the presiding officer: are there any senators wishing to vote or change their vote? if not on this vote, the yeas are 47, the nays are 51. under the previous order requiring 60 votes for the adoption of this amendment the amendment is not agreed to. without objection. under the previous order, there are now two minutes of debate equally divided prior to a vote in relation to the amendment number 48 offered by the senator from new york, mrs. gillibrand. mrs. gillibrand: mr. president. the presiding officer: the senator from new york. mrs. gillibrand: mr. president i rise to urge my colleagues to vote in favor of amendment number 48 to s. 1. the presiding officer: order. mrs. gillibrand: the keystone x.l. pipeline act. as it stands now gas companies in this country do not have to comply with the safe drinking water act the law that keeps

our tap water clear safe and clean. for decades now this loophole has exempted hydrofracking and gas storage companies from this law, even though every other energy industry including oil and coal industries is legally obligated to comply. if big oil can comply with this law, so can gas companies. this special exemption is unfair it's unnecessary and it's unsafe, and my amendment would finally remove it from the law. i urge my colleagues not to let this chance pass us by. thank you. i ask for the yeas and nays. the presiding officer: is there a sufficient second? ms. murkowski: mr. president. the presiding officer: is there a sufficient second? there appears to be. the yeas and nays are ordered. the senator from alaska. ms. murkowski: mr. president claiming the one minute in opposition here, as the senator from new york has described this would apply the

requirements of the safe drinking water act to underground ejection of natural gas. currently the safe drinking water act expressly prohibits this application. this amendment to add these requirements to the safe drinking water act is beyond the scope of the immediate keystone debate. we're debating the approval of a pipeline that's going to carry oil, not goes. if the senator from new york wants to debate the issues of fracking those issues are certainly before the energy committee and the safe drinking water act. i would -- i would welcome a stand-alone bill that will have those discussions but on this measure i would oppose and encourage members to vote against the gillibrand amendment. and, mr. president i would remind members we are so close to -- to wrapping up this series of -- of amendments. if we can ask that folks just stick around for these final few, keep to the ten-minute

line. i know senator feinstein is looking to encourage the women of the senate to gather in a meal later on, and that would be important for us. thank you. the presiding officer: the yeas and nays were previously ordered. the clerk will call the roll. vote:

vote:

the presiding officer: are there any senators in the chamber wishing to vote or change their vote? if not on this vote the yeas are 35. the nays are 63. under the previous order requiring 60 votes for the adoption of this amendment the amendment does not agree to. without objection. ms. murkowski: at this time i would ask consent --

mr. president, i ask consent that the pending murkowski substitute as amended be considered original text for the purposes of further amendment. i ask unanimous consent that when the senate resume consideration consideration of s. 1 tomorrow, thursday, january 28, there be 15 minutes equally divided in the usual form and the senate proceed to vote on the following amendments in the orde oord listed -- barrasso number 245; cardin number 124; burr, number 92, as modified; daines number 246; vitter number 80, as further modified with the changes at the desk; udall number 77 and further that all amendments on this list be subject to a 60-vote affirmative threshold for adoption and that no second-degrees be in order to any of the pending amendments to this bill.

i ask consent that there be two minutes of debate equally divided between each vote and that all votes after the first in the series be 10-minute votes. i further ask that once these amendments have been disposed of, the senate agree to proceed to the motion to reconsider the failed cloture vote on s. 1 that the motion to reconsider be agreed to and the senate proceed to vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the bill upon reconsideration. i ask consent that if cloture is invoked on the bill, as amended all time postcloture be considered expired at 2:30 p.m. the presiding officer: is there objection? without objection, so ordered.

the presiding officer: the senator from alaska. ms. murkowski: mr. president i think members have been given kind of the -- the outline for tomorrow morning that takes us through a final vote on cloture so that we can get to final passage of the keystone x.l. pipeline. i appreciate the consideration the courtesy of all members. it's been a long day. we have worked through about a dozen additional amendments here if my count is correct and we have done it in pretty good order. we have done it while there have

been a number of committee meetings going on which again can be very disruptive. but i think with the level of cooperation that we've had we're able to conclude our business at a relatively civilized hour this evening. and i appreciate the good work of my partner and ranking member member senator cantwell in getting us to this place. i am hopeful that, again with the -- with the number of amendments that we've outlined for the morning and then the handful of germane amendments that we will have in the afternoon that we will be able to move on to other business before the senate. but i thank my colleagues for all of the efforts and cooperation that we've had to this point. ms. cantwell: thank you. mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from washington. ms. cantwell: mr. president, i want to thank my colleague from alaska for her hard work on this

in getting us to this process. i think our colleagues can see the daylight to finishing this up tomorrow hopefully. and i know that members have worked across the aisle on some of these remaining issues and we're still trying to work a few of them out and so hopefully tomorrow will go as smoothly as today has. but i'd like to turn now to my colleague from new mexico to call up his amendment. a senator: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from new mexico. mr. hugh dal: >> udall: i would first yield to the senator from north dakota senator heitkamp. ms. heitkamp: thank you. mr. president, on roll call number 31, i voted aye. it was my intention to vote nay. therefore, i ask unanimous consent that i be permitted to change my vote since it won't affect the outcome of the vote. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. udall: thank you. mr. president i ask consent to set aside the pending amendments so that i may call up my

amendment number 77. the presiding officer: is there objection? without objection. the clerk will report. mr. udall: i waive the reading of the amendment. the presiding officer: the clerk will report by number. the clerk: the senator from new mexico mr. udall proposes an amendment numbered 77 to amendment numbered 2. mr. udall: and let me just say to the two leaders on the floor that have participated in this open amendment process that i really appreciate the way chair chairwoman murkowski and ranking member, senator cantwell, have worked through this bill and really appreciate all your help. and i've heard at least on our side of the aisle over and over again, that this is the way the senate should be moving, this is the way we should be working. and so i think all of us are

very appreciative in how the two of you have worked together. thank you and yield the floor. ms. murkowski: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from alaska. ms. murkowski: well, i thank our colleague for the kind comments. we do have one more consent here very briefly. i ask consent that the order of votes on the burr and the daines amendment be reversed. the presiding officer: without objection. ms. murkowski: and with that, mr. president, again i thank members for their cooperation today and look forward to yet another productive day tomorrow. i yield the floor. a senator: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from north dakota. a senator:mr. hoeven: mr. president, i just want to express my appreciation to the bill managers for their hard work today and for the members for the work that was done today in a bipartisan way on this legislation. i know that both of the bill managers have spent an awful lot of time putting together these

amendments and i think they've really bent over backwards to make sure that members on both sides of the aisle had an opportunity to file their amendment, to make those amendments pending and to get a vote on the amendment. so i just want to express my appreciation to both of them for all the work that they have done and for the process today voting on amendments. with that, i yield the floor. a senator: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from north dakota. mr. hoeven: i also note the absence of a quorum. withhold. a senator: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from arizona. mr. flake: yesterday the congressional budget office c.b.o. released the budget, the economic outlook showing the forecast through 2025. it should strike fear in the heart of anybody who is

concerned about this country's financial future. the very short-term news -- the very short-term news -- is good. the deficit is projected to fall but only for another two years. in 2017, the deficit is projected to start rising again to $1.1 trillion in 10 years. that's the annual deficit. by 2025 the deficit will be 4% of our overall economy. right now the country's debt accumulated deficits over the years, accumulated debt is $18 trillion. this year we'll pay about $277 billion just servicing the debt. that amount might seem low but it's because of artificially low interest rates. in 10 years we'll pay about $827 billion a year just to service the debt. that's 3% of our economy just to pay interest off debt.

that mr. president is unsustainable. don't take my word for it, though. you can take c.b.o.'s. they said -- quote -- "such a large and growing federal debt would have serious negative consequences including increasingincreasing federal spending for interest payments, restraining the economic growth in the long term giving policy-makers less flexibility to respond to unexpected challenges, and eventually heightening the risk of a financial crisis." now, i've been working on these issues and this issue in particular for a long time and i have to admit sometimes it's tough to get people to focus on this topic. but we shouldn't be fooled in patting ourselves on the back just because we've done things like have gotten rid of earmarks. that's a good thing but it's certainly insufficient to address our spending. the culture in washington is still a culture of runaway spending, not just in earmarks, like i said, it's not just in

wasteful spinnwasteful spending, for example spending on social security, medicare and medicaid will nearly double over the next decade alone. this is not a revenue problem that we're having. projected revenues will exceed their 50-year historical average of just -- i'm sorry of 17% of g.d.p. this year. it will grow to over 18% of the economy in this decade. the culture of spending in washington is something that defies logic defies math and an honest assessment of who we are as a country. as a result, the u.s. is fast becoming a once prosperous nation. we don't want that designation. it's truly a frightening distinction. yet too few in washington are motivated to get this country's fiscal house in order. we have to wonder how bad is it going to have to get to prod

those who aren't yet motivated? some will argue that we need to take baby steps to address our fiscal crisis. i think we're well past that time. but whatever kind of steps we take we need to take them now. we need to turn this culture of spending in washington to one that will fully repair our economy that will give the private sector the stability and confidence to create jobs. we need to reform our cumbersome tax code. most of all we need to relieve future generations of the burden of our financial mess. in short it's well past time to start clawing our way out of this fiscal hole that we're in. i yield the floor. mr. whitehouse: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from rhode island. mr. whitehouse: mr. president i am here now for i guess the 87th consecutive week that the senate has been in session to urge action on climate change.

we've had an interesting couple of weeks on the keystone pipeline but from a climate change and carbon pollution point of view this would obviously not be helpful; indeed it would be a disaster leading to as much as 27 million 27 million -- 27 million -- metric tons of additional carbon dioxide emitted per year. to put that number into some perspective that is the equivalent of adding 6 million cars and trucks to our roads for 50 years. so it's a very very considerable carbon price to pay. we have seen a poster used on the senate floor that says it will have no environmental effect. that is not precisely true. indeed precisely the opposite is true. this is the environmental effect

it will have and it is considerable. what the report then went on to say was that it would be offset by the fact that this fuel would go out by rail anyway but that offset was conditioned on a fuel price above $75 per barrel of oil and we are at $50. so there is just no way that that conclusion can stand and the underlying fact is what prevails -- 27 million metric tons of additional carbon dioxide. so it's obviously very bad from an environmental perspective. it's a lot of "not much" from a jobs perspective. every four days we add more jobs than the construction of this pipeline just through the economic recovery that's taking place. and it is a little bit hard to explain except particularly when you think that this bill's going to be dead on arrival at the white house. we've known from the beginning that this is going to be vetoed.

but it has allowed the oil and the fossil fuel industry to show their hands. this is all being done on behalf of a foreign oil company and on behalf of the fossil fuel industry. and when you look at what we've been through in the past couple of days, there are some interesting choices that the senate has made if you are a foreign oil company. if you are a foreign oil company, we will let you use eminent domain to extinguish the property rights of farmers and ranchers and take their farms and ranches away. if you are a foreign oil company company, we will exempt you from the oil spill recovery fund, the federal excise tax on petroleum so that you don't have to pay the taxes that american companies do. if you are a foreign oil company company, we will not require you to use american steel in a pipeline being crossed -- being

built across america that's being touted as a source of american jobs. if you're a foreign oil company we won't require you to sell it in the american market, even though it's touted as a product that will help balance america's energy portfolio. so so far not much good to show for all of this, but one thing clooshunderstand that this exercise has at last brought of exercise of climate change to the floor of the senate. we have not had much debate about climate change since the citizens united decision back in 2010 allowing the fossil fuel industry to cast a very long shadow of intimidation across this body. they spend a huge amount of the money that has been freed up by citizens united. they spend a huge amount of the dark money that flows post-citizens united and since then the republican party has been virtually muzzled on that

subject. so having republicans talk about climate change on the senate floor was something of a revelation and i don't think we should underestimate the importance of that, or undervalue what was said. the senior senator from north carolina came to the floor and he said this: "the concept that climate change is real, i completely understand and accept. to the point of how much man is contributing, i don't know, but if does make sense that man-made emissions are contributing and the global warming effect, the greenhouse gas effect seems to me sign particularly sound. the problem is, how we fix this globally is going to require more than just the united states to be involved." which i think we all agree with. the senior senator from alaska, who is our chairman of the energy committee and the floor manager on this very bill, agreed stating that she hopes that we can all -- i will queet her -- "get beyond the discussion as to whether or not climate change is real and talk

about what do we do." so i look forward to that discussion about what do we do. it's not enough just to say okay we finally concede that climate change is really happening. we really do have to get on to what do we do. even if you disagree with me that climate change is real and very significant and consequential for our country if you'll spot me that there's just a 10% chance that i'm right, even just a 2% chance that i'm right when you consider the possible harms it's something that grown-up adult and responsible people ought to take a look at and come together and decide what to do. we've been through some very notable benchmarks. we hit for the first time last year 400 parts per million of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere for more than three months. they've been tracking this in

hawaii at the top of the mountain at mona laoa observatory now. it is a new record. and to put that in context for as long as human beings have been on this planet, all the way back to when we were living in caves, the range of carbon in the atmosphere has been 170-300 parts her million. so we're well outside the range that has been our comfortable safe range for human habitation of this planet during our human experience. and 400 is a big big move when your entire range is only 130 points and now you're 100 parts her million out of that. -- parts per million out of that. some of this lands in the oceans. the oceans have absorbed about a quufort all of our carbon emissions and you can actually go and measure their ph level. this isn't complicated not something that you have to do

with elaborate computer models. and what you see is that the ph level of the oceans is changing rapidly. the oceans are acidifying rapidly. and when i say "rapidly," they're acidifying at a rate that we have not seen in 25 to perhaps 30 or 50 million years indeed some studies say nothing like this has been seen on the face of the earth for as long as 300 million years. and when you consider that our species has been around for about 200,000 years that's a pretty long window to be launching new and dramatic changes in our oceans. there's nothing new about the science that supports this. john tyndall wrote the first report about the greenhouse gas effect to the british academy of sciences in 1861. the pages who are here who have studied history will know that 1861 was the dwhreer year that president lincoln took office.

so the scientific community has been aware of the greenhouse gas phenomenon since abraham lincoln was driving up and down pennsylvania avenue in a carriage with his tophot on. so there's not -- top hat on. so there's not much new that's there. and the data is clearer and clearer that we just continue apace to warm the planet. jonathan over-peculiar is at the university of arizona ands a is certainly feeling the heat. the professor says that the global warmth of 2014 is just a reminder that the plan set warming and warming fast. humans and their burning of fossil fuels are dominating the system like never before. it is equally clear when you look at the oceans. they not only absorb a lot of the carbon dioxide and acidify as a result, they absorb most of the heat. they absorb 90% of the excess heat that's been trapped by the greenhouse gases that we have

flooded our atmosphere with. i certainly see that in rhode island. narragansett bay's mean winter water temperatures is up three degrees fahrenheit since the 1930's when we had our big hurricane of 1938. that's significant because it means more likely storms. it's associated with sea level rise. we have ten more inches of sea level at the newport naval station. if the hurricane were to repeat itself now, it would have 10 more inches of sea to hammer against our shores. and that's not a complicated measure either. we don't that with thermometers. -- we do that with thermometers. since the industrial revolution, human beings have dumped 2 trillion metric tons of carbon dioxide into the air and into the atmosphere. 2 trillion metric tons. that said near way another way is 2,000

billion metric tons of carbon dioxide. the notion that has no effect when we've known since abraham lincoln's day that carbon dioxide is greenhouse gas gas and when we put that much in and when we can measure it is at 400 for the first time in human history, i mean, connect the dots. how much does it take in it is really pretty obvious. folks who remain skeptical -- well i know, i am no the a -- i am not a scientist. i get that. so ask one. i don't think that's too much to ask of colleagues. do we one favor. you can ask the scientists that you please. but please don't ask a scientist who's in the pay of the fossil fuel and the denial industry. there are a bunch of them that are out there. they turn up 0 at all the usual denial conferences take money from the denial organizations that all have fossil fuel industry funding behind them. go to someplace neutral. for instance, go to your own

state university, like the university of arizona or the university of oklahoma. the dean of the relevant department of the university of oklahoma started climatecentral. ask your own university. ask any major scientific organization. all the major recognized scientific organizations in the united states of america are on board, agree that this is real, agree that this is important agree that it is vital and believe that we're actually near tipping points that may make the damage irrecoverable. if you don't want to go to your home state university and if you don't want to go to america's major scientific societies try noaa and nasa. think about nasa for a moment. as i give this speech, there is a rover that is the size of an s.u.v. that is being driven around on the surface of mars. all right?

we built a rover shot it to mars landed it safely, and are now driving it around. do you think those scientists might actually know something? do you think they might know what they're talking about? you think they might merit our confidence? so ask them and see what they say. or if you want, ask some of america's leading corporations. if you are from arkansas, go and ask wal-mart. they will tell you. if you are from georgia go and ask coca-cola. they will tell you. this is not hard to discover once you get away from that little stable of denial scientists who are so closely affiliated with the fossil fuel industry. i do this every week because we have the arrogance so often here

to think how much our laws, the laws that we pass, matter. but the laws that we pass, they are passing things. they come and they go. they have their time. they are repealed, they are replaced they fall into dessitude, but some laws last. and those are the laws that god laid down upon this earth that guide its operations. those are the laws of physics the laws of chemistry the laws of buy ocialtion theof buy ocialtion the law of graph -- the law of biology the law of gravity. we cannot repeal those laws. we must face their consequences. the and we know that the

consequences of continuing to emit gig did aeemit gigatons of imongd into our planet is going to launch news an environment in which the habitability of the earth as we have known it will be put into question. history makes its judgments about every generation, and if we do not take calm and reasonable and sensible precautions about this obvious known, and admitted risk, then when that risk comes home to roost, we will be duly shamed. so let us avoid that. let us get to work. let us take advantage of the opening that the distinguished senior senator from alaska and

the distinguished senior senator from south carolina have opened for us, and let us do what is right by our country and by the judgment that we can anticipate from history. i yield the floor. if the senator from north dakota does not seek recognize nirks i will -- recognition, i will note the absence of a quorum. but if he does, i will not do so. i note the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call:

mr. hoeven: mr. president? i ask that the quorum call be suspended. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. hoeven: mr. president i

ask unanimous consent that the senate proceed to a period of morning business with senators permitted to speak for up to ten minutes each. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. hoeven: i ask unanimous consent that the senate proceed to the immediate consideration of senate resolution 50 submitted earlier today. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: s. res. 50, congratulating the ohio state university football team for win pg the 2015 college football playoff national chafn onship. -- championship. the presiding officer: is there objection to proceeding to the measure? without objection. mr. hoeven: i further ask that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid on the table, with no intervening action or debate. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. hoeven: i ask unanimous consent that the senate proceed to the consideration of senate resolution 51 submitted earlier

today. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: s. res. 51, recognizing the goals of catholic schools week and honoring the valuable contributions of catholic schools in the united states. the presiding officer: is there objection to proceeding to the measure? without objection the senate will proceed. mr. hoeven: i ask unanimous consent the resolution be agreed to the preamble be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be laid on the table with no intervening action or debate. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. hoeven: i ask unanimous consent that when the senate completes its business today it adjourn until 9:30 a.m. thursday january 29. i ask that following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour deemed expired the journal of proceedings be approved to date and the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later

in the day and the senate then be in a period of morning business for one hour with senators permitted to speak therein for up to ten minutes each with the democrats controlling the first half and the republicans controlling the final half, and that following morning business the senate then resume consideration of s. 1 under the previous order. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. hoeven: tomorrow there will be two stacks of votes on the keystone bill. senators should expect up to seven votes shortly after 11:00 a.m. and then an additional four or five votes at 2:30. if there is no further business to come before the senate, i ask that it stand adjourned under the previous order following the remarks of senator whitehouse. that has been taken care of. so i ask that it be adjourned under the previous order. the presiding officer: the senate stands adjourned until 9:30

you would be willing to tell your friends know if the law required that. >> i have to be willing to tell not just my friends know but colleagues. >> and that would include the president of the united states. >> the obligation of the attorney general is to provide a full, thorough, independent substantive legal analysis and give the best independent judgment there is which may be a judgment that says that there is a framework for not. >> you can see all of today's confirmation hearing

at eight pm eastern on our companion network. the confirmation process continues live on the judiciary committee will here testimony from character witnesses. >> here are some of our featured programs for this weekend. saturday night at 10:00 o'clock white house correspondent for american urban radio on her more than 25 years in journalism and her coverage of more than three presidential administrations. at sunday at noon on in-depth. saturday at 6:00 p.m. eastern sunday evening we

will tour the house that was the headquarters of the american red cross and learn about the life of its founder. let us know what you think about the programs you are watching.

>> alright. i am pleased to bring our next speaker up. he has not missed a winter a winter annual meeting, fully engaged in the conference. this past summer in august the mayor was kind enough to host us at gracie mansion for what we are calling a task force the new city of opportunity housing transportation, income inequality, income inequality, broadband, early childhood. he does it all in a big way.

on a personal note i just wanted to express our sympathy for officer ramo said lou in their communities. communities. let's give a round of applause. [applause] >> thank you so much. it is such a pleasure to to be here with colleagues and every time i have to tell you here the extraordinary things each and every one of you is doing. i hope you feel what i feel. inspiration and energy. as to our leader i always try our best with the president of this great conference not to revert to his previous career. if you would refer to it you might say he is our.guard and dishes the ball

generously to his fellow mayors, but i won't do that. a a great friend and a great partner in the work we're doing talking about the issues that really matter in this country today. the conference of mayors is more crucial than ever. i also want to thank you for bringing together these leaders of the federal government to actually understand our lives and our work. work. i hope you had the experience i have had. you don't need to translate to them the issues you are dealing with, explain to them the challenges and the pressures of what is going on in your city. it is refreshing to talk to leaders who instantly understand what we're saying i have to say, the president did us all a great service

by choosing these leaders from the cabinet. speaking of the pres. the, the state of the union speech was one of the clearest romance we have heard in this country in recent years as to how we address the underlying challenges we face particularly when it comes to the crucial issue of income inequality in which we as mayors experience and understand so directly, so personally every time i have gathered. i have heard such powerful stories of what you see in your cities in terms of an economy that unfortunately is still not so serving him the decline in the middle class is meant what it is meant for so many families that they don't have the assurance of the next generation.

what income inequality has meant in terms of our ability to move our cities forward. we understand that if we don't don't address income inequality head on we can progress as a city urination extraordinarily comprehensive vision of the things that would turn this crisis around that would re-energize our economy and create opportunity and fairness again and underlie the positive future for this country. it is up up to us now i believe to take the momentum created by the president's vision and deepen it in the dialogue all over this country of course, by action, which which is what we do by nature. we are 1st and foremost interested in action but we also have voices that matter deeply in the national discussion and certainly the

discussion and i state and metropolitan areas. areas. we have to use those voices even more incessantly and intensely in 2015 and 2016. this time their will be a fundamental debate on the question of income equality. the president's speech we will be the frame that will constantly be referenced that only in the presidential election to combine the elections person and congressman at all levels. if you see candidates in both parties talking more and more about the challenge of income inequality and a lack of opportunity and the concern that people have in the middle class. certainly the concern that so many have who have not yet reached the middle class these issues have now found their moment and this conversation done right is going to lead us somewhere better.

this conversation are prosecuted properly will lead to a substantive changes of the types of the secretaries were talking about that we will affect our work day-to-day. for us the price of admission is we have to demand that this be the core of the debate going forward. those you seek who seek office all over the country need to be asked at the beginning how they will address income inequality and the opportunity gap how they respond to the blueprint put forward. with that simple frame we have the opportunity to go a lot farther in the next few years now we have in the past. i won't go into an exhaustive explanation of the reality. it takes a lot of forms.

some of the statistics we have seen recently, more striking than ever. one recent study the top.1% 1 percent of the population polls 22 percent of the nation's wealth. this is an example of a change that was not this way when most of us were born. it was not this way when this nation was driving for decades of growth and strength and inclusion. it is something we have to actively address. now,. now what we have in the way of legitimacy is not only the respect that people all over this country have speak to people's lives as

chief executives who actually do each and every day with the constituents they serve an address the problems because they are immediate and real. we also have been leading the way, even when there was not federal or state support so many cities around this country are actually grappling with these issues and on. i was talking to my colleague and friend from oklahoma city that has been true in other parts of the country as well. even if even if federal and state governments have not recognize the impacts city governments in many cases found a way to move forward. what cities have done on paid sick leave and other benefits that help keep family soul and avoid economic disruption of our cities are doing on broadband access to ensure in a new economy having

pushed farther certainly well beyond what the federal government has done recognizing the actual wages necessary to see the family today. a special voice that needs to be heard. this is why our cities of opportunity task force is working intensely to come out with some of the ideas and some of the examples of what cities can achieve that we hope we will have a big impact on the debate to come by the way, if ever and attempting to make this case the argument is thrown back that somehow we are out of touch with the mood of the nation because there is lot of prognostication and punditry that suggests somehow the people are not

interested in this issue whatever you look at a chance for the people speak through the most obvious tool that people have when there's a referendum on the ballot the evidence is overwhelming that people all over the country want to address the issues of income inequality. four states for states and cities that have paid sick leave on the ballot in november. five states that have increases in the minimum wage on their ballots including an mainly republican-led states and those ballot measures passed when the people are asked, do they want new policies to address her obvious economic reality is they say yes overwhelmingly. a couple of other quick points. at the same time we address these core economic realities we no the kind of

policies that would be transcendent for us. another great example is what the president has put forward. there forward. there is a broad sense among mayors all over this country the impact of immigration we understand the need for comprehensive immigration reform a forceful executive action and it is important that we supported. as the executive action move forward it we will not only serve so many people in need no cities it we will continue to make the obvious case. we gathered the number of

mayors in new york city in december to start consistent organizing work, to support the executive action and came up with the war room concept to help each other implementing executive action on the ground and to press members of the house and senate in our areas to support comprehensive reform we have the power to do that in the power also to support our president to as we all no is under attack on this issue. i would like to welcome all my colleague mayors to join if you can. we're going to have a press conference. over 30 of us have joined together in defense of the president and put together a joint amicus brief to answer the court challenge. we think it is crucial that

when the administration is trying to help us address these core issues we intend to help organize together a series of actions around the country to support the president so near and dear to all of us what director abrams referenced before the transportation bill in may crucial moment for all of us from the previous transportation authorization ends and the fate of so much of what matters to our people hangs in the balance. one one of the things we talked about

is how to band together to suppress the congress for fairness in transportation funding from our cities, cities, fairness from a focus on mass transit and for the future of our environment and earth. we have a chance to turn the tide and create the kind of momentum. we will be working together on this not just the congressman that represent our city per se but the ones that represent our entire metropolitan area our state as a whole and say

with one voice that things like the transportation bill transcend politics and are about our economic stability and future. working together with our business community, labor communities, civic organizations we can create a critical massachusetts at this moment people are more receptive than ever to the kind of investments that we will move the country forward. we have the ability to spark a different discussion locally. we all no their will be some members of the house and senate who may be a bit hesitant or have ideological reasons. when they feel the full weight of our ability to crystallize support and.out that i'm metropolitan areas cannot possibly thrive and compete going forward without trotsky for proper transportation funding i think we can make a world of difference. all over our cities in the last week or two celebrate

the birthday of doctor martin luther king jr. what he meant to the nation and thought obviously about his achievements of the movement he helped to build in terms of civil rights. we we all no that he was a passionate voice for economic fairness and i often i often think if you were here today it would be undoubtedly struck favorably by some of the progress that has been made in terms of inclusion by some of the that has developed around the country and that the same time i am certain doctor king would look with some shock and some pain at how deep income inequality is in this country and how we have not progressed on that front. it is the issue of our times we have a particular ability to break through on this ability in the here and now

and have an opportunity to take the concept of fairness and equality and freedom and turn it into the kind of actual tools and policies that we will uplift our people. this this is the moment to break through. i i want to thank you all for what you do every day i especially want to thank you for what you can do raising your voice is to make some of these changes. changes. thank you and god bless you. >> here are some of our featured programs for this weekend.

>> more from the us conference of mayors winter meeting. former mayors take part in the session transportation secretary agriculture secretary ann white house intergovernmental affairs director. they talk about having served as mayors. [applause] >> are we ready?

yesterday you heard from doctor barber. well, i am starting to think that pres. obama must have read that book. he is appointed is appointed three former mayors to his cabinet. we have to give him them a round of applause for that. we have an incredible presentation over the last couple of days with a great relationship with this administration and a fellow we will we will be interesting to bring the mayors back to our meeting and have an open and honest dialogue.

i i want to you with their perspective is. i. i want to introduce one at a time. are you ready? plan on music row. first, sec. 1st secretary of agriculture, former mayor on mount pleasant in iowa. went on to become a state senator in 1992 but with the administration since 1999.

next up came on the national scene a couple of years, done a great job. i am proud to say he was a part of this organization the secretary of hud. he has assumed this new office and is doing great things. all right. the power hitter slot. he was mayor in louisville

and then smashed out and combine the city and county's. he came back and served as mayor this transportation person is not area. i am going to introduce and now. i will put it in perspective why he is not here. he was designated during the

state of the union as a designated survivor. he is the 1st -- a member of the us a part of the administration appointed to be at a physical distant, secure, and undisclosed location. we just found them and i getting him out of the bunker. he will be here in short order. a round of applause for the secretary of transportation. [applause] >> you guys ready? all right. great. we start off on and then jump into some serious topics. maybe you on the end. give us a better background. going back to when you were

in city hall what do you think they most need to know about the federal government to back. >> it is important for folks to no the broad array of programs available. i had no idea of the opportunities that existed in partnership. i think the onus is on us and the federal government to provide better understanding of programs. we we can do a much better job of communicating to mayors. when when you think of the agricultural department you may think, what has he been doing. well we do infrastructure projects. refinance homes. we have about 19,000 businesses locate and expand when people look at the us department of agriculture

you want to no all about our programs. we certainly welcome the mayors here today. for our larger cities it's all about nutrition and nutrition assistance. i had a chance to talk about the important roles that mayors play. there is an opportunity here for great partnership. >> secretary castro -- and i don't mean this in a cynical way, but how do you grade the administration's performance in terms of meeting the needs of the city's or what can they be doing better. >> it's a great question. i give it a high grade. these are the urban communities is going to be that whatever it's like communities and from the sounds choice neighborhood effort strikes is a strong

communities, with the administration has done better than any before is to organize itself across the silos, across the department of the federal government and to encourage local communities to mirror that at the local level. to the extent that those relationships at the local level, that way of doing business takes greater hold because of the work that has been done, not only are we serving cities well today but for the long haul your serving cities well. >> breaking down the silos

which is important. once a mayor always a mayor. how is your perspective being a mayor than helpful or different maybe from people that currently work in the federal government? >> i have the opportunity to be mayor for over two decades and therefore have the opportunity to work with the person in my position starting with president reagan all the way through to where we are today and i think what is interesting that i see, the little over two months i have been in my position is that there is great deal of interest in all levels inside the white house as developing ideas and developing initiatives are occurring i great deal of interest in terms of what is happening at the local level. to be able to be realistic and develop and grow out of the program take for example

the president's initiative on free community college. you have to understand from listening to mayors and others that the community colleges and workforce training is important and it should rise to a.on the agenda that is well ingrained in the administration schedule and agenda for the next few years. i could go through so many of those issues that they reach out to me and that i reach out to you to find out what's going on in your communities around the country regarding these initiatives and if the white house did this what would it mean for your community. if the white house to that you have an administration with more of a focus on communities, local government than i have certainly seen in my two decades plus because of gentleman like the two next to me and others who have

had the local government experience the reality is there is lot of focus. very helpful for us. he and when an election. >> is my question from you. he served as mayor, mayor, state senator, the governor, secretary of this administration all those distinguished offices. which do you prefer and why. >> i think it would be easier for me to answer which one i like the least. the people the people in this room all have something in common executive

personalities. we want to to get things done make decisions, see results. as. as a mayor, governor, and secretary, you have that opportunity. i love this job that i have now. with all due respect to the people in this room because i serve at the pleasure of one guy. but in a sense being the sec. of agriculture is like being mayor of all the small cities and towns across rural america. it is in the sense being sense being governor of 50 states for rural america because all that you do as mayors and governors do as sec. of agriculture is able to do. it is a job that i love and the job i am well prepared for because of my experience as a mayor and governor. >> let me ask you a follow-up. during during your time as secretary of agriculture he showed an incredible

openness and sensitivity to our concerns. what -- transportation has arrived. and undisclosed location. running the country. sec. what do you see is the natural next step for cities in this growing movement to expand urban farming efforts and increase healthy food access our cities? >> this is a great question and a terrific opportunity for mayors. first it does require your staff to fully understand all the tools available. we have microloans for folks who want to get started, loans up to $50,000 the ability to extend the growing season by financing. we we can provide resources to cities to establish farmers markets. we have a direct that

basically gives you information about where the opportunity exists. all of this is designed to build an urban agricultural opportunity that many people enjoy. i was in des moines just the other day at a homeless shelter where they are basically training some of the returning vets who have fallen on hard times through this urban arab cultural experience, and it was a wonderful thing to see people begin to learn a skill and understand the nurturing aspect of growing something. it really is a powerful tool we are open for business. we have our know your a farmer compass on the website. encourage you to take a look and folks to reach out to me. it would be be happy to partner with you we have mobile units moving around the city with fresh produce, expanding the food stamp and snap program so that they can be used in farmers markets.

talking talking again the several mayors about the summer feeding program where we reimburse summer meals. and to the extent that you are running your school districts we want to encourage you to participate in our school lunch program and benefits program. there are simple ways to reduce the administrative expenses involved. lots of opportunities for partnership. >> we will be at the white house today, but would love to get more information. secretary you made a commitment that stressed the big picture, community development and importance of local vision. could you talk a little bit about these efforts and what you think this partnership looks like for local leaders

>> i have -- one of the things i have been talking about lately is if you think about this 21st-century delivery in a -- living in a century of cities across the world in places like china and india, those nations are organizing a faster rate than ever. cities are hot again. people are moving back particularly the younger generation. and so the challenge out there for cities and competing in the 20th century mobile economy to make your city as lovable as possible. that is really the underpinning of our place -based initiatives like choice neighborhoods promise neighborhoods, promise owns, strong cities, strong communities, and a host of others. how can we work with you from soup to nuts, plant execution to create a livable environment again,

that cuts across silos. you want neighbors that are safe, vibrant safe vibrant in terms of the cultural amenities, that have access to good transit, strong educational opportunities that are accessible and hospitable for different age groups and we would love to share more information with folks who are interested about applying for choice or for promise. and just to go back briefly the other thing i would say is that as someone who has been here five and a half months i can say that there is some truth to the squeaky wheel getting the grease. don't be shy.

>> one quick follow-up. do you believe that cities -- this could have a meaningful impact on our cities in terms of -- >> i do. i cited the example of austin that a few years ago set-aside bonds specifically for affordable housing. if you look at the landscape of what has happened at the federal level piercing dollars that have been essential. cdbg has fallen by 25 percent since 2010. it has been cut in half. federal federal resources like the general budget environment have been constrained and i think local communities have to find more ways to be able to invest in affordable housing. some housing. some communities use housing trust funds, but looking at preserving part of your bond issue for affordable housing

where the constituents can specifically vote on that as a ballot measure, so it is their choice and you can sell it that way makes a lot of sense and i hope folks will consider that. >> we spend a lot of time complaining about the state governments. how is your perspective different. >> the 1st thing i thought was interesting you forgot to say governor. you know in my new role of love them all and it creates an opportunity for me to bring to the attention of mayors the importance of engaging with their states. if this slave age with the type of dollars available for services collaboration

is the name of the game. ultimately it creates that kind of a base upon which you can grow your communities and support and deliver services. it is different up here in terms of the interaction with governors, lieutenant governors and state legislators and even some of your city council people from time to time but the bottom line is you are the chief executive, the guys and gals who are the centers of innovation. if there's anything going on exciting it's happening to you through your communities , those working hand in glove with the counties and states. that is the way i see it. i want to no what the former mayor of charlotte is doing.

>> roll-on. >> is trying to help you out >> i got it. >> secretary, here is the 1st question. when you are a city hall what did you want most from the federal government when you are mayor. >> i wanted money money for transportation, money for housing money for everything i could think of. >> trying to understand what we're going to ask you for later. >> i will the for those questions. >> i think we had a vision for our community built on top of conversations with the government labor meetings and the challenge that i ran into was the running into ahead when the

economy. my job was to keep my communities forging ahead on that vision. i vision. i think what you are the president say this week about how the long winter has passed and we are moving into a new station where we need to be confident and focused and determined and moving forward, free of the constraints of the great recession is absolutely right and i encourage folks to dust those plans off left of the country get people connected to the 21st century economy and grow america into the future >> you talked about investing in charlotte's transit system. now in the in the administration you have the proposal of renewing. he made higher transit and spending a key priority.

how how can i help you in securing a higher commitment >> you know it ties back to what i was just saying. our our country has gotten used to infrastructure. and and yet when we look back to generations ago those folks were not thinking small. think about the fact that we have more manufacturing activity in this country that we have over the last 15 years 15 years and have opportunities to get more and part of even getting the real leverage effect of this new economy from having the ability to move goods from one place to the other. my feeling is 1st of all you have to be clear with your leaders here in washington, house members senators about what your vision is.

you have to be clear on why that vision is happening. i think we do have the big dent working together and helping congress realize it is not going to take us very far. putting more investment in infrastructure so you can realize your vision. we need to grow the investment. >> let me add just a couple of things. a very a very difficult issue. congress refuses to give him a five-year horizon. so 18 consecutive continuations of funding for department of transportation short-term. encourage your friends in congress to give all of you a five-year horizon so

you're confidently while funding. [applause] we need to figure out creative ways to unlock the capitol. we had a conference he last year in july with investment bankers, commercial bakers pension plans asking them what it would take for us to be able to leverage our federal go to file federal dollars more effectively. we are learning the need for our projects to be bundled. we do -- we have done nearly 5,000 super projects since i have been secretary. one-off projects are not of much interest but if you could combine five or six or ten or 50 or a hundred you can actually unlock a lot of private sector resources. one thing mayors are to

thinking about doing is reaching out to find out how we at the city level could do the same thing. >> last question and then you we will be caught up. you know how important airport investments are in terms of driving local economies. to economies. to expand our airports we increasingly rely. how how can we support the administration's proposal to raise that gap and how can we support your efforts and vice versa? >> this is a vitally important issue. right now $4.57. we have proposed lifting that to a dollars which -- these are monies that airports can use collectively to improve their facilities.

it takes a little bit of the structure of the airport improvement program to put that money in the local levels. we we are big supporters and this is a place where i think conveying directly to members of congress how this impacts you the plans that you have for your air force dollars that could be used to enhance that vision. that is the area of disconnect. there is a very vocal lobby against increasing those passenger facility charges. the more counter story there is based on real tangible improvements and you convey that that's the most important thing you can do. >> what does the administration need from us? we have our needs and what

we want. i will ask that last question to each of you. >> the bottom line is, we need your energy commitment, and we don't need you to sit back and city hall and complain. get engaged to ensure that they understand the programs, the projects initiatives that the president has put forward, what it would mean. i just sit with folks who are -- for many years lately who have constantly sat around the table and complain and complain and then do you vote? well, no. did you ever contact your congressman, talk with your senator? constituents, the citizens of this country responding connect with their congressperson's.

otherwise those individuals are left as independent contractors doing their own thing. thing. you are their where the rubber hits the road. putting into reality for your federal electives what it means if community colleges for free, and child care tax credit was passed what it means if the investment in infrastructure would occur in the continuation and expansion of the legislation. you have to make it real. that is where we look to you to check with us if you don't follow our understanding initiatives being put forward so that you have all the facts and then engage with your conference persons. >> i think jerry said it well. advocacy. we need good partners for the interests of urban communities in the united states. in some ways i think that america is falling in love

again with cities. folks are choosing cities again, but that is not always reflected in the priorities in state legislatures and in the congress. you have a powerful voice to help make that happen. i would say that that really hit the nail on the head. >> i would say it continues to advocate. educating people about the fact that their are many aspects of government that are working well. far too often we have a tendency to focus on things that are working and ignore the reality that many services that you all are providing are indeed providing valuable services to people. you need you need to connect the dots that this is government working. certainly we need to do this as well. i mention some some of the things we were doing a usda.

that is government working. there are probably a multitude of examples in this room from cities projects, programs. educating the public about the important role that government is playing well provide some emphasis and energy behind the advocacy. >> am going to offer a a counterintuitive idea. mayors are uniquely positioned to do something that i think is impossible for washington to do to help us bring down the walls between this urban and rural divide that is after this country. the reality is that there is poverty in rural poverty and

if you look at how metropolitan areas are organizing increasingly there is an urban core suburban ring in the rolling around it. if it is more visioning done it brings those elements together at the local level an and enormous opportunity to solve problems. trying to unearth thinking that can happen at the local level because i i think one of the most essential things we can do is to really vision while at home and have folks working on on together. awesome. [applause]

maher: you want to thank you because we no you guys are busy and it never said no. for us to have the real drinking here with us today. one lightning round questions. have fun with it. best all-time movie. >> the graduate. >> all right. [applause] >> sec. fox, what would you eat as your last meal on earth? >> zero, man. >> braised steak with french fries. >> absolutely. ..

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