if i had known this, i would've announced it every year for the last 35 years. [laughter] thank you i have had that one talent that is good or exceeds anyone else will ever have my job and that is that i'm able to identify and find and take and convince people brighter than me to join me and i mean that sincerely. the two people with the finest mind that i have ever met in my life are ron and my son hunter and term of a steel trap mind. i've never met a man or woman any greater then ron and that's been a big advantage from the time he was a kid and i mean a kid.

i hired him, he came down to do his third year from harvard at georgetown, he graduated from harvard, because his wife graduated a year ahead of him and came to work for a major law a major law firm down here. he was recommended to me then and clerked for the supreme court. everyone thought i was crazy when i asked him to come be chief counsel for the judiciary committee. i may have been the second youngest senator ever elected but i think he's the youngest person ever to head up the lead chief counsel for the judiciary committee. he has been a brilliant advisor. he has been a brilliant writer and he has been a brilliant strategist. if there is anything that came through my service that is worth noting, it's insignificant part because ron was by my side. i mean that sincerely.

so ron, thank you very much. [applause] solicitor general, i can't can't see you, there you are. stand up man. [applause] i want to thank you and i mean this sincerely, for your dedication, dedicating your entire career, your entire career to the cornerstone of this democracy and that is the rule of law. there's a reason why so many, why are the longest-serving inns and so many presidents have turned to you. you have unimpeachable integrity. you have a brilliant mind and you have, you've demonstrated just an unyielding commitment. it's the document that you

helped enforce by arguing for the government. so i want to thank you for your service to the country but equally as important as ron can tell you and others who have worked with me, i judge the genuineness, i mean this this sincerely, the genuineness of a man or woman with whom i've served, either appointed or elected office by how they conduct themselves when they leave that office. to find out whether it was real or whether it was for some political gain. your continued commitment to the rule of law and your involvement in this organization which i realize the tenure is not as long as the other outfit, but we talked about it early on, it's badly need lead. you are badly badly need the.

it's really important. i know like it sounds like i'm just, i'm not, i genuinely mean it. the problem is no one ever doubts that i mean what i failed. but the problem is i sometimes say all that i mean. and i mean it. you are really very much-needed and thank you, thank you all for the role that you play. it is true, i was, i came back from law school 812 years ago in 1968 and part of my city had been burned to the ground. the city is the only city in america since the civil war occupied by the military for a total of nine months that smash on every single corner in my city.

i was terrible in law school but i was a pretty good communicator. i won the international court competition among a few over the things. i talked myself into getting a job with the white shoe law firm that was the largest law firm in the state of delaware. after a case in federal court where we were defending a major oil company and we won, and i had written that as before i got admitted to the bar, those days you took the bar in september. it still that way in delaware. you take it in september but you don't get your results till december and it's given once a year. i was sitting in the second chair with the senior partner and we wrote a directed verdict in this case and we won. it was reason to celebrate. i looked over at the defendant and i thought oh gosh, we upheld

the law but this poor kid is in bad shape. he was injured. the senior partner was a good man and he invited me to go to lunch at the wilmington club. that is in delaware and there were no catholics or blacks or jews and it was considered a great honor to for me to go. i walked out of the courtroom and walked across rodney square, many of you had corporate cases in delaware, you, you know what i mean and i went to the basement of the building that was catty corner and walked in the public defender's office and i said frank i like to come work for the public contenders office. he said don't you work over here i said yes. he said, are you crazy? from that moment on my judgment has been questioned by everyone in

the state of delaware. you think i'm kidding, i'm not kidding. [laughter] i learned early on what you all learned, there's a lot of people who are successful and not happy. if you want to be successful and happy work like hell and do what you believe in. that's what all of you do. [applause] i don't make too many bones about it, i am a fan of elizabeth warren. she is a great personal friend and i missed her speech but i got to see her outside before we left and we compared notes on a number of things. she told me just go up and say thank you and leave.

look, i know you ask me here here tonight to speak about the unprecedented dysfunction at the senate is literally spreading to a third branch of government, our highest court, but there is a fundamental issue that i would like to raise briefly which i think is related to the issue. before i begin specifically on the refusal to hold a hearing for the chief judge. i believe, and i have not been one i'm not really big on engaging or attacking an opponent in a campaign or being negative, but we've sort of cross the line here. the republican presidential nominee and i mean this honestly , i think his conduct is

undermining and threatening and potentially doing damage to the constitutional imperative of an independent judiciary that the american people can have faith in. it matters. it matters that the people have faith in the process. alexander hamilton wrote, he said the complete independence of the courts of justice is a peculiar essential for a limited constitution. to guarantee that independence, and i know i'm preaching to the choir, to protect against political pressure, the framers included the compensation clause which restricts the individual of either branch of government to reduce compensation while they're in office, like tenure, the removal only by impeachment

in a super majority in the united states senate, pretty bold and provocative at the time they are statements of we expect this branch of government to be equal independent and it's essential that there's believability and confidence of the people. it's like the comment, how many italians does a housing residents court have? well what does the court have? what does it have? it has its reputation that it is in fact impartial. that it is in in fact prepared to rule on the merits that it is not subject to intimidation.

that's a precious commodity and in our separation of powers the court cannot afford to have undermined. all these protections are designed to do two things, reinforced in the the minds of the public the absolute impartiality of the federal judiciary of the supreme court in particular and protect the federal judiciary from being able to be influenced by either of the political branches. the framers gave concrete substance to the ideas that ours is, as chief justice marshall put it, a government of government of laws and not of men. it sounds, it sounds almost like a high school civics class.

but it's real. it's consequential. it really matters. look at the lens, even a divided court has gone to over our history. in extremely, and this is subject to make sure that even though they have enough votes to get a preponderance beyond a single vote so that they would say to the country this is the law of the land. you know, the fact is the founding fathers on my view did not think to quote a perceptive commentator who wrote just a couple days ago, the federal court, the litigation of the courts is not dealmaking by another means. surely the framers of our

constitution did not envision a presidential candidate in one of the major can parties personally attacking a sitting federal judge. as the nominee or the presumptive nominee of a major party, attacking a federal judge because he ruled against him in a civil case, for him to call the judge a hater, a total disgrace, because he allowed people claiming to have been victimized by the candidate in his capacity as a private businessman to proceed and because the judge dares to unseal some documents which is within his power to do detailing the victimization, i don't think

the framers envisioned a presidential candidate accusing a judge of being capable of reaching a fair decision because of his ethnic dissent. because he was hispanic or anything else. because he was from tennessee or delaware because he was or she was anything identifiable of who the candidate was. because he said there is rule against him in light of his anti- mexican proposal, mr. trump is unique in attempting to intimidate the

judge. other private citizens have tried to pressure the judiciary from time to time. but not private citizens who are placing close range of the white house by one of our great political parties. it's one thing for a private citizen to attempt to throw his economic or political weight around as an unelected official, to try to influence, help him demolish his adversary by this particular fella in a judicial proceeding. it's quite another thing for the presumptive candidate of a major party to do the same thing. you might say, well folks, i have not been out responding to, in my capacity as vice president, anything that

mr. trump has said. it's my view that a presidential candidate publicly attacks a sitting federal judge in the way that was against his own cannot be trusted to respect the independence of the judiciary. again, you may view. [applause] i'm sure for those of you who are saying, with good reason, that's particularly harsh judgment, but there's no real connection here. let's look at what that presumptive nominee said at his own words, after calling the judge presiding over a fraud suit against him a total disgrace, mr. trump said, and i quote, but, we will come back in

november. wouldn't that be wild if i'm president and i come back and do a civil case. he went on to say, and i'm quoting, wouldn't it be wild as president to come back in november to build a civil case. how can that be interpreted any other way than as a direct threat? these are words of someone caesar committee as a tool for him to manipulate so he can do what he calls the deal with the laws of our country. these are words, mind you of one who would defy the courts if they ruled against him as president. not just in a business case but

a case chang challenging government abuse of power. raising the specter coming back to november, doing a civil case through the oval office is not so bad of a threat, it's a direct threat. to use the office, were he to acquire it to intimidate and undermine an independent judiciary would be blatantly unconstitutional abuse of power. either mr. trump, which is possible, doesn't understand, i mean that sincerely, he's a bright guy. i'm not pretending he isn't, but he either doesn't understand because this is a realm in which she's never dealt before or he doesn't care.

it would border on an impeachable offense for president to actually use the great powers of the office to attempt to undermine the federal judge case, a financial financial stake. this kind of conduct is pernicious and unprecedented. the legal profession should not remain silent. should not put up with it. as one commentator put it this way, this behavior smacks and authoritative authoritarianism and tyranny. >> i agree. i agree with that,. >> you all know this better than i do. our founders created this

because as hamilton wrote, there is no liberty if the power of judging is not separated from the executive powers. i find donald trump's conduct in this regard reprehensible. evidence by the high partisan condemnation for what it is, a dangerous attack for a pillar of democracy and threats of intimidation and undercutting the legitimate ec of a judge by suggesting that because of his heritage he is incapable of being fair. in addition to this, it is racist. in addition. [applause] we've dealt with racism before. it's a potential impact on the court. i might add, a friendly note to

my republican friends, many of them longtime colleagues in the senate, they refused to confirm a judge of unquestionable credentials to the supreme court so that mr. trump can nominate. [applause] so he can secure the win. [applause] failure of my friends, and by the way, this is not a joke. it i can see some of the white house personnel. it even drives them crazy to have so many republican friends. don't you think i'm joking, you notice, as will tell you, anytime we have a crisis, send joe. just like the old commercial for life cereal, mikey will eat it. send joe.

[laughter] it's because with all the dysfunction, i still genuinely respect the senate. the greatest honor of my life was to serve in the united states senate as long as i have. the vast majority in of my republican colleagues know better. this is an age of intimidation. a gigantic contribution opportunity from certain areas and because of this, the bulk is knowing better. the bulk know better. failure of the republicans to even hold a hearing on a qualified chief judge has its own grave, practical and constitutional consequences. when our framers draft of the constitution, they envisioned

separateness but interdependence autonomy but reciprocity. that's what they envision. otherwise there is no way these three equal branches of government could function for the well-being of the word republic. just as robert jackson wrote, while the constitution diffuses power, it also contemplates that practice will integrate in dispersed power into a workable government. it goes on to say it adjoins upon its branches separateness but interdependence, autonomy but reciprocity. in seven years of vice president of the united states and 36 years of the united states senator, half of those is a ranking member or chairman of the judiciary committee, i've i've seen the spirit of

interdependence and reciprocity work but i've never seen it at a lower end. not among our people, but among our government. the bond that held together our diverse republic for 29 years are at least temporarily being framed. article one of the constitution clearly states, whenever there is a vacancy for the 1 quart, specified in the constitution, the supreme court, the president shall, not may, shall appoint someone to fill that vacancy with the advice and consent of the united states senate. president obama fulfilled his constitutional responsibility. he sought advice of members of the senate including republican members.

he didn't get much feedback, but he chose a course of moderation. i will not take the time to list the number of senior republicans who have been flattered in the past of merrick garland. we have known him for many years as a matter of fact he has respect in the left for choosing moderation. the bar association meeting back in 19, whenever the hell it was, in 1917, talking about how, what the role of the senate was. what advice that meant.

arguing that number of arguments, the president should seek the advice that we are divided the government, the more appropriate it is for the senate to raise its head because they have just as much right to determine who should be in the court as the president. the president is to propose, the senate senate disposed. the republicans have totally abandon their responsibility by refusing to hold a hearing. it's not required to hold a hearing under the constitution. folks of the old joke goes, i've been in the majority and i've been in the minority and the majority is better.

i really do come i think most people would a knowledge, i do have a good relationship with both sides of the aisle. when i was there and since i left, but i've never seen anything like this. i've never seen anything like this. the dysfunctional congress is beginning to honor undermine the norms of how we conduct ourselves of the government. it's not only in violation of the notion of fairness, but it's in violation of the constitutional responsibility. it jeopardizes the highest court of the nation they were infected with the same dysfunction that is not only recognized but the american people but also by heads of state everywhere i go. i think the white house staff will tell you that i've traveled over a million miles and the reason i go and know these heads

of state personally and they know when i speak i speak for the president, the secretary of state, and national advisors, that's the purpose. i will work on an agreement and you know i'll reach across the table and shake hands. and here's what they will say to me. not a joke. >> all right, mr. vice president, whether i'm in china or ukraine or japan or any european country, here's what else say that a joke hold her hand and say but can you deliver. not does the president mean it, not do you mean it, but every deal read the require sun give. you're asking me to go out there and support this.

i'm going to take some heat for my people for doing it and i'm not sure if you'll be able to deliver. i know you mean well that's how deep, that's how deep the dysfunction of the congress has spread. let me be clear, it includes consulting in voting and nobody has suggested, particularly me that any senator has to vote yes for any particular nominee. voting no is their right and their option. it's an option of every senator to exercise the right to vote no nothing, seeing nothing, reading nothing, hearing, hearing nothing and deciding in advance to do nothing before the

president even names the nominee is not an option. : >> >> because the senate shall revise to concents not the judiciary committee.

every single nominee including justice kennedy in the election year, got the up and down vote by the united states senate. not a bunch of the time or most of the time that every single time. [applause] now unable to square their bided rule until they realized that was the constitution. [laughter] [applause] my friends mitch mcconnell and chuck grassley now they try another track to say what difference does it make whether there are eight or nine members of the court? [laughter] at one point we did have eight members. there hasn't always been

nine. but i believe in and i am sure you do that it makes a great deal of difference. we although the supreme court's ruling make a significant difference in the everyday lives of the american people. more than two centuries ago john marshall to clear the court '' has the duty, not the right, to say what the law is. not an opinion, a duty they have a solemn duty. disabling the court, which is so clearly ideological divided at this time more than any other time in history, by keeping a seat vacant for hundreds of days is that is what will end up being if we don't get a vote this year, not just the uncertainty in a park --

perpetuates but because of the way of fractures our country. none other than justice scalia wrote to have the justices erases the possibility that by reason of a tie vote the court will find itself unable to resolve the significant legal issues presented by the case. we have seen that already justin the past few months. pressing controversial issues upon the court in the first place in the most of those because of a different decision now they are unresolved this is the court that is too important to leave suspended in midair and of in limbo a full accord may be functioning fine in the narrow sense of

those majority cases that can be decided as many deleterious effects in increase litigation costs and delays justice delayed the avertin falling more heavily on average americans than those with deep pockets to decide which district to move into. different rulings for different parts of the country it is such a divided court leaves differ interpretation in different states that creates uncertainty and it has already happened. keep in mind we have in another entire term of potential confusion of the vote does not allow this year whoever thinks the next president is even if it is a

democrat, the adl this to be brought up within a month or two or three is highly unlikely even in a functioning system that averages over two months. so it is critical we have a fully staffed court to resolve important decisions of the conflicts of the court of appeals are allowed to stand we end up with a patchwork of a constitution inconsistent with equal justice and application ma laws don't apply to all whole country their constitutional and some parts and constitutional in others that means it race of discrimination comes one way or utah or colorado the have ohio and iowa but something else in wisconsin and illinois.

of unlawful policing there might be resolved by one standard in nebraska and another in kansas. the spoken this two months ago led georgetown in the intervening weeks there have been important cases the justices basically decided not to decide in you know, is i do just as the solicitor general. the meaning and extent of our freedom of speech that is the right to be free from unreasonable search and seizure i think most people in this country think that is unfair and unacceptable after all we are the united states of america the

constitution either protect the rights across the board or it doesn't a fully staffed supreme court of nine space common now one disabled of that is able to rule on the issues of the day to separation of church and state, whether a threat to the right of abortion or safe and legal abortion it goes on this is the last audience i have to list concerns. [laughter] we have to be sure the fully functioning court is in a position to address those significant issues geographic happenstance cannot fraction their unity as long as the high court vacancy remains the more we undermine the confidence in

back to that issue of confidence the problem is compounded by uncertainty and safety security and privacy. this is an uncertain time in the minds of many americans will get the election process so far i'm not talking about one candidate just the process a problem that will affect the future of this country for the we cannot let this stand so i urge you up the drumbeat because i promised they know better i have speak in - - spoken to 17 of my colleagues and because i have never violated a confidence i will not say to the press who a they are but i mean it and i am serious

they say joe i know you are right provide gone so far to till half a dozen i am not telling you to step down first because they know it could cost you in your state of not asking you to do that by asking you if anybody steps out, a step up for quite think it is still possible i think it is possible we could have a hearing before this congress adjourns. i think we could resolve this but the one thing i uncertain of only be resolved because the pressure is kept up unrelentingly and if we continue 2.0 that the senators know better if we keep up the drumbeat to make

the case why it is so important in my closing comment to you is day added. nothing ever comes easy in the system and particularly right now but the fact of the matter is the vast majority of members of the senate know it would disregard how this and is held at this moment they know they have to change. and not asking for additional "profiles in courage" but somebody will when they do i expect the rest to follow we don't need all of them. ladies and gentleman thank you for all you do.

i get paid big bucks to do my job. [laughter] and their you all wish you had my salary. [laughter] you are the most respected voices in the nation you are recognized for your intellect and integrity and devotion to the constitution see keep writing and speaking and unrelenting effort to get a hearing because you get a hearing. we got the judge. may god protect our troops. [cheers and applause] >>

[applause] cynicism amazing family story of the terrible cruelty to perpetrate with great love affairs but also where fathers kill their sessions and wives are murdered your this is a family and like any other.

>> all the girls were children basically were wearing their own bulletproof vest with sewn on with the romanov symbol and they had money in case they had to find their way out some of the bullets came tragically it made the agony much harder because the bullets would balance of the diamonds and it would make it harder to die. washington journal continues. our guest from the sixth district of indiana, senator luke messer, he is the chair of

the republican policy committee. talk about the series of events .ou were holding what is the purpose and what his perfect -- different this time around? guest: what paul ryan has tapped into is tapped into the fact that there is a lot of anger in america. what we need to do is channel that into something positive. the speaker calls it a better way. it is a series of proposals based on conservative runcible set apply those principles to policy in 2016. the first an issue that focused on welfare reform and what we continue to lift people out of poverty. from my perspective, what we can do to keep people from falling into poverty. you'll also see a national security launch this week. that will be a progression

towards energy, health care. our principals have been relatively timeless. it is a fair criticism of the last four or five years that often there has been so much to oppose with the president that we have become defined by that. that is not a winning way to govern the future of the country. if we disagree with the path we are on we have an obligation to explain and illustrate the path we would go. host: one of the elements would be >> host: one of the principles that came out one of the elements is strengthening the work requirements with eight y that route? is a the implication in povertyhat can? >> we have to rethink these poverty programs literally trillions of dollars andl princl frankly the needle on poverty has not moved.

there are a couple fundamental principles of prosperity we should be incentivizing not discouraging when somebody goes to work they should be better off and the government should be better off and the employer shouldtr be better off. but many of these are structured where it is us disincentive i can tell you from those in my district they will tell you those that can time now to the day when they need to quit their jobs to keep their benefits. there are marriage penalties all proud our government. folks come together to stop that marriage penalty with the income-tax. if you get married you could lose the pell grant? that doesn't make sense work is a blessing and message -- marriage can be a blessing. we should not be discouraging that.

>> what is the idea? >> to be clear isn't legislation and. and then crafted into policies that there is nour curs question to have the incentive is aligned if they are not aligned correctly and if work is a blessing one of the keys to of happiness is meaningful work if you have a calling end you have the earned a success for your own for itan one dash future we should not be discouraging that with our federal policies. >> nancy pelosi commented no matter the language here using it is showing families in poverty nothing but contempt.

>> i think the current system shows the and contempt it has failed the average working american. the unwillingness to examines that is an example of yesterday's thinking to make sure there is a safety net this is america and we leave no one behind. but a and working for those of his time in - - too deserve and all we are saying is if you go to work you should be better off. understand what that can mean. the first month that you go do to work overtime.

>> plan to develop this bill and the current system is currently not working. >> host: in the republican from indiana and joining us the first caller is from indiana gore has. >> caller: good morning. >> great to hear from my home town. >> the last time you ron i talk to you.alking about you have to call in at the right time. [laughter] lee i am disabled but the arthritis has me down i have

insurance but it is so much economic get nothing done many health care for everybody that would put me back to work. >> there you go. there are programs like disability that our work programs for our country and there has been some fraud and abuse part of what we need to do so if you have bad knees or arthritis or physical labor it is no longer possible we can direct you towards other skills in the workplace go to w working is a blessing the opportunity to go to work and it was a major element

in all be say is that now the comment about free health care the reality is if we offer government programs to some folks somebody else has to pay for it and given the fact there is no free lunch we have to work through this as a society if you let the countries that try to provide free health care in many of those most harmed the are the middle-class worker who cannot afford insurance outside the system in the stock and provided less than adequate care. >> 8q. i am a democrat. here is part of the problem-- d

of lot of people, we can argue they don't want tos work because they are lazy and that is another argument but here is a possible solution. when people lose their jobs a the either try to find a job that they were working at or work someplace else. sometimes they cannot do that. maybe they need to retrain. that is fine how will they pay for that? i don't know. they can work that they probably cannot pay for it. so my question is

republicans are against common core and the reason why i believe, in court is something that should be looked at is because what it does is teaching people to think critically. we can argue whether or not the federal government for lack of a better term will have well hold on the localnc school boards we can discuss that at a later date but the concept of common core, which i remind you it is their ideal. >> host: thank you.

we have a couple ofo a responses the opposition is to a national curriculum. for those bureaucrats to define our curriculum for america for every american student but that said i certainly believe we need toin have an education in system that delivers real value and skills to everybody in america we will be a nation of of wills the responsibilities as articulated we are in doubt by our creator with certainlity inalienable rights and right to pursue happiness and to have a chance to live the american dream and that is why i support programs like education choice to allow parents and families to decide what is best for their child and go to the school they think is most appropriate. also to the original point

don't mistake my comments i am not suggesting that people are lazy. i don't think they are i they respond to incentives and that current problem is you are literally disincentive rising to go to work you are penalized for going to work and if peoplee are penalized and love we need to do is a line these incentives so people can go to work we also need to have more flexibility people don't need food stamps they need a bus pass to get to their job they get the existing programs make that physical so these helping hands ought to be aligned with the flexibility to get back to work because i believe the vast majority of americans want meaningful shoulo work with a good paying job. no one in america can work a

full-time job band live in poverty. >> host: the independent line. >> caller: hello. good morning. thanks for the house member services he provides us to keep most of us satisfied. making it the jobs a lot easier in the american people are all whole lot happier as to how we can participate to change the nation together as americans to vote on the ideas that are represented him put on the floor by the house. how to represent people better to get it passed with the majority wants is to use the technology that we have

today what the american voter participate in the changes through their vote on the issues when you give the people the power to vote on the ad is toward the issues that they pay for with tax dollars and sometimes their lives. >> that is an intriguing point we do need to utilize technology to better solicit input from every day americans and citizens. our founding fathers did it create a republic, not a democracy we don't simply pull everybody on every issue and. were never a the announced says we should go.

v-8 via is that the people will elect representatives to will work to develop expertise to make decisions.e there is a balance to make sure we hear with a constitutional principles but we can do more tor in solicit input. this is my fourth year of congress we have an e-mail list of a couple of hundredut ps thousand people and helpingho to shape. >> host: we heard about the poverty plan national security what are the highlights? >> should be rolled out this week and it will be a clear difference between the national security leadershipe rn and what is proposed by with

hillary clinton starting with a clear understanding we need to protect our troops and lookout for our veterans that we better investments with our military infrastructure frankly it has atrophied over the last eight years and we need stronger investment.st of what talk about the clarity of mission and the fact and the cold war against the extremist the cold war of our time the battle between good and evil the other side knows i think we should be calling our nation to the true depth and breadth of what it will take to organize the military. infrastructure, diplomatic capabilities in the intelligence capabilities to penetrate these groups as

well. >> host: find out more today at 11:00 for the second step, the areas are you planning to cover? >> but as congress has atrophied.as and in washington in the voice of the american people has a way as well. article one of the constitution is not because of me that the people's voice range supreme impetus put together a proposal. >> host: the democratic line good morning. >> caller: good morning.

been to create jobs. and deal know the problem if this is that 95 percent of the jobs owned bin that is the problem. the blacks are the very smart people. the it is that they will not hire the black. blacks are smart people they are very smart they felt that application will lead is called filed a 13. so that is the problem.

this is the biggest problem. >> racism is wrong we oughtil to call that out everywhere it exists. and what you will see is a set of proposals to combatur fel poverty with the federal policy should be encouraging work, not discouraging work but that is wrong. into speaking against racism i do replace the icy. >> indianapolis, indiana. >> so initially donald trump told this out.

this is half of the seven and a half years originally no jobs but and republicans said back tax is absolutely nothing done. is to be a great the economy it will take two generations because nobody teaches economics of the free enterprise system. republicans are finding now you are mad that donald trump. >> demand that will have her for seven years and probably

can be president from behind bars because not wanting to step on any toes. >> to call as i see it. indiana in the judge said happens to be from indiana.d, comments and that is my home state. and frankly i don't believe donald trump is racist looking at 40 years of his business career he hires people without his careerep there has been no reports of races at one dash racist activity but his comments were inappropriate in the reusing the race card and we need to speak yataghans that one of the unknowns of thee

ca campaign season that he has a strange person opec or is he an adult orate a leader? to focus on the challenge of american people this economy is not working for working americans and the president can make his comments added the jedi mine trackthat convincing the last eight years have been great but the american people know better that is why sanders has been successful and a trump has been successful for the average working people over the last 10 years in uh dollar income.

over do they get more of the same? period but donald trump has a role to play if he continues with the side show to not be able to control his tongue but he will focusecof on jobs the record of deceive from the clintons and it is important he does because i do not want to see a president hillary clinton. >> i have a choice donald trump was not my first choice for our nominee but he will be the republican nominee. that is a choice we have before us.

there is no choice between cho trump and my candidate and given that choice i support him. >> at first i supported jeb bush ever said that he was capable but the voters chose elsewhere so we see how much rain or snow nattered but now we are where we are with the voters in their wisdom have selected the democratic nominee with clinton and republican with trump that is the choice and with that i will support donald trump by also call him now where i disagree because often they do in many ideas cannot endorse many comments i cannot endorse including where he speaks in appropriately i will speak out but but this sideshow c aside to focus on jobs and the clintons because this

campaign is imminently winnable because to their core the american people do not want of more of the same i cannot think of anybody who was more of the same to obama un day and hillary clinton. >> caller: how are you today? i will begin with bold statement. on both sides of the fence republicans and democrats realize the affordable care act has flaws. we both know that but has good things also. my question is why when the republicans tried to repeal can they write a new health care bill that at the end

states that passage of the new health care bill will supercede or repeal the old bill that is giving us the americans the opportunity to see where you replace it with than having a debate before you wipe out what we have right now and what do we have? nothing and. the same old system that did not work before in health care costs we're going up every year even before the affordable care act. so the question is can't you write the bill and at the end say this will repeal the old bill?omment >> guest: i appreciate the caller for comment and that is exactly what we intend to do an example of why we put together the agenda of project because they do believe the caller is right we have an obligation not

just to complain about the parts but also to put forward our own. there are some positives with the fact that young people in their 20s can stay on their parents' plan theyy think we've been is a good thing even pre-existing conditions were a majorr problem in it is a goodth thing today but the problem is many have such high b deductibles that they have a relatively affordable premium but it doesn't work in their life if you are a family of three makingng 30,000 year you will beto bankrupt to put this insurance to use every need to put forward of the alternatives with competition across state lines and powering patients to make decisions as to the padding bureaucrats involved am part of what i hope is

that everyone should pay for health care with pretax dollars that make thousands of dollars a difference with the convoluted policies to date her employer provides it is not taxable by your own you have to pay after-tax dollars that is not fair and i thank you will see as rollout those proposals this summer so we can have a debate and vote depen this fall. >> it depends who is the president. >> it is unlikely clinton will repeal obamacare so we will put florida set of proposals with a partner in w the white house to go withio us that we could move in a different direction. >> host: the democratic line. >> caller: good morning.

i am looking at here right now but the republicans had control of the senate. and the congress the firstoes no time that congress doesn't do anything for anybody republicans don't want to raise taxes on the rich but my daughter is working and has a job and a are charging per $22,000 in taxes per year. but the rich have the of loopholes to put their money overseas.or, bob also about our senator from tennessee he hasn't done anything for the people he is like you and the rest and some democrats are like that. you don't care but anybody and with donald trump a

leopard cannot change his spots. he says what he means he is a 70 year-old male and. -- man. >> i already made my comments on donald trump i grew up in a single-parent family, my mother recently retired in my home town i and in public service because i grew up where i was taught if i worked hard and stayed focused anything was possible but they think we're losing that as a nation for the failed anti-poverty programs overin the last decade are failing working americans. that is why we're trying to change it. very thing tried was lifting people lot of poverty we but not have the complaints we have the folks know in their heart the programs are now working but what we're if you to with our proposals

with the right kinds of incentives if you go to work your wife should be better off if you get very you should not be penalized. and frankly if you need a bus pass to get to work in the programs should be flexible enough because thatt common sense difference can be met by policy makers. l when they see those true details they will like the plan is on this side of the average american. >> the independent line. >> caller: the republicans are ignoring is the offshoot of obamacare.

and to get to the point is the latest being to except millions of dollars recently that people love medicare and medicaid who'd go to the doctor and they say yes the doctor did a good job. they're calling that value based. it is rare that politicians decide if they agree if your doctor did the right thing for you and that is now right that is what everybody has to pay for. >> this is a complex set of issues in one of the problems that i have with the approach to obamacare

what the president did was create more and try to pay for it by getting young people in healthy people pay for health care for the less healthy. that is not the way to build the health care system. he has a of very innovativeg plan and a lot of that his medical savings accounts and was provided to low income allowing them to be consumers and benefits purpose if they will get certain health care procedures they will get them spend them in another way. >> to stop the guidelines on trans gender use, what does it europe and pose will offer?esident issued

but this is based on local control over it is issuing a forwer to transgendered restrooms but then to put for this initiative i think it is policing legislation in but these facilities issued the have pope those set chose to put the best interest ahead but the government cannot cut the funding based of those decisions. there is a lot of co-sponsors out of the gate it is common sense and they understand this as well. we're free fall with a broader political debate, i

want to see the federal government is intruding in our schools in this way andho i trust the common sense and decency of our leaders to deal with the challenges.ed they're already doing that within my district. >> host: but not a force of law? why the concern? bennett with a date you may or may not in force and bin day and say so once they starchy jean be arguing comes spirit there is onlylyingo one-third the weather bullying schools if is the right direction. >> and for the guidelines

than the speaker of the house but of what is most important is for most the hoosiers are in we'reller: optimistic. >> the republican line. >> caller: good morning i am from chicago. in many people are working part-time to get theirir benefits richet blow the whistle on the hillary clinton server and to stand down.

>> i took the caller's question to put it into two parts in the second part was the hillary clinton server that frankly the abuse of classified information, she did a protector nation's secrets is a major issue in will be through the summer into the fall. the missing data but i don't think it was their intent to demolish the 48 hour workweek but to be the biggest assault and with multiple generations but if

you work 30 hours instead me are only working 29 hours. >> host: and the democrats are in texas. >>. a seven year-old black man living in texas i wish rpublicans would stop saying donald trump is a a racist in the less you have been raised on that side of the field stop saying that because that is 10,000 miles away and everything is obama this will. >> everybody has some t

responsibility to make aot difference in not delivering for the but we have strong support for sanders and trump they are not aligned o with the specifics but they know they are tired of the status quo end with the leaders to shake things up and that is why i have tried to do over the last fourto years but the commons on you lot racism everybody has to hit them moving pattern. >> she received a life b pattern of of racism in series i have spoken now taken instead say and it had better stop for donald trump will not be elected president spirit but i will s his fifth.

>> absolutely. spin again he needs to analyze the problem. if he focuses on jobs then he can win this election but i if he continues on the side show. with the mysteries of the upcoming election. and then they see crazy things. to be a leader because who loses if he but the americanor a worker but for the one

choice in the fall because none has disqualified himself as committed chairman of the committee thanks for your time

to ban the new drug traffickers simply to make the formula ever so slightly to evade the law. they give us these substances exciting games like spice and crazy clown and it sold them of legitimate convenience stores to market a young people as legal and therefore presumably safe way to get high. but of course, this is a lie. these drugs are a thing as safe and almost six years ago to the day as a young man from india and the lila -- indian a lot i was one of the first to die from the affects of smoking synthetic marijuana. first his parents have

become advocates for awareness and action against the then minister of synthetic drugs i am honored to have them in david's brother here today and his father will share his believe story. synthetic marijuana is a substance that have little to do with the marijuana plant it is typically composed of plant matter to mimic the effect of the active marijuana ingredient but is far more potent. synthetics often market as glass cleaner or bath salts is another type. these are stimulants that imitate the effects of cocaine and methamphetamines

and a third category synthetic opioids in the form of fentanyl this committee needs no introduction to view pureed crisis or fennel or the derivatives are synthetic 50 or 100 times more powerful than morphine. the d.a. has called the of the in ashley convergence of the synthetic drug threat and the current epidemic for just last week it was widely reported the overdose of fed nell was responsible for the death of the musician prince according to d.a. synthetic drugs are widely developed outside you did states, mostly in china and smuggled across the border

and reports have indicated that the profits are traceable back to the nathalie's so do we have what is needed to protect from the synthetics. of the committee acted a few years ago but the traffickers will outpace us. is in 2011 it is under the nationalist catholics control after passing balak didn't inflate of serious in the now, in the bill is

brought by bipartisan support the next year it came law as part of the prevention act and was an important step to protect their young people for perjury enough calling the poison control centers began to level off or decline in seventh and for those on synthetic drugs with a schedule one but clearly the proposed and the calls to poison centers for synthetic marijuana once again rises from 2,600 in 2013 to 3600 in 2014 and almost 8,000 in 2015. the news stories have the awful effects to in just

these substances in the effect of the criminal justice of law-enforcement continues to encounter these in record numbers. thanks to all the witnesses for being here today to help us learn more about this crisis. many of us have supported legislation that we think we can help but given the complex way drug traffickers can evade the law this is a difficult problem and doesn't have an easy answer. i did shorten my statement without objection cement welcome to our witnesses said as silent cal at the audience to day bear appears

to be an intelligent audience. [laughter] he is a humorous to. so i have a humorous comment. i don't deliver that well. en those substances think this audience knows that the unregulated substances mimic the effect of controlled substances such as marijuana and pcp and lsd and that is bad news there were seven houses 789 poison center exposures nationwide to those that is known as synthetic marijuana.

3,900 exposures in the state to that is almost half of the exposures nationwide. the challenge for law-enforcement is manufacturers mostly in china and india at change water to molecule's and the composition with a controlled substance analog. even though it has a controlled substance may no longer be illegal and enforcement efforts there's been shipped to our country illegally recorded as an alternative and they appeal

to the youth because they're easily a accessible sold the gas stations, convenience stores or of lying. we're now beginning to see a decrease synthetic exposures but others such as opioids for example, scheduled to controlled substance, the fentanyl what is deadly in highly addictive. in sacramento there were 52 resulting overdoses with 12 dash from 2014 there was an 80% increase in overdoses involving with synthetic zero believes including the fentanyl and i have never

seen that before with an 80% increase in one year and although i they maybe inaccurate because often is miss classified as prescription the opioid or heroin related. like other synthetic drugs they are clandestinely produced import rarely enter the united states in one of three ways. one, a chinese chemist produce and ship it to the united states via the international mail. number to the mexican drug traffickers produce with precursor chemicals and smuggled across the southwest border. or three, a chinese chemist produce and ship where idaho afloat of love that was

stick and fear that public health threat. mr. chairman we have held to drug caucus hearings dating back from 2011 and since then congress has only scheduled 26 substances and another 35 have been controlled through temporary scheduling and only 11 have been permanently controlled purpose simply put the current legislative framework prevents swift action is needed to address this close to the evolving problem and that is why along with others i reintroduce the protecting our youth from dangerous synthetic drugs acted as a bipartisan bill co-sponsored by many members of this

committee and it prevents manufacturers from skirting federal law by establishing the interagency committee to quickly designate and prohibit new synthetic drugs encountered by law-enforcement is since they are not subject to schedule the restrictions scientific and medical research would be safeguarded that would better enable us to protect the nation's youth to ensure successful prosecution for those to traffic in drugs in one thing is clear we have

to move with alacrity to stop this and we have seen this in my life to hit big i hope under your leadership you can come forward with important legislation. >> i associate myself with her remarks about acting quickly on this. director of national drug control policy leave its the drug policy of for its and is responsible for creating the fantasy with the department of public health in siena college with a master's of education and we invite you back we're glad

you're back next have the u.s. attorney northern district new york. prior to his confirmation he served as assistant u.s. attorney for 12 years in this said graduate of georgia tech university. and serving as the a since may 2015 began his career service as an assistant u.s. attorney after a few years in the private sector serving in a series of senior positions of law-enforcement including counsel to director mahler

and confirmed by the u.s. attorney eastern district of virginia a position held since 2008 and holds an undergraduate degree from the diversity of of virginia and our final witness is the deputy director of regulatory program and center for drug violation in research at the fda he joined in '97 and after working as a basic science researcher and veterans administration hospital he completed the residency bin his fellowship at yale university.

please start off spirit chairing grassley and members of the committee thank you for inviting me back to discuss issues of synthetic drugs even though there are tremendous concern will focus with opening remarks on this psycho active substances. sometimes they're known as designer drug for a legal i designed to mimic controlled substances to circumvent international and national drug controls the united nations estimated there were those on the global market and under authorities. it was often mixed to form a dangerous final package the potency and the composition are buried in when they pose

a serious health and medical consequences i appreciate we're here today from iowa to talk about a tragic death associated with these outcomes of the deadly effect of the communities. even though all 50 states have developed responses to control them that is the ease with which it could be manufactured. according to the da and vitter shipped to retail distributors. given that fatal and non fatal defects the united

states is leading discussions on how the global response to india's can be improved. in to join other countries to encourage the who to engage more proactively for international control. and that is underutilized to the overwhelming number that exist that could be developed in the future. and to press to take control of their borders and to have significant access to place 160 in substances under national control. most importantly the scheduling process

determines the impact domestically in international should not be in the review for control of our federal agencies will work directly with china to reduce the manufacturer in federal agencies also working with law-enforcement domestically and abroad but the science and research committee to wonder stare and the pharmacology for treatment strategies for prevention and partners about synthetic drugs despite these efforts we're concerned about the availability to successfully reduce domestic the scheduling authorities to help law-enforcement in the justice system address nps the scheduling these factions is a huge task under the and a large statue to prosecutors much store

each case new even if the same substance is involved which is an unnecessarily time-consuming process technical experts the fda and the national institute of drug abuse have been meeting and working together on what is required to place new drugs under control how that plays into the scheduling process we believe a coordinated response aims to protect public safety taking into account research interest is necessary to stay ahead of nps in the short term congress can control a significant amount that is structurally related to the compounds the does not prohibit a researcher aspects but prevents further harm to the public in a long-term reform scheduling framework we need to stay ahead of the new realities of the drug market united states is not alone to grapple with how to modify

the legislative process to address the dynamic problem of nps in recent months the united kingdom ministry have taken bold steps to get ahead of the threat. we're committed to make progress against nps to work with our international partners federal government agencies that the state local and tribal level to prevent the spread that these dangerous substances pose. >> go-ahead. >> thank-you chairman grassley and distinguished members on behalf of the attorney-general lynch and my colleagues thank you for the opportunity to testify today about synthetic drugs despite our efforts they continue to flourish with human cost including violence hallucinations and

hospitalization many are produced in china by chemist to very the formulas to stay ahead of the scheduling process with no quality control is significant variations of the unknown mix of common goals posing a significant danger as a result police officers meet those who are delusional and combative worldwide attention in 2012 involving a 54 year-old under the influence who was seen naked in the street waving a tree branch when he told the police they would have to kill him to stop him officers to play a taser gun but he pulled out of his chest and continued walking intel to officers subdued him in march 2016 syracuse police took a 25 year-old man to the hospital after his mother reported he set his mattress on fire after

interesting synthetic drugs syracuse has seen so many overdoses locally known it is called spike nation under the analog act criminal liability depends on the finding in each case that it was intended for human consumption and the defendant knew it was regulated under federal law or knew the identity. even if the substance is regarded as controlled each criminal prosecution must establish that fact and issue that requires extensive use of expert witness to prove it is similar to a controlled substance and structure in effect. proving it was intended presents another challenge with marketing and selling with names like bath salts enough for human consumption labels designed to set up a

lack of knowledge to make it more difficult to convict high-level suppliers. these are the challenges are the evasive actions of the distributors teacher our efforts to protect the american public refers to use the analog act with a case in 2009 to convict 20 defendants in a ring from china to distribute in the syracuse area will tie kilo quantities were shipped some falsely labeled as metal corrosion inhibitor end in 2012 he successfully prosecuted the owner of nine shops in new york that sold synthetic drugs until receives nearly 12 kilograms of spices and kate to in other packages he went to jail for 87 months and from

coast to coast in the heartland we have achieved similar success in the north dakota after two teenagers died in the grand forks area of investigation revealed that charles carlton online business was importing from several countries and destroying them across united states. him and 14 other were convicted in into sentenced another pled guilty for importing 24 tons of misbranded synthetic drugs marketed with names to generate $20 million in profits between 2011 and 2013 and april 2016 in florida chinese nationals sentenced 50 months in forfeiture of 1.$5 million for his involvement to

supply hundreds of kilograms to the u.s. russia in europe he was a chemical engineer and monitor the administrative thank congressional scheduling efforts in altered inventory accordingly in the northern district of iowa. convicted late 2015 of conspiracy to distribute analogs and launder drug money there or wholesale distributors with trade names like mr. nice guy and mr. happy. while the prosecution deters others from engaging in such conduct raise public awareness we're understand that education and prevention is the essential component we partner with educators in town hall meetings and events like the

east side community forum we invest substantial resources in youth education reaching fifth grade students in the northern districts reentry course that helps high-risk supervisors find the help they need to reintegrate into society the tools congress has given as allow us to take aggressive action we still face challenges but our resolve to hold others accountable we mean unwavering eyelet forward to answering any questions. >> members of the committee it is a pleasure to be here i appreciate you holding this hearing sometimes in our lexicon we use words without thinking about like unprecedented historic for unique but i think what we are seeing is unprecedented

in a historic we have an epidemic sometimes the word is often overused but if it's your. i want to talk about this i will be brief bin be happy to answer your questions about what helps me to think about the problem one is vital when hezbollah tile in one is people. the reason this is so vital because a lot of these poisons are marketing to children they put them in shiny foil packets with cartoon characters with an innocent sounding name to stick in the convenience or garage restorer in seoul this to kids by any definition i think that is vital. of a tile. as you touched on we are

trying to keep up with the picture that changes almost every day we have identified something like 400 new nps over the last for five years we were seeing almost one a week ago to three a month. but i almost feel each time i find an administrative control regulation i am simply telling the bad guys just move over here and that is what they do is follow title for every one substance of which is controlled there are 11 more out there and it is changing all the time. so now i will address legal people talked eloquently on

this panel or the next one the effect this had on our kids and we have lost i want to do talk about from a slightly different perspective from law-enforcement fentanyl is so dangerous we have had to instructor agents that if they touch it or inhale it accidentally they can die. if it is a cater officer the dog sniffs it, perhaps because it is laced with heroin the dog can die. we have trained our agents typically they're not first responders but they could encounter it to one another obviously if they come upon the scene is a first responder that could be there as well we have to protect our own because it is so lethal it is a remarkable substance we're putting in a roll call video

to the chief of police to warn 1 million police officers across the country you cannot field test your transport the way you would you have to be so careful because just being exposed to lead not even purposeful can kill you. those are the three words that held me think about this problem via rail, of all the tile and legal i am happy were doing this we have a lot of work to do we're playing catch-up and we need your help. thanks for the opportunity. >> very plain spoken in thank you. >> chairman grassley ranking member of the committee and the deputy director for regulatory programs at the fda purpose that is part of the department of health and human services thank you for

the opportunity to appear today to discuss the role fta has with the scientific assessment of drugs to protect public health as well as drug development i will begin by saying that i agree of all the comments that has been made with the seriousness of the issue new illicit drug czar flooding the market to pose a significant health risk appreciate the efforts the fda is committed to doing our part called the fda is the lead federal agency responsible and enforcing those hhs has a number of responsibilities performed by fda in my testimony will focus on the role of the drug scheduling process including emergency control street drugs as a part of

the work conducting the medical evaluation that forms the basis of a recommendation to use the da about the appropriate level of control for a substance that has the potential to be abused that evaluation revolves data on chemical synthesis and structure drug absorption and clinical studies to help us understand the abuse potential once complete our analysis is shared for concurrence then said to hhs to transmits a recommendation for a final decision making under the csa they are listed in one of five schedules depending on the abuse potential and for today's scheduled one is the highest level for those that have a high potential for abuse with no medical

use them lack of accepted safety use under medical supervision in addition to this work and also has a role in the non temporary scheduling and in this process and provides information about and also in final scheduling action. . .