging to citizenship, because it has

made america strong grip. you have made america strong because of what you've done. now, as president clinton mentioned, not everybody who played an enormous role in this could be here today -- to people in particular who aren't, but you are in our hearts : eli segal, who did so much to get the corporation for national and community service up and running two decades ago. [applause] and the man whose extraordinary achievements live on because he never stopped asking what he could do for his country, our dear friend senator ted kennedy. [applause] his name is on the wall that i signed five years ago expanding americorps. it was one of the last big public events. more opportunities to give back to their communities in the country.

and his wife as well as a less wife are here as well. we thank you so much for everything that you've done and for your support. [applause] now, as when the mentioned, you are here are part of a national event. since yesterday, 9/11 day of service hundreds of thousands of americans have taken part in service projects in all 50 states. we spent a few hours helping out a school here in d.c. joe biden volunteer down the street at george washington university. and today, thousands of americans are taking the pledge as new americorps members. president george h. w. bush is wearing in volunteers in maine. [applause] president george w. bush and laura bush have found the video that is being shown across the country. [applause]

so it echoes back to that day in 1994, when president clinton swore in that first class of americorps members right here at the white house. and some of the people who are here were in that class -- and if you work, you might remember him saying that you were starting a journey that would change our lives forever. that americorps would change the life of the nation, that it would give new life to the values that bind us together as americans. and that was a bold claim. but bill clinton is an optimist and he knew from his own life as i know from mine what service to do. the sense of common purpose that cultivates, the a opportunity to join our fellow americans to work together for something other than just ourselves for something bigger, the common good.

so he had high hopes on that bright september day, and he was not the only one. william consuegra took the americorps pledge that day, and then he went to work for youth harvested texas helping high-school students improve their literacy skills. twenty years later, he still a public servant cannot help the communities in mexico with community development. matthew little took the place that day. he went to work for city here in boston police says he discovered a new source of inspiration. students who came with s and left mile mark club with ace , and he has been educators ever since. [applause] sondra samuels took that pledge that day. she headed to philadelphia helping communities reduce violent crime and gang activity. tnc says that americorps taught her, that i collected my country and actually make it different, not just wish it were different been

reading in chicago, bright, eager young women shared and out of that day, to produce she had recently left her job and a law firm and became the founding executive director of public allies in chicago, nonprofit that trains young people for careers in public service and soon after public allies receive one of the very first grants that americorps ever awarded, and that the young woman happens to live with me. her name is michelle obama. so the obama household was on board with americorps from the start. [applause] and for those of you know why story starting off as a community organizer, i would not be standing here if it were not for service to others. and the purpose that service gave to my own life. i moved to chicago to become a community organizer in part to of that time when

steel plants have closed down and hope had tried upper. and i was not sure what i was doing. i was not sure if i would be successful. i was working with a group of churches out there did not have a lot of funding. i think my starting salary was $13,000 a year and gas expenses. but what i found was that with patients and dedicated effort i could make a difference. it was not always under percent of what i wanted to be sometimes distorted%, sometimes 50 percent, but it turned out that you could bad history forward, shape it, see the lives of people that you cared about improving because of blood, sweat, and tears you were putting into it. i cut down the community and

began to understand what citizenship meant, not just an abstraction, not just words on a page, not just rights and privileges, but duties and responsibilities. and it gave me a sense of direction about how long i wanted to live my life. so as it turned out, the idea of making a difference in other people's lives made a difference in my. it made me whole. it gave me a center. it gave me at compass. and that, when i looked out on to all these young people , is what is going to happen to them. most of them are probably a lot more than i was at that time. probably more gifted and more talented but that's why when i look out i can't describe how inspired i.m., because in each of you i see

unfurling of the incredible, wonderful things that you're going to be doing. for 20 years after president clinton signed and swore in that first americorps class, more than 900,000 americans have learned the same lesson that i learned by surging through americorps. and they come from all walks of life -- small towns, big cities, of backgrounds, all age groups, done everything from deliver emergency leave in the aftermath of disasters to staffing health clinics in underserved communities cannot helping veterans find jobs. they have touched millions of lives. they felt america become stronger and more resigned so you're right. americorps has changed the life of our nation. now it is up to us to make sure it continues because

we're not just here to celebrate what has already been achieved but to rededicate ourselves to the work that lies ahead. and the world -- [applause] we are here to get things done. we're here to get things done. my administration has been determined to build on the foundation of president bush , president clinton and both presidents bush. we are determined to help americorps succeed. we have seen the outcomes that americorps members produce and prove literacy in the schools where they worked. so if we are smart congress will fund this calling that has meant so much to some many and keep americorps strong and we will keep doing our part. [applause] that is why i created the task force on national service last year to find new ways to expand and improve national service. we tested innovations,

creating new models a partnership. we've reached out to the private sector. so americorps is as effective today as it has ever been. we've created 84 programs to address specific needs. for example, if the mccourt trains -- [applause] -- trains and deploys national service members to help communities recover from disasters like hurricane and tornadoes. school turnarounds' americorps says talented individuals into underachieving schools. [applause] the new justice americorps will pare americorps members are lawyers and paralegals with unaccompanied and grandchildren to get them legal help. [applause] stem americorps is mobilizing scientists and engineers to inspire young people to discover and tinker and innovate and make things. [applause] and we brought businesses and nonprofits on board. we have seen again and again

and-service have sent people gain diet will skills and training and employers have noticed. what to do more to help pass all service members find good jobs after they wrap up their service. that is the idea behind the initiatives are announcing today behind employers of national service. if you are an employer who wants to hire talented, dedicated, periodic, skilled, tireless, energetic workers, look to americorps and the people. kaj and organizations like united way and others are signing you want to my new team. that includes our newest

members. you have catherine majestic the pledge helping homeless veterans find housing through habitat for humanity here in washington. you have the case of boy who took the pledge. and through city year she's going to be -- [applause] -- she's leading a team for tutors for kids like herself and her old neighborhood in southeast d.c. ivan, who you just heard from took the pledge in mentoring young people through public allies in maryland. [applause] 75,000 members of this year's americorps class will spread out across the country, and they are doing their part to help make america safer and healthier and more fair and more just -- because like all those who serve their country through americorps, they don't just believe in, but live out a fundamental truth, and that is that people will love their country can change it.

that is the genius of america. that is the promise of americorps. it is one of the reasons i am so committed to this program and why am so hopeful about the future. we are proud of you pair read that goes for all the americorps members over the years. and i'll always be proud to serve a country where there are such striving, driving citizens like all of you. congratulations. come bless you, and god bless america. thank you, president clinton. [applause] [applause] ♪ ♪

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[inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] >> tonight on c-span2 attorney general eric holder talks about minorities and the legal profession. inspectors general at three federal agencies talk about a impediments to their investigations and a house oversight committee hearing. later, the former head of israel's missile defense program on the country's iron dome system. >> of the next washington

journal new york times correspondent with predictions about the midterm elections and anthony quarters men of the center for strategic and international studies on president obama's plan for fighting isis. live at 7:00 a.m. eastern on c-span. >> here are just a few of the comments we recently received from our viewers. >> the only news outlet in america, 90 percent of the truth. other outlets dumb down. so keep it up. >> c-span, i've just watch three horseplayer. not one mention. shot dead on armed plan on

white police officer, there would not even say african american. they would not say black. they said non-white. that is from the police chief. no rights in selig city, no lootings. but you have three hours of hate, love stories of 50 years ago about dead races from the south that are either dead or dying now in their 80's. next time if you want to talk about race have three preacher's kid on there, you know? because i did not your word about forgiveness. added not hear a word about love. all i heard about was pathetic stories about the past. and racism is not going to change unless we look forward. >> edges watched. i have been watching and calling into c-span for the last, i guess, 35 years.

people calling in have changed a lot because of twitter and all of this stuff. i am just amazed at the way people are not familiar with our history and the way that they twisted. but what i want to say is that i think that, frankly, it is one of the best biographers' ever. he is so fair minded, so accurate. i was just thrilled to listen. i have followed for a long time. thrill to watch him, and i wish we could see more of him. thank you very much. >> and continue to let us know what you think about the programs you're watching call us. e-mail us. or you can send us the tweet . join the conversation, like us on facebook, follow us on twitter. >> speaking to the hispanic national bar association attorney general eric holder talked about how to encourage minorities to enter the legal profession

and announced grants to train lawyers to represent children in immigration courts. we will also hear from federal trade commission chairman. this is 35 minutes. [applause] >> thank you for that generous introduction, and i also want to think the age and be a latino commission for inviting me to be here with you this afternoon. i am delighted to be here today. celebrating the 50th anniversary of the passage of the civil rights act and honoring the latino lawyers past, present, and future whose struggles and successes represent the vitality and of the root of the civil rights movement. congratulations to our honorees. you are a credit to the trail braze -- trail blazing latino lawyers without whom

the professor would be talking after lunch. and congratulations to the h nba for putting on such a terrific conference. respectful of those who have brought us to where we are today, inspiring to those of us who seeks to lead down, and supportive of those who will take us into the future . but an important reminder to us all, the civil rights movement is not a static even from 50 years ago reported on a grainy black-and-white newsreel. it is part of our daily struggle and daily responsibility. in the words of one of our great latino leaders supreme court justice sandra sotomayor, we educated privilege lawyers have a professional and moral duty to represent the underrepresented in our society, to ensure that justice exists for all, legal and economic justice.

i think often about justice sotomayor is admonition that the agency that i head, the federal trade commission enters into his 100th year the ftc is a bipartisan agency established at the head of the progressive movement by reformers believed government should work to ensure a more level playing field in the marketplace. to focus at the ftc on the consumer. the mission is to protect competition in the marketplace and deliver the best goods at the best prices and to protect consumers so that they can navigate that marketplace assured that businesses will treat them fairly and honestly. we have a number of tools that we use to accomplish this. civil enforcement action, research, policy-making, and education. and we readily and i think effectively deploy them all in the service of american consumers.

of course, as the civil-rights movement taught us and continues to teach this there is no one face of an american in no one's faith of the american consumer. that is why it is crucial that there also be different faces among the in washington and around the united states. my own journey from the beach community of san clemente where i was born and raised, the daughter of immigrants from mexico city to los angeles where i practice law and then to washington d.c. and the home of the ftc is largely unexpected. in fact, i never imagined i would be living in d.c. let alone that i would be the chairwoman of the ftc. until 2007 and i followed a largely conventional route to a career as a corporate attorney following a law school i served as a clerk on the ninth circuit, was an associate at one large law

firm and then became partner in another. of course, i did interact with wider and more diverse communities through volunteer work with a number of community organizations, but i did not step off the corporate track until a former law school classmate with whom i served in the harvard law review decided to run and a democratic presidential primary. was given the abcaten is a join the campaign and service to the political director and director of latino outreach in california. it was not an easy decision. i was a partner in the highly regarded law from doing its job that i enjoyed and that i was getting my home state. my firm and managing partner were supportive, but a leave of absence to work on the campaign is a candidate to get the time few thought could win probably was not the best to remove. i said yes and am glad that

i did. from working for that candidate barack obama helped bring me to the ftc and washington, because working on the obama campaign proved to be one of the most rewarding and valuable experiences i ever had. during the campaign with you need people, police command dreams i learned to listen and hear the many voices of america. i learned to better appreciate them, and it reinforced as a guarantee of civil rights. communities, where they live and shop and bank and work kamal of this matters rest comes to making sure government and business is treated fairly, honestly, and with respect. so in 2009 representative obama nominated me this serve as a commissioner of

the federal trade commission and again last year when the elevated me i said yes. this time without hesitation ready to take all i have learned of the course of my career and life experience and apply it at the ftc, the only federal agency would jurisdiction to protect consumers and competition across broad sectors of the american economy. i wanted the entire agency to focus on how we can ensure our efforts to protect consumers in every state, city, town, and everett. how we protect those disorders experience the market differently who are hit hardest by fraud and other illegal conduct and who are most challenging to reach. an important aspect of this

is taking a hard look at the prevalence experienced a different communities. our economists report that in 2011 alone almost 11 percent of adults, 25 million people were victims of fraud. of these an estimated 9 percent were not latino whites, 13 percent latino and 173 percent were african-american. we also found that older americans are impacted by lottery scam in greater numbers than other age groups. but some scams like telemarketing fraud and unauthorized billing schemes are likely to of fact certain communities in larger numbers and that many target specific populations like service members or seniors we are continuing to study how broad this affects

our nation. and we are examining similar issues regarding debt collection. unfair and harassing debt collectors has long been a priority of the ftc. we receive more consumer complaints about this industry than any other. as part of this work we are focusing on egregious and unlawful practice aimed at spanish-speaking consumers, something we have also seen in our law enforcement we recently stopped and then followed up trying to collect many faulty substantive or even never delivered goods like reporting the consumers to immigration authority by broadening our understanding of debt collection experiences of a non endlessly consumer we have to stamp out this sort of a legal fraud and develop

improved strategy for our region education. another area that is a concern to all americans but also our low-income and underserved community is privacy in the era of big data. as i am sure you all know, every time you buy something online check as sports score on your phone, swipe your credit card, check into facebook, surf the internet come back in any manner or on any device believe it's real, a trail which is noted, recorded, sorted, and analyzed by data brokers. these companies operate largely in the dark collecting our personal information amassing detailed profiles on each of us and larsen without our knowledge and consent selling that dated to businesses and other brokers . earlier this year the ftc released a report entitled data brokers, a call for

transparency and accountability which laid out the extent to which data brokers knows you. they know where you live, hold your kids are, what you buy, your income, ethnicity, health condition, hobbies. our report makes several policy recommendations to bring the operations of data brokers into light and to give consumers more control over their personal information. one of my concerns and an issue that we are beginning to look at is how businesses are using the information sold to them by data brokers to classify in segments consumers by race and ethnicity, and come, socioeconomic status, age, health conditions, religious affiliation, and even political leanings. how will such labels affect our chances of getting a job in terms of farm mortgages, the products we are offered

online, the opportunity for misuse is there, and these are issues that we are examining it will continue to monitor closely. the other community initiative is ongoing and it is my goal to have it in fuse every aspect of our work. so while i am proud of the focus being given, it is an agency that long before my tenure has paid close attention to the demographic changes that have swept over our nation the last several decades. for example, and 2004 under then chairman the ftc launched a hispanic initiative to explore strategies for law enforcement collaboration to deter and stop fraud targeting latinos and to create effective consumer education for latino communities. by that time much as represented an attractive and steadily growing market for advertisers with total consumer buying power

estimated at $580 billion. the same research shows that latinos are also about twice as likely as non-hispanic whites to be victims of consumer fraud, particularly in the area of credit. since 2004 the ftc has brought approximately 70 cases against companies that target is spanish speakers. law-enforcement actions have stopped marketers for making false promises of mortgage assistance, integration, the late to credit card debt relief, and income opportunity. the ftc has also targeted companies that have made it effective kind spanish-speaking consumers regarding everything from prepaid telephone calling cards to disease course to weight-loss supplements. when we see froglike this in the marketplace we act aggressively. complaints in federal court to stop the unlawful conduct and obtain money judgments,

often requested temporary restraining orders, asset freezes, and other powerful forms of relief. of course we prefer the consumers to avoid fraud in the first place and to that in the ftc attempts to protect consumers to education. we have an extensive library of materials on our website in both english and spanish and of the last few years have been translated publication into other languages as well. the conversation has to go both ways. our job is not just to provide guidance to consumers but to listen to their concerns. none of -- one of the main ways we do that is by receiving consumer complaints from around the country through our website and telephone hotline. we have engaged in extensive outreach to local communities. in 2010 will recall common

ground conferences across the country to elicit information from state attorney general offices, local law enforcement, legal service providers, and community-based organization about what scams they are seeing. these conferences along with our brought average to consumer advocates help us identify law-enforcement targets and spurred the creation of the new consumer education material. as chairwoman of the ftc i have an obligation to ensure that our competition and consumer protection laws are as effective as beacon hill in boston and south central l.a. to accomplish that i believe we must have an ftc that understands and respects the diverse ways that consumers navigate market places all across the united states. one hundred years ago if you told the progress of the creative the ftc that one day it would be led by a

woman they probably would not have believed you. they may have up to a ripe. fifty years ago if you had told the celebrities that the signing of the civil-rights act at one day the sec would be run by a latina and they might not have believed you to in years ago if you told me that one day i would leave by law from job to move across the country and run the ftc-out would not have believed you. today it is a different story, and i am grateful for opportunities that have brought me here and we will continue to do my best to serve all consumers every day that i am privileged to lead the ftc. thank you very much. [applause]

>> thank you. and now as i told you earlier, we have a special guest that i would like to bring a the atm be a president miguel alexander oppose the to introduce our honored guest. [applause] >> thank you very much, maria. the good afternoon, ladies gentlemen, dissing was guesstimates nba members, award winners. it is my extreme honor and privilege to welcome you this afternoon at the 36 the national president of hispanic national bar association the eighth nba

has had a long history of advocacy and being on the forefront of issues that affect hispanics and the latino community. it is fitting as we celebrate our convention which by all metrics that we use to measure success has been a huge success. i am excited today because in about eight hours from now i get to pass on the gavel. [applause] becomes the seventh latina in our 42-year history to lead the hispanic national bar association looking forward to a tremendous year with cynthia at the helm. thank you, cynthia. [applause]

>> excited for another reason. as you know, our theme is leaders in washington. [laughter] our struggle and our progress and, indeed, it has been a tremendous struggle of the last 50 years as we commemorate the passing of the civil-rights act. ..

>> event when to the colombia law school in 1976. and he worked for the naacp education defense fund and at the department of justice criminal division. upon graduating, he moved here from washington and joined the department of justice is part of the attorney general's honors program. and many of you have studied the

media by now and you know what has happened regarding voting rights and i won't steal the general's thunder but i wanted to set the table. you have seen what has happened in missouri and ferguson. without further ado and delay, i want to to please rise and join me in welcoming attorney general eric holder. [applause] [applause] >> thank you. [applause] >> thank you, thank you. [applause] [applause] >> well,.

[speaking in native tongue] [applause] >> i was going to give the rest of the speech in spanish. [laughter] please forgive my english. it is a privilege to welcome the hispanic national bar association to our nation's capital for the 39th annual convention and ended is a great pleasure as always to be in such distinguished company and i would like to thank the president. this means we have eight hours -- seven hours and 56 minutes. [laughter] >> this sounds like it's going to be a tough job and he sounds like a young man eager to pass the baton. i want to thank him and his entire leadership team as well as fernando rivera and all this

organizations members for everything you have done to bring us together this week. and also i would like to congratulate the award recipients over the course of this award swanton. and i want to recognize the attorneys who have taken time away from their busy schedules to take part in numerous important annual convention. we come together today in a moment of great consequence with critical challenges stretching before us. escaped after hernandez vs. texas extended the constitution's guarantee of equal protection to people of all races and backgrounds, and half a century since the passage of the civil rights act finally codified american wallaby into american law, there's no question that our nation has taken a range of extraordinary, once them unimaginable steps

forward. yet recent headlines remind us that these advances have not put the issue of equal justice to rest. on the contrary, from america's heartland to the southwest border and the events that have captured attention and sparked debate over the course of this summer illustrate the fight for equality, opportunity, and justice is not yet over. these issues have not yet been relegated to the pages of history. and although this is a struggle that predates our republic, it poses the challenge is -- the challenges that predates our republic and it poses challenges as contemporary as any currently that we face. for over four decades the hnba has stood for the forefront of national ever to confront these challenges by working to increase diversity on the bench and bar. by helping to to educate the leaders of tomorrow and by

employing members of america's latino communities and make sure that their voices are heard from the chambers of our court to the halls of congress. for me and for my colleagues at every level of today's department of justice, this work is also a personal and professional priority. more than 10 years ago during my service as deputy attorney general, i worked hard to strengthen the justice department's internal efforts to build a diverse and effective workforce. when i returned to the department as attorney general in 2009, i significantly expanded this work because it not only improves our ability to draw to skills and talents of everyone, but it also makes the justice department both more credible and more effective. in fact, since i understand the invention includes a job fair, i can't pass up the chance to urge all of the young and aspiring attorneys in this crowd and those of you a little older than that, to consider a career in public service and come to the justice department. work for me.

[laughter] [applause] and i'm serious about that. come on. [laughter] >> beyond the institution itself my colleagues are striving to bolster legal profession at large by opening men and women from every race background and ethnicity and walk of life. according to the pew research center, the hispanic population in the united states currently exceeds 53 million people. it has increased almost sixfold since around the time the hnba was founded. and it has doubled since the year 2000. yet statistics show that of the approximately 1.2 million attorneys working in the united states today, fewer than 50,000, that's less than 4% identify as hispanic. although women and people of color have made up an increasing percentage of both licensed

lawyers and law students in recent years, the law continues to lag far behind any other professions. so we need to do everything in our power to ensure that the coming decades witness an uptick in the number of people of color and women and people with disabilities and new immigrants who find productive avenues into the legal field and the american workforce as a whole. and once they have your opportunities to compete for these jobs, we need to close the pay gap and make sure that every worker is compensated according to their skills and experience not simply their gender or gender identity. as the hnba has made clear throughout its history, all of us, both collectively and as individuals have more work to do. to tear down persistent barriers, to combat discrimination, and to uphold the civil rights to which every person is entitled. in our conference at work to advance equality, we need to look far beyond law school campuses and workplaces.

we need to keep building upon the exemplary record as civil rights enforcement at the justice department, that they have proudly establish a glass 5.5 years. we need to keep striving through programs such as president obama's my brother's keeper initiative to address persistent opportunity gaps and ensure that all people can reach their full potential. and we need to summon our collective experience as legal professional and our shared commitment as a nation to tackle the urgent challenges faced by millions of people every day from america's immigrant communities to our military bases. from our places of worship to our financial markets. and from our voting booths to our border areas where as you know is a critical situation that is unfolding as we speak. among the most pressing of our domestic challenges is the problem of unaccompanied young children traveling to the united states and entering the country illegally. now, i know this is an issue

with which we are all too familiar and which has provoked intense discussion throughout the summer, both within and far beyond the united states. in fact earlier this week, i traveled to mexico city to hold meetings with my counterparts from mexico, while moloch, el salvador and honduras. this was among the major items on our agenda. as the chief law enforcement official is have served, my colleagues and i have created a high-level working group to deal with this situation. and in the coming weeks it will help us formulate and coordinate a plan of action. but another potential solution to this problem is rather obvious. that is fixing our broken immigration system. the senate, on a bipartisan basis has are to pass a deal that would do a long way doing

just that. the issue is compelling and the solution is present and the need to reaffirm our issue is a nation of immigrants is critical and this is who we are as an exceptional nation. if we are to improve our heritage, we must fix our immigration system and bring people out of the shadows, and we must establish a path to citizenship. [applause] now, there are a variety of ways in which much of this can be done and in the face of house in action this administration will proceed. this administration will proceed. it will do so lawfully and in a manner that is consistent with our values. we will as americans always have to seek to make our union more perfect. this is our promise. [applause] in the meantime -- [applause]

in the meantime, within america's borders, the increasing numbers of unaccompanied children appearing in our immigration courts is really an urgent challenge. how to conduct immigration proceedings in an efficient manner while any claims for relief represented as clearly as possible. one way to address that challenge is to facilitate access to legal representation for these children. though these children may not have a constitutional right to a lawyer, we have policy reasons and we have a moral obligation to ensure the presence of counsel. that is why the justice department began planning a legal aid program well before the recent surge of unaccompanied children. last july president obama announced a creation of a task force to expand national service. calling upon federal agencies to meet the goal by creating volunteer opportunities that are aligned with agency priorities. the justice department's response to that call was clear. by partnering with the corporation for national and community service to design and

implement a new legal aid program. the department is protecting the local populations as well as improving our operations and strengthening the delivery of the department services in their communities. the first phase of this new program is known as justice americorps is was announced in june. it will make the legal aid to children who make a long and dangerous journey to the united states without parent or legal guardian. and this week we are taking the next step in the work by announcing approximately $1.8 million to legal aid organizations in more than 15 cities around the country. and this will enable recipients who, after extensive training in december, will begin to represent these children are immigration courts in early 2015. the justice americorps members will also help to identify children who have been victims of human trafficking or abuse

and it's appropriate, we'll refer them to support services and authorities responsible for investigating and prosecuting those who perpetrate such crimes. now, this initiative reaffirms our allegiance to the values that have always shaped our pursuit of justice. it will bolster the efficacy and efficiency of our immigration court and empower new generations of aspiring attorneys and paralegals to serve their country. and it will provide important legal aid to some of the most vulnerable individuals in our immigration system. most are poorly it will bring our system closer to our highest ideals. because the way we treat those in need and particularly young people who may be fleeing from abuse, persecution and violence, goes to the core of who we are as a nation. fortunately, thanks to the work that is underway due to the leadership of president obama and other administration officials and the tireless work of nonpartisan groups like the hispanic national bar association, it is clear that we

stand together this week in defiance of gridlock in the narrow politics of the moment. truly "unidos in washington." [laughter] and truly we must all stand together in our demand that equal work should be performed for equal pay. and our daughter deserves the same opportunity as our sons. we stand together that it is both the right and responsibility of every american to forge his or her own future and to build on the progress that we have seen in recent decades and to extend the promise of our great country until it includes every single person who dares and dreams to call this nation their home. as we carry this work into the future, i want you to know how proud i am to counter his colleagues and partners and to

always remember that positive change is not inevitable. it is a function of hard work and resilience. i am confident that together we will make our great nation even more great and more just. i look forward to everything that we will achieve together in the months and years ahead and i want to thank you all, once again, for all that you do. i thank you. [applause] [applause] [applause] >> we are excited to announce that its watch week for the 11th annual studentcam documentary contest. $100,000 in cash prizes will be

awarded to middle and high school contest winners and misters theme is the broadest ever. the three branches and you. we would like you to tell a story how a policy or law or action by either the executive or legislative or judicial branch of the federal government has affected you or your life or your community. the competition is open to students in grades six through 12 and students may work in groups of three. a five to seven video documentary on the chosen topic must be done and to include some c-span programming. $100,000 will go to 150 students and the 53 teachers and the grand prize winner with the best overall entry will win $5000. the deadline for entries this year is january 7, 2015, and winners will be announced in march. visit studentcam.org for more information and this year's contest for the three branches

and you. >> a house oversight committee hearing and the inspector general for the peace corps justice department and epa described bureaucratic impediments to their investigation. this was in response to a letter signed by 47 ig's and their concerns. horseman darrell issa chairs this committee. [inaudible conversations] >> the committee will come to order. we declare a recess of the committee at any time can be called. the oversight committee mission statement is that we exist to secure fundamental principles and we make sure that the money is well spent and america's efficient government works for

them. our duty is the oversight reform committee is to protect these rights. our solemn responsibility is to hold government accountable to taxpayers. because taxpayers have a right to know that the money washington takes from them as well spent. it is our job to work tirelessly in partnership. citizen watchdogs and yes, the id watchdog to deliver the facts to the american people and bring can perform to form to the democracy. this is our mission statement. on august 5, two thirds of the community sent an unprecedented letter to congress describing serious imitations on access to records that have recently impeded the work of the inspector general.

section six a one requires agencies to provide, and i quote, full and timely access to agency records to their respected inspector general. anything less than full cooperation, of course, is unacceptable. and these government watchdogs play a key role in improving government efficiency, honesty, and accountability. they conduct oversight and investigations and audit to prevent and detect waste, fraud, mismanagement between government agencies. their work often protects federal workers and the american people. they held congress to shape legislation and target our oversight and investigative activities. but let there be no doubt that

they are the executive branch employees who in fact were created by an act of congress and signed by a president so that the tools that they provide are available to the president of the united states to run our government better. and so the yankees are proven to be one of congresses and the american peoples best investments. in the last fiscal year the ig community use their $2.7 billion budget to identify potential cost savings to taxpayers totaling about $46 billion, and that means for every dollar in the total i.t. budget, they have identified approximately $17 in savings and access is key to that kind of savings. but let me make it very clear

that the investigations including some you will hear today are not about money. they are far more valuable because they are about liberty and your government not trampling on your rights. and so the agencies to withhold information and their records, it impedes their ability to conduct their work thoroughly and independently and most of all timely. it runs up the cost to both sides of the ledger and inspector general spends many, many, many lanes of dollars simley trying to get access. where is your government, the same agency, spends millions and millions of dollars on lawyers trying to impede. this is one of the greatest wastes we could possibly have. when access is denied agency records, it undermines congress and the ig's ability to effectively oversee the prospective agencies. today we are going to hear from

the three widely respected ids who have faced serious challenges from their agencies to access the necessary records to what they do in their work. at the justice department, the inspector general cannot gain access to grand jury documents or national security related documents without approval and delay from the deputy attorney general of the federal court. requiring such permission compromises and impedes the ig is investigation and a chemical safety board has denied the inspector general access to certain documents on the basis of attorney-client privilege. but who is the attorney and what is the privilege? mr. alton is the same entity that is still in fact a client. he is in part of the client of

the epa. further, including the epa office of homeland security, have interfered with these themselves. most disturbing to me personally , i spoke to the vice president last night, and i think that he was deeply disturbed, at the peace corps that they have refused to provide the inspector general for access to information related to sexual assault corps volunteers abstinent absent with the memorandum. so let's understand. we honored and celebrated the 20th anniversary of violence against women enactment, designs do just the opposite, to it ask women to come forward and report the assault.

and if the ig cannot oversee a pattern of failure to protect women. , then we need to ask women to come forward with a record of their assault. in all instances, it is the committee's position that these agencies should and must cooperate with the inspector general's request for information. during the 113th congress, the committee has investigated several instances including the one facing the watchdogs in which agency leadership undermines the effectiveness of the inspector general. the committee has held several hearings on this issue facing these inspector general's over the last past year. the committee has also conducted a deposition of the peace corps general counsel to address the access -- or the access issue at the peace corps. and so it has not been resolved.

and quite frankly i look forward to the departure of the general counsel as part of the problem. either this committee or the ig committee should be wasting time and resources attempting to gain access to records when the ig's have not just a legal entitlement to, but a sworn obligation to this. for nearly six years we have seen the administration make unprecedented efforts to fight transparency and block investigation. that is not what we are here for today. we are not here because the press wants to do this, we are not here because article one in congress is trying to look over the shoulder of the president and his administration, but we are here because of the men and women who work for the ig's and those not here today, and part

of this for efficiency and transparency and an honorable service by all that has not been getting what they wanted. it is my intention upon the end of this hearing with my ranking member, if at all possible. urging him to use his executive order capability to resolve this once and for all. notwithstanding that, i want to thank our three witnesses here today and i want to assure you of one thing. at the testified here today and for all 47 ig's, i will be looking at i know my ranking member will be looking to make sure that no retribution or punishment is allowed in expressing your concerns with your responsibility in the ig act.

with back, we do have a response from the executive office of the president, the office of management budget placing this in the record at this time without objection. we recognize the opening number for his statement. >> thank you, mr. chairman. i want to thank the chairman for calling this hearing and let me start off by saying that what the chairman said with regards to retribution, i agree with. you have done a phenomenal job in a very important job. and every member of this committee on both sides of the aisle, if we hear about any repercussions, we will be on it and deal with it effectively and efficiently.

waste, fraud, and abuse is a central tenet of this committee and we take this very seriously. i am a staunch defender of the ig's and their authorities and i sent a bipartisan letter to the president and representative case it's in the chairman and ranking member of the national security subcommittee and in that letter we have finally nominated the inspector general at the state department that had remained vacant for five years and i also supported legislation to help them do their jobs more effectively and efficiently such as the ig reform act of 2008. after receiving a letter last month from 47 ig's, i cosign a letter with the ranking member and homeland security committee

as well as chairman darrell issa. in that letter, we express a bipartisan concern to the office of management and budget about access issues raised by the free ig's testified here today and the environmental protection agency. when congress passes a 1970, section six of that legislation authorized ig's to have very broad access to the agency records and this revision was intended to give them the ability to conduct their investigation and they also included something on the legislations, some of which are at issue today and some contend that other federal laws are a concern that we will be discussing today.

and first we have the peace corps. in 2011 congress passed in congress signed the protection act. this requires the peace corps to establish a confidential system for volunteers to report sexual assault in time and when they sought access to this data in order to prepare the report also mandated by congress, the peace corps racy and the ability to raise the personal identifiable information of sexual assault victims which was supposed to be confidential. on may 22, they signed a memorandum of understanding providing them with access to all information except personally identified information. i understand that this agreement does not include all of the

access concerns. but i believe that it is a very good start and we have to potentially conflicting values like this. and that includes information like grand jury and other information and we must go through a lengthy approval process at the highest levels of the department. in the ig's testimony today said the department has granted access to the records and every case the contents of the lengthy delays the road to independence. and this includes several other statutes of releasing sensitive information. so they must be carefully analyzing as we look at that. our understanding is that the department has now offer the

legal counsel to review the issue. and i look forward to this review. finally, the environmental protection agency has raised two concerns. the report that the epa's homeland security offer has been denying the access of classified material and failing to recognize the statutory authority into the epa can networks. we have been working with both sides to mediate this issue and on june 19, the epa administrator mccarthy proposed a framework for better cooperations. at this point, my understanding is that the ig still has issues with the proposal and i hope that we can talk about those in turn. and so last week the chemical

safety board was deemed to be the most automatic from this still has not produced all of the quested documents. this puts them in a situation where although they have compiled this request, the documents remain outstanding and hopefully we can work closely on a bipartisan basis. let me close by making one observation. we have seen many issues involving several laws and some have raised the possibility and i believe this should be considered. although this is necessary come the last thing he ig's need is to be introduced and fail.

which could have the unintended effect of diluting the authority. mr. chairman, i appreciate your commitment to working with me and my staff in developing the reform proposals. my staff and i have devoted tremendous efforts to helping them do their work and their goal has always been to do it respectively and with that ideal back. >> i think the ranking members. all members will have seven days to submit to the record. and we know welcome michael horvitz is the inspector general of the u.s. department of justice. as well as arthur elkin junior who is part of the u.s. department of protection agency. we also have cathy bullard who is the inspector general of the peace corps. ladies and gentlemen, pursuant

to the committee rules, please rise and take the oath. and raise your right hand. do you solemnly swear or affirm that the testimony will get will be the whole truth and nothing but the truth? and please be seated. let the record reflect that all have answered in the affirmative. and since you are all skilled professionals and since you are less than 20 hours from a similar event, we know you like to keep your opening statement to five minutes in your entire statements will be placed in the record without objection. with that, you are up. >> thank you, mr. chairman. thank you members of the committee. thank you for inviting me today at this important hearing. including agency files that goes to the heart of our mission to provide nonpartisan oversight and that is why 27 inspector

generals found late last month a letter expressing your concern about this issue and i want to yank the members for the bipartisan support in response to the letter. this is crystal clear. section of this provides a complete and timely unfiltered access to all agency records but since 2010 the fbi and other departments have not read this in that manner and therefore have refused our request for interviews for the relevant grand jury in its files. as a result, a number of our reviews have become significantly impeded and in response to this, the attorney general department granted permission to access the records by making the finding that our reviews were consistent in them. they also talked about future audits and reviews and there are

several significant concerns with this process. first and foremost, the process is inconsistent with a clear mandate and the attorney general should not have to order department components to provide us with access to records that congress has made clear that we have a right to review. second, requiring them to obtain permission seriously compromises our independence and they should be deciding which documents and access to and not the leadership that is being overseen. third, while current department leadership supports our ability to access records, agency leads change over time and are accessed should not change the views of the department leadership. further, we understand that other department components that exercise oversight in personnel, such as the office of professional responsibility, continue to be access to this material and this disparate

treatment is unjustifiable and results in them being less willing to zenawi because they are statutorily independent while the opr is not. this again highlights the lack of independence which can only be addressed with this jurisdiction at the department. the independent nonpartisan project and oversight made it seem situation earlier this year and introduces in the senate as just that. this past may they asked to issue an opinion of legal objections raised by the fbi and other department components and it is imperative that the issue is talked about probably because the existing practice tersely impairs our independence everyday every day that we do our work and more over our

struggle to access information in a timely manner continues to seriously delay our work and also has a substantial impact of the mouth of the auditors and analysts and lawyers work extraordinarily hard everyday. far too often they face challenges in a timely access to information, including routine requests, for example, into ongoing audits we have trouble getting organizational opinions in a timely manner and this includes to the independent access to the records and information pursuant to it. however, should an opinion conclude otherwise and interpret this in a manner that results in limits our ability to access information, we will promptly ripped west a legislative remedy. for the past 25 years my office has demonstrated effective oversight and save taxpayers

money and improves the substantial consequences for work and significantly delayed runnings or recommendations and i cannot emphasize enough how critical it is to get these pending access issues resolved promptly. and hopefully we will have an opinion finding that they mean what they said and mainly that they are entitled to have complete timely and independent access in our agencies files and i'm pleased to answer any questions you may have. >> thank you and we yield back to you. >> morning, chairman. ranking member and members of the committee. on the inspector general for the environmental protection agency and the chemical safety investigation board. thank you for inviting me to

appear before you today and i would like to take this opportunity to publicly commend the inspector general staff across the federal government who works hard to carry out our important missions. for more than a year is oig will be confronted by the csp. and this is based on attorney-client privilege. we countered that this violated the inspector general act. including this as a continuum, we resorted to this on related issues on june 19 at which you stated they will turn this over within a week. they have produced several sets within the oig and it is substantially but not fully complying with our document request and however the evidence we have gathered demonstrate

that there are additional documents within the scope of our request that the officials have not provided. in addition to this, the office of homeland security continues to impede the investigation of this oig and we provide testimony before this committee on may 7 while there are multiple facets to this problem, the epa assertively said there is a category of activity defined as intelligence to which the oig may have access only if the epa determines the access is permitted. and this was ongoing when i arrived four years ago and it is still not resolved. now, i would like to discuss how well they are serving the taxpayers of this country and accomplishing goals that congress set more than 35 years ago and on august 5, i joined with other ig is sending a letter to this committee as well as other congressional members

stressing the troubling push back many of us have been experiencing when we seek mandated access to employees and we ask congress for a strong reaffirmation of the original, and we believe, still existing in terms of the ig act and the oig's have unfettered access to assist us in obtaining prompt and complete agency cooperation. mr. chairman, this is about whether the act needs strengthening or clarification are not hypothetical to me. they are questions with real-world impact on the ability to carry out the mandated functions and you might think, therefore, that i would say without reservation that it requires some access of agency cooperation. however i would like all of us, ig's included, to be careful about what i am saying and not hang on this issue and the act

is quite strong quite clear and it provides access to all agency information and all agency employees and there are no exceptions. but it cannot be for outside of it once they do receive it and not the will involve us by information. no courts are congressional opinions from the department of justice were office of legal counsel, in the attempt to clarify that could only suggest that it is not already strong or confident. and this includes an agency and if there is not prompt and complete operation, the work of the oig is stifled and in this regard it can be compared to a house of cards.

if you pull plot the agency cooperation card, the entire application classes and i therefore urge us to find a mechanism already required. the ig is ready in the agency's ability to cause a consequence is a problem. and this includes efficiency on solutions to access concerns and i believe that congress can send a strong message that such impairment will not be tolerated. mr. chairman, this concludes my prepared statement and i'm pleased to answer any questions they may have. >> thank you. ms. bowler? >> chairman tremont, ranking member and establishment of the committee, thank you for inviting me here today and allowing me to summarize my

prepared statement. you have asked me to testify as we have difficulty in obtaining documents. i testified before you on generic 15. some challenges remain in this includes the volunteer protection act of 2001 in which congress enacted after the report that the agency failed to respond to victims of sexual assault. it mandates the creation of a stricter reporting mechanism that they may confidentially disclose this and received the services they need without discrimination of the personally identifiable information. unfortunately the piece were general counsel has written a legal opinion causing the agency to establish policies and procedures that deny the information in the case of

restrictive reports they argue it prohibits the agency from disclosing any details of a sexual assault. however, they authorize disclosure when the wire by law and mandates and expensive oversight in the month of may, my office entered into a formal agreement to obtain some information from the report. the agreement can be terminated by any party at anytime and we signed it so that we could get some information while continuing to seek agency actions. i am concerned about having to enter into an agreement and get information that we are entitled to by law and that we need to do our job. i'm also concerned that the legal opinion often withholds information as the oig remains in place and this legal opinion

they interpret a law forcing the ig to spend its limited resource wrangling to obtain information. and many have asked why we need full access to restrictive reports in it is simple. we cannot properly informed the agency whether they are complying and whether the response is getting better or worse. furthermore they mandate that my office can update the review of a statistical number of cases with full access to information and it's very difficult for us to complete this review and ensure that volunteers are receiving the services that they need. they signed a letter expressing concern over our access issue recognizing the implication refusing or delaying the ig

access in response to inquiries about the letter, the peace corps tells "the washington post" that it is committed to working with the inspector general to ensure rigorous oversight of respecting the confidentiality of those volunteers who are assaulted. suggesting that privacy and oversight are mutually exclusive when they are not. my office is bound by the same confidentiality rule and the agency ended its trained in handling sensitive information and there is no record of my office ever is handling such information. the agency also suggests that volunteers would be fewer to report if they had access to the information but when pressed for the factual basis of this, the agency had none. as reported, it's hard to imagine a case where volunteers to climb to report actual solid

set the internal watchdog providing information to determine that there is no negligence or wrongdoing. in the agency argues that this is centric. what could be more so than providing independent oversight of this. and so we ask the congress reaffirm what is said in the ig act, which we also believe is very important in the history also strengthens that intent. that there are individuals like her general counsel who have taken upon themselves to interpret another piece of legislation to override that. and we request that congress and this committee take a look at reaffirming what they say and make sure that everyone is on the same page. i think you and i prepared to

answer any questions that you have. >> you have yielded back 20 seconds and i've never had a professional panel. thank you. we do a lot of hearings here and one of the challenges here is asking the most difficult question which is from each of your experiences, what you think the source is and when did this begin? to the extent you can say time, date, and accountable individual we inc. is the decision maker of the impediment, i would like to think that it's possible. >> is very easy to talk about

mandating the impetus and the person is the general counsel and they have taken the opportunity for this access. >> mr. elkin? >> in my case i have two agencies that i oversee including the environmental protection agency. so i have to say if we start with a clear message at the top that access will be granted, it will be granted. in the message is not clear, but you end up with the tuition so we have today. some of these started back in 2010 or 2011 and on the epa side of the house, some of the issues

actually began before i even came on board. so to answer your question directly, it starts at the top with what the expectations are that way the rest of them will march. >> our issue started in 2010 and has continued with the fbi. raising objections have also joined in when there's a long list of them in terms of them not meaning what it says. it began with this but like any infection, particularly if popular one, you are being shut out systematically. >> yes, there is a way to do that, that's what happens. >> i think you testified that on six occasions, the deputy attorney general has talked about this as you get the

information. is that correct? >> yes, approximately. >> okay, in your case, it has delayed and impeded some of the investigation more than an outright denial. is that correct? >> yes, and it compromises our independence. >> okay, in your case, you continue, in spite of the ranking member ever to not get information and that is a decision being made, is that right? >> i cannot see emphatically. >> the agency has not intervened in some of these letters and that is what i have said to i think that is a fair characterization. >> it records is a person that can intervene? >> absolutely. >> beside the general counsel,

but they are a referral point and there is an agent he had it is also not intervened to yes. >> i think about i can bring your two statements together, which i think are important, you caution us not to attempt to clarify, if you will, diminish what already is the law and you clearly said that this review, which is also going on begs the question of does that not mean what it says it means. now, i'm coming back to you for that reason. either with executive action or through congressional action, if we say this notwithstanding other laws, does that meet your

test in writing a new law on top of an already deadlocked and verify the question so there's not the endless review by the general counsel and referrals to legal review. >> yes, i think that that would be -- i think that would be quite helpful. back message clearly without any wiggle room coming from the president would help absolutely. >> with that, i use 12 seconds and i yield to the ranking member. >> elected the back to the general was asking. and so as i listen to you with your testimony, and i have thought about the issue here. the identifiable information. and it just seems like we should be able to work that out somehow

and have you gotten any further with a memorandum of understanding? >> we have a memorandum in place and we are hopeful that we can continue to do our work with a memorandum of understanding. if there is another dispute that comes up regarding what this is for details of the central salt and what that is, we are going to be back where we started going back and forth with the general counsel trying to figure that out. >> during tenures is inspector general, you work with them to identify improving the management and you've released three reports in the past month that identified ways to save money by improving the contracting process of

oversight. and the recommendations have led to many successful with one's. including the corrective actions on all of the nationwide system that protects us with exposure to radiation. is that right enact. >> that is right. >> congress has also charged with overseeing a chemical safety board what which i want to ask you about. ..

you informed the committee that they still had not fully complied with the request. you said the documents that they provided were not fully responsive. and some documents were redacted. is that right? >> that's right. >> well, recently additional documents have been provided including an redacted copies including on a 2014 you sent a letter saying there are essentially complying. the evidence we have gathered demonstrate