of state john kerry talking about international trade, and house democratic leader, nancy pelosi giving here weekly briefing. the president today making a statement apologizing for a drone struck near the pakistan-afghanistan border that killed two hostages being held by al qaeda. the civilians were italian national giovanni lo porto, and american warren weinstein. mr. weinstein lived in maryland just outside of washington, dc. a one-time truck driver in brooklyn college professor who learned to speak ten languages languages languages and traveled the world to provide assistance to people in dangerous places. he worked for usaid when he was kid indianed the pakistan four years ago. here their president's remarks from the white house earlier today. >> this morning i want to express our grief and

condolences to the families of would two hostages one american dr. warren weinstein and an italian, giovanni lo porto, who were tragically killed in a u.s. counterterrorism operation. warren and giovanni were aid workers in pakistan, devoted to improving the lives of the pakistani people. after warren was abducted by al qaeda in 2011. i directed my national security team to do everything possible to find him and to bring him home safely to his family. and dedicated professionals across our government worked tirelessly to do so. we also worked closely with our italian allies on behalf of giovanni who was kidnapped in 2012. since 9/11 our course terrorism efforts have prevent terrorist attacks and saved innocent

lives, both here in america and around the world. and that determination to protect innocent life only makes the loss of these two men especially painful for all of us. based on information and intelligence we have obtained we believe that a u.s. counterterrorism operation targeting an al qaeda compound in the afghanistan-pakistan border region, accidentally killed warren and giovanni this past january. yesterday i spoke with warren's wife elaine and prime minister renzi of italy. as a husband and as a father i cannot begin to imagine the anguish the weinstein and lo porto families are enduring today. i realize there nor words that can ever equal their loss. i know there is nothing that i can ever say or do to ease their heartache, and today i want to

say this at president and commander in chief, take full responsibility for all our counterterrorism operations including the one that inadvertently took the lives of warren and giovanni. i profoundly regret what happened. on behalf of the united states government, i offer our deepest apologies to the families. as soon as we determined the cause of their death, i directed that the existence of this operation be declassified and disclosed publicly. i did so because the weinstein and lo porto families deserve to know the truth. and i did so because even as certain aspects of our national security efforts have to remain secret in order to succeed, the united states is a democracy, committed to openness and good times and in bad. our initial assessment indicates that this operation was fully consistent with the guidelines under which we conduct counterterrorism efforts in the region, which has been our focus

for years because it is the home of al qaeda's leadership. and based on the intelligence that we had obtained did including hundreds of hours of surveillance. we believe that this was an al qaeda compound, that no civilians were present and that capturing these terrorists was not possible. and we do believe the operation did take out dangerous members of al qaeda. what we did not know tragically, is that al qaeda was hiding the presence of warren and giovanni in this same compound. it is a cruel and bitter truth that in the fog of war generally, and our fight against terrorists specifically mistakes sometimes deadly mistakes can occur. but one this that sets america apart from other nations, makes us exceptional, is our

willingness to confront squarely our imperfections and learn from our mistakes. already i've directed a full review of what happened. we will identify the lessons that can be learned from this tragedy and any changes that should be made. we'll do our utmost tone sure it is not repeated and do everything we took prevent the loss of innocent lives not just innocent americans but all innocent lives in our counterterrorism operation. today we join their families and friends in honoring warren and giovanni. two humanitarians from different countries who but who were united bay spirit of service. for decades warren lived the ideals of our country serving with the peace corps and later with the united states agency for international development. he devoted his life to people across africa and south asia. he was a loving husband, father,

and grandfather, who willingly left the comforts of home to help the people of pakistan. at of his abduction he was a usaid contractor focusing on helping pakistani families escape poverty and give a better life to their children. giovanni's rue man tareanism also took him around the world. to the central africa republic, to haiti and pakistan. like warren he fell in love with pakistan and its people and believed he could make a difference in their lives. giovanni's service reflected the commitment of the italian people, our great allies and friends, 0 to the security and dignity of people around the world. and today is a reminder of the bonds of friendship between our countries and the shared values that bind americans and italians together. there could be no starker contrast between these two

selfless men and their al qaeda captors. warren's work benefited people across states. meanwhile, al qaeda boasted to the world it held warren citing his jewish faith. al qaeda held both men for years, even as warren's health deteriorated. they deprived these men of prescious,,id with families who miss them terribly. amid grief that is unimaginable i pray that these two families will find some small measure of solace in knowing that warren and giovanni's legacy will endure. their service will be remembered by the pakistani men, women and children whose lives they touched and made better. their spirit will live on in the love of their families, who are in our thoughts and prayers today, especiallys we lane, they're carolina, alicia and jennifer, and their families, and the shining

example of these two men will stand as a light for people world over 'owho see suffering answer with compassion, who see hatred and offer their love. who see war and work for peace. may god bless these two brave men and may he watch over and comfort their families for all the years to come. >> k on the next washington are journal we look at the white house correspondents dinner. we take at brothers who are political opposites and creators of the document "woodhouse divided in the" and then the president and ceo of the mayo clinic is their discuss a new medicare law and the future of health care in america.

washington journal leave if a morning and you can join the conversation with your calls and commentses on facebook twittedder. president obama will address the more than 2600 attendees in the ballroom, and this year's entertainment is ceciley strong. >> secretary of state john kerry was at the atlantic council to talk about international trade and how trade agreements could affect the local economy. before his remarks the panel discussed how congress could take action on future trade deals and the role of china in these talks. this is an hour and 40 minutes.

>> good morning, everyone. i you can take your seats. we're about to get started. >> good morning i'm president and ceo of the atlantic council, you're all joining us for what i hope will be a historic moment. secretary of state john kerry will be joining it a 10:00 a.m. to provide keynote remarks for the launch of our new trade and national security initiative. we're also building a business coalition for trade and security to help highlight the joeow political -- the geopolitical implications the barack obama administration's -- but to the costs of inaction and failure, and so any of you who are

interested in getting more information on that please contact me in any office directly. the secretary will discuss the vital importance of trade in securing the firefighter of u.s. leadership the world, making strong partners of our allies and strengthening their economies which helps us here at home. american leaders have understood the strategic logic of trade at least since franklin roosevelt roosevelt signed the trade agreement act of 1934, which through its five years, ultimately included 19 trade agreements. don't forget what a historic moment that was in the history of the 20th century. many years and a world war later, president kennedy called the reciprocal trade program, quote ex-an expression of america's free world leadership. president kennedy made a lot of news around the world in 1963

with his speech as he stood up for the defense of a free west berlin. less remembered was he speech the same week a bit earlier, at the st. paul's church in frank -- frank future. and he made the call for almost sounded like an economic nato. said kennedy quote, indeed, economic cooperation is needed throughout the entire free world by opening our markets to the developing done trophies africa, asia, and lattin america, by contributing our skills by stabilizing basic prices we can help assure the them of favorable climate for freedom and growth and then he end that quote with, this is an atlantic responsibility. so today, we gather at a moment of new atlantic responsibility. the idea of trade being

geopolitically important isn't a particularly new one, but we do have an important new inflection point which we here at the atlantic council -- and i've said often -- feel is as important as the end of world war i in 1919 the end of world war ii in 1945, 1961 in per lynn the end of to the cold war in 1989. what galvanized our work at the atlantic council is conviction each of those moments in history it's been u.s. leadership among our friends and allies or lack thereof, that has shaped the future. it's certain if we don't lead others will fill the void as seen in ukraine and syria.trk likes basketball. and he has referred to the last two years of his second term as the fourth quarter of his presidency. and as the clock ticks down, he is make something big bets on foreign policy fronts on iran in particular and cuba and elsewhere.

yet for all the publicity those efforts have gained, their completion would not do as much to shape a new world order and ensure its norms of behavior through this defining moment as the obama trade agenda which could bring two-thirds of the world's economies under a set of strictures that are very trendily to what we have tried to create with our allies after the end of world war ii and that's what we're here to discuss today. timing couldn't be better. while secretary kerry makes his arguments here, u.s. trade representatives michael froman is in japan to close the remaining gaps on the transpacific partnership the u.s. and eu are hosting the ninth round of talks in new york city. last week, a bipartisan trade promotion authority bill was introduced in the senate republicans ted cruz and paul ryan endorsed in "the wall street journal" yesterday. so with that being set, let me

turn to foreign press of individuals who are uniquely qualified to talk about the connection between american economic strength and the place of these trade investment agreements and national security and i'll also ask them to come to the stage as i introduce them. for our audience and online we welcome your participation in this dialogue. our twitter hash tag today is hash tag ac trade. so let me repeat that, hash tag actrade. carol at dinson is the deputy national security adviser for international economic affairs at the white house. no one better quad to address these issues -- qualified to trace these issues and provide insight into the obama administration residents trade efforts. general jim jones -- you can make it to the stage -- chairman of our brent scowcroft center on international security and atlantic council board director. former national security adviser

to barack obama, former supreme allied commander of europe, there's perhaps no one who has been more consistent spokesman about the connection between national competitiveness and national security. ambassador paula -- also a board director at the atlantic council. she'll provide a republican view on this democratic president's legacy moment, and can give us insaying into how the trade initiative is being viewed from the other side of the aisle in many ways it was the mid-term elections. this is the one legacy moment gets made easier by the last elections than harder. she serve as undersecretary of state for global affairs, and we are delighted to be joinedly australia's ambassador to the u.s. kim beasley.

he is a rhodes scholar, former deputy prime minister, minister of difference and finance and former prominent member of the australian parliament. so let me sit down and get this conversation going. the panelists don't have prepared comments so what i'll do is i'll ask them questions down the line but just to make it as informal as possible, if you see even in this opening round, one of the speakers said something you'd like to comment on feel free to jump in and we'll do it in a little less formal fashion. so for caroline, how much of a legacy moment is this for the president? how does this -- the president see this in the context of everything else he is trying to get done in the world, and how are you going to get democratic

members of congress to give you the backing you need to get i through? i think i'm right that's more of a question at the moment than it is republican. >> well, thanks very much fred and i want to say even though these are not formal remarks, thanks for your leadership in having this session and with all these terrific panel members. i believe this is a really important moment. of course for the president and the president's legacy, but more important, for america and american leadership around the world. this notion of -- that you expressed of trade that will link our allies and partners covering two-thirds of global gdp, with setting standards by which trade will be conducted in this enormous area first in asia the fastest growing region in the world, and then with europe with our allies, is an important moment both for your

economy, because it will be good for american workers and companies, and others, and consumers, but also for our leadership in the world. you mentioned about democrats and you pointed out at the beginning that there was a bipartisan bill introduced last week. overnight, the senate finance committee reported out a markup of tpa and trade promotion authority and other bills with a 20-6 majority which is very strong. >> congratulations. >> thank you. so many people working very hard on this. so, including the president. so i think we have seen the president's leadership. he was been very clear, very much out there arguing for why this is a good deal for america. it's also very important for everybody in america and for our allies and partners. >> so talk to me about -- more about the bill, and then we'll get the geopolitical arguments.

if you look at the 20-6 vote obviously that's not a vote for tpp. it's a vote for tpa. what will be harder in the tpp, transpacific partnership snow who does one have to convince and what are the most important arguments both for workers of america, and how do the -- it's very interesting, most often administrations make economic arguments around trade. we're talking now about national security arguments, geopolitical arguments. talk about who needs to be convinced, what are the questions about tpp that need to be satisfied and how does the geopolitical argument work. >> i think the first argument is an economic one. so people need to be satisfied that tpp will be good for america and will be good for american workers and american families. we believe and the president believes it will be. we know that export support in our economy, 11 million jobs.

we know that export growth has accounted for a third of the growth we have had since the crisis in 2009, and research shows that jobs sport it by exports tend to be better paid than other jobs by as much as 18% more than other jobs. so all of these elements are ones that are very good for american families. beyond that, the tpp itself includes not just market access but a wide range of so-called disciplines that will spread from our values and our labors on labor, labor rights on the environment, on protection of intellectual property, which helps to promote innovation that americas the american economy strong and other areas that will make if much more than an ordinary free trade grandma --

free trade agreement. it's being referred to as a progressive trade agreement. in the sense that it supports american values. so the economic argument -- americans need to be convinced this guess for them, and actually recent polling suggests that a majority of american does believe that exports are good for them and that trade can be good for them. but of course there is a lot of concern about globalization, stagnant wages. those concerns are real which is partly why we need to make sure that we are in the lead establishing a level playing field. we believe once we have that level playing field through the rules, america can do well and can beat the other countries in terms of being able to sell our goods. on the geostrategic, which links with the economy, first of all

the products we make and sell, the openness of our economy kim was speaking earlier how much american investment there is in asia. all of these packets of our economy help to build our partnerships with other countries strengthens those partnerships. at the same time our leadership in developing and promoting and working with others on the agreement, is -- helps to strengthen and deepen those ties, and if you allow me -- we'll hear from our nation's chief diplomat on this, but i would like to remind everybody of what the secretary of defense, ashcroft says just a couple of weeks ago itch he asked to choose between pp and an aircraft carrier, we choo tpp. from his strategic perspective how to keep america safe and strong. >> but wouldn't be able to land jets on that.

>> he can do more than land jets on it. tpp does more than that. >> that's a good segway to the general. the -- how do the me a recents feel about the choice between aircraft carriers and tpp and that's kind of a frivolous, but underlying serious question, you gave a speech to the national defense industry -- industrial association where you said that the administration should broaden the national security council's role to encompass more energy matteres. we not looking comprehensive enough at first how we define national security and how we use our national security tools and to this grabs nicely off of the aircraft carrier tpp. >> i think this is really an exciting time. i am fully enthusiastic about

what the administration is trying to do here. we have great u.s. trade rep in mike froman, and secretary's use of commercial diplomacy is one of the bright things that really going on in our approach to world affairs. i it recognizes we have -- i think it recognizes we made the transition from 20th century problem-solving to 21st 21st century problem-so muching the 20th century was pipe -- bipolar sister. in the 21st century globalization is the reality, and the relationship, particularly in this country, between the and can private sector is on a course of convergence versus divergence. one of the sectors that is universally admired and recognize it is the american

private sector, and when you think about the developing world and the growth of africa and what is going on, even dealing with the problems of mr. putin is causing, a large part of the solutions are economic. when you think about it. energy security is something i've been convinced is not only going to be one of the united states' strongest hold cards in the future, but -- hole card inside the future but a way of showing leader palestine a more globalized world that recognizes the important changes between the two centuries. this century's problems are going to be solved not just by aircraft carriers and troops i think the formula is obviously you have to have security before

you can have domestic development, but security and economic development and rule of law applied to each individual problem can bring about and prevent future conflicts future afghanistans, future iraqs. it's a lot cheaper. it's also a way in which you can answer the radical threats it face biz showing familyies around the worlds, through the use of the internet and social media, that there are better ways and there are brighter opportunities for their families and their children, and the economic trade issues that we're bringing to the fore now are indicative of the kind of potential the united states can unleash with it tremendous private sector. so the coming together of organizations like this, like the national security council to

encompass a much broader response to what are the traditional threats, the secretary of commerce's aggressive program, the u.s. treasurer work. i think this is really the way of the future. i'm very excited by the potential. >> drill down on that a little bit, particularly in the energy sector which you talk a lot about and quite passionate about. the transatlantic trade investment partnership tpp, what could that mean for expanded access to suddenly plentiful american energy for our partners? how do we use energy as national security tool? this may come back to you, caroline, because many of our allies would like an energy charter which is not on -- also they would like to have finance but that's another issue. should an energy charter be in

this? is the u.s. open to that? first caroline and then to you. >> i think that the way we use energy and the way we see energy in the future has to be a global approach. it can't just -- i cringe a little bit when i hear the term -- that energy is -- we have ours and everybody else is kind of on their own. i think that the difference between the russian president's position, which tends to use energy as a weapon, and ours is completely different. should be completely different. we can use energy and our good fortune in energy and technology to help developing countries skip the pollution stage of energy. sharing technology. providing american leadership, and leadership of our friends

and allies holistically to help jump start economies from struggling economies all over the world. you need energy. those who have it are blessed. those who don't, need it. and to me. enlightened american foreign policy should include the ways in which we'll try to make energy and climate an issue that is -- that typifies all of the best qualities of american leadership. ...

>> for anyone who wants to work on that report, senator jones is the cochair. so it's really gaining traction at the moment here. >> i would pick up on what the general said which is that we need to do and we are working on with energy and climate seeing that as part of our general and

national security and international work. and so this is part of the global economy and we are already seeing ed in that and we are working intensively with china on climate and clean energy there, sharing technology and we are working with india and other countries especially on how to work towards this stage as the general is pointing out. so the department of energy licenses they have a very large private sector. and we also have a link with

countries that have a pre-trade agreement and so that will expand the most automatic licenses for projects in those regions, we have worked a lot with europe in the last 15 months and there is a g-7 track with ministers. and we have also worked with in europe especially in some parts of europe there is room for energy efficiency and room for breaking down the european energy market and at the moment they do not send the gas into europe because there is no way to transmit it. so they put it onto asia. so we have wind power in the north sea that cannot get to where it's needed with the south. so there are many issues and we

certainly believe in promoting a strong global market for oil and gas and other energies and of course the green energy as well. >> at this point there is not a particular need. >> yes exactly. >> okay, drawing upon your career in government talking both about the national security objectives that are locked in with trade agreements and perhaps you can also talk about how hard it is to get these deals done. and it's crucial to this end she said to me that they have no idea and it takes a huge amount of effort and a huge amount of concentration to push one of these quite ambitious situations

through. >> let me congratulate you and the atlantic council for bringing us together. because the focus this morning is not just on economics which i think is quite important, but it's pointing out how these trade agreements are really absolutely crucial for international security and let me start with that one. because obviously there are the political elements and with trade economic standing it's so integral and interwoven with the military standing and the ability to show strength and to be able to achieve this objective. i remember when the admiral the chairman of the joint chiefs had said, that we have to worry greatly about our economy. and the integration here is not

just about the aircraft carrier and that matters, but it is also about your economic standing and what impact that has. so let me mention two others that are sometimes often forgotten and that is referred to the importance of values and standards and here there is also a paradigm that has been established and again, it is interwoven with other paradigms, military alliances and what they need and not just only that but also the kinds of humanitarian alliances that you have and the rule of plot and the values that we have, oftentimes with the global challenges that we have around the world you know it does contribute in this case to the international global order and paradigm. and then there is a fear that i

would put forth and that is one that we look at and also audiences in asia and europe. and that is how you build a consensus at home. and that leads to greater consensus in the arena and that has been a challenge for us in the in terms of trying to galvanize that support and point out that state that we have events abroad. i believe strongly that these elements are part of this if we go forward, if we have the agreement it bolsters this end and turn it helps to build a consensus at home for dealing with national security challenges abroad. >> okay, so you see a direct connection taking this a step

too far between the conclusive and the strengthening of nato. >> there are direct connections and we know in regard to this one of the mandates we want to see is greater burden sharing and towards that and if you bolster the economy, you're going to have resources to be devoted in the national security area as well as a deepening of things and there is a challenge here to the alliance. so this can only undermine our strength and our foundation of strength and not just in the military but economically. even basic questions of transport. so when you think down to the details, these trade agreements can have a great impact. and i think that the important elements here is the fact that europe is looking at a diversified approach and i think that in that sense that only

adds value and it is interconnected clearly with the agreement. so it's a win-win situation. the other part of your question is very difficult and i had it from the other side of the ledger that caroline mentioned labor and environment, i spent my time when i was in government in dealing with environmental issues which are part of these questions. but let me just say that it is doable and it requires patience and it requires being able to listen, not only to put forth your own objectives but also to listen and you have to have give and take. and i firmly believe that these agreements in the end even with the kind of give-and-take of challenges that exist like in the agricultural area the bottom line is that everyone realizes who'll be around the table and who is around the table and they realized that you

give this here, but you get benefits there. so patience and leadership, multilateral perspective and of course looking at your own interests and also i think also two other important aspects, i think the executive alleges weight of relationship matters and i also think the ngo community and business community matters. so in that sense in terms of this, it matters greatly because you have to have the voice of the business community and also the nongovernmental community. patients and openness truly matters. >> i am just going to be part of the panelists for 30 seconds to agree. to add one other thing and that is 15 years of europe having had half the rate of growth in the u.s. is actually not good for us and it's not good for our

security or geopolitics either. so we are seeing potentially more resistance to this in europe than in the u.s. and we have to see how that but you know that the programs are really pushing forward to the growth initiative as not just this but a national security story and since you have been appointed here you have been a strong supporter of free trade and concluded agreements with japan and korea and most interestingly that is where i want to go with this question, with the asia pacific economy growing faster than any part of the world, how have these trade agreements benefit australia but you already have this bilateral agreement with the u.s. and so why do you need this and then what do you do about china? and that part of ttp.

>> that's a totally different plan. we are going in place the asian nations that love organizing the trade agreements between them. and i think the three that we have negotiated with with and china are more exciting. but partly what is driven with by the education that is being delivered in the countries and the region following what has been part of the ttp and getting an understanding of how much more they ought to be including in their trade agreements. and and it is generating to a considerable degree and they have a last resort as the

obvious to bates that are being taken place. these are part of the debates. after the ttp ite and a half precent. if not, it will be 1.5%. and you have been opened to the supply chain that can operate out of the asia region and we have driven the prosperity of those countries and you have an opportunity to get this. and asia was excluded in this from the arrangement since world war ii. in the united states, finally finally open and it is

into the way in which trade arrangements are done and integrity and certainty. all of the rest around the european empire. and behind the border and it's not just there is a range of those sorts of things that are coming through. and that will be part of the

asia pacific region. and it will be a standard to which we will be repaired. and after it is put in place the meaning of the countries in the situation are part of this. and this is not gaining up on them, this is putting in place and they are introducing these sensible rules and the rest of it.

>> this includes our principal ally. how powerful is the united states and i said you know the happiness and the price prosperity of the united states and in particular the american middle class has been smashed. and this will be the american middle class and there have been changes in labor laws and they have the changes in technology

and the american middle class experiences not unique. they are going to give us a chance to drive prosperity and income growth. and that is acquisition of access. and so tenures time will be a standard. it will be 60% of the world's middle class. you can access that and he will not prosper if you can. >> it's rare that you have someone that is both a defense minister and finance minister. and so you heard him speaking as both.

so does this assure asian i lie allies and do they need that reassurance? >> you know in asia, we like to see this. and i often do point out this and we have great courage and you stick around and i admire you for it. [laughter] >> you know say that it's sort of the -- the worst that you experience, let's leave the north koreans out of this, the worst you experience in the region is sort of a quizzical skepticism by the chinese and that ranges in australia and everyone is in between those two

markets. and so the area is very accepting of u.s. leadership and it is also very understanding of the values that the united states has been to the region in terms of the product being exported to the united states. experience experiencing the region is okay. >> you have 650 billion invested directly and indirectly. and we have 470 billion per year. and we have stories not with that extremity. but it is certainly -- what you haven't have done is put this into india. you put enormous effort and you

actually put a great deal of effort into japan and we will see that, a very different sort of japan as well. but also i wanted to be prepared as well. and so this gives you the chance. but more important than that it makes the rules. and there are no rules, there are agreements. >> let me go back and ask if general jones has any other suggestions. >> yes, i want to jump in and thank you for your terrific explanation about happiness, and that is what drives me. two points, the first is that he is absolutely right about how

welcoming an important it is to establish rules and norms and standards. and it has been put into that and it will come to fruition when we are able to close this on the basis of a strong bipartisan support, which goes to this functioning. the other thing is that if we do not do this and i agree with you that this will happen, if one imagines not going forward, it wouldn't stay the same and it is going to turn into 3 billion in 10 years time 95% of the world's consumers are outside of america. they will go on without the rules and norms that we have

with whatever we do. but if we are there, working with them to set this level playing field, we are showing leadership and if you are not there, that would be an absence which would be this also. >> in terms of windows of opportunity, if this fails you have another shot at this for five years from now. >> this is the time to move and this is the time to move as someone referred to the fourth quarter and there are a lot of things that happen in the fourth quarter.

and this is something i haven't quite heard in the conversation as people stability. and because when you do have a paradigm, you do have rules. >> i spoke to you also while you are in national security adviser, i was surprised about what keeps you up at night. and you did not say terrorists with weapons of mass destruction but national competitiveness. is this part of it?

>> yes it vocalizes my belief that as you transition into this century, a legitimate strategic question that we should be asking ourselves is where you want to be in 2050. so 1945 we charted a course that got us to the year 2000 with some success. and i think the drivers to that position are different than they were in the 20th century. it is not as one-sided as it used to be where the province of just the defense department and a little bit of the state department and national security council, it has a lot to do with our energy department and the secretary of commerce the whole of government approach and i think that this transition of

how we make these pieces work with greater cohesion, to understand that this is not about any one department solving any particular problem, it is much more complex than that. and the problems have arrived at us in ways that we haven't seen before. we built a world in the 20th century to deal with serious problems with a sense of order and rebuild the institutions that dell with those as well. this world is more disordered and we have had to deal with not only the national community of nations but also the evolution of and the importance of organized crime and drugs and illegal trafficking of arms and human trafficking, terrorism,

everything else these people are working much more closely together. so the way that we have responded has to be much more holistic. and i think that one of the things and i hope it comes as a result of this timeframe, and it's a reaffirmation of america's commitment not only to participate but to lead with and to also convey that we are all in this together. and that the day when you can say okay, you guys fix it those days are probably gone and that is probably a good thing. and so i think that there's an enormous opportunity and this is the time in the moment were the friends and allies that we have in the united states can work together and we can really adopt the spirit of what i would call conflict are mentioned, how do you prevent these things from

happening. and if you can get to that point, the investments that you make will be a lot cheaper and you'll really, i think, you will strike a blow against radicalism wherever it manifest itself, because at the end of the day if you can show people that there is a better future by using the totality of your assets and energy it might end with the public and private partnership that we are talking about where the united states is concerned that you can do some amazing things and by 2050 i think that the position of the united states in terms of the many things that are going on will be secure. >> thank you very much for that. please identify your questions. >> i guess my question is for

the whole panel. but given the importance of this national security agenda, are we going to use it as an opportunity to fix our own agricultural problems with our subsidies or local content requirements, many things that are actually in violations of the rules which make it difficult to change and i think that that would actually help the sense that we are in this together and there is a free and fair global trading system. >> also will what role agricultural situations will play. >> it is playing an important role and we look forward to getting american farmers to be big supporters of trade in many ways. with europe we share similar

economic structures and what is particularly important about that agreement will be the rules and standards based on values and understanding the agriculture that we have science-based regulation. i don't want to get into the details of how we might be negotiating on some of the different topics. but i believe that we have very strong and ambitious negotiators on the other side and the commissioner really believes in making a good deal. and a good deal that we have to recognize has to be good in the end for both sides and you have to believe that there is a whole that is in everyone's interest. >> you are a wise public

servant. >> thank you very much. and thank you for putting this panel together. as someone who worked in the clinton white house the last time that the democratic president tried to get fast-track, i know how difficult this can be, newt gingrich was unable to muster a majority in favor of fast-track and it had to be pulled in 1997 before a vote and it went down in defeat. so facing the difficult congressional agenda today you are faced with the fact that senator obama voted against this in 2005 so how do you address

those that raise that? >> i think that the president has addressed the remarks that he made about trento. and what we are doing is improving on trade deals. you know you learn as you go along and never before have environmental standards been included as part of the trade agreement and it's referred to as all of the modern nature of this agreement that is being negotiated with the asia pacific and of course the politics are difficult. because when middle-class families have been disappointed and given stagnant wages for a long time, they are looking for what is going to make life

better. and so this agreement is different from previous agreements. this is a better and stronger agreement. no doubt things could change in the future and will hire even more improvement. but this is a strict change from previous agreements including ranging from vietnam to japan and so also subtle and the scope of earlier situations as well. >> i think i heard the president trying to articulate as well the u.s. has already given us thought, in terms of the relationships not simply with

the countries appear, but you have to remember that it's not as important as the outside. and that is it is the rules that ultimately have impacted this. so what we have is a cracking open with others left in place. most that matter in the manufacturing this is your one chance to get into other situations as they are into yours. and it just falls apart. it does not mean that trade agreements go away.

they are involved in the negotiating which is by no means a comprehensive part of the rules and that will be what goes into place. it will disappear and reemerge probably about fourears from now with the free trade agreement, the asia pacific region. [inaudible] >> please go ahead. >> one of the most interesting things about was asked to do during my time as national security advisor was to meet a delegation composed of the secretary of defense and secretary of state, the secretary of commerce to capitol hill the congressional leaders on both sides, to talk about the importance of u.s. control reforms. and it's not something that you would typically associate with a national security advisor. but it gives us some insight

into what the president is thinking even back in 2009 about the urgency of doing that kind of thing. i think that this is an opportunity for congress to do what is in the best interest of the american people and i think that most americans favored trade and free trade opportunity growth, and they don't approve of anything that gets in the way and i think we have a lot of things that congress can get together on to make it easier for the private sector to compete and enter the markets and so on and so forth, and also to make other countries willing to invest in the united states and it was announced not long ago in an attempt to invest her to $5 million into the united states, that is remarkable and we are working to try to make sure that when that

happens they get a fair return on their investments and it also helps where we need help and perhaps regarding our infrastructure and so on and so far it has really been an important not only economic issue but a political strategic issue and an international security issue. >> thank you, general. let me go here as i saw these questions first. and i will pick up look of those questions. >> thank you chairman. my question about this the chairman proposed it how do you explain the administration

handling that your closest allies germany france with a position. thank you. >> that question you can comment on as well. >> if i may in a private conversation the china policy is based on two words, and that was reported by the media. how do you explain that? thank you. >> let me turn to the second question their and this may have to be our final round.

>> sort of a follow-up. just to delineate differences between this and some of the other games in town and the u.s. situation. >> please identify yourself. >> tobias burns from northwest university. >> okay, thank you. >> first of all i want to repeat what the treasury secretary has said. that we welcome this in infrastructure and asia and we see that there is a great need for it, we are encouraging the existing institution and the asian development, not just to move forward with their own plans for infrastructure but to work with the asian infrastructure bank when it is established. we have to maintain that it is important that this complement

the existing institution and that it is if it is to be useful and has high standards of procurement governance for the infrastructure projects that are put in place, we would like to see the active discussions along these lines. we believe that it is important that this bank works with the other institutions and the other institutions work for this and that we are continuing to be directing ms. am laying out what we feel is important for standards. >> before you go there do you have thoughts on this? we have christine lagarde, the imf chief here, she was actually pretty embracing and thought that this could be brought

together with what they and others are doing and could be of additional value. >> you know, when you are dealing with a situation like this, from time to time you do have to make way to see what we have to offer in terms of any thoughts that they may have and the way in which global financial institutions and the like should be conducted. but i think that the main point here is to ensure that as it is developed that it does not include governments associated with arrangements in the region and i think that the american position outside of the negotiation and the europeans and others, is to try to get into the structure.

there are sorts of standards that will give you a level of confidence for what could be a instrument of financial importance and it ought to be put out in this way. this is very much a work in progress and from what we can see from inside and outside they are causing them to adjust quite a bit. the governors arrangements they are putting in place. so i think something rather than initial offers will be created out of that process. i thank god that my private conversations not broadcast to the rest of the world, because most of them would have meant my political demise a lot earlier than it would've happened.

and there have to be very strong motives in human intercourse and in relationships between nations. and i think that we have a different view actually. we see the rise of china as positive in principle. but that does not mean that we accept the judgments that are made and emanating with what is in the security interest of the region. the chances are that it will be a much better discourse than otherwise. >> you had a question? >> no, that is fine. >> okay, you want to make a final comment as we wrap it up?

>> no, i do not. >> okay. first, i want to thank our panelists because this was a rich discussion, there were many more questions that people would have liked to ask. as one would ask you all to remain in your seats for a short period of time. the security detail has asked you to do that while we change the stage and rearrange the stage and if you meant secretary john kerry will join us. i also want to salute the team that not only puts together this but also is putting together the new initiative and trade and security and the business coalitions. and that is the director and the deputy and this is just an incredible can-do team and i want to salute them all in front of you. so thank you very much to the

panelists. [applause] [inaudible conversations] [applause] demonstrates that the secretary is providing leadership on the international agenda of the 21st century. secretary john kerry and i began our careers fighting in the defining conflict of the 20th century, the cold war struggle to contain totalitarianism. the peaceful end of the cold war and the onset of globalization ushered in a new security environment american leadership was defined by the capacity to endow and enrich as it is by her

ability to defeat adversaries to a military force alone. the strong defense remains critical to american national security and global influence. american diplomatic and economic leadership our great military power in the 21st century is to remain. along with this visionary colleague at the department of commerce and the secretary at the department of energy secretary kerry understand that the american private sector is a critical asset of american diplomacy. this includes investments with our partners, at home and abroad with what has become a global landscape. this is why it is so important that the secretary is with us to talk about the strategic importance of trade in the american leadership and security. throughout his long political career, he has worked tirelessly to advance the cause of

international peace and security to benefit global interests and values, we have known each other for many years, dating back to his service as chairman of the senate foreign relations committee. during that time he was a friend of the u.s. military and a supporter of american leadership at nato, which i came to appreciate in my time as commandant of the rain pour and my time as national security advisor i found him to be a thoughtful and trusting advisor on capitol hill who the president could always rely upon to do what is best for our country. few people may appreciate the critical leadership for our country at difficult times during the christmas time during 2009 when this personal diplomacy helped to prepare us in the u.s. relationships with than the president of afghanistan hamid karzai.

secretary kerry is working diligently to bring a number of diplomatic efforts across the finish line on matters of great importance to the american security and prosperity and global security and prosperity. should celebrate his leadership even if it takes a terrible toll on his health. i'm pleased that he's chosen to speak at the atlantic council and be with us to speak to the importance of trade to american national security. please join me in welcoming john kerry. [applause] >> general jones, i thank you very much for that very generous introduction and more importantly, i thank you for your extraordinary years of service to our country you held so many important positions and

working your way up from a young lieutenant in vietnam all the way to national security advisor in many places in between we all admire you and the world appreciate the extraordinary contribution and that we thank you very much. [applause] >> i feel great, folks. and it can take a terrible toll on the family. but madam, thank you so much for being here today. it is an important statement about the importance of this topic that summoning ambassadors are here reflecting their interest in this trade and i am delighted to be here with all of

you. it's good to be here and i'm going to surprise you a little bit because i'm going to talk about the atlantic and the pacific today security and trade. that is a very timely topic in almost a guaranteed way to get into a pretty good argument. within or without this. and that is exactly why we are here the atlantic council and for more than half a century this product the council of the greatest generation we have been part of close economic ties in the united states, canada and europe. in that time the council has had a lot of superb leaders

beginning with christian. coincidentally the former u.s. secretary of state from massachusetts. fred kemp also belongs to that good tradition and visionaries and internationalists and i appreciate his invitation to be here and his leadership and i think that all of you do as well with what he's doing with the atlantic council. and the introduction of the bipartisan congressional trade priorities and accountability act is, in fact very good news. why is that? because it reflects exactly what our nation needs and a bridge over three divides executive, legislative, the senate and the house, and between the two major political parties. so i would like to commend the senate finance chair orrin hatch and the panels ranking member

ron wyden and the house ways and means committee chair paul ryan. i commend them for providing a framework for moving forward on a pair of the most significant trade negotiations in our history. the transpacific and the trans-atlantic trade and investment partnerships. those of you fond of acronyms can understand. the new bipartisan bill if enacted will fully respect and preserve the rights of congress. but it will also give the president of the united states the flexibility that he has to have to negotiate on our nation's behalf and make no mistake that the questions of whether the president should have trade promotion authority in the end really does come down to whether the united states should even pursue significant

free-trade agreements and that is what is at stake. during my 28 plus years of service in the united states than it i have a lot of conversations on the subject, factory workers union representatives, business people and other professionals often these discussions were very heated and emotional and challenging. because men and women are understandably upset if they see a company closed down with jobs lost and they deemed the causation to be directly responsible for a trade undertaking. it's only natural that in their distress they are going to find someone or something to be able to blame and it's sometimes

easy. as a democrat by somebody who won the nomination for my party for the presidency, i understand those tensions as well as anyone. but i voted for the trade agreements including nafta when it came to the united states senate. i have a lot of other conversations as well on the other side of that coin with entrepreneurs and innovators. people that were eager to take advantage of new opportunities and whose ingenuity helped to create jobs, move our country forward, change our economy, open up new opportunities reinvent this mix of our economic base and cities like boston and philadelphia and los angeles, new york and elsewhere. whether we like it or not my friends what is new particularly in business and not in everything but particularly

in business, catches up and ultimately overtakes the old practice. and that is the reality. you can trace that from the beginning of the industrial revolution. it is what we always call progress. and yes sometimes in the social fabric it has been a part of that. but the resulting gains don't come often without some element of loss at some point and that is why we put in place and adjustable system and why we have done a lot of other things in order to respond. it has always created a dilemma for policymakers but should we try to stop change? as inevitable as it is? is that even realistic?

we fight as hard as we can to maximize the benefit and minimize the dislocation. my own convictions are twofold. first in the modern world, we simply cannot expect our economy to grow and generate new jobs if all we do is buy and sell to ourselves. it is not going to work. trade is a job creator and the record of the past five years, the past 100 years or more bears that out. as i speak, about 11.7 american jobs, export, that number is only going to go up. why is that? it's pretty simple math. 95% of the world's consumers

live beyond our borders and if for some reason we decide not to do business with them, our economy will absolutely gradually wither and shrink and we will see going out of business signs from one side of america to another. embracing globalization is not easy and i understand that. in fact it can be hard. but trying to pretend that it doesn't exist would be catastrophic. so my second conviction and by that i mean the united states, that we should be deeply engaged in helping to write the rules for trade. once again common sense. so why would you sit on the sidelines and that other people do that two do think that they would go for our high standards automatically two you can measure what happens to companies across the world.

how many countries try to ask their companies to operate by that standard. failure to do this would be a felony against the future of our own economy. and we have to be engaged because if we do not protect our interests, no one else is going to and because we have learned from past experience to insist upon tightly written and enforceable standards on the issues that we care about the most. and that is why it is important that these lessons are the center of the bipartisan bill that are being considered by the congress and of the high standard trade negotiations under way. and the proposal on capitol hill goes well beyond any previous measure of its type. rather than settling for the

status quo is designed. it says were trading partners that if they want to take part in this global market, then it's important for them to comply with the core international labor and environmental standards. and they have to color within the lines of intellectual property rights. ..

in fact we were facing the greatest financial crisis of this country since the great depression and we were looking at the prospect of even entering the great discretion. the discretion. the entire financial structure of the country was on the brink and ready to collapse. and i'm not saying that, that's what a republican secretary of the treasury said to me and my colleagues in the united states senate on an afternoon when he came up to implore us to engage in a bailout of that system. unemployed employment was facing 10% and the market of housing

was in shambles. since 2010 u.s. businesses have about it. we put people back to work than all the other economies combined. the single biggest cause of the success is that our exports have reached a record level. that's more than a statistics folks, that's a policy. when we increase the sale of u.s. goods and services our payrolls get bigger and american paychecks get fatter. on the average, exports supported jobs pay more than other jobs. all of this matters enormously because as president obama has often observed, america's capacity to lead globally begins with our economic vitality here at home.

now if we are all satisfied with our progress perhaps we could sit back, forget about trade agreements and about the chance to further pry open international markets where 19 out of 20 of the world's consumers live. but were not satisfied nor should we be. because we be. because we know if we attempt to stand still were going to get blown away economically. we've got to keep generating new jobs. we've got to insure american workers, famers, ranchers, and businesses receive equitable treatment. you can't do that by sitting on the side of the road folks while other countries write the rules of the road for world trade, which is where the future is going to be divine. most americans understand that. a recent gallup poll shows that almost 60% of our citizens view foreign trade as an opportunity, not a threat.

here's the reason, the u.s. market is one of the most open markets in the world. our environmental and labor standards are among the highest in the world. that's why we actually have so much to gain and nothing to lose by reaching deals that lower barriers and raise the norms of business behavior so that our businesses can actually wind up selling more in other places. now consider that small and medium-size businesses, which are the backbone of the american economy by the way they face a unique set of challenges when they're trying to increase exports. for example health enterprises in massachusetts ships consumer healthcare items to more than 60 countries but is hurt by bureaucratic issues such as costly reregistration process in

the eu. the seattle-based cascade designs company exports outdoor equipment, recreational equipment, but it faces high tariffs in tpp countries. an agreement could change that enabling both exports and payroll to grow. concorde supply in san antonio texas is a seller of industrial materials and it depends on patent enforcement to keep its innovated products from being ripped off. more generally, the u.s. is the world leader in many service industries and therefore stands to gain significantly from greater openness in that sector. the list goes on. our companies need agreements that will reduce

both tariff and nontariff barriers to trade. that will enable them to participate more fully in the new global supply chains that are creating unprecedented opportunities to establish winning connections around the world. in fact, the economic case for tpp and t tip is overwhelming and i've argued a lot of cases over the course of my career. however as secretary of state i'd like to offer just a little bit of additional food for thought, wearing the secretary of state hat, not the business or trade hat. it is no secret we have reached a very fluid stage and global affairs where people are wondering all around the world frankly, how the world will look a couple of decades from now. this turbulence that we are witnessing comes from a combination of factors but it comes significantly from technology changing economic

and political relationships. it comes from the fact that even as the world grows closer there are powerful forces driving us apart. these include terrorism but also extreme nationalism complex over resources the imbalance between the number of people coming-of-age in many regions and a dangerous shortfall in economic and social opportunity. we also know that everybody in the world is in touch with everybody in the world all the time every day. and believe me, that changes aspirations and it changes politics. it changes possibilities. it makes it harder to build consensus, harder to govern. when we add all of this up we

are confronted by a couple very basic questions. are we going to look backward and decide the best way to prepare for the future is to try and recapture the past? are we going to fear change and give up even attempting to negotiate a a trade agreement that will spur sustained growth and address precisely the labor and environmental concerns about which critics have previously complained? i sure hope not. the fact is we could try to build a wall around our economy as big as fenway park's green monster, maybe bigger but it would be a lot more harmful than it would be helpful, my friends. instead of walls what we ought to be building our alliances and partnerships and understanding and rules of the road by which we can all act with certainty, rather than hunkering down and just thinking somehow the storms going to pass over you and you're going to be okay.

we should be and we are believe are, believe me, all the tools at our disposal to generate shared prosperity, so that we and our partners can move forward together. and we need to we need to make certain that everybody up and down that foodchain, the economic food chain, shares in the benefits of this much more effectively than they have it sometimes in the past. now the good news is that our engagement has been welcomed across every ocean not because we always agree with all of our friends on every part of this or all of the impacts, but because we know all of our markets and our futures are linked. when the chips are really down our partners will be able to count on us and just as we

know, that we can count on them. that's what we'll them. that's what will give the world greater strength and frankly greater stability in this extraordinary moment of challenge on a global basis. the right kind of trade agreements are actually critical because they create habits of cooperation that help us not only economically but in everything else that we are not only determined to do but that we need to do in order to reduce the instability and address the challenges of the future. the united states and europe are bound together as shakespeare put it by hoops of iron. t tip will enable us to take further advantage of our combined economic muscle. a few years ago when it was first talked about i remember in

the middle of the economic crisis, people said wow, this is going to be able to really help us get out of this crisis, lift up and create the jobs we need. that hasn't changed that need. there's still crisis in a number of countries in europe. as we look at greece struggling with the euro and other challenges, teach up has the opportunity to be able to provide the acca top economic kick that people need and want and thereby serve as a strategic pillar of the transatlantic community. it will be_democratic solidarity that has defined us and united us since the berlin wall was pulled down by the courage of both sides of that barrier. and looking ahead, t tip will reinforce our common effort to counter violent extremism, support the sovereignty of ukraine, ukraine, build energy security and independence for many nations in europe that have currently have to relate rely on one source, russia. it will also help us address

global problems such as nuclear proliferation and climate change. that's what comes out of this kind of operative effort and the growth that it will spur. of course the asia-pacific is also a major focus of our international economic policy and diplomacy. the markets there are huge and are growing very rapidly. they are expanding right along with them is the range of the american economic, economic, political and security interest. seven agent countries are among our negotiating partners on the tpp. these include japan his prime minister will be in washington next week for a state dinner and to adjust a joint session of congress. the transformation of the united states and japan from enemies to allies over the past seven decades is truly one of the most magnificent and

achievements of all history for both countries. an example of countries. an example of a remarkable turnaround for reconciliation and of possibilities. the tpp is one way to guarantee that our bilateral ties already strong grow even stronger while serving to reassure the our allies that america's commitment to the region is both deeply rooted and long-term. because the asia pacific matter so much, president obama announced early in his presidency a plan for a plan for a rebalance in foreign policy. but that is grounded as well and the need for regional nurse to proceed a level playing field within asia so the geopolitical clout is not overly concentrated in any one country, including country, including us. were not seeking that. we want to see it spread and shared and understood and engaged in by all countries rather than a great game as we have known it into many places

through all of the last few centuries. that equilibrium is crucial because the economic models and trade standards that hold sway in the asia pacific will have a decisive impact on the norms elsewhere. it's in america's interests and in our allies interest that these standards be as high as we can make them because when the competition is fair, those countries that practice by those standards are the most productive in the world, and i'm glad to say the united states is among them. the bottom line is this 2015 is simply not the time for us to decide that trade negotiations are too hard or to somehow vacate the field and let 70 years of lessons from the great depression and world war ii get

tossed aside. it's not the time for us to sit back and allow the principles of free and open trade to be supplanted by the barren twins of protectionism and mercantilism. why honors would we ever think that to do so would be in america's best interests or in the interest of the world? that's what's being offered by others, opponents. why would you even consider that? if there is any message being sent to governments by the young people in the world today which really was at the heart of the arab spring, at the heart of the revolution that was attempted in syria, at the heart of to. >> reporter: square. to hope for jobs and education in the future. if we don't meet the needs of those young people today and

they are demand for openness and freedom, the desire to give nature the environment the same protections that we pursue for commercial contracts and property these young people insist that we live by the rule of law so that the corrupt are held accountable and it's possible to achieve prosperity without being either a giant corporation or born rich. as americans these are the kinds of demands to worry us. these aren't aspirations we should be scared of, we should welcome them because we've encouraged them all over the world for decades. they are on the contrary, the hopes and expectation that the united states should embrace. they reflect principles that can help us modernize and strengthen our partnerships across the oceans. they can elevate the way the whole world does business.

the road to the realize asian begins with the approval of the trade promotion if they are authority for the president, followed by the completion of these two agreements each of which represents an agreement with 40% individually of the gdp of the world. ultimately my friend, trade issues cannot be separated from larger questions about america's global leadership or about the choices let to be made by our generation. if we retreat on trade, our influence on the global economy will diminish. and if our economic stature is in doubt, our ability to deliver on defense and political challenges will be increasingly questioned. in our era the economic insecurity realms are absolutely integrated. we simply can't pull back from one without diminishing our role on the other. we have to be fully engaged in each. more than 50 years ago when

christian herder led this country counsel american exports were worth only about 1/20 of their value today. in other decades since our commercial relationships have been utterly transformed transformed, our leading manufacturers have changed, our trade in services has exploded and technology has made what was once barely imaginable now the new normal. we are living in a wholly different world except for one thing, the need for american leadership. like the greatest generation, we face the tests that we cannot allow partisanship or any other source of internal division to prevent us from meeting. we have an opportunity before us to shape and elevate the global rules of trade for decades to come. on these rules will be written

the economic history of this century. in congress prominent leaders from both parties are poised to open that door. it is absolutely vital my friends at the atlantic council that you and we all together do everything possible to make sure we walk through that door together and we get this job done. thank you very much. [applause]. secretary carrie i think you hear from this crowd that we

just heard a significant speech and we thank you for that. we think you particularly for making the speech of the atlantic council and reflecting on christian heritage because you just did call these historic and nature. if we go forward these agreements we may see that we become historic for their times as nato did, perhaps a different way and we feel that way. we've launched our our our own initiative today and our own business for trade and security today will do whatever we can to get this done because we also consider it historical.

friday on c-span a discussion of the humanitarian issue about the civil war. at 115 eastern national security advisor speaking at the import export bank. watch live coverage on c-span. here are some of our featured programs for this weekend on the c-span network. saturday evening, white house correspondent annual dinner. live cover and begins at p.m. eastern. sunday night at 8:00 p.m. on c-span q&a former new york times reporter on her time in prison for not telling her

sources before and after the iraqi invasion. book tv is live in maryland state. authors include former attorney general on immigration sarah wildman on world war ii and the holocaust. presidential historians on the lives of 45 historic women as they explore the lives of our first ladies. on american history tv on c-span three, saturday night at eight eastern, lectures in history. sunday afternoon at 43040 years after the fall of saigon south vietnamese veterans talk about their war experiences.

get our complete schedule at c-span.org. this is half an hour. good morning. it's such a good morning and i'm so saddened by the death of the two hostages killed by an american strike in january. i just listened to the presidents very moving comments

and condolences to the family which we all extend as well. it's a difficult responsibility as commander-in-chief and i look forward to what he calls the declassification of all information related to the strike so the families will know the fact and so will the public. i commend the public service trying to make the world a better place. so here we are in another week the republicans embrace, which trickle down economics. when the republicans took a

perfectly good, a perfectly good, well nothings perfectly good, bipartisan bill that was well-received to strengthen the consumer protection bureau and just when you thought we were going to have bipartisan legislation to do just that, they turned it into 121 of their insidious schemes to undermine the protection bureau. this is the first thing to protect consumers and taxpayers. it's a vital consumer watchdog so recent revelations are that 15 million consumers have benefited from the protection bureau's actions. recently they successfully provided a half billion dollars

to families who are overcharged in private student loans. on monday they took action to refund over three-point 1 million to fund service members. the republicans response to that is that it's seriously underfunded. instead of doing that we should be working on a bout value -based budget. they've taken one bill and another bad bill into seclusion keeping out the democrats and any agreement reached between two bad bills is a bad deal for the american people. they're going after personal health issues and the district of columbia. why don't we just focus on what are responsibilities are instead

of meddling, if they're not in favor of free government until it comes to women who live in the district of columbia, were wasting time. it's no wonder again that the negotiations on budgets are delayed. they have missed their statutory deadline which of course they say they won't do but they have today's a good day in one respect and that is that the senate is asked acted to move forward to vote loretta lynch to the highest judicial office in the world. it's the first time that an african and american woman will hold this position. she's brilliant and has much valid experience. it's going to be at great day

when she is can confirmed. sad to say she was nominated more than a hundred and 65 days ago and it was approved by the committee and it's taken more than 55 days for it to be brought to the floor of the senate. since thornburg it's been under ten days if you add all of the attorney general's attorney general's in that. of time together. it's more than all seven of them combined to approve her nomination but at long last this embarrassment for the senate is over and this triumph for the american people will occur. i just want to mention about trade we really think the opportunity with the ttp is one that we can leapfrog over debates of trade and do something glorious that people

come together to honor the principles of things that are contained in the ilo that recognize that commerce is directly related to our environment and to address those issues. to make sure that in conflict resolution, the american taxpayer and worker is protected to speak to the issue of currency manipulation which has had an impact a negative impact on jobs in our country and to do so in a way that puts the past behind us. to heck with business as usual, were leapfrogging over that to do something special. i still believe that opportunity can be achieved. i said i'm looking for a path

and there will be bumps in the path but i think what the republicans put out is more than a bump in the road it's a pothole and we can do better than that. i support congressman lapin and what he's doing and put forth to get a vote on this. unfortunately the republicans may not allow it to come up in the committee. they say it has not had the jurisdiction waved on it but yet they waived the jurisdiction on the senate plus ryan bill. it won't waive jurisdiction on this. that's unfair that doesn't seem

like a good intention of trying to come together. as i have said, the rear real measure of what all this does to the paycheck of the american workers. what he put forth is that he recognizes that ttp has the potential to raise standard and open new markets to american businesses workers and farmers. he farmers. he makes suggestions on how to do so and that's why i support the substitute and in the course of the debate and on the trade promotion act, i hope they will say we should have more congressional consideration consideration, transparency and leverage for the congress in that bill. i also want to put to rest him things i have seen lately that democrats voted for fast tracked to president clinton but that really didn't happen.

the vote in the late 1990s a bill in 1999 was brought to the floor and only